LiFe {unscripted}

Drivin' slow on Sunday morning....

Okay, so Sunday night, but who's checking anyway.  I like that song by Maroon 5.  For some reason I have had it in my head today.  It's kinda how I feel today.  I am driving slow.  Taking it easy.  Being damn lazy, truthfully. 

Last week seems like a blur.  Mom and I began working on re-doing the bathrooms on Wednesday.  Can I just say one thing.  I despise wall paper.  Hate it actually.  The top layer came off magically.  It's the old old stuff from the 1970's that was a total bitch to work with.  What we thought was gonna be a fun and easy to tear it off, slap paint on the walls, and re-paint the trim has turned into a long process.  Not so fun and easy, but it WILL get done this week.  And it's gonna look great - it has to. 

I really haven't been very good at keeping up this blog.  I do enjoy it.  I soooo enjoy reading everyone's comments.  I love being caught up, but for some reason, I just haven't been very faithful at doing it lately.  I think it may be the lazy summer days that I have been wanting.  Although now that they are here, I am ready for school to start.  Totally ready for things to get on with itself, ya know?!   I wanna be done with my teaching certificate - I wanna start teaching.  Have a real job.  Does that exist?  Who knows, but I am ready for things to get moving.  And for me, that begins with this Fall semester.  Three weeks, I think.  And if they are anything like last week, they will fly by and I will be wishing for Christmas to be here. :0)

Tomorrow is the first, and that means a new newsletter for Scrapsupply!  I got a sneak peak tonight, and it looks awesome - if I may say so.  Wendy always does a wonderful job putting our stuff together.  If you have never visited SS before, come by and say hi.  There is TONS of new stuff from CHA rolling in. 

I guess this is it for now.  Not a whole lot.  I hope to get photos of the new bathrooms  - meaning they HAVE to get done!  ha.  When it is, I will post.  I chose the color combos.  I hope it looks as great as it does in my head! 

Have a great week!

It's me again.

Doing the daily jig.  Getting things done.  Going to work.  Listening to office chatter.  The daily life.  Not a whole lot to say today.  Can ya tell?  I am working on getting some DT stuff done for the month...layouts and such.  Getting to use some GREAT products.  I am so sad that I missed CHA.  Not so much the products - for I will have most of those in good time - but the friends.  That's what I feel like I missed out on.  I am totally diggin' all the fun photos and new "meeting you" LO's.  I can only hope that one day soon, I will have my own "meeting you" photos and LO's.  January fer sure!

Also, can it be any hotter?  Brownwood seems to be in a hole where it won't rain.  We have had dark clouds, thunder even - but no rain.  Barely just sprinkles for a minute.  I want it to pour.  Break the heat.  I guess it might cause more humidity, but it'salright - I have a new straightener that keeps my hair awesome in all types of weather.  It's a Revlon straightener.  I found it on that site, but you can buy it at Wal-Mart for under $20 and works damn good.  So bring on the rain & humidity.  I am ready for it.  Either way it's hotter than hell and I can't wait for fall. 

In other news.  Okay, lets face it - I have no other news.  I will stop now.  Even I am bored with this post.  Word to ya motha.

Update on Me.

Like it's a huge deal or something.  Ha.  No, not much going on here since we got back like a week ago from MO.  Has it really almost been 2 weeks?  Wow.  I was a little ill last Friday.  Took the day off.  And the weekend was good.  Fun.  Too much fun actually.  The kind that left us laying around the house on Sunday.  Just relaxing - re-cooping. 

And then the week began and I just haven't made much time to sit down at the computer.  I just noticed that my Autumn Leaves calendar has not been changed since the 13th.  That shows you how long it has been since I have sat here for longer than a few min. to check my email. 

Tonight we are headed over to my grandparents house for our Wednesday night dinner.  Yum.  Suddenly I am real hungry! 

Just one deep thought question.  Why is it that when someone is really into a hobby/sport that they automatically "know" that it is the best thing ever, and try to push it off on you?  Take cycling for instance.  Okay, that's the case.  I run everyday.  Get my cardio that way.  Do I really need to buy a $600 bike, $40 padded bike shorts, gloves, clicker shoes and peddles, and a helmet - just to cycle?  So far, I have been doing good with old ratty but comfy shorts and t-shirt, a good sports bra, and my Saucony running shoes.  All well under $100.  And I get a good 45 min. run in.  That's that.  But for some reason, lately I have been getting pressured to get into cycling.  Apparently, I am not doing enough just running.  Or so "they" say.  Sure, I would love to bike-ride for fun with Adam.  But I think a cheap bike from Wal-mart might be enough for me.  Cause if I ever did it, I would just want to do it for recreation.  But what's up with the pressure?!  I don't pressure friends of mine to "start running" or "start scrapbooking" by saying that it's the best out there and there's nothing better than that.  That's just not cool, in my opinion.  So that's my rant/question for today.  Something that has had me thinking in the past few days.  But I know one thing. I'm sticking to running.  I love my $50 Saucony's.  Those are the only equipment I need for now. 

And so there you go.  Not anything extremely exciting happening here in Brown-town.  Nope, just everyday life happening day after day.  All is good, and everyone is happy.

Oh, and one extra:  I did get a chance to chat with my DT buddies from Scrapsupply.com.  Those girls are so fun.  The hours just fly by when we are talking.  It is so much fun.  I love you girls.  Thanks for the scoopage and the sharing of lots of funny stories. 

Life is good...just thought I'd let you know. 

So over it.

Ha.  At least I am trying to be "so over it."  The sting of the late-mail is starting to wear off.  I didn't let it put a cloud over the rest of my day.  I just tried to fa-getaboutit.  I am sort of looking forward to the planning, anyhow.  Okay, more so than say a few months ago.  Martha Stewart Wedding mag's no longer scare me, or give me panic-attack dreams at night.  I am really loving them, actually.  There actually are some good ideas in there - I just have to breath and remember that I don't necessarily have to use every idea that I see.  I am going to start writing down the really good ones to keep track of - in a notebook.  Preferably a large one.  Yes, now that I know there is absolutely no chance of a TODAY show wedding, I can begin planning.  For real.  I have to smile to myself about that.  Sort of tongue and cheek.  Sort of not. 

So like I said, I wanted to post some really cute photos of Adam and his sister, Madison.  She is a doll.  I have been blessed to have seen her grow over the past few years.  This trip she really cracked me up.  She is growing up.  She is evolving into her own person - with her own thoughts and quirky comebacks.  Love that.  These photos really remind me of being nine years old during the summer.  Hair that is fresh from the swimming pool.  A sunburned button nose.  Cheeks that have been freckled more by the sun. Beautiful blue eyes. And a smile that reminds me so much of her brother.  Darling.  Just darling.                           

So there you go.  These photos make me happy.  I am so over the previous post content.   

P.S.  Our weddding is set for Oct. 2006.  Plenty of time to plan...right?!

Bummed.

As I posted a few days ago, Adam and I applied for the NBC Today Show wedding give-away.  To apply, we had to make a 2 min. video, fill out a forever LONG application, and mail it all to them by July 5th.  Well, it didn't make it.  When I got home for lunch, I was met by the mail man, who had a returned package for me.  Bummer.  Someone wrote on the top, "Refused b/c rec'd 7/6/05."  Suckage.  Not that I really was thinking that we might have a chance, but still.  To know that they didn't even look at it cause it was late.  USPS said that it would definitely make it there by the 5th.  They were wrong. 

Oh well.  I guess I am just kinda down about it.  But I don't wanna make a big deal over it.  It just sucks - ya know?!  At least I will get to use all the ideas that I have been collecting from my Martha Stewart Wedding magazines.  ha.  The gooozillion ideas, that is. 

And now, I must head back to work.  I hope to be back later with a more bright and cheer-y post.  I got some really *cute* photos of Adam and his little sister, Madison.  I hope to post those tonight. 

end of the week.

It's the end of the week, and beginning of the weekend.  Usually I would be happy that it's Friday, but that means that our week-long visit/va-cay get-away is almost over.  Ugh, the week went by fast. 

Today I ran outside - waited too late in the morning and almost passed out from the heat.  I also got blacker ( I tan soo dang easily).  My left ear phone on my Mp3 player is also out.  Realized that last night.  Kinda sucks listening to music in only one ear.  Gotta get new ones soon!

Adam's Nana came over and cooked steaks for lunch.  YUM with all caps.  My tummy is soo full and guess where we are fixin' to go.  Yup, I say "fixin" - if you are wondering. The pool.  We are taking Madi to the pool.  In a bikini, mind you.  My gut is gonna be hangin over for sure.  Oh well, I don't know these people and they don't know me.  Who cares, right?!  Ha.  I care.  So self-conscious.  Maybe a big beach towel will do the trick.  :0)

And tonight we are heading back to KC to have dinner with our friends, Matt and Angie.  We always love going down to the Plaza for dinner.  So many nice restaurants and shops.  I will probably wear my new $9.99 dress from the Gap.  I painted my toenails bright red for the occasion last night.  Here's my crusty feet with pretty toenails!  Rach: dont' laugh. 

In other news...last night Adam became a Master Mason of the Masonic Lodge.  I am so proud of him.  He really wanted to become one.  Last night was the third and final phase.  I still don't know much about it, but I know that his late-grandpa was one, and his dad is one - and now he is too.  Here is a photo of him before - all dressed up - LOVE that shirt on him.  And another with him and his dad.  I rarely ever get any photos of him with is parents.  Note to self: take some before we leave.

Have a great end of the week and beginning of the weekend!

Too fast.

This week has gone by way too fast.  Is it already Thursday?!  Dang (said in my Joe Dirt way)!  We have been busy this week.  Family-gatherings, fireworks, friends, and late nights.  I have 2 things to say.

1.  Is it just me, or do these Missouri people LOVE fireworks more than people in Texas?  We saw sooo many this week.  And it's not just the big shows that we saw in the parks.  This guy, here in Adam's home town, puts on his own spectacular show.  We are talking commercial-size fireworks.  The kind that you pay BIG BUCKS to do.  Of course, Tom (Adam's dad), is his friend.  So we went out early to see the whole "set-up."  And then went back to see the show.  It was awesome.  But besides the shows, there's the stands that are on every street corner. Adam's eyes just get glazed over.  He's in heaven.  He LOVES fireworks.  Bottle rockets, sparklers, fountain thingy's.  You name it - he is gonna buy it.  I know people in TX enjoy a fireworks show, but to me, it's nuthin like it is here in MO. 

2.  The Great Outdoors.  Summer time equals time spent outside.  Well, this week I have confirmed my not-so-great love for the outdoors.  Call me a city girl, call me high-maintenance, the outdoors are just not for me.  Don't get me wrong, I love fresh air, the smell of fresh-cut grass, or spring rain, but MAN, it's the bugs, the humidity, the heat, the sticky feeling on your skin, the bugs - did I mention the bugs? Those are the things that spoil the outdoors for me.  As I told Adam, once you get pit-stains and bug bites, it's time to go inside.  I think he has heard just about enough of my complaints in the past few days.  But like I told him: It's not like I have pretended to like the outdoors.  He has known from the very beginning that I am a home-body.  Heck, I will say it again.  I am high-maintenance.  Sure I love running outside or doing cardio-stuff outdoors, but then I am done.  Done sweating, done feeling sticky, done looking like crap.  After I shower and dress, I wanna stay that way.

My 2 soapbox theories for the day.  Now I will climb down...

Yesterday, Adam took me shopping in Kansas City.  We went to the new outdoor mall (these outdoors I can handle :0), Zona Rosa.  If you are in KC, I would recommend going there.  They have great stores and restaurants.  All of it is like it's own little city.  We found some really cute clothes.  I got a dress at the Gap that was originally $68 bucks - and I only paid $9.99 for it!  I am a closet bargain hunter.  LOVE me some great bargains.  Rach, I cannot wait to show you the very cute knee-length spring jacket that I found at Express.  I took it up to the counter, and it was even more on sale than the tag indicated.  I won't brag again about how much I saved, but I will say that it was a total steal.  Anyway, we found some really great deals.   

And I will leave you with some photos that I had developed at Wal-Mart.com that we picked up on our way to the city.  These are just a few that I took practicing with WB of Wormus and a Gerber daisy.  I cannot wait to scrap these.  I miss my scrap stuff.

   

Independence Day

Happy 4th to all of you bloggers who are spending the day inside on the 'puter! 

Coming to you from Trenton, MO.  It's 9-thirtyish and raining cats and dogs out.  It should clear up before too long.  Hopefully it does so I can go running.  All that holiday food is starting to get to me. 

I don't have all that much to say today except that I hope everyone is having a great safe holiday - enjoying the fact that you get a break from school/work/any other duty today.

We enjoyed the fireworks on lake Viking Saturday night after we drove in.  I think I got some decent photos of them.  I tried, at least.  It was a great show.  We made a memory by having to be towed in with the help of a fellow-boater.  For some reason, a spark plug or something was not plugged in - but we could not tell by the light of a cell phone!  ha.  It's fixed now, but man, it was funny at the time!

UPDATE:  I didn't finish my post earlier.  Now, it is about 4 p.m. and we are resting for the afternoon.  I got to go running - in the rain.  Okay, it was just sprinkling, but I still got wet.  I kinda enjoyed the coolness of it.  It would have been hella muggy if it wasn't raining.  Kinda like it is outside, now.  Muggy and hot. 

And that's about it for the day.  I uploaded my pics and am gonna try to share. Let's see if this works.

I call this one: "On the Road Again."  The console of Adam's truck during the 12 hour drive to MO.  Corn chips - chili cheese, of course.  A map - trying to avoid the holiday traffic and take backroads.  A cell phone - in case of emergencies, and the calls from family and friends to see how far along we were.  Mamba candy - I had a sweet tooth.  My socks - yuck, but my feet got sweaty.  Icebreaker orange mints - for stale road-breath. 

"Sunset"  The gorgeous sun-set over the water at Lake Viking, where we watched the fireworks.

  And the fireworks shots.  No name for these.  Just fireworks.  I tried, like I said.  Sorry for the messy placement on the screen.  I am still trying to learn how to line them up.

That's that for the 4th from me.  Off to relax and watch the last part of Oprah!  I love va-cay.