Life lately...

Because I have been a HORRIBLE blogger lately (due to a MAJOR funk), I stole this format from my blogger friend and will use it to try to bring this thing up-to-date! I really need to get back to this blogging thing soon...

cooking : It is in the 50's this weekend, so there will be a big pot of chili happening tomorrow.
drinking : Lots and lots of water. Ever since my hubs and I starting using myfitnesspal several weeks ago, my water intake has skyrocketed. Like from zero to 8-10 cups per day.
reading : The Carrot Principle. About employee motivation/recognition. Exciting, right? Trying to pass the time at my new job since they've had absolutely nothing for me to do for the last 4 weeks. I MUST be bored because I am NOT a reader. At all.
wanting : Something to turn around at this new job - or for a miracle to happen so I can find another one quickly!
looking : Concert tickets. Christmas presents. Some crazy movie my hubs is watching right now.
playing : I have been playing the new Adele song alot. It was even in my dreams last night and instantly came to mind each time I woke up in the middle of the night.
wasting : Time in this funk... But I can't seem to shake it...
wishing : I had some discernment about what to do, which direction to turn and what God's plan is for me. I am so "lost" at the moment.
enjoying : My weekends. At least I know, for 2 days per week, I don't have to endure the new place that is my job.
waiting : For my dinner. I am hungry! It's in the oven and I smell it... It's just not ready yet :(
liking : That our condo is clean. Weird how a clean home can help your mood. Maybe it's just me!
grateful: My husband. Our health. My sweet friends who text and check in with me.
loving : That we'll be going to see Wicked in just 2 short weeks! I am SO excited to finally see this show... Hopefully it lives up to the hype!
missing: The beach
smelling : Dinner. Hey honey, when is it going to be finished!?
wearing : PJs
noticing : That it's getting darker so much earlier - which makes it seem later than it is.
thinking : My brain is fried. It's amazing how the brain turns to mush when it isn't productive or active like it wants to be
making: Thanksgiving plans and creating a delicious menu
feeling : Sad. Frustrated. Out-of-sorts.

I officially gave my notice!

A couple of weeks ago, I officially turned in my resignation notice. My boss was sad to lose me, but happy that I had found an opportunity elsewhere that will allow me to grow my career. Although I'd hoped to be able to transition to HR in my current company, the director made it pretty clear that he wanted no part of hiring me. So, after an exhaustive job search, I think I've found the right position. At least I hope so...

Initially, I will not be working in HR, as I hoped. This is a little deflating because that is what I went back to school to accomplish. However, from all accounts of the people I interviewed with, there is tremendous opportunity for professional development and growth within this new organization. I will be sad to leave a few people behind at my current job, but I am hopeful that this leap of faith will be prosperous and amazing.

The last couple of weeks has been stressful, to say the least. Between training and documenting processes of my current job and chasing down documentation to complete the background check for my new job, I am going cray cray. I just pray the next couple of weeks will settle down and let me soak everything in as I close one career chapter and open a brand new one.

Friday letter

In order to get out of my blogging slump and update this thing on what life has been like lately, I thought a Friday letter just might do the trick!

one
OUR AIR CONDITIONER IS FIXED!!!! Halleluyahhhhhh! It was a long and winding battle with the home warranty company to get this done - but now, we have a brand new unit and it is making our condo as cool as a cucumber. I am so relieved that, hopefully, the constant problems with our AC are a thing of the past!

two
I am back in contact with my mother. After she created a fake Facebook profile and reached out, I, for reasons unbeknownst to me, obliged and am trying my best to bury the hatchet. Because she is claiming to suffer from memory loss, it is really frustrating to try and resolve our issues when she selectively remembers some things and conveniently forgets all the bad things she's said and done. I've even seen her a couple of times. It. Was. Weird. I don't know where the heck this is going, but I'm doing my best to, once again, be the bigger person.

three
After an off and on job search, a boatload of interviews and a few missed opportunities, I think a new job just might be on the horizon. I went through three rounds of phone interviews for the most recent company and, as of yesterday, there is a verbal offer on the table. I am trying to negotiate the salary a bit, but everything else sounds great. After discussing it in depth with my husband, I am leaning toward accepting regardless of salary negotiation success, but more to come on this exciting opportunity!

four 
My husband had a successful interview a couple of weeks ago. He followed up yesterday and should be hearing about a 2nd round of interviews sometime next week. I am praying hard that this might be the one for him! Also, he has been busting a hump with his school work and getting As out the wazoo! I am SO proud of him :)

five
The hubs and I started logging our food with My Fitness Pal this week. It is amazing to realize how much sugar/sodium/fat/carbs are in food, particularly when it comes to eating out. Although we are not enjoying having to calorie count or watch every single thing we put in our mouths, it is holding us accountable and hopefully helping us work toward a healthier lifestyle.

six
It is a 3-day holiday weekend and I am so ready! Can't wait to drink wine, sleep and catch up on some major cleaning!

The Last...

I was just catching up on my blog reads and came across a cute mini-quiz. I thought it'd be fun to keep the blogging train moving without having to get too deep. It's Friday, I'm tired and, well, I just don't feel like rehashing all the emotions of yesterday. That will have to be for another day.

So - here it goes!

The Last...

Thing I ate: A cherry candy stick from Cracker Barrel. I got them yesterday on a late lunch with my hubby!

Thing I watched: It was probably a murder mystery show on ID channel. Although I was pretty deliriously tired last night, so I can't really remember!

Account I followed on Twitter: Sorry, I don't "tweet"!

Blog I visited: Life Unscripted (Shout out to my homegirl, Beandip!)

Activity I did: Is texting an activity? If not, and aside from work, probably playing "Cookie Jam"

Song I listened to: One and Only by Adele

Time I swore: Like 10 minutes ago... Pretty much all !@#@!@# day.

Product I used: Hand sanitizer. It's pink grapefruit, so it smells pretty good!

Book I read: I keep saying I am going to try to get into reading, but it hasn't happened yet.

Thing that frustrated me: My coworker. She's told the same flippin' story 32 times today... And being that she is so @#$#@^%$ loud, I've heard it every single time --- through my wall and closed door. Le sigh!

Time my husband shocked me: Yesterday, I think. He keeps me on my toes. I just never know what he is going to say or do -- but he keeps life interesting for sure :)

Happy Friday! Excited to celebrate my gal pal's birthday and then some R&R this weekend!

Wordless Wednesday!

Tired... And it's only Tuesday!

I feel like life has been a jumbled mess over the last few weeks. Perhaps, it's just because it has been so darn heat. Heat goes to my brain and turns it to complete mush! BUT, alas, our A/C is fixed for now and things are hopefully getting back to normal.

<pause>

Normal. Pshhh... You see how long that lasted! This week is craziness with stuff going on almost every night. That is SO unlike me. I like my quiet evenings chilling at home with my hubby. But, I like catching up with friends too (some more than others!) I just hate that they all fell on the same darn week! Dinner with a couple of friends tonight, bowling league tomorrow, celebrating Beandip's birthday on Fri night and then lunch with another group of girls on Sat. Makes me tired just thinking of all those places to be!

Another curveball to my week will be a Thursday afternoon visit to see my mother. She sent me a FB message a few weeks ago, from a fake profile, and when I responded, I let her know that she should either contact me as herself or not at all. A week or so passed and then I received another message on Saturday. For once, it seemed she heard me because this message was from her actual account. While I do not believe all of the health issues and memory loss she claims to have, I do think it's time to make peace about the situation, whatever that entails. Regardless of my head saying "What-ever!" and my heart saying "She's hurt me, why bother!?", there is something inside pushing me to just go. She may think it's all about her, but really, a big part of my compliance is for me. If, and that's a big IF, she is in bad health, there are some things that I need to say before something happens to her. With so many things left open, broken and unsaid with my father, I do not want the same thing to happen with my mother. So, reluctantly and fearfully, I will go. I only hope I do not leave the visit in worse condition that when I started.

Lord, it's hot... again...

I feel like I've written this post before... more than once... But the A/C in our condo is broken again. After a fun girls' night, my husband warned me that it was not working properly. I headed home and after toying with it for a bit, it was no use. I promptly called the warranty company the next morning, but wasn't confident in my chances of seeing a repairman before Monday.

I was surprised. The repairman came by Sun afternoon, but I can't say he delivered the best news. After identifying several issues, we talked about the options of what we could do - both to fix the current problem and to not have to go through this every single time it gets hot. He left without fixing anything or resolving the issue. 

On Monday, I called the warranty company to find out if replacement was even an option. By this time, the thing is broken - so the thought of even trying to sell and escape the blasted thing is no longer an option. As it turns out, the cost to totally replace the unit was in the thousands, even with the warranty company covering a big chunk. After much back and forth with the contractor, the warranty company and me, the final verdict is to replace the evaporator/coils. Even that is still almost $500 out of pocket, but it's worth the money if this nightmare HVAC can be fixed once and for all! 

The contractor feels confident this will fix our problem and we will not need to make follow-up calls in the foreseeable future. I cannot say I am convinced though I am hopeful that the days of 90 degrees in our condo are numbered. I am hoping for the best... Lord knows, I HATE to be HOT!! Just ask my poor husband! 

Girl's Night... And Magic Mike!

After a couple of plan changes and reschedules, Friday was finally girl's night. It was girl's night with one mission: Magic Mike! While I saw the first movie at the theater with a different group of girls, I knew this one was going to be even more fun. My hope was that the movie creators figured out where they went wrong in the first one (too much plot, not enough dancing) and the sequel would be bangin'.

We met at O'Charleys for a drink and some dinner before heading to the show. Oh... and the Walgreens to stock up on movie theater candy! (Right... because who wants to spend $5/box at the theater when they are 3 for $3 at the Walgreens!? Holla!!!)

We stocked up on Sno-Caps, Swedish Fish, Sour Patch Kids and a few others. Sadly, we hardly ate any of it because we were A.) full from dinner and B.) WAY too engrossed in dancing men in the movie! 

So - back to the movie! It was much better than the first one... SO much better... First, there was no greasy Matthew McConaughey (as much as I typically like him, he was so gross in that 1st movie). Then, there was chocolate. Oh lordy, was there chocolate! You KNOW I love some chocolate men and I definitely got my fix! AND, #3, chunky girls were in the spotlight too. Typically in stripper dancer movies, or even real life shows like that, skinny hot chicks get all the attention while the plus sized girls are off in a corner alone, drowning in their beverages. Nu-uh, not this time :)

It was a fun night. Lots of laughing, naughty comments and girl fun. Hmmm... wonder if they'd be game to go see it a second time!? 

Sudden loss triggers thoughts...

After a weekend filled with food, friends and games, we woke up Sunday morning to a text from my mother in law. My husband's uncle passed away suddenly that morning. While he had a scare several months back with a mild heart attack, this was unexpected. Apparently, he passed from double pneumonia. We aren't sure yet if he had been battling with it or if it just overtook him all at once. Either way, the world lost a great man and heaven gained a sweet soul.

Buddy, although quiet, could fill the room with his spirit. He was kind. He was a jokester. And he was the first one to help out his family or friend. My husband said he'd been right there numerous times when his mom needed help. In fact, this past winter, her car battery died and I remember her distinctively saying, "I'm alright. Buddy came over, took me to get a battery and is putting it in now". That's just the kind of person he was... and there will be a big void because he has passed.

I feel for his children. He leaves behind a son and daughter. His son just graduated from college a few months ago. His daughter... well, she just turned 21 last week... on Father's Day... Although Buddy was lucky enough to be here and celebrate many occasions with them, there is still so much he will miss out on. Losing a parent is never easy... but it is even worse when it is sudden and unexpected. So many things left unsaid and no more time to spend with the one you love.

I cannot help but think about his wife. Married over 30 years. Losing him must be like losing her left arm. How in the world will life ever be the same? Once you find your soulmate in this life, it is hard to fathom living a day without them. One day, they're here with you, eating breakfast, grocery shopping, watching a movie with you... and the next day, they're just... gone...

It just terrifies me to think about losing my boo... sudden or expected... because he is my world. With him, my world makes sense. Without him, there is no longer a reason to get up each day or take on the world's battles. I am grateful for each moment we have together, but when things like this happen, it brings my fear of losing him to the forefront. Some days, the fear is almost paralyzing and overwhelms my heart with sadness.

For now, I just have to pray. Pray for my husband's family, especially Buddy's wife and kids. Pray for my husband and me... that our journey will continue and end so tragically or so soon.

Life is short. Hold onto the people you love. You may not get another chance.

A long talk about marriage...

My husband and I had a pretty long talk last night. I am not sure what it started it really. Perhaps it was some of the things we'd each read separately over the past few weeks related to relationships and marriage. It is eyeopening to see what other people think of relationships and, perhaps, even what they perceive ours to be (not that we really care).

The first topic: A Facebook post I read last week that said, "If a couple doesn't fight, they have too many secrets". I immediately thought of us. We rarrrrrely fight. We bicker sometimes, but even that doesn't happen very often. Does that mean we have too many secrets? Then, my brain couldn't transmit the words to my mouth fast enough... HELL NO! My husband and I don't fight because we make a conscious choice not to. Each of us had prior relationships centered on distrust, arguing and drama, so we have no desire to make that the focus of our marriage. Life is too short to bicker and fight all the time. Besides that, we love each other enough to talk things out, even when we don't agree on a particular thing. As my husband says, you can be "right" or you can be happy. It means more to us to be happy together than it does to be right about something trivial. As for secrets, they are harmful to any relationship, especially a marriage. To assume that we have too many simply because we don't fight is... well, ignorant... 

The second topic: My husband was reading a social media site yesterday which offered up the question of whether or not a spouse should be given a second chance if they are caught cheating. My initial instinct was HELL NO! But, if I think about my husband specifically, I don't know that I can definitively say that I would not work through something like that. That would greatly depend on my level of devastation and if I could move past it enough to give him a second chance. Hypothetically speaking, I just cannot say. Because my husband and I have been watching Marriage Boot Camp lately, we began talking about Hank & Kendra from the show. While Hank is accused of cheating while Kendra was pregnant, my husband and I agree that several other things factored into the infidelity and issues in their marriage. Hank doesn't necessarily have a realistic view of himself or his relationship. If he cannot change his perspective and begin to see things through a new lens, there is a high probability that he could cheat again. On the other hand, Kendra does not listen. A wife who does not listen to her husband or even take a personal interest in him is bound to cause issues in the marriage. Although none of this justifies the infidelity, it does show how a breakdown in communication can cause even bigger problems down the road, if not rectified.

The third topic: How can we, as a married couple, protect our relationship and prevent outside forces from jeopardizing what we have? We have witnessed many marriages, even long-term ones, go up in flames after 10, 15, 20 years. Were their relationships just different from ours? Did they not love each other enough to work through their differences? I just think back to my wedding day and the love I felt in my heart. If every bride and groom feels that way, how can it be lost so easily? That's not to say that mismatches and bad marriages don't occur. They totally do... and the couples are better when they eventually end the marriage... But generally speaking, if a couple's biggest problem is communication, quality time or splitting household or kid duties, they should be able to work through those things and keep the relationship strong. Just sayin'! 

Finally, today on Facebook, I read the following post: 

Don't compare your marriage or your spouse with someone else’s. Every marriage and every spouse is uniquely created by God to be different. Give your marriage and your spouse the freedom to be all that God intended them to be. 

I guess that is the answer. We should not compare our marriages to others just as they should not compare theirs to ours. While some couples may need to battle it out for supremacy, we choose a more peaceful, loving approach most of the time. While some couples may feel the need to be right, we just want to be happy. Our marriage is unique and different. It is ours. We make our own rules and, after eight years together and three of it married, we must be doing something right :) 

To jump or not to jump... that is the question!

On Thursday, I received a verbal job offer. On Friday, I received the official written offer. But as excited as I was after my interview the previous week, the offer did not quite meet the initial hype. The tidbit that made me put on the brakes was the fact that the company does not cover for spouses under their insurance plans. While this may not be a factor for most, for me, it was close to a dealbreaker. After a more depth look at the benefit packet, I discovered the company offers a wide range of benefits, even including pet insurance... so it absolutely baffles me why they do not offer some type of coverage for spouses. I mean, not every single family has the luxury of both people working full time. What's more, COBRA benefits or resorting to Obamacare government benefits are just not appealing to me. I have a job right now where I can get health benefits for both of us, so why would I jump ship to a place where I can get great benefits for me but not my husband?

After a few days of stewing on the offer, some other issues/red flags have emerged. The company totally low-balled me on salary, despite having twice the number of years experience required for the job AND a Master's degree. While the base salary is about $10,000 more each year that what I currently make, what am I losing or sacrificing for those extra monies? I am waiting for clarification on several items, but the offer had no mention of PTO or 401(k) match. Also, it appears I would be paying for disability benefits myself whereas, now, my current employer covers that for me. As much as I thought this position was going to be the right one for me, more and more, I am feeling that it is totally not.

They want me to start on July 6th. They're already burning up my email box requesting that I complete onboarding tasks and such. To me, this is overzealous on their part considering I have not accepted the offer.

I want a new job. I want to grow in my career. And I want to make more money. These are not huge developments. But I have to remember that I DO have a job that pays the bills and I do not have to make a move until I am certain the job is right for me. It would be foolish to jump into this job when my gut is telling me to stay put and wait on something better. I'm not sure how long it will be, but I know that God will bless me. Perhaps, it is my husband's turn to shine and enjoy a blessing. Mine can come later if it means awesome things for him. In the end, it is about taking care of our family and making a better life for us. Any job that does not understand or provide those things is not the right one for me.

Husbands say the funniest things!

I totally copied this quiz from another blogger, but I thought it'd be fun to pick my husband's brain. 1. Because I never know what is going to come out of his mouth. And #2, most of the stuff he says is friggin HILARIOUS (at least to me!)

Q: What is something your wife always says to you? 

A: I love you a lot, That's right! (That's right!)

Q: What makes your wife happy? 

A: When her hubby is being silly (My boo is SO silly!!)

Q: What makes your wife sad? 

A: Thinking about her dad or grandma (And my mother and her crazy, dysfunctional a$$)

Q: How does your wife make you laugh? 

A: Acting silly or like she's a G (I am a G... I thought you knew!)

Q: What was your wife like as a child? 

A: Smart, cute as a button, and an adult... due to her environment (Awww...)

Q: How old is your wife? 

A: 35 (I feel older some days)

Q: How tall is your wife? 

A: She says that she is 5'4 but I believe that she is 5'2 (I am 5'4, damn it!)

Q: What is her favorite thing to do? 

A: Spend time with her boo (True... so true...)

Q: What does your wife do when you're not around? 

A: Watch murder mysteries (You should be scared... I might be plotting! LOL! J/K)

Q: If your wife becomes famous, what will it be for? 

A: Being a singer (I doubt it, but I appreciate the vote of confidence)

Q: What is your wife really good at? 

A: Being in charge (she's bossy) (I'm really not that bossy, boo)

Q: What is your wife not very good at? 

A: Most sports (She is getting better in bowling) (I have coordination issues... I can't help it... I was born this way!)

Q: What does your wife do for a job? 

A: She is Olivia Fucking Pope at an engineering firm (Payroll administrator) (Umm, Sr. boo... don't forget that part that no one else notices or cares about anyways. Pshh!)

Q: What is your wife's favorite food?

A: Chicken bites (Be specific. My boo's famous, wonderful, delicious chicken bites! Yummmmm!)

Q: What makes you proud of your wife? 

A: Being who she is (Baby you're a star) (Awww...)

Q: If your wife were a character, who would she be? 

A: Lucy from Charlie Brown (Hmmm... why Lucy? Is she the bossy one??)

Q: What do you and your wife do together? 

A: Almost everything (I wouldn't have it any other way)

Q: How are you and your wife the same? 

A: We are both fucking brilliant (LMAO... and we both drop f-bombs!)

Q: How are you and your wife different? 

A: She is more sensitive than me (You are a work in progress on this...)

Q: How do you know your wife loves you? 

A: She married me (And you're stuck with me... forever and ever and ever)

Q: What does your wife like most about you? 

A: Everything except my bullyness & grumpiness (It's really because you're sexy!)

Q: Where is your wife's favorite place to go? 

A: The beach (This... or just home to my boo... that's really my favorite place)

That's right... Walk away!

Bye Felisha! An old classmate posted this pic today and, well, it's kinda how I am feeling today. I am fed up with my job. I physically feel like crap. But guess what? Things are going to get better. I am going to claim it!

I decided (after seeing this gangsta baby striking a pose) that I am not going to let the devil get in my way of my joy or stop me from going after the things I want. #1, a new job! And already today, I received 2 different calls about job opportunities. Hot dawg! Maybe there is something to this "claimin' it" :) Even though neither job is in HR, which is where I was hoping to move to, they are promotions and a considerable salary raise from where I am.

So - something good is gonna happen. Devil, move over, step aside and eat my dust!

3 years toward forever...

Happy Anniversary Boo! 

I can hardly believe it's been three years. Some days, it feels like just yesterday that we were surrounded by our family and friends, promising to love one another forever and ever. Other days, it feels like longer than three years. Maybe it's because we already felt married long before it was ever legal.

Regardless, you are mine and I am yours. I cannot imagine my world without your smile to brighten my days or your hugs to comfort my sensitive spirit. I am so thankful... blessed... that you were created just for me. I could not fathom loving or trusting a person this much, but you changed that. You changed me - and I am better because of it.

Cheers to three years - and many more to come!

Poltergeist movie night!

Last Friday, we hung out with some coworker friends for Poltergeist movie night! We decided it'd be fun to watch the original and then follow that up with a late-night showing of the new remake. After a long work week, I was SO ready for some fun!

We met at our friend's house around 6. We ate pizza, drank beer (and Fireball shots!) and then started the movie around 7. I have to say seeing the original Poltergeist as an adult is so much different than as a child. When I was little, that movie SCARED THE CRAP out of me!

As an adult, it wasn't nearly as scary as I remembered. In fact, I found myself noticing how indifferent and unfrazzled the parents seemed to be. If some of those things were happening in my house, I would've moved LONG before they did. The one bright spot was the short paranormal lady. I crossed my fingers that she might make an appearance in the new remake - but I was disappointed on that one.

The remake was actually good. Better than I expected. Some of the parts were actually a bit more creepy and scary in the newer version. Especially, if you hate clowns. Even this movie poster looks frightening!

I hate interviews!

I know I cannot be alone in this! Phone interview, face-to-face interview, and now, add Skype interview. I hate them all. Who wants to dress up and put their best foot forward only to be critiqued under a microscope and grilled about what type of an employee you might be?!

Luckily, I have not had many phone interviews lately. Those are the worst. I mean, how can a manager or recruiter possibly get the full scope of who you are over a 30 minute phone conversation? There are the same old "What are your strengths and weaknesses?" and "What motivates you?" and "What is your ideal manager?" questions. Although you can ask questions at the end of a phone interview, some things are off limits and you have to be careful not to blow your chances by bringing up salary, time off or anything that might give your interviewer the wrong idea.

On Friday, I was supposed to have 2 live interviews. One cancelled and will probably flake out on hiring externally altogether. The one I did have was just mediocre. I had to do some testing on my personality and smarts. Really, people? Because a person who holds a 4.0 and gets a Master's degree must be a complete idiot! On top of that, the person interviewing me had little to no personality and basically did not veer from her two pages of standard questions. I feel like she got no real glimpse into me or what I can do. It's a shame that I will probably not even make the top 3 cut for round 2 of interviews. The job itself could have provided some great HR experience.

Then, yesterday morning, I subjected myself to a Skype interview with my alma mater to potentially be an instructor. No one looks good on Skype. There are internet connection issues. It is SO far from personable, it is basically a method that should never be used. My school has instructors and administrators in my city, so why not use one of them instead of an old geezer from Indy? Or, if you must use his Ph.D-ness to vet me, fly his butt to my city to conduct a live interview. Overall, it was a waste of time. I feel nothing good came of the Skype interview.

So - back to the drawing board. For my next interview, can someone please hire me on the spot and put me out my misery from doing anymore interviews!?

Lazy is A-ok!

Typically, we have some party or gathering to attend on Derby day. Sometimes, more than one. This year, we were thankful to not have plans so we could just be lazy! It was just what the doctor ordered! We did some laundry and took care of some household "to-dos" (hanging new curtains, putting up new pictures, rearranging the living room). Now that I have time and the focus is no longer on school, it feels like our home is really coming into view.

Sunday was nice too. Relaxing. Lazy. Awesome! There are weekends when I want to get out and do things - but this wasn't one of them. Luckily, my hubs was on board with being homebodies and chillaxing!

Officially "Living on a Spare"!

A couple years ago, my husband and I joined a bowling league. We were recruited by another couple (who later dropped out on us, but that's beside that point!). It was still a fun experience though. We'd been talking about doing another one - and recently, when we were out with a few friends, it came up in conversation.

So, we all discussed it - scheduling, costs, team name, etc. - and decided to go for it! We went to the informational meeting last night and, even though they're a bit more hardcore about the league than the one we had before, we have a good team and it should be a good time. "Living on a Spare" officially gets their bowl on next Wednesday :)

A win-o birthday!

Every year, Rodney and I spend considerable time planning a special day for his mom's birthday. It usually involves dinner someplace, but also, we try to treat her to something she hasn't done before. Last year, it was painting at like a wine/canvas place. This year, we decided to take her to an actual winery for the day... take a tour, do some tasting and then just enjoy a few bottles before dinner. We invited her baby sister to come along because she is a barrel of laughs and knew she would accent the day perfectly.

We woke up to a wet, soggy, blah kinda Saturday. It was NOT the kind of day where you want to be driving on curvy, narrow roads to get to a winery where you can't sit out on the patio as planned. But, we were determined to still make it a great day - and it was! Rod's mom had such a good time and probably had a bellyache at the end of the day from laughing so much. She enjoyed the winery very much and then, because she likes seafood so much, we hit the Red Lobster for dinner. While the food is typically good, we don't always get the best service... but on this day, we did. Halluyeerrrr!!!

Birthdays are special. It is important to celebrate and share them with the people who mean most to you. It's a treat anytime we are able to share a new experience either with each other or with other people we love. You only have one life, so why not live it to the fullest!?