I've been so busy today and will be for the rest of the month since we'll be in MO the whole time. Come to think of it, I'll probably be breaking my daily blog goal on Saturday (gasp!) b/c we'll be at my mom's house, and she has no computer. Anyway, lists make me happy, and I'll probably be doing some sort of list from here on out for my posts. Here's a list of my favorites things in certain categories.
Movies:
1) My Fair Lady
2) You've Got Mail (tied for #1)
3) Pride and Prejudice (with Colin Firth!)
4) It's a Wonderful Life
5) Chocolat - not misspelled
Songs:
1) You Belong to Me - Dean Martin
2) Wayfaring Stranger - Emmylou Harris
3) Half as Much - Patsy Cline
4) I Get a Kick out of You - Frank Sinatra
5) The Long and Winding Road - The Beatles
Actors/Actresses:
1) Audrey Hepburn!
2) Jimmy Stewart
3) Gregory Peck
4) Robert Duvall
5) Hmm...Robin Williams (though I mostly like his older serious stuff)
Books:
1) Jane Eyre - by Charlotte Bronte
2) To Kill a Mockingbird - by Harper Lee
3) David Copperfield - by Charles Dickens
4) Oliver Twist - by Charles Dickens (Dickens is the best writer EVER!!!)
5) I Capture the Castle - by Dodie Smith
Poems: (too many, but at the moment these are my favorites)
1) one by Gwendolyn Brooks, though I don't know the title and can't find it anywhere (tear)
2) Sonnet 43 ("How Do I Love Thee? Let Me Count the Ways") - by Elizabeth Barrett Browning ...absolutely GORGEOUS!
3) "Annabel Lee" - by Edgar Allen Poe (cliche, yes, but I love it)
4) "O Captain! My Captain!" - by Walt Whitman
5) "Stopping by the Woods on a Snowy Evening" - by Robert Frost ...the man is amazing!
Plays:
1) Our Town - Thornton Wilder
2) The Importance of Being Earnest - Oscar Wilde
3) Bus Stop - William Inge
4) Much Ado About Nothing - Shakespeare
5) Mary Poppins - Nathan and I saw it in London, and I loved it!
Boy Names: (Besides Lincoln and Solomon)
1) Phineas
2) Amos
3) Caius (pronounced KIE-us)
4) Augustus
5) Atticus
Girl Names:
1) Gwendolyn (which sadly sounds terrible paired with Solomon)
2) Louisa
3) Colette
4) Lilith
5) Sylvia
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
Monday, November 24, 2008
Donald E. Reindeer: The Black Deer of the Family
Last week I filled out a Christmas survey, and one of the questions asked if I could name all of Santa's reindeer. Julie N. pointed out that I named "Donald" as one of them. The truth is I held a job at one time as a junior elf in the North Pole, and I saw firsthand how sour the supposedly candy-coated world at Santa's doorstep can really be. After everything went down with Donald the Reindeer, everyone in the North Pole was sworn to secrecy. We spoke of Donald in only hushed tones. I worked as an elf for a few more months before deciding to come to the good ol' USofA, but I have always - until now - carried this secret with me. It seems Julie isn't the only one who caught wind of this leaking of information. A local journalist, whose name is not being released, also came across this post, and now the press is all over it. Donald's story will hit the stands this week in the popular trash magazine Reindeer Weekly. To get the full story, you can find it on page 92 under the title, "When Good Reindeer go Bad: The Donald Reindeer Story." I thought I would give you a brief synopsis of the exposé today, though, b/c I'd rather you hear it from me first.
Donald E. Reindeer was a normal, happy child. He spent his early years at home with his mother, who had left her job at Reindeer Games - a company specializing in board games for youth - to stay home with Donald. His father worked full time as a flight instructor at the local Reindeer Academy and spent a great deal of time traveling with his job. Despite the void he felt from not seeing his father often, Donald was as cheerful as they come. Certainly no one had more Christmas spirit than he did.
As the years passed by, Donald proved more and more to be a bright and very well-adjusted reindeer. He graduated at the top of his class and took a job as a mechanical toy engineer. Neighbors described him as a friendly family guy who never had an unkind word to say. Donald's children agree, saying he always came home from work with a smile on his face, happy to see his beloved family.
But one evening, everything changed. Donald got a hold of a cup of some bad eggnog, and nothing was the same after that.
He became a bitter, angry reindeer with a violent temper - a stranger to his former self. He could often be seen trampling around town, terrorizing animals...
Donald E. Reindeer was a normal, happy child. He spent his early years at home with his mother, who had left her job at Reindeer Games - a company specializing in board games for youth - to stay home with Donald. His father worked full time as a flight instructor at the local Reindeer Academy and spent a great deal of time traveling with his job. Despite the void he felt from not seeing his father often, Donald was as cheerful as they come. Certainly no one had more Christmas spirit than he did.
As the years passed by, Donald proved more and more to be a bright and very well-adjusted reindeer. He graduated at the top of his class and took a job as a mechanical toy engineer. Neighbors described him as a friendly family guy who never had an unkind word to say. Donald's children agree, saying he always came home from work with a smile on his face, happy to see his beloved family.
But one evening, everything changed. Donald got a hold of a cup of some bad eggnog, and nothing was the same after that.
He became a bitter, angry reindeer with a violent temper - a stranger to his former self. He could often be seen trampling around town, terrorizing animals...
And scaring sweet, innocent children.
It seemed no one was safe from the reindeer's wrath. Barbara Reindeer, a colleague of Donald's, reports that he was acting strangely loopy at the company's holiday party. "He danced on the tables, ate the limbo stick, and wouldn't let a soul join in any reindeer games!" Barbara wondered what had got into Donald, once a close friend to her family. And then she saw it. She went into the kitchen to refill the cookie platter and witnessed Donald pouring deer beer into the holiday punch. "It was then I knew we had lost him," says Barbara between sniffles.
And then one night, under a full moon, Donald E. Reindeer went too far. "I was awakened by the heavy sound of hoofs in our family room," says Gertrude Reindeer. "I woke Bob up and told him I thought someone was in the house." Bob shuffled out of bed, grabbed his snow shovel - the nearest weapon, and tip-toed downstairs where he found Donald sneaking out the door with a bag full of the family's Christmas gifts. "He was completely startled that I found him," notes Bob, "like a deer in the headlights."
Bob decided that enough was enough. Donald had gotten away with too much already, and it was time to put a stop to it. So he called the NPPD (North Pole Police Department) and briefed them on what had just gone down. The NPPD made it to Bob's house in record time and took Donald down the station and booked him.
Donald E. Reindeer received a 20 year sentence, without the chance of parole. His family visits him every Sunday and remains hopeful that Donald will one day see the error in his ways and come out a changed reindeer.
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Our weekend
Okay, this is going to be a short, rather boring post about our pretty uneventful weekend. In my opinion, some of the best weekends are uneventful. I will make up for this lackluster post tomorrow when I fill you all in on Donald the Reindeer.
I'm counting Friday as the weekend b/c I want to share something that happened Friday, for those of you who don't know. Nathan and I have a new nephew! He was born Friday morning in Arkansas. Little Breckin Riese. It's our first nephew, and we are thrilled that Solomon will has a boy cousin to play with now. Counting step-cousins, Solomon has 6 girl cousins (adorable, might I add), so finally having another boy in the family is going to be fun.
Yesterday we didn't do much. We shopped around town and then made home-made gumbo last night while watching the OU game on TV and playing with Solomon.
Today we went to church and then came home and had that oh-so-yummy gumbo and then took a nap with Solomon. Later, we put up our Christmas tree and watched a show called "I Was Bitten" on the Discovery Channel. It was all I can do to watch that show. So gross! But Nathan's cousin Robert did some acting on the show. He's hoping to someday have his own program on the Discovery channel and got his foot in the door a few months ago when they filmed the first "I Was Bitten" show. He agreed to be bitten by a snake and have his arm displayed on TV. Crazy runs in the family. :) Ha! Just kidding. Anyway, it was an interesting show, but it sure turned my stomach.
Ok, that was probably the most boring post ever. Sorry. I am going to say goodnight and go get some zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.
I'm counting Friday as the weekend b/c I want to share something that happened Friday, for those of you who don't know. Nathan and I have a new nephew! He was born Friday morning in Arkansas. Little Breckin Riese. It's our first nephew, and we are thrilled that Solomon will has a boy cousin to play with now. Counting step-cousins, Solomon has 6 girl cousins (adorable, might I add), so finally having another boy in the family is going to be fun.
Yesterday we didn't do much. We shopped around town and then made home-made gumbo last night while watching the OU game on TV and playing with Solomon.
Today we went to church and then came home and had that oh-so-yummy gumbo and then took a nap with Solomon. Later, we put up our Christmas tree and watched a show called "I Was Bitten" on the Discovery Channel. It was all I can do to watch that show. So gross! But Nathan's cousin Robert did some acting on the show. He's hoping to someday have his own program on the Discovery channel and got his foot in the door a few months ago when they filmed the first "I Was Bitten" show. He agreed to be bitten by a snake and have his arm displayed on TV. Crazy runs in the family. :) Ha! Just kidding. Anyway, it was an interesting show, but it sure turned my stomach.
Ok, that was probably the most boring post ever. Sorry. I am going to say goodnight and go get some zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.
Saturday, November 22, 2008
7 Weird/Random Facts About Yours Truly
1) There are certain spoons we have that I hate. I avoid them like the plague. I don't like how their shape feels on my tongue. Bleh. Also, I have a "happy fork". I accidently stole this fork from the break room of the bookstore I use to work at and forgot to return it. I always think of my beloved job at the bookstore when I use that fork, hence the term "happy fork."
2) Most of the time when I'm washing dishes, I stand like a flamingo, with one leg bent and propped up on my other leg. Come to think of it, I catch myself standing like this at other times, too, when I'm barefoot.
3) I have a driving phobia. I'm mildly scared to drive at night and very scared to drive long distances, in the city, in the snow, or in the rain. Seriously, it's bad. After driving in one of these circumstances, I always notice how sore I am b/c of how much I tensed up while driving.
4) When I fold towels and washcloths, I have to arrange the stacks in a color pattern - like red, blue, white, red, blue white, ...
5) I am very particular about how things should be in order for me to sleep - First of all, the room must be pitch black (probably b/c I grew up in the country where there were no city lights). Also, I have to have a fan for background noise. Finally, I must have lots of blankets on me so I feel safe and secure, even in the summer when I usually shed them in my sleep anyway.
6) When I get tired, I start rubbing my ear or playing with my hair.
7) I have no ear lobes. That's right - I'm lobeless. I guess if I get a lot of strange stares in church tomorrow, I'll know you're looking at my ears. :P
2) Most of the time when I'm washing dishes, I stand like a flamingo, with one leg bent and propped up on my other leg. Come to think of it, I catch myself standing like this at other times, too, when I'm barefoot.
3) I have a driving phobia. I'm mildly scared to drive at night and very scared to drive long distances, in the city, in the snow, or in the rain. Seriously, it's bad. After driving in one of these circumstances, I always notice how sore I am b/c of how much I tensed up while driving.
4) When I fold towels and washcloths, I have to arrange the stacks in a color pattern - like red, blue, white, red, blue white, ...
5) I am very particular about how things should be in order for me to sleep - First of all, the room must be pitch black (probably b/c I grew up in the country where there were no city lights). Also, I have to have a fan for background noise. Finally, I must have lots of blankets on me so I feel safe and secure, even in the summer when I usually shed them in my sleep anyway.
6) When I get tired, I start rubbing my ear or playing with my hair.
7) I have no ear lobes. That's right - I'm lobeless. I guess if I get a lot of strange stares in church tomorrow, I'll know you're looking at my ears. :P
Friday, November 21, 2008
Christmas Survey
I'm jumping on the bandwagon and posting a survey.
1.
Wrapping paper or gift bags?
Wrapping paper
2.
Real tree or Artificial ?
I like real trees better, but we'll do artificial.
3.
When do you put up the tree?
Usually the weekend after Thanksgiving, but we'll probably put it up earlier this year - this weekend.
4.
When do you take the tree down?
Well, considering we won't get home from MO until late on Jan. 4, it will probably either be that week of the 5th or the weekend to follow.
5.
Do you like eggnog?
Gag on a stick! No.
6.
Favorite gift received as a child ?
Well, I wasn't a child really. But when I was 17 or 18, my mom had a friend in my class make me a hope chest, and I loved it! I still have it today, actually.
7.
Hardest perso n to buy for?
Nathan! This year may be easier, though. He kind of hinted around last night at Wal-Mart that he'd like a cast iron skillet or a dutch oven. The man is strange, I know, but I've gotta love him. He he he.
8.
Easiest person to buy for?
Right now, that would be Solomon.
9.
Do you have a nativity scene ?
No, but I'd like to have the Willow Tree nativity scene someday.
10.
Mail or email Chris tmas cards ?
Mail
11.
Worst Chris tmas gift you ever recei ved?
My ex-step-dad once got me a framed picture of LeAnn Rimes b/c he knew I wasn't a fan of her. Swell guy he was, let me tell ya. And yes, I'm being sarcastic.
12.
Favor ite Christmas Movie ?
It's a Wonderful Life - one of the best movies of all time. I cry every time I see it. Elf would be the funniest, though.
13.
When do you start shopping for Christmas?
Ha! In the past, it's always been the week before Christmas. But I'm doing better this year. I started last weekend.
14.
Have you ever recycled a Chris tmas present?
No
15.
Favorite thing to eat at Christmas?
Ooh, that's hard. Probably some kind of pie. But if we're at my Grandma Great's that particular year, it would be her famous homemade noodles. Holy yum!
16.
Light s on the tree?
Absolutely
17.
Favorite Christmas song?
"O Come, O Come Emmanuel"
18.
Travel at Chris tmas or stay home?
We travel to MO to be with our family.
19.
Can you name all of Santa 's reindeer' s?
Probably not. Let's see... Donald, Dasher, Blitzen, Comit, and Rudolph. That's all I know.
20.
Angel on the tree top or a star?
We'll have a star.
21.
Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning?
We don't really have a set time. I actually kinda wanted to make it a family tradition to open gifts on New Year's day so that our kids wouldn't think Christmas was about gifts, but my family will be giving Solomon (and our future kids) gifts at Christmas anyway, so I don't think that's going to work.
22.
Do your kids still believe in Santa?
We're not doing Santa with our little ones.
23.
Favorite ornament theme or color ?
I don't really have a favorite. But this year we will be putting our Christmas tree up for the first time since we lost Lincoln, and I'm planning on getting an angel ornament, hopefully with Lincoln's name on it, and that will most definitely have the most meaning to me.
24.
Favorite for Christmas dinner?
Turkey or ham, Grandma Great's noodles, sweet potatoes, and some kind of pie - hmm...maybe pecan pie?
25.
What do you want for Chris tmas this year?
I want to be with my family!
26.
Have any Christmas tradions?
No, but now that we have Solomon, I'm looking for some traditions to adopt. : )
1.
Wrapping paper or gift bags?
Wrapping paper
2.
Real tree or Artificial ?
I like real trees better, but we'll do artificial.
3.
When do you put up the tree?
Usually the weekend after Thanksgiving, but we'll probably put it up earlier this year - this weekend.
4.
When do you take the tree down?
Well, considering we won't get home from MO until late on Jan. 4, it will probably either be that week of the 5th or the weekend to follow.
5.
Do you like eggnog?
Gag on a stick! No.
6.
Favorite gift received as a child ?
Well, I wasn't a child really. But when I was 17 or 18, my mom had a friend in my class make me a hope chest, and I loved it! I still have it today, actually.
7.
Hardest perso n to buy for?
Nathan! This year may be easier, though. He kind of hinted around last night at Wal-Mart that he'd like a cast iron skillet or a dutch oven. The man is strange, I know, but I've gotta love him. He he he.
8.
Easiest person to buy for?
Right now, that would be Solomon.
9.
Do you have a nativity scene ?
No, but I'd like to have the Willow Tree nativity scene someday.
10.
Mail or email Chris tmas cards ?
11.
Worst Chris tmas gift you ever recei ved?
My ex-step-dad once got me a framed picture of LeAnn Rimes b/c he knew I wasn't a fan of her. Swell guy he was, let me tell ya. And yes, I'm being sarcastic.
12.
Favor ite Christmas Movie ?
It's a Wonderful Life - one of the best movies of all time. I cry every time I see it. Elf would be the funniest, though.
13.
When do you start shopping for Christmas?
Ha! In the past, it's always been the week before Christmas. But I'm doing better this year. I started last weekend.
14.
Have you ever recycled a Chris tmas present?
No
15.
Favorite thing to eat at Christmas?
Ooh, that's hard. Probably some kind of pie. But if we're at my Grandma Great's that particular year, it would be her famous homemade noodles. Holy yum!
16.
Light s on the tree?
Absolutely
17.
Favorite Christmas song?
"O Come, O Come Emmanuel"
18.
Travel at Chris tmas or stay home?
We travel to MO to be with our family.
19.
Can you name all of Santa 's reindeer' s?
Probably not. Let's see... Donald, Dasher, Blitzen, Comit, and Rudolph. That's all I know.
20.
Angel on the tree top or a star?
We'll have a star.
21.
Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning?
We don't really have a set time. I actually kinda wanted to make it a family tradition to open gifts on New Year's day so that our kids wouldn't think Christmas was about gifts, but my family will be giving Solomon (and our future kids) gifts at Christmas anyway, so I don't think that's going to work.
22.
Do your kids still believe in Santa?
We're not doing Santa with our little ones.
23.
Favorite ornament theme or color ?
I don't really have a favorite. But this year we will be putting our Christmas tree up for the first time since we lost Lincoln, and I'm planning on getting an angel ornament, hopefully with Lincoln's name on it, and that will most definitely have the most meaning to me.
24.
Favorite for Christmas dinner?
Turkey or ham, Grandma Great's noodles, sweet potatoes, and some kind of pie - hmm...maybe pecan pie?
25.
What do you want for Chris tmas this year?
I want to be with my family!
26.
Have any Christmas tradions?
No, but now that we have Solomon, I'm looking for some traditions to adopt. : )
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Amber's How-to Guide to Sticky Wal-Mart Situations
We all run into those sticky situations at Wal-Mart and find ourselves at a loss for what to do. Well, you need not fear anymore. I, Amber, am here today to share with you some fool-proof solutions to those day-to-day dilemmas we encounter in the world of Wal.
Situation: Someone bolts out of an aisle without looking to see if anyone is coming and nearly knocks you over.
Solution: This person is obviously in the mood for a good game of bumper cars, er ...I mean bumper "carts". Catch up with this individual, who is no doubt using Wal-Mart as a means to both shop AND get their cardio workout in through power walking. When you finally catch up to him/her, give their cart a good smack with your cart and say, "Ok, now your it!" and RUN!!!
Situation: Two individuals (typically women) are having a gab fest in the middle of the aisle, and there is no getting around them:
Solution: This takes some preparation, but it will be well worth your time. Before leaving to go to Wal-Mart, type up some flyers that read "Attention: Today's Gabbers Anonymous meeting has been moved to aisle 14. Sorry for any inconvenience." Upon entering an aisle with such gabbers, approach the individuals in a no-nonsense manner; greet them in a professional, "Good afternoon, ladies"; and hand them your prepared flyer.
Situation: Some inconsiderate person in front of you is in the express lane and obviously has more than the 10 item limit.
Solution: Tap that person on the shoulder, smile your sweetest smile, and say, "And which of those 10 items do you plan on purchasing today?"
Situation: You park your cart, containing a few items, at the end of a busy aisle so that you don't have to squeeze it through the mass of people. You grab what you need, then return to your cart only to find that someone stole it.
Solution: If this is something that happens to you from time to time, try this little trick. Bring along a twisty tie like you see on a loaf of bread and tie it to your cart in an inconspicuous spot (but a spot that is still noticeable to you). If your cart goes missing, it's time to play detective. Walk the aisles until you find your cart with the twisty tie on it. Once you spot it, make your best police siren impression and call out, "Step away from the cart! I repeat, step away from the cart!" Write them a ticket (a post-it note you can smack on their forehead is quite effective), and then begin unloading the cart, placing as much of its contents as possible in the thief's arms.
Situation: Someone bolts out of an aisle without looking to see if anyone is coming and nearly knocks you over.
Solution: This person is obviously in the mood for a good game of bumper cars, er ...I mean bumper "carts". Catch up with this individual, who is no doubt using Wal-Mart as a means to both shop AND get their cardio workout in through power walking. When you finally catch up to him/her, give their cart a good smack with your cart and say, "Ok, now your it!" and RUN!!!
Situation: Two individuals (typically women) are having a gab fest in the middle of the aisle, and there is no getting around them:
Solution: This takes some preparation, but it will be well worth your time. Before leaving to go to Wal-Mart, type up some flyers that read "Attention: Today's Gabbers Anonymous meeting has been moved to aisle 14. Sorry for any inconvenience." Upon entering an aisle with such gabbers, approach the individuals in a no-nonsense manner; greet them in a professional, "Good afternoon, ladies"; and hand them your prepared flyer.
Situation: Some inconsiderate person in front of you is in the express lane and obviously has more than the 10 item limit.
Solution: Tap that person on the shoulder, smile your sweetest smile, and say, "And which of those 10 items do you plan on purchasing today?"
Situation: You park your cart, containing a few items, at the end of a busy aisle so that you don't have to squeeze it through the mass of people. You grab what you need, then return to your cart only to find that someone stole it.
Solution: If this is something that happens to you from time to time, try this little trick. Bring along a twisty tie like you see on a loaf of bread and tie it to your cart in an inconspicuous spot (but a spot that is still noticeable to you). If your cart goes missing, it's time to play detective. Walk the aisles until you find your cart with the twisty tie on it. Once you spot it, make your best police siren impression and call out, "Step away from the cart! I repeat, step away from the cart!" Write them a ticket (a post-it note you can smack on their forehead is quite effective), and then begin unloading the cart, placing as much of its contents as possible in the thief's arms.
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Things I am a fan of...
- Solomon and Nathan - and the rest of my family, of course
- Taking walks, especially scenic ones
- Camping out under the stars - the sounds of wild life, smell of nature and campfires, ahh...
- Sleeping in
- Snow - so beautiful and peaceful!
- Finding a new (but almost always antique) baby name I love
- The musty smell of old books
- Curling up with a classic book on a chilly day
- Sledding down a snowy hill
- The sound of a church congregation singing acapella
- The sound of a distant train
- The adrenaline rush I feel when exercising
- Cuddling with Solomon
- Nutella - need I say more?
- Receiving an unexpected letter/card/package in the mail
- Good quality chocolate (Yes, I'm a chocolate snob.)
- Classic lit - books, poetry, plays, and short stories
- Finding a new recipe I love
- Having a clean house
- Getting everything checked off my to-do list
- Warm fuzzy blanket + good movie = :)
- The scent of honeysuckle
- The scent of lilacs
- The scent of red wine and baking bread intermingling together
- Dancing when no one is looking
- Baking
- Licking the batter bowl clean
- Riding in the car with my feet hanging out the window (only in the country)
- My lap writing desk thing
- Finding a pair of jeans that fit AND look good on me
- Unexpectedly finding money in my pocket (Sometimes at the end of winter, I'll put money in my coat pocket so that I'll find it at the beginning of the next winter.)
- Horses - the smell of them, the sight of them running freely in an open field, the feeling of galloping on one, the rhythmic sound their hoofs make while galloping,...)
- Taking walks, especially scenic ones
- Camping out under the stars - the sounds of wild life, smell of nature and campfires, ahh...
- Sleeping in
- Snow - so beautiful and peaceful!
- Finding a new (but almost always antique) baby name I love
- The musty smell of old books
- Curling up with a classic book on a chilly day
- Sledding down a snowy hill
- The sound of a church congregation singing acapella
- The sound of a distant train
- The adrenaline rush I feel when exercising
- Cuddling with Solomon
- Nutella - need I say more?
- Receiving an unexpected letter/card/package in the mail
- Good quality chocolate (Yes, I'm a chocolate snob.)
- Classic lit - books, poetry, plays, and short stories
- Finding a new recipe I love
- Having a clean house
- Getting everything checked off my to-do list
- Warm fuzzy blanket + good movie = :)
- The scent of honeysuckle
- The scent of lilacs
- The scent of red wine and baking bread intermingling together
- Dancing when no one is looking
- Baking
- Licking the batter bowl clean
- Riding in the car with my feet hanging out the window (only in the country)
- My lap writing desk thing
- Finding a pair of jeans that fit AND look good on me
- Unexpectedly finding money in my pocket (Sometimes at the end of winter, I'll put money in my coat pocket so that I'll find it at the beginning of the next winter.)
- Horses - the smell of them, the sight of them running freely in an open field, the feeling of galloping on one, the rhythmic sound their hoofs make while galloping,...)
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Things I'm not a fan of...
Julie, I'm copying your idea. :)
- Unpacking after a trip
- People who continuously interrupt others
- Finding a goo parking space at Wal-Mart, only to discover there's a shopping cart right in the middle of it
- When people who bolt out of an aisle at Wal-Mart without looking to see if anyone is coming
- Cigarette smoke
- Seeing someone smoking in front of a child
- Hearing someone say "like" or "oh my gosh" over and over
- Mushrooms, onions, pickles, and most raw veggies
- Bad movies - what a waste of a couple hours!
- When people use the express lane and obviously have more than 10 items
- Waking up in the middle of the night and not being able to get back to sleep
- Chalkboards and chalk - the way they feel, the sounds they make, the dust they leave in the air...
- Loud neighbors
- Slow internet connections
- When people park in a handicapped parking space and they're not handicapped
- Poor grammar
- Finding that I used bad grammar or misspelled a word in something I've already posted
- Fried and/or greasy food
- Stepping in wet things in my socks
- Vulgar language and cussing - except for "damn". I kind of like that word b/c it sounds so British. (Just think Henry Higgins in My Fair Lady)
- Pushy drivers - These are the people talking on cell phones and riding my bumper in a no passing lane, even though I'm sure I'm probably going over the speed limit. I feel like yelling out my window, "Hey, you're not going to make me go any faster. And I'm about ready to slam on my breaks and let you buy me a new car!"
- Small spaces
- Driving in heavy rain
- How the size 0 jeans are always on the top shelf, which makes no sense b/c so many size 0 people are also short and can't reach that particular shelf.
- Last, but not least, I hate when I leave my cart (with a few items in it) at the end of a busy aisle at Wal-Mart so that I can just grab what I need without the bulk of it, only to find that someone stole my cart when I return with the item I just grabbed.
- Unpacking after a trip
- People who continuously interrupt others
- Finding a goo parking space at Wal-Mart, only to discover there's a shopping cart right in the middle of it
- When people who bolt out of an aisle at Wal-Mart without looking to see if anyone is coming
- Cigarette smoke
- Seeing someone smoking in front of a child
- Hearing someone say "like" or "oh my gosh" over and over
- Mushrooms, onions, pickles, and most raw veggies
- Bad movies - what a waste of a couple hours!
- When people use the express lane and obviously have more than 10 items
- Waking up in the middle of the night and not being able to get back to sleep
- Chalkboards and chalk - the way they feel, the sounds they make, the dust they leave in the air...
- Loud neighbors
- Slow internet connections
- When people park in a handicapped parking space and they're not handicapped
- Poor grammar
- Finding that I used bad grammar or misspelled a word in something I've already posted
- Fried and/or greasy food
- Stepping in wet things in my socks
- Vulgar language and cussing - except for "damn". I kind of like that word b/c it sounds so British. (Just think Henry Higgins in My Fair Lady)
- Pushy drivers - These are the people talking on cell phones and riding my bumper in a no passing lane, even though I'm sure I'm probably going over the speed limit. I feel like yelling out my window, "Hey, you're not going to make me go any faster. And I'm about ready to slam on my breaks and let you buy me a new car!"
- Small spaces
- Driving in heavy rain
- How the size 0 jeans are always on the top shelf, which makes no sense b/c so many size 0 people are also short and can't reach that particular shelf.
- Last, but not least, I hate when I leave my cart (with a few items in it) at the end of a busy aisle at Wal-Mart so that I can just grab what I need without the bulk of it, only to find that someone stole my cart when I return with the item I just grabbed.
Monday, November 17, 2008
A perfect autumn day
After beginning yesterday with a yucky headache, we ended up having a lovely Sunday afternoon. We had plans to go to Hastings to rent some movies since we still have no TV, and I also needed to go to Walgreens, so we decided that since it was in the mid 60s we would walk there from our place. Going on walks is about my favorite thing to do! I was so excited. So we loaded Solomon up in the jogging stroller - overbundled as always - and set out on our journey.
Solomon loves our walks as much as we do. He loves to look around at all the trees and anything else that catches his interest. Both Nathan and I always wished that whatever town we live in would be pedestrian friendly, with good sidewalks and such, so that we could walk and bike wherever we went when the weather is nice. It's pretty easy to do that when going to most places from where we live now, so that makes us happy.
When we lived in Rolla, MO, both our cars bit the dust for good within a month of each other - his in August 2005 and mine in September 2005. At first, we were obviously stressed out. I mean, he was a full time college student who only worked at the school's testing center a few hours a week at very little pay, and I was working at a local book store in town for less than $6.00 an hour. We didn't feel we had the money to buy a car! So we decided to walk and ride bikes until it got too cold. We both loved it! I think that's how our love for walking started. Obviously, I'm trying to stretch this post out as much as I can.
After we got back from our little pedestrian excursion, as we've taken to calling them, it was time for Nathan to rake up leaves. Solomon and I had fun keeping him company in the process.
Sunday, November 16, 2008
A fun weekend getaway!
Nathan came home Wednesday evening, and we began talking about the upcoming weekend. He surprised me when he asked if I'd like to take an overnight trip to OKC and go shopping and to the Cheesecake Factory. Um...do I want to go SHOPPING? And to the CHEESECAKE FACTORY?!! Do I breathe? Do I have skin? Yes!!!! :P So I began the craziness of getting everything packed for Solomon, Nathan, and myself. Does every wife pack for their husbands for trips? My family always laughs about this - it seems guys do not like to pack. Anyway, it's amazing how much packing is involved in a simple overnight trip when you have a 5 1/2 month old baby. And yes, that is an 80's Popples bag in the picture. I mainly packed it b/c it really bugs Nathan, and I find that really funny. Tee hee hee.
When we got to our hotel, Solomon and I checked out our room while Nathan brought everything from the car up to the room (yeah, he even got to tote the Popples bag through the lobby). I knew Solomon would notice the change of scenery, but I didn't think he'd think much of it. Wrong. I laid him down on the huge hotel bed, and Solomon started squealing, laughing, and turning from side to side. Too cute! I laughed so hard at him. When Nathan came back up, he opened the blinds and let Solomon look out the window. Solomon was pretty amazed to see all the city lights from twelve stories up.
We got a good night's sleep that night - well, at least Nathan and Solomon did. I hardly slept a wink, but miraculously I had lots of energy the next day. We started our day out by going to Panera's for breakfast. Nathan got a pumpkin muffin and a cup of coffee, and I got a blueberry scone and some chai tea latte. I snuggled with my oh-so-sleepy Solomon as I drank my chai tea. A great way to start the day!
After Panera's, we made our way to the mall. Solomon really woke up once we got in the car to go to there He became very silly and excited, as you can see from a few of the many pictures I snapped of him on the ride.
I shopped and shopped and shopped some more, finding some clothes for Solomon and me and some Christmas gifts for family.
Nathan and Solomon took the more leisurely route and hung out in a chair in a quiet part of the mall.
Before heading home, we went to our beloved Cheesecake Factory! I ordered the best dessert EVER! Godiva chocolate cheesecake. A little side story...when I was pregnant with Solomon, we made many a trip to OKC for doctor appointments. On one such trip, we went to The Cheesecake Factory b/c I was having a Godiva chocolate cheesecake craving. I remember thoroughly enjoying that scrumptious piece of yumminess, and it's a good thing I did. I found out four days later that I had gestational diabetes. Well, a few weeks before Solomon was born, Nathan asked what I'd like to have as my first dessert after Solomon came. I told him what I really wanted was that cheesecake, but I knew that was pretty much impossible since we were too far from OKC, so we decided (or so I thought) on a fudge brownie sundae instead. Well, the day Solomon was born, Nathan was at my bedside, and he asked me if I was ready for my dessert. I said yes, thinking he was going to run to Braum's and pick up the sundae. Instead, he came in with this box and put it on my tray. The box was from the Cheesecake Factory, and inside was my Godiva chocolate cheesecake!!! He had called the company and asked if they could ship the cheesecake to his parents house (to keep it a surprise), and his parents packed it in ice and brought it up when they came the night before I had Solomon. They had to be really sneaky to get it in the freezer and keep me away from the fridge while it was there. Okay, that ended up being a big side story actually, but I just had to share that. My husband is the best!
And here is Nathan with his espresso (not to worry, it wasn't hot by this point), being a goof.
We ended up sleeping in today, which was much needed on my part since I hadn't slept the night before and was beginning to get a migraine this morning. With the extra sleep, I fought off the headache and have had a very blessed, relaxing day with my wonderful family!
When we got to our hotel, Solomon and I checked out our room while Nathan brought everything from the car up to the room (yeah, he even got to tote the Popples bag through the lobby). I knew Solomon would notice the change of scenery, but I didn't think he'd think much of it. Wrong. I laid him down on the huge hotel bed, and Solomon started squealing, laughing, and turning from side to side. Too cute! I laughed so hard at him. When Nathan came back up, he opened the blinds and let Solomon look out the window. Solomon was pretty amazed to see all the city lights from twelve stories up. 
We got a good night's sleep that night - well, at least Nathan and Solomon did. I hardly slept a wink, but miraculously I had lots of energy the next day. We started our day out by going to Panera's for breakfast. Nathan got a pumpkin muffin and a cup of coffee, and I got a blueberry scone and some chai tea latte. I snuggled with my oh-so-sleepy Solomon as I drank my chai tea. A great way to start the day!
After Panera's, we made our way to the mall. Solomon really woke up once we got in the car to go to there He became very silly and excited, as you can see from a few of the many pictures I snapped of him on the ride.
I shopped and shopped and shopped some more, finding some clothes for Solomon and me and some Christmas gifts for family.
Nathan and Solomon took the more leisurely route and hung out in a chair in a quiet part of the mall.
Before heading home, we went to our beloved Cheesecake Factory! I ordered the best dessert EVER! Godiva chocolate cheesecake. A little side story...when I was pregnant with Solomon, we made many a trip to OKC for doctor appointments. On one such trip, we went to The Cheesecake Factory b/c I was having a Godiva chocolate cheesecake craving. I remember thoroughly enjoying that scrumptious piece of yumminess, and it's a good thing I did. I found out four days later that I had gestational diabetes. Well, a few weeks before Solomon was born, Nathan asked what I'd like to have as my first dessert after Solomon came. I told him what I really wanted was that cheesecake, but I knew that was pretty much impossible since we were too far from OKC, so we decided (or so I thought) on a fudge brownie sundae instead. Well, the day Solomon was born, Nathan was at my bedside, and he asked me if I was ready for my dessert. I said yes, thinking he was going to run to Braum's and pick up the sundae. Instead, he came in with this box and put it on my tray. The box was from the Cheesecake Factory, and inside was my Godiva chocolate cheesecake!!! He had called the company and asked if they could ship the cheesecake to his parents house (to keep it a surprise), and his parents packed it in ice and brought it up when they came the night before I had Solomon. They had to be really sneaky to get it in the freezer and keep me away from the fridge while it was there. Okay, that ended up being a big side story actually, but I just had to share that. My husband is the best! 
And here is Nathan with his espresso (not to worry, it wasn't hot by this point), being a goof.
We ended up sleeping in today, which was much needed on my part since I hadn't slept the night before and was beginning to get a migraine this morning. With the extra sleep, I fought off the headache and have had a very blessed, relaxing day with my wonderful family!
Saturday, November 15, 2008
In need of some zzzzzzz's
We just returned from our trip to OKC, and I am exhausted! In other words, this is going to be one short and very lame post. Here is a funny conversations Nathan and I had the other day:
Nathan: "I think Solomon is looking more and more like you every day."
Me: "Really? Because I've been thinking he's getting cuter and cuter every day. Does this mean I'm cuter than you?"
Ha ha ha! I jest. More on the OKC trip to come... I know you're all on the edge of your seats. :P
Nathan: "I think Solomon is looking more and more like you every day."
Me: "Really? Because I've been thinking he's getting cuter and cuter every day. Does this mean I'm cuter than you?"
Ha ha ha! I jest. More on the OKC trip to come... I know you're all on the edge of your seats. :P
Friday, November 14, 2008
Aaaaaagh!
Resume editingI had an ugly, ugly morning.
It started out well enough. Solomon slept until past 7:00, a first since moving into our new house. But it quickly went downhill after that. Solomon started getting sleepy for his morning nap, so I began the process of trying to get him to get him down. He has been really fighting his sleep lately, so I have to work pretty hard to get him down, and he's my Grump the Stump until then. Well, right as he was starting to nod off, the doorbell rang. It was the guy who was suppose to get our DirecTV up and running. I had called them before we moved to schedule an appointment and to ask if we could return our HD box and get a DVR one instead b/c we don't use HD as often as we thought we would. They said that was fine, went ahead and cancelled our HD channels on the spot, and set up an appointment for Sunday, Nov. 9 (8 days after we moved). No problem to wait that long - we're not TV addicts or anything, though I will embarrassingly admit to being kind of hooked to Gilmore Girls re-runs. ANYway...so that Sunday rolls around, and they call and ask if it was okay to move the hook-up until today, Friday the 14th. Nathan was mildly annoyed by this because he thought if they had to ask our permission to do this, it probably meant that they could get to it that day but were just too lazy to do so. I didn't take it that way, and it still wasn't too big of a deal to either of us. But the guy came today and asked where we wanted our "HD/DVR" box. I explained to him that we just wanted the "DVR" box, not the "HD/DVR" box. They had sent him out with the wrong box. Grrr. He asked if he could go to the back yard to see about where to put the dish. That's when all hell broke loose. Forgetting that our dog was back there, I let him open the door, and Posy comes running full speed toward him - barking loudly, growling, snarling, showing teeth - the whole nine yards. The guy is frozen in fear at this point, and my extremely tired Solomon is screaming. I knew Posy wouldn't bite, but I wouldn't tell a guy I don't know who is in my house that. So here I am, holding a screaming, wiggling baby AND trying to shoo Posy off, all while Nathan (who was on speaker phone this whole time) was asking over and over what was going on. With all this madness, I accidentally hung up on Nathan. In that time, the guy finally worked up the nerve to go outside, and I was able to get Posy into the garage and sort of calm poor Solomon down. And it ended up that they also sent the wrong dish with him, too. Double grrr. He told me they'd have to reschedule the hook-up yet again and asked if he could borrow my phone (he had traveled quite a ways, and his phone wouldn't work out here.) So yeah.... I am SO glad we are going to OKC for an overnight trip, b/c after all that craziness I friggin' need some cheesecake! Okay?! Have a happy day.
It started out well enough. Solomon slept until past 7:00, a first since moving into our new house. But it quickly went downhill after that. Solomon started getting sleepy for his morning nap, so I began the process of trying to get him to get him down. He has been really fighting his sleep lately, so I have to work pretty hard to get him down, and he's my Grump the Stump until then. Well, right as he was starting to nod off, the doorbell rang. It was the guy who was suppose to get our DirecTV up and running. I had called them before we moved to schedule an appointment and to ask if we could return our HD box and get a DVR one instead b/c we don't use HD as often as we thought we would. They said that was fine, went ahead and cancelled our HD channels on the spot, and set up an appointment for Sunday, Nov. 9 (8 days after we moved). No problem to wait that long - we're not TV addicts or anything, though I will embarrassingly admit to being kind of hooked to Gilmore Girls re-runs. ANYway...so that Sunday rolls around, and they call and ask if it was okay to move the hook-up until today, Friday the 14th. Nathan was mildly annoyed by this because he thought if they had to ask our permission to do this, it probably meant that they could get to it that day but were just too lazy to do so. I didn't take it that way, and it still wasn't too big of a deal to either of us. But the guy came today and asked where we wanted our "HD/DVR" box. I explained to him that we just wanted the "DVR" box, not the "HD/DVR" box. They had sent him out with the wrong box. Grrr. He asked if he could go to the back yard to see about where to put the dish. That's when all hell broke loose. Forgetting that our dog was back there, I let him open the door, and Posy comes running full speed toward him - barking loudly, growling, snarling, showing teeth - the whole nine yards. The guy is frozen in fear at this point, and my extremely tired Solomon is screaming. I knew Posy wouldn't bite, but I wouldn't tell a guy I don't know who is in my house that. So here I am, holding a screaming, wiggling baby AND trying to shoo Posy off, all while Nathan (who was on speaker phone this whole time) was asking over and over what was going on. With all this madness, I accidentally hung up on Nathan. In that time, the guy finally worked up the nerve to go outside, and I was able to get Posy into the garage and sort of calm poor Solomon down. And it ended up that they also sent the wrong dish with him, too. Double grrr. He told me they'd have to reschedule the hook-up yet again and asked if he could borrow my phone (he had traveled quite a ways, and his phone wouldn't work out here.) So yeah.... I am SO glad we are going to OKC for an overnight trip, b/c after all that craziness I friggin' need some cheesecake! Okay?! Have a happy day.
Thursday, November 13, 2008
Baby Names
I am running short on time today, trying to pack when I get a spare moment, so this is sort of a cop out post I suppose. You all know my obsession with baby names. Well, here's a list of top names I like that could potentially be used someday. No, I'm not pregnant, nor am I considering becoming pregnant anytime soon. This is just for fun. For some of the names, I put the full combo I like, and others I don't yet have middle names for.
Girls:
Colette Anneliese
Dahlia
Eloise
Elsa Genevieve
Gwendolyn Rose
Josephine
Lilith
Louisa Charlotte
Mabel (ok, this may be a guilty pleasure name)
Boys:
Ambrose
Amos
Atticus
Augustus (nickname Gus?)
Caius (pronounced KIE-us)
Edgar
Edward
Ezekiel Reuben(nickname Zeke)
Leo
Lewis
Oscar
Phineas Lee (nickname Phin?)
Rex
Obviously, we don't want 20 kids so we'll eventually have to narrow down the list. More likely we'll (or shall I say "I'll") end up adding to it. :)
Girls:
Colette Anneliese
Dahlia
Eloise
Elsa Genevieve
Gwendolyn Rose
Josephine
Lilith
Louisa Charlotte
Mabel (ok, this may be a guilty pleasure name)
Boys:
Ambrose
Amos
Atticus
Augustus (nickname Gus?)
Caius (pronounced KIE-us)
Edgar
Edward
Ezekiel Reuben(nickname Zeke)
Leo
Lewis
Oscar
Phineas Lee (nickname Phin?)
Rex
Obviously, we don't want 20 kids so we'll eventually have to narrow down the list. More likely we'll (or shall I say "I'll") end up adding to it. :)
Wednesday, November 12, 2008
My Best Friend --- I'm terrible at titles!
I've been trying to figure out all day what to blog about. Then my best friend Raelynn called, and I decided to blog about her.
Raelynn and I met on the first day of our freshman year of college in quite an unusual way. We were standing outside the door to our first class of the day - speech - when she came up to me and said, "Are you Amber?" You can imagine my surprise. I had never seen her before! "Yes," I replied in what I'm sure was a very timid manner. It turns out that my boyfriend at the time, Ben, had pulled through the McDonalds drive through (where she worked then) a few nights before classes began. Ben had gone to school with her before moving to my high school. He told her that I was really nervous about starting college, and he asked her to introduce herself if he came across a "really short, blonde girl". Obviously, Raelynn spotted the "really short, blonde girl" right away and did as Ben requested. She and I ended up having at least a couple classes together, and we quickly became good friends. She was the total extrovert, striking up conversations with everyone she met. I, in turn, was the total introvert, doing my best to fade into the background. So we complemented each other well. She made it her mission to bring me out of my shell, and she did a pretty good job at it (though I've since shrunk back into it, I fear). We were always doing crazy things when we were out and about together. For example, it was a rule that if we saw any guy wearing a cowboy hat, we had to approach him and sing, "Cowboy Take me Away" to him. Embarrassing now, but at the time it was fun. The two of us had theme Wednesdays at school, which were always SO fun! There was mis-match day, 80s day, little kid day, etc. We had fun singing karaoke together on weekends and breaking social norms when we could.
I'm a dork, and she's a big dork. : P
Mis-match day
One of our many Wal-Mart adventures
Just being us
During our sophomore year in college, Raelynn went to study abroad in Canterbury, England for a semester with a group of students from the college who were going. I kept up with her by reading her articles in the school newspaper about the trip (we both worked on the newspaper staff). In each of the columns she mentioned other fellow Crowder College students who were on the trip, too, and the name "Nathan Stump" always stood out like a sore thumb. I remember thinking, "The poor girl who marries that guy and gets stuck with that name!" Ha! When she returned from England the second semester, Raelynn and I started up a weekly Bible study for Crowder students. We'd meet every Thursday (or was it Wednesday?) in the library's conference room, and we'd discuss a different topic each week. It just so happened that our weekly Bible study fell on Valentine's Day, and Raelynn had invited Nathan and his sister to come to that particular week's study. Thus, I met Nathan on Valentine's Day 2002, and as we all know, I became that "poor girl who married that guy and got stuck with that name!" With my maiden name being "Wright", I like to tell people that I was Wright all my life, and now I'm Stumped for the rest of it. : P
Raelynn and I met on the first day of our freshman year of college in quite an unusual way. We were standing outside the door to our first class of the day - speech - when she came up to me and said, "Are you Amber?" You can imagine my surprise. I had never seen her before! "Yes," I replied in what I'm sure was a very timid manner. It turns out that my boyfriend at the time, Ben, had pulled through the McDonalds drive through (where she worked then) a few nights before classes began. Ben had gone to school with her before moving to my high school. He told her that I was really nervous about starting college, and he asked her to introduce herself if he came across a "really short, blonde girl". Obviously, Raelynn spotted the "really short, blonde girl" right away and did as Ben requested. She and I ended up having at least a couple classes together, and we quickly became good friends. She was the total extrovert, striking up conversations with everyone she met. I, in turn, was the total introvert, doing my best to fade into the background. So we complemented each other well. She made it her mission to bring me out of my shell, and she did a pretty good job at it (though I've since shrunk back into it, I fear). We were always doing crazy things when we were out and about together. For example, it was a rule that if we saw any guy wearing a cowboy hat, we had to approach him and sing, "Cowboy Take me Away" to him. Embarrassing now, but at the time it was fun. The two of us had theme Wednesdays at school, which were always SO fun! There was mis-match day, 80s day, little kid day, etc. We had fun singing karaoke together on weekends and breaking social norms when we could.
I'm a dork, and she's a big dork. : P
Mis-match day
One of our many Wal-Mart adventures
Just being us
During our sophomore year in college, Raelynn went to study abroad in Canterbury, England for a semester with a group of students from the college who were going. I kept up with her by reading her articles in the school newspaper about the trip (we both worked on the newspaper staff). In each of the columns she mentioned other fellow Crowder College students who were on the trip, too, and the name "Nathan Stump" always stood out like a sore thumb. I remember thinking, "The poor girl who marries that guy and gets stuck with that name!" Ha! When she returned from England the second semester, Raelynn and I started up a weekly Bible study for Crowder students. We'd meet every Thursday (or was it Wednesday?) in the library's conference room, and we'd discuss a different topic each week. It just so happened that our weekly Bible study fell on Valentine's Day, and Raelynn had invited Nathan and his sister to come to that particular week's study. Thus, I met Nathan on Valentine's Day 2002, and as we all know, I became that "poor girl who married that guy and got stuck with that name!" With my maiden name being "Wright", I like to tell people that I was Wright all my life, and now I'm Stumped for the rest of it. : P
My honey in England
After we finished junior college, Raelynn and I went our separate ways. I went to a near-by 4 year college, majoring in English/creative writing, and she went to Lubbock, TX to a missionary school called AIM. She spent 2 1/2 years doing missionary work in Japan upon completing her courses there and has since been to various other places, too. These days, she works as a campus minister in Arizona and still does missionary work here and there in other countries.
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
To sleep, perchance to dream
I am notorious for losing my keys and have been ever since I was old enough to own keys. While shopping once, Nathan found a key chain that was meant for me. It said "Keys I Haven't Lost YET" on them. I began thinking of how funny it would be when (because "if" is not an option) I lost those keys if someone found them and read that key chain. He he. But that's not what this post is about. I am talking about the weirdness of dreams here.
For quite a while now, I haven't been able to find my set of car keys. I've been using Nathan's and trying to avoid his, "Have you lost your keys?" questions with, "They're not lost. I just don't know where they are at THIS moment." Finally, packing everything up and moving and still not finding them, I had to tell Nathan they I had indeed lost them. He even turned this house upside-down searching for them. They were nowhere to be found. So I decided to kind of abandon my search for them, figuring they'd turn up when they turn up. Well, this morning I put Solomon down for what I knew would be a very long nap since he has a cold and didn't sleep well last night. And since it would be a long nap, I decided I would try to nap for a change, too. While napping, I dreamed that I had found those blasted car keys in one of my jackets. When I awoke I decided to check all my jackets even though I am certain I checked them before. Would you believe I found those things in the breast pocket of one of them? Weird....
My weirdest dream experience came a couple years ago when Nathan and I were staying with my mom on one of our trips to Missouri. I dreamed that I was at my Grandma Morgan's house with my cousin and she had fallen. I went to call 911, but I didn't know what street Grandma lived on, so I asked my cousin and she told me the street is called Urchin. When I awoke, I asked Mom if she knew what street Grandma lived on (I had NO idea what the name of it is). I explained my dream to her, and she told me she didn't know either what road she lived on, so she grabbed the phone book to look it up. Sure enough....Urchin Street. Creeeeepy....
Obviously, I am running out of blogging ideas and just rambling on about weird things these days. If you made it through this, you deserve a peanut butter, fudge brownie Sunday with 2 cherries on top. :)
For quite a while now, I haven't been able to find my set of car keys. I've been using Nathan's and trying to avoid his, "Have you lost your keys?" questions with, "They're not lost. I just don't know where they are at THIS moment." Finally, packing everything up and moving and still not finding them, I had to tell Nathan they I had indeed lost them. He even turned this house upside-down searching for them. They were nowhere to be found. So I decided to kind of abandon my search for them, figuring they'd turn up when they turn up. Well, this morning I put Solomon down for what I knew would be a very long nap since he has a cold and didn't sleep well last night. And since it would be a long nap, I decided I would try to nap for a change, too. While napping, I dreamed that I had found those blasted car keys in one of my jackets. When I awoke I decided to check all my jackets even though I am certain I checked them before. Would you believe I found those things in the breast pocket of one of them? Weird....
My weirdest dream experience came a couple years ago when Nathan and I were staying with my mom on one of our trips to Missouri. I dreamed that I was at my Grandma Morgan's house with my cousin and she had fallen. I went to call 911, but I didn't know what street Grandma lived on, so I asked my cousin and she told me the street is called Urchin. When I awoke, I asked Mom if she knew what street Grandma lived on (I had NO idea what the name of it is). I explained my dream to her, and she told me she didn't know either what road she lived on, so she grabbed the phone book to look it up. Sure enough....Urchin Street. Creeeeepy....
Obviously, I am running out of blogging ideas and just rambling on about weird things these days. If you made it through this, you deserve a peanut butter, fudge brownie Sunday with 2 cherries on top. :)
Monday, November 10, 2008
Buddy the elf, what's your favorite color?
Thanks for the "cop out", Julie! I've been struggling with ideas for blogs, which is probably pretty evident. I like surveys b/c I learn things about my friends that I may not have otherwise have known. Fun!
1. What is your occupation right now? I'm a mommy!
2. What color are your socks right now? They don't match, as is often the case. I have one light tan one and one a darker brown. At least they coordinate.
3. What are you listening to right now?The white noise maker coming through on the baby monitor. Solomon always sleeps with a white noise maker on, so he'll probably be like Nathan and me someday and be unable to sleep without it or a fan.
4. What was the last thing that you ate? I'm embarrassed to say, but I had leftover dessert from this weekend for breakfast. It's that crescent roll, cheesecake mixture dessert. So very unhealthy, but very yummy. But in my defense, I told Nathan last night that he better eat the rest of it or I'd have no self-control today. And did he? No. :P
5. Can you drive a stick shift? Ha! I'm too short to push the clutch in all the way. At least that was the case when I tried with my dad's truck a few years ago.
6. Last person you spoke to on the phone? Nathan. Being home with a little one, I often feel the need for adult conversation. So I'll call Nathan now and then throughout the day with nothing better to say than, "I stubbed my toe on the bed this morning," or "The cat's staring through the kitty door." Yeah...it's pretty sad.
7. Do you like the person who sent this to you? Julie is awesome! So much fun!
8. How old are you today?27, 2 months, and 2 days - Same b-day as Julie N.
9. What is your favorite sport to watch on TV?Football
10. What is your favorite drink? Water (I'm boring), and I enjoy warm cream tea on fall and winter evenings. And occasionally a glass of red wine with supper. Julie, if I liked coffee, that Starbucks Vanilla Latte with Hazelnut would probably be a favorite of mine. Yum!
11. Have you ever dyed your hair? No, but I'm seriously considering highlighting it this spring with a lighter blonde and maybe some shade of red here and there. If I can work up the courage. Eeek!
12.Favorite food? Probably crab legs, but right now Olive Garden sounds good.
13. What is the last movie you watched?Nathan and I watched Elf last night. I think it may be the funniest movie ever.
14. Favorite day of the year? This is going to make me sound totally redneck, but I would say it's the first Friday of April - the first day of the Neosho, MO city-wide rummage sales. It's a tradition for my mom and me to go together and we always have so much fun!
15. How do you vent anger? It usually involves getting on the treadmill. But if I'm angry with my husband, I will also tell him that I'm angry with him. Anyone else, I won't confront them, but I'll vent to Nathan.
16. What was your favorite toy as a child? My toy microphone. I was quite the diva child.
17. What is your favorite season? I would say spring. It feels so good to have warm temps after a cold few months, and it makes me happy to see everything turn green and bud out again. I think autumn is probably the prettiest season, but it always makes me sad b/c it's when we lost Lincoln.
18. Cherries or Blueberries? Definitely blueberries
19. Living arrangements?With my hubby, Solomon, our dog Posy, and our cat Gypsy.
20. When was the last time you cried? Hmm...maybe a week ago?
21. What is on the floor of your closet?Some shoes and a box of photos.
22. What did you do last night? Watched Elf with Nathan
23. What are you most afraid of?Death of a loved one. Less scary, but still scary would be deep water, tight spaces, needles, and wasps.
24. Plain, cheese, or spicy hamburgers? I don't do cow.
25. Favorite dog breed?Labrador retrievers
26. Favorite day of the week?Saturday
27. How many states have you lived in? Two - Missouri and Oklahoma
28. Diamonds or pearls? Pearls. I guess I'm kind of old-fashioned. He he.
29. What is your favorite flower?Stargazer Lily or Roses (without baby's breath - I hate baby's breath)
1. What is your occupation right now? I'm a mommy!
2. What color are your socks right now? They don't match, as is often the case. I have one light tan one and one a darker brown. At least they coordinate.
3. What are you listening to right now?The white noise maker coming through on the baby monitor. Solomon always sleeps with a white noise maker on, so he'll probably be like Nathan and me someday and be unable to sleep without it or a fan.
4. What was the last thing that you ate? I'm embarrassed to say, but I had leftover dessert from this weekend for breakfast. It's that crescent roll, cheesecake mixture dessert. So very unhealthy, but very yummy. But in my defense, I told Nathan last night that he better eat the rest of it or I'd have no self-control today. And did he? No. :P
5. Can you drive a stick shift? Ha! I'm too short to push the clutch in all the way. At least that was the case when I tried with my dad's truck a few years ago.
6. Last person you spoke to on the phone? Nathan. Being home with a little one, I often feel the need for adult conversation. So I'll call Nathan now and then throughout the day with nothing better to say than, "I stubbed my toe on the bed this morning," or "The cat's staring through the kitty door." Yeah...it's pretty sad.
7. Do you like the person who sent this to you? Julie is awesome! So much fun!
8. How old are you today?27, 2 months, and 2 days - Same b-day as Julie N.
9. What is your favorite sport to watch on TV?Football
10. What is your favorite drink? Water (I'm boring), and I enjoy warm cream tea on fall and winter evenings. And occasionally a glass of red wine with supper. Julie, if I liked coffee, that Starbucks Vanilla Latte with Hazelnut would probably be a favorite of mine. Yum!
11. Have you ever dyed your hair? No, but I'm seriously considering highlighting it this spring with a lighter blonde and maybe some shade of red here and there. If I can work up the courage. Eeek!
12.Favorite food? Probably crab legs, but right now Olive Garden sounds good.
13. What is the last movie you watched?Nathan and I watched Elf last night. I think it may be the funniest movie ever.
14. Favorite day of the year? This is going to make me sound totally redneck, but I would say it's the first Friday of April - the first day of the Neosho, MO city-wide rummage sales. It's a tradition for my mom and me to go together and we always have so much fun!
15. How do you vent anger? It usually involves getting on the treadmill. But if I'm angry with my husband, I will also tell him that I'm angry with him. Anyone else, I won't confront them, but I'll vent to Nathan.
16. What was your favorite toy as a child? My toy microphone. I was quite the diva child.
17. What is your favorite season? I would say spring. It feels so good to have warm temps after a cold few months, and it makes me happy to see everything turn green and bud out again. I think autumn is probably the prettiest season, but it always makes me sad b/c it's when we lost Lincoln.
18. Cherries or Blueberries? Definitely blueberries
19. Living arrangements?With my hubby, Solomon, our dog Posy, and our cat Gypsy.
20. When was the last time you cried? Hmm...maybe a week ago?
21. What is on the floor of your closet?Some shoes and a box of photos.
22. What did you do last night? Watched Elf with Nathan
23. What are you most afraid of?Death of a loved one. Less scary, but still scary would be deep water, tight spaces, needles, and wasps.
24. Plain, cheese, or spicy hamburgers? I don't do cow.
25. Favorite dog breed?Labrador retrievers
26. Favorite day of the week?Saturday
27. How many states have you lived in? Two - Missouri and Oklahoma
28. Diamonds or pearls? Pearls. I guess I'm kind of old-fashioned. He he.
29. What is your favorite flower?Stargazer Lily or Roses (without baby's breath - I hate baby's breath)
Sunday, November 9, 2008
Don't eat the bagel!
I have a confession. I have been pulled over more times for speeding than I care to admit. It hasn't happened in a while, but I keep catching myself going quite a bit over the limit here in town so it's probably just a matter of time. I have a tendency to not even take notice of the speed limit signs. I just go whatever speed feels right to me, until Nathan points out that I'm speeding again.
Even though I've been pulled over a lot, thankfully I have never had a ticket. One thing I've noticed when I get pulled over - but usually after it's all over - is that it makes me so nervous that I become this strange, flustered, jabbering person very unlike the usual me. Example: I was pulled over once in my home town for going 60ish when the speed limit was 45. I was in college at the time, and I always carried food in my bag. When the cop asked for my license, I started fishing around in my giganto, overstuffed bag. I couldn't find my license, though, because of all the food in there. So I started taking all this food out of my bag, and at some point I got so flustered that I handed the cop a bagel and said, "Here. Don't eat it. You can hold the bagel, even smell the bagel, but please don't eat the bagel." !!!!! What was I thinking?! I caught what I had said right after it left my mouth, and I gasped. I looked up at the cop and was worried when I thought he looked angry. It turns out, though, that he was just stifling a laugh. He ended up letting me go with just a warning, though he oddly followed me for a couple minutes until I pulled into my driveway.
Even though I've been pulled over a lot, thankfully I have never had a ticket. One thing I've noticed when I get pulled over - but usually after it's all over - is that it makes me so nervous that I become this strange, flustered, jabbering person very unlike the usual me. Example: I was pulled over once in my home town for going 60ish when the speed limit was 45. I was in college at the time, and I always carried food in my bag. When the cop asked for my license, I started fishing around in my giganto, overstuffed bag. I couldn't find my license, though, because of all the food in there. So I started taking all this food out of my bag, and at some point I got so flustered that I handed the cop a bagel and said, "Here. Don't eat it. You can hold the bagel, even smell the bagel, but please don't eat the bagel." !!!!! What was I thinking?! I caught what I had said right after it left my mouth, and I gasped. I looked up at the cop and was worried when I thought he looked angry. It turns out, though, that he was just stifling a laugh. He ended up letting me go with just a warning, though he oddly followed me for a couple minutes until I pulled into my driveway.
Saturday, November 8, 2008
Remembering Grandpa Great
Nathan, Solomon, and I went to Wal-Mart this evening, a task we regard as a necessary evil. But one thing that always makes the trip a little happier is the elderly gentleman who works as a door greeter there. I'm sure you've all seen him at one point or another. I just love elderly people, and I'm not sure what it is about them that I like so much. Maybe it's because so many of them still possess that politeness we seem to have lost somewhere along the way or maybe it's because they are full of history and I enjoy hearing their stories of days gone by. This gentleman at Wal-Mart always has a smile on his face and a kind word to say. I can just look at his sunny face, and my whole mood can turn around. Seriously. Tonight as we were walking out, he approached us to get a better look at Solomon and said, "I see you brought the sugar factory with you tonight." And all of a sudden it hit me why I like him so much - he reminds me a lot of my Great-Grandpa Morgan. It sounded so much like something he would have said.
Grandpa was one of the best men I've ever known. He was a hard worker, farming the land and raising cattle until the day we lost him at the age of 92. He spent the hot summers in the hay field and in the garden. Winter kept him busy, too, no matter how cold it was. He provided a warm and loving home for my great-grandma (his wife of 68 years) and their 4 children. Seeing him and my great-grandma together gave me a glimpse of what I wanted in a spouse. They were the kind of couple you'd see walking hand-in-hand wherever they went. When they looked at each other, it was like they were two starry-eyed teenagers. Truly inspiring. He had such a zeal for life, too. He rode his motorcycle well into his 70s, maybe even 80s. I also loved to sit and listen to all the stories he told of growing up. 92 years - there's a lot of history there! Can you imagine being around to experience 92 years of life? And to remember it so sharply?
In late February of 2008, my grandpa fell and broke his hip, and after surgery he became ill. We lost him on March 2. I miss him terribly, but he lives on in his 4 children, 12 grandchildren, 24 great-grandchildren, and 9 great-great grandchildren.
*By the way, if you're wondering about the "Grandpa Great" in the title, it's because my mom would refer to them as our great grandma and grandpa, but when my brother and I were kids we always got it confused and called them Grandma and Grandpa Great. It ended up sticking, and that's still what we refer to them as today. :-)
Grandpa was one of the best men I've ever known. He was a hard worker, farming the land and raising cattle until the day we lost him at the age of 92. He spent the hot summers in the hay field and in the garden. Winter kept him busy, too, no matter how cold it was. He provided a warm and loving home for my great-grandma (his wife of 68 years) and their 4 children. Seeing him and my great-grandma together gave me a glimpse of what I wanted in a spouse. They were the kind of couple you'd see walking hand-in-hand wherever they went. When they looked at each other, it was like they were two starry-eyed teenagers. Truly inspiring. He had such a zeal for life, too. He rode his motorcycle well into his 70s, maybe even 80s. I also loved to sit and listen to all the stories he told of growing up. 92 years - there's a lot of history there! Can you imagine being around to experience 92 years of life? And to remember it so sharply?
In late February of 2008, my grandpa fell and broke his hip, and after surgery he became ill. We lost him on March 2. I miss him terribly, but he lives on in his 4 children, 12 grandchildren, 24 great-grandchildren, and 9 great-great grandchildren.
*By the way, if you're wondering about the "Grandpa Great" in the title, it's because my mom would refer to them as our great grandma and grandpa, but when my brother and I were kids we always got it confused and called them Grandma and Grandpa Great. It ended up sticking, and that's still what we refer to them as today. :-)
Friday, November 7, 2008
Dumplings and cake and pie, Oh my!
With the weekend nipping at my heels, I've been browsing through recipes all morning, trying to find that perfect dessert to make this weekend. While doing so, I kept pondering what in the world I shall write about today when it hit me...duh, I'll post about baking. I know you all are just on the edge of your seat now, eh? :P
As some of you may know already, I have a love for baking. This is bizarre to me since I use to be fearful of all things kitchenish. Me + kitchen = disaster waiting to happen. I mean, I once baked NO BAKE cookies, for crying out loud! Yeah, set off the fire alarm, ruined a pain....true story.
But that was then. After marrying my loverly husband who likes to cook, he taught me a few things. He made it fun for me, and thus my love for baking began. I recall spending many a Saturday in Rolla, MO making apple dumplings, brownies, etc. I even bought an old apron (not seen below), finding it made me feel very Betty Crocker.
These days, I like to try to bake something every weekend, preferably home-made. Come Thursday and Friday, you can usually find me pouring over my recipe box, recipe binder, cookbooks, and internet recipe sites trying to find just the right thing bake. So far I think my best creation, besides apple dumplings of course, is blueberry pie. The recipe still needs some tweaking, but it's getting there, and the flavor is out of this world. Yum! Now if I could only figure out how to make all these yummy things figure friendly...Ha!
As some of you may know already, I have a love for baking. This is bizarre to me since I use to be fearful of all things kitchenish. Me + kitchen = disaster waiting to happen. I mean, I once baked NO BAKE cookies, for crying out loud! Yeah, set off the fire alarm, ruined a pain....true story.
But that was then. After marrying my loverly husband who likes to cook, he taught me a few things. He made it fun for me, and thus my love for baking began. I recall spending many a Saturday in Rolla, MO making apple dumplings, brownies, etc. I even bought an old apron (not seen below), finding it made me feel very Betty Crocker.These days, I like to try to bake something every weekend, preferably home-made. Come Thursday and Friday, you can usually find me pouring over my recipe box, recipe binder, cookbooks, and internet recipe sites trying to find just the right thing bake. So far I think my best creation, besides apple dumplings of course, is blueberry pie. The recipe still needs some tweaking, but it's getting there, and the flavor is out of this world. Yum! Now if I could only figure out how to make all these yummy things figure friendly...Ha!
Thursday, November 6, 2008
This n' That
I was inspired by some friends from church to start a blog here. I mean, I didn't have enough blogs at myspace, facebook, and live journal. Ya know? :P Anyway, I've been scanning through their blogs, and they make it look fun so I thought I'd give it a whirl. Apparently it's blog month or something, and you're suppose to blog every day this month. Since it is now Nov. 6, I will fetch my journal and write a little something from the past few days to catch up.
Nov. 1 - We moved into our first house today! It's so nice to have our own place. It's weird, too. After 5+ years of renting apartments and duplexes, our house seems so much bigger. I'm so very thankful for that. Our duplex was really starting to feel tight, even though it had two bedrooms. It's funny how adding one tiny person to our family made our place seem to shrink incredibly.
Us in front of the front door of our new HOME!!!
My mom being her goofy self
Us in front of the U-Haul
Us in front of the front door of our new HOME!!!
My mom being her goofy self
Us in front of the U-Haul
Nov. 2 - How nice to wake up in our new bedroom this morning! Over a year ago, I bought a beautiful quilt set for our bed. I decided to store it away, though, until we owned a house b/c our bedroom at our old place couldn't be closed off to our cat, and I didn't want cat hair all over the new bedding. The only place we could put her litter box was in the half-bathroom, which she had to go through our bedroom to get. Yes, our cat had her own bathroom. Sad. But not anymore! Now that we own a place, we can make a kitty door in the garage and keep her litter box in there. No more cat in the bedroom! I deliberated long and hard about paint color for the bedroom walls. I wanted a peaceful, cottage-style room. I decided to do a light blue above the wood trim and a little bit of a darker shade below the trim. It looks perfect with the bedding, so I am really loving our room!
Nov. 3 - Solomon loves being sang to. The little guy hasn't a chance, though - he's going to be an odd duck just like his parents. Sigh... We like making up our own silly songs. Here's one that Nathan made up, in the tune of "O Christmas Tree".
Oh Solomon, Oh Solomon,
You are a funny fella.
We like quite a lot, my love.
We'd never ever sell ya.
Yeah.... And even crazier is the song I made, with its own er, um, *unique* melody.
Camels are nice.
They give you good advice.
They don't have head lice.
They're nice. They're nice.
And the song never really ends. I just find more and more adjectives to replace "nice" and find words to rhyme with them. Oh my... Poor, poor Solomon.
Nov. 4 - Tonight was Bunko! I look forward to the night each month. A bunch of ladies from church get together at somebody's house the first Tuesday of each month and play Bunko. I think we all agree the best part of the night is the food! Mmmm.... There's all kinds of yummy stuff that I don't usually allow myself to eat (except on weekends), and I eat as few calories as possible on those days so that by the time I get there I'm starving and I can really be a porker. I like having that one evening every month that I can get out by myself, actually try to pretty myself up a little, and have fun with the gals!
Nov. 5 - Obama is going to be president? What?! I can't say I'm all that surprised really. There are so many hippie-headed liberals out there. Sorry if any of you voted Obama. I still love you dearly, but I would pay to have your head examined. :P Yeah, maybe I should hush now. On to other things... Today Solomon and I went to Food Pyramid to pick up some broccoli, and our friend Nancy was working. She's the sweetest lady, maybe in her 50's - though I'm terrible at guessing ages. When I was pregnant I was in Food Pyramid almost every day. Seriously. And she was almost always working, so she saw me get bigger and bigger and even BIGGER until I finally went in there one day, proudly pushing our sweet little guy in the stroller. Nancy fell in love with him, and we go there often enough still that she calls out his name when we enter the store. She always comes over to talk to him, and she just gushes every time. We like baby people. :-) (Unlike Obama, the abortion supporting...oops. There I go again.)
Nov. 6 - Our dog Posy just loves Solomon! And Solomon thinks she is the coolest thing ever. I always keep Posy from licking his hands, but today Solomon was sitting on my lap, and Posy was sitting beside us. Solomon reached out to Posy and touched her nose. Of course Posy responded with a big doggy kiss, and Solomon started laughing so hard. Adorable! I couldn't resist that laugh, so I let them play for a few minutes like that before I gave his hands a good cleaning. It strikes me so funny that a 5 month old little boy could already have such a fascination for a dog. He's going to be an animal person just like Nathan and me I think.
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