the good news or the bad news?
My nephew took his first steps this weekend! :) The little man turns 10 months tomorrow and will be running before we know it.
We all had a great time despite certain circumstances (the cabin not having a dish washer, blender, or a thorough cleaning before we checked in). I am thankful that my family can get together like that without any real fighting.
My husband and my brother-in-law both get along well with each other as well as with our parents. I know several families that just aren't like that.
On to the bad news/prayer request.
A friend of mine from college has a 5 year old (will turn 6 this year) son who'd been having trouble with his legs. This past Friday they did an MRI and his results came back in yesterday.
He has a one inch grown on his spine, around where the tag of your shirt would hit. To a boy as small as him, one inch is fairly big.
Please pray for Dominic, his mother Jennifer, and the entire family.
March 31, 2009
March 30, 2009
Although I’ve lived in East Tennessee for 27 years, I have never made it out to a University of Tennessee football game. Ironically, Mr. Right, who moved down here late last summer, attended several in once season. So when my mom called asking if we wanted tickets, I was certain that he would want to go. I called him to confirm that there were no scheduling conflicts, and let her know that we did indeed want the tickets.
I’m not a big college football fan, never really have been. I wasn’t really excited about going to the game, but I was excited about experiencing the spectacle that is UT football in Neyland Stadium.
I hunted through my clothes, and found 3 things that might be acceptable—a polo that was more peach than orange, a v-neck knit top that said “hook ‘em horns” more than “go big orange”, and a sleeveless athletic shirt that my mom had purchased on the sale rack several years ago for me to go hiking in.
Mr. Right confirmed that the athletic shirt would be perfect (wait a minute-I thought he was color blind!) and since I didn’t have an acceptable shorts, promised to have my white Capri pants cleaned if anything happened to them.
We parked on the other side of the Henley Street Bridge and started our hike to the stadium. We went (very literally) over the river and through the woods. By the time we got into the stadium and up to our seats, I had sweat rolling down my back. I took my seat, thankful that the person sitting to the left of me hadn’t arrived yet, and looked around.
The stadium was huge—far bigger than I expected. I was very thankful that I had fulfilled my dream of seeing Lambeau field, before going into Neyland for the first time. Green Bay’s capacity of 80,000 would have been underwhelming compared to the 107,000 in the UT stadium.
The first part of the game, the fans were quieter than I expected, but once the second half started the Vols kicked it up a notch, as did the fans. Mr. Right had told me before hand that I had to sing Rocky Top at least once or he wouldn’t take me back—so when the band played it in the 3rd quarter, I sang along. But once I fulfilled the obligation, I was done.
At one point in the 2nd half the fans were trying to get the wave started. I didn’t want to seem like a spoil sport, so I did the wave when it came my turn — Mr. Right did not.
“That’s so 1980s.” He held that position until later in the game when the wave really took off. It seemed that everyone was joining in, and the upper deck had the timing down perfectly with the lower portion. He conceded that it was possibly the best wave he had ever seen and joined in.
The Vols were playing Southern Mississippi, Brett Favre’s alma mater so I had to fight off the urge to cheer for the opposing team. Their quarterback had a similar play style to Favre, fearlessly running the ball if there were no pass options. Something that couldn’t be said for Eric Ainge on one particular 4th and 1 play. But, once again, I value my life so I kept my opinions (for the most part) quiet.
Mr. Right and I decided to head out with 5 minutes to go in the game. We hated to leave early, but with a score of 39 to 19 there was no doubt that the Vols were going to come through with their first victory of the season. We were just outside the stadium when the fireworks started over the Vol Navy. The lights from the boats were beautiful on the water, even if they did include the red and blue lights from the police boats.
I’m not a big college football fan, never really have been. I wasn’t really excited about going to the game, but I was excited about experiencing the spectacle that is UT football in Neyland Stadium.
I hunted through my clothes, and found 3 things that might be acceptable—a polo that was more peach than orange, a v-neck knit top that said “hook ‘em horns” more than “go big orange”, and a sleeveless athletic shirt that my mom had purchased on the sale rack several years ago for me to go hiking in.
Mr. Right confirmed that the athletic shirt would be perfect (wait a minute-I thought he was color blind!) and since I didn’t have an acceptable shorts, promised to have my white Capri pants cleaned if anything happened to them.
We parked on the other side of the Henley Street Bridge and started our hike to the stadium. We went (very literally) over the river and through the woods. By the time we got into the stadium and up to our seats, I had sweat rolling down my back. I took my seat, thankful that the person sitting to the left of me hadn’t arrived yet, and looked around.
The stadium was huge—far bigger than I expected. I was very thankful that I had fulfilled my dream of seeing Lambeau field, before going into Neyland for the first time. Green Bay’s capacity of 80,000 would have been underwhelming compared to the 107,000 in the UT stadium.
The first part of the game, the fans were quieter than I expected, but once the second half started the Vols kicked it up a notch, as did the fans. Mr. Right had told me before hand that I had to sing Rocky Top at least once or he wouldn’t take me back—so when the band played it in the 3rd quarter, I sang along. But once I fulfilled the obligation, I was done.
At one point in the 2nd half the fans were trying to get the wave started. I didn’t want to seem like a spoil sport, so I did the wave when it came my turn — Mr. Right did not.
“That’s so 1980s.” He held that position until later in the game when the wave really took off. It seemed that everyone was joining in, and the upper deck had the timing down perfectly with the lower portion. He conceded that it was possibly the best wave he had ever seen and joined in.
The Vols were playing Southern Mississippi, Brett Favre’s alma mater so I had to fight off the urge to cheer for the opposing team. Their quarterback had a similar play style to Favre, fearlessly running the ball if there were no pass options. Something that couldn’t be said for Eric Ainge on one particular 4th and 1 play. But, once again, I value my life so I kept my opinions (for the most part) quiet.
Mr. Right and I decided to head out with 5 minutes to go in the game. We hated to leave early, but with a score of 39 to 19 there was no doubt that the Vols were going to come through with their first victory of the season. We were just outside the stadium when the fireworks started over the Vol Navy. The lights from the boats were beautiful on the water, even if they did include the red and blue lights from the police boats.
March 27, 2009
Another long weekend!
It feels like I haven't worked any Mondays in March, but to be accurate I've worked 2/5ths of them.
First I took a long weekend to babysit the Princess.
Then i took a long weekend to visit the in-laws.
This weekend I'm headed with my family for a mini-vacation. My parents, sister, brother-in-law, the princess, the little man, Mr. Right and myself are all loading up and heading for a 3 day trip to the mountains of North Carolina.
Okay, so I know we live in the mountains of Tennessee.
And they really aren't that different.
But we're limited on time, so we're making it a short trip.
About two months ago, my mom asked to me look up how much a hotel room would be for the weekend we were planning. We would need 3 rooms, and it turned out to be $100 per room per night.
Over Sunday lunch I asked if we could save money by just having two rooms - one for my sister's family, and Mr. Right and I could share with my parents. (My parents are insisting on paying for all the rooms.)
No way. My mom wanted the privacy of her own room.
Actually I suspect she just didn't want to have to share a bed with my dad. They're getting old (sorry to my 50+ crowd) and have joint issues so they both toss and turn. Just when one gets asleep the other starts moving around.
Why not rent a cabin instead?
Of course my genius hub-sand (as my niece calls him) had a great idea - look into renting a cabin for the weekend.
His profession is selling rental cabins, so I'm not entirely certain why I didn't think of it first.
Turns out, we can get a 3 bedroom cabin for $150 a night. A savings of $150 per night. Not to mention the food savings we'll have by having breakfast at the cabin. One night we're even going to cook steaks at home.
Not to mention the freedom my sister will have to put the little man (who's 10 months old) down for bed and not have to worry about being alone in a hotel room.
My frugal Friday tip - consider all your options. With the economy as it is, you could find some really good deals. And just because you're on vacation doesn't mean you have to eat out every meal!
For more great money saving ideas, check out Life as Mom's Frugal Friday.
First I took a long weekend to babysit the Princess.
Then i took a long weekend to visit the in-laws.
This weekend I'm headed with my family for a mini-vacation. My parents, sister, brother-in-law, the princess, the little man, Mr. Right and myself are all loading up and heading for a 3 day trip to the mountains of North Carolina.
Okay, so I know we live in the mountains of Tennessee.
And they really aren't that different.
But we're limited on time, so we're making it a short trip.
About two months ago, my mom asked to me look up how much a hotel room would be for the weekend we were planning. We would need 3 rooms, and it turned out to be $100 per room per night.
Over Sunday lunch I asked if we could save money by just having two rooms - one for my sister's family, and Mr. Right and I could share with my parents. (My parents are insisting on paying for all the rooms.)
No way. My mom wanted the privacy of her own room.
Actually I suspect she just didn't want to have to share a bed with my dad. They're getting old (sorry to my 50+ crowd) and have joint issues so they both toss and turn. Just when one gets asleep the other starts moving around.
Why not rent a cabin instead?
Of course my genius hub-sand (as my niece calls him) had a great idea - look into renting a cabin for the weekend.
His profession is selling rental cabins, so I'm not entirely certain why I didn't think of it first.
Turns out, we can get a 3 bedroom cabin for $150 a night. A savings of $150 per night. Not to mention the food savings we'll have by having breakfast at the cabin. One night we're even going to cook steaks at home.
Not to mention the freedom my sister will have to put the little man (who's 10 months old) down for bed and not have to worry about being alone in a hotel room.
My frugal Friday tip - consider all your options. With the economy as it is, you could find some really good deals. And just because you're on vacation doesn't mean you have to eat out every meal!
For more great money saving ideas, check out Life as Mom's Frugal Friday.
March 26, 2009
Christmas Past: Dooney & Bourke
I'm married to one of the cheapest people I know. He doesn't like to spend money and he only makes two exceptions to that rule.
He's addicted to smokeless tobacco and wastes...um...spends $60+ a month on it.
He also loves spoiling me. For two out of the three Christmases we've been together, I've been the receiptent of a designer purse.
I'll be honest the Coach purse just intimidated me. I was going to keep it in the closet, in the sleeping bag, and only carry it on special occasions. Mr. Right nicely told me that he didn't pay that much for me to have a designer bag in my cloest. He bought it for me to carry and enjoy.
I'm getting more use to it all the time, but it is still a little small for everyday use. (I don't even wanna know what the bigger Coach bags cost!)
His follow up gift the next Christmas? A Dooney & Bourke handbag.
This one is a little more practical because:
*I know it wasn't as expensive.
*Its bigger.
*I'm out of bullet points but the other two looked so lonely.
Please forgive the PJs.
And the hair.
And the lack of makeup.
I love the purse because it makes me feel rich and pampered. I love the purse because it is durable and I don't have to worry about it wearing out. But mostly, I love the purse because it reminds me how much my hubs thinks of me.
For more great products, check out the Diaper Diaries.
And for more fun embarrassing pictures Marcy at the Glamorous Life Association hosts the Fro Me to You party!
He's addicted to smokeless tobacco and wastes...um...spends $60+ a month on it.
He also loves spoiling me. For two out of the three Christmases we've been together, I've been the receiptent of a designer purse.
I'll be honest the Coach purse just intimidated me. I was going to keep it in the closet, in the sleeping bag, and only carry it on special occasions. Mr. Right nicely told me that he didn't pay that much for me to have a designer bag in my cloest. He bought it for me to carry and enjoy.
I'm getting more use to it all the time, but it is still a little small for everyday use. (I don't even wanna know what the bigger Coach bags cost!)
His follow up gift the next Christmas? A Dooney & Bourke handbag.
This one is a little more practical because:
*I know it wasn't as expensive.
*Its bigger.
*I'm out of bullet points but the other two looked so lonely.
Please forgive the PJs.
And the hair.
And the lack of makeup.
I love the purse because it makes me feel rich and pampered. I love the purse because it is durable and I don't have to worry about it wearing out. But mostly, I love the purse because it reminds me how much my hubs thinks of me.
For more great products, check out the Diaper Diaries.
And for more fun embarrassing pictures Marcy at the Glamorous Life Association hosts the Fro Me to You party!
March 25, 2009
Measuring up: Weigh-in Wednesday
Current weight: 134.0
Edited to Add my goal for the next 8 weeks - to lose 5 pounds. I can't tell you how long its been since I've been in the 120s!
I had to look back on last week's records to see that was a 0.4 lost from last week. Not as much as I'd like but I'll take it.
On Monday, I had my wellness assessment and she pulled out the tape to take my measurements. I hadn't been measured in almost a year, but since then i have lost a 1/2 inch here, a 1/4 inch there.
What frustrates me is my legs. I could be content with everything as it is now, but my thunder thighs.
To give you an idea - my waist at its smallest point (my belly button) is 26 1/2 inches. My thighs at their biggest part? 24 1/2 inches.
Go ahead and sign this freak up for the circus.
The crazy thing is that I didn't think I had anything to lose in my upper body - and I've actually lost more in my stomach area than my legs. My arms have gotten slightly bigger, but that's because they are getting toned.
So there it is. You know my secret - and why I've cropped my profile photo so that you don't see me for the freak I am.
Edited to Add my goal for the next 8 weeks - to lose 5 pounds. I can't tell you how long its been since I've been in the 120s!
I had to look back on last week's records to see that was a 0.4 lost from last week. Not as much as I'd like but I'll take it.
On Monday, I had my wellness assessment and she pulled out the tape to take my measurements. I hadn't been measured in almost a year, but since then i have lost a 1/2 inch here, a 1/4 inch there.
What frustrates me is my legs. I could be content with everything as it is now, but my thunder thighs.
To give you an idea - my waist at its smallest point (my belly button) is 26 1/2 inches. My thighs at their biggest part? 24 1/2 inches.
Go ahead and sign this freak up for the circus.
The crazy thing is that I didn't think I had anything to lose in my upper body - and I've actually lost more in my stomach area than my legs. My arms have gotten slightly bigger, but that's because they are getting toned.
So there it is. You know my secret - and why I've cropped my profile photo so that you don't see me for the freak I am.
March 23, 2009
How Mr. Right Proposed
Marcy over at the Glamorous Life Association - a lucky groom-to-be needs our help! He's asked for everyone to post their romantic proposal/wedding stories to assist him proposing to his girl. GLA is glad to assist.
Here's mine...
I knew the day would be special when the sun gently awoke me around 7AM. Or else I just woke up and couldn't go back to sleep. Either way I went ahead and got showered so that I was mostly ready when it was time to head downstairs and enjoy the breakfast part of the Bed and Breakfast concept.
Our hostess seemed delighted to fix us bacon and scrambled eggs. She was even more excited when she sat down at the table and started talking politics. After waiting for the conversation to naturally come to a close and finding no such opportunity, I excused myself to come upstairs and finish getting ready.
After putting the finishing touches on my makeup, and curling my hair, Mr. Right was still downstairs. His phone started ringing and I thought that would be my golden opportunity - I would take him the phone, he would pretend it was terribly important and excuse himself and then we would be home free.
The caller, his neighbor Kevan, didn't realize we were on vacation and felt bad for bothering him. I tried to convince him he was a godsend, but I don't think he quite understood my desperation. And Mr. Right didn't get the plan either. So about 10 minutes after the phone call I just had to go downstairs and tell him that we needed to leave soon.
We walked to the bus stop and saw that the next bus wasn't due for another 20 minutes, so we decided to drive again and park in a municipal lot. Unfortunately for me, the lot closes at 10 which means we wouldn't be able to see a Broadway show. I could just see the disappointment in Jay's eyes, but I promised I'd find a way to make it up to him.
Since we were getting such a late start, when we got off the ferry we decided to take the subway directly to the Tavern on the Green. Our reservations were at 12:30 and we didn't want to be late. We were actually about 30 minutes early, so I decided to make good use of my time and petition ABC to bring back Boone, Charlie, and a message board that works properly.
After my work there was done, we took a stroll through the sheep field and learned that the Tavern use to house sheep before it was converted into a fancy restaurant.
Mr. Right had made reservations for us Easter weekend, and although we were still a few minutes early we were escorted directly to our table. I was afraid that the food on the menu would be too fancy for me, but they had fish and chips as well as a bacon cheeseburger. I got the fish and chips and ordered a peach bellini. It was the most expensive drink I've ever had, but it was delicious. Wanna see what a $12 coctail looks like?
My fish and chips were served with a individual sized glass bottle of ketchup. Since I didn't use it for my fries/chips, I threw it in my purse. And might I say its quite a magical purse. I got it for $1 at K-Mart on Christmas Eve and it seems to be the bag that won't quit.
At any given time today I had the following items: 3 cell phones, one large camera, a wallet, a bottle of ketchup, a bottle of hand sanitizer, a framed picture from the Tavern, a calculator, chap stick, lip gloss, a mirror, and feminine hegine products.
So while I didn't get my father a rock from Central Park - he does have a bottle of ketchup to add to his collection. Fancy ketchup at that.
After finishing up our meal we headed outside to get a few pictures of the garden.
Right outside the restaurant there were several horse drawn carriages. We went past the building where John Lennon was killed and then turned into the Strawberry Fields portion of the Park.
A note on the carriage reminded us that tips were "customery" and appreciated. Jay commented that proper spelling on official signs is also appreciated, but that certainly didn't get us any where.
We scouted out the map, then headed north toward the lake and Belvedere Castle.
The note on the door entering said "no food, drink, animals, or weddings (proposals only). Hmmm...I wondered to myself...foreshadowing of what was to come?? Nope. We went up to the tip top, took pictures, and walked back down.
I needed to find a bathroom, but none were easily accessible from where we were in the park. As we were headed out to the park, Jay mentioned that he was tired and he wanted to rest for a little bit from all the walking and sit down on a secluded bench. I thought it was odd that he was tired when I wasn't, but I didn't say anything.
As usual he read my mind and asked me if I was going to blog and let all my friends know that he was a sissy that tired quickly walking around in the park. Then he asked me if I remembered our first date - sitting outside of Johnny Carino's on a bench waiting to be seated.
"I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with you." Then the moment happened - he got down on one knee.
EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
Mr. Right: Brooke Middle Maiden, will you marry me?
Me: Of course I will. I love you!
At this point we're hugging. And then the bling. 23 diamonds. One marqee cut diamond in the center with rows of 3 deep baggets on the sides for 3 rows on either side and the last row with 2 diamonds. Making it all the more beautiful is the fact that the center diamond was the stone that his father first gave to his mother.
(I know it looks like yellow gold in the picture - its not. Its white gold, but if someone asks if its platinum I don't correct them.)
I have to confess that I was so impressed with the ring that I kept saying a phrase that my grandmother would chastise me for. But when the time comes we can delete that from the story to tell the kids right?
We sat on the bench for a while longer, just taking the moment in. Then he confessed that from the time we entered Central Park to the moment he asked he was on the look out for an empty bench that wasn't heavily populated. I tried to call my sister to let her be the first to know (my parents had already been tipped off by Mr. Right) but she didn't answer.
She called me back fairly quick, and it didn't take her long to confess that Mother had already spilled the beans. I'm currently taking suggestions on how to dress shop for a Matron of Honor that's 8 months pregnant when the wedding is only 6 months away.
The rest of the calls had to wait as we got on the subway and intended to head toward Filene's Basement to check out their bargains. Little did we know there was an "investigation" on the subway of a stalled train. We were forced to head Uptown to 125th Street in Harlem to board a Downtown Train back to 23rd Street in Manhattan.
After traveling 102 blocks on the subway, we arrived at Filene's Basement. After all a girl needs a new dress to coordinate with her newly aquired accessory. A mass text message went out to all my friends letting them know the big news. One of my cousins responded back "huh?" to my text.
The original message had said "a silver eagle has landed with a couple of karats in its mouth." Then I got a call from Maria - when I answered the phone she said "who is this?" It took only knowing that the text was from me for her to figure it out.
After purchasing a lovely wrap dress in the store - and talking to my Mamaw, my brother-in-law, and my niece - we headed toward Century 21 Department Store. Or so we thought. It felt like we walked forever and then walked some more.
Remember me looking for a restroom in Central Park - I still hadn't found one. Finally we found a sandwich/soup cafe that we stopped in to eat at and I headed straight for the restroom. We discovered quickly that we wanted to get in and get out in a hurry. Since the ladies room door was locked, I headed into the men's.
Out on the street we still had no clue where we were going. We were hesistant to ask for directions, but saw a group of cops on the side of the road and decided to go ahead and ask. This cocky...sonofa...pieceof...officer interrupted us with the question of directions we asked and assured us that if we turned left at Chambers it would run right into the store. Turns out he gave us directions straight to the police station....
When we turned off of Broadway onto Chambers Mr. Right said that the turn felt wrong and surely Broadway would take us there. He was right. After that detour we got back on track.
At 8 o'clock on the nose we headed into Century 21's doors, only to be turned away. It was closing time. And if that lousy, unprintable name hadn't sent us off on a wild goose chase, we would have made it. The NYPD is going to receive a scathing email from me. I'm sure he'll either be repremanded or fired.
When we walked out of the store I saw heaven across the street. Okay so it was just McDonald's, but I was really thirsty and the thought of a large coke sounded like a godsend! Thanks to Mr. Right and google map (accessed on his fancy cell phone) we walked a few blocks down and got on the subway to finally head home.
I was exhausted and took my shoes off on the ferry ride back. I think I got an evil look from a young girl as I was complaining about my feet hurting. So because she walks with a cane she thinks she can judge my aching feet? Yeah, I felt pretty bad about that.
When we got back to the B&B my fiance (its really fun to say that) gave me a wonderful footrub. I'm a lucky girl.
Here's mine...
I knew the day would be special when the sun gently awoke me around 7AM. Or else I just woke up and couldn't go back to sleep. Either way I went ahead and got showered so that I was mostly ready when it was time to head downstairs and enjoy the breakfast part of the Bed and Breakfast concept.
Our hostess seemed delighted to fix us bacon and scrambled eggs. She was even more excited when she sat down at the table and started talking politics. After waiting for the conversation to naturally come to a close and finding no such opportunity, I excused myself to come upstairs and finish getting ready.
Mr. Right: Skip to the part where I ask you to marry me.
Brooke: I'm getting there, be patient.
After putting the finishing touches on my makeup, and curling my hair, Mr. Right was still downstairs. His phone started ringing and I thought that would be my golden opportunity - I would take him the phone, he would pretend it was terribly important and excuse himself and then we would be home free.
The caller, his neighbor Kevan, didn't realize we were on vacation and felt bad for bothering him. I tried to convince him he was a godsend, but I don't think he quite understood my desperation. And Mr. Right didn't get the plan either. So about 10 minutes after the phone call I just had to go downstairs and tell him that we needed to leave soon.
We walked to the bus stop and saw that the next bus wasn't due for another 20 minutes, so we decided to drive again and park in a municipal lot. Unfortunately for me, the lot closes at 10 which means we wouldn't be able to see a Broadway show. I could just see the disappointment in Jay's eyes, but I promised I'd find a way to make it up to him.
Since we were getting such a late start, when we got off the ferry we decided to take the subway directly to the Tavern on the Green. Our reservations were at 12:30 and we didn't want to be late. We were actually about 30 minutes early, so I decided to make good use of my time and petition ABC to bring back Boone, Charlie, and a message board that works properly.
After my work there was done, we took a stroll through the sheep field and learned that the Tavern use to house sheep before it was converted into a fancy restaurant.
Mr. Right had made reservations for us Easter weekend, and although we were still a few minutes early we were escorted directly to our table. I was afraid that the food on the menu would be too fancy for me, but they had fish and chips as well as a bacon cheeseburger. I got the fish and chips and ordered a peach bellini. It was the most expensive drink I've ever had, but it was delicious. Wanna see what a $12 coctail looks like?
My fish and chips were served with a individual sized glass bottle of ketchup. Since I didn't use it for my fries/chips, I threw it in my purse. And might I say its quite a magical purse. I got it for $1 at K-Mart on Christmas Eve and it seems to be the bag that won't quit.
At any given time today I had the following items: 3 cell phones, one large camera, a wallet, a bottle of ketchup, a bottle of hand sanitizer, a framed picture from the Tavern, a calculator, chap stick, lip gloss, a mirror, and feminine hegine products.
So while I didn't get my father a rock from Central Park - he does have a bottle of ketchup to add to his collection. Fancy ketchup at that.
After finishing up our meal we headed outside to get a few pictures of the garden.
Right outside the restaurant there were several horse drawn carriages. We went past the building where John Lennon was killed and then turned into the Strawberry Fields portion of the Park.
A note on the carriage reminded us that tips were "customery" and appreciated. Jay commented that proper spelling on official signs is also appreciated, but that certainly didn't get us any where.
We scouted out the map, then headed north toward the lake and Belvedere Castle.
The note on the door entering said "no food, drink, animals, or weddings (proposals only). Hmmm...I wondered to myself...foreshadowing of what was to come?? Nope. We went up to the tip top, took pictures, and walked back down.
I needed to find a bathroom, but none were easily accessible from where we were in the park. As we were headed out to the park, Jay mentioned that he was tired and he wanted to rest for a little bit from all the walking and sit down on a secluded bench. I thought it was odd that he was tired when I wasn't, but I didn't say anything.
As usual he read my mind and asked me if I was going to blog and let all my friends know that he was a sissy that tired quickly walking around in the park. Then he asked me if I remembered our first date - sitting outside of Johnny Carino's on a bench waiting to be seated.
"I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with you." Then the moment happened - he got down on one knee.
EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE
Mr. Right: Brooke Middle Maiden, will you marry me?
Me: Of course I will. I love you!
At this point we're hugging. And then the bling. 23 diamonds. One marqee cut diamond in the center with rows of 3 deep baggets on the sides for 3 rows on either side and the last row with 2 diamonds. Making it all the more beautiful is the fact that the center diamond was the stone that his father first gave to his mother.
(I know it looks like yellow gold in the picture - its not. Its white gold, but if someone asks if its platinum I don't correct them.)
I have to confess that I was so impressed with the ring that I kept saying a phrase that my grandmother would chastise me for. But when the time comes we can delete that from the story to tell the kids right?
We sat on the bench for a while longer, just taking the moment in. Then he confessed that from the time we entered Central Park to the moment he asked he was on the look out for an empty bench that wasn't heavily populated. I tried to call my sister to let her be the first to know (my parents had already been tipped off by Mr. Right) but she didn't answer.
She called me back fairly quick, and it didn't take her long to confess that Mother had already spilled the beans. I'm currently taking suggestions on how to dress shop for a Matron of Honor that's 8 months pregnant when the wedding is only 6 months away.
The rest of the calls had to wait as we got on the subway and intended to head toward Filene's Basement to check out their bargains. Little did we know there was an "investigation" on the subway of a stalled train. We were forced to head Uptown to 125th Street in Harlem to board a Downtown Train back to 23rd Street in Manhattan.
After traveling 102 blocks on the subway, we arrived at Filene's Basement. After all a girl needs a new dress to coordinate with her newly aquired accessory. A mass text message went out to all my friends letting them know the big news. One of my cousins responded back "huh?" to my text.
The original message had said "a silver eagle has landed with a couple of karats in its mouth." Then I got a call from Maria - when I answered the phone she said "who is this?" It took only knowing that the text was from me for her to figure it out.
After purchasing a lovely wrap dress in the store - and talking to my Mamaw, my brother-in-law, and my niece - we headed toward Century 21 Department Store. Or so we thought. It felt like we walked forever and then walked some more.
Remember me looking for a restroom in Central Park - I still hadn't found one. Finally we found a sandwich/soup cafe that we stopped in to eat at and I headed straight for the restroom. We discovered quickly that we wanted to get in and get out in a hurry. Since the ladies room door was locked, I headed into the men's.
Out on the street we still had no clue where we were going. We were hesistant to ask for directions, but saw a group of cops on the side of the road and decided to go ahead and ask. This cocky...sonofa...pieceof...officer interrupted us with the question of directions we asked and assured us that if we turned left at Chambers it would run right into the store. Turns out he gave us directions straight to the police station....
When we turned off of Broadway onto Chambers Mr. Right said that the turn felt wrong and surely Broadway would take us there. He was right. After that detour we got back on track.
At 8 o'clock on the nose we headed into Century 21's doors, only to be turned away. It was closing time. And if that lousy, unprintable name hadn't sent us off on a wild goose chase, we would have made it. The NYPD is going to receive a scathing email from me. I'm sure he'll either be repremanded or fired.
When we walked out of the store I saw heaven across the street. Okay so it was just McDonald's, but I was really thirsty and the thought of a large coke sounded like a godsend! Thanks to Mr. Right and google map (accessed on his fancy cell phone) we walked a few blocks down and got on the subway to finally head home.
I was exhausted and took my shoes off on the ferry ride back. I think I got an evil look from a young girl as I was complaining about my feet hurting. So because she walks with a cane she thinks she can judge my aching feet? Yeah, I felt pretty bad about that.
When we got back to the B&B my fiance (its really fun to say that) gave me a wonderful footrub. I'm a lucky girl.
Awards & Challenges
First off, let me say thanks to Jenn over at Frugal Front Porch for giving me this Sisterhood award!
Part of me wants to be a good little blogger and pass it along like the directions say. But the other part is afraid of hurting someone's feelings. I'm supposed to pick out 10 peeps - only I have 9 followers and a handful of loyal readers that aren't followers, so how would I choose?
You guys all give such great encouragement to me that I want to give the award for great attitude/gratitute to you all! Hopefully this is one of those times that God thinks rebellion is okay...
Not to scared about this weeks Challenge over at the Diaper Diaries. We're both pretty much aware of our strengths and weaknesses, but I'll start "the talk" any way.
Looking forward to my first full challenge over at the Sisterhood of the Shrinking Jeans. I have my wellness assessment today, and am hoping to have seen enough progress these past 3 months to not get discouraged.
God reminded me this morning that its no so much about getting His temple perfect. He doesn't care what color the draps are or if the aisle are a little wider than they should be. He does care that the structure is properly maintained so that the temple doesn't start to deteriorate faster than it should. Mostly though, He just wants the focus of the temple to point to Him, rather than be distracted.
Although I can't help but wish the aisles were a size 6 instead of an 8...
A challenge that my real-life friends and I have made for ourselves is to run a 5K in May. We started training a little late (we had to jump to week 3's program rather than start with week 1), but since we've been doing other forms of exercise I think we were okay to jump ahead.
My knee has been hurting - but with the combo of bad genes and worn out running shoes that was bound to happen. I've got my new shoes set to go for this week and I'm looking forward to it.
Also, did you know that when you're a size 32 its easy to find sports bras on the clearance rack? Apparently I'm the only person this small that thinks a sports bra is necessary.
March 20, 2009
Awareness Day
Today is Cerebral Palsy awareness day, and Keri over at Life of Logan is asking everyone to get out the word.
My own experience with CP is limited, but even a taste is heartbreaking.
A fact pulled off her site seems almost unbelievable, but with my own snipped of experience is rings true.
There is currently no cure for cerebral palsy and in most cases, it is not preventable. In over 50 years, treatments for CP have not progressed much at all. In fact, today, there remains little consensus among medical professionals regarding what causes CP or how best to treat it. Why do 800,000 or more Americans have CP, and yet we don’t know much more about what causes it or how to prevent it than we did a half century ago?
At 3 weeks old, my nephew rolled over from his belly to his back. My first reaction? "What an amazing kid!"
When my sister mentioned it to her pediatrician, he instructed her to watch for it to happen again and if it did, to bring him in.
We later learned, because the little man kept rolling over, is that this is an early sign of Cerebral Palsy. I found that strange, since everything I understood about CP limited movement.
The little man was referred on to a Pediatric Neurologist, and was given the thumbs up. Since he's so young (now nearing the 10 month mark) they really can't test for sure. The doctor said it appears that he doesn't have CP, but that if more signs appear as he develops to keep an eye on them.
How frustrating that with today's medicine the best diagnosis my sister can get is "We don't think your son has CP." They at least have assured her that with his current skills, if he does eventually get a diagnosis - it'll be such a mild case that "even his wife wouldn't have to know if he didn't want her to."
I remember how scared I was during the whole process.
Only he's not my kid.
And he probably doesn't have the disease.
I can't tell you how much I admire Logan's parents - they must be some incredibly strong people.
March 19, 2009
Reason #815 its important to blog
Because we're getting older and if we don't blog about this stuff we might forget!
I was reminded that I left out a major part of the story yesterday - my dad and I drove through a toll booth without paying!
It was late and he was a little confused about which lanes were open. He saw that the lane marked "EZ Pass" was open and proceeded through.
Only we didn't have an EZ Pass.
And there was no attendant there to take our money.
So he just kept driving.
I figured we'd get a bill in the mail or something later, but nothing ever came. It was a rental car, so maybe that had something to do with it.
But if I ever go to Wisconsin again I promise to pay double!
I was reminded that I left out a major part of the story yesterday - my dad and I drove through a toll booth without paying!
It was late and he was a little confused about which lanes were open. He saw that the lane marked "EZ Pass" was open and proceeded through.
Only we didn't have an EZ Pass.
And there was no attendant there to take our money.
So he just kept driving.
I figured we'd get a bill in the mail or something later, but nothing ever came. It was a rental car, so maybe that had something to do with it.
But if I ever go to Wisconsin again I promise to pay double!
Bucket List
Once I graduated college - I had 4 things on my "things to do before I die" list.
1) See a game in (the original) Yankee Stadium.
2) See Brett Favre play at Lambeau Field.
3) Get married.
4) Enjoy the benefits of being married. ;)
I knew that if I was going to see Favre at Lambeau, I had to get on it. The media has been pressuring him about retirement for a while now. (He's announced his retirement twice, came back once - so far.)
My dad agreed to go with me, but we had to make it in one weekend. $300 for tickets and a room. I wanted this - badly! Luckily for me, they were playing my 2nd favorite team in the NFL, the Arizona Cardinals.
We drove all day Saturday (14 hours) and arrived in time to check into our hotel and catch dinner.
The next morning was the big game.
I had prepared for "Ice Bowl" conditions - but it turned out to be around 50 degrees. I swear 50 degrees in Wisconsin is colder than 50 in Tennessee.
I decided to root for whichever team was on offense. Since the Packers were winning the game, the fans didn't boo me too much for my double-minded nature.
My dad decided to get a packet of stickers for my niece, but when he returned to his seat we figured out that they were temporary tattoos instead of stickers.
I took them, went to the bathroom, and put them on my face to show my loyalty.
And while I was gone Brett Favre scored a touchdown.
And did his first Lambeau leap.
Ever.
Did I mention I was in the bathroom???
I've since forgiven my father (I think) and we both really enjoyed the game.
On the bus ride back to the hotel (it was around 5 in the afternoon) my dad got a call from his boss. He had to be at work at 7 the next morning. We drove all night and only stopped for a few bathroom breaks.
I drove the first shift because I have trouble staying awake. Then when it was Daddy's turn to drive I crawled to the very back of the van, covered up in a blanket and went to sleep.
He woke me up when he pulled over to the shoulder of the interstate quickly. Apparently he had pulled into a rest stop to use the bathroom, and when he came back he just glanced in the back to see if I was back there.
About 5 minutes down the road, he got paranoid that I wasn't under the blanket that he saw, and pulled over.
Is it any wonder I'm a worry wart? I was trained by the best.
I will never forget this weekend with my father. It was our last father-daughter venture. Just weeks before, I had met Mr. Right. But I was glad to have experienced that weekend with the first man I ever loved.
(Which reminds me, I've got to do a Fro Me to You about our father/daughter dance at the wedding - it was classic!)
For more great retro memories, check out Fro Me to You.
March 18, 2009
Weigh-In Wednesday
Once again I am amazed and frustrated at my body.
This weekend, I spent 3 days at my in-laws; house. Three days of pancakes for breakfast, chocolate covered pretzels for snack, and butter drenched potatoes for dinner.
So how in the world did I lose weight this week?
I'm down 1.6 pounds from this time last week. I hope I don't sound ungrateful - just a little perplexed as to what is going on.
I'm hoping its that my body has finally gotten kick started on the road to weight loss! Only 4.4 more pounds to go! Or 9.4 depending on who's counting - my trainer seems to think that the additional 5 lbs will be difficult to lose. She thinks, so I don't get discouraged, I should just stick with the 4.4. And if more comes off after that its a bonus.
I tried on work out pants this weekend and UGH!! The mediums were skin tight, but when I went up to a large they sagged in the waist. Seriously as a med/large bottomed girl, I don't want my pants skin tight!
This weekend, I spent 3 days at my in-laws; house. Three days of pancakes for breakfast, chocolate covered pretzels for snack, and butter drenched potatoes for dinner.
So how in the world did I lose weight this week?
I'm down 1.6 pounds from this time last week. I hope I don't sound ungrateful - just a little perplexed as to what is going on.
I'm hoping its that my body has finally gotten kick started on the road to weight loss! Only 4.4 more pounds to go! Or 9.4 depending on who's counting - my trainer seems to think that the additional 5 lbs will be difficult to lose. She thinks, so I don't get discouraged, I should just stick with the 4.4. And if more comes off after that its a bonus.
I tried on work out pants this weekend and UGH!! The mediums were skin tight, but when I went up to a large they sagged in the waist. Seriously as a med/large bottomed girl, I don't want my pants skin tight!
March 17, 2009
Happy St. Patrick's Day!
Here are the answers to the movie quote quiz yesterday:
1. Stealing your life away. You went down 30 years ago, pal. You just don't know it yet.
Frequency
My favorite movie of all time! Jim Cavizel before he was Jesus. If you haven't seen it RENT IT!
2. Alright, alright. Synchronize your watches. You, you, you and you, paint him red, then kill him!
Help!
Its a crazy Beatles movie. Good for laughs and craziness.
3. I choose Vodka. And Chaka Khan.
Bridget Jones
For the longest time I was convinced that she and I were soulmates - thankfully we both found a nice sensible boy to settle down with.
4. For all you care, our record could be Pip farting on a snare drum.
Airheads
Early Adam Sandler. Very funny, if you like Sandler of course!
5. Well, don't look at me, pal. I just said you were a fair pilot. I didn't know they were looking for somebody to *lead* this crazy attack.
Return of the Jedi
I <3 Han Solo!!
6. Sarcasm is the refuge of losers.
Little Miss Sunshine
7. But, John. If the Pirates of the Caribbean breaks down, the pirates don't eat the tourists
Jurrassic Park
8. If I hadn't been Fox Books and you hadn't been the Shop Around the Corner... and you and I had, just you know, met... Yeah. I would have asked for your phone number and I wouldn't have been able to wait 24 hours before calling and asking, "How about coffee, drinks, dinner, a movie, for as long as we both shall live?"
You’ve Got Mail
I figured this one would be the easiest.
9. Of course, the whole point of a Doomsday Machine is lost, if you *keep* it a *secret*! Why didn't you tell the world, EH?
Dr. Strangelove or How I learned to stop worrying and love the bomb
I watched this for film class in college - very funny, for a movie about nuclear war and the end of the world.
10. I’m going to cut his heart out with a spoon…cause its dull you twit, it’l hurt more!
Robin Hood: Princes of Thieves
Not a huge fan of the movie, but I'll always have this quote stuck in my head!
I hope to have some insightful blogs to share with you about this weekend.
But not right now.
I'm tired.
And have work to catch up on.
Not to mention all your blogs!
1. Stealing your life away. You went down 30 years ago, pal. You just don't know it yet.
Frequency
My favorite movie of all time! Jim Cavizel before he was Jesus. If you haven't seen it RENT IT!
2. Alright, alright. Synchronize your watches. You, you, you and you, paint him red, then kill him!
Help!
Its a crazy Beatles movie. Good for laughs and craziness.
3. I choose Vodka. And Chaka Khan.
Bridget Jones
For the longest time I was convinced that she and I were soulmates - thankfully we both found a nice sensible boy to settle down with.
4. For all you care, our record could be Pip farting on a snare drum.
Airheads
Early Adam Sandler. Very funny, if you like Sandler of course!
5. Well, don't look at me, pal. I just said you were a fair pilot. I didn't know they were looking for somebody to *lead* this crazy attack.
Return of the Jedi
I <3 Han Solo!!
6. Sarcasm is the refuge of losers.
Little Miss Sunshine
7. But, John. If the Pirates of the Caribbean breaks down, the pirates don't eat the tourists
Jurrassic Park
8. If I hadn't been Fox Books and you hadn't been the Shop Around the Corner... and you and I had, just you know, met... Yeah. I would have asked for your phone number and I wouldn't have been able to wait 24 hours before calling and asking, "How about coffee, drinks, dinner, a movie, for as long as we both shall live?"
You’ve Got Mail
I figured this one would be the easiest.
9. Of course, the whole point of a Doomsday Machine is lost, if you *keep* it a *secret*! Why didn't you tell the world, EH?
Dr. Strangelove or How I learned to stop worrying and love the bomb
I watched this for film class in college - very funny, for a movie about nuclear war and the end of the world.
10. I’m going to cut his heart out with a spoon…cause its dull you twit, it’l hurt more!
Robin Hood: Princes of Thieves
Not a huge fan of the movie, but I'll always have this quote stuck in my head!
I hope to have some insightful blogs to share with you about this weekend.
But not right now.
I'm tired.
And have work to catch up on.
Not to mention all your blogs!
March 16, 2009
Monday Movie Quotes
Lois and Rachel both had their own movie quote post, and since I'm taking yet another Monday off today I thought this would be the perfect thing to keep you busy till I get back.
I'll post the answers (and who got the most right) on Tuesday.
1. Stealing your life away. You went down 30 years ago, pal. You just don't know it yet.
2. Alright, alright. Synchronize your watches. You, you, you and you, paint him red, then kill him!
3.I choose Vodka. And Chaka Khan.
4.For all you care, our record could be Pip farting on a snare drum.
5. Well, don't look at me, pal. I just said you were a fair pilot. I didn't know they were looking for somebody to *lead* this crazy attack.
6.Sarcasm is the refuge of losers.
7. But, John, if the Pirates of the Caribbean breaks down, the pirates don't eat the tourists.
8. If I hadn't been Fox Books and you hadn't been the Shop Around the Corner... and you and I had, just you know, met... Yeah. I would have asked for your phone number and I wouldn't have been able to wait 24 hours before calling and asking, "How about coffee, drinks, dinner, a movie, for as long as we both shall live?"
9. Of course, the whole point of a Doomsday Machine is lost, if you *keep* it a *secret*! Why didn't you tell the world, EH?
10. I’m going to cut his heart out with a spoon…cause its dull you twit, it’l hurt more!
Good luck!!
I'll post the answers (and who got the most right) on Tuesday.
1. Stealing your life away. You went down 30 years ago, pal. You just don't know it yet.
2. Alright, alright. Synchronize your watches. You, you, you and you, paint him red, then kill him!
3.I choose Vodka. And Chaka Khan.
4.For all you care, our record could be Pip farting on a snare drum.
5. Well, don't look at me, pal. I just said you were a fair pilot. I didn't know they were looking for somebody to *lead* this crazy attack.
6.Sarcasm is the refuge of losers.
7. But, John, if the Pirates of the Caribbean breaks down, the pirates don't eat the tourists.
8. If I hadn't been Fox Books and you hadn't been the Shop Around the Corner... and you and I had, just you know, met... Yeah. I would have asked for your phone number and I wouldn't have been able to wait 24 hours before calling and asking, "How about coffee, drinks, dinner, a movie, for as long as we both shall live?"
9. Of course, the whole point of a Doomsday Machine is lost, if you *keep* it a *secret*! Why didn't you tell the world, EH?
10. I’m going to cut his heart out with a spoon…cause its dull you twit, it’l hurt more!
Good luck!!
March 13, 2009
Princess Sleepover!!
This past week I had the opportunity to have my niece at my house for a sleepover. She lives 2 hours away so that rarely happens. Her babysitter (who also watches my 9 month old nephew) was out of town for a knitting conference, so my sister needed someone to pick up the slack.
My mom watched the two of them on Thursday and Friday, and asked if she could bring them both home on Saturday to give my sister and brother-in-law some much needed rest. They agreed, but when the little man woke up sick, they decided that he should stay at home.
The Princess was already excited about a sleepover at Aunt Boo’s, so she was allowed to come by herself. Now that the little man is getting bigger and requiring more attention, she’s starting to get jealous. My sister thought a “girls night in” without having to share our attention would be good for her.
The five of us (my parents, Mr. Right, myself and the princess) had a cookout at our house. As the men grilled, the princess road her bike in the driveway. (Mr. Right’s father had picked up a bike just her size for free on trash pickup day. We keep the bike at our house for times like this.)
As she pulled out her coloring books, crayons, and toys, I watched my house go from a tidy, organized space, to chaos. She had brought Shrek 2 for us to watch. We colored during the first part of the movie, then snuggled in on the couch for the 2nd half.
Initially I snuggled on the couch with Mr. Right, and the princess crawled onto the other couch. “I wish Kane was here for me to snuggle with.” According to my sister, Kane is an 8th grader at her school. The princess will be 5 in May.
I moved couches and snuggled with her for the rest of the movie. When it was over, she picked up all of her toys (I didn’t even have to ask her) and put them away. Then she went straight for the bedroom and crawled into bed. It was 8:30! I never dreamed I could get her to bed that early, much less without asking!!
The next morning, I fixed breakfast then we headed to church. After Sunday lunch at my mom’s house, the princess and I headed toward her house. The real challenge – taking care of both kids – wouldn’t come till Monday.
My mom watched the two of them on Thursday and Friday, and asked if she could bring them both home on Saturday to give my sister and brother-in-law some much needed rest. They agreed, but when the little man woke up sick, they decided that he should stay at home.
The Princess was already excited about a sleepover at Aunt Boo’s, so she was allowed to come by herself. Now that the little man is getting bigger and requiring more attention, she’s starting to get jealous. My sister thought a “girls night in” without having to share our attention would be good for her.
The five of us (my parents, Mr. Right, myself and the princess) had a cookout at our house. As the men grilled, the princess road her bike in the driveway. (Mr. Right’s father had picked up a bike just her size for free on trash pickup day. We keep the bike at our house for times like this.)
As she pulled out her coloring books, crayons, and toys, I watched my house go from a tidy, organized space, to chaos. She had brought Shrek 2 for us to watch. We colored during the first part of the movie, then snuggled in on the couch for the 2nd half.
Initially I snuggled on the couch with Mr. Right, and the princess crawled onto the other couch. “I wish Kane was here for me to snuggle with.” According to my sister, Kane is an 8th grader at her school. The princess will be 5 in May.
I moved couches and snuggled with her for the rest of the movie. When it was over, she picked up all of her toys (I didn’t even have to ask her) and put them away. Then she went straight for the bedroom and crawled into bed. It was 8:30! I never dreamed I could get her to bed that early, much less without asking!!
The next morning, I fixed breakfast then we headed to church. After Sunday lunch at my mom’s house, the princess and I headed toward her house. The real challenge – taking care of both kids – wouldn’t come till Monday.
March 12, 2009
Things I Love Thursday: Quaker Quakes
I first "purchased" a bag of Quaker Quakes rice snacks because I could get them free after coupon. I had a $1 off coupon, and Kroger put them on sale 10/$10 (which we all know by now is just $1 each).
I wanted something to keep in my desk drawer at work to snack on, that wasn't high calorie. At only 60 calories per serving - they fit the bill.
You know what surprised me? I enjoyed eating them. Not just tolerated it, like most diet foods, but actually looked forward to my afternoon snack.
So far I've tried the Apple Cinnamon, Cinnamon Sugar, and Cheddar Cheese flavors. I've started eating the cinnamon sugar ones for breakfast with my coffee on days I know I'm splurging at lunch.
The cheddar cheese variety is perfect for that afternoon snack. I was craving cheddar popcorn over the holidays, but I wasn't able to get my hands on any. This completely took care of that craving.
In the interest of keeping it real, I have never been contacted by Quaker regarding their product. I have, however, paid very little in actually getting their product.
Several $1 and $0.50 coupons(my Kroger doubles coupons $0.50 and under) have made my investment minimal. But even paying the full (sale) price of $1 a bag - its totally worth it.
For more great products, check out The Diaper Diaries Things I Love Thursdays.
March 11, 2009
Weigh-In Wednesday
Today is Wednesday over at the Sisterhood and I'm still frustrated.
I gained a pound from last week. So now I'm only two pounds away from my eating fast food everyday and going home from work and plopping down on the couch weight.
And seriously, if this is the best it gets I'd rather have my double cheeseburgers...
I gained a pound from last week. So now I'm only two pounds away from my eating fast food everyday and going home from work and plopping down on the couch weight.
And seriously, if this is the best it gets I'd rather have my double cheeseburgers...
My apologies
I've made two bloggy blunders.
Yesterday was the SITS spring fling, and as a member I was supposed to host a giveaway. Only I remembered too late in the day to actually put anything together. Sorry ladies!
Also, I created a new email for this blog smartstrongsexyblog at blogpot dot com. Then I got confused. Blogger told me that my stingysingleton email had to remain the same.
Bummer, cause I'm still stingy, but a singleton no more.
When I couldn't get blogspot to cooperate, I gave up and decided to just fall back on the old email.
Only I didn't tell blogger that.
Today, I realized I had 60 emails (comment responses and such) sitting in my box. Going all the way back to January.
So if you emailed me, and didn't receive a reply - now you know why.
Unless you quit reading my blog shortly thereafter because you were offended.
Sorry!!
Yesterday was the SITS spring fling, and as a member I was supposed to host a giveaway. Only I remembered too late in the day to actually put anything together. Sorry ladies!
Also, I created a new email for this blog smartstrongsexyblog at blogpot dot com. Then I got confused. Blogger told me that my stingysingleton email had to remain the same.
Bummer, cause I'm still stingy, but a singleton no more.
When I couldn't get blogspot to cooperate, I gave up and decided to just fall back on the old email.
Only I didn't tell blogger that.
Today, I realized I had 60 emails (comment responses and such) sitting in my box. Going all the way back to January.
So if you emailed me, and didn't receive a reply - now you know why.
Unless you quit reading my blog shortly thereafter because you were offended.
Sorry!!
March 10, 2009
You can tell we're still Newlyweds...
This weekend my niece (who'll be 5 in May) spent the night with Mr. Right and me. We kicked him to the guest bedroom, and she and I slept in the master.
Around 3:30 in the morning, Mr. Right went into the kitchen and accidentally woke me. I had a difficult time going back to sleep, so I tiptoed out of the room and crawled in bed with him for a few minutes. Apparently he had woken up and missed me.
We both had a hard time going back to sleep without the other one there to snuggle with, but I was afraid to leave the Princess alone. I knew if she woke up in a strange house alone she'd get scared.
It took me till about 5:45 to go back to sleep (and my alarm was set for 7). Thankfully Sunday night (I spent away from him at my sister's house) went a little better, but I still missed him like crazy!
Around 3:30 in the morning, Mr. Right went into the kitchen and accidentally woke me. I had a difficult time going back to sleep, so I tiptoed out of the room and crawled in bed with him for a few minutes. Apparently he had woken up and missed me.
We both had a hard time going back to sleep without the other one there to snuggle with, but I was afraid to leave the Princess alone. I knew if she woke up in a strange house alone she'd get scared.
It took me till about 5:45 to go back to sleep (and my alarm was set for 7). Thankfully Sunday night (I spent away from him at my sister's house) went a little better, but I still missed him like crazy!
March 09, 2009
I love you, It just comes natural
Mr. Right and I share a love of country music, but by mid-November (2006) one thing we hadn’t shared was our first “I love you”s. Driving down the road one evening, George Strait’s new song “It Just Comes Natural” came on the radio.
Mr. Right and I talked about the song, and how we both liked it (even if the title was grammatically incorrect). Then he suggested that it be “our” song. I loved the idea, but my mind was racing because the song had the “l” bomb in it. Was he already thinking it?
I loved him, but after only a month I was afraid I would scare him if I said it too quickly. Before he and I started dating, he had planned a pre-Thanksgiving trip to Nashville to go to a concert at the Grand Ole Opry and visit his friend Jenny who lives there. He would leave the Sunday before, spend a few days there, and then head straight to Ohio to spend Thanksgiving with his family.
As we said our goodbyes, I wanted to tell him that I loved him, but once again I held back. Each day we traded lots of text messages and several late night telephone calls. Monday night was no different—at 1:21AM (technically Tuesday morning) a text came in.
" BAbe—I am soooo drunj right now but they are playiog slide by matchbox 20 so I immediately thought of u—miss u so mucn & love you—wish u were here!:-)"
Never did it cross my mind that Slide is, in fact, a GooGoo Dolls song, not one by Matchbox Twenty. He had said, or at least typed that he loved me! I tried not to get too excited. He was drunk after all. What if he hadn’t meant it and he just typed in on accident? I sent a quick text back, asking if he would call me, hoping his response would clear up any confusion. 7 minutes later I got a response back that just confused me more.
"Haha give me bout20 min we are getting jack in a box before I go to bed—yes indeed I am drunk off my @$$ but I still love u the same with all my heart!:-)"
That evening I had to wait till 04:06AM for him to call. He kept apologizing for calling so late, but I assured him that I was glad that he called. I can’t remember all that we talked about in the 111 minutes that the conversation lasted (don’t ya just love cell phone records?) but there was not one “l” bomb to be had.
The next day at work I was still distressed and confided in a couple of friends. Kelly suggested that while the alcohol could have caused him to say it when he didn’t mean to, it wouldn’t not make him say it if he didn’t mean it. Alcohol is the ultimate truth serum.
I also wanted a guy’s opinion, but a male coworker just succeeded in confusing me all the more. They both agreed that I shouldn’t go ahead and say it, just in case, but that I should try to see if he meant/remembered his messages.
So I hit forward and I asked him someone about the message he sent me that late. And rather than commenting on the “I still love u the same with all my heart!” he confirmed they did indeed go to Jack in the Box for burgers that late.
I was frustrated to say the least. I decided to just drop it till after he got back. He called me when he got back into town, wanting to know if he should go the back way home, or if he could go straight down the main road. I passed along my dad’s advice and told him that I would finish up my dinner (I was eating dinner with my family) and head his direction.
He hadn’t eaten so I packed up some leftovers for him and took it with me. After he ate his dinner, we snuggled on the couch. Then out of the blue he asked “Do you think its possible to fall in love after just a month?” I opened my mouth to answer him and he continued “Because I think I’m falling in love with you.” “Yeah, I do think it’s possible, because I’m in love with you too.”
…I love you, It just comes Natural, It's what I was born to do, Don't have to think it through, Baby, it's so easy loving you, It just comes Natural.
Mr. Right and I talked about the song, and how we both liked it (even if the title was grammatically incorrect). Then he suggested that it be “our” song. I loved the idea, but my mind was racing because the song had the “l” bomb in it. Was he already thinking it?
I loved him, but after only a month I was afraid I would scare him if I said it too quickly. Before he and I started dating, he had planned a pre-Thanksgiving trip to Nashville to go to a concert at the Grand Ole Opry and visit his friend Jenny who lives there. He would leave the Sunday before, spend a few days there, and then head straight to Ohio to spend Thanksgiving with his family.
As we said our goodbyes, I wanted to tell him that I loved him, but once again I held back. Each day we traded lots of text messages and several late night telephone calls. Monday night was no different—at 1:21AM (technically Tuesday morning) a text came in.
" BAbe—I am soooo drunj right now but they are playiog slide by matchbox 20 so I immediately thought of u—miss u so mucn & love you—wish u were here!:-)"
Never did it cross my mind that Slide is, in fact, a GooGoo Dolls song, not one by Matchbox Twenty. He had said, or at least typed that he loved me! I tried not to get too excited. He was drunk after all. What if he hadn’t meant it and he just typed in on accident? I sent a quick text back, asking if he would call me, hoping his response would clear up any confusion. 7 minutes later I got a response back that just confused me more.
"Haha give me bout20 min we are getting jack in a box before I go to bed—yes indeed I am drunk off my @$$ but I still love u the same with all my heart!:-)"
That evening I had to wait till 04:06AM for him to call. He kept apologizing for calling so late, but I assured him that I was glad that he called. I can’t remember all that we talked about in the 111 minutes that the conversation lasted (don’t ya just love cell phone records?) but there was not one “l” bomb to be had.
The next day at work I was still distressed and confided in a couple of friends. Kelly suggested that while the alcohol could have caused him to say it when he didn’t mean to, it wouldn’t not make him say it if he didn’t mean it. Alcohol is the ultimate truth serum.
I also wanted a guy’s opinion, but a male coworker just succeeded in confusing me all the more. They both agreed that I shouldn’t go ahead and say it, just in case, but that I should try to see if he meant/remembered his messages.
So I hit forward and I asked him someone about the message he sent me that late. And rather than commenting on the “I still love u the same with all my heart!” he confirmed they did indeed go to Jack in the Box for burgers that late.
I was frustrated to say the least. I decided to just drop it till after he got back. He called me when he got back into town, wanting to know if he should go the back way home, or if he could go straight down the main road. I passed along my dad’s advice and told him that I would finish up my dinner (I was eating dinner with my family) and head his direction.
He hadn’t eaten so I packed up some leftovers for him and took it with me. After he ate his dinner, we snuggled on the couch. Then out of the blue he asked “Do you think its possible to fall in love after just a month?” I opened my mouth to answer him and he continued “Because I think I’m falling in love with you.” “Yeah, I do think it’s possible, because I’m in love with you too.”
March 06, 2009
Car washes & Consignment Stores
Last night Mr. Right and I both got free car washes! It was the drive through deluxe package too. Perfect, since my car was covered in salt from the snow threat earlier in the week and I was going to have to pay to wash it any way.
How can you get one? Well…um…you can’t. Unless of course you live in my area.
A new car wash opened in town and apparently the owner is a very intelligent man. For the grand opening, he has offered free car washes for the entire week. It drew people in, got us familiar with his product, and at least in my case, will probably earn him business in the future.
I’ve never used car washes in the past. Living at home with my parents, we had well water. Water was free, so I obviously preferred to use the hose out back.
Now I’m on City water, and I’m trying to rationalize a $5 car wash – how many gallons do you think it takes to wash a car with a hose at the house? Don’t forget with this $5 wash, I don’t do anything. I just pull up to the ramp and let the conveyer belt pull me along.
Moving right along…
I’m taking about 19 pieces of my old clothing to a consignment store this afternoon. I hope I can make pretty good money off them.
For those of you that have taken (adult) clothing before – how much do you typically make? I know I can’t gauge what to expect per item, she might not take everything and even if she does it might not sell.
For more Frugal Fun, check out Biblical Womanhood’s Frugal Friday.
And for my normal readers, I’m taking Monday off to baby sit so I won’t be around. Don’t worry, I’ve got another chapter in the Brooke & Mr. Right love story ready to go!
How can you get one? Well…um…you can’t. Unless of course you live in my area.
A new car wash opened in town and apparently the owner is a very intelligent man. For the grand opening, he has offered free car washes for the entire week. It drew people in, got us familiar with his product, and at least in my case, will probably earn him business in the future.
I’ve never used car washes in the past. Living at home with my parents, we had well water. Water was free, so I obviously preferred to use the hose out back.
Now I’m on City water, and I’m trying to rationalize a $5 car wash – how many gallons do you think it takes to wash a car with a hose at the house? Don’t forget with this $5 wash, I don’t do anything. I just pull up to the ramp and let the conveyer belt pull me along.
Moving right along…
I’m taking about 19 pieces of my old clothing to a consignment store this afternoon. I hope I can make pretty good money off them.
For those of you that have taken (adult) clothing before – how much do you typically make? I know I can’t gauge what to expect per item, she might not take everything and even if she does it might not sell.
For more Frugal Fun, check out Biblical Womanhood’s Frugal Friday.
And for my normal readers, I’m taking Monday off to baby sit so I won’t be around. Don’t worry, I’ve got another chapter in the Brooke & Mr. Right love story ready to go!
March 05, 2009
Beautiful Baby
Its a bit scary how much I look like my mother. At first glance this could easily be a picture of me. Okay so I suppose technically it is a picture of me, but since I was only a few days old its hard to tell.
What amazes me about this picture is how young my mother looks. She broke the tradition of young mothers in her family.
Her mother had married at age 17, and had her first child by 18. Her grandmother was married at 18 and had her first (my grandmother) at age 19.
While mom mom did marry young, she was 17 - just a few months before her 18th birthday, she didn't have kids right away. She waited until she was 22 to have my sister.
When this picture was taken, my mom was 25. She'd been alive quarter century. I remember when I turned 25. I felt so old.
But now, the year my husband turns 30, and the year of my first 29th birthday, 25looks so young.
I can say she was (and still is) beautiful. And I have been told by numerous people that we look alike. So today, I choose to be thankful for the good genes I've inherited.
I may have "Keeler legs" but I've got my mom's body shape (just ask Mr. Right, he thinks my mom is hot!), my dad's chin (and mr. right likes 'em pointy, just look at his favorite actress reese witherspoon), and my grandmother's cholesterol.
Psalm 16:6 The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places.
For more great nostalgic fun, head on over to The Glamorous Life Association.
March 04, 2009
Greetings from a Feminist
I’ve been putting off going to the DMV to officially change my name. I just didn’t want to have to take off work to wait for hours in order to complete one little piece of paperwork.
I scheduled an eye exam back in January so that I would have time afterward to go and change my license. Only to show up and see that they were closed on Mondays.
Today, I tried again. I read that they opened at 7:00, so I decided to get up early and go before work. I arrived at 7:30. There was no line and I was able to go straight up to the counter and begin the process.
I decided before Mr. Right and I got married that I wouldn’t drop any of my names, just tack his on to the end. I would officially be “Mrs. Right” but wouldn't lose my maiden name and all it represents. Marriage didn’t take away the last 28 years, but rather added Mr. Right to my family.
I wanted my name to be “Brooke Middle Maiden Right” with “Middle Maiden” being my official middle name and Right being my last.
The Lady at the DMV told me that she wouldn’t be able to fit both names on there. Including the space, it would only be 16 characters. What if my middle name had been something foreign? Or just plan long? 16 characters isn’t asking all that much. Is it?
And as a friend pointed out try telling George Herbert Walker Bush that he can't have two middle names!
She said that the only alternative, if I wanted to keep all of my names was to hyphenate. I didn’t want to do that, so I asked if she could just enter a space instead of a hyphen. The lady next to her was nodding her head yes, while the girl two stalls down was insistent that it couldn’t be done that way “it all becomes one name”.
So I write to you, for the first time, as Brooke Middle Maiden-Right.
But I rebelled. When they asked me to sign my name (in TN the signature appears on the card) I just signed it Brooke Right.
I scheduled an eye exam back in January so that I would have time afterward to go and change my license. Only to show up and see that they were closed on Mondays.
Today, I tried again. I read that they opened at 7:00, so I decided to get up early and go before work. I arrived at 7:30. There was no line and I was able to go straight up to the counter and begin the process.
I decided before Mr. Right and I got married that I wouldn’t drop any of my names, just tack his on to the end. I would officially be “Mrs. Right” but wouldn't lose my maiden name and all it represents. Marriage didn’t take away the last 28 years, but rather added Mr. Right to my family.
I wanted my name to be “Brooke Middle Maiden Right” with “Middle Maiden” being my official middle name and Right being my last.
The Lady at the DMV told me that she wouldn’t be able to fit both names on there. Including the space, it would only be 16 characters. What if my middle name had been something foreign? Or just plan long? 16 characters isn’t asking all that much. Is it?
And as a friend pointed out try telling George Herbert Walker Bush that he can't have two middle names!
She said that the only alternative, if I wanted to keep all of my names was to hyphenate. I didn’t want to do that, so I asked if she could just enter a space instead of a hyphen. The lady next to her was nodding her head yes, while the girl two stalls down was insistent that it couldn’t be done that way “it all becomes one name”.
So I write to you, for the first time, as Brooke Middle Maiden-Right.
But I rebelled. When they asked me to sign my name (in TN the signature appears on the card) I just signed it Brooke Right.
March 03, 2009
Discouragement
After a month of a 1200-1800 calorie diet, and excercising 3-6 times a week, the scale still isn't budging.
As a matter of fact, I'm actually up 1.2 pounds from last week.
And only 1.2 pounds away from my "eating fast food every day and never working out" weight.
I wanna give up. Seriously.
I'm going to try to make it another month, to reach my wellness assessment. With this kind of results I'm not sure I'll make it that long.
Did I mention there are girl scout cookies in my desk drawer taunting me?
As a matter of fact, I'm actually up 1.2 pounds from last week.
And only 1.2 pounds away from my "eating fast food every day and never working out" weight.
I wanna give up. Seriously.
I'm going to try to make it another month, to reach my wellness assessment. With this kind of results I'm not sure I'll make it that long.
Did I mention there are girl scout cookies in my desk drawer taunting me?
March 02, 2009
Menu Plan Monday - Grace and Love Editon
My husband and I have discussed what’s different in my life, as a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ, and in his life, with a belief in God generally. What has the saving power of Jesus done to make me a different person.
I told him Saturday night anytime I was angry, hateful, or judgmental those are times that I’m in control. The times that I’m sweet, loving, and generous are 100% the Holy Spirit working in me.
Unfortunately yesterday, he caught me on a “me” day. I could give you a million excuses...um...reasons why I was in a bad mood on Sunday – a week of exercising followed by not enough sleep, being woken up by my night owl husband at 2, 4 and 6 in the morning and taking at least 30 minutes to fall back to sleep, the first week in my pill pack (hateful PMS usually waits till the week after, I’m just weepy the week before).
Bottom line – my actions almost cause my husband to not go to church and miss a sermon on “The Glory of Galgotha.” By the grace of God, he went any way. Even held my hand on the way into church (he said he didn’t want me to slip in the wet parking lot).
So apparently, my husband is just a better person than me. Sure he does things that annoy me – like waking me up at odd hours of the night. And putting trash on top of the trash can lid, rather than lifting the lid and actually putting trash in the can.
He loves me so much, that he wanted to hold my hand in church. He loves me so much, that after dinner he agreed to go to my parents even though he didn’t want to. He loves me so much that he (a workaholic in training) put aside his work for an entire the majority of the day yesterday.
While I failed at this past week’s challenge (I was always just wearing sweats, yoga pants to be exact – what can I say I’ve got a booty and a half!) it didn’t matter. Last night we had a wonderfully intimate evening. Not just in that way. But also lying on the couch, snuggling, sharing a bag of pretzels while we watch Monk and Psych (my mom let us borrow her tape).
So when a client called him at 10:30 last night, I didn’t seem to mind so much. I pulled the covers up, asked Jesus to reveal Himself to my husband, asked for forgiveness for my behavior, and fell asleep knowing I have the love of the two most important people in my life.
Moving on to my meal plan for the week (aka how I repay my husband for being so great):
Monday: Stir fry (meatless)
I’m just doing rice and veggies. It’ll be my first attempt. Not sure if I should fry the rice from the start, or boil it then bring it into the skillet to be fried a little bit.
Tuesday: Beef Stew
I bought a 10 lb bag of potatoes at the grocery store and they are starting to go bad.
Wednesday: Chicken Parm. w/baked potatoes
Thursday: Hamburger Helper
Friday: Leftovers or Ramen noodles
I told him Saturday night anytime I was angry, hateful, or judgmental those are times that I’m in control. The times that I’m sweet, loving, and generous are 100% the Holy Spirit working in me.
Unfortunately yesterday, he caught me on a “me” day. I could give you a million excuses...um...reasons why I was in a bad mood on Sunday – a week of exercising followed by not enough sleep, being woken up by my night owl husband at 2, 4 and 6 in the morning and taking at least 30 minutes to fall back to sleep, the first week in my pill pack (hateful PMS usually waits till the week after, I’m just weepy the week before).
Bottom line – my actions almost cause my husband to not go to church and miss a sermon on “The Glory of Galgotha.” By the grace of God, he went any way. Even held my hand on the way into church (he said he didn’t want me to slip in the wet parking lot).
So apparently, my husband is just a better person than me. Sure he does things that annoy me – like waking me up at odd hours of the night. And putting trash on top of the trash can lid, rather than lifting the lid and actually putting trash in the can.
He loves me so much, that he wanted to hold my hand in church. He loves me so much, that after dinner he agreed to go to my parents even though he didn’t want to. He loves me so much that he (a workaholic in training) put aside his work for an entire the majority of the day yesterday.
While I failed at this past week’s challenge (I was always just wearing sweats, yoga pants to be exact – what can I say I’ve got a booty and a half!) it didn’t matter. Last night we had a wonderfully intimate evening. Not just in that way. But also lying on the couch, snuggling, sharing a bag of pretzels while we watch Monk and Psych (my mom let us borrow her tape).
So when a client called him at 10:30 last night, I didn’t seem to mind so much. I pulled the covers up, asked Jesus to reveal Himself to my husband, asked for forgiveness for my behavior, and fell asleep knowing I have the love of the two most important people in my life.
Moving on to my meal plan for the week (aka how I repay my husband for being so great):
Monday: Stir fry (meatless)
I’m just doing rice and veggies. It’ll be my first attempt. Not sure if I should fry the rice from the start, or boil it then bring it into the skillet to be fried a little bit.
Tuesday: Beef Stew
I bought a 10 lb bag of potatoes at the grocery store and they are starting to go bad.
Wednesday: Chicken Parm. w/baked potatoes
Thursday: Hamburger Helper
Friday: Leftovers or Ramen noodles
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