Kiss Today Goodbye

.....And point me toward tomorrow....

Wow, 2009 came and went like a breath. It's been a year I would place on the "tougher" side of my good year/bad year scale. Definitely not the worst year in my 27 year history but it's up there and I can honestly say I am not sorry to see it go!

So, Christmas in Colorado was fantastic! It stayed snowy for me, my heart was happy! I got to hang out with my brother and his sweet girlfriend Claire...I love her...I hope he keeps her! I also got to catch up with my friend Brooke. Her family moved to Colorado just after we graduated high school, and I just love them so much. If you have never heard of her...take a listen...she's edgy and I LOVE IT!

This one is my favorite! HOME! Brooke Waggoner everyone!


So 2010 step on in, I have many plans for you!!!! More on that next week! Love to all!!!


B

I'll be home for Chtistmas...in Colorado!

Ok so I took a small sabbatical from writing...not so much because I forgot, as I was busy and grouchy...neither of those to things are conducive to blogging!!

I am so happy sitting here thinking in a week I will be home in the land of snow and mountains and all of those wonderful things! It is so funny when I look back on my decision to go to college in Tennessee, I never planned to stay here! Yet here I am! Anyway, I have been thinking all day about what all I want to try to cram into this trip! Skiing? Meeting up with friends? Just hanging out with the fam?? SO MANY OPTIONS! Will let you know how it turns out!

So Thanksgiving in Texas was fun. My mother in law did a good job of making me feel special for my 27th birthday....27....yikes...still freaking out a little over this one! I think I have done everything I have wanted leading up to 27...anyway!

Well folks...my writing cap must not be on because I am out of words...it could be the severe boredom of the day, not really sure....here is a Glee happy though!!!!! I too have been practicing this since I was 4!!!!!

Christmastime is here...

I will actually write over the weekend...have a huge catch-up but this is what I am thinking of today!

Strike a pose!

I didn't think I was going to get to write until after Thanksgiving...but I had to take a moment and write about last night...

...So we went to Brownsville, TN last night to celebrate my Birthday. We had great fun, two of my aunts were there along with over half of my cousins. We had dinner and cake and gifts and just talked and laughed. My cousin, Chanel, is at school at Union University and is currently working on her last photography project...which she has determined is going to be about her cousins. Last night was my "photo shoot."

Chanel says, "I have the best idea....we need three cars to go down to the barn..." Ok, it is PITCH black outside at this point...and cold...and she wanted to go out to the barn and light it up with car head lights and take pictures...and guess what....it was awesome! After probably 30 minutes of figuring out how to get the lighting right she took some pretty cool pictures....did I say it was cold?? A couple of my other cousins came out to help, they were blocking lights and moving car and FREEZING! They kept saying, "Brittney aren't you cold (I had on short sleeves and a dress), you don't look like you are cold..." Yes ladies and gentlemen....that's how all of us professional models are...we don't LOOK cold...ever...even though fingers are freezing through and we can no longer feel our feet and the wind is breezing and blowing your hair like crazy....Haha! It was a lot of fun and 94 pictures and two backgrounds later I sure hope she got one she can use!!!!! I am hoping she will listen to me and e-mail me a pic so I can post it for you!

So as you go off for your Thanksgiving festivities...take your camera and strike a pose!!!

Be Thankful!

B

Charming Charlie

Okay ladies, if you have not been to Charming Charlie....don't go...don't do it to yourself! You walk in the door and your eyes are bombarded by colors and sparkles. The assault on your senses starts with purses, jewelry, clothes, and all the accessories you could ever dream of in EVERY color EVERYWHERE! The store is even laid out by color. I walked in the black and white section that had all the glitz and glam for a special occasion. Then I moved through the yellow, orange, green and turquoise sections...I could have bought the ENTIRE store...seriously they even have SHOES! So, if you want your wallet to be emptied faster than you know what happened, go ahead and go, otherwise steer clear!!! (I bought WAY too much stuff...I was supposed to be Christmas shopping!)

So my mom is here, that is exciting. She helped me shop yesterday (as if I need HELP...maybe help NOT shopping! Ha!). We went to Bare Escentuals where I got the best mascara I have ever found and three delicious new lip glosses. They are called "Buxom" and they mean it...put on this lip gloss and you will have lips you didn't think possible! Then we went to Dillard' s where I secured Christmas present #1 for my darling hubby! Then we went to Charming Charlie...and well, you saw what happened there! I love my mom...she loves to shop too, we have so much fun! We would be great trophy wives, spending money is a talent for us! Luckily we know when to stop and go home to bake things!

Last night we made a chocolate pie, I made the crust and Mama made the filling....this pie is out of this world good! Tonight we have pumpkin pie on the agenda as well as a casserole to take to Trey's parents for Thanksgiving....because their Thanksgiving is not quite the norm...and I feel since it will be my birthday (27...ugh...late 20's...I am a little distraught over this but I promised myself I would embrace it on Thursday!) I should have something I want to eat for Thanksgiving dinner!

Okay, enough for now, back to sitting at my desk trying to think of things to keep me busy!

B

P.S. Thank you to Tara and Beka for Birthday fun. Beka....GLEE is still on in my car...I am pretty sure it will be on continuously until it's time for Christmas music! THANK YOU!

Lean on me

Wow, Glee was SO good last night! I have to say it was much better than last week. First...not cool...Puck should not keep quiet and sentence Fin to a baby that is not his! HOWEVER...go Glee...the thing I have really loved about this show is that they literally have nearly every high school scenario going on ever. Last night was no exception, the perfect family can't accept their daughter's mistake. Instead of understanding, all she found was anger and betrayal... The parent who should probably be the most upset, as she raised her son on her own, welcomes them in with loving arms. And their peers...of course they got their backs (that's wishful thinking but I like what they are trying to get across!). Check out "Lean on Me." It's SO good!

My only complaint is....where is the plot development with Will and Terri and Emma...go there FOX...go there....

Ok, now I have not forgotten Rachel and her crush on MR. Shu! How cute! I was trying to think back last night and remember if I had a H.S. teacher I crushed on...closest thing I got was the Choir Student Teach...Mr. T...he was adorable! Otherwise the teachers in H.S. were all to old and well not crush worthy! Ah Glee, I love you!


OK SPOILER ALERT: TOP CHEF!!!

I have been saying it since week 2 and I was RIGHT! Top 4 are revealed!

Jennifer, Kevin (heart), and The Volt brothers!

I have to admit last night it was hard for me to truly pick who I would have sent home based on the comments about the dishes. I think, however, since Jen pulled herself together this week she did indeed deserve her spot. I am so excited to see how it plays out! I totally LOVE Kevin...he's my guy!

Going out with some ladies tomorrow for dinner and a movie while our husband's go watch the Tigers game! So excited! We always have a good time! Also: T-I-G-E-R-S, TIGERS!!!!!!!!!!!!

Until then,

B

Green, Green, EVERYWHERE

Ok friends, the green master bedroom is finally complete! While painting I couldn't decide if I loved it or absolutely despised it, on day 3, I think I love it. Now I just need to get some decor and curtains in there to tie everything together and I will be in business!!! Green room take 1, 2, & 3...





I had to include a picture of my bed decoration...we call her Dinah but I am pretty sure thinks her name is Princess Buttercup...just saying! (Oh yes and can't forget Nellie Pie in the back ground fixin' to get in trouble! Haha!)

So my mama is going to be here Saturday...I am SO SO SO excited! I love my mama something fierce...mess with her and see what happens!

Mama and Dad in the mountians!

On that note, I draw from the lovely Mrs. Johnson's blog (Gentle Smiles & Kicks in the Pants)...it is MAMA...it is not MOMMA. One, that just looks wrong and two, let's talk phonetics. You don't say MOM- MA you say MA MA...so deal with it people! Okay, that is my tangent for the day!

And now...because I know you have been waiting...GLEE is on tomorrow!!!! ...Hmmm what will it have in store for us this week? In the meantime let's take a closer look at Puck (he is older than me in the real world...love that!!). He is yummy...I like him and I am liking the depth they are adding to his character! Click the link..."Sweet Caroline" OH YEAH!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XIe-WslMJX8

Until tomorrow!!!!

B

Sue Says....

"Ramps are what I call lazy-makers. They discourage able-bodied students from getting proper exercise by using the stairs." ~Sue

Yeah...so....Glee was AWESOME! Man I missed it, I missed it like I used to miss the Office when it would be off for two weeks...although it was never off for baseball...I am going have to write a letter to Fox and explain how I find that unacceptable...ANYWAY...

First, any show that does Defying Gravity, already an A+! Glee went out there this week though...I mean really they made a moral point and we even got to see a glimpse of Sue's very small little heart...maybe there is more to her than we think... Or maybe not she did after all make this statement:

"I will go to the animal shelter and get you a kitty cat. I will let you fall in love with that kitty cat; and then on some dark cold night, I will steal away into your home, and punch you in the face"

I mean really...they can't give her too much depth or she will be ruined...and apparently she is my favorite.

Was a little disappointed not to have ANY Will, Emma, Terri action last night....I am ready for some plot development on that front! Can't wait for next week!

Going to try the whole room painting thing again tonight, although I do have to go to the Y and the store and folder like 9 piles of laundry and iron as well...hmmm...it will be done before the weekend is over! Ah the joys of being a wife and running a household...I love it!

Until then!

B

10:05 AM

GLEE tonight! Sue Says: "I was pretty sure speed limits were just a rough guideline."

Man I am ready for some Glee...all the drama, the hilarity and....the MUSIC! I totally would have been in Glee in H.S....and I am sure I was every bit as annoying as Rachel Berry...ah...memories....

Ok so to the real point of this entry... I just updated my Crack...I mean Blackberry Storm...and it has taken since 8 this morning, but friends, it is running like a dream now! Look out iphone here comes, well, maybe not, but it is way better than yesterday! When I type...my letters actually keep up with me! Who needs a Storm 2?

So I am completely jealous of all my friends who get to celebrate Veterans Day (thanks Vets, btw) the right way...by not working! I was thinking to myself on my drive to work this morning, "Man, banks must love their employees! They get every holiday you can think of EVER off!" Well, except maybe St. Patrick's Day, but I am not sure. Regardless of why, banks have millions of holidays...I want on that boat! Instead of sitting here at my desk twiddling my fingers I could be at home painting my room (no I didn't get it done yesterday...) and preparing for Lia tonight!
Sadly no, I get to sit here and stare out the window with no work to push the day along. I guess I could be writing more practice essays for my test on Saturday, that would be time well spent!

Oh yeah...I haven't blogged about that! Going to be a teacher! Hopefully sooner rather than later...and then won't the blog be interesting! Teaching H.S. English...I am sure I will have stories aplenty! Anyway, my 2nd Praxis is Saturday and then it is a waiting game...wait to get my scores so I can then enter them into all my school applications (they have been filled out for 2 months, btw, all the need are those scores!) and get a job! I know my boss here is going to probably cry but I need mental and let's face is physical stimulation. Sitting in front of a computer all day melting my brain playing Farmville and Island Paradise on Facebook is NOT working! I need to contribute to society and stand up! I had no idea how much I liked standing up until after about 4 months here....I realized I was getting fat...from sitting....now I have to exercise like 45x harder....wow tangent sorry!

While I am talking about my weight loss...I only have 1 gold star...this month! FOR SHAME...jumping back on the band wagon today! How can I be a good example for H.S. students if I can't keep my self accountable! Goodness!

I couldn't think of anything to talk about and look I rambled on and on...

Until tomorrow

B

Tuesday Treasure

Ha! Gotcha..now you have to read! Just kidding.

So I have now been at the office basically alone for 4 days....and I am a little..ok...A LOT too happy about it. I don't know what it is, the quiet? The fact that I finally have these men trained to leave me alone? Getting things done how and when I want them? My ridiculously loud music of the day? Whatever it is...I have been just a cheery little lady the last few days! And I like it! It's always better to be cheery, always. Anywhoooo...


Broncos lost last night. Don't have ANY idea what their malfunction is the last two weeks...oh well...it's about to be Memphis basketball time and I LOVE it! On an even happier note...BASEBALL IS OVER! O-V-E-R!!! You know what that means...GLEE is back! Can't wait to see what antics occur this week, will Terri divulge she actually isn't a prego, will Fin find out Puck is the baby daddy....it's nail biting suspense! We will see!

I am also excited about the rest of my day! Finally going to paint our master bedroom...wait til you see it! I also have to prepare for a Lia Sophia party tomorrow, those always prove to be fun. I think I am going to have to get some models and take pics tomorrow...after all... "Diamonds are a girls best friend!"

Until tomorrow...or you know when ever it strikes my fancy!

B

P.S. Props to Mrs. Johnson for finding the website with the awesome blogger backgrounds! I totally copied...and I liked it!

Catch up!

So after fighting with technology for 3 days, I finally won and got pictures up from the week! YEA! So:

Saturday: I went shopping and the trees were AMAZING! So I had a take a picture...this is why Autumn is my favorite:


Tuesday: Had the lovely ladies over for some Southern Living. I think good times were had by all, I was a little disappointed by the fact that my Southern Living girl didn't show as many decorating tips as she said but she is just so sweet I got over it fast! The food was a hit! As a matter of fact, it was such a hit I forgot to take before pics so er...here's what was left:

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies!

Bacon Biscuit Cups w/ what is left of the Apple Tart

The whole spread....still looks good to me!

I think soon and very soon I will just have to have a ladies night at my house....because guess what? Good food + Good Friends = A really fun evening! Maybe next time I can do it on a Saturday and we can have cooking class....try out some tasty new recipes...mmmm...

And last but not least today: In the office by myself today, I have to be honest...it's my favorite kind of day! I love my desk neighbor but there is just something about being here and getting things done in my time and listening to my music entirely too loudly while I work that is just fun! Plus...shhh...don't tell...I brought some knitting (I knit in the fall and winter...it's what I do!) and I intend to knit and study while I work! So ha!

Plus going shopping tonight found a pair of red, plaid, pointy toed flats that are screaming for me to buy them! I also have to get the Nellie a new bed as she has completely grown out of and torn apart her baby bed...I forgive her because...well look at that face!


Our Nellio! Don't know what's going on with her eyes but look down...BABY NELLIE! AWWW!



Ok, so I was picture happy today! I had blogging back log!

Until next time!

B

The potty...

This is how my day has gone so far...didn't get to drink enough coffee, let my salad go bad, and my co worker just had to make this for the MEN'S bathroom:

My favorite month all year!

Ok haven't been into writing the last few days, not sure what that was about! Back on track today though and thrilled that it is November. So many good things happen in November! I mean my birthday aside, November has Thanksgiving, I get to celebrate the births of ALL 3 of my nephews and it is the first month that really screams fall! I would be posting pictures below but my computer is not wanting to copy them from my camera right now so.....


Insert Picture here



Having a Southern Living at Home party tonight! So excited! I will definitely be posting my appetizers tomorrow...shrimps, turnovers, bacon/biscuit cups and pumpkin chocolate chip cookies! MMMM! Very excited to have some classy ladies over and kick the boys out! Although will have to keep our ears listening because the first Memphis Tigers Basketball game is tonight! Gear up!

Now off to trudge through the rest of this day! Will do a weekend recap later!

B

Giant sigh and.....

Heavens! I am SO glad it is Friday. I am pretty happy in general when it is Friday but today I am extra happy...if I have to sit at my desk one minute after 3:30 I might explode and word vomit all over everyone here! FOR REAL...ok I feel better now.

So I am excited about my Friday evening plans:

Shopping for super awesome Halloween costume accessories (yes I know it's tomorrow, I am late, but at least I am attempting to dress up this year.)

Running by Kroger, praying creepy stalker guy is not there, and picking up a few items I left off my list on Tuesday...ooops!

Cooking dinner and baking the evening away!

Menu: Sauteed shrimp and sausage w/onions and angel hair pasta
Broiled Asparagus
Garlic Spinach

After dinner baking activities include: Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
Dipped Pretzel Rods
Apple Walnut Gorgonzola Turnovers: trial run!

Looking forward to the weekend! Hopefully going to see "This Is It"...don't judge..., have a fabulous Halloween/Birthday party to attend and BRONCOS FOOTBALL on Sunday....my boys are gonna play hard...I am looking for 7-0. Put your game faces on Denver! Saddle up!

Until next time!

B

On a lighter note:

I like Wednesdays...they are smashed right in the middle of the week....if the beginning was not so great it's ok, b/c it is Wednesday and there are two days left to make up for it...it's just a nice day in general.

I cleaned the kitchen at the office today...I found some coffee and a bottle of wine, yes wine, I find that odd also...from 2006....EW! I don't think that kitchen has been properly cleaned and organized since the company moved into this building. It is clean now though, friends, yes it is! I can now breathe a sigh of relief, that kitchen was making me crazy! Now it's clean and makes the new refrigerator look lovely!

Now I am just counting down the hours to Pilates! Yet another reason why I am particularly fond of Wednesdays! If you have never tried Pilates you should! It is the BEST ab workout you have ever had...and it only sometimes feels like you are working harder than you ever have in your life...now the next day...I make no promises...I usually feel it then...ANYWAY...Pilates is great and I love it, I feel so good when I leave!

I am having Adventures in Cooking on Friday so get ready for some pics!

B

Been on my mind...

So last night I was cleaning the house and cooking dinner and enjoying some girl time while my wonderful husband was off doing some work. While listening to my iPod, a wonderful playlist I made that is perfect for singing my heart out, I got to thinking about some conversations I have had with friends over the past few years. I have made a lot of wonderful friends, all of whom I love and respect, since we have moved back here and we have gotten to that place in friendship where we talk about more serious things.

One of those things is God and what we believe about Him and who He is. I have heard many different opinions and even talked to friends who don't believe in God at all. The thing I got to thinking about though was all of the people I know who believe in A god, an omniscient being who is undefined and escapes explanation. I also know people who want to make God fit their life and what they want to believe about him. People who dis-merit the Bible by saying because man wrote it it's not necessarily the true Word of God...and I guess that's what gets me...how are we going to say God created the Earth and made us in his image and answers prayers...but then say that He couldn't have inspired the words that went into the Bible...it just seems like that is putting a GIANT limit in God. He keeps the stars in place, He controls the weather, He heals people that by all our understanding could never be healed...oh but He didn't really give people the words he wanted them to write in the Bible... Just something to think on. I know there is so much about the Bible and what is in it and what was left out of it that I don't know but we have a lot of nerve to limit God's ability and to try to make what he desires fit how we want to live. Guess what...we don't get to design God to fit our lives...

Think on it.

Monday, Monday...

Hello!!!! It is Monday and that means the weekend is over...and I am rather sad about that today! The weekend was wonderful as usual and included a lot of shenanigans! I feel the need to recap:

Friday: True Blue Tiger 5k with the one and only Former First Lady of the United States Beka Johnson (beka42.blogspot.com). We kicked that races tail! Well, considering we jogged/speed walked the whole thing...we kicked its tail, 38 minutes!!! We have officially set a goal that we are going to get down to 30 minutes...Whew, am I going to have to get to training for that! Anywho, Fabulous Friday!

Saturday: Brunch with some lovely ladies and shopping at Hobby Lobby! I am OBSESSED with Hobby Lobby. They have deals on everything in the store...seriously I am pretty sure I have decorated the majority of my house with their pretty things and only spent $150....get on the band wagon people! Then Saturday night came with Birthday party fun for our friend Jonathan! He has lived to be 28, yea Jonathan! The evening was so fun and even included a Nicaraguan Baby Swing surprise! That, however, is a story that will need it's own entry!

Sunday: NFL FOOTBALL...that is all I have to say!

And NOW it's Monday...I am forcing myself to paste a smile on and not judge these crazies I work with...and counting down to Los Pilares...mmmm....Mexican...I LOVE IT!!!

Girl's Night

So last night my husband had to go to some vendor event for work and I got to have a girl night! I love girl night...me, the pup, and the kitty sat in bed all evening and caught up on some tv! Before I get into the joy that was my TV watching however I would like to state one thing....

I HATE BASEBALL....I HATE IT...everything about it...even more now when it takes over a channel that I watch at least four shows on...and now I don't get any shows until NOVEMBER...I know it's like two weeks...but that is a long time especially when I have become obsessed with GLEE! Yes that is right...Glee is gone until November...FOX I have to seriously question your judgment...I mean really...baseball over Glee and Bones and House...I think not. OK I am done with that, moving on!

I had grand plans last night of broiling vegetable kabobs and making myself a fabulous dinner to enjoy with my TV watching. It was one of those nights, however, where I had grand plans and I just settled for left over spaghetti and meatballs (which don't get me wrong, I made them from scratch, they rocked) and sat on my bed with the critters and went into my TV coma.

Glee is my favorite currently, I have never watched a show, well maybe 30 Rock, that touched on any and all hot topics and just made fun of them. If they can include it they will and I love it! Especially Sue Sylvester, I am not sure if they could have made her any more evil but she trips me out!

"You have to remember something -- we're dealing with children. They NEED to be terrified. It's like mother's milk to them. Without it, their bones won't grow properly" ~Sue Sylvester

Well, off to see what I can make of this day! "Running" a 5k tonight...that should make for interesting blogging tomorrow! Happy Friday to all!

.....Didn't even make it 2 hours...

So....the smoke alarm went off at the office in the middle of the night...apparently...thus prompting my boss to go to Schnucks this morning and purchase the following...10 NASTY Renuzit air fresheners, 4 bottles of hand sanitizer, and Lysol spray. He proceeds to tell us that EVERYTHING in the building is a fire hazard and that the fire department said to take somethings away...like our space heaters which are the only things that keep us from getting frost bite while we sit and stare into oblivion all day...

This is so classic...my boss waits until something is so messed up it's next to beyond repair and THEN he decides to do something about it....really??? One of the said things he refuses to deal with is that fact that one of our office mates looks at porn ALL DAY...where EVERYONE can see it...I don't want to see that...I shouldn't have to...but does he handle the situation...no. I get to walk passed girls laying in all kinds of awful positions showing WAY to much skin...I am a girl...that's as much girl body as I want to see! While I am complaining...he also stays checked out and uninvolved in everyday office life yet somehow he manages to come to me and tell me all the things we should be doing...90% of which...guess what...I already do!!!! I mean really...ok...back at it...hopefully there will be no more shenanigans today!

Redo

So I have tried writing this blog very inconsistently for years...and guess what? I am taking a stab at it again...so here it goes: Redo.

Back in April I got a membership to the YMCA, I was going to work out and eat better and all that good jazz....it lasted a month. Well, it lasted consistently for a month, I had still been going to the Y off and on for some classes. Really though, I just kinda quit. Why I do that I will never know. I mean a would lay in bed at night and think to myself, "why on earth aren't you working out? Have you SEEN your thighs?!?!?" SO...I am on day 4 of my "Redo." I know, day 4 is no accomplishment for some, they are on like day 600, but for me 4 days is looking pretty awesome! I have a new rewards system for going to the gym, this is great, just like kindergarten...I put a gold star on my calendar the day following my last work out....I have 3 gold stars...It will be four in the morning but I can't put it on there until I have COMPLETED my workout...otherwise I would cheat! So I am going to drag you along my journey...I warn you there will be whining and dreaming of Starbucks Caramel Machiatos....but it might be kinda funny! Plus I am sure, since I sit at the world's most boring job all day, that I will have some other tantrums in there....I could write for days about the ridiculousness that is this office and the crazies that dwell in it...maybe I will start this afternoon...for now...it's Facebook time!