For the Love of Cardigans

Thank You 7-Eleven Auction.

2010-09-06T09:13:00.003-05:00

This Friday was the 7-Eleven office's auction to benefit MDA. I made out this year! Check out what I got...
* A trip to San Antonio. 4 nights at a hotel right on the Riverwalk, 2 tickets to Six Flags Fiesta Texas, 2 tickets to White Water Bay, two tickets for the riverboat cruise, and two tickets to the Alamo. All for the low price of $230!!! I did some research and this would have cost over $700 if paid in full.
* 4 tickets to Frontier City for $12. These cost over $30 a piece if bought at the park.
* 4 tickets to a Redhawks baseball game and two parking passes for $10. Not sure what these go for normally but I do know parking is $5 so right there they paid for themselves!
* A 2gb black Ipod Shuffle for $25. My company actually purchased this for $60 from Best Buy for the auction and I got it for less than half the price.
Unbelievable, huh? I am so excited. Especially about the trip to San Antonio. Alberto and I can't wait to book it!!

Dear 5th Grade.

2010-09-01T20:21:00.004-05:00

Dear 5th Grade,

Please be good to my Gabriel. This is a year where he really comes into himself and really starts to learn his talents, his likes and dislikes, and making real friends. This is a year where he will begin to learn how important grades can be and that tests are no joke. This is not the same 5th grade I remember, so please be gentle. Be appreciative of his intelligence, his willingness and eagerness to learn and form his own opinions. Be lax in punishment when it comes to his impatience. A hard look is all he needs to get back on the right path. He needs to be challenged and doesn't take boredom easily. He gets this from me. Be open with praise as this is what he responds best to. It gives him encouragement and he reacts best when he knows he is doing a good job. He wears his heart on his sleeve so please be appreciative of his loving and easy nature. Please keep his love of learning alive and don't be afraid to mix some fun in with the tough curriculum.

Please know he is my world! I have faith in you and your teaching ability, but he is still my baby and I want what is best when he starts this next chapter in his life.

Sincerely,
Gabriel's Mommy

Boobies.

2010-08-31T17:41:00.002-05:00

I'm in the clear! Everything that was found were cysts. I go back in 6 months just for a checkup. The cysts I have are hard so they can't be drained. If they continue to grow I will need to have them removed, but for now since they don't bother me and aren't overly large they are okay. The doctor says chances are they should go away on their own. Plus, I am at the age where my tissue is changing and there may be things popping up here and there. Here's to being 30!!!

Dirty Dogs.

2010-08-25T19:47:00.003-05:00

*Reader Discretion Is Advised*

All I can say is EEEEWWWW! Romeo has started humping Roxy and licking her chi-chi. I know it's just "doggie nature" but it really grosses me out. I don't want my pups to be nasty to each other. And, what bothers me even more is that Roxy lays there and puts her leg up for him to lick her and gets this look on her face like she is enjoying it. Again, EEEWWWWW! I am hoping that if I put a stop to the humping and licking now, Romeo won't continue doing it after he is fixed. He's not old enough yet according to the vet. About 3 more months until he is ready. Alberto just laughs at me when I tell him. He says they are husband and wife. I say no way. They are brother and sister. No inbreeding allowed here. LOL!

Edition 1: I Love You Because.

2010-08-23T16:51:00.003-05:00

This is just a little something I want to do for Alberto and myself to look back on. The plan is to do this at least once a month. I want to remember all the little things and big things he does for me that I am so blessed to have.

You support me in whatever it is I come up with. And, you know I can come up with some crazy ideas from time to time. I am lucky you are that way, because I know all too many women whose husbands aren't like you.
Some of the ideas you actually think are great enough you want to join me (ex: Paranormal Investigating).
You know shopping makes me happy and never once have you said I shouldn't spend the money.
You clean the house and do the laundry... happily and willingly.
You send me random little emails telling me how wonderful and beautiful I am.
You give me massages and tickle my feet not only when I've had a bad day, but also just because you love me.

And Now I Wait.

2010-08-23T16:32:00.003-05:00

Good news is they think my lump I found is just a cyst. Not so great news is while doing the ultrasound they found a mass of something they aren't sure of. It's about an inch from the lump. I'm waiting on a call to schedule a mammogram. They say the mammogram will give them a better look at what they found and also a better look at the cyst to see if it needs to be drained. Although I am not looking forward to the mammogram, I am looking forward to them figuring out what is going on and moving forward. So, now I wait and waiting is the hardest part.

Positive Attitude.

2010-08-18T19:42:00.003-05:00

I believe in the power of positive thinking. I always try to keep things light and not stress too much, but honestly, this is a little scary. About a month ago I found a lump on my left breast. It is about the size of a marble and is really hard. It's close to the surface of my skin so it's very easy to find. It's hard to tell if I have pain there because all my MS pain is on the left side of my body, so I can't tell if it's my MS, the lump, or just in my head that I'm feeling pain. It's quite confusing :) I've already gone to my regular doctor and have an appointment with the breast care center at the hospital on Monday. Due to my age, they have to start with an ultrasound instead of going straight to a mammo. The doctor is confident we will get a good look with the ultrasound because of the size and location of the lump. I'm sure it will turn out to not be a big deal, but I'm still nervous.

First Investigation.

2010-08-15T15:23:00.006-05:00

So we had our first team meeting and informal investigation last night. It was SO much fun! I really enjoyed getting to know everyone better and learn about many of the tools. We got our job assignments in the group, though we are a team and everyone helps out everywhere, but I was overly excited to know I was picked to be the Public Relations contact. I love going out and talking and meeting new people and doing marketing, etc. Right up my alley definitely. Alberto, being bilingual, is our Translator. It actually came in handy last night, too. One of the employees at the restaurant had a lot to say about what he has seen and heard and he spoke Spanish. Alberto was able to fill us in. Unfortunately we weren't able to investigate at the restaurant as much as we would have liked, but we did check out the bombing memorial in OKC. That was interesting to say the least. It's a hard place to investigate, even at 1 in the morning, due to all the people, cars, wind, etc. Just your normal city life noises. We did get some pretty cool responses from the ghost box though. We have a lot of audio to go back and listen to, so I'm hoping we caught some amazing stuff. I am looking forward to going back to the restaurant at a later date. It is one cool place, plus the food is great. I've heard some pretty awesome EVP's that were caught there. It was funny how so many of the employees couldn't wait to tell us about their experiences. Hopefully we can go back soon.

Heatwave.

2010-08-14T11:18:00.002-05:00

This heat is going to kill me. I've had Multiple Sclerosis for almost 2 years now but this is the first time the heat has really gotten to me. Maybe it's because I am 30 now. LOL! No really, though. I've been experiencing blurred vision and these weird headaches. Not so much a headache, but a feeling that my brain is swollen and super fuzzy. A little faint annoying pain, not a pounding pain. And, sometimes my lower body feels super heavy. I'm not gonna lie, it SUCKS!! It's almost debilitating. I'm trying to stay cool and out of the heat. But, it's been hard with my job lately because I've been having to make lots of deliveries and in the heat ALL day. Hopefully it will let up soon. Here's to hoping I don't go into a full relapse...

Introducing Romeo.

2010-07-11T07:19:00.008-05:00

Don't let this cute face fool you. He is naughty! A few weeks ago we got a new puppy, Romeo. He is a Maltese and one of the cutest things you will ever see. He is into everything. Roxy wasn't this bad when she was a puppy. So, as you can imagine, it's a full time job just keeping up with him. He is only 10 weeks old and is in the chewing, eating everything, peeing and pooping all the time, stage. I wouldn't trade him for anything though. I love the little booger. It's so funny to see him forming a little personality. He has a tendency to get super grumpy out of nowhere. It's quite comical. And, normally when that happens he will put his ears back, give a little growl, and then go lay down and go to sleep. It just happened a second ago. He is now passed out. He likes to sleep in between things. Instead of sleeping in his bed he sleeps behind his bed between it and the wall. Right now he only weighs 1.3 pounds. We think he will get between four or five which is perfect because Roxy is only 3 pounds. He was the runt of the litter. When we went to see him we were planning on getting a girl. It was him and his two sisters. He was half the size of them. Alberto couldn't resist picking him. He looks like a little snowball or polar bear. And, he's so fat. His belly is so big. He loves to eat. Sometimes he'll be in the kitchen laying at his bowl just eating away. I like to call him little fatfat. Roxy has taken to him better than I expected. They are so cute when they play together. Of course, since Romeo can't jump on the furniture yet, Roxy uses it as her opportunity to escape when she has had enough. She is such a good big sister and will check on him when he is sleeping or when he whines. It's very sweet. He is a great addition to our family.

New Talent.

2010-07-11T07:01:00.006-05:00

Gabriel has started piano lessons! They are going really good. He has had only three so far. He goes once a week. I signed him up for only four to start with. I wanted to make sure he really enjoyed it before paying too much money and then him maybe hating it. He seems to be be picking it up really fast according to his teacher. This week he can start on actual songs which is exciting. I bought him this awesome keyboard to practice on at home. It ended up having way more stuff with it than what I thought. It came with a stand and microphone too. And, we can get this certain cord and hook it up to his computer and he can record songs onto Cd's, compose his own music, etc. It's way cool!! I had no idea all the stuff you could do with a piano/keyboard. Gabriel is loving it.

Family Search.

2010-07-11T06:43:00.003-05:00

Update. I am stopping my search. I've had some roller coaster of emotions the last month. Long story short, I've come across two men who I thought were my father. One I never spoke to directly. I just spoke to an ex-wife and ex-stepson. It was going in the right direction until I found out this particular man had not been in prison where my father had been. The second man, the lady who was helping me in my search found him and emailed him. He confirmed he had a daughter named Season. I started emailing him but was getting extremely short responses with not much information. It started off like our letters used to be when I would write him in prison. I thought maybe I just need to give it some time and he will come around. Well, I ended up asking him a couple of times to tell me something to prove it was him. Like a birthday or something. I picked birthday because I was sure of that. I have proof in birth records and information from the police on his whole birth date. This man came back with a totally different one. I have a feeling this guy could have been scamming me. Not that he asked for money or anything at all, but maybe it was leading up to that. He did, however, offer me money by saying he is financially stable to help me now. I, of course said thanks but no thanks. I ended the emails by letting him know he is not the person I am looking for and will just leave it at that. It's very strange there are two men out there with almost the same information as my father. Same full name, around the same age, lived in TX, and have past criminal records. But, the look totally different if the pictures are indeed really them. So, I am going to just get on with my life and put this behind me. If it was meant to be then maybe someone will come looking for me.

Update.

2010-06-17T09:23:00.003-05:00

A lot has happened since I wrote my post about finding other family. I came across a really sweet lady who is helping me in my search. She has been looking for her family for over 20 years. She has a lot of resources and has helped me tremendously. I can't thank her enough. I feel I am so close yet so far away. I got my hopes up yesterday, but don't want to go into much detail until I know more. I think I've let this consume me for more time than what I had promised myself so I am going to take a few days off and catch up on some other stuff.

Bad Dreams.

2010-06-16T11:44:00.004-05:00

I've had really bad dreams for as long as I can remember. Very rarely do I dream about "regular" stuff. I have nightmares probably 99% of the time. My memories of strange dreams and seeing strange things goes back to when I was small enough to be in my crib. I would see these shadow figures on the wall in the middle of the night. They always looked strangely familiar. I wouldn't be scared, but I would feel uncomfortable and just stare at them. As I got older I would hear and see these "little" people. They would only come to me when I was at my grandparents house. They looked just like humans but super tiny. Maybe about a two inches tall. They would tell me to do bad things like burn the house down or runaway or tell me I needed to hurt myself. Of course I never did any of that. Thank God I knew better. Around this same time I was always having dreams where I would be floating up around my bed spinning really really fast. And then I would fall and wake up and my bed would be shaking. I would see shadow people on the walls and hear whispering. Still they were strangely familiar and not too frightening. It all seemed to come to a stop when I was around 13. I never gave it much thought although it would cross my mind from time to time. In 1999 I went into the Air Force. In boot camp I woke up one night and went up to a drill instructor and starting asking her where everyone was. I was sleepwalking. This was my first known experience with that. The funny thing is that I remember waking up and seeing everyone gone, or so I thought, and running around until I saw her. I was freaking out because I really thought everyone was gone. It was like I was awake and knew I was sleepwalking but I couldn't come out of it. Like I was stuck in my dream state even though I knew I was sleepwalking. Make sense? I was reprimanded in a way and told that I may have to change jobs if this continued. My security clearance could have been jeopardized. For a few years it never happened again. That brings me to 2008. We moved to Oklahoma. And it all started again. It seems like I was sleepwalking almost every night. One time I even lined up all my purses in my bedroom and just stared at them. Crazy? Yes! I would find myself in the hallway, in the kitchen, in the living room, everywhere. I would see the electrical plug in the bedroom was on fire and I would try to put it out. I would see the ceiling falling down on me and totally freak out. I would think someone was after me and try to run but couldn't move. I would hear voices and see weird lights and shadows moving towards me. I can't explain how frightening it always was. I was always in a state where I knew what I was doing but couldn't control it or make myself come out of it. My dreams were always about almost dying. We moved to this new house in October of last year. From day one there was a creepy feeling in this one corner of the house between my office and front door. I always got this feeling someone was there watching me. The other night I was in a sleepwalking state and saw a shadow reflection in my mirror. The mirror attached to my chest of drawers. I knew it was a man. He was dark black and just standing there like he was watching me. I couldn't see through him. I closed my eyes hoping it was just my imagination. When I opened them again he was standing next to my side of the bed. I could just see the dark black, almost like tar, outline of him. I had this overwhelming feeling of dread and closed my eyes and turned my back to him. I tried to say Alberto's name but I couldn't breathe, much less speak. I just knew this black figure was going to kill me. I have never been so afraid in my life. I have never experienced the feeling of pure dread. I couldn't move, I couldn't scream, I couldn't do anything. Finally I was able to move my left thumb just enough to tickle Alberto's arm. I was hoping it would wake him up since he's a light sleeper, but he just turned over. I guess I eventually fell asleep. It is so vivid in my memory though. I am still pretty creeped out. I don't normally talk about these occurrences. I always felt alone and felt that no one would understand what I go through on a regular basis. I don't want to be labeled as schizophrenic. I know I'm crazy, but not like that. Ha, ha. So, when I told Alberto about the shadow and my feeling of dread he sent me a link from Wikipedia about shadow people. When I read it I knew it was talking about me and my experiences. I spent a few hours reading about it and the different names and sure enough I have sleep paralysis. I just know that has to be it. And thousands upon thousands of people experience it just like me. In some of the stories I read they talk about seeing flashing/streaming lights around the room just like I experience. Almost everything these people said is the same thing I see. There have been some really severe cases reported and I'm lucky not to be one of those. Finally I don't feel alone in this. I even was able to find some good exercises I can do before going to sleep that have been helping. I also realized that these dreams only come when I am sleeping on my back. I haven't been sleeping as well lately because I've been tossing and turning making sure I never am on my back. It's quite annoying but so much better than feeling like I am going to be killed my some demonic looking creature/person. I am so relieved I know what is going on and it can somewhat be explained. Phew *wiping forehead*. I think I'm in the clear from being committed :)

Something's Missing.

2010-06-14T10:00:00.004-05:00

Do you ever feel like there is something missing in your life? From time to time I get that feeling. Today is one of those days. It's dark and pouring rain. My mind keeps drifting. I have so much yet I want so much more. I keep getting this overwhelming feeling that I may have a brother or sister out there somewhere. Little back story: I don't know my father. Shortly after I was born he went to prison. I found him at the age of 15 but didn't move forward or let him know I knew where he was. I found him again at the age of 22 and we wrote letters back and forth. Nothing ever came of it. We started writing again when I was 26. All he seemed to want is money, so I stopped writing. I received a phone call on my 29th birthday from a pastor at a half way house telling me my father was out of prison and wanted to know if I wanted a relationship. I told them I needed some time to think and I would get back with them. Next thing I know he is gone and no one will give me a straight answer as to if he is back in prison or just left the half way house. My point of this post was not to get all into this about my father so I will move on. Family. There must be some out there. I want to find them. I wonder if they've tried looking for me? I've moved around so much I may be a hard person to track. I just always think of how much fun it would be if I had siblings. And, it would be nice to know the medical history of the other half of me. Of course there is always the chance that they would all be crazy and it may have been a good idea to not find them. But, that is a chance I am willing to take. I emailed a couple of people I found on Facebook that are in the general Fort Worth area with the last name. It is not too common, especially the spelling so I'm hoping I get some leads. I am very blessed to have friends in my life who I consider "family" and who we jokingly say are sisters and brothers from another mister/mother. LOL! This is just another adventure in my crazy fun life.

World Cup.

2010-06-13T17:48:00.004-05:00

I'm addicted to watching the World Cup. I've never really watched before. Gabriel has played soccer since he was 4 so it's fun to share in this with him. Wouldn't it be cool if it was him one day I was watching? So far I've seen three of the games. US vs England. Serbia vs Ghana. And Germany vs Australia. I'm going to try and work my schedule around so I can watch the other games this week. It really is a rush for me. My attention span is pretty low especially with things that are slow paced (like baseball). Soccer is so fun to watch. It doesn't hurt that the guys aren't bad looking either! I'm still trying to determine my top 5 teams. I would like to see everyone play before I make my final decisions. Here's what I'm thinking so far though. US, Ghana (they were very aggressive and I like that), Spain, Mexico, and England. Looking forward to hopefully seeing Japan play tomorrow. Since I've always wanted to go there I'm wishing their team is pretty good.

I'm A Cheater.

2010-06-10T15:41:00.006-05:00

One of the things I always treat myself to is getting my nails done every two weeks. I'm a habitual nail biter and without my pink and white's my fingers are jacked up. It's hard to find a good salon. When I moved to OK I was lucky to find a lady who owned her own salon and was fantastic. She has always got me in when I needed and has always been flexible. I really like her and have nothing at all bad to say. Here's my dilemma. There are some ladies that I work with and I've been noticing their nails. Their pretty, glittery tipped nails. In all colors. My nail lady doesn't have this option. She only does strictly white tips. Yes she can add a bit of color, but only with polish. The nail salon these girls use has the actual colored powder with glitter mixed in. So, what did I do? I cheated. I cheated on my wonderful, sweet nail lady that I've been using for about two years. While I was sitting at the new place I kept hoping they would turn out bad so I would have learned my lesson. But no. My nails are perfect. They are beautiful. I started out slow only going with the standard white but with glitter mixed in. It's just enough to add some sparkle. The name on the tub said "Show Me Your Beads." Love it! My nails now match my style and attitude. They were great before, but nothing overly special. I'm thinking of going to my original lady and asking her if she can bring something like this in. If she can, I will stay with her, but if she can't it will be unfortunate.

Trendsetter.

2010-06-10T15:40:00.013-05:00

For about a year now I've had this owl necklace. It is by far my favorite piece of jewelry other than my wedding ring. I've loved owls for quite a while. I have owl pajamas, owl jewelry, owl shirts, and even a couple of owls around the house. You used to never be able to find owl stuff unless you looked online. Now there are owls are "in style" and you can find them almost everywhere. While out working today I had four girls, count them four, tell me how they loved my necklace and ask me where I got it. One even mentioned being out last night and seeing lots of owl jewelry. I have never gotten compliments on it before. Okay, maybe one or two, but definitely not four in one day. I guess it's official... I am a trendsetter. It's all because of me that owl wear is the "it" thing these days. I always new I was cool, but to be this cool is beyond cool. Is there such a thing?!!

The first one is the one I have and the second is the one I want. Anyone up for buying me a present :)

Tattoo.

2010-06-08T16:38:00.003-05:00

I really want a tattoo. Not a big one and definitely not a tramp stamp. LOL! I want a small one on my left wrist. Alberto says no. That he loves me without any marks on my body other than my freckles. Yes, he's very sweet but he also knows that if I want something I almost always get it. I wear a watch pretty much everyday so a small one on my wrist would not be noticeable all the time. Ooohh, just had a thought. How about one behind my ear so you can only see it when I have my hair in a ponytail? That would be way cool too. But, it wouldn't be one I could look at instantly. I want one that I can see and bring a smile to my face when I look at it. Is it possible I'm going through a midlife crisis at 30? I have always loved tattoos. Guys with half sleeves, girls with pretty flowers, there are so many styles that I like. Of course, the tattoos have to be tasteful. I want Alberto to get more tattoos. He has one right now and has talked about getting another one on his other arm. I'm all for it! My favorite theme for a guy is Asian. Dragons, geisha's, samurai's, coy fish, you get the idea. If reincarnation exists I am going to be one tattooed person in my next life. Pink has a tattoo around her wrist that says "What goes around comes around." I remember seeing that years ago and thinking how cool it was. You can just look down and be reminded to be mindful of what you do. It's useful and cool at the same time. So, what will I get? Will I even get one? We'll see...

Friends.

2010-06-08T16:07:00.002-05:00

Now what I'm about to say by no means reflects on the friends I currently have. I have the best most amazing friends and after weeding out some bad ones I am really happy with those I call a true friend. But, I wish I had more friends in OK. Both Alberto and I. Friends that like to do what we like to do. Play games, go to the movies, go out to eat, do family stuff, travel, etc. Friends with kids around the same age as Gabriel. We are both family oriented and like to do most everything with Gabriel. It's hard to find friends where everyone gets along and has things in common. I miss having cookouts and hanging out all weekend playing cards and just chillin'. I think I just miss the camaraderie. Especially since it's the summer. I was so sad I had to go see Sex and the City 2 by myself. Insert big sigh :( If I was in TX that would have never happened. I'm not sure why it has been so hard for us to make friends here. I am very outgoing and friendly. I see and work with people every day when I make my sales calls, but I haven't met anyone I can see myself really being friends with. Is it me? Am I too picky? I say no, but I could be wrong. I'm not keen on being friends just to have a friend. I need to really feel that connection. I've had too many failed friendships in the past where I gave and gave and got nothing in return. It's not fun having to "break up" with a friend. It's terribly sad. I wonder if there's a friend network or blog or something for help in finding friends? Kind of like EHarmony, but not for hookups? Hmmm, Google here I come.

Something New.

2010-06-07T20:02:00.003-05:00

Debt. Almost everyone has it. I feel like mine has been following me for years. When I got divorced over 6 years ago I moved to TX with only $500 to my name and the agreement I would take on what was left to pay on the credit cards. Sure wish now I would have renegotiated that. But, you live and learn, right? Gabriel and I stayed with my parents until we could get a place of our own. It was quite difficult to find a job, but I finally did after a month or so. Unfortunately the pay was very low, but it was a job. When I went to open a bank account in TX I qualified for a $5000 limit bank credit card. At the time it was a blessing because it would be my "emergency" fund if anything was to happen. Once I felt more on my feet I got an apartment for Gabriel and I. Things kind of started to spiral out of control after that I and started having to use my new credit card to pay my car, bills, etc. It was not a good time for me. So, all this brings me here. The past couple of years I really have been working on my credit. I'm in such a better place, but still not where I want to be. I started by cutting up ALL of my credit cards and paying them off one by one. It also helped that I got promoted a few times and started making excellent money. Made it a lot easier to start paying things off. I'm not completely done yet though. I've been reading up on Dave Ramsey's site and he truly seems to have some wonderful easy ideas on how to reduce debt and save money. I take pride in myself for the way I handle everything and feel I have really learned from my past mistakes. I also take pride in being able to buy something if I want it, give Gabriel everything I never had, and save money at the same time. But, I want more. Who doesn't? I want to be able to get completely out of debt within the next couple of years and have my savings account where I want it. It's good to have goals. And everyone who knows me knows I am very goal oriented. So, I think I'm going to start following some of Dave Ramsey's advice and start with his "baby steps". I'm sure I can speed through the first few, but to do it the right way I'm gonna start with number one (maybe even open up another account for this). I've got my credit report printed, a spreadsheet started for a budget, and my mind is focused. I'm excited to start this new chapter and be able to look back and see how far I've come.

Sex And The City.

2010-05-31T20:29:00.002-05:00

I finally saw Sex and the City today! No surprise here, but I absolutely loved it. I was reading some reviews where people said it had no story line. Blah, blah, blah. Not sure what movie they were watching but it totally had a story line. And, it lived true to the series. Needless to say I was not disappointed.
*Big wanting to take 2 days a week apart to do his thing and Carrie do her thing - I actually like the idea and the meaning behind it. But, 2 days a week is too much. Maybe 2 days a month or maybe even 2 days every other week. Not that I want to be away from my husband, but I see where this can be a good thing. It can help from things getting monotonous. And, I'm big on each person having their own freedom and not so dependent on the other. As I write this I am in the bedroom watching The Bachelorette while Alberto is playing Xbox in the living room. Same difference.
*Charlotte having a hard time admitting she is stressed from her kids - Another reason I love Miranda so much. She got Charlotte to open up, even if it took her getting a little tipsy. It's okay to want to lock yourself in a room and let your kid cry. It's okay to feel like you are going crazy sometimes. Us moms wouldn't be human if we didn't want to pull our hair out, scream, cry, or just need to get away. Poor Charlotte just tries too hard to be perfect.
*Samantha getting arrested for being too risque in Abu Dhabi - PRICELESS! Typical Samantha. I love how she stands true to who she is no matter what.
*The women of Abu Dhabi with the trendy clothes under their Abayas - I wonder what the percentage of women there actually do that? I definitely would.
*Big forgiving Carrie for kissing Aidan and taking the high road - After all, Carrie did let him know immediately and felt genuinely bad for doing it. She did make the mistake by "playing with fire" but she learned her lesson and did the right thing.
*Miranda - Loved seeing Miranda quit her job, see her son win the Science Fair, loosen up in Abu Dhabi, and then find an even better job where she is more appreciated. I am most like her character :)
*Favorite part of movie - Seeing Charlotte in Carrie's old apartment taking time for herself. Ironic how she thought Carrie was crazy for mentioning the 2 day thing, but she ended up doing it herself. Good for her!!
These were just highlights I wanted to remember. I love how I can and I'm sure lots of other women can relate to these characters. Big applause to the writers and actors!

Scarborough Faire.

2010-05-31T20:07:00.008-05:00

Every year we go to Scarborough Faire in Waxahachie. This year added a new element of fun to our yearly excursion because we had Ken, Joellen, Celeste, Brianna, and Cole join us. You can't go wrong with great entertainment, great food, and great company. We've been taking Gabriel since he was just about 5 years old. Its become a family tradition of sorts. As a kid there wasn't anything I did like this, so hopefully it's something that will continue and he can enjoy with his children one day. We take a picture every year of him in front of this one sign. Instead of marking a line on a wall in the house, we use this sign to gage how much he has grown each year. We are missing 2007. Not sure if maybe we didn't go that year. And 2008 is missing because we lost the camera that year :(

2005 2006 2009 2010

In A Funk.

2010-05-25T20:27:00.003-05:00

Don't know what it is, but I'm in a funk. I hate when I get like this. I have this overwhelming need for something new to happen. It seems the older I get the more I get in these moods. It's not that I'm unsatisfied with anything, it's just I need something to constantly challenge me or something to put all my attention on. For 9 months all my thoughts were focused on the wedding. That was fun because it entailed all sorts of things. I have a tendency to get bored with repetitiveness. Hobbies are good, but they all get old at some point. Guess I need to do a little here and a little there to keep it interesting. I definitely need to find a way to get over these humps. Today I wanted a new puppy then I wanted an Iphone. It went back and forth between those things all day. Alberto has to think I'm nuts. I sometimes have all these ideas in my head that I overwhelm myself and literally feel worn out. Then I get upset at myself for trying to take on too much. It's like a constant struggle. I need to find that right amount of balance. Hopefully I'll find it before I drive myself insane.

Update.

2010-05-22T18:33:00.003-05:00

Alberto bought me my "Gotta Have It" watch in my post below. I am SUPER excited! I have the sweetest hubby. Here's to my new watch addiction. Coming soon will be one with the pink band. There are so many cute ones it is so hard not to want them all.

Gotta Have It.

2010-05-21T22:34:00.003-05:00

Daydreaming.

2010-05-21T16:28:00.005-05:00

Today I had to make a long drive to Ardmore and back to pick up some product for work today. Here are just a few things that crossed my mind.

Trip to Las Vegas. Alberto had a grand idea for us book a Vegas vacation for my belated birthday present. I have always wanted to go and what better occasion to book it? In a weird way I was looking forward to turning 30 and was hoping to have a pretty cool celebration. Unfortunately Alberto's surgery came to be and instead of partying it up we were setting in the doctor's office for my birthday. Big sigh. So, all these thoughts about where to stay, what to do, what shows to see, do it over a long weekend or during the week, how much time do we have to take off work, and on and on and on.

Rihanna. I was totally jamming out to my Rihanna CD. Totally fabulous CD by the way. I was singing along picturing myself on stage entertaining the crowd and how I could absolutely do that for a living... if only I could sing. Just missing one crucial piece of the puzzle. Big sigh #2.

Little bug on my windshield. Why do the smallest creatures decide to land on your windshield when you are going 80mph? Poor little thing was holding on for dear life. They must have suction cups for feet or something. I was trying hard not to look at it because it breaks my heart when they get blown away. One of two things happen at that point. Either they die or they attach themselves to another window and continue to be completely freaked out all their life. I am so glad I'm not a bug.

Summer. School is out Tuesday. My baby is officially going to be a 5th grader. 5th grade was my favorite year of school. That is counting elementary, middle, and high school. I had great teachers, great friends, and my first real boyfriend. I think I remember more from 5th grade than any other year. I just hope Gabriel's is just as fun.

Alberto finally being all healed up.
Moving back to TX.
Getting my butt back in the gym.
Visiting Yancy in Colorado.
Visiting Charlotte and Jay in North Carolina.

Sounds like I may have a new bucket list in the making...

Oh Oklahoma.

2010-05-19T22:09:00.002-05:00

Oh Oklahoma how I loathe thee. This tornado season thing is really stressing me out. I had no idea you had this sort of craziness when I decided to move here. Yes, my job is great and I really enjoy what I do (not mention I'm fantastic at it), but come on with this weather. Worrying all day about something out of my control really puts a toll on my whole being. I hurried to pick Gabriel up from school, practically ran through Wal Mart to get batteries, more flashlights, bottled water, and snacks to stock up the safe room "closet". I sat on the couch for 5 hours watching the news only to see the tornadoes pass right by us. Poor Gabriel sat with his helmet and shoes on the whole time. All the while saying how he kept hearing you need to have on a helmet and shoes. He even went as far as to cover his body in pillows. I should have gotten a picture. My boy sure is a rule follower. Not that I am complaining a tornado didn't hit my area. My mind is just so tired. And they say it will be like this the next two days. I just know the minute I relax and underestimate the storm is when it will hit. Insert big sigh. Guess I will just continue on with my overprotective, overreacting self until the season is over. I can hear Texas calling my name right now.

Things That Make You Go Hmmmm.

2010-05-17T19:34:00.002-05:00

Just a little something to bring a smile to your face...

1. I think part of a best friend's job is to immediately clear your computer history if you die.
I sure hope my BF reads this.

2. Nothing sucks more than that moment during an argument when you realize you are wrong.
I have no idea what this is like, because I'm always right ;)

3. I totally take back all those times I didn't want to nap as a child.
Because Lord knows I can sleep it up now.

4. There is a great need for a sarcasm font.
If there was one I would get in trouble for using all the time at work :)

5. How the heck are you supposed to fold a fitted sheet?
I just roll them up!

6. Was learning cursive really necessary?
I think not!

7. Map Quest really needs to start its directions on #5. I'm pretty sure I know how to get out of my neighborhood.
That is unless I tell Joellen to take 35 South to Oklahoma!

8. Bad decisions make good stories.
And I have truly learned that lesson!

9. You never know when it will strike, but there comes a moment at work when you know that you just aren't going to do anything productive for the rest of the day.
If you say this doesn't happen to you, you are a liar!

10. I'm always slightly terrified when I exit out of WORD and it asks me if I want to save any pages to my paper that I swear I didn't make any changes to.
Does anyone know why it always does that?

11. I hate leaving my house feeling confident and looking good and then not seeing anyone of importance the entire day. What a waste.
And the one day you throw on sweats, pull up your hair, and don't put a bit of makeup on you see everyone you know!

12. I keep some people's phone #'s in my phone just so I know not to answer when they call.
There's always at least one in every bunch.

13. Sometimes I'll watch a movie that I watched when I was younger and suddenly realize I had no idea what the heck was going on when I first saw it.

14. I would rather try to carry 10 plastic grocery bags in each hand than take 2 trips to bring my groceries in.
Luckily when Gabriel is around I have him make the extra trip :)

15. How many times is it appropriate to say "What?" before you just nod and smile because you still didn't hear or understand a word they said?

16. Sometimes I'll look down at my watch 3 consecutive times and still not know what time it is.

17. What would happen if I hired two private investigators to follow each other?

18. I wish it were appropriate to say to a complete stranger "Excuse me, would you like for me to show you how to discipline your child?"
Sometimes I want to write a book on this :)

19. My GPS says "Estimated Arrival Time". I see "Time to Beat."
And I usually beat it!

20. I think the freezer deserves a light as well.

Happy 10th Birthday Gabriel.

2010-05-16T09:22:00.011-05:00

Saturday was my baby's 10th birthday. I say it every year, but I really can't believe he is 10. Double digits is a BIG deal. I wanted to do something extra special and memorable so I rented a limo to surprise him and his friends. The party started at the house at 3. We had cupcakes, played Name That Song, and had a Guitar Hero challenge. At 4 the limo was waiting outside the house. I handed out the VIP passes and lined up the kids at the door. They still had no idea what the surprise was. It was so fun to hear them all guessing and asking for clues. I had them close their eyes and walk out to the front yard. I had the camera ready on Gabriel's face to get his reaction when he saw the limo. It was PRICELESS! Him and his friends were saying how awesome and cool it was. The limo company even put a happy birthday banner and balloon in the car for Gabriel. That was a nice touch. Our first stop was Braums for ice cream. The reaction from some of the customers was just what I was hoping for. The boys loved it. They looked like they could have been a new boy band in the making. If I would have thought about that we could have said that's what they were. After ice cream we drove around downtown OKC, stopped and took some pictures, and let the kids run around a bit. We had the limo for 2 hours which was perfect. When we got home he opened his presents and the party was over. The day couldn't have been any more fantastic! I don't think Gabriel will ever forget it.

So Freakin' Cute.

2010-05-14T12:24:00.005-05:00

Look what my bestest friend and her family got me for my birthday!! Cookies by Design! It was such a sweet surprise to come home to these. It brought a huge smile to my face and I couldn't stop looking at them. The colors are so vibrant and fun. What a fantastic gift idea. Joellen, Ken, Celeste, Brianna, & Cole: You guys are the best!

They also sent Alberto and Gabriel one. They were just as excited about theirs as I was mine.

The Big 3-0.

2010-05-13T09:34:00.004-05:00

Today is my birthday! My 30th birthday to be exact. I feel good about it so far. I just wish we were all healthy enough to go out and celebrate. We will definitely be partying it up as soon as we can. I see a trip to TX in our very near future. So Joellen, Ken, Steph, Gregg, Joe, Tracy, get ready!

Maybe It's A Curse.

2010-05-12T16:15:00.004-05:00

So, guess where I ended up today? At the doctor's office for a bladder infection. Last week I felt the symptoms coming on and drank cranberry juice like it was nobody's business. I started feeling much better and went on my way. This morning I woke up with some pain and again started downing cranberry juice and water. Around 12:30 I felt like I was in labor. It came on so sudden. I was in the bedroom floor doubled over in pain crying like a baby and saying some not choice words. Alberto was sleeping on the couch (his pills knock him out). Not that he could have done anything since he is still having some trouble getting around. I tried calling my doctor's office, but they were all at lunch. They really should stagger their lunches so someone is always around. I wasn't sure what to do, but knew I needed help so I called Robin. Robin is my one and only true Oklahoma friend. Thank God for Robin. I don't know what I would do without her, especially this last week. I called her crying asking if she could come and get me. I knew there was no way at that point I could drive. She told me about the Minute Clinic at CVS and said she would come get me. After a little while longer of gulping down water and one good long pee, I felt a little better. I hopped in the car and headed to CVS. It's just right down the road. Of course, when I got their they were gone to lunch too. I wanted to scream!! Luckily the nurse came back early and was very apologetic. She had me in and out of there in 20 minutes. Less time than it would take to go to the actual doctor. She said I have an extremely bad bladder infection, one of the worst she's ever seen. I had blood in my urine, super high levels of infection, and I was dehydrated. I wonder where all that water and cranberry juice has been going? Funny to me that I would be dehydrated. Anyway, I got two prescriptions and am now feeling a bit better. I kept waiting to push out a baby the pain and cramps were so bad. Now Alberto and I can both be gimps together tonight. Never really thought much about believing in curses, but I'm beginning to think someone put one on us.

Surgeries & Tornadoes Galore.

2010-05-11T16:18:00.009-05:00

The past few days have been interesting to say the least. Sunday night around 10:30 Alberto jumps out of bed and yells from the bathroom that I need to take him to the ER. For a second I thought it was a joke until I saw the seriousness in his face. One of his previous injuries from the Army flared up and caused some internal bleeding. It all happened so fast, no warning at all. Monday afternoon he had surgery. He had a bit of a complication last night and is doing as well as could be expected. While he was in recovery some pretty serious weather started happening. Luckily we were in the room that had the only TV so I was able to know what was happening. 39 tornadoes hit Oklahoma and two came way too close for comfort to where we were. Gabriel was at a friends house and was in an underground shelter thank goodness. And the recovery area at the hospital is pretty much underground too, so it was nice to know we were all as safe as we could be. When we got home the only damage to our house were the backyard fences. They are completely torn down. In my friends neighborhood they had hail the size of grapefruits if not bigger and got some holes in their roof. See picture below. It is INSANE!!! Oh, the joys of living in Oklahoma.

Also, today one of our great friends and one of the best guys I know had a very big deal surgery. We just got off the phone with him and everything went well. He sounds good and seems to be in good spirits. We love him very much and hopefully soon we will be able to take a trip up to see him.

2010-05-09T10:17:00.006-05:00

Dear Gabriel,

Today is Mother's Day, but to me it is our day. You are the reason I get to celebrate this day and to me it is just as much yours as it is mine.

Because of you I have learned what unconditional love truly means. Being your mommy is the most wonderful, fulfilling, amazing job and without you I wouldn't have the pleasure of experiencing it. From the first time I held you in my arms I vowed to never let you down and to be there for you no matter what. I promised to always put you first, love you whole heartedly, and fill your life with joy and happiness just like I knew you would mine. No matter what, being your mommy is my first priority. Your big hugs, sweet kisses, and your little voice telling me you love me and I'm the "best mommy in the whole world" is the best gift I could ever receive. You have given me so much joy, strength, patience, and a heart overfilling with love and I will be forever blessed because I am your mommy.

My Love Always,
Mommy

Taking It Back Old School.

2010-05-08T18:56:00.005-05:00

It's really strange that one of my favorite past times as a child is now one of my son's favorite things to do... hanging out at the skating rink on Friday/Saturday nights. I vividly remember the many many hours spent at the Cleburne skating rink. No worries, no parents, only my friends and the music. Joellen (my most amazing bestest friend in the whole wide world) and I both have so many memories and I am so lucky to have them to share with her. It was so much fun skating around flirting with the boys, buying No Doz from the snack bar, and mixing "suicides" at the drink bar. Not to mention the many lock ins there and getting my first hickey from a boy during one of the movies played on the huge projector screen on the rink floor. Not proud of this but kids will be kids. Crazy times!

Now, my sweet, innocent, lovable little man is hanging out there with his friends. It is a lot different these days though. Fortunately there are no longer lock ins, the crowd is a lot younger, and there are lots of adult employees and parents hanging around. Not to mention, the owner is very aware of what goes on. He pays close attention to who comes and goes and what kids belong to what parents. The front door is always locked and cannot be opened without him doing it. I am all for kids having their freedom and being "kids" but I am thankful that there are safer precautions these days. Of course there are still the girls there asking the boys to couple skate, wanting to be girlfriend/boyfriend, lots of talk of who is cute and who isn't, but it's all very light and fun and innocent.

I was standing there last night looking for my son and his friends to round them up to head home and I couldn't help but laugh out loud when I saw two cute girls skate by. One was a tall blonde and the other a shorter brunette. They say history repeats itself and those two girls were definitely Joellen and I reincarnated. Thinking about it again brings a tear to my eye. Good times!

A Big Decision.

2010-05-07T09:22:00.004-05:00

I asked Alberto a few days after we were married if we were going to try for a baby. It's something we have talked about before but not really seriously or in depth. I was happy to find out that all the reasons I was apprehensive about having a baby were his also. Gabriel will be 10 in a few days. He is at the age where we can take him anywhere with us and not have to worry about things you do with a baby. Also, we didn't want him to end up taking care of the baby instead of being a kid and enjoying being a big brother. Having a baby would mean we would have to start all over. We love our freedom and the fact that in a second we can jump up and go. Another serious consideration is my health. Having MS is no joke. They say you feel better than you ever have being pregnant but the chances of having a large relapse shortly after birth is about 50% certain. And because no one knows the real cause of MS and if it's hereditary it's a hard decision.

So, with all this said and most of our decisions being based on selfishness we have decided to see what happens. I will be making an appointment soon to talk to my neuro. If everything is in the clear we hopefully will be adding a little addition to our family. Of course, we will talk to Gabriel also and make him a big part of this. He is, after all, just as big a part of this decision as we are. I know Alberto will be the most loving, hands on daddy. He has been that way with Gabriel since day one. Although he considers Gabriel his own, he really deserves to have a child from his own blood. I am excited to be moving on to another adventure in our lives and hopefully be welcoming a beautiful little baby to our family soon. This is such a huge moment for us and we couldn't be happier. Pinch me, because I feel like I'm dreaming.

Things Do Change.

2010-05-06T10:43:00.001-05:00

Before Alberto and I got married we talked about things changing. We both agreed that chances were nothing would change since we had been together going on 6 years. Well, guess what? Things definitely do change. Not only do I feel closer to Alberto, but somehow I feel I love him more.

*I feel this sense of peace and overwhelming love.*

It's nothing I have ever experienced before. I had a wall up protecting myself from pain and my heart from loving fully. All that is gone and it feels so freeing. Here's to being completely and wholeheartedly in love and to Alberto for being the most amazing man I have ever known and to the next chapter in our lives!

The best thing to hold onto in life is each other!