counting thru the craziness..

1. My sister came to visit for an entire weekend with the only agenda of hanging out with me.  Victory.  There is no documentation of this in photos.  Fail.

2. Peanut M&M's are like crack to me.  Once I start, I can't stop.  Maybe they're more like Pringles.

3. Thanksgiving is next week.  WHOA.  Wasn't I just laying out at the pool for the summer?  Hello winter white skin.

4. I completed one of the first Tuesday series that I was in charge of without the whole thing being a complete disaster.  Sigh of relief.

5. My mom will always be a fantastic sounding board and give the best advice around.  Hands down.

6. The amount of times and volume that my own and the roomie's alarm clocks go off in the morning probably wakes up the entire apartment complex.  As we peacefully sleep.  Thank you Jesus that our fire alarm hasn't gone off. 

7. I have never ever been oh so excited about decorating my apartment for Christmas.  Get out of here Thanksgiving... I'm ready to go to that Christmas tree farm that I've only ever heard of and put beautiful ornaments on my 2nd ever real Christmas tree.  THRILLED.

8. It confuses me how much I absolutely love Taylor Swift's music, but don't particularly care for her as a person.  Interviews with her make me cringe and I think she tends to be more on the immature side.  But at the end of the day, I love to rock out to every single song on every single one of her CD's... immature lyrics included.  Inner conflict, I tell you.

9. I just began Beth Moore's Believing God with a group of girls.  Never been more excited to meet with a group of girls to talk about Jesus.  I've missed me some good girl time.

10. This is a sad attempt at a blog in order to catch up.  I apologize.

the fog...

Wow... where the heck have I been?  I'll tell yah... walking around in a fog. 

It began when my sweet dentist decided that there was a major need to extract my two left wisdom teeth from my mouth instead of what I went into the office for originally.  Awesome.  I'm pretty easy-going and tend to have this complex where I am very agreeable to doctors.  I consider them all-knowing and don't tend to ask any questions whatsoever.  This complex is so bad that I had to convince the roommate that not even the dentist knew that the wisdom teeth would be pulled out that day before I came in.  (So I've been known to show up to doctors for a procedure that I wasn't super aware of... big deal.)  Obviously this little event cancelled out my weekend plans of a fun trip to Canton.  I was of course bummed but too doped up for the let down to sink in.  Then Saturday night, I began to sneeze and never stopped until some point on Monday.  Enter cold medicine and a really long day on Sunday due to working at a church on Sunday mornings plus our Trunk or Treat for Halloween.  Thankfully I work with an amazing team of girls that forced me to go home for a nap before the actual event started.  It probably had a lot to do with the fact that I looked and acted like a zombie. 

Now that I'm actually coming out of the fog a bit, I feel like I should process the last week of my life here..

1. Having wisdom teeth pulled immediately instills a huge fear in me of dry sockets.  It's looking like I'm in the clear, but it does still haunt me a tad bit.  I accidentally drank through a straw the other day and almost had a stroke when I realized.  I'll be glad when the ten day mark is over. 
2. Apparently I'm more blunt while medicated.  I've been told by three different people to keep the meds going.  I don't know whether I should find this humorous or insulting.
3. A lot of baking occurred on Saturday.  While my roommate and I had both been instructed by different doctors to "take it easy" (the roommate had herself a serious sinus infection)... we decided to 'BOO!' everyone we know.  Haven't heard of this?  Apparently you don't live in my sister's neighborhood because they are the only ones that have.  You leave a fun Halloween treat with a note on someone's door, ring the doorbell, and run away.  Some candy is totally acceptable, but we decided it wasn't acceptable for us.  We pulled out all the stops... Halloween funfetti cupcakes with candy corn pumpkins on top, Halloween funfetti cookies decorated with cute Halloween sayings and jack'o'lantern faces with candy corn, rice krispies with fall m&m's in some and candy corn in others, and brownies.  Ridiculous.  Still have no idea why I got sick...
4. A lot of The Office happened.  So obviously that meant a lot of laughter.
5. I cooked my mom's enchiladas.  HUGE DEAL.  This is one of my all-time favorite meals that my mom has always made that I knew required a LOT of time and prep-work.  Well the roommate decided that we needed to make them because she's had them and loved them (DUH!).  I was intimidated.  I was scared.  I made it happen.  At 25, I feel like an adult thanks to being able ot re-create this meal of my mother's.  

Now that it's officially been 7 days since the wisdom teeth event, I am super looking forward to a weekend that has absolutely nothing on the calendar.  Hmm... saying that makes me wonder if I should have suggested the dentist to wait until this Thursday.  Nah... that would have taken all the fun out of it..  

fried food and a ridiculously tall man...

So if you are from Texas or visiting Texas, something you need to put on your must-do list for next fall is to visit The State Fair of Texas.  It's pretty much the most Texan thing you can do.  My parents failed me in this area and I had never even heard of the state fair until I moved to the metroplex three years ago and went for the very first time.  However, I was obviously new to the fair along with the other rookies with me, so we did not get a full-out fair experience.

What is a full-out State Fair of Texas experience?  Well let me just tell you since I went this past weekend and had one of my own.  It includes...

1. Not only just seeing Big Tex, but taking a picture with him.  For those of you that don't know about Big Tex, he's just about the tallest cowboy you've ever seen in your life... and he's there to greet you at the fair.  Sure he's a bit creepy and his legs get shockingly skinny as they reach his boots, but he's Big Tex and a staple of the state fair.

2. Riding the HUGEST ferris wheel in all the land.  Yes, I used the word HUGEST for a reason.  It is that enormous.  To the point where you feel like you can see your hometown from the top... which is five hours away from Dallas.  Plus, it's always a bonus when the fair decides to shoot off fireworks while you're at the top.


3. Watching the pig races.  Oh yeah.. you definitely read that right.  There is an arena where we all gather together to cheer on the marked pig of our section to run the fastest to an Oreo.  To which lots of cheering ensues.  Don't mind me while I hold pride in the fact that my pig won all of the races.  Boo yah.

4. Someone in your group riding a crazy carnival ride to test their gag reflex.  And of course losing one of their possessions in the process.  Luckily it wasn't an iPhone like another poor soul on the same ride.  Never a good feeling when you see that crashing down to the concrete.  She'll probably never ride FireBall again.

5. And the last but most important thing about the state fair... FRIED FOOD.  And lots of it.  I'm not talking your regular fried food either.  They fry absolutely everything there... including butter.  You can't question their methods, you just have to try them.  Our group's choices?  Fried Snickers, fried caramel apple, fried grilled cheese, fried frito pie, fried margarita, fried corny dog, fried ribs... along with the usual fair treats like cotton candy, funnel cake, hot dogs, Texas burgers, and LOTS of lemonade.  The ridiculous thing is that we probably didn't eat even half of the choices they offer.  (I won't post a picture here, because there are some things that just don't need to be photographed.)

So go ahead and get excited for next year's State Fair of Texas... you only have to wait 346 more days until a fun-filled fair experience.  Yup... it's a big enough deal that they keep a countdown on their website.  Duh it's a BIG deal... it's Texas.

the car is parked...

So obviously the theme of my life this past month is getting in my car and driving south every single weekend.  Well the weekend is upon us and it's the first time in five weeks that I will not be doing that exact thing.  This makes me relieved and excited for many different reasons that I will list out here (mainly because I'm too exhausted to not do a listing post).

1. I had a dream (that I will deem a nightmare) the other night that for some reason that randomly popped up, I had to go to Houston again this weekend.  When it starts to jack with your sleeping, you know it's not good.
2. I'm pretty sure my car would not be able to handle it.  Ever since THE accident, I have driven precious little Solara that was so graciously donated to me from the sister and bro-in-law.  A little history on Solara?  She was my mom's car before she was my sister's (which was back in the high school days)... so needless to say, homechick has been in the family for a while.  She deserves a break.. I'm going to need her to not explode spontaneously from overuse.
3. My laundry.  It's gotten a little out of control to the point that last weekend I actually packed dirty clothes just to do a load of laundry once I reached Houston.  That may be TMI, but just being real with you.  It is time to do some catch-up.
4. I miss what Fort Worth looks like on a Friday and Saturday.  Ok so that's a little dramatic, but there is some fun stuff going on in the metroplex and I need to not miss it.  I like to be hip with the hop and missing out on things bums me out.  Luckily the state fair goes on for an eternity, so that will not be missed as of this Saturday.  Thank you, Big Tex for sticking around for me.
5. My cute polka dot matching bags are kind of on their last leg.  I feel like they're breathing a sigh of relief at the ability to stay up in their cozy little spot at the top of the closet this weekend.  I shall let them rest in hopes they'll come out looking brand-new in time for Thanksgiving.
6. I love my bed.  So if you have ever stayed at my sister's, then you know you are not going without comfort by sleeping in her guest room.  But there's just something about your own bed and your own bathroom and your own everything.  That you just love.
7. Doing absolutely nothing.  Having no plans.  Laying around on my sectional.  Glorious.
8. Gas is not free.  I'm not sure if anyone else realizes this, but when you have to purchase that much gasoline in that short amount of time... the realization certainly sets in on a deeper level.
9. I have done my duty.  Four weekends in a row should prove to anyone that would love to give me an excuse for why they cannot visit me in Fort Worth for one single weekend that an excuse is just that... an excuse.  If I can do it for four weekends, they can do it for one.  So I am challenging all of them.  YOUR TURN.
10. I'm tired of driving.  Especially by myself.  After the second time, it gets pretty boring.

So with all of that said, I am going to enjoy my weekend in FW to the fullest.  Whether that is laying on my sectional to hanging out with friends to living it up at the state fair... as long as it is here, I don't care.

the other five days of the week...

I don't like that my last few posts have just been weekend recaps.  As it may not seem, my life does continue throughout the week.  Hard to believe, right?  Here are a few random things about my week...

• Cake balls done right are just about the most delicious dessert on the planet.  Drops of heaven in your mouth.  Thankfully I have a recipe that makes fantastic cakeballs in my possession due to the most awesome cook from my church.  I obviously don't know who's the most awesome cook at my church, but I just figure she deserves the award because she brought these cakeballs into my life.
• I can be very lame if I am tired.  This just reminds me that I am getting old.  I used to be able to pull an all-nighter and then still have tons of fun all the next day.  Apparently those days are gone.
• Ribs, cheesy mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, and homemade ice cream cake is like offering a feast to boys.  If you don't believe that guys receive love through food, just serve them this dinner. 
• The roomie and I have each other's backs.  Whether that means rolling out of bed to deliver potatoes and straws to their place of business or sacrificing their evening to help a sister out with some kids, we're down.  (Don't try to understand it.)
• There are pine cones in a glass bowl, a lit pumpkin spice candle, and harvest M&M's in a pumpkin dish on the coffee table.  There is a pumpkin with gourds next to it on the brick by the fire place.  There is a sign that says 'Autumn' and leaves all along the mantle.  There is a rod-iron pumpkin decoration on the dining room table.  It is officially fall in our apartment.  Thank you, unexpected exchange gift card from Hobby Lobby.
• A good night is being able to grab some yummy take-out and watch my favorite show on tv.  Call me simple, call me shallow... just don't talk while the show is on, please.

Hope you enjoyed the proof that I do go on living between the days of Monday through Friday.  But since it is Friday, I am about to pack up my belongings... and you guessed it, head on down south.  Be back later with the infamous weekend recap.

i'm tired...

For all things insanity, it just so happened that I am traveling down to the Houston area 4 weekends in a row.  Halfway done.  All the driving makes me tired.

The air mattress my sister and I were both sleeping on Friday night decided to do the most awesome thing... deflate in the middle of the night.  If that wasn't bad enough since I may not have completely noticed it in my comatose state, my sister decides that it is necessary to loudly announce that we were now sleeping on the floor.  Thanks for the update, Ash.  Sleeping on a deflated air mattress with someone else makes me tired.

I did a lot of things packed in 2 days... drove to Galveston, hung out with family, went to the movies with the family, checked out Barnes & Noble, headed back north to meet up with my mom at my sister's, went to Fairfield to meet up with other family at a down-home cooking restaurant (that my sister swears we used to eat at all the time to which no one else remembers), go watch my godsister the Rangerette dance at their college football game, and then drive back to Fort Worth.  It may not seem like alot to you, but all of that makes me tired.

When I don't get a chance to set up all of my nursery classrooms during the week, I get to church by 7:30 am to get them all situated before we pray as a team at 8:15.  Waking up at 5:45 am after getting home late from a road trip makes me tired. 

I am currently reading Francine Rivers' new book which is absolutely fantastic.  It's a book that is worthy of the 'not able to put it down' status.  Or the 'it makes me wish I didn't have a job so I could read all day' status.  Staying up late to read makes me tired.

I was summoned to jury duty in downtown Fort Worth at the criminal justice center at 8 am on Monday... with 587 other people.  They were still short jurors even with that ridiculously large amount so we were all automatically picked.  I sat in the most massive room I've ever seen waiting for the jury bailiff to call my name for my court assignment.  Right when she did and I was about to fill out my questionnaire to report back the next day at 9 am, that particular case got cancelled.  Hallelujah.  Waking up at the butt crack of dawn to report to a jury room in the middle of downtown and listen to 588 names being called makes me tired.

We decided to throw our friend a surprise birthday party tonight.  However, communication lines were crossed and that friend apparently already had plans.  This led us to go back and forth on what Plan B should be, which resulted in us to heading to Wal-Mart at 9:30 pm to do something we could have done hours before.  Trips to the store after 9 pm make me tired.

Tuesday morning is Ladies Day Bible Study at our church and I run the childcare for that event.  Which is HUGE.  It makes me anxious in making sure all of the pieces have come together and everything is set before anyone shows up.  Getting to the church in enough time to do this on Tuesday morning makes me tired.

The aforementioned birthday party for friend is tonight at 8:45 pm.  Knowing that I am going to an event that doesn't start until that late already makes me tired.

I think I'll go rest now.

down south is where I stay...

Starting this past weekend, this next month is going to be a whirlwind of traveling.  Mostly down south.  I swear it seems like those people are trying to force me to move back down there just to save on gas.  But I'm holding strong.  This past weekend began all of that craziness and let me just tell you what exactly that weekend looked like...

1. Starbucks stop for the road trip down.  This is a necessity.

2. Lunch with two of my Huntsville girls at my all-time favorite Huntsville deli.  Can we get a HOLLA for Five Loaves Deli?!  Yes, they love Jesus... yes, they have an amazing grilled chicken sandwich... yes, they serve sweet tea... yes, the place is precious.  It was the perfect place to catch up on Hannah and Heather's lives.  Love these girls and it just makes me miss living in the same town as them all the more. 

3. My Nana gave me the newest Francine Rivers book.  Have I told you how amazing my Nana is lately?  Because she's pretty much the best. 

4. Jeans shopping with Jen.  This is my favorite.  With her gone from Fort Worth now, I didn't think this would ever happen again.  But alas, there we both were in the same dressing room avoiding those crazy people that work at the Buckle.  We both walked away with a fantastic pair (pairs for some people) of jeans.  So fun.

5. Tons of shopping with the sissy.  We tend to do this often when we're together.  For the record, this shopping was for other people and food for the shower for those other people.  (Besides the one pair of jeans, of course.)

6. Dinner at Rudy's.  When my sister found out that I'd never eaten there, she almost ran 12 cars off the highway to get me there.  Although they so rudely were out of what I wanted to order, the food I did get to enjoy was absolutely delicious.  So glad that I finally got to try out the place that I hear about all the time.

7. Hanging out with the brother-in-law.  Between viewing all million of their Chicago trip pictures, thinking through his best man's speech, and chatting about his new business.. it's always good times to hang with him.  Love having a brother. 

8. Lunch with one of my high school besties.  I haven't seen her in FOR-EVER so it was so fun to be able to catch up and celebrate this next chapter in her life of welcoming a baby in the world.  So sweet.

9. Decorating and dinner with my sister's crazy friends that are now my friends.  Yup, I take ownership too.  It's always an adventure with those girls and it was fun getting to gear up for Kourt's big day together.  The first season of Glee was invited as well.

10. Baking my arm in the oven.  That's right... I made the brightest move of my life and pretty much laid my arm on one of the oven's racks.  It took Chris to make a noise before I actually made the same noise in realization that my arm should NOT be touching something that hot.  My reward for my brilliance?  TWO second degree burns.  That's the one with the fun bubbling and blistering.  Grossed out?  Yeah, me too.

11. Monkey bread with the girls.  Was it worth the damage to the arm?  I sure as heck hope they think so. 

12. Breakfast with Jen.  Do I absolutely love that she lives a subdivision over from the sissy's house?  Duh.  Am I so super glad that I got to see her twice this past weekend?  Of course.  Do I still hold bitterness towards Spring for taking her away?  YES.

13.  Kourtnie and Sean's shower!  It was the whole reason for the trip and it turned out so super cute.  I absolutely loved the fall themed shower... decked out with more fall decorations than Hobby Lobby, a cowboy boots cake, bales of hay, pumpkins, and tons of delicious food.  Loved it.  Love them.  Love the fall.

14. Clothes swapping with the sissy.  I came home with a romper.  I just like saying that word.  Not really sure how I feel about it or if it will ever make it's public debut.  Right now it's just living in the closet until I can make a final decision.

15. Starbucks stop on the long late drive back.  Duh.

All in all, a pretty fantastically fun weekend.  And now it's Monday.  Which means tomorrow is Tuesday.  Before you know it, I'll be headed back down south again.  Good times.