Thankful

I am truely thankful for my life and for all of the blessings that I have been given.
Plain and Simple.

Karma

I had stalked this necklace for over a year. I love it. The simplicity spoke to me and who couldn't use a little extra good karma right? Well Andrew surprised me with it for our anniversary this year. I was so excited. One night in August on my way to bed I took it off and set it on our desk. The next morning Andrew was vacuuming near our desk and we heard the most awful grinding sound. Moose (aka the Giant Douche, not to be confused with Captain Douche Bag) had gotten on our desk during the night and knocked the necklace off... now my favorite necklace was in pieces. It had literally been chewed up. What does that say for my karma!? Well Andrew bought me a replacement this weekend and I don't think that it will leave my neck. I hope that it will help me channel some good karma!

Music that I enjoy right now.

just breathe... pearl jam
electric feel... mgmt
wildflowers... tom petty
laughing with... regina spektor
brick by boring brick... paramore
melt my heart to stone... adele
empire state of mind... jay-z
details in the fabric... jason mraz

Have a happy week!

I love being an Aunt!

There is nothing more fun than army crawling with Mae. Pretty much anything with her is ten times more fun. How was our family ever complete without her!? I love being her auntie! She is such a good time. :)

It has been over a month since I have posted and I tell you what.... nothing is really all that blog worthy. School is crazy, work is work and we are happy. I hope everyone is having a happy November so far!

I dream of Tybee

When we left Savannah to make our drive back to Atlanta to fly home we had planned to go to Tybee Island. The plan was to basically do a drive by but when this is what we saw we had to get in the water. After an outrageously priced towel and bottle of sunscreen we headed to the water. We both had packed swimsuits which was good foresight. The beach was beautiful and the water was perfect. Being raised near the Pacific I was shocked at how warm the Atlantic Ocean really was. I keep thinking of that quick surprise trip and wish it could have lasted longer. I could have stayed in that water all day. Tybee Island did not disappoint. So beautiful.

The song I have despised for 20 years lives on and ramblings

“I want to be kind to everyone for that is right you see, so I say to myself remember this… kindness begins with me.”
When I was little my mom wrote this little song on a 3x5 note card and made me memorize it. Whenever I was being a brat she would ask me to sing it. Now it has become a joke for my family to start singing it to me when I am being a brat. I think I have actually really needed it lately and it keeps running through my head. When I was in school getting my degree in Sociology life in general was so much easier and centered around school. Being back in school has made me stressed when I really don’t need to stress, but I was so used to my life as it was. I am working on finding my happy/productive groove. Until then, thank heaven my Andrew is so calm and loving and my family is so loving and understanding. On Sunday I needed my mom’s oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. My mom is a great cook and always had a fun treat for us when we needed it. Even though I made these cookies myself they did the trick. And I am sure if I would have asked my mom, she would have made them for me while I was spinning around her as a stress ball and talking a million miles per minute. So if you need a good cookie for comfort, try this recipe out.

Cherie’s Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
2 sticks of softened butter... not melted
1 cups sugar
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
2 slightly heaping cups of flour
1 teaspoon soda
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups oatmeal
1 cup chocolate chips.
Cook at 350 degrees for about 13 minutes.

And if you want to enjoy the full experience have a taste of the dough at each of the good stages.

** I posted this recipe from memory so MOM if I missed anything please correct me!

"Back to school back to school to show Dad that I'm not a fool."

So I have gone back to school and started this week! I have been working on it all summer, but it did not set in until I was sitting in my classes! I am getting a few prerequisites done so that I can apply for the Dental Hygiene Program. There is a year waiting list and then the program is 2 years. It is going to take me a good while, but in the end it will be perfect and will allow me to do something that I love while still getting to be a mom. I was so nervous to go back to school. I felt like Billy Madison. I think the highlight so far was a conversation I over heard between two fresh out of high schoolers… “Yeah my computer teacher is like in his 70s and talked the entire class about some ancient computer system called DOS that he had to use.” Good times.

While we were in Atlanta we visited the High Museum. One of the exhibits they had was a series done by Richard Misrach called "On the Beach". The photographs were taken over several years from a high rise hotel in Hawaii. I absolutely fell in love with them. My favorites were the water photographs. There is something so beautiful yet completely unnerving about dark open water! Seeing them on such a small scale does not do them justice at all! They are huge in real life. Anyway, I have not stopped thinking about them since. If you ever have a chance to see his work take it!

We are back from our trip to GEORGIA and it was so fun! We were able to see so many fun places and visit where Andrew served his mission. Our main draw was the BRAVES/DODGERS game and I am happy to report that the Dodgers won (the series ended 2-1)! Georgia is a gorgeous place, but oh so humid. Can we say afro? It was really fun and I want to post some fun pictures, but I am tired.

Loves.

*could he be happier in that picture?

Surprise Flower

I planted these three cactus plants a couple of months ago and as you can see the round one on the right looks like it is dying. I have tried to save it and make sure it gets plenty of light, but it still looks so shabby. The other night I noticed that it suddenly had a beautiful yellow flower blossoming out the top!! I hope that this means it is just ugly and still thriving.

Today I saw a news title that said... "Psychics see magic in Michael Jackson's Life". Don't psychics tell the future not the past? Is it me or did someone get taken...

Anywho...

Here is a list of music that I am enjoying right now if you need some new tunes to listen to....

Magic Bullets.. Will Scarlet
Nina Simone.. See-Line Woman
The Police.. So Lonely
Black Eyed Peas.. Electric City
The Asteroids Galaxy Tour.. Hero
The Black Keys.. Lies

** If you have songs that you are loving right now please share!

My favorite time of the year!

Andrew and I celebrated our 3rd anniversary on July 1st! I can't believe how fast the time has flown. I LOVE Andrew even more today than I did the day I married him. He is so kind and he keeps me laughing.

We then went to Midway for most of the long weekend with my family. It was so fun. We went to the Oakley Rodeo on Friday night which is always pure entertainment. People watching is just as fun as the actual rodeo.

On the 4th we had heard they shot cannons off of Memorial Hill at 6:30 am. So I got up and Jack and I sat on the porch to watch and listen. No cannons. Or I missed them. So I went back to bed and apparently Lindsay heard them from her room. Lame.

That night the Buies invited us over for a BBQ at their place. It was so fun! My family enjoys fireworks in any form so we had brought our arsenal. It was so fun to light fireworks and play like little kids. We had a perfect view of the fireworks on Memorial Hill and they were great.

I think my favorite part of the trip though was all of Mae's outfits. She had a outfit (down to the bracelet and headband) for every event, no joke. She is such a love and such a good sport. I am glad she is in our family!

Eric left a year ago today!! One more year to go. We are going out to celebrate his "HUMP" day tonight as a family. I can't wait to have him home. My dreams of him coming home to visit are nice, but the real thing will be so much better! He is now on the Galapagos Islands and loving it. This picture looks like paradise to me!

Go see UP in 3D. I loved the movie. Plus you get to wear these super cute glasses. :)

Just when I think that I am being so healthy I fall into a candy obsession and my food groups start to resemble those of Buddy the Elf.
Candy
Candy Canes
Candy Corn
and Syrup.

Damn.

Baseball season is here

Tonight the Braves are playing the Phillies in the first game of the season. As I type Andrew is cheering and clapping as loud as he can. Just listening to the commentator's voice relaxes me and reminds me how much I love baseball and all that comes with it. Bring it on.

buy a mug or two for your mug

MJOD beer mug.
bought on a whim at ikea.
$1.99
greatest glass to fill and relax with.
i swear it makes diet coke on ice taste even better.
love.

Dudes and Dudettes

I am the worst blogger these days.... but thats ok.

I am sure everyone knows that the beautiful Miss Mae is now here! She is the most precious little baby ever. She already dresses better than me, with Starr as her mom and all :). A little part of me doesn't feel a need to have children because I don't see how they can compare to how adorable she is. She is perfect and we love her!!

Spring is sure trying to get here, but we keep getting snow! Spring skiing is really my favorite time because I am a baby when it comes to being cold, so if it would just snow up there I would be happy. Golf and skiing in one day is perfect!

The picture above is my 666 picture. Right before Eric left to Ecuador the siblings (sans Lindsay who was playing in Jordan) went to a Bees game. It was a lot of fun.


Loves.

Dear Starr....
I know why the Bean has not kicked her way out yet.... obviously because I have not finished her baby blanket yet. I am working hard to finish so I think she will be here in no time.

Love
Sum

45 MILLION and he is ours!!!... for two years at least.
I can't wait to cheer him on at Turner Field in Atlanta.

Starr may I suggest Manny as a possible baby name?

Songs that I am very much loving right now....

Sail Away... David Gray
Ulysses... Franz Ferdinand
Let Me Touch You for Awhile (Live)... Alison Krauss & Union Station
Solid Sender... John Lee Hooker
Ai Du... Ali Farka Toure & Ry Cooder
No You Girls... Franz Ferdinand
Rainbow... G. Love ft. Jack Johnson (Eric sings this very well :) )
I'm Alive... Kenny Chesney with Dave Matthews

--- One more thing... I signed up for a half marathon and need some good advice, tips, motivation. Anyone who has run a race please help me out. I hope I don't have to walk the whole thing.... that would suck.

I have been MIA lately, but not so much like this MIA.

I blame work, laziness, and having our computer at the shop. I typed out a whole segment of "catch up" material but decided that it was boring and not worth reading. So just know that we are alive and well. We are very much enjoying this year so far and plan to have a really fun year. Starr is going to have the Bean in about four weeks and as dorky as it sounds I seriously am so excited. It is going to be so fun to have a little one around and to watch Ty and Starr be parents.

Alright, so I decided to start another blog. It is totally dorky, but it is totally for fun. You can visit it at http://www.thirstyskin.blogspot.com/ . It is all about products. I decided after both of my bosses gave me strictly products for Christmas that I truly am addicted to products. So check it out and see if there is a product that you need to try.

Andrew turned 27 yesterday and it was so fun to have him home and be able to spend time with him. He is my favorite and I am so glad that we are together. Lots of Love Andrew!!

So we are alive just in case anyone even checks our blog anymore. Christmas was great. We are lucky enough to live near both of our families so we got to spend our time with them. We got to talk to Eric and it was so hard to say good bye to him. It was so wonderful to hear his voice and know that he really is out there somewhere... Andrew drove down to Louisiana in an RV to watch the U play in the Sugar Bowl (yeah I didn't get to go....) and got to see that amazing game. What a great way to start the new year!! I am so excited to start this year. I love the feeling of a fresh start and making goals for the year. Hope everyone had a really great holiday season!!