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Saturday, July 31, 2010

my new purse & other stuff!

This morning I got up & went over to my parents. My dad had ordered me a new sideview mirror for Big Red & he had to put it on. I enjoyed visiting with my mom awhile while he installed the mirror. :) The new mirror is on now & it looks great!

Then, on my way home, i stopped at Susie Q's house for a new purse & wallet! How fun is that?! My purse is old & worn out, and my wallet is in even worse condition - it won't even close anymore & you can't keep change in it b/c the change compartment ripped. It's old. Susie Q's Accessories is a new  business that i follow on FB. She sells purses & wallets & the prices are always SUPER reasonable. So yesterday she put up this red purse & i loved it. I got a red wallet, too. Love it! So today i stopped over at her house to pick them up. I had no clue she lived so close to me - just five minutes down the road, max! She was really nice & i'm thrilled to have a new purse & wallet. :)

my new purse!

When i got home, i took a nap for awhile. Exhausted for some reason!! I didn't go to bed till 1 am because i worked last night until 11 & then was all hyper when i got home. I usually take a melatonin & make myself go to bed, but it's the weekend so i didn't care! i got up about 8 this morning. Maybe i just didn't get enough sleep. Tonight i have to work at the Manship Theatre again. I usually rep there (work backstage, assisting the performing artist), but last night i trained to be a house manager. I really enjoyed it! So that is what i will be doing tonight, too.

My husband's back is in so much pain! :( We actually think he hurt it giving his mom the Heimlich Maneuver! HA. I mean, he did that last Saturday & then Sunday morning woke up with a hurt back. He assumed he just hurt it in his sleep somehow. But he told his dad & his dad insisted he probably did it while helping his mom. It all happened so fast, but he jumped up & ran over to his mom, yanked her out of the chair & did the Heimlich! Well, his back hurt so bad Monday he didn't go to work. Tuesday - Friday it was much better but today it started hurting really bad again. :( Poor hubs.

Yesterday when i got in from work, there was a box waiting for me! It was the blender from CSN Stores that i plan to review on my weightloss blog. I'm so excited! Gotta buy some ice or frozen fruit, though, to make some good smoothies! Can't wait! It's a cute little blender. One of those little personal ones. Like this -



Speaking of my weightloss, it's getting better. I haven't weighed or anything, but i've increased my workout times (from 30 minutes to 40 minutes) & I've been measuring my portions. Something's got to give! So i'm excited. Plus, i am going to the new member's class at the YMCA this Wednesday & then they set me up with a personal trainer! That should help matters.

Ok, so i guess that's it for now! Have a lovely rest of your weekend!






Friday, July 30, 2010

aaahh, Sleep.

Today is Fill in the Blank Friday. YAY! =) And it looks like the theme is SLEEP. Something i love. 


1. The last thing i do before i go to sleep is...
think about my day or the days to come. Or snuggle with hubs.

2. When i can't sleep, I...
turn on my lamp & read a little.

3. The first thing i do when i wake up is...
PEE. 

4. When I'm tired, I...
get a real cranky &/or emotional.

5. My dream bedroom would be...
a lot bigger, with room for a little sitting area & with a nice master bathroom that has a jacuzzi tub. A window seat wouldn't hurt, either.

6. If I could wake up anywhere tomorrow morning, it would be...
in a huge comfy bed with my love in a hotel right off the beach somewhere. Ahhh...

7. The longest sleep I've ever had was...
likely when i got back from a month-long missions trip to Panama.

8. I sleep on my: side. 

9. When i sleep, i like to wear: a long t-shirt or a short slinky gown.

10. My bedtime is usually between 10 & 11. Must have my 8 hours!!!

Your turn!

Taking a break!

Woo! What a busy day at work! Friday's typically are, but especially at the end of the month - all these reports have to be turned in by the end of the day! I haven't stopped! But now i'm on my lunch break & think i'll take time for a little 5QF! :) 



1. Did you have a favorite blanket or toy as a kid? If so, do you still have it? 
Not a favorite blanket (though my sister did & slept with it until she was at least 25!). I remember loving my baby dolls, but not sure if i carried around a particular one all the time. Definitely do not still have any of them!

2. Do you dream in color? 
Most of my dreams are in color. However, i did have a few nightmares in black & white. Strange, dreams...

3. How tall are you? Do you wish you were taller or shorter? 
I'm 5'6. And i think it's just about right! It's funny - some friends consider me tall & other friends consider me short! It's just because i'm average. :)

4. If you could have anyone's voice as the guide on your GPS (celeb or otherwise), whose would it be?
Hm, interesting question! Obviously, i'm thinking James Earl Jones or Anthony Hopkins would be cool! HAHA. But maybe a little spooky? Maybe a friendly female celeb, like Ellen or Rachael Ray would be best?! (Btw, i don't have a GPS. Don't really see the need for one at all. I think maybe my years as a maid & then as an actor with a touring company (responsible for printing the maps & driving) helped me find my way around pretty well! If i have a map, i'm good!)

5. Do you return your shopping cart to the corral or leave it wherever? 
Brad & I usually grocery shop together & he always puts it back in the corral. If i'm alone, I would say i usually put it back, but not all the time... most of the time. Sometimes i am in a bad mood or a lazy mood or it's raining & i just don't feel like it. (But usually i do. Promise.)

That's it! Your turn! :)

Thursday, July 29, 2010

this & that

Last night, while in bed, my hubby & I had this conversation: 

Me: "I sure wish i could go to sleep!" 
Brad: "Well, i know of two critters who can help you with that!" 
Me: (thinking "huh? critters? what?") "Who?"
Brad: "Your upper lip & your lower lip!" 

HAHAHAHA! Ok, so i have a little problem where i get all chatty when it's time to sleep! I really thought that was funnY! :)

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In a few weeks (August 21 & 22) we are having a Women's Conference here in town. Actually, it's at my sister-in-law's church. I haven't been to one of these in too long & i am SO excited! My friends Becca & Aimie are going & maybe some others. I cannot WAIT! We'll have a service on Friday night. Then on Saturday, we'll have breakfast there & a morning service & then after it, we may go to lunch. I am SO looking forward to this, i can't even tell you!! Angela Thomas is the speaker - i don't know her, but i bet she's awesome! And Kari Jobe is the guest worship leader & i LOVE HER!!! Very excited!

****************************************************

This has been a tough week as far as my weightloss journey. I got real discouraged, to a point of depression. But i am better today - today is a NEW day & I have a fresh outlook! YAY! 

*****************************************************

Going to the beach in six weeks! WOOHOO! 

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Well, that's about it for now. :) Hope the rest of your week is lovely!

i heart fiction


I recently picked up these two books at Barnes & Noble. I had never read these authors before, so it was a bit of a risk. But oh-my-goodness. I SO enjoyed these books that i now am reading "Hopeless Romantic" by Harriet Evans & I have "The Opposite of Love" by Julie Buxbaum next in line. They're very good, very well written. Love finding new authors!

After You can be a little sad. But it is so well written & realistic, i loved it. It's the story of a woman whose best friend is murdered (not giving away anything here - that is mentioned on the back of the book) & so she goes to England to be with her late friend's daughter because she is the godmother. She & her goddaughter become very close, while her own marriage with her husband back home begins to crumble. In the beginning of the book you identify with her, you  understand her & you are kind of irritated with her husband for not being a little more patient. But then you begin to understand the husband more as the weeks turn to months & she continues to stay in England, even though her husband misses her & wants her home. You begin to find out the secrets of why she is hesitant to come home. I loved this book, i loved the honest story of a woman who is dealing with personal issues & who is kind of running from her own marriage. And i loved the resolution that the author brought this story to...Excellent book!

When i began the love of her life, i honestly couldn't get into it at first. I came to the realization that it was simply because I began it immediately after After You & the writing style is so different. I continued reading it & at some point, it captured me. WOW, what a story. Lots of drama, humor & sadness. VERY well written. I told Brad that i actually think this book is kind of brilliant. Just the way she tells the story; the way the author ties it all together. It is the story of a girl in her twenties who has lived in NYC for three years. Prior to that, she lived in England her whole life. She has a wonderful family & friends & she had a great life there. When her father is ill, she has to go home to England to visit him & she is very afraid to do so. You begin to pick up on what happened that made her leave & some of it comes as a bit of a shock. WOW, so well written. I truly enjoyed this book! Fabulous!

**Just a note - These books are not found in the Inspirational Fiction section. They are in the regular fiction section. I know some of you read a lot of Christian books (I do, too!), but i wanted to warn you in case that is a standard in your life. There is a little bit of language & sex, nothing outrageous or over-the-top - just not necessarily how you or i would live our life. Let me put it like this - it's not something you wouldn't rent if it were a movie!  I would hate for you to pass the books up  because of that - VERY good reads! :) But i just thought i'd let you know.**

These were excellent books & i hope you check them out! I can't wait to read all of the other books by these two authors. :)

Monday, July 26, 2010

Very Excited!

Big news, y'all! My sister is engaged! I am just THRILLED!

He proposed to her Saturday night in NYC on top of the Empire State Building! Aww! 

Just engaged! So happy! 

A close-up! Beautiful, isn't it?!

She was there for work, but he flew up to meet her. I was hoping he would propose there, i mean really!? I knew he'd already asked permission from dad & i thought he had the ring! Even though he kept telling Michelle it wasn't ready yet! That was all a ploy! :) 

I think he passed the test when he went to tea with her! My sister is obsessed with "tea" as the English do it; in fact, i think she has had "tea" for her birthday for about the last MANY years! Haha! :)

 Having tea at the Russian Tea Room in NYC.

They also went to a Yankees game & Mike caught a ball! 

Anyway, we are all very excited. Please keep them in your prayers as they grow in their relationship to each other. We are very thankful, Michelle deserves a wonderful guy & Mike definitely seems to fit the bill! :) 

They are planning a November 2011 wedding, so it's awhile off! I am to be the Maitron of Honor. :) 

YAY! Congrats again, Michelle & Mike!


Sunday, July 25, 2010

After the matinee

Today was fun! I stepped in for the show, Sound of Music, because the Assistant Stage Manager couldn't be there. It was great being around the cast & crew again. I love theatre people, seriously! :) After the show, there was a party being held at Bill's house (the guy who plays Captain von Trapp). I went & had a great time. Lots of fun outside (even though it was humid, yuck!). Tons of delicious food & i had the BEST dessert i have EVER tasted - "sopapilla cheesecake" - not cheesecake at all, really - just a lovely cream cheese & cinnamon concoction. It was...AMAZING! HA! Anyway, i really enjoyed spending some time with the cast & crew tonight. Here are some pics from the evening!!


Baylie (Brigitta) & Katelyn (awesome crew member!)

Whitney & Bess with their hubbies. :) 

Lots of people took a turn on the rope swing! It was hilarious! This is Jamie, our Maria, shrieking as she flew almost into the tree branches! :)

Me & Beth, who plays the housekeeper, i just love her!

Chris & Mary 

& then this is what i saw on my way home...yes i got out my camera while driving...but i was stopped at that red light! (I'm sure other drivers thought i was nuts!)

Okay, so it was a wonderful evening! Hope yours was too! :)

Sunday Funday

Time for Getting to know YOU with MannLand5! Head on over to her blog if you want to play along! :) 

 And here we go.


1. Thong or Granny Panties? 
Ah, always got to have one of these kinds of questions. And yet, i play anyway! Sigh. HA! Well, i hate the thong. But i don't wear granny panties either. It's an in-between. Very comfy but cute! 

2. If you see a guy with his fly down, do you tell him?
Nope! He's on his own, unless he's my husband or my dad. 

3. Spanx or no spanx? 
I wear spanx if i'm wearing a dress. You just HAVE to at my size. When i lose all this weight, i will ditch the spanx forever! Muahaha!

4. Do you sleep in your sheets? 
We have the sheet, a down comforter & a quilt. The quilt usually gets ditched (unless i'm really cold). Somehow Brad usually ends up with the sheet (because he gets too hot with anything else) & i have the down comforter. I love it - it's cold like sheets are & so cozy! :)

5. What is your favorite Disney Character?
Don't you mean 'who'? Um, hmm...i like the silly ones - abu from Aladdin, T'mon & Puumba from The Lion King & that cajun firefly from The Princess & the Frog. :) 

6. Dream vacation spot?
Greece
Fiji
Hawaii
the U.S. virgin islands
on a different note, i'd love to visit Prince Edward Island
any of those will do:)


7. What is your dream job? 
Stay-at-home mom who gets occasional part-time theatre/film work.

8. Who is your hero? 
Jesus is my hero. Seriously.  And of course Brad is my hero - especially since yesterday his mom choked & he had to do the Heimlich Maneuver. It worked! Haha. (God, that was scary - yesterday morning at breakfast.) But there are a lot of moms that i look up to, too. That do life as a wife & mom the way i hope i can. :)

Your turn!!

Saturday, July 24, 2010

the LSU lakes!

So i went to the lakes after all. I love it out there! I had gotten in the habit of walking the lakes this spring but then it got really hot, unbearably hot! That's when i joined the gym. But wow, it's so wonderful to walk those lakes!! Today i noticed it wasn't too hot - definitely pre-storm weather & i decided to take advantage of that. I was hoping to find a friend to go with me since Brad couldn't go...no luck, so i went alone - but it was fine, very nice! Got a great workout. And took some pics!! It's just too beautiful out there. ;)


pretty pretty



a family fishing :)

the beautiful lakes on an overcast day.


Hope you're enjoying your weekend! :)

a few things

I really want to go walk the lakes today. I was going to go to the gym but as we were standing outside after eating at Brad's parents house I realized it wasn't too hot. Not as hot as it's been lately. The wind is blowing too! I know it's just pre-storm weather. So i texted a couple of friends but they can't meet me at the lakes. Brad can't either because he's working hard in his studio. Aahhh! i may just go by myself... :)

Speaking of breakfast this morning - which was delicious by the way - while we were eating, Brad's mom started CHOKING. I mean, seriously choking where she was not even able to breathe! Brad jumped up & did the Heimlich Maneuver! I am not kidding. All was fine after that, but man - we were about to call 911! i was looking at her & Brad's dad said i had a look of pure terror! HA!! I was like "ohmygod!" but once she started coughing, i knew it would be okay. :) Scared the mess out of me, though! (As a side note - good to know that Brad is able to do that! It worked!!)

Last night I watched Leap Year  - & i didn't like it at all. :( I love Amy Adams, she is one of my favorite actresses, but i did not like the movie. The guy she ended up with was not likeable at ALL. And her bad luck throughout the movie was terribly overdone - like 'really? that would never happen!' Ugh. I also have Crazy Heart in from Netflix. Hopefully it is better! Though it's a totally different type of movie.

A few weeks ago, I got two new books & read them both. They were EXCELLENT! Both were new (to me) authors, so it was a risk. But now i must read all of their books. I may do a review on them later today - but one was "After You" by Julie Buxbaum & one was "the love of her life" by Harriet Evans. So yesterday i ran to the bookstore & got two books by the same two authors. HA! Very well written!! I'll be reading all day today & washing the clothes - since we finally have a fixed dryer!! :)

By the way - please bear with me with the look of this blog. I am so aggrivated that the title won't move up a little... I got help from Amanda at Kevin&Amanda who is the guru of all things html & she gave me two codes to try & they didn't work! So now i have no idea what to do!! I mayhave to get a whole new background, but i hate to do that because i love this one. If anyone can fix this, let me know! I just want the Title & subtitle to be moved up just a little!! & obviously the Little Mrs. Married would need to be in pink or black. Bleh!

Happy Saturday!

and the winner is...

Sorry i am a little late picking a winner for the giveaway. When i said 10 am, i didn't realize we would be invited to the in-laws for breakfast...& you just don't turn down breakfast at the in-laws!! But now i am back & only 40 minutes late...

So i went to random.org to find the winner. 19 entries, & the winner is #9!!!  

Her comment was, "How fun! I love CSN and the opportunities they give to bloggers."

Sarah is one of my most loyal followers, always leaving sweet & encouraging comments. She just recently finished her master's degree at the Candler School of Theology at Emory University in Atlanta, Georgia & she is currently a chaplain intern at a hospital, one of the final requirements of ordination. It is interesting & exciting to follow her in her journey as a hospital chaplain. Sarah is also the creator of "Wear a Dress Tuesday" & she is a newlywed, married for just over a year. :) You should definitely check out her blog!

Congratulations, Sarah!!! 

I have your email address already, so I will send it to CSN as the winner & they will email you your $40 gift certificate first thing Monday morning. :) But you may wanna head on over to CSN & start "window shopping". 

Thanks for all the entries on my first giveaway. I hope to get to do more of these in the future! :) 

Friday, July 23, 2010

So thankful!

Wow! What a great week! The two weeks before were AWFUL. But this week has been awesome! So thankful! :) 
All of the broken things are now fixed (or are being fixed)! Hooray! 


My side view mirror - dad's fixing today
My 2 tires - fixed last week
Brad's windshield - was fixed on Monday
the a/c - Um, i forgot what the deal was with the a/c, but it's cooling & that's all i'm really concerned about! 
Our Dryer - was fixed TODAY! Just in time! I swear, today i'm on my LAST clean pair of undies. Just sayin! HA!


So yeah - i think that's everything! I can't believe all of that stuff broke within just 4 or 5 days! Ridiculous!!

Now we're a little behind where we were financially. Gotta pay for all of the above - not fun!!

I always have heard that when you are going through a storm, don't fear because it just means that GOOD is right around the corner?! Well, i've always heard it & believed it, but i have never seen it SO CLEARLY before! We definitely had 2 terrible weeks & then a great one! This week -



Brad got that studio job
I got a RAISE! 
I was told that my job is officially SAFE! Whew! (a few months back i was told that i might not have a job soon. I was really upset, because i got a promotion in January & have liked my job SOOO much better ever since. It's stressful, but it's a different kind of stressful - it's better. The job i had before was HORRIBLE. & if they got rid of my position now, i'd be sent back to that terrible position! I couldn't go back - but i dreaded a job hunt. So...thankfully! I do not have to worry about it anymore! :) 
I'm also feeling good because i have worked harder than ever on my weightloss journey this week. Burning calories on the arc trainer at the gym & eating healthy! No fast food this week! No soda! & lots of good stuff! :) Tons of water! YAY! I am doing well. :)


YAY!

So awesome...it's the weekend. I was supposed to work tonight but i got out of it. Have had a migraine all morning & it's now just a dull headache. I really just want to go home & rest! Tomorrow is a TOTALLY free day, except we're having breakfast at the in-laws. YAY! And i'll be washing clothes for forever now that our dryer is fixed! :) And Sunday is church & then i will be subbing on crew for the Sound of Music matinee. :)  

Please pray for the Louisiana - & the coast! Tropical Storm Bonnie is on her way & headed straight for Louisiana! But it's expected to stay a tropical storm - not become a hurricane. 


Have a great weekend! Oh & don't forget to enter my giveaway!! I will pick a winner tomorrow morning at 10 am, central time! :)

Five Question Friday

It's time for 5QF! YAY! 


1 - What were your school colors? 
Maroon, gray & white.

2 - What's the best compliment you've ever received?
Hm...I'm not sure. I will have to think about this one! I do get told i look like Reese Witherspoon a lot & that one's nice! I have gotten some really kind ones regarding either acting/singing or my character, but i can't recall a specific one right now!

3 - Do you buy cheap or expensive toilet paper? 
Middle? I hate cheap TP - it doesn't feel too great on the tush! I think we normally get Angel Soft - which is not that expensive at all.

4 - Have you ever had a surprise party thrown for you? Or have you thrown one for someone else?
I have never had one thrown for me...I always plan my own parties, haha. I love surprises, though - as long as i have NO CLUE in advance. If i found out, i would hate it b/c then i'd have to pretend to be surprised...awkward!

I have thrown a few surprise parties. So much fun! The best one is when we threw my friend Kristin a surprise going away/birthday party. She was going to study in Italy for a year or something crazy. Anyway, i took her to dinner while my roommates were decorating the house & setting up for the party. There was some reason why she was coming by our house after dinner. We were on our way back & i had called the house to tell them we were on our way (we were in separate cars). Well, we get there & TONS of people are inside waiting to shout surprise. I get out of my car, Kristin gets out of hers & she was like, "Mel! Will you ride back with me to the end of Brightside? They had a GORGEOUS sunset & i wanna go take a picture of it!" HA! Leave it to Kristin! I said, "Um, sure...but i really have to pee first! Real quick?!" So we ran in & "Surprise!" I hope she didn't mind about not getting a pic of that sunset! LOL!

5 - What is one "material" possession you just can't live without?
My camera. It's just a little point & shoot but i would hate it if i couldn't take pics!!

That's all! Your turn! :)

Thursday, July 22, 2010

Cute fonts & Girl Talk

Hi, friends!




I get the cutest handwriting fonts at Fonts for Peas! kevinandamanda.com/fonts



Well, i decided to bring some cute fonts back into my life. :) I went to Kevin&Amanda's (i just love her, don't you?!) & decided on Pea Sarah Cute. :) i like it!

But as you can see, it kinda messed up my header. :( Too low. I've tried to fix it but it's not happening tonight! I will work on it tomorrow.




Also - there is a really awesome blog out there that you should check out! It's called Girl Talk. My friends Laura & Linds are the co-writers of this blog. It's meant to be a safe place for us gals to talk about girl things. It's fun! So please feel free to hop on over there & follow along! :)

P.S. I have a giveaway going on! I'll pick a winner Saturday morning! All ya gotta do to enter is comment on this post!

Wednesday, July 21, 2010

A Giveaway!!

Well, guys, i am very excited, because the wonderful people at CSN stores have asked me to do a giveaway. Have you heard of CSN? They have over 200 online stores & they sell everything from wall decor to bookshelves to fun measuring cups to dining room sets!

Best of all - if you win the giveaway - you get to CHOOSE which item you would like. You will win a $40 gift certificiate & you can use it at any of their stores!

All you have to do to enter is comment on this post. That's it!!

And check out CSN. You could buy lots of things with your forty dollar gift certificate! Too bad I can't win my own giveaway. :) Because if i could, i might get this vase -


or i could really use some serving dishes...



Anyway, comment on this post for a chance to win -I will pick a winner Saturday morning at 10 am, central time. And check out my review with CSN on my other blog - coming soon! :)

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Silliness.

Brad & I often call each other silly names. Very often. I am sure if someone overheard us in our house, they would think we had both lost our minds. :) But that's okay. :)

We also often send each other emails during the workday. Just little ones to say, "hey! i love you!" Or we might say something silly, like, "i miss you my hoobie hoob!" (Much of the time, I call him "hoobie" & he calls me "weefie".)

Well, today i was in a silly mood & feeling a bit poetic, so i sent him this email...

I love you more than ice cream cakes!
I love you more than candy.
I love you more than choc'late shakes,
I love you more than brandy! 

You are my favorite hoobie hoob
The best in all the land

I am so glad that we're together, 
You make me feel so grand!! 

Well, not 5 minutes later i got his back - so silly i was cracking up out loud in my office!  

I love you more than chicken livers,
I love you more than brains. 
I love you more than peanut slivers, 
I love you more than Jane! 

You are my favorite weefie squeef, 
More than i ever hoped. 
I couldn't have asked for a better marriage, 
Even if we had eloped!! 

HAHAHA! Okay, i thought it was pretty funny - had to share! P.S. (Not that there ever was a Jane & not that i even drink Brandy - but you know.)

A Few Facts.

Or, more like, PROCRASTINATION.

a few facts about me (that you might not have known)!

1. I can remember dates like nobody's business... I'll wake up every morning, see the date on my cell phone & go, "Oh! It's so & so's birthday!" & that "so & so" may be someone i haven't seen in 20 years. It's kinda crazy.

2. I hate forwards in email & the silly applications on Facebook. I block the applications & i delete forwards. The only time i might open a forward, is if it's from someone that NEVER sends them. Then i know it might be worth reading.

3. To relax, i need 3 things:
- a bath, filled with hot water
- either a glass of wine or a cup of coffee
- a really good novel

4. I never cooked until i was engaged. Mom always tried to get me in the kitchen to learn stuff, but i just was not interested. I feared that i did not take after my sister, mom, & Meemaw, who are incredible cooks! Thankfully, i suddenly picked up the interest when i was engaged & now a LOVE to cook. Even if i had a really hard day - it seems to relax me. :) & i wouldn't say I'm "incredible" - I'm still learning - but so far i haven't messed up a single dish! Brad is very happy. :)

5. I do not know how to do my hair. I get by with shampoo, conditioner, a little anti-frizz stuff, hair dryer & a flat iron. But man... if i need to pull a piece up or style it cute for a party - I'm just outta luck. :(

6. When i am thinner, i will probably wear dresses all the time.

7. I have wanted to visit Charlotte, North Carolina & Savannah, Georgia for many years now. I don't know why. They just seem like two cities i would fall in love with. :)

8. I heart chic lit. :)

9. I am a huge people observer. I love imagining what kind of work they do for a living, or what their interests are. I like seeing how they act. My newest place to observe is at the YMCA, while I'm working out. So many different types of people there. I love it.

10. I bought myself an HTML & CSS book with big dreams of learning how to do web design. My goal was to read it in 2010. Um, yeah - haven't started. :(

11. Next year, I will audition for Crimes of the Heart. If i don't get cast, i will audition for Guys & Dolls. I love stage managing, but i miss acting.

12. I can't wait till I have kids. I just hope everything i learned while being a nanny did not disappear from memory!

13. I still sometimes cannot believe i am married. I know I have been married for almost 2 years now, but i was single for 11.

14. I can sing in front of hundreds of people, but do not ask me to sing in front of 3. I can't do it. I won't.

15. The only time i ever got sent to the principal's office was for pulling a chair out from under my lab partner. I thought it would be funny. It wasn't.

Well, that's enough for today!! :) Guess i should get to work now...

Sunday, July 18, 2010

JOY!

Well - it seems to me that things are looking up!! :)
Everything is better.

My mood is better, for one thing. My outlook is positive. Things are going to be fine!

- My car has 2 new tires & the mirror is temporarily fixed until it can be "really" fixed.
- Brad is going to get someone out here to fix the dryer hopefully this coming week.
- A guy I know owns an auto glass company & is giving us a fantastic deal to get Brad's windshield replaced!
- The a/c is at least cooling & we can fix it soon enough.

We are going on vacation in just 6 weeks! Ahhh! It's coming soon! A 7 day vacation - meaning NO WORK for & 7 DAYS! (& we both have paid vacation time!) Ahhh! I can hardly wait!

The most exciting news of all is something i've been dying to share! Most of you know that Brad is a musician. I don't know if you know EXACTLY what he does, but i will tell you - he can do many things, but mainly he orchestrates & composes music. He doesn't actually play the instruments - he uses software to orchestrate the music. It is hard to explain, but it is amazing!! Well, the big news is - he got a paid orchestration job!! A nearby church called him & asked him to do the strings section of the Christmas cd they are making. Brad was unsure because he didn't know how much time they would give him. But he told them how much time he needed & they agreed (8 weeks)!! So when their Christmas CD is out, it will say "Strings orchestrated by Brad Venable" &  his name will get out! I am so freaking proud of him, i cannot even tell you!! They brought him the sheet music & the cd of their songs on Friday. Well, today he got to work on it. He had to email them a sample song to show them how it is going to sound. Well, we got the BEST voicemail later from the worship pastor at that church. I actually teared up listening to it! He said (almost word for word) -

"Hey Brad,
Just got your email & listened to the song you sent us & wow...dude, you are rockin'! I just - wow - i mean, i actually like it better than the original! So, yeah...you're hired, hahaha. Thanks so much for doing this for us. If you have any questions or need anything, just let me know..."

Him saying that he likes it better than the original is crazy - because the original is someone actually playing, say, the violin! But Brad is not playing the violin - he is using software of violin samples to orchestrate the music! Anyway, i  left out lots of great things that the guy said, but i can't remember now! I am so pumped for Brad, though!! And this is just SUCH good news in more ways than one! You should see Brad - he is so excited! So yeah - it is really great news & we are very excited! :)


That's it for now... hope you have a great week!

Amanda & Matt

Last night was the wedding of a dear friend of mine (& old roomie), Amanda. It was a beautiful wedding & we stayed til the very end, when they left in a car full of balloons & wrapped in streamers! HA! The wedding was so much fun, we truly had a blast. Some highlights -

1- When they asked the best man, Adam, for the bride's ring, he pulled out pink streamers from his pocket - the streamer kept going & going - & then he produced the ring. It was pretty funny.

2- Later on, when the pastor pronounced them husband & wife, the three groomsmen put on party hats, & threw streamer thingies & blew those party blowers! I was like 'oh lord' but it was actually really funny & cute with Amanda & Matt kissing! I bet the photographer loved it & got some fun pictures!!

3- I don't usually dance at weddings because i don't know HOW... Brad & I only know how to dance for slow songs but a lot of times we go to weddings where it's all fast songs! We danced 2 dances together & also, Amanda got me to go out there for a line dance! I picked up the steps quickly & had a blast! Whew! It is NOT easy dancing in heels (especially for me - i can barely even walk in them!) but i did good! HAHA.

4- Amanda had told them to not write on the car... it's a rental & if they decorated it, it had to be something they could easily clean up. Well, the car was FULL of balloons & the outside had balloons & streamers! It was cute. But it was really really funny & cute watching Amanda try to get in there with her poofy wedding dress & all those balloons!! Matt (her new husband) was popping the balloons like crazy & also helping her stuff her dress in the car. It was hilarious!

5- Saving one of the best parts for last... Amanda's nephew could not walk yet just a week or two ago! I thought she was a little bit crazy when i saw her facebook status that said "Landon has 2 weeks to learn to walk so he can walk down the aisle at our wedding!" haha! Brave, putting a kid so young in your wedding, but wow - he was PERFECT & adorable!! That part of the wedding was a HIT! I shoulda gotten a picture. He JUST learned to walk & he walked the whole way down that aisle! He did so good!! It was PRECIOUS! The flower girl held his hand the whole way & had to go very slow... :) I said, "he deserves applause for this!" & sure enough - once he got down the aisle, everyone applauded!! I didn't get a pic of him, so i borrowed one from his dad - this isn't the wedding day - & he actually had a coral bowtie to match the wedding party. Anyway - isn't he precious!?


More pics for you - Enjoy!

Newlyweds! Matt & Amanda Eastman (i love the sound of that!)

Me with Amanda & Jenny.

Me & Brad. :)

Me & my dear friend, Becca!

Gorgeous & DELISH wedding cake, made by my friend Ali. 

Ali & Eric :) 

Dancing! (& being silly!)

Cutting the groom's cake (also made by Ali) - which had twinkies in tuxes! HA!

Me with the Bride & Groom! 

Brad taking a bite of that delicious cake!! 

Ali, Mrs. Jan (Ali's mom) & Mrs. Lynette

Amanda & Jenny, getting ready to toss lavendar at Amanda & Matt!

Off they go!! 

Looking at the balloon-filled car! See the coral colored dress? Wish i'd gotten another pic of the bridesmaids - i LOVED their dresses!! Beautiful! :)

HAHAHA - Amanda is CRACKING UP at all the balloons - & Matt is helping her stuff her dress into the car!

So cute!! 

We truly had a Blast at this wedding & wish Amanda & Matt all the best!




"Getting to know You" Sunday.


Today is Getting to know You Sunday at MannLand5. Head on over there if you'd like to play along! Good questions this week!

1. If you had to choose a country to live in besides the USA, which would you choose?
England. Or Italy - though i'd have to learn to speak Italian, because i could not deal with the language barrier for too long!

2. Which would be worse - wearing flip flops in the snow or gloves in the summer? 
DEFINITELY gloves in the summer. It is TOO HOT & TOO HUMID here in Louisiana in the summers. Gloves would be suffocating. I hardly even wear gloves in the winter here! And when it snows here, it's VERY little - i could deal with that in flip flops! :)

3. Fried or Baked & why? 
BAKED. For health reasons, obviously. I've fried foods here at home maybe once or twice... though when out to eat sometimes i'll have fried food, because it's just ohhh so yummy! Mostly, though, i try to refrain! Baked is SO much healthier!

4. If you were an entertainment reporter, which celebrity would you want to interview & why? 
Amy Adams. She is the kind of actress I'd want to be. She takes really good roles & is very good at them. I haven't seen her in a lot, but she was perfect in Enchanted & Doubt. I'd have a lot to ask her about her film-making experiences & acting & all that... I love that stuff & could talk about it for hours! There are lots of other actors I'd love to interview, but i pick Amy Adams because she seems like she'd be fun to hang out with & easy to talk to. :) 


5. What was your favorite book as a preteen/teenager? 
The Babysitter's Club
Sweet Valley High Books
Books by Lurlene McDaniel
(in that order)


6. List your Top 3 guilty pleasure television shows?
I never watch TV anymore. Before getting married, i would say - 
American Idol
What Not to Wear
 E.R. 
But i married a man with no TV & so i had to get used to that...then we bought a TV but for movie purposes only. Then we got an antenna to get channels that we could get without cable - & i rarely turn it on! I only watched it during American Idol! Crazy... I got used to not watching it. 

7. What bumper sticker best describes your attitude, your life?
I can't think of any! There are lots of funny bumper stickers, but i can't think of those right now either...

8. If you were to join a circus, what performer would you be? 
HAHA - that's funny - i was thinking trapeze artist, but that's not good for someone who trips over her own feet! I guess the Ringmaster!? Can i just sell peanuts & cotton candy?

That's it! Your turn! ;)





Friday, July 16, 2010

Fill in the Blanks.

Today is Fill in the Blank Friday! Go see Lauren at the little things you do if you'd like to play along!


1. A very nostalgic place that reminds me of being a kid is...
a place called Holiday Acres. When i was a kid, they had a nearby pool open to the public. It had a HUGE pool & it was so much fun going. We would often beg my dad to take us on those hot summer days...  I specifically remember one incident where we pinched our cheeks to make them red so that he would see how hot we were & believe that we NEEDED to go to Holiday Acres. It didn't work. Haha. But he did take us there lots of times! :)

2. If someone really wants to show me how much they love me,
send me some snail mail. :)

3. Lately I've been wondering a lot about...
our future as parents & homeowners.

4. When it comes to saving money, I am
so much better than i used to be! I had no idea what i was doing in my single days & i am SO THANKFUL for a husband that knows how to handle the finances! Since being married to him, i have not bounced a check (terrible but i used to do that a lot!) & I have been able to save for items that i really want. I have also paid off 2 debts that i had! He knows how to budget & save & i have learned a lot because of him! :) I've definitely come a long way!

5. I'd prefer a good movie over a football game any day!

6. I wish I knew how to make jewelry. I think it would be fun!

7. I'm just waiting for my coworker's surprise baby shower in 30 minutes!

YOUR TURN! :) Happy Weekend!