'Twas the night before the night before Christmas and all through the Garlands' house, four dogs were playing and wrestling for the toy mouse... Okay, so maybe I'm not such a poet, but I think we all knew that.
So it really is the night before the night before Christmas, and we've been here in Virginia enjoying the beginning of our holidays with Brett's family and friends. Tomorrow, if the weather is a bit more tame, we'll be taking off for Missouri to spend some time with my family.
2008 has been a very different year from what we had planned, but it's been wonderful all the same. This year was the year for me to go back to working in the business/marketing world full-time and us to pay off some debt, take a vacation, etc. Funny how our plans don't always work out the way WE plan for them too. Instead, we bought a house and had a Sophie!
I hope your holiday season is wonderful and that 2009 kicks off to a wonderful start. Merry Christmas and Happy Happy New Year!
Tuesday, December 23, 2008
Thursday, October 9, 2008
What I did for my summer vacation...
Okay, so I took six months off from the blog. Bad Melanie! Bad! But I'd like to think I have a reasonable set of reasons... So, here's what I did with my summer vacation.
April
We really did manage to buy a house! The house previously posted is now our new home! Since I've never owned a house before, I'm totally digging this. It took the whole month of the April to get the details taken care of, and we didn't actually close until the first weekend in May, but alas, it became ours. I just never had a clue what would be involved in satisfying the mortgage gods and get the loan approved. I spent more than a few days (as did Brett) stopping and dropping everything to keep the mortgage gods moving forward on our approval. At one point we joked about digging out our 1st grade report cards in case they asked for those too -- and that was BEFORE all the financial disasters of the summer/fall. I'd hate to see what they require now.
And, we found out that Rupert was a Lucy! We were supposed to find out sex of munchkin and close on April 30. We knew we'd never have both happen, so it was no surprise that when we found out she was a girl that morning that we got a call postponing closing that afternoon. :)
May
Now what I never realized since I've never done this before is just how much work is associated with a house. I don't think these people ever actually cleaned their house, and their color scheme choices were what we'd call on the dark side. Imagine very dark browns, deep olive greens, and mustard yellows. Please know that I knew the house would have to be repainted inside--that was one of the stipulations of us buying the house. What I didn't realize was just how much work was involved in doing it... :)
We closed on a Friday night and started the painting on Saturday. We primed, and we primed, and we primed some more--just to cover the walls in the living room, entry way, and hall. It took three coatings of high-hiding primer to cover the colors in the house. It was fun at first--and then I got a really really nasty upper respiratory infection from all the dirt and dust in the house. When Brett had the duct cleaners come in, they took out bags and bags of dirt and goo out of the ducts--and that was before they actually used their cleaning machines. SO, much to my disappointment, we hired Toby to come and paint specific parts of the house to get some of the painting done. (By the way, he was completely worth it... he does an awesome job.)
Over the Memorial Day weekend, we (with the help with our parents) managed to move into the new house. I think we managed to convince them that we really do have more than enough stuff and don't really need anything for Christmas. And just so you know, there's going to be a very large yard sale in the spring if we can ever manage to get stuff sorted through, duplicates cleaned out, etc. I don't think we'll EVER manage to get our garage cleaned out.
June
Well, in June we found out that I had developed gestational diabetes. The challenges associated with that turned out to be a bit bigger than I had thought... It took lots of help from some great nurses that I work with, some really good specialists who work with diabetic moms, and my OB, but in the end we managed to have really good outcomes in the end when the munchkin arrived. We also managed to go to Virginia for Holly's 30th birthday (that's Brett's sister) and Missouri for my parents' church's 150th anniversary event. Since I hadn't been to Missouri since Thanksgiving last year, it was a wonderful trip!
July & August
Brett has had wrist and arm issues for years. Some of it is carpal tunnel related and some was nerve issues. In July, Brett had surgery on his left arm to get it fixed. Though it was outpatient, it was pretty intense for him. The doctor had to re-route Brett's elbow/funny bone nerve and do the CT release. It took two and a half hours, but it went really well. So well that he scheduled the CT release surgery for the right hand in August. I was a bit concerned that I'd go into labor about the same time he was having his surgery, but alas, it all worked out. Both of his arms work, he doesn't have the numbness in his wrists, hands, and fingers any more, and he can feel his little munchkin when we holds her now. All and all very good. :)
September
Long story short... We're proud of our biggest accomplishment so far... the arrival of our little girl, Sophia Grace. She arrived Friday, September 19 at 9:36 pm. She weighed 6 pounds, 11 ounces and was 18 3/4 inches long. As you might imagine, that has kept us quite busy around here--even with the help of Grandmas and Grandpas and Aunties.
So, that's what I've managed to do with my summer. I promise to keep my writing up to date now. It may not always be Pulitzer Prize worthy--but I'll try to keep things going. Keep me posted too.
April
We really did manage to buy a house! The house previously posted is now our new home! Since I've never owned a house before, I'm totally digging this. It took the whole month of the April to get the details taken care of, and we didn't actually close until the first weekend in May, but alas, it became ours. I just never had a clue what would be involved in satisfying the mortgage gods and get the loan approved. I spent more than a few days (as did Brett) stopping and dropping everything to keep the mortgage gods moving forward on our approval. At one point we joked about digging out our 1st grade report cards in case they asked for those too -- and that was BEFORE all the financial disasters of the summer/fall. I'd hate to see what they require now.
And, we found out that Rupert was a Lucy! We were supposed to find out sex of munchkin and close on April 30. We knew we'd never have both happen, so it was no surprise that when we found out she was a girl that morning that we got a call postponing closing that afternoon. :)
May
Now what I never realized since I've never done this before is just how much work is associated with a house. I don't think these people ever actually cleaned their house, and their color scheme choices were what we'd call on the dark side. Imagine very dark browns, deep olive greens, and mustard yellows. Please know that I knew the house would have to be repainted inside--that was one of the stipulations of us buying the house. What I didn't realize was just how much work was involved in doing it... :)
We closed on a Friday night and started the painting on Saturday. We primed, and we primed, and we primed some more--just to cover the walls in the living room, entry way, and hall. It took three coatings of high-hiding primer to cover the colors in the house. It was fun at first--and then I got a really really nasty upper respiratory infection from all the dirt and dust in the house. When Brett had the duct cleaners come in, they took out bags and bags of dirt and goo out of the ducts--and that was before they actually used their cleaning machines. SO, much to my disappointment, we hired Toby to come and paint specific parts of the house to get some of the painting done. (By the way, he was completely worth it... he does an awesome job.)
Over the Memorial Day weekend, we (with the help with our parents) managed to move into the new house. I think we managed to convince them that we really do have more than enough stuff and don't really need anything for Christmas. And just so you know, there's going to be a very large yard sale in the spring if we can ever manage to get stuff sorted through, duplicates cleaned out, etc. I don't think we'll EVER manage to get our garage cleaned out.
June
Well, in June we found out that I had developed gestational diabetes. The challenges associated with that turned out to be a bit bigger than I had thought... It took lots of help from some great nurses that I work with, some really good specialists who work with diabetic moms, and my OB, but in the end we managed to have really good outcomes in the end when the munchkin arrived. We also managed to go to Virginia for Holly's 30th birthday (that's Brett's sister) and Missouri for my parents' church's 150th anniversary event. Since I hadn't been to Missouri since Thanksgiving last year, it was a wonderful trip!
July & August
Brett has had wrist and arm issues for years. Some of it is carpal tunnel related and some was nerve issues. In July, Brett had surgery on his left arm to get it fixed. Though it was outpatient, it was pretty intense for him. The doctor had to re-route Brett's elbow/funny bone nerve and do the CT release. It took two and a half hours, but it went really well. So well that he scheduled the CT release surgery for the right hand in August. I was a bit concerned that I'd go into labor about the same time he was having his surgery, but alas, it all worked out. Both of his arms work, he doesn't have the numbness in his wrists, hands, and fingers any more, and he can feel his little munchkin when we holds her now. All and all very good. :)
September
Long story short... We're proud of our biggest accomplishment so far... the arrival of our little girl, Sophia Grace. She arrived Friday, September 19 at 9:36 pm. She weighed 6 pounds, 11 ounces and was 18 3/4 inches long. As you might imagine, that has kept us quite busy around here--even with the help of Grandmas and Grandpas and Aunties.
So, that's what I've managed to do with my summer. I promise to keep my writing up to date now. It may not always be Pulitzer Prize worthy--but I'll try to keep things going. Keep me posted too.
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
For everyone wondering where that $3.xx a gallon goes....
Today, during a couple minutes of browsing, I found what I thought was an interesting article. I thought I'd share. It still doesn't justify the prices in my mind (and Brett still wants to tar and feather them all), but at least it tries to explain in simple English.
http://money.cnn.com/2008/03/13/news/economy/gas_gallon/index.htm?postversion=2008031910
Happy April Fool's Day! (oh, the two aren't related by the way...)
http://money.cnn.com/2008/03/13/news/economy/gas_gallon/index.htm?postversion=2008031910
Happy April Fool's Day! (oh, the two aren't related by the way...)
Monday, March 31, 2008
Musings, and Other Out-In-Left-Field Ramblings
Greetings!First and foremost... take a look. This isn't exactly the best picture, but it's the one I have access to on this computer. Home inspection went well, no major issues to worry about! Woohoo!!!!
I've been hard at work for the past two weeks on the data entry for a telecom audit. In English, that means that I am working with two other temps to enter any line item that has a charge associated with it into a database. When we first started, Adrian and I laughed at the concept of three banker boxes even taking us the two weeks they projected. Then we tried to read and tackle the entry for the first bills. Telecom covers cable, internet, networks, circuits, land line telephone, wireless phones, wireless access for computers, etc. Some of the bills have been 600+ pages long. Usually, it's a lot of detail to support the 10 or so pages we need to do our job... but the experiences have left me with some questions...
- Have you ever wondered if there is actually a department in the telephone company whose sole purpose is to make the bills so confusing to read/understand that we just ignore it and pay whatever they bill us?
- Did you know that there are actually line items called "Service Charges for Service Charges on XXX"? I was totally shocked and amazed that they charge service charges on service charges...
- If you've ever looked closely, there just might be a "billing surcharge" listed in the fine print. Now call me silly, but if I want to get money from a client, I usually have to send them a bill--it's just a part of doing business. Amazingly enough, there are routinely "billing surcharges" listed on invoices...
- Have you ever gotten home and realized that you spent the entire day wearing one black shoe and one navy blue one? That was the day that I couldn't find my badge in my purse, but once I did, it didn't matter because it didn't work. Then I had my computer crash twice, and managed to lock myself in the bathroom stall and almost hit panic when it wouldn't let me out... That was just one of those really long "should have covered my head" days... :)
- On the subject of paint colors... who knew there were that many versions of tan. I'm beginning to feel like a boy... Isn't brown brown? ;)
On the friends front...
- I got to see Libbey and her beloved Larry this past weekend. They were driving through to Missouri and stopped for brunch. I was glad to see them. I'm not sure I'd seen her since before our wedding!
- We also got to have lunch with Brett's friends from Memphis--Josh, Kim, & Jacob--a couple of weekends ago. We hadn't seen them in a while either, so that was fun. Feel free to let us know when you might be driving through.
- Riley is sensing spring I guess because he's been jumping up and down and barking at everything in sight. If the wind blows in Africa, Riley lets us know about it. OH, and he's actually lost three of the eight pounds the vet was wanting him to lose. He can't wait to hit the new backyard. We took him to see it last week, and he's already met the next door bog Bogart.
- If you ever want some humor, check out my sister's blog (banditsbeauties.blogspot.com). She's been posting video and pictures of the girly girls. They are growing so fast that Auntie Mel can't keep up!
I guess that's it for tonight. Sleepy time so I can go find new and interesting charges tomorrow.
Sunday, March 23, 2008
Random thoughts from Nashville....
Happy Easter!
I'm a bit bummed that we aren't getting to spend it with my parents, sister, Allison & Emily. I was looking forward to decorating Easter eggs and then hunting them (yes, I'm a child in a 37-year-old body...). But alas, the folks up north haven't been feeling up to par, and I'm not ready to get sick again, so we decided to phone our appearances in each day...
Thankfulness..
I know Easter is a solemn occasion for many, but this year I feel so much like doing a grateful dance that I find it hard to contain myself. I have a wonderful husband who does a fantastic job of taking care of me (even when I don't actually cooperate), a close and loving family who checks on us frequently just to say "HI! how was your day today?", great friends who love me in spite of my failings, and of course, I have a Riley Dog who shows everlasting love no matter what the occasion. This year isn't that far along, and we're having a banner year. Brett has a job at a great company that is filled with friendly, welcoming people who have made our transition here much easier. We're going to have a munchkin--which is definitely an unexpected but exciting adventure... And we're finally going to have a house. Apartment life isn't bad, but we just have really missed stretching out and getting comfortable. I get to work some--maybe not quite as much as I'd like, but considering the economy, I can't complain. I honestly am not sure that life can get much better for us. So thank you for being a part of our wonderful life.
On a lighter train of thought...
We've been watching a lot of NCAA since Thursday, and I have an observation. I am finally over the age of the commercial demographic for most commercials. I look at Brett and frequently say "was that actually supposed to be funny?" or "okay, I guess I missed the meaning of that one all together..." I can't decide if I'm getting old or just have absolutely no sense of humor. I always thought of myself as somewhat witty, but maybe not!
Basketball thoughts... I didn't fill out the bracket this year, but if I had I would have already had several bracket busters. I would have picked both Nashville teams--Belmont and Vanderbilt--neither of which won. That said, Belmont should have won, and I was happy to root for WVA in the game against Duke. Of course, there's still TN and Memphis (that's Brett's favorite to root for it appears). I guess I'll root for TN and the rest of the Big 12 (minus Kansas of course Natalie... I don't want war in the family.) Anyway... it's been a fun weekend of entertainment!
Paint colors... Who knew there were so many colors of paint in the world... It always looks so easy on DIY and HGTV. :) Wish us luck as we start THAT adventure. :)
I guess that's about it for now. It's time for the TN vs. Butler game. Gotta go practice wearing Orange and singing the Rockytop song...
Happy Easter All!
I'm a bit bummed that we aren't getting to spend it with my parents, sister, Allison & Emily. I was looking forward to decorating Easter eggs and then hunting them (yes, I'm a child in a 37-year-old body...). But alas, the folks up north haven't been feeling up to par, and I'm not ready to get sick again, so we decided to phone our appearances in each day...
Thankfulness..
I know Easter is a solemn occasion for many, but this year I feel so much like doing a grateful dance that I find it hard to contain myself. I have a wonderful husband who does a fantastic job of taking care of me (even when I don't actually cooperate), a close and loving family who checks on us frequently just to say "HI! how was your day today?", great friends who love me in spite of my failings, and of course, I have a Riley Dog who shows everlasting love no matter what the occasion. This year isn't that far along, and we're having a banner year. Brett has a job at a great company that is filled with friendly, welcoming people who have made our transition here much easier. We're going to have a munchkin--which is definitely an unexpected but exciting adventure... And we're finally going to have a house. Apartment life isn't bad, but we just have really missed stretching out and getting comfortable. I get to work some--maybe not quite as much as I'd like, but considering the economy, I can't complain. I honestly am not sure that life can get much better for us. So thank you for being a part of our wonderful life.
On a lighter train of thought...
We've been watching a lot of NCAA since Thursday, and I have an observation. I am finally over the age of the commercial demographic for most commercials. I look at Brett and frequently say "was that actually supposed to be funny?" or "okay, I guess I missed the meaning of that one all together..." I can't decide if I'm getting old or just have absolutely no sense of humor. I always thought of myself as somewhat witty, but maybe not!
Basketball thoughts... I didn't fill out the bracket this year, but if I had I would have already had several bracket busters. I would have picked both Nashville teams--Belmont and Vanderbilt--neither of which won. That said, Belmont should have won, and I was happy to root for WVA in the game against Duke. Of course, there's still TN and Memphis (that's Brett's favorite to root for it appears). I guess I'll root for TN and the rest of the Big 12 (minus Kansas of course Natalie... I don't want war in the family.) Anyway... it's been a fun weekend of entertainment!
Paint colors... Who knew there were so many colors of paint in the world... It always looks so easy on DIY and HGTV. :) Wish us luck as we start THAT adventure. :)
I guess that's about it for now. It's time for the TN vs. Butler game. Gotta go practice wearing Orange and singing the Rockytop song...
Happy Easter All!
Friday, March 21, 2008
Rupert PASSED!
For all of you who have emailed, called, etc. we received word today that Rupert has passed his first test! What does that mean exactly? Well, as accurately as science can predict without invasive techniques (i.e. CVS or amneo) Rupert is free of chromosomal disorders or abnormalities. For me, it means that unless we just want to be obsessive, I don't have to be poked and stabbed in very uncomfortable tests that might cause a miscarriage. For that, I'm quite grateful.
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Talk about excitement...
Please forgive my tardiness in posting, but we've just been really really darn busy here. After a month or so of looking, one failed contract offer, lots of driving and driving and driving, and one very patient saint-material real estate agent named Brady, we have FINALLY found a house and have a signed contract. So, in theory, if the home inspection works out and the mortgage guy was honest about his preapproval, WE WILL HAVE A HOUSE ON APRIL 30!!!!
I never realized just how intense and draining the whole house hunting project can be. This was almost harder than lots and lots of blind dating...! but alas, we think we've found one. The basic details: 4 bedrooms, 2 1/2 baths, 2616 sq ft. all brick (very important to Brett) on 1.26 acres (also very very important to Brett). It's all on one level except the 616 sq ft bonus room above the 2-car garage. It's 12 years old, has only had one family live there, and they are moving because of a job transfer. It's in a neighborhood of about 30 houses (in what I call) in the middle of no where, but hey, to get the house that's all brick and on at least an acre for a reasonable price you've got to trade off something! (If you want to look on the map, look for 59 Colonial Drive, Lebannon, TN--it has already been removed from the MLS system here).
Truthfully, we're 15 minutes from "everywhere"--Mt. Juliet, Lebannon, and Gallatin. We're about 45 minutes (with traffic)/30 minutes (without traffic) from downtown. So while I'm pouting about leaving Cool Springs where literally every store I could ever want or need is less than 5 minutes away, I'll adapt. :)
Our home inspection is Tuesday... so wish us luck. Pictures will come after that... :)
Now it's time to get really used to going to Lowe's... joy joy! :)
I never realized just how intense and draining the whole house hunting project can be. This was almost harder than lots and lots of blind dating...! but alas, we think we've found one. The basic details: 4 bedrooms, 2 1/2 baths, 2616 sq ft. all brick (very important to Brett) on 1.26 acres (also very very important to Brett). It's all on one level except the 616 sq ft bonus room above the 2-car garage. It's 12 years old, has only had one family live there, and they are moving because of a job transfer. It's in a neighborhood of about 30 houses (in what I call) in the middle of no where, but hey, to get the house that's all brick and on at least an acre for a reasonable price you've got to trade off something! (If you want to look on the map, look for 59 Colonial Drive, Lebannon, TN--it has already been removed from the MLS system here).
Truthfully, we're 15 minutes from "everywhere"--Mt. Juliet, Lebannon, and Gallatin. We're about 45 minutes (with traffic)/30 minutes (without traffic) from downtown. So while I'm pouting about leaving Cool Springs where literally every store I could ever want or need is less than 5 minutes away, I'll adapt. :)
Our home inspection is Tuesday... so wish us luck. Pictures will come after that... :)
Now it's time to get really used to going to Lowe's... joy joy! :)
Friday, March 14, 2008
Greetings all!
Sorry to be distant... Let me try to begin to fill you in on our world.
Rupert's Latest Pictures
I've been a bit slow about posting Rupert's latest photos. Here you go--in all of his fuzzy glory. Yesterday was our 12-week appointment. We heard his little heartbeat for the first time yesterday. It went a fast 150 beats per minute, but seemed sure and steady. Everything seems to be going along swimmingly for the munchkin. After our appointment, we went back for the ultrasound testing (to help detect chromosomal issues). We tried that last week (see previous post) but Rupert wasn't cooperating so we had to re-do it yesterday. It took some coaxing, but he finally got into the position Ms. Kathy needed him to be in. So far, this kid seems to really like laying on the right side and waving and kicking anytime there's a camera in play. When baby moves, it usually is by standing on the head rather than the feet--like cartwheels. It took lots of jiggling and four laps around the inside of the doctors' office to get him to show us his backside, but alas, he finally did.
From all I can tell, he looks like a munchkin... but again, it's all more than a bit blurry to me.
Questions people have asked...
- We won't have a chance at figuring out boy or girl for at least another six weeks. We don't care which as long as Baby is healthy with the right pieces in the right places.
- No, the poor child will not be named Rupert or Huckleberry. We have real names chosen, but aren't ready to use them until munchkin arrives and we can make sure they "fit".
- Themes for Baby's room... We haven't actually decided on this one yet. Since we're living in an apartment right now, we haven't actually been focusing on a theme. All we have room for is a bassinet to stay in our room. If/when we find a house to move to, then we'll begin to nail down more of a theme/decor. Brett and I both like Winnie, but we also are thinking pretty seriously about generic theme of animals so that we're not bound to just one type of motif.
- How do I feel?... Well, if I didn't know I was pregnant, I wouldn't know I was pregnant. Rupert has taken it easy on me, thank goodness. I haven't had morning sickness at all. I sometimes get tired, but who doesn't?!?!!?! I lost 20 pounds over the winter, so I still have lots of room in my clothes (which is good since no one seems to make decent plus-sized maternity clothes!)... I haven't really gained any weight so far, but my belly might be getting a bit rounder if you look at it just right... (that's one of the joys of being plus-sized... you don't show so fast!!!:) )
Okay... that's it for this setting. Next post... The joys of trying to find a new abode! :)
I hope everything is going well where you are. Feel free to post comments or just email me.
Sorry to be distant... Let me try to begin to fill you in on our world.
Rupert's Latest Pictures
I've been a bit slow about posting Rupert's latest photos. Here you go--in all of his fuzzy glory. Yesterday was our 12-week appointment. We heard his little heartbeat for the first time yesterday. It went a fast 150 beats per minute, but seemed sure and steady. Everything seems to be going along swimmingly for the munchkin. After our appointment, we went back for the ultrasound testing (to help detect chromosomal issues). We tried that last week (see previous post) but Rupert wasn't cooperating so we had to re-do it yesterday. It took some coaxing, but he finally got into the position Ms. Kathy needed him to be in. So far, this kid seems to really like laying on the right side and waving and kicking anytime there's a camera in play. When baby moves, it usually is by standing on the head rather than the feet--like cartwheels. It took lots of jiggling and four laps around the inside of the doctors' office to get him to show us his backside, but alas, he finally did.
From all I can tell, he looks like a munchkin... but again, it's all more than a bit blurry to me.
Questions people have asked...
- We won't have a chance at figuring out boy or girl for at least another six weeks. We don't care which as long as Baby is healthy with the right pieces in the right places.
- No, the poor child will not be named Rupert or Huckleberry. We have real names chosen, but aren't ready to use them until munchkin arrives and we can make sure they "fit".
- Themes for Baby's room... We haven't actually decided on this one yet. Since we're living in an apartment right now, we haven't actually been focusing on a theme. All we have room for is a bassinet to stay in our room. If/when we find a house to move to, then we'll begin to nail down more of a theme/decor. Brett and I both like Winnie, but we also are thinking pretty seriously about generic theme of animals so that we're not bound to just one type of motif.
- How do I feel?... Well, if I didn't know I was pregnant, I wouldn't know I was pregnant. Rupert has taken it easy on me, thank goodness. I haven't had morning sickness at all. I sometimes get tired, but who doesn't?!?!!?! I lost 20 pounds over the winter, so I still have lots of room in my clothes (which is good since no one seems to make decent plus-sized maternity clothes!)... I haven't really gained any weight so far, but my belly might be getting a bit rounder if you look at it just right... (that's one of the joys of being plus-sized... you don't show so fast!!!:) )
Okay... that's it for this setting. Next post... The joys of trying to find a new abode! :)
I hope everything is going well where you are. Feel free to post comments or just email me.
Thursday, March 6, 2008
New pictures of Rupert...
Monday we had to go for testing. Since I'm 37 and consequently considered high risk, we went for our first round of screenings. Here are new very fuzzy pictures of Rupert. The first one makes my eyes water, but the second and third I can kind of make out our munchkin. My advice is to click on the image so that it opens as a full-size image in another window. Oh, by the way... after 30 minutes of poking and prodding, Rupert decided that he didn't want to cooperate and show us the back side. So, we go back again next Thursday to try again. Kathy, the lady doing the screens, needs to see his BACK, not his smiling friendly front... Looks like we have ourselves a somewhat stubborn child. Imagine that!
Thursday, February 28, 2008
It's the simple things in life...
Yesterday was probably the first day in ten days that I was awake, alive, and actually functioning for the majority of the day. I love sleep and being lazy, but even I have hit my quota! :)That said, I was quickly reminded though of how cool the simple things in life are. One of my first accomplishments yesterday was taking Riley Dog for a walk. It's not like we really went anywhere exciting. We just walked down our street and back (maybe 1/2 mile at most), but it was really really good to be able to be outside and breathe!...
My glee was punctuated by snow!!! In Nashville, snow of any type has been a big deal. Last year I really thought I'd moved to the equator. I was wearing shorts and a tee-shirt the day before Thanksgiving. I'm not sure that I even pulled out sweaters last year. This year, I've at least had occasion to pull on something warm and wooley. Yesterday as we were trotting along, it really really snowed. I don't mean little flakes--I mean big "looks like it's going to blizzard" flakes in rapid succession! (Now, keep in mind that lasted about five to ten minutes and there was no accumulation, but it was fun for a little while...)
Last but not least, we had breakfast for dinner. One of the funky things about feeling sick is that my appetite has been really warped. Last night I made pancakes and turkey bacon and eggs for dinner. I can't remember the last time I had that for a meal, but it tasted wonderful last night.
Today, the snow has melted. We're back to our normal sunshine with a slight chill... I need to go to the store so that we actually have food in the house to eat, and there are bills to pay (thank goodness for online banking) and lots of laundry to do... So, it's back to life as normal. Hope you're having a wonderful day where you are. Just don't forget to be excited about the little things! :)
Tuesday, February 26, 2008
What a wild and wacky couple of weeks we've had...
Where do I even start? Since our last visit, things here have been a bit crazy. I guess I'll start where we left off...
First, thanks for all of the well-wishes on the Rupert news. We truly appreciate all the notes/emails/calls at our exciting news.
Valentine's Day was somewhat uneventful for us... We went to lunch for Valentine's Day, then went to the the gym Thursday night, exercised, and then went home and crashed. So romantic aren't we?
Friday, the 15th, however was very cool. One of echo's clients is Brad Paisley. Long story short, we got to go see Brad, Rodney Atkins, and Chuck Wicks. It was an really good show--especially since we got to hang out at the ticketmaster suite with goodies and comfty seats! :)
We also found out, thanks to Brett's diligence, that we'd been approved for a home loan... Brett has been quite convinced that we need to have a house when Rupert arrives, rather than living here in the apartment. So, between emails about Rupert, we've been zapping each other MLS numbers trying to figure out where we want to look, and babbling with Brady, our ever-patient and forever good-humored real estate agent!
So, where's the wild and wacky? That started Saturday. I took Riley for our morning trot, got a call from Brady about places Brett and I could zoom by that afternoon, etc. We loaded up the car and went driving. Had a great day, until I started having some Rupert issues. A few phone calls to the OB on call, many tears, and some tense hours later, I finally began to feel a bit better. That was Sunday afternoon.
Needless to say, we prayed a lot. I understand that if we lose little Rupert, it just wasn't meant to be. There's nothing that can be done, nothing we did wrong, etc. Just because I understood mentally didn't make it any easier to deal with... We agreed based on all we knew and had heard from the doctor that we had a 50%/50% shot. We wouldn't be able to get an answer until Monday, so I prayed for something different to think about so that I could relax. Next time, I think I'll try to be more specific. Within two or three hours, I was shivering while wrapped up in three blankets with a 65 degree sunny afternoon outside. My body ached all over in seemingly every inch. So, I got something new to think about... a temperature, body aches, shivers, and a really nasty head cold. It did the trick. I did have something else to concentrate on, but like I said, next time, I think I'll be more specific. :)
Monday, we saw the doctor, and found out that Rupert is in fact as stubborn as his two parents. He's still hanging in there floating around as little gray blob on the screen. We felt much much better when we saw/heard that news. (I'd post that picture, but truthfully, it doesn't look any different from the first one...)
The rest of the past eight days has been a blur of antibiotics, cough syrup, sore throat tablets, sinus stuff. The verdict was a nice upper respiratory infection with ear infections--at least it wasn't the flu. I wouldn't wish this on my worst enemy.
Today, I have actually been awake long enough to realize that the sun came up and went down. Not exactly the most exciting news from Franklin, but it's about as exciting as I can get. By the way, I just want to let the world know--in-writing-- that I have a wonderful husband. He's been quite self-sufficient, fed me when I was really grouchy, and didn't run screaming from the apartment when I would wake up looking very scary after hours of slumber. He gets real brownie points for the past two weeks of combat. :)
Hopefully will be back and perking along soon. M
First, thanks for all of the well-wishes on the Rupert news. We truly appreciate all the notes/emails/calls at our exciting news.
Valentine's Day was somewhat uneventful for us... We went to lunch for Valentine's Day, then went to the the gym Thursday night, exercised, and then went home and crashed. So romantic aren't we?
Friday, the 15th, however was very cool. One of echo's clients is Brad Paisley. Long story short, we got to go see Brad, Rodney Atkins, and Chuck Wicks. It was an really good show--especially since we got to hang out at the ticketmaster suite with goodies and comfty seats! :)
We also found out, thanks to Brett's diligence, that we'd been approved for a home loan... Brett has been quite convinced that we need to have a house when Rupert arrives, rather than living here in the apartment. So, between emails about Rupert, we've been zapping each other MLS numbers trying to figure out where we want to look, and babbling with Brady, our ever-patient and forever good-humored real estate agent!
So, where's the wild and wacky? That started Saturday. I took Riley for our morning trot, got a call from Brady about places Brett and I could zoom by that afternoon, etc. We loaded up the car and went driving. Had a great day, until I started having some Rupert issues. A few phone calls to the OB on call, many tears, and some tense hours later, I finally began to feel a bit better. That was Sunday afternoon.
Needless to say, we prayed a lot. I understand that if we lose little Rupert, it just wasn't meant to be. There's nothing that can be done, nothing we did wrong, etc. Just because I understood mentally didn't make it any easier to deal with... We agreed based on all we knew and had heard from the doctor that we had a 50%/50% shot. We wouldn't be able to get an answer until Monday, so I prayed for something different to think about so that I could relax. Next time, I think I'll try to be more specific. Within two or three hours, I was shivering while wrapped up in three blankets with a 65 degree sunny afternoon outside. My body ached all over in seemingly every inch. So, I got something new to think about... a temperature, body aches, shivers, and a really nasty head cold. It did the trick. I did have something else to concentrate on, but like I said, next time, I think I'll be more specific. :)
Monday, we saw the doctor, and found out that Rupert is in fact as stubborn as his two parents. He's still hanging in there floating around as little gray blob on the screen. We felt much much better when we saw/heard that news. (I'd post that picture, but truthfully, it doesn't look any different from the first one...)
The rest of the past eight days has been a blur of antibiotics, cough syrup, sore throat tablets, sinus stuff. The verdict was a nice upper respiratory infection with ear infections--at least it wasn't the flu. I wouldn't wish this on my worst enemy.
Today, I have actually been awake long enough to realize that the sun came up and went down. Not exactly the most exciting news from Franklin, but it's about as exciting as I can get. By the way, I just want to let the world know--in-writing-- that I have a wonderful husband. He's been quite self-sufficient, fed me when I was really grouchy, and didn't run screaming from the apartment when I would wake up looking very scary after hours of slumber. He gets real brownie points for the past two weeks of combat. :)
Hopefully will be back and perking along soon. M
Tuesday, February 12, 2008
And then life takes a turn... :)
Today's news is pretty exciting for us... We met with the doctor today, and it's official. We weren't quite planning on this much excitement right now, but we're going to have a Rupert to go with Riley!!! (I'm not sure Riley quite gets the importance of the changes that are going to start happening in HIS life, but we've got some time... :))
Here's the 1st photo of Rupert!!! (or Huckleberry if you talk to Brett). Apparently, he's in there somewhere. We could see the munchkin's heartbeat on the screen, but that was on a really really big screen. Now that I have the picture, I'm not quite sure WHAT anything is...
Anyway... apparently everything is just fine. I go to the bathroom even more than normal; I'm really tired all the sudden, and my body is expanding in all the right places. So, have fun looking at Rupert!
Check back soon for all our exciting news! :)
Here's the 1st photo of Rupert!!! (or Huckleberry if you talk to Brett). Apparently, he's in there somewhere. We could see the munchkin's heartbeat on the screen, but that was on a really really big screen. Now that I have the picture, I'm not quite sure WHAT anything is...Anyway... apparently everything is just fine. I go to the bathroom even more than normal; I'm really tired all the sudden, and my body is expanding in all the right places. So, have fun looking at Rupert!
Check back soon for all our exciting news! :)
Monday, February 11, 2008
News from Nashville...
Well, we are quite grateful that the storms that keep blowing through aren't managing to hit us here in our corner of the world. Thanks to all of our friends and family who have called to make sure we didn't blow away! We've had wind, rain, lightening and thunder--but nothing serious. We're grateful for that AND for all the rain. According to the weather reports, we're still very very behind on the rainfall/drought count. Today, however, I'm grateful for the absolutely beautiful day. I wish I had remember to take a picture when Riley and I went for our walk. It was nice and chilly--but not too cold!
This week is Valentine's Day. Whether you love it or hate it, remember, Hallmark.com offers some really funny FREE Valentines (Or anti-Valentines as the case may be...) Just remember to treat yourself to some CHOCOLATE no matter what you think of day!
What's YOUR favorite way to enjoy chocolate?
a. Truffles
b. Cake
c. Cookies
d. By itself
e. As Frosting
f. Ice Cream
g. Brownies
h. As an IV...
Mischief from the kitchen...
Let's see, we whipped up a lemon meringue pie for a gentleman's birthday... Apparently, it's his favorite confection. I was kind of excited that I made a pie that looked good when it came out of the oven! :)
Another adventure was creating some new chocolate cupcakes. I just forgot to actually take PICTURES of them. I found a new chocolate cake recipe that I've fallen in love with. I just wanted to see if I could turn them into cupcakes successfully. Topped with beehives of buttercream and sprinkled with cinnamon they seemed to go over pretty well. Next time, I'll try to remember the pics.
Finally, I had the privilege of making Miss Abigail's first birthday party cakes. Her cake theme was based upon the great colors and images that her mom Carly picked out for the decorations, invitations, etc. It was a challenge to blend stripes, but it was fun. I hope they enjoyed!
Until Next Time... Happy Baking!
This week is Valentine's Day. Whether you love it or hate it, remember, Hallmark.com offers some really funny FREE Valentines (Or anti-Valentines as the case may be...) Just remember to treat yourself to some CHOCOLATE no matter what you think of day!
What's YOUR favorite way to enjoy chocolate?
a. Truffles
b. Cake
c. Cookies
d. By itself
e. As Frosting
f. Ice Cream
g. Brownies
h. As an IV...
Mischief from the kitchen...
Let's see, we whipped up a lemon meringue pie for a gentleman's birthday... Apparently, it's his favorite confection. I was kind of excited that I made a pie that looked good when it came out of the oven! :)Another adventure was creating some new chocolate cupcakes. I just forgot to actually take PICTURES of them. I found a new chocolate cake recipe that I've fallen in love with. I just wanted to see if I could turn them into cupcakes successfully. Topped with beehives of buttercream and sprinkled with cinnamon they seemed to go over pretty well. Next time, I'll try to remember the pics.
Finally, I had the privilege of making Miss Abigail's first birthday party cakes. Her cake theme was based upon the great colors and images that her mom Carly picked out for the decorations, invitations, etc. It was a challenge to blend stripes, but it was fun. I hope they enjoyed!
Until Next Time... Happy Baking!
Monday, February 4, 2008
Random thoughts from the week...
Walking five miles was wonderful--until later that night and Tuesday. We're gonna need to work some more on the endurance aspect!
Work is a wonderful thing! Looking for a job would never be one of my most favorite things, but working is a lot of a fun when you haven't done it for a while... Thanks to the various services I'm working with, they've been keeping me busy with either temporary assignments or interviews for full-time gigs. So far, I've been quite a few different characters from all over and haven't killed too many people in phone transfers! I had forgotten just how hard it is to run in high heels! :) Anyway, I'm very grateful for the mischief!
New places to munch... Brett and I have been exploring some of the new restuarants in Cool Springs over the past few weeks.
- Noshville Deli... Brett loves this place. NY style deli with a hint of the 50's blended in. The salad I had was wonderful; and Brett really seemed to like the sandwich. The highlight is definitely the desserts--we HIGHLY recommend the chocolate cake and the chocolate mousse pie! :)
- Christoper's... New place in Cool Springs near the movie theather. They specialize in breakfast and brunch. Pancakes are really good. Brett's skillet was decent, but not fantastic. Interesting conversation starter at Christoper's: Orange walls with very eclectic and diverse art selections. Not sure who did the buying, but they had a wide variety of tastes!
The joy brought by $1 DVD rental machines is just undescribable! We have one in our local grocery, so if we have a couple hours during an evening, we'll grab a movie. Our latest was Rush Hour 3. Can't complain... It's just like 1 & 2, but they still make the conversations funny, add some interesting (though predictable) plot twists, and provide decent entertainment for a couple of hours.
Best new recipe... I use Gmail which has messages that scroll across the top. One such link took me to a great blog called Simply Recipes which had a fantastic Shrimp Quesadilla recipe. Nice and spicy so there's some flavor for those who like it, but best part is you just dump the ingredients in a ziploc and leave them in the fridge all day. Grill or stirfry them, dump them on a tortilla or pita, garnish as needed and MUNCH!!! Check it out at: http://www.elise.com/recipes/archives/006241shrimp_quesadilla.php
Best new music find... If you like bluesy music, check out my latest find--Marc Broussard. He's been around for four or five years it looks like, but he's just now getting face time in places that I hear... Give him a listen at www.marcbroussard.com!
I'm a loser where the SuperBowl was concerned this year. I'm probably the only American who didn't pay attention. I didn't even watch the commercials. I did enjoy Animal Planet's Puppy Bowl for a few minutes. It's amazing what makes for amusing TV.
Last but not least, tomorrow is Primary Day. I'm actually excited about the elections this year... I can't remember an election that I've been able to vote in where there were actually interesting choices in both parties to consider. As I used to tell my students, "I don't care WHO you vote for, just make sure you get out there and VOTE!"
- Don't know who you most agree with? try these two helps:
- http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21116732 (MSNBC's matrix)
- http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2008/issues/ (CNN's issues/candidates site)
Until next time... Good Luck!
Work is a wonderful thing! Looking for a job would never be one of my most favorite things, but working is a lot of a fun when you haven't done it for a while... Thanks to the various services I'm working with, they've been keeping me busy with either temporary assignments or interviews for full-time gigs. So far, I've been quite a few different characters from all over and haven't killed too many people in phone transfers! I had forgotten just how hard it is to run in high heels! :) Anyway, I'm very grateful for the mischief!
New places to munch... Brett and I have been exploring some of the new restuarants in Cool Springs over the past few weeks.
- Noshville Deli... Brett loves this place. NY style deli with a hint of the 50's blended in. The salad I had was wonderful; and Brett really seemed to like the sandwich. The highlight is definitely the desserts--we HIGHLY recommend the chocolate cake and the chocolate mousse pie! :)
- Christoper's... New place in Cool Springs near the movie theather. They specialize in breakfast and brunch. Pancakes are really good. Brett's skillet was decent, but not fantastic. Interesting conversation starter at Christoper's: Orange walls with very eclectic and diverse art selections. Not sure who did the buying, but they had a wide variety of tastes!
The joy brought by $1 DVD rental machines is just undescribable! We have one in our local grocery, so if we have a couple hours during an evening, we'll grab a movie. Our latest was Rush Hour 3. Can't complain... It's just like 1 & 2, but they still make the conversations funny, add some interesting (though predictable) plot twists, and provide decent entertainment for a couple of hours.
Best new recipe... I use Gmail which has messages that scroll across the top. One such link took me to a great blog called Simply Recipes which had a fantastic Shrimp Quesadilla recipe. Nice and spicy so there's some flavor for those who like it, but best part is you just dump the ingredients in a ziploc and leave them in the fridge all day. Grill or stirfry them, dump them on a tortilla or pita, garnish as needed and MUNCH!!! Check it out at: http://www.elise.com/recipes/archives/006241shrimp_quesadilla.php
Best new music find... If you like bluesy music, check out my latest find--Marc Broussard. He's been around for four or five years it looks like, but he's just now getting face time in places that I hear... Give him a listen at www.marcbroussard.com!
I'm a loser where the SuperBowl was concerned this year. I'm probably the only American who didn't pay attention. I didn't even watch the commercials. I did enjoy Animal Planet's Puppy Bowl for a few minutes. It's amazing what makes for amusing TV.
Last but not least, tomorrow is Primary Day. I'm actually excited about the elections this year... I can't remember an election that I've been able to vote in where there were actually interesting choices in both parties to consider. As I used to tell my students, "I don't care WHO you vote for, just make sure you get out there and VOTE!"
- Don't know who you most agree with? try these two helps:
- http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/21116732 (MSNBC's matrix)
- http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2008/issues/ (CNN's issues/candidates site)
Until next time... Good Luck!
Monday, January 28, 2008
I think I can... I think I can...
I have never been an athletic soul. I was always the personality person who was good at school and band and clubs... My sister Natalie was always the athletic one in the family. She played basketball and enjoyed volleyball. Now she runs.
I've never run in my life. That's not exactly true... I tried out for track in high school. I figured a full-figured gal like myself would do really good at the FIELD part--you know, shot put, discus, etc. I think I could have done that part really well, it was the miles of running we had to do with the TRACK people that killed it. I lasted a week if that! After that, if I did anything it was WALKING.
Last fall, Brett and I decided that we finally wanted to get serious about taking care of ourselves. Long story short, in November we joined our gym and I joined Fit Camp. Fit camp is set up like a light version of The Biggest Loser. It lasts for six weeks and is designed for a small group of about six people who meets each day with a trainer for an hour workout, plus we keep food diaries, discuss our nutrition issues, etc. It was absolutely fantastic. Because the class was so small, we were able to try all areas of the gym--spinning, machines, water, drills in the gym, pilates, etc. I learned that I actually LOVE water aerobics, can handle machines twice a week, and of course, I still love to walk. And, after six weeks of torture, I was actually able to do it without much pain. Pretty cool, huh?
Okay, back to the reason for this post.
In the past year or two, Natalie has gotten really good and runs 5K, 10K, etc. So after her adventure in Kansas City last year, I heard about the Music City Marathon here in Nashville. Silly me, I called and sort of teased and taunted her--and of course that meant she took me up on my offer. She would run the 1/2 marathon if I would walk it.
So... I realized this morning that it is now the 28th of January. The event is at the end of April. I guess I'd better get on the stick since I haven't walked more than two miles together yet--let alone 13!
This morning, Riley and I went out for our usual walk, only we decided to go on an adventure. We walked and then took a turn here and another turn there and then went up a street and back down another just having a jolly good time. He loves to run and play. I just try to keep up. Anyway, two hours later we arrived back at the apartment. When I checked it out on Google Maps, we had walked a little over 5 miles. It took two hours, and we were pooped by then, but I don't think I've ever walked five miles together. So... I think I can. I think I can... I just might be able to put together 13 whole miles with three more months of training (and Riley pulling me along!) What an accomplishment THAT would be!
I've never run in my life. That's not exactly true... I tried out for track in high school. I figured a full-figured gal like myself would do really good at the FIELD part--you know, shot put, discus, etc. I think I could have done that part really well, it was the miles of running we had to do with the TRACK people that killed it. I lasted a week if that! After that, if I did anything it was WALKING.
Last fall, Brett and I decided that we finally wanted to get serious about taking care of ourselves. Long story short, in November we joined our gym and I joined Fit Camp. Fit camp is set up like a light version of The Biggest Loser. It lasts for six weeks and is designed for a small group of about six people who meets each day with a trainer for an hour workout, plus we keep food diaries, discuss our nutrition issues, etc. It was absolutely fantastic. Because the class was so small, we were able to try all areas of the gym--spinning, machines, water, drills in the gym, pilates, etc. I learned that I actually LOVE water aerobics, can handle machines twice a week, and of course, I still love to walk. And, after six weeks of torture, I was actually able to do it without much pain. Pretty cool, huh?
Okay, back to the reason for this post.
In the past year or two, Natalie has gotten really good and runs 5K, 10K, etc. So after her adventure in Kansas City last year, I heard about the Music City Marathon here in Nashville. Silly me, I called and sort of teased and taunted her--and of course that meant she took me up on my offer. She would run the 1/2 marathon if I would walk it.
So... I realized this morning that it is now the 28th of January. The event is at the end of April. I guess I'd better get on the stick since I haven't walked more than two miles together yet--let alone 13!
This morning, Riley and I went out for our usual walk, only we decided to go on an adventure. We walked and then took a turn here and another turn there and then went up a street and back down another just having a jolly good time. He loves to run and play. I just try to keep up. Anyway, two hours later we arrived back at the apartment. When I checked it out on Google Maps, we had walked a little over 5 miles. It took two hours, and we were pooped by then, but I don't think I've ever walked five miles together. So... I think I can. I think I can... I just might be able to put together 13 whole miles with three more months of training (and Riley pulling me along!) What an accomplishment THAT would be!
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Hello... Let me introduce myself.
Greetings!
I'm Melanie. Welcome to my corner of the web.
To my friends, I hope you will drop by often to see how things are going--especially since I seem to be lousy at managing to keep up with my correspondence duties. I promise, the desire to talk is always there--it's the ability to actually get it done that I'm bad at! Yet, for some reason, you seem to love (or at least like) me in spite of myself... :) As always, thank you for that!
To those who happen to wander by on your web journeys... Welcome to you as well... Come on in and stay awhile. Hopefully you'll find something interesting to read or learn some new tidbit of information that will lead you to other great adventures.
A little bit about me would probably be helpful.
- First, amazingly enough, I can't find any decent/recent pictures of myself. I'll work on that since I think pictures are 1/2 the reason for blogging.
- Second, I'm happiest in the kitchen baking or watching movies. Music is my coffee, so I often have it on in every room. I'm a reformed Diet Coke addict. My only Must See TV is Bones on Fox. Technology is wonderful--as long as it works appropriately. I'm not overly patient when it chooses to disagree with me. I enjoy a good debate as long as all the parties are open to opposing points of view, and I love to play devil's advocate just to see what happens. Oh, and my favorite dessert of all times is a really really good dark chocolate cake with a chocolate ganache frosting and chocolate shavings as a garnish.
I'd also like to introduce the other characters in my world...
First, there's Brett, my husband extraordinare... He's a friendly computer guy who manages databases for a living. He's also a big movie and music fan, enjoys sports, and makes me laugh with his uncanny sense of humor. He's also pretty good in the kitchen, remembers to surprise me with flowers every now and then, and keeps me honest and on the straight-and-narrow most of the time!
Then there's our buddy, Riley Dog. Many people ask what kind of dog Riley is... When we got him at Animal Control, he was barely seven pounds and was the size of my foot. They told us he was a Beagle/Jack Russell mix.
A year and a half later, he's over 50 pounds and much bigger than any Beagle or Jack Russell... So we've chalked his pedigree up to a mix of hound or terrier or pointer. Anyway, he is often referred to as "His Royal Highness" because in his mind, the world revolves around him! :)
And there's my favorite munchkins... My sister, Natalie, has two lovlies--Allison and Emily. The stories that come from their adventures cause much laughter usually, so you might hear more than one or two tales about them.
Well, thanks for stopping. Hope to see you again soon!
I'm Melanie. Welcome to my corner of the web.
To my friends, I hope you will drop by often to see how things are going--especially since I seem to be lousy at managing to keep up with my correspondence duties. I promise, the desire to talk is always there--it's the ability to actually get it done that I'm bad at! Yet, for some reason, you seem to love (or at least like) me in spite of myself... :) As always, thank you for that!
To those who happen to wander by on your web journeys... Welcome to you as well... Come on in and stay awhile. Hopefully you'll find something interesting to read or learn some new tidbit of information that will lead you to other great adventures.
A little bit about me would probably be helpful.
- First, amazingly enough, I can't find any decent/recent pictures of myself. I'll work on that since I think pictures are 1/2 the reason for blogging.
- Second, I'm happiest in the kitchen baking or watching movies. Music is my coffee, so I often have it on in every room. I'm a reformed Diet Coke addict. My only Must See TV is Bones on Fox. Technology is wonderful--as long as it works appropriately. I'm not overly patient when it chooses to disagree with me. I enjoy a good debate as long as all the parties are open to opposing points of view, and I love to play devil's advocate just to see what happens. Oh, and my favorite dessert of all times is a really really good dark chocolate cake with a chocolate ganache frosting and chocolate shavings as a garnish.
I'd also like to introduce the other characters in my world...
First, there's Brett, my husband extraordinare... He's a friendly computer guy who manages databases for a living. He's also a big movie and music fan, enjoys sports, and makes me laugh with his uncanny sense of humor. He's also pretty good in the kitchen, remembers to surprise me with flowers every now and then, and keeps me honest and on the straight-and-narrow most of the time!
Then there's our buddy, Riley Dog. Many people ask what kind of dog Riley is... When we got him at Animal Control, he was barely seven pounds and was the size of my foot. They told us he was a Beagle/Jack Russell mix.
A year and a half later, he's over 50 pounds and much bigger than any Beagle or Jack Russell... So we've chalked his pedigree up to a mix of hound or terrier or pointer. Anyway, he is often referred to as "His Royal Highness" because in his mind, the world revolves around him! :)
And there's my favorite munchkins... My sister, Natalie, has two lovlies--Allison and Emily. The stories that come from their adventures cause much laughter usually, so you might hear more than one or two tales about them.
Well, thanks for stopping. Hope to see you again soon!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)