More about the Amstaff Mom

Did you know . . .
I stole this from Katie, but since she' s on vacation, it's o.k. I also copied some of her answers. That's probably not o.k., but oh well, she's on vacation.

1. What is the geekiest part of your music collection? Depends on your definition of geekiest. Nerdiest is probably my Beethoven or Andrea Boccelli CD. Geeky- Juice Newton.
2. What do you eat when you raid the fridge late at night? Last night it was green grapes.
3. What is your secret guaranteed weeping movie? I always cry in Notting Hill, when the husband refuses to leave his wife behind in her wheelchair, an instead scoops her up to join the group in the car. I cried the most in The Passion of The Christ. Boo-hooed. And I remember crying when I saw Pearl Harbor- when the missle is heading down from the sky to blow up the U.S.S. Arizona. I had been to Pearl Harbor, and it just kinda hit me when I saw that one scene.
4. If you could have plastic surgery, what would you have done? I would have LASIK in a heartbeat. I just need the funds.
5. Do you have a completely irrational fear? I guess scary movies. Can't watch them or I'd have nightmares for years. I can't look at the movie jackets at Blockbuster.
6. What is the little physical habit that gives away your insecure moments? Dodging my eyes, or just shutting down.
7. Are you a pyromaniac? No, but I do like campfires.
8. Do you have too many interests? No, not at all.
9. Do you know anyone famous? No, not at all.
10. Describe your bed? Queen sized, tall, with a ton of pillows- both decorative and regular. A duvet, and a comforter folded down at the bottom.
11. Spontaneous or planned? It really depends. I love to plan an itinerary for trips, to maximize my time for sightseeing, but I love being spontaneous on day-to-day stuff.
12. Who should play you in a movie about your life? Sandra Bullock seems the most like me. She lives in Austin, and I love Austin.
13. Do you know how to play poker? No, not really.
14. What do you carry with you at all times? My purse, normally. And water bottle.
15. What do you miss most about being a kid? Hanging out with friends.
16. Are you happy with your given name? Yes, there were just too many of us.
17. How much money would it take to get you to give up the Internet for one year? Alot. I am VERY dependent on the internet. It would take me awhile for an exact figure. Although if it was enough to allow me to travel for that one year, a trade would be underway.
18. What color is your bedroom? Bedspreads, duvets, pillows are cream. There are some blue accents due to pictures, frames I have.
19. What was the last song you were listening to? "I'd go wherever you would go" by The Calling. My brother-in-law drove this morning.
20. Have you ever been in a play? Last time I was actually in one was my jr. yr. in high school. I played the piano for my Sr. play, but I wasn't actually in it.
21. Have you ever been in love? Yes, twice.
22. Do you talk a lot? No, not really.
23. Do you like yourself and believe in yourself? This is a work in progress, but I have come along way.
24. Do transient, homeless, or starving people sometimes annoy you? Not normally, but my Sr. year in high school, I was flashed by a homeless guy who had cut a giant whole out of his pants and wasn't wearing anything underneath them. I was in a hallway with no one else there, so it was pretty creepy. They later called the police, and they came on their bicycles since it was Downtown Dallas.
25. Do you consider yourself to be a nice person? Yes, I think so.
26. Do you spend more time with your girlfriend/boyfriend or your friends? Husband. Am I too old to be filling this out or something?
27. What is your ideal marriage location? This has already taken place, and the church we got married in was very beautiful.
28. Which musical instrument do you wish you could play? Gee-tar.
29. Favorite fabric? The fabric of our lives- cotton.
30. Something you love and hate? Being alone.
31. What kind of bedding do you use? See #10.
-What happened to #32????
33. What's the one language you want to learn? Spanish, since everyone assumes I know it already. 3 yrs. in high school, one yr. in college and 1/2 my family is fluent and I still don't know it. Blast!
34. How do you eat an apple? Organically.
35. What do you order at a bar? Sprite.
36. Have you ever pierced your body parts? Ears, two years ago.
37. Do you have tattoos? No.
38. Do you drive stick? I've had dreams where I'm driving a stick. How weird is that? I learned how to drive my boyfriend's Jeep in high school, but that was only around the church parking lot. I haven't tried again since though.
39. What's one trait you hate in a person? If they have to have attention. That irks me.
40. What kind of watch(es) do you wear? A Timex RUSH sports watch my s-i-l and b-i-l gave me on my last birthday. Sometimes I actually remember to change to a Seiko that is gold/silver with a blue face. I've had a silver Kenneth Cole in my purse for about 6 mos. now. It needs a battery.
41. Most frivolous purchase? More shoes.
42. Do you consider yourself materialistic? I try not to be, but I like good brands. Not because they are popular, but because they usually last longer. I refuse to buy any item of clothing regular price, but I love finding things regularly $100 for $17.50.
43. What do you cook the best? Casseroles and Pecan Pie.
44. Favorite writing tool? Computer, I type so much faster than I write
45. Do you prefer to stand out or blend in? Blend in.
46. Would you ever go out dressed like the opposite sex? I'm not sure what this means. 47. What's one car you will never buy? A station wagon or a Pontiac Aztec.
48. What kind of books do you like to read? All, any, everything
49. If you won the lottery, what would you do? Pay off my debts, give money to family, donate to certain charities, travel.
50. Burial or cremation? If my family has the money, burial. If not, cremation.
51. How many online journals do you read regularly? Too many and yet too few
52. What's one thing you're a sore loser at? Somebody else having a better sense of direction, I guess.
53. If you don't like a person, how do you show it? I try to walk away.
54. Do you cry in front of your friends? Yes.
55. What kind of first impression do you think you give to people? Quiet, I guess. Good question.
56. What's one thing you like to do alone? Read.
57. Are you a giver or a taker? Giver.
58. When's the last time you cried? About a month ago.
59. Favorite communication method? Talking
60. How many drinks before you're tipsy? I've never been tipsy, but I've never had more than 2 wine coolers either.
61. Do you think you're cute? Not really.
62. Do you have problems changing clothes in front of friends? No. But I always hope that there's no one in the locker room when I have to change into a swimsuit. I do have my limits.

And with that folks, I'm done.

My favorite picture was omitted!

I just realized that the photo I have on my desktop at work wasn't posted yesterday. Here it is.

Side note: Evidently I've got the tilt-the-head-to-the-left thing down. Just noticed my head is at the same angle as my profile picture. I also tend to tilt when I'm typing. Eventually it will begin tilting during conversations. Yipes!

I miss my sis.

The Amstaff Aunt



















I love this picture of her. I captures her fun personality and her excitement when talking to her friends.


These pictures were taken at the arboretum a few months ago.

We were having fun.


The Amstaff Aunt lives in Colorado, and she is sorely missed. She's supposed to be moving back home to Texas next month, if she finds a job. I need to begin actively searching for her new employer because I miss talking to her. We are so much alike, and yet so different. Most people think we are twins, but we are separated by almost 5 years. We don't get to talk to each other very much, so I feel like I am missing out on so many details of her life. I would love for us to be closer in more ways than one. I miss you sis!

Buy one, get two free

Well, I started off my morning with a Chick-fil-a breakfast, which is a special treat for me. Normally I only have a Soy Protein shake, but this morning I splurged since I had my own car (normally we carpool) and my coupon expires tomorrow. The coupon was for 3 free chicken minis with the purchase of a large drink. So I paid $1.40 for my sweet tea and waited anxiously for my free breakfast. Then she surprised me by saying that they included a free sample of their new cinnamon rolls. The lady at the drive-thru couldn't remember their proper name, and but it was basically 8 mini cinnamon rolls formed into one large one. What a deal, huh?

As I was flipping channels this morning, the radio announcer also said that Starbucks, or Tenbucks as it was called the other day, is giving out free scoops of their Java Chip ice cream today. I'm such a sucker for free food. ESPECIALLY free ice cream. I'm so there.

Two half-days in a row...

The Amstaff Dad is having permanent tubes put in his ears this afternoon. My poor sweetie has suffered a lifetime of earaches and ruptured eardrums. He had tubes put in a couple of years ago,and they lasted longer than normal, but now they are working themselves out. These "permanent" tubes will last 12-15 years. Kinda like those "permanent" perms that you got back in Jr. High that you were hoping would last alot longer than they did, if only for the smell. I can still remember the horrific smell of a perm. A stench that seemed to never go away. Anyways, I go to accompany him to the hospital this afternoon, so it will be another short day for me.


Is anybody going to go see fireworks this weekend? I need to look up places close to us to go see them. I thought about going out to Celebrate Freedom, but it's supposed to be 100 degrees on Saturday,and oh the crowds. I went there a few years ago because I signed up to be a World Vision volunteer and recruit new sponsors. It turned out to be a great deal, because I got to sit in the seated section and see Avalon, and Jars of Clay up close, and most of the Third Day show before Third Day began talking about sponsorship. Once we got our cue from them, we walked around signing people up for child sponsorship. It was a great evening, it just took too long to get out of the parking lot. Jars of Clay and Third Day made it worth while, but they're not there this year. Oh well.

I can't believe it's almost July. Getting awfully close to my 29th birthday, which is awfully close to reaching the Big 3-0. Yipes!!!! Where has the time gone!?!?

Short Post today

I'm taking the afternoon off from work today, so I visited your blogs this morning, while trying to get my work done, and now I don't have time for a post. My sister-in-law who lives next door was supposed to get DSL yesterday, so maybe I can check back later on this evening. I'm off to the pool before departing from the premises!

I'll check back later (or tomorrow).

To have and to hold, from this day forward

My sweetie and I went to a wedding this weekend. Ever since I was a little girl, I loved weddings. My parents are wedding photographers, and so I have grown up watching brides glow in their white dresses. Back in the 80's, Pops (my dad) would do the bridal portraits in our living room, and I would help him set up the equipment. There was a huge black roll of paper that would serve as the backdrop. It was 10 foot tall and about 20 feet long, and he'd set a huge board underneath it that the bride would stretch to step on, and usually missed, creating a hole with her heel. I was so proud that I knew how to help him set up the lights, getting everything ready before the bride arrived. They would come in the front door with their hair and makeup done, but in regular clothes, carrying their dresses and veils. They'd go use my bathroom as their changing room, and come out as a bride. I waited with eager anticipation to see each one in their special dress. I never got tired of hearing their excitement as the talked about their Big Day. Now, Momma and Pops are a team, each with their cameras, assisting each other, and I still don't tire of seeing the results of their hard work. It's fun to see people I knew as kids all grown up and walking down the aisle.
Weddings are also a great time to reflect on my marriage, and the covenant we made before God. It's wonderful to see people so in love, and to reflect back on the reasons we walked down the aisle in the first place. Marriage can be difficult, but it is also such a blessing, ordained by the Creator and glorified in the comparison of Christ and the Church. Our perfect example of sacrifice and love.

A couple of Christmas' ago, my sweetie gave me a bracelet that made me squeal with delight. It came in the signature blue-green bag, and now I am tormented with their catalog, since we can never afford another purchase from there again! Anyways, the bracelet had a heart that he engraved with the following reference, Ruth 1:16-17. The verses were read at our wedding, almost 6 years ago.

"Don't urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. 17 Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the LORD deal with me, be it ever so severely, if anything but death separates you and me."

Sweetie, if you are reading my blog, I love you with all of my heart.

Would a Friday by any other name be as sweet?

Just in case you didn't know, it's Friday! My mom always says that, every Friday. As if I hadn't been wishing my life away for the weekend. Well, it's finally here folks! What a Friday it's been too! Today was Take Your Children to Work Day at my employment location. We had about 70 kiddos that we were responsible for entertaining, herding and then returning to their parents in one piece. It was a success, even with me being somewhat responsible for the 11-14 year olds. It was a flashback to my days as a day camp counselor. I remember getting the list on Friday as to which age group I would be responsible for the next week. Oh how I dreaded the 5 year old category! I would have 10 5 year old girls that week that all needed their CapriSun's punched, their BB guns cocked (what were we thinking?!?!!) and their mommies. I actually enjoyed that job, even though the pay worked out to be 2.13 an hour. (!!!!) It was hotter than Hades (or Satan's armpit as my cousin says) but it was a memory maker if nothing else. So, back to today. The kids had a great time, the volunteers survived, and it's all over. Success.

Today, to top off not having to be at my computer the first 5 hours of my shift, the swimming pool opened today. Finally!! I swam on my lunch break, and oh was it refreshing. And awkward. I need to work some kinks out, and I'm sure the lifeguards were having a hayday watching me swim, but I enjoyed it. It's the best exercise on the planet. To me, a lazy person at least.

Well, I hope you have a wonderful weekend fellow bloggers. Until next time.

Chocolate Praline Pie, vs. 2

You know I love you guys. This proves it. I was thinking, "I've got to take that recipe to work with me today to put on my blog!" Mind you, this thought went through my mind at 5:45 a.m. I was frantically looking through my recipe box for the hot pink note card that I have it written down on before my carpool departed at 6 a.m. So, without further adieu, here is version 2, as opposed to the previous post of version 1.

Chocolate Praline Pie
(It's dated 03/19/99-not sure why I'm telling you this, but it was the first thing on the recipe card)

Chocolate Praline Pie

2 cups milk
1 graham cracker crust
1 stick butter (I feel terrible using a whole stick so I use 2/3-3/4)
1/3 cup pecan pieces
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 large box of instant chocolate pudding
1 half-pint whipping cream

1. Bake pie shell at 200 degrees for 20 min.
2. Melt butter and stir in pecans and sugar in bowl.
3. Pour butter mixture into pie shell
4. Refrigerate crust until butter is cooled
5. In separate bowl, mix 2 cups of milk & pudding
6. Pour pudding into cooled crust.
7. Top with whipping cream


Or, to save yourselves the trouble of making this oh-so-easy dessert, I promise to bring it to our first blogging group game night. Deal?

While I'm being brutally honest....

( ) Smoked a joint
( ) Been in a wet t-shirt contest.
( ) Crashed a car
( ) Stolen a car
(x) Been in love
( ) Had a threesome
( ) Been dumped
( ) Shoplifted
( ) Been fired
( ) Been in a fist fight
(x) Snuck out of the house (Actually, it's snuck in. Way past curfew, all the time.)
(x) Had feelings for someone who didn't have them back (gotta hate that)
( ) Been arrested
( ) Made out with a stranger
( ) Gone on a blind date
(x) Lied to a friend
( ) Had a crush on a teacher
(x) Been to Europe (twice, and I'm sure 3rd time would be a charm)
(x) Skipped school
(x) Seen someone die (My grandfather died of cancer while I was holding his hand)
( ) Been to Canada
(x) Been to Mexico
(x) Been on a plane
( ) Seen the Rocky Horror Picture Show
( ) Thrown up in a bar
( ) Purposely set a part of yourself on fire
( ) Eaten Sushi
( ) Been snowboarding
( ) Met someone from the internet in person
( ) Been moshing at a concert
( ) Been in an abusive relationship
( ) Taken painkillers
(x) Love someone or miss someone right now
(x) Laid and watched cloud shapes go by
( ) Made a snow angel
(x) Had a tea party (My grandmother took me to have Tea at the Ritz in London)
(x) Flown a kite (and then watched it fly away)
(x) Built a sand castle
(x) Gone puddle jumping
(x) Played dress up
(x) Jumped into a pile of leaves
( ) Gone sledding
(x) Cheated while playing a game (solitaire, quite frequently)
(x) Been lonely
(x) Fallen asleep at work/school (both)
(x) Used a fake ID (my sister looks just like me, I used her Student ID once for a movie discount-shameful.)
(x) Watched the sun set
( ) Felt an earthquake
(x) Touched a snake (I like snakes)
(x) Slept beneath the stars (and then woke up to see a roach on my best friend's face)
(x) Been tickled
(x) Been robbed
(x) Been misunderstood
(x) Pet a reindeer/goat (the goat that is, not the reindeer)
(x) Won a contest
(x) Run a red light
( ) Been suspended from school
(x) Been in a car accident
(x) Had braces (I even had the headgear, oh the horror)
(x) Felt like an outcast
(x) Eaten a whole pint of ice cream in one night (surely you know of my love of it by now)
(x) Had deja vu
( ) Danced in the moonlight
(x) Hated the way you look
( ) Witnessed a crime
( ) Pole danced
( ) Been obsessed with post-it notes
(x) Walked barefoot through the mud
(x) Been lost
(x) Been to the opposite side of the world (Holland's the furthest, does that count?)
(x) Swam in the ocean
(x) Felt like dying.
(x) Cried yourself to sleep
( ) Played cops and robbers
( ) Recently colored with crayons/colored pencils/markers
( ) Sung karaoke
(x) Paid for a meal with only coins (can you say "VALUE MEAL"?)
(x) Done something you told yourself you wouldn't (haven't we all)
( ) Made prank phone calls when you were younger
( ) Laughed until some kind of beverage came out of your nose
(x) Caught a snowflake on your tongue
( ) Danced naked in the rain
(x) Written a letter to Santa Claus
(x) Been kissed under the mistletoe
(x) Watched the sun rise with someone you care about
(x) Blown bubbles
(x) Had a bonfire on the beach
( ) Crashed a party
( ) Gone rollerbladdin'
(x) Had a wish come true
( ) Worn pearls
( ) Jumped off a bridge
( ) Screamed the word penis in public
( ) Ate dog/cat food
( ) Told a complete stranger you loved them
(x) Kissed a mirror
(x) Sang in the shower
(x) Owned a little black dress
(x) Had a dream that you married someone
( ) Glued your hand to something
( ) Got your tongue stuck to a flag pole
( ) Kissed a fish
(x) Worn the opposite sex's clothes
( ) Been a cheerleader
( ) Sat on a roof top
( ) Screamed at the top of your lungs
( ) Done a one-handed cartwheel
(x) Talked on the phone for more than 6 hours (used to fall asleep on the phone talking to my (now) hubby. My mom would get mad b/c she couldn't use the phone in the morning)
(x) Stayed up all night (and always feel terrible the next day)
(x) Didn't take a shower for a week (technically this is true, I bathe in the lake for two weeks when we go camping. It's crystal clear)
( ) Picked and ate an apple right off the tree
(x) Climbed a tree
( ) Had a tree house
(x) Are scared to watch scary movies
( ) Believe in ghosts
(x) Have more than 30 pairs of shoes
( ) Worn a really ugly outfit to school just to see what others say
( ) Gone streaking
( ) Played chicken
( ) Been pushed into a pool/lake with all your clothes on
(x) Been told you're beautiful by a complete stranger
(x) Broken a bone
(x) Been easily amused
(x) Caught a fish then ate it (but I named her Lucy first)
( ) Caught a butterfly
(x) Laughed so hard you cried
(x) Cried so hard you laughed
( ) Mooned/flashed someone
(x) Had someone moon/flash you
(x) Cheated on a test
(x) Forgotten someone's name.
(x) Slept naked
( ) French braided someone's hair
( ) Grown a beard
( ) Belong to the KKK

It's not just my height that's short

Growing up, my one wish was that I would be taller than my mom, who stands a towering 4 foot 10 inches. Thankfully, I passed this in my early teen years, thanks to good ol' Pops who spans 6 foot 2 inches. I'm not quite half way in between them, but at 5'3", I'm content. My spiritual life is where I fall short. I fail to spend time in the Word on a daily basis, although I'm doing better. I fail to consistently pray for my husband, and I fail to pray that I will be molded into the Proverbs 31 woman. Then I remember that the woman that inspired him to write this had been an adulterer, had been a sinner, and had been redeemed. May I remember that I am truly saved, and be willing to make the changes that will make me more like her.


Epilogue: The Wife of Noble Character

10 [c] A wife of noble character who can find?
She is worth far more than rubies.

11 Her husband has full confidence in her
and lacks nothing of value.

12 She brings him good, not harm,
all the days of her life.

13 She selects wool and flax
and works with eager hands.

14 She is like the merchant ships,
bringing her food from afar.

15 She gets up while it is still dark;
she provides food for her family
and portions for her servant girls.

16 She considers a field and buys it;
out of her earnings she plants a vineyard.

17 She sets about her work vigorously;
her arms are strong for her tasks.

18 She sees that her trading is profitable,
and her lamp does not go out at night.

19 In her hand she holds the distaff
and grasps the spindle with her fingers.

20 She opens her arms to the poor
and extends her hands to the needy.

21 When it snows, she has no fear for her household;
for all of them are clothed in scarlet.

22 She makes coverings for her bed;
she is clothed in fine linen and purple.

23 Her husband is respected at the city gate,
where he takes his seat among the elders of the land.

24 She makes linen garments and sells them,
and supplies the merchants with sashes.

25 She is clothed with strength and dignity;
she can laugh at the days to come.

26 She speaks with wisdom,
and faithful instruction is on her tongue.

27 She watches over the affairs of her household
and does not eat the bread of idleness.

28 Her children arise and call her blessed;
her husband also, and he praises her:

29 "Many women do noble things,
but you surpass them all."

30 Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting;
but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.

31 Give her the reward she has earned,
and let her works bring her praise at the city gate.

And now you know, and knowing is half the battle

Many of you know that I had a previous blog and asked me why I deleted it and gave up blogging, albeit temporarily. Since we are all one big happy blogging family, many of you read Faith in Florida's most recent post about whether or not to send a letter to a former (male) friend. Many of you commented, including Eddo, who stated, and I quote, "I would suggest writing a letter that explains that this communication is causing you some marital problems and that your husband does indeed come first and that you won't be writing again. I am sure you can find ways to say it really nicely - but I can understand how difficult it would be to tell a friend that you are going to have to end your friendship. I will be praying for you.

His quote summed up what happened to my previous blog, but I didn't know how to communicate it. My hubby had asked that I make my blog more private and keep comments with the fellas to a bare minimum. He is not the possessive or over-protective type at all, but he does feel strongly on this issue. I might not agree with him on this, but I know that if something really bothered me, he would honor my request. I knew I needed to go ahead and delete the previous blog, but I didn't know how to say to the fellas that my comments were going to be decreasing on their sites.

So, to the fellas- Eddo- it sounds like you already understand where I'm coming from. I hope so, I sure do enjoy reading your site, and you're the reason I started blogging in the first place. Ben- you almost always make me laugh out loud with your posts. OD- I enjoy reading your blog and would be commenting much more.
I hope you guys understand the situation and know that I need to respect my husband's wishes on this. I read your blogs daily, and will continue to do so, but that is why my comments are few.

Amanda Sue and Jes- there's the belated answer to your question, because I know your inquiring minds have to know! :)

As we all know, honesty is the best policy. Thank you my blogger friends.

Home, Home on the Range

I am back from my recent hiatus! The hubby, Amstaff and I are now settled into our new digs. I have missed reading your blogs, but did my best to catch up first thing this morning. It has been an eventful week in the life of the Amstaff Mom. So where do I begin?

Thursday- I spent the day with the hubby, his siblings, and their offspring at the local water park. We lazed in the lazy river, slid down the slides, and basked in the sun. I took my 3 nieces down the one and only slide they were tall enough to ride. They were brave souls and were so cute in their little swimsuits. After suffering through the torture of being seen by family members in a swimsuit all day, I went to the indoor pool to get some laps in. We rendevoued at the snow cone stand where we enjoyed the syrupy delights.

Friday- WE CLOSED ON OUR HOUSE!!! After a two-and-a-half week delay, we finally got to close on our house. We signed our lives away, promising to pay approx. 2 1/2 times more than we borrowed with all the interest incurred. Now we are the owners of (sadly) our third home in 6 years, but we are very happy campers. We rewarded ourselves with a lunch at Snuffer's, gobbling down glorious cheese fries smothered in bacon and ranch dressing, with jalepenos for extra kick. Pardon me as I wipe the saliva from my mouth just thinking about it.
Friday afternoon we received our keys to the house and began unpacking our belongings and then began to paint the living room before the furniture would make the task any more difficult. We have a behemoth of an entertainment center, easily weighing 2 tons, so it behooved us to paint before it took its permanent place on our wall.

Saturday- (True)friends and family came to help us unpack and continue the moving process.

Sunday-Thursday- See above.

Thursday night the hubby and I had a date night after working our hineys off unpacking and getting the house livable. We went to dinner and then went to go see Mr. and Mrs. Smith. Highly entertaining, vastly unbelievable, but quite enjoyable. I'd give it two thumbs up. Hey, it's got Angelina and Brad so how bad can it be??

Friday- We made it a true vacation day and went indoor rock climbing. Whew, that is a true workout. Can we say NO UPPER BODY STRENGTH? How can something be so much work and yet so fun at the same time? I do not believe in the theory of evolution, but I swear my hubby is descended from monkeys because he scaled the walls so fast you'd think there was a golden banana waiting for him at the top. I proudly belayed the ropes for him as he scaled the backward steps. Did I mention that I was proud of him?
Friday night we went to dinner and then saw Batman Begins. I enjoyed this movie as well. I did not enjoy seeing all the kids in this movie. Little kiddos. One parent had a booster seat for his toddler. Look people, if your child needs a booster seat for a PG-13 movie, do you think he might be a wee bit young??? Of course they screamed and cried through alot of it. This movie is not a cartoon! I will get off my soapbox now.

Saturday- My nephew had his 5th birthday party, complete with Star Wars Slip 'n Slide. Remember the days of slip in slides, where you would hit a dry spot, leaving a patch of skin on the yellow vinyl? Or your stomach would hit the root that your parents missed when they layed it down on the "grass"? Or finally, the feel of grass stuck to your damp skin as you slid off the side of it. Blech. They have evolved much in the 20 (gasp!!!) years since I've used one. The kids had a blast. More cute little girls in swimsuits.

Sunday- Father's day. We ate lunch with my parents and they came to see the progress of the house since last Saturday. They bestowed many complements, which was very rewarding after our hard work.

Well folks, that is my "vacation" review. I'll catch up with you later.

Patience, Please

I finally moved into my new abode over the weekend, and so I am taking this week off from work to try to get all settled in. I do not yet have internet access at my home, and so I'm afraid that my blog will be severely neglected this week. Please don't think that I have abandoned you once again. I will be up and running as soon as possible.

Thank you for your patience.

The Management.

See, this proves it. I belong in the U.K.

I honestly did not try to skew my answers when I took this quiz. Without any cheating, this quiz proclaimed London my true home. Little did it know that London and I DO get along amazingly well. I JUST REALIZED that this also coincides with my partaking of fish 'n chips for lunch today too. Although over there, they wrap it in newspaper, which makes it authentic (and unsanitary). Hopefully, my aunt will take me next year when she flies over "the pond" aka the Atlantic. Hopefully.

I wish I could post pictures right now so that I could show you just how happy I look when I'm there. Two more days until I move and begin to gain access to my belongings. Patience fellow bloggers, patience.

You Belong in London A little old fashioned, and a little modern. A little traditional, and a little bit punk rock. A unique woman like you needs a city that offers everything. No wonder you and London will get along so well. What City Do You Belong in? Take This Quiz :-)

Questions and Answers, cont.

Good Morning All! I hope everyone had a great weekend. Mine was fairly uneventful. I had Friday off, which was nice- I love 3 day weekends. Saturday was relaxing, I read a book and my hubby and my cousin washed our cars for us. It's been forever since it's been cleaned, and it looks so much better. Sunday we went out to eat with my parents for my dad's birthday-Happy Birthday to Pops today! We also did our grocery shopping at Whole Foods since we were in Dallas. This brings great delight to my tastebuds as they anticipate killer lunches this week. Today's lunch will consist of organic whole wheat tortilla wraps containing chicken salad, pico de gallo, and served with a side of macaroni salad. All prepared by the great chefs of Whole Foods and assembled by Yours Truly. Who knew healthy food could taste so good?? I'm hungry already. Now, back to this weekend's summary. Last night we went to church where I gleaned so much interesting information about the Bible. Services like that make me wish that I could turn my brain into a huge sea sponge, retaining it for a lifetime. Now I am back at my desk, having been here since the early hours of 6:45. This is not conducive to me, since I'm not a morning person, but I'm beginning to wake up as I type this blog and sip my cup of hot tea.


And now, here is the continuing saga of the questions posed to me by the OD.


6. If you could have one superhero power, what would you like it to be? Growing up, my FAVORITE superhero was Wonder Woman. She could fly in her invisible plane, apply her lasso of truth, and had black hair (like me) that cascaded down and always looked perfect (not like me). She was SO COOL. I had the halloween costume, the itchy sleepy bag, and the Underoos to prove it (thank goodness that picture is still packed away or I would be semi-tempted to post it.) I guess I haven't answered your question yet though, so I guess for a superhero power, I would love to be able to swim underwater for great lengths of time sans the scuba gear. I think it was Aquaman that able to do that.

7. Re: #6, would you use it for the good of others or the good of yourself, or both? Explain. I guess I chose a selfish superhero power, because there's not much I could do for others if I'm just swimming around. Maybe I could take on an environmental approach and let everyone know how nasty it is under there. Would that count? Maybe I need to re-think my choice of power. It's not something I've dwelled on for great lengths of time.

8. Share a recipe with us for your favorite dessert. Well, I'm going to have to go by memory since my recipes are still packed away with the rest of my belongings as I un-patiently wait to move this weekend. But here it goes. If you really want this recipe, remind me and I will post it again after I unpack, b/c the measurements could be way off. It is very easy to make, and it is always a hit, even for me, the non-chocolate lover. The graham cracker crust overrides any disdain of chocolate.

Chocolate Praline Pie

3/4 stick of butter
1/2 cup of chopped pecans
1/2 cup of brown sugar
1 graham cracker crust
1 1/2 cups milk
1 large box of chocolate pudding mix
1/2 pint of whipping cream

Bake graham cracker crust at 200 degrees for 15 min. In a small bowl, melt butter and then stir in pecans and brown sugar. Pour this into the baked graham cracker crust. Mix pudding and milk according to directions on box. After the crust has cooled, pour the pudding onto the butter/sugar/pecan/crust. Top the layer of pudding with whipping cream. Refrigerate and then enjoy.


9. Pretend you're given the chance to hang out with one celeb for a day. Who would it be? What would you two do? Wow. As much as I am tempted to say Matt Damon, I would choose President Bush. We would go to Camp David, and then all the secret hideouts so that I would be privy to information only reserved for the select few. I would find out about all the in's and out's of being the President and the decisions he makes, and then I would ask how I could pray for him. We would close the evening with a White House Dinner, with all my friends, family, and bloggers attending.

10. How did you get started with blogging? This shows how intriguing the internet really can be. After my trip to New York with the SWEAT team, I did a search on Google for an award that Rick Gershon had mentioned he won while we were on the trip. One of the Google links that came up was Eddo's site, where he mentioned Heather Gershon's blog (Rick's sister). I clicked on Posted Note and in a short time, I was laughing out loud-at work mind you. I had no experience with blogs before this time, so when I went to comment on Eddo's site, it asked me to register with Blogger, and before I knew it, I too was blogging. Strange, huh!?!?!

Talk to y'all later.

It is FRIDAY!!!

YEAH! It is Friday. Yes, I do wish my life away, living for the weekends- but they really are so much better than Mondays. Would the word Monday instill thoughts of dread and trepidation if it was called Saturday? Hmmm. Deep thoughts.

Today I have a topic, courtesy of the OD. These were the questions that were posed to me, and I plan to answer 5 today and save 5 for Monday.

1. Why pit bulls and not some other breed? Because if I really had my drethers, I would own two Harlequin Great Danes. Since this is not feasible, (the cost, for one thing), then I will go for the loyal protector. Technically she's not a pit, but that's another discussion for another day.

2. If you could live somewhere besides Texas (worldwide), where would it be and why? I would live in the U.K. in a heartbeat. Where exactly, I'm not sure, but I love Caenarfon, and it is only a few short hours to London, which I also love. I don't know how to explain it, but I feel at home there. I love the language, the food, the convenience of being in another country within hours, the scenery is breathtaking. I've spent 7 weeks of my life over there and would gladly spend the next 50 years there.

3. What's the most exotic food you've ever eaten? Hmmm, this is a hard one. I've refused to eat haggis, amongst other things. I've had cow tongue before, I guess that's exotic? OR maybe the question could be answered "Guatemalan food"? It is the "exotic" food that I have eaten the most of. Every Sunday my grandmother fixed it for the first 20 years of my life.

4. Should women be allowed to serve in combat positions in the military? Youch. This is a toughy. I believe that men and women were created by God with different gifts and abilities. That being said, there are numerous stories in the Bible with women in wartime environments- Rahab hiding the spies, another woman driving a tent peg through a man's head. I think there are many talented and gifted women serving in our armed forces right now. If I had to say though, I don't think we are necessarily gifted for combat positions. Now, moving right along...

5. List the last 3 cds you bought or listened to. 1. Jars of Clay- Redemption Songs 2. Jeremy Camp- Restored, and 3. A rock CD I made (to clarify-burned from a CD) that contains various artists such as ColdPlay, Dave Matthews Band, Damn Yankees, Chris Isaak, and other random songs.

Talk to yous guys later!

At a loss for words...

I am topic-less today. I am pretty pooped, so that is probably the main reason, but I just can't seem to think of anything to blog about. The creative side of my brain just hit the snooze alarm. The topics I would love to cover involve the posting of pictures, but I don't have access to my home computer at the moment, where most of them are stored. Does anybody have any lists or questions that I can post where I can just fill in the blank with my answer? I hate blogging for the sake of blogging, but here I am. Maybe I'll come back later with a topic.

Move over Janet Evans, you're in my lane

I count myself as being privileged - we have a swimming pool at work. As I found out last year, this is by FAR the best way to spend a lunch hour. Soaking up rays, relaxing, burning calories and getting your mind as far away from the workstation as possible. I worked up to swimming a mile without needing CPR like I felt the first time I tried it. I also managed to tiptoe very quickly to the pool, looking like Bugs Bunny avoiding Elmer Fudd. I refused to have any co-workers catch me on their lunch break as I walked the 50 feet that seemed like 20 miles from the gym locker room to the pool. Oh the horror.

I dreaded when September arrived last year, with the pool operating hours dwindling to nothing. I eagerly anticipated the May 23rd ceremonial opening of the pool, only to find out gasp, that it was closed due to repairs! How could they do this to me? It was closed all winter and they just now found the leak? Not the source of the leak, mind you, this will take longer, they just found a leak. The opening has been delayed with no hope in sight. Sniff.

I will (not-so) patiently await the opening of the pool. As soon as it is, I'll be a splishin' and a splashin' faster than you can say "no Speedos in the pool please".