Thursday, May 31, 2012

Wow I'm old

Totally forgot I downloaded Doo Doo Brown to iTunes this weekend  just came up on the playlist.  Wow I'm old. And I need to lay off the wine...

Wednesday, May 30, 2012

Photo of the day

This just happened.


Love notes


We have this in our master bathroom.  This was the love note I found today.  <3

Oops

OK I will admit it.  I get caught singing in the shower - a lot.  And it's not that big of a deal because I sing in the shower constantly but it's not every day that your husband comes home from work at 9:30am and catches you belting out show tunes at the top of your lungs because you ASSUME NO ONE IS HOME.

Well yes, that happened to me today.  And today my song of choice was "Your Song" from the Moulin Rouge soundtrack.  Never heard it?  Listen here.

Tuesday, May 29, 2012

Whoa!


Better get under cover, Sylvester.  There's a storm blowing up a whopper!







(extra points if you can name the movie that quote came from)

This happened today.

In a conference call with one of my biggest clients.  I couldn't help it.


The end of an era

Today I said goodbye to an old friend - the tanning bed. I've decided that I've lived long enough with the fear of skin cancer.  I've made a few hard decisions lately about trying to live a much healthier life, and unfortunately, being tan year round doesn't fit into that vision.  I will miss it, I'm not gonna lie.  There's something about being bronzed that just makes you feel pretty.  Sigh...

FACT

Dried cherries are gross.  Why did Target have to go ahead and mess up my Chocolate Monkey trail mix by adding dried cherries to it?  Yuck.

True Confession Tuesday

One weekend at the pool has reminded me that I don't look nearly as bad as I thought I did. 

And for the record, tankinis are not flattering on ANYONE!  Not even people who are muscular, thin, in shape, round... you name it.  They just aren't flattering. 

There, I said it. 

Monday, May 28, 2012

Annoying.

I've had a twitch under my left eye for four days now. FOUR! It won't stop twitching and it's about to drive me crazy! I usually get a twitch like this in one of my eyes if I've been tired or something but this is completely different. It starts and stops for no apparent reason and it's actually right under my eye on the muscle above my cheek. Very bizarre. Any ideas on how to stop it? Grrrrr.

Sunday, May 27, 2012

Quote of the day

I'm grateful God made me durable, cuz he sure as hell didn't make me graceful.

-Spring Helligrath

Saturday, May 26, 2012

Thankful

Saturday, Day 15:  Today I am thankful for:

1.  Awesome neighbors
2.  a POOL this summer!
3.  spring cleaning

and two more
4.  Yard edgers (totally legit, I LOVE an edged yard)
5.  Banana pudding milkshakes

Friday, May 25, 2012

Philosoraptor strikes again


Song lyrics of the day

-"You're beautiful", OneDirection

(I love boy bands, so sue me).

Things I have learned to love

1.  Thai food
2.  Being sandy
3.  Rap music
4.  The rain
5.  Curly hair
6.  Going to bed early
7.  Garlic
8.  Reading newspaper articles
9.  Cooking for others
10. Ugly dogs
11. Being out of touch
12. Singing to my children
13. My flaws
14. My past
15. My future

Five Fact Friday


1.  Running shorts that have the built in panties are just weird.
2.  It's so cold in my house that I could poke someone's eye out with my...  yeah, exactly.
3.  My yard is blooming - every single thing I have planted over the last 8 years is growing and beautiful and it makes me so happy.  It really is the little things...
4.  I'm going to the beach this weekend!!!!!!!!
5.  My boss is going out of the country for 11 days starting next Thursday.  I'll totally miss him, but THANK YOU LORD for the reprieve.

Thankful

Day 14:  Today I am thankful for:

1.  Living near a lake that has a walking trail that's only 2.1 miles long
2.  90s music
3.  Coke Zero  (I know, I know, soda is bad.  I'm trying to wean myself again... give me a break!)

Thursday, May 24, 2012

Confession

My obsession with correct change just reached epic proportions. I just paid $3.97 for my lunch with three dollar bills and .97 in change, mostly dimes and pennies. :-)

Thankful

Day 13:  Today I am thankful for:

1.  The random texts I get from friends near and far that make me smile all throughout the day
2.  NO COMMUTE TO WORK.
3.  Kisses on the forehead from my 3 year old.

Song lyrics of the day

And if the night runs over
And if the day wont last
And if our way should falter
Along the stony pass
Its just a moment
This time will pass

-"Stuck in a moment", U2

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

GPOYW

OK so I debated about sharing this picture because I seriously didn't want this to turn into the "damn don't I look good blog"... but DAMN, don't I look good?!?!?  Who is this girl??


This was taken during my family photo shoot with Heather Lauffer on Sunday.  I have to brag on all of my friends - I know SEVERAL photographers and I think they all are wonderful.  But Heather somehow found a way to make me look beautiful.  I am humbled beyond measure.  Heather, you are amazing and your work makes me speechless.  Thank you!

And if you want to see more of her work or even get her to take photographs of YOUR family, click here.

Thankful

Day 12:  Today I am thankful for:

1. Thermacare Heat Wraps
2.  The power of positive thinking
3.  Lunch dates with friends!

Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Thankful

Day 11:  Today I am thankful for:

1.  Brakes that work
2.  A clean car
3.  A sense of humor

True confession Tuesday

Totally stealing this from Leah because honestly, it's a cool feature.

1.  I run over curbs.  A LOT.

2.  I never ever ever want to chaperone another field trip for my kids.  Like EVER.

3.  I got caught singing in the car today again.  This time I was listening to Collective Soul.  Having a "reminiscing about college" kind of day.  ...and I laugh at myself, as the tears roll down, cause it's the world I know, what's the world I know...

Photo of the day

I spent the morning with my son and his 1st grade class at the Museum of Life and Science in Durham.  They had a butterfly house there and I spent a few minutes with the butterflies.  This little guy came and landed right on my finger.  I found it strangely comforting that it was "red"...  maybe it was a little glimpse of my own redhead in heaven.  Either way, it was such a peaceful thing and I wanted to share.


Monday, May 21, 2012

Greatest compliment EVER!

A friend just told me I had a pretty profile.  Pretty, as in "Disney Princess" pretty.  Thanks Armand!  That is one of the coolest compliments I've ever gotten!  :)

Song lyrics of the day


I think we're going to have to take an impromptu drive to the beach this weekend.  I need the sun and the sand. 

Thankful

Day 10:  Today I am thankful for:

1.  Perfect sunlight
2.  A seriously talented friend that makes my family look beautiful
3.  A TV in my office.  (legit!)

GPOY(and your ridiculously beautiful son)M


I could just cry, this picture is so beautiful!  Happy 7th Birthday Brier!

Sunday, May 20, 2012

Thankful

Day 9:  Today I am thankful for:
1.  Healthy children
2.  Living close to family
3.  Catering services

Friday, May 18, 2012

Song lyrics of the day

Don't fall away
And leave me to myself
Don't fall away
And leave love bleeding in my hands
In my hands again
And leave love bleeding in my hands

-"Hemmorhage", Fuel

True story


Thankful (catching up!)

Day 7:  Today I am thankful for:
1.  Working from home
2.  Emoticons  ;-)
3.  Facebook - yes Facebook!

Day 8: Today I am thankful for:
1.  Online shopping
2.  Doctors that listen to my concerns
3.  Prayers from friends.  They really do work!

Thursday, May 17, 2012

Quote of the day

When you fall for someone's personality, everything about them becomes beautiful.

Wednesday, May 16, 2012

Confession

I have a recording of my sister that I saved.  It's a voicemail that she left me before she died.  I probably listen to it once a week.


Thankful

Day 6:  Today I am thankful for:
1. My crazy curly hair
2.  Diet Dr Pepper
3. The Dave Matthews Band

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

Sigh...


I saw this picture today and it stopped me dead in my tracks.  There's something strangely comforting about being able to go to a cemetery and talk to a gravestone.  I don't know what it is.  Maybe it's because you know that person is there, even if they are buried beneath you and in a coffin.  For some reason it's peaceful.  It's usually quiet and you have the chance to be alone and say things you want to say.  Maybe it's exactly like this picture?

My sister was cremated and currently is in a large urn in the entrance foyer at my fathers' house.  There's no chance to be alone.  There's no chance to break down when I want to.  My grief is public and in front of anyone who happens to be at the house.  I probably make a fool of myself every time I am there because I always walk over, pat the urn, say "Hello, I love you and I miss you" and walk away.  I don't get a chance to cry by myself with her.  I don't get a chance to tell her all of the things going on and how much she is missed.  I don't have that private time.  And I sometimes wonder if THAT is why it's so hard sometimes.  It also makes me rethink things in my own life and really wonder what it would be like if my children or my family lost me too early... Would they have a hard time if I was sitting in an urn in the house??  Would they want that private place to go to to be with me?  Would my kids need the distance or would it weird them out to have ashes in the house like that?  I know these are bizarre questions but I've thought about my own mortality so much lately that these things keep coming up and I wonder what I should do. 

What are your plans?  Why did you choose that?  I'd love to know what others have planned for themselves and the reasons behind them.

Photo of the day

Family pictures

My friend Heather is taking our family pictures this weekend. We try to get pictures of the kids every year, sometime around their birthdays. I'm really excited that Heather is taking them because she is an amazing photographer, but I am seriously stressed out about what we're going to wear. I know it's a bit lame to be all matchy matchy in the photos, but I love that. I want the boys and me to coordinate and look like we stepped out of an Abercrombie ad. OK so maybe that's a stretch, but I would like to colors to go together and for the photos to liven up the walls in our house. So this year I've decided on the colors navy blue, a muted light green, light blue, and white. The outfits for the kids are so cute. I'm having a really hard time deciding on what to wear for me and the hubs. Sigh... decisions, decisions...

Cool it now!

Song lyrics of the day

And she swears there's nothing wrong
I hear her playing that same old song
She puts me up and puts me on
Oh I had a bad day again

-"Bad Day", Fuel

Tuesday Check in

Obsessing Over:  freckles.  every fucking freckle I have could be skin cancer.  That'll freak you out, eh?

Working On:
   just holding it together today

Thinking About:
   how badly I need a vacation

Anticipating:  my son's birthday party this weekend

Listening To:  
rain.  again.

Drinking:
   Nothing.  But wishing I had a bottle of wine within reach.

Wishing:
  that karma would ignore me for awhile.

Thankful

Day 5:  Today I am thankful for:
1.  My girlfriends who call me for advice because they KNOW I would never repeat anything they tell me. 
2.  My hypervigilant doctors.
3.  My coworkers who have tolerated my now 3 month long bad mood.

Monday, May 14, 2012

Thankful times three!

For Saturday, Day 3:  I am thankful for...
1. Living near my family
2. My husband being a good daddy for our kids
3. FaceTime!

For Sunday, Day 4:  I am thankful for...
1.  The chance to be someone's mommy
2.  Hugs from my brother
3.  Hour-long Foot massages

For Monday, Day 4:  I am thankful for...
1.  My boss and his bizarre sense of humor
2.  Spicy chicken sandwiches with pepper jack cheese
3.  Instant messeging

Friday, May 11, 2012

Five Fact Friday

1.  I have gone approximately 32 hours without a soda.  I am doing good but my resolve is fading quickly.

2.  Derek and Courtney are coming over tomorrow night!  YAY!

3.  I almost lost my favorite James Avery ring down the drain this morning.  While this isn't the 'original' ring I had, it's my replacement one and it still means a lot to me.  I probably would have cried if I hadn't practically laid right on top of it to keep it from falling down the drain.  Hey, a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do. 

4.  Three weeks until my girl's beach weekend!  To say "the crash diet" has begun is a gross understatement. 

5.  My new bikini is here.  You know the one I referenced in a previous post here...  It's royal blue and beautiful.  And I am not ready to wear it yet and that makes me sad.

Seen on Leah's blog

Women cry because they understand life more.

- Explains a lot.
- Does that mean Men don't?
- Evidently a Middle Eastern saying



Photo of the day

So there's this place in Raleigh that I drive by occasionally and I can't help but snicker every time.  Check it out:


Hehe.  Ok yes, I have the sense of humor of a middle schooler.  So what - it's FUNNY.

Happy Mothers Day to me!


Check out what the boys got me for Mother's Day this year!  They have their names on one side, their birthdays on the other and their birthstone.  Very cool!

Song lyrics of the day

love I get so lost, sometimes
days pass and this emptiness fills my heart
when I want to run away
I drive off in my car
but whichever way I choose
I come back to the place you are
         

Thankful

Day 2:

1.  Really good shower acoustics that make me sound better than I really am.
2.  Bryan Adams songs.  (see #1)
3.  Siri!

Thursday, May 10, 2012

The StartUp

"What's it like working for a Startup?"

This is a question I am asked CONSTANTLY.  So I thought I would write out a few of my observations from the last two years.  Some of them are amusing, some of them are shocking, but most of them are pretty amazing.

1.  Money is a scarce resource that will be spent on the most ridiculous things.  Like two offices in Georgetown - the most expensive rental district in all of Washington DC.

2.  There is no such thing as a company credit card.  At least not one that has been issued to me.

3.  I work with some of the most interesting individuals.  One is an avid biker - not as in Harley Davidson, but a bicycle.  We have a vegan.  A midwesterner.  An Alabama fan.  A 2 time graduate of P90x. An LA girl, who works WAY too hard.  One fresh out of college.  One who is pretty egotistical and has no reason to be.  Another is a working mom with two beautiful kids, like me.  Her boss happens to be her husband!   The other, a Star Wars fan with a death star tattoo.  Another is a transplant from India.  Oh wait, there are two of those.  A quiet one who has to work in an office full of guys. One guy has a major personality complex and thinks he's the best addition to our company yet...the jury's still out.  Another is awesome and I wish he lived closer and we could actually be in the same office every day, another is even awesomer (is that a word?) and I love commiserating with him when necessary.  The people make my job worthwhile.

4.  I am blessed with the opportunity to really understand how running a company works.  This is one of the reasons I wanted to work here the most - I have the ability to understand of every aspect of this company and impact it in one way or another.  I have the chance to make mistakes in a safe environment, and I'm working with some of the most amazing and intelligent people I've ever known in my entire career.   That chance doesn't come around very often.

5.  We have a product that will actually affect people's lives in a positive way.  Sure, the idea is to save money in the long run, but to empower people to get more involved in their health, THAT's my real motivation for being here.

6.  Some of the funniest things happen here.  I can't go into too much detail because that would ruin the plot to the TV pilot I'm writing about this company.  Yes I'm serious.  But I can assure you, it would make the Office look like sissy stuff.

I'll share more as I think of them.  But just know that the risk was worth the reward and I'm glad I stuck it out.  I hope this is the only employer I ever work for again.  I love it THAT much.


Thankful Thursday

A friend of mine is at a conference today and one of the conference topics was happiness and optimism.  I asked him if he had learned anything good and his suggestion was to name three things you were thankful for every day.  Different things.  For 21 days.  Challenge accepted!

Here goes...
Day 1:
1.  Friends who encourage me to be my best.
2.  Dirty jokes.
3.  A good diffuser for my hairdryer.

*OK these are not your typical family/friends/God posts.  Obviously I am thankful every single day for the amazing people and blessings in my life.  I'm trying to look at the ordinary things I take for granted and turning them into the extraordinary.  You should do the same.  ;)

Song lyrics of the day

I'll be there for you
These five words I swear to you
When you breathe I want to be the air for you
I'll be there for you
I'd live and I'd die for you
I'd steal the sun from the sky for you
Words can't say what love can do
I'll be there for you

-"I'll be there for you", Bon Jovi

*for my dear and distant friends, who mean more to me than I could ever express.  Thank you for lifting me up when I needed it most.*

Wednesday, May 9, 2012

GPOYW

I took the boys strawberry picking on Saturday morning.  I just wanted to share a photo - they wouldn't hold still long enough to get a good one!


True story


I'm publishing this because I HAVE to

A real conversation that happened today between myself and my NC State loving friend...

 me:  could you imagine what you would feel if people wrote things like that about State?

 Leah:  and "we all" get lumped in as Agriculture majors with wrangler jeans

 me:  it's just frustrating
wranglers
hahaha

 Leah:  oh people write that about state all day every day

 me:  for the record, you wore OVERALLS

Leah:  we've always been put down
i'm just retorting
oh and i'll proudly rock them again

 me:  PROVE IT
do it do it!!!!

 Leah:  HA
challenge accepted!

 me:  oh hell no, don't write that and then not do it!
hahahahahaha

 Leah:  HAHAH, my ass won't fit in the old ones
but as soon as i find the gap outlet with some, it's on

 me:  hilarious
 
Leah:  promise

Friday, May 4, 2012

Five Fact Friday

1.  I swam 10 laps at the gym this morning and I thought I was going to die.  I still might - someone please keep an eye on me today.

2.  I get to see my Daddy tomorrow!  YAY!

3.  There is nothing worse than the smell of warm chlorinated water.  Ugh.

4.  My oldest son is turning 7 years old in 2 weeks and I keep looking around and wondering when my babies grew up.  This is a crazy reminder that I'm not the only one getting older.  Slow down, time!

5.  I plan on giving in to my obsession with hummus and going to get greek food for lunch.  Followed by a cupcake.  I think my body could use the sugar because I've had the "shakes" all morning long.

Song lyrics of the day

How blue can I get, you could ask my heart
But like a jigsaw puzzle it's been torn all apart
A million words couldn't say just how I feel
A million years from now you know I'll be lovin' you still

-"Nobody knows", the Tony Rich Project

Late night long distance calls

I was reminiscing with a friend this morning about college and we got on the subject of long distance phone calls and how AWESOME they were when you were away from home.  It got me thinking about a guy I dated in college (and beyond at one point) who lived in another state. 

MAN, we burned up the phone lines.  I think I spent most of my "extra" money in college paying my phone bill.  :)  I couldn't help it though.  Being apart was excruciating - I looked forward to his calls more than anything else in the world.  And we used to talk about nothing exciting - maybe what we did that day, what happened in class, what was going on for the weekend.  I loved every minute of it. 

Just hearing his voice was so comforting to me.  I really miss his voice sometimes.

I miss those simpler times where you actually TALKED to one another.  No email, texting, IMs.  Communication was what brought people together - what bonded you.


Thursday, May 3, 2012

I'm SO happy!

The telltale sign that you are close with a friend is when their sorrows become your sorrows and their happiness becomes your happiness.  Today I am so happy to report that a friend has had the biggest blessing of his LIFE... and was awarded joint legal and physical custody of his son.  I have seen him struggle over the loneliness of not being allowed to be in his child's life and to watch him fight to prove his worth and value.  Wow.  Thank you GOD for answering prayers! 

Every single child deserves the love and support of BOTH parents.  Sometimes I don't realize how good my children have it.  I forget that there are broken families and broken homes and children struggling to have a normal family life in the saddest conditions.  They don't understand why their parents aren't together or don't get along.  I hope R and S now see that just because the home is broken, the family doesn't have to be.

Congratulations and here's to many, many happy memories.  Love you both!