Eat, Drink & be Merriss

Last week of my 20s!

2012-02-02T13:58:00.003-06:00

Some people have a hard time turning 30.... and I think I might be one of them....

I'm not especially sad about my 20s ending because I feel like I learned ALOT about myself in the past 10 years. I've definitely been through some things that most don't get to experience and I think (or rather hope) that it's made me a better person. Turning 30, is for me, only bothersome because I don't FEEL 30. I can still remember (like it was yesterday) turning 20. On my 20th birthday, I was out in the woods, no not in a creepy way though. lol In college (and before I was medically disqualified) I was in ROTC. The day of my birthday we had a land navigation exercise out on the local base. If any of you know me, you know I am horrible at directions so just think about how much fun being lost in the woods was. I still feel bad for my buddy out there. ;-) That night I did have a party at my Dad's house with many of my sorority sisters and friends so that was a good part. The point of all this is that it doesn't seem like almost 10 years ago. I can still remember what I wore for goodness sake!

'They' say that 30 is the new 20 and that women hit their peak in their 30s.... I'm not really sure who 'they' are or where they get this information but I'm keeping my fingers crossed that 'they' aren't wrong. If they are right, 30 better watch out! I had a blast in my 20s so things might get crazy for me! lol

I have had some changes in my life lately and I'm actually very optimistic about everything. K, (my best friend) and I just moved in together and it's already starting off great. We have a 3 bedroom house and turned the smallest bedroom into a walk -in closet because both of us have wayyyy too many clothes and shoes. The dogs are loving having a yard again and have been on their best behavior since I moved in. I knew they remembered their manners, they just weren't fans of living in a small one bedroom apartment. I can't really blame them though. ;-)

Nearing the six month mark, (actually our six month is on my birthday next Thursday), I've had a couple issues arise in my current relationship BUT we've started working through everything and I honestly believe we are getting back on track. I think winter was a hard time for both of us being cooped up when we are used to being outside and being a lot more active. J (my significant other) and I and K all joined a bowling league a few weeks ago and it has been a blast! That's been helping getting all of us out of the house. Of course it involves drinking and fun so we're definitely in! We went to a meeting about softball starting up last night and I have to say I am totally excited! I'll only be playing on 3 teams this summer compared to 4 from last fall. It is sure to be a good time though. My Sunday team is going to be playing against J's team and I'm sure there will be some interesting bets made this year! We actually met in this league about 3 years ago. Ahh there's a funny story there that I'll go into another time. Long story short, we both had crushes but due to bad timing and other relationships we were hesitant to talk to each other for the last couple years. Funny how things work out, isn't it? I had to actually make the first move and it took off from there.

So as I close out this post, I'm starting to feel better about 30. It has to all be a mindset, right? Sure, some of my friends are at very different points in their lives, what with spouses and kids, etc. but I have a few things they don't too. Freedom! No dirty diapers! Fun with friends whenever I want to! And let's not forget my girlish figure! lol Eventually, I will want to walk down the path of marriage and kids again but for right now....I'm just loving the life I have and looking forward to living each day!

The countdown to 30....

2012-01-12T15:19:00.007-06:00

Soo my 30th birthday approaching fast and I'm not sure about the actual turning 30 but the party is going to be a BLAST!

I'M HAVING A PROM!!

That's right! You read it correctly. PROM!

The last huge party I had was my 20th and I figure every ten years isn't too bad. Let me explain how serious about this party I am. It's going to be held at the bar I work at, in the back room. I reserved the whole room and there are no other parties booked that night. I have over 200 people invited and I think more than half will actually be there. I have a killer DJ, two kegs and a photographer. Yep, I'm that into my birthday. ;-) Granted, I didn't have to pay to reserve the place, I know the DJ, I got the hookup on the kegs and the photographer is a good friend of mine but I have a feeling it's going to be an amazing night!

My Dad is coming in town for it as well. My Mom and brother couldn't make it but I know I will hear from them and they are going to be there in spirit.

The only thing that I am lacking at this point is a dress. I have a couple ideas though and hopefully it will be working out soon.

I told you guys last year that I LOVE my birthday..... I hope you didn't think I was lying.

No worries, I'll be posting pictures afterwards next month!

Concerns? Not for me!

2011-09-29T10:33:00.002-05:00

It's a sad day when someone reads your blog and tries to use information against you in attempts to 'upset' you. Know what's better? Rising above them (which isn't hard) and finding the whole thing hilarious. I debated even mentioning it on here because I don't want this person to believe they accomplished their goal. I went against the idea because, to be honest, I wanted to express my appreciation.
The attempt at causing drama in my new relationship actually had the opposite effect. Instead of drawing us apart or causing doubts, it actually brought us closer together and made us more sure of what we want together.
I realize this was not your intention at all, but just the same, thanks 'friend.'

Changes are a'comin!

2011-01-25T14:16:00.008-06:00

Where to start? There have been so many crazy things going on the last few months. I'll give you a quick recap. All the baby stuff didn't work out. It has been a hard and long road but I am trying to come to terms with the fact that I may never physically have children. To be honest, it's kind of a bitter pill to swallow. I know it doesn't really make sense, but I have always thought that I would be a Mom. I would be 'That Mom.' You know the one, she drives all the kids to soccer practice or makes the snacks for the class or has a corny sticker on her car that says "Mom's Taxi." She brags on her kids at every turn and is always there for them. Unfortunately, those experiences are things that I may miss out on. I understand that nothing is definite and we don't know 100% I can't have kids but I think it just really hit me hard that it's a very strong possibility. So, that was issue #1. Issue #2 kind of ties in with all this. In all my wallowing of self pity, I seem to have alienated myself away from E. At this point, I don't even think we are at a returning point. After a period of awkwardness I have moved out and gotten an apartment and am working on me. I need to find Toni again. I think in all the madness and confusion of the last couple years, I have lost who I really am. I kind of remember her. That girl I used to be. The one who would stay up late and make cookies just because, who would decide at the last minute that I wanted to go do something fun, even the girl who would have a glass of wine when she got home from work without worrying about someone calling me a 'lush.' It may be wrong, but I am enjoying my new found freedom. I have the dogs with me and if I decide to take them to the dog park on a random rainy day and they get all muddy, then so what? I think I am a fun, spontaneous and sometimes spunky person and I don't feel like I have been that girl at all the last few years. I am not by any means saying it is anyone's fault but my own that I have changed so much. I tend to put myself on the back burner whenever I am with someone and that is a quality I truly dislike about myself.

So, I have started seeing a counselor and I think she has really helped me. She has made me deal with some pretty heavy emotions. For those of you who don't know, I am not into sharing emotions. I can be emotional at trivial things like movies or TV shows or even books sometimes. But when it has something to do with my life, I shut down and don't like talking about how I feel. I haven't figured out exactly why that is but I am working on it. Another realization is that I am an 'omitter.' Not sure if I spelled that right because spellcheck keeps glaring at me, but hopefully you get my point. I don't intentionally leave things out when I am recapping, but I seem to do it none the less.

I've come to realize that sometimes omitting is just as bad as lying because the end result can be the same. And that's not good for anyone involved.

Thankful

2010-10-07T15:07:00.004-05:00

So people at work regularly make fun of me for reading the books they give us for inspiration and/or motivation. I'm a reader. Always have been. When I am sitting at the table eating cereal, you can bet I am reading the back of a cereal box. It's what I do. It's okay to be jealous.
Recently, I was given a book called 'Welcome the Rain' and I think it came at a pretty appropriate time in my life. It's all about how we really need to be thankful for what we do have and many times, how we react to situations greatly affects other people.
Having so much trouble getting pregnant is a perfect example of how I should be focusing on the good things I do have instead of the few things I don't. I have a great support system between E, my family and friends, I have a good job, a nice house, and overall I am a pretty happy go lucky person. I don't like to be sad and I finally had to come to the realization that it is what it is. I have to let go the anger of what is not working in my favor and emphasize what is.
On a brighter note, I've brought more softball back into my life and have been having an absolute ball with it. I've met some really cool girls playing and have already had a blast hanging out with them. Plus, the exercise! Good times!
I guess my point in all this is that sometimes things piss you off, it's going to happen, but you should try to find that silver lining. There is always someone out there who has it worse, you never know who else your behavior is having an impact on and there may a reason something has happened that you just don't see yet.

Reunion

2010-06-07T19:16:00.003-05:00

As my ten year class reunion draws near, my thoughts drift back to my old high school days. The Friday night Football games, lunches off campus, random parties at the house, people hooking up in our pool (oh wait! Did I type that? My bad! lol).

Yes, there were many, many good times during that period but honestly I am pretty happy that it is all behind me. High school was drama and so were high school kids. Before you think I am all about me, I definitely include myself in that group. We loved drama.

We thrived on it.

It's what we did.

Now you look back and realize just how stupid and minor everything was. Who cares who was sneaking around with who? Or who had their boyfriend over while their parents were out of town? Really? That's what we cared about? LOL seriously!

Now college? That's a time I wouldn't mind reliving certain parts of! That brand new feeling of freedom. Coming home (or not) whenever I wanted to, working at Cooter Browns, the Baseball games, bartending at Pelhams and Brothers, ahhh good times!

But then you remember the times when you just wanted out of school and to be done. To actually have a full time job and money in the bank to spare. lol

There is something to be said of somewhat growing up. Even though that means paying a mortgage, spending weekends 'fixing up' the house, and actually enjoying just wandering around Home Depot.
Of course, there is still that freedom to do whatever you want, only this time you have more money in your pocket to actually do it!

Enjoying a little 'Toni' time

2010-02-20T13:46:00.006-06:00

I am having a good day. It's well past noon and I am still lounging around in my sweats, playing on the internet and trying to watch season two of Trueblood. (yumm delish vampires) I haven't done anything spectacular today and am not planning on doing anything tonight. Sounds boring, you say? Yes, yes, it does and I am looking forward to every bit of it.

It's my 'Toni Time' as I like to call it. E is off hanging with his Dad and I am just reading/relaxing/being a bum. I am a pretty big dork and seeing that I just got a kindle for my birthday, I have been reading nonstop lately. I love it! (not trying to insert a kindle plug here at all) It does take a little getting used to but it's so convienent. So far I only have about 20 books uploaded on it but I can carry them all with me and if one happens to be dragging, I can switch to another book at the drop of a hat (and it totally saves your place).

Anyway, getting back to 'Toni Time.' I think everyone needs their 'them time' and totally should have it. Sure, E and I do a lot together but I think it's more because we actually like spending time together, not so much because we can't stand to be without the other one for periods of time. lol Anyone who really knows us knows that we definitely have had our time apart during our relationship. (Back in 2007 before we even got engaged, I moved to New York for the summer while E was in St. Louis playing pro baseball. We didn't see each other for about three and half months and then we got back to Alabama and got engaged. We stayed in Alabama together for about four months and then I ended up getting a job in Omaha and so in January, I moved and he stayed in Alabama until June. LOL It might not be normal but neither are we really. lol) I think that is one reason we are okay with doing things apart. Of course, there are those who take that to extremes and do everything apart but that's a whole other issue. I like that we have a happy medium. It works for us.

Life's a journey, not a destination

2010-02-08T15:22:00.012-06:00

So, I had a friend ask me the other day if I believed that there is one person out there for everyone. For many people that is a hard question. For me, not so much. (Okay, so alot of this actually came from what was said to that friend)

I can't believe that there is only person out there that would complete a person fully and that they could find true happiness with. I think there are lots of 'ones' out there for people. Some might not be exactly what you would have pictured or who you would have picked out for yourself had you been scouring a catalog but together you have the potential to find real happiness. I think part of that comes from the fact that I have thought in the past that someone might be the one I was supposed to be with and then ended up getting hurt.

I think a relationship only has the potential that you let it have. If you want to make it work, it could be something great but if you are determined for it to fail, it is going to. Now, I do believe that some people are supposed to be together but I am sure that there are others that they could be happy with.

The more people I spoke with about this the more cemented my views have become. My above mentioned friend said that he believes maybe there are certain people that belong in our lives and maybe our significant others are meant to be there thru stages of our life. He added that he thinks a lot of people forget that we're all just passing thru (this life).

I agree. Every choice you make, every road you take, can lead you down a different path and possibly a different person on that path, waiting for you. That is possibly why my all-time favorite poem is "The Road Not Taken" by Robert Frost. (yes, I know that is not the actual title but it is more commonly known by that.) It shows you that there are options out there and in every situation there is a choice to be made. Take a chance. (For those who are not familiar with the poem, I have it posted below really only because I enjoyed reading for the thousandth time.)

*Knock on wood* but I would hope that if something were to happen to me, that my husband would not shut down and refuse to ever be with anyone again because his 'happiness' was all used up with me. I would want him to be with someone who would be good to him and would make him happy. Does that discount any of the joy we shared together? I don't think so. I just think that it shows that life goes on and as hard as that seems at times, there may be possibilities behind a door you never even knew about.

Surprisingly, I did talk to E about this. I was a little surprised that he agreed with me. lol He said after an appropriate mourning time for a relationship, he thinks you should put yourself back out there. I only say surprising because, he is not a huge relationship guy. hmm maybe he was only talking about putting yourself out there for hookups . . . I may have to follow up with him about that. ;-)

I do wonder if it is an 'old' idea of finding the 'one' and only having that one love. Most people that you hear about that type of thing from are from a different generation, a different time, not only in love but also in life. There didn't used to be the casual attitude towards casual relationships that can be found today.

What do you think?

"The Road Not Taken" by Robert Frost

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveler, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could

To where it bent in the undergrowth;
Then took the other, as just as fair
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;

Though as for that, the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,
And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black

Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
two roads diverged in a wood, and I --
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference.

*sigh* I feel ya Robert.

I see cake in my future

2010-01-27T18:23:00.004-06:00

Who's the birthday girl? I'm the birthday girl! Okay, well not yet technically but I will be in less than two weeks.

See, I love birthdays. The excitement and inevitable good mood the days leading up to them. Not to mention the friends, gifts and the cake. Oh, the cake.

My husband, on the other hand, is of the opinion that a birthday is just another day. No reason to have a party or even really celebrate. He likes going out to dinner, just the two of us, for his birthday. I tried to have them sing to him one year at the restaurant and he just stood up and starting singing with them. It embarrassed me more than him and it was HIS birthday! So, I have given up on him for birthdays.

My dogs even get birthday presents and a special birthday bone. Of course, since we have two, they both get them for each others birthday because you really can't give one dog something and not give it to the other. Trust me, it's easier that way. One would whine, the other would cry and then they would both end up grounded. Yes, still talking about my dogs.

So this year I have decided to have a roller skating birthday party. The last party I went to at a skating rink was my own 13th birthday party . . . 15 years ago. Hey, it was a blast then AND I got to couple skate with my middle school obsession, B. so just think of how much time the coolness factor has had to marinate until my next attempt at it!

Sure, I could think of the negatives of my upcoming birthday. I'm closer to 30 (which is actually the new 20, they say) and it is on a Tuesday (I mean, really. What exciting happens on a Tuesday?). But honestly, I can't think of too many negatives.

I just love birthdays. (especially mine!)

*As a minor update, I did find out that my job is having a Luau food day in honor of my birthday! Hmm that could be pretty exciting for a Tuesday. Nothing like a little morning limbo to liven things up!!! Oh, don't laugh, you KNOW I will lead the line!

irritated

2010-01-11T17:55:00.004-06:00

So, I ran out of deodorant this morning and had to use E's. My car heater started making a really weird, very loud, noise on my way to work. I had to do a presentation pretty much as soon as I got to work. I don't like driving in the snow and forgot to bring anything other than a 'cup of soup' for lunch. And I might not be able to go to my brother-in-laws wedding in Las Vegas because work might not approve it.Yep, it was an awesome day.

Ever have those days? Nothing extremely bad happens but you just want to go back to bed as soon as you get up.

Of course, there were some good parts to the day, I got to help some really sweet people at work, which made me feel like I am finally getting the hang of my job. I got quite a few compliments on my hairstyle that I actually didn't do much to at all today. That got me feeling pretty good.
Then I remembered I had on boy deodorant. Frick.

Inspiration

2009-12-22T21:50:00.006-06:00

There are many ways to find inspiration from everyday things. The person holding the door open for you as you carry out your groceries. The random people who stop and ask if you need help on the side of the road after you slid into a monster snowbank. The sweet husband who leaves work when you call him to come dig you out of said snowbank even when he really wants to rip your head off for not driving more carefully.

For writing purposes, I think my biggest inspiration comes from reading others stories or blogs. I have this friend, we'll call her Summer , who never fails to make me smile and and always blows me away with her writing witt and charm. You can't help but fall in love with her tales of crazy and entertaining topics. To me, she is a true artist.
Another I find motivating is Marissa from The Shared Journey. She draws her readers in and makes them feel what she is feeling. When she and her long-time boyfriend broke up, my heart hurt with her. When she moved back home from New York and made many adjustments in her life, I cheered her on.

It's the occurences and experiences that you find all around you that make the most benefiting inspiration.

At least, it is for me.

The undiscovered 'Gladiator' in me . . .

2009-07-01T10:38:00.003-05:00

So at first, I was not a fan of the 'Gladiator Sandals.' Not in the sense that they made me want to bang my head against a wall for an hour (which burns a lot of calories, by the way).

They did, however, make me want to drape myself in an artfully tied toga (believe it or not, I made 30+ togas in college once) and start running around in the movie Troy trying to find Achilles (as long as he was still played by Brad Pitt ;-D ) but . . . some of them have made me start reevaluating my earlier judgement. They can be worn with shorts, skirts, capri pants, etc. Plus the fact, they just look cute and comfortable! ( ha ha Maybe I am just wanting to break the toga out of storage and give it another run! Am I crazy?)

What do you think?

Liar, Liar

2009-06-02T14:03:00.005-05:00

I lied. I said I was going to try to blog more and I have failed. Miserably. So I apologize for being a horrible, dirty liar!

Lately I have felt like that odd little chicken who is running around with no head on his frail little body, still trying to get things accomplished. All in a couple of months, we bought our house, bought a car, and I changed jobs (which also includes 10 weeks of training out of state)! Definitely makes for interesting times but it also can wear you down fast!

So much has been happening with me but at the same time, I feel like I have gotten nothing done. My Mom came to visit right before I left for training (which was amazing of her, by the way) and we got in a really good visit! She is the type of person to totally bend over backwards for other people so, of course, we had to go shopping and start outfitting the new house with all kinds of stuff! It is exciting to walk into the house and see everything all put together and know that it is ours! (of course, knowing that whatever goes wrong is also ours kind of stinks! haha)

Which brings me to our first big deal as homeowners! The sellers kind of screwed us! Actually, they did screw us but I guess they did woo us with granite countertops and hardwood floors before the official 'screwing'. The said 'screwing' is mainly the master shower. The guy who put it in, did so wrong and now the shower leaks down into the laundry room. I believe he knew it was done wrong because a piece of plywood was put right below where the leak is, almost to catch the water that falls down. E says that we are going to have to tear out the tile (I love that tile) and put in a new pan. It all sounds like fun to me! (Totally being facious right now.) I guess that is just one of the issues that comes with buying an older home. (And honestly, if that is the worst thing that happens right now, it is not too huge. I just hate feeling like he got one over on us!)

Back to the new job. Even though I am only in training at this point, I am really enjoying the experience. The actual in class 'training' is pretty boring but since everyone has to go through the same thing, it is not that bad. We only have two more weeks left in Kansas! (Yes, I started this blog on June 2nd and am finally finishing it on July 1st!) Crazy how fast it has gone! My training group is from all over the region and one of the more diverse groups I have been in! It definitely makes it interesting! I think it will be fun next year when we meet up again for the New Employee Orientation that we all have to go to within our first year. Kind of like we actually know people outside our little world! ha ha

Hopefully, after I finally get home, we are going to be hosting a Homewarming Party where we get to show off our new digs! I will try to post some pictures after we work all that out!

Hope everyone has a great day!

Change is inevitable!

2009-03-31T06:48:00.005-05:00

So, it has been FOREVER since I posted and though I have been really busy, that is really not a good excuse. I have had some life changing events going on but I should have taken the time to update any and everyone reading.

First off, I got a new job!!! While I did love working in the magazine industry, it was extremely hard knowing that I was not going anywhere with it. I was stuck in a mudpit, spinning my wheels in the worst kind of career blah. Don't get me wrong - I loved the people and company I worked for. But there was no future with it so I finally had to chalk it up to what it was- a great first job out of college and a learning experience. I met some wonderful people, had some great times and got job experience out of it as well. I could not have asked for anything more. Well, I guess I could have but in fairness, the things I was wanting, I don't think they were able to give me. So, I got a federal job with Social Security. It was kind of odd how the whole thing went down so I will spare you details. With the current state of the economy, I really feel that this is a good move for me at this time. I am going on my third week with the new job and honestly, I am really loving it! Of course, there are the people who call or come in that just kind of leave you shaking your head, but I am pretty used to that part of it. What surprised me was how much there is to learn!! I actually leave to go to training in Topeka, KS for about 10 weeks starting in May. The amount of knowledge that these people have is astounding but that just makes it even more interesting to me. I get as excited as a kid a recess when I actually know how to do something and at this point, I can only see that feeling growing as I learn more and become more comfortable with the many (many, many, etc.) different parts of the job.

Next up . . . E and I bought a house!!! Wowzers! Talk about feeling like a real adult! In total honesty, we were not even really looking hardcore for anything, this one just kind of found us. I told E that if I got this new job (since the stability is awesome) we could start looking. I found our house probably a week and a half/two weeks later online. I called our agent on Friday (who we knew from thinking about buying in the past) and asked to see it. We did a walk thru on Monday and put an offer in on Wednesday. We went back and forth a little bit with the seller but ended up getting a really great deal on it. Personally, I think that my bargaining comes from learning how to talk the talk at flea markets and in Chinatown (when I was in NYC). To me, the battle for ownership is half the fun! Okay, anyway, back to the house! It has almost everything that we have said we wanted, (no walk-in closet for me ;-D ) but we figured that those upgrades would be some great improvements to either 1)look for in our next house, or 2)think making to this house later on. On the other hand, it has some really sweet upgrades that we didn't think we would be able to afford at this stage in our life. The kitchen (probably one of my favorite rooms) has stainless steel appliances and granite countertops. The shower in the master bath is really cool and is made of that stone tile. It is one of those walk-in deals so that you don't even need a shower curtain. The entire upstairs is original hardwood floors (and since it was built in 1965, that makes them pretty nice and pricey). In the last six months, the sellers put new siding on it, a new roof, added a 3rd garage, and a new deck. Of course, the tax credit that we are getting is not hurting the process at all! I am going to try to attach some pics of the house so you get an idea of why I am so excited!

Last but not least, we got E a new car! Well, it is new to us! haha He got a white 2004 GMC Yukon Denali. It is really, really nice and for the price we got it, it was a steal! It also has the dvd player and the heated seats in the back. I told him that he could just start driving me around and I would just watch movies in the back! Hmm not sure that went over so well! But I do know that he loves his new toy (and it works out cheaper than the lease he had before! Always a good thing!)

Okay, well I am going to try to be better about posting but we are closing on the house next Friday so I can honestly say that I am going to be pretty busy for the next week or so!
Thanks for stopping by and I hope that everyone has a wonderful Easter weekend!!

Is enough ever really enough?

2009-02-21T10:22:00.005-06:00

I spoke to an old friend last night and it made me think of an interesting topic. When did enough become never enough? It seems like our generation is always wanting BETTER. Better partners, better jobs, better pay, better homes, better benefits, etc. The list literally could go on and on.

I am not faulting anyone for wanting to better themselves and their current situation as I am guilty of the same 'Betterment Disease,' as I call it. It feels like no matter what I have in my life, I always start thinking about what else I can do to improve it. Even before I met E. the guy situation was also lumped into the growing pile of what could be better in my life.

My friend shocked me when she said that she blamed her parents for her lack of happiness. She claims the reason behind this is that they were the ones always telling her that she could have anything she wanted, be anything she wanted and do anything she wanted.

When did our generation become one who always has to blame someone else for what they don't have? Why can't we dig deep and find it inside ourselves to do what it takes to make ourselves happy?

Yeah? So? Maybe I am stuck in middle school!

2009-02-11T12:51:00.008-06:00

So these little things are all over facebook and usually I pass them by, but I have to admit . . . I actually like filling them out! I know, I know. It's totally a middle school thing to do. I figure that part of the reason I have a blog is to tell people things about me and most of these are things that might never come in one of my blogs. If that makes me a middle schooler . . . I guess I am okay with that! ;-D

Place an (x) by all the things you've done and remove the (x) from the ones you have not. Then answer the questions below. Send it to your friends.This is for your entire life! (My personal spin on it is to write a little description for the things you actually HAVE done that you check off)

( x ) Been to Europe - My Dad was in the Army and we lived in Germany for 3 years. My mom made a rule that we did not travel back to the states while we lived there so we went all over!
( x ) Been on a cruise - Senior cruise to the Bahamas!
( ) Gone on a blind date -
( x ) Skipped school - Probably a few times but one really sticks out to me. Sixth grade in Kansas. The bus never came so we went to this 'older' guys house where they were drinking and smoking and who knows what was going on the bedroom. I literally sat in the corner by myself (I was that naive at the time) until about 1pm. Then I walked home and called my Mom crying. I got in SOO much trouble!
( ) Watched someone die
( ) Been to Canada
( x ) Been to Mexico - Cancun Summer 2005. Right before I met my husband. Yeah . . . no story needed. ;-D
( x ) Been to Florida - I went to high school an hour north of Panama City Beach. We were there all the time!
( x ) Been on a plane - Way too many times for any one story.
( x ) Been lost - I am always lost! My husband finally gave me navigation for Christmas because one time I called him from the ghetto, lost at 11 pm. (We have only lived here a year! It takes me awhile!)
( x ) Been on the opposite side of the country - Many road trips while growing up.
( x ) Been to Washington,DC - Yep. I have an uncle who lives there.
( ) Been to Vegas - No, but I really, really want to go!
( ) Climbed a lighthouse
( x ) Swam in the ocean - We lived in Hawaii for 3 years, what do you think?
( x ) Cried yourself to sleep - Well of course, and I am sure it was over some loser too.
( ) Been Sky Diving - Not yet but going this spring! I promised my husband forever ago I would take him!
( x ) Seen the Cherry Blossoms in Washington , D.C. - They are so pretty!
( x ) Flown a plane - Ha! Surprised? I took a flying lesson for an article when I was in college. My husband (bf at the time) sat in the back of the very small plane and prayed the entire time! I was proud of him for even going! By the way . . . I nailed the landing! ;-D
( ) Owned a boat
( ) Watched grandchildren grow
( ) Recently colored with crayons
( ) Been to the Kentucky Derby
( ) Been to Key West - No, but my brother got me a shirt from there . . . does that count?
( x ) Been to a rodeo - Ha ha! I finally went this past fall! It wasn't anything big but I enjoyed it. I wanted to be a little kid so I could go mutton bustin'. Ha ha
( x ) Sang Karaoke - This only happened one time and it involved great amounts of alcohol.
( ) Paid for a meal with coins only?
( x ) Done something you told yourself you wouldn't? - Oh, hasn't everyone?
( ) Made prank phone calls -
( x ) Laughed until some kind of beverage came out of your nose - FYI . . . it hurts.
( x ) Caught a snowflake on your tongue - I figured it was better than licking them off the ground.
( x ) Danced in the rain - I loved when it would rain in the south! It would be warm rain!
( x ) Wrote a letter to Santa Claus - Yep, I used to leave him cookies too. He always ate the cookies and left my brother and I each a silver bell!
( x ) Been kissed under the mistletoe - my husband!
(x ) Watched the sunrise with someone - My husband & I watched one on our honeymoon in Jamaica! It was so beautiful!
( ) Seen the green flash at sunset
( x ) Blown bubbles - I blow bubbles for my dogs! Ha ha They are bacon scented and they love it!
(x ) Gone ice-skating - When I was younger, my Dad used to take me all the time! It was one of our 'date' places.
( x ) Gone to the movies - We go all the time!
( ) Owned a convertible

1. Any nicknames? (most of these are from my mom) Tone, Tonibell (I wanted to be a southern belle when I was little. My Mom said I could be her Tonibell instead), 2% (She had 2% of ever having kids so I am still her 2% miracle baby.)
2. Mother's name? Carole Linda (but she goes by Linda)
3.Were you named after anyone? Both of my grandfathers. My Dad's father's middle name was Anthony and my Mom's father's first name was Anthony.
4. Is your name short for anything? I get this alot. No, my full first name is just Toni.
5. Birthplace? Texas
6. Ever been to Hawaii ? Yep, we lived there for 3 years and I was a natural blond! The sun does wonders! Ha ha
7. Ever been to Africa ? no
8. Ever eaten just cookies for dinner? Yes, sometimes it does a body good to be bad.
9. Ever been on TV? When I was like 10 my girl scout troop was on the news. Ha ha
10. Ever steal any traffic sign? Umm not that I remember . . .
11. Ever been in a car accident? Yes. Senior year of high school I was rear ended by a semi. Ruined my scholarship and totalled my car!
12. Drive a 2-door or 4-door vehicle? Only 4 doors for me! (That is what saved me in the accident mentioned above so now I will only get 4 door cars.)
13. Favorite number? 13, my high school softball number
14. Favorite movie? currently - Twilight . . . all time - North & South
15. Favorite holiday? Halloween or Christmas. I love the dressing up (Halloween) and family time! (Christmas)
16. Favorite dessert? Either brownies or white cake with rainbow chip frosting. Yummm.
17. Favorite burger joint? Burger King. We go all the time (which is horrible for us).
18. Favorite food? Either steak or sushi.
19. Favorite day of the week. Probably Friday (the weekend has so many possibilities then).
20. Favorite brand of body wash? Basis. The only one that doesn't break me out.
21. Favorite smell? various perfumes (Happy, Bright Crystal . . .), sweets baking, Christmas trees
22. How do you relax? Reading or vegging out on the couch.
23. How do you see yourself in 10 years? Hopefully have a few kids by then
24. Furthest place you will send this message? With a blog, there is no telling!
25. Who will respond to this the fastest? ??? YOU!

No longer the Party Animal

2009-02-03T11:30:00.009-06:00

So, I haven't posted in awhile and I apologize. (Technically, I don't know if anyone really even reads these, so chances are, I am just apologizing to myself. But, I think it will make me feel a little better so I am putting it out there anyway.)

Things have been rather hectic for me with my younger brother getting married in December and then deploying to Iraq in January. Those two events resulted in me taking a couple trips (aka adventures) out of state.

The first was to New Orleans for my brother's wedding. It was insane! It was fabulous! It was trouble! Our hotel was literally two blocks from the infamous Bourbon Street!

Day one started out as a normal traveling day for us -- meaning the alarm was buzzing before it really should have been and we were up before the rooster could crow. I had on my trademark 'traveling outfit' which is really just a velour jogging suit, but it makes me feel comfortable and sassy at the same time. And, I figure if I am going to be walking through an airport and people are going to be silently judging me with their eyes, I might as well add a little pizzazz to it.
So the first thing we realized after landing in LA is that we were way overdressed for December in New Orleans. Forget the fact that we just came from Nebraska and negative temperatures! Apparently, winter months have absolutely no affect down there (and I am from Alabama! Even we had cooler weather!). So, now that I determined that majority of the clothes I brought were useless, we arrived at the hotel to encounter a minor tragedy. My mother had lost one of her new diamond earrings and, of course, had no idea where. She and my grandmother had just changed rooms so we ran off to search high and low in the previous room before one of the cleaning ladies could get there. Pillows were flying, bedsheets were billowing and the room looked like a mini hurricane had hit it. No earring. Shoulders hunched in defeat, we were about to leave when I decided to check the bathroom. Out of the corner of my sleep deprived eye I spied something shiny . . . a diamond earring. Sitting. in. the. drain. I started taking deep breathes to calm myself as I reached for it because deep down I knew that if my hand slipped and I sent the earring spinning down the drain, I would be the one to deal with my mother's wrath. My mother is full Portuguese and let me tell you, there is nothing quite like a Portuguese temper! Thankfully, my breathing exercises paid off and instead of the villain of the story, I emerged the hero.

The rowdy and ridiculous bars on Bourbon St. beckoned to us like a siren to an ill-fated ship and like the ship, we floated straight into the welcoming arms of what would surely be our demise. Alright, that might be a little bit dramatic but we did have a few rough mornings as we came to the realization that we could no long "party" like we were 21.

The wedding was gorgeous. Perhaps what made it even more beautiful, yet bittersweet to me, was that it was MY little brother committing himself to the woman he loves. The little brother who used to play Barbies and G.I Joes with me and would get so mad when I would make them kiss. The little brother who got very overprotective and would inspect and try to intimidate any possible suitor I had in high school, once my dad moved out. The little brother who, even though we fought like cats and dogs, had become my best friend through all the military moves we made as children. He is the one person (not counting our parents) who always had my back, no matter what kind of bonehead move I made. And now, he was moving forward in his life with his wife. Please do not misunderstand me and think that I am not bursting at the seams with happiness that they found each other and are now starting their life together. I love my sister-in-law, I have since I met her and knew she was the one for him. I can't wait until we all get together and our children (once we all get on that same page, of course) play Barbies and G.I. Joes together. When they can fight like cats and dogs and Patrick (my brother) and I can look at each other and laugh. He has been my rock, thru both calm and crazy waters, and though I know he will continue to be there for me, things will change, just as they are supposed to. I just hope he knows how lucky I consider myself to call him my brother.

As I mentioned above, we experienced a few "rough" mornings during our time in New Orleans. I suppose none were quite as difficult as our last morning there. Our flight was supposed to leave at 8 am (not a good idea when we didn't get back to the room until 4 am) so of course, we woke up at 7:30 and still had to pack. Needless to say, we missed our flight. The airline personnel were an absolute joy to work with. (If you could see my face right now, you would see the look of utter disgust on it.) They could not even give us the possibility of getting out until the next day and it might not even had happened then. So my husband, the realistic one, decided that we should drive home. We live in Omaha. We were stuck in New Orleans. Two very hungover people + 14 hour drive = not very happy campers at work on Monday. Looking back, the story IS pretty funny and it put the perfect cap on our weekend, but at the time . . . we were definitely not laughing.

Originally, I had planned on this entry featuring both adventures out of state but as I think about it . . . I will just save the other for next time.

The Block rocked Omaha!

2008-11-19T13:08:00.010-06:00

As the smoke billowed up from the under the stage, the screams echoed all around the Qwest Center. Teachers, mothers and businesswomen alike lost their cool as five men emerged from underground. They had yet to utter a word and they had the audience eating out of the palms of their hands. This was the moment these women had been waiting for. After 14 years apart, the boys were back together. Although their name can be misleading, because they are no longer kids or new to the block . . . every woman in attendance felt the same ripple of excitement as their girlhood crushes took the stage.

New Kids on the Block were back in full force and making sure that no one could earnestly call them a mere 'boy band' ever again. Though they started the phenomenon years ago, they no longer were the boys we had come to love and adore. The 'boys of beantown' have become the men of Massachusetts at last!

As a die hard NKOTB fan, the talent they all possess did not surprise me in the least. What did surprise me, however, was the enthusiasm that these five grown men still share for their music, their fans and for each other. They put on one of the best shows I have ever experienced, and my inner ten year-old did flip flops every time they would start a familiar song. I, along with thousands of others, found myself cheering and screaming myself hoarse.

I for one, could not be happier about their return and am anxiously awaiting another opportunity to see them live.

Kudos to you, NKOTB!

The Randomness of it all . . .

2008-10-30T09:52:00.004-05:00

I am a random person and so I tend to have random thoughts. I constantly lose my husband in conversations that I have half in my head and then get agitated when he doesn't follow the other half that I share outloud. In being quite random, I have gathered some useless tidbits of knowledge that I felt the urge to share with people. To be honest, I have no idea if these are true but they make me laugh.

Did you know . . .

It is impossible to lick your elbow. (And 75% of people will now try to do it after reading this.)

If you try to suppress a sneeze, you can rupture a blood vessel in your head or neck and die.

Wearing headphones for just an hour will increase the bacteria in your ear by 700 times.

Thirty-five percent of the people who use personal ads for dating are already married.

In the course of an average lifetime you will, while sleeping, eat 70 assorted insects and 10 spiders. (Makes you think twice about sleeping with your mouth open, doesn't it?)

A female pig's orgasm lasts for 30 minutes.

You can't kill yourself by holding your breath.

A cockroach will live nine days without it's head, before it starves to death.

Dentists have recommended that a toothbrush be kept at least 6 feet away from a toilet to avoid airborne particles resulting from the flush.

No piece of paper can be folded more than 7 times.

You burn more calories sleeping than you do watching television.

Barbie's full name is Barbara Millicent Roberts.

Adolf Hitler's mother seriously considered having an abortion but was talked out of it by her doctor.

Although it has been reported that Marilyn Monroe had six toes, this is actually not true at all.

The three most valuable brand names on earth: Marlboro, Coca Cola, and Budweiser, in that order.

And last but not least -

Apples, not caffeine, are more efficient at waking you up in the morning.

Okay, so, yes I am full of random, useless knowledge, but at least it is entertaining!

New Makeup

2008-10-01T10:16:00.009-05:00

A new Ulta store opened up near my work and I just had to venture in. Of course, it ended up being a two hour shopping experience and I just had to share some of the great things I found there!

I met an Urban Decay rep who was wonderful, Kim from Chicago! She did my makeup and sold me great additions to any makeup bag. I got the 24/7 glide on eyeliner (http://www.urbandecay.com/categories/247EyePencil.cfm) and the eyeshadow primer potion that won the 2008 Best of Sephora award.(http://www.urbandecay.com/categories/EyeshadowPrimerPotion.cfm) Seriously, this stuff rocks! I put my makeup on around 6 a.m. and it does not budge until I take it off around 11 p.m. I cannot sing enough praises for this stuff!

One thing that I loved about Ulta is that they not only had the name brand makeup and salon hair products but they had the regular brands that people like me (aka economical) can always afford.

I even found my face wash, Basis, that it seems no one carries anymore! (http://www.basisclean.com/) There are different types that you can find at different places but Ulta has both the ones I like. This face wash is one of the few that does not break me out! I love it and was really upset when most places only started carrying the soap.

So, I totally was not trying to make this a big ad for Ulta but if you have been like me and living under a rock, you should definitely at least check one out! At the very least, get your makeup done for free for a fun night out! ;-D

Another product that I have fallen in LOVE with that can only be bought online is a makeup setting spray called "Model in a Bottle." It has been featured on all kinds of shows and was recommended to me on a message board. I used this spray for my wedding and for all the bridesmaids and they just loved it. I actually took this to a friends wedding that I was a bridesmaid in and let the other girls use it and afterwards I had multiple people contacting me for the info on it. (http://www.modelinabottle.com/) Trust me, this stuff will change your life. Well, at least the life span of your makeup! ;-D

Helpful Websites!

2008-10-01T09:55:00.003-05:00

In going with the wedding theme to my last post, I remembered a few helpful sites that gave some great ideas and knowledge. I also looked at other brides web pages and there are a ton of ideas that can be duplicated!

Some of websites I found that have some good prices for various stuff are: