Fill in the Blank Friday!

 1.   The last thing I ate was      roasted garlic hummus and crackers. 

2.  The next thing I'd like to eat is    Pasta. I'm craving pasta. I think it's because I had some awesome pasta last weekend and I wish I had more. 

3.  The best things    snickers, baby laughs. 

4.  Something that makes me supremely and utterly happy is   hanging out with Ryan & Callen, just doing nothin'.

5.  Sports are    BOORING. Except Baseball. If it includes Beer, I can tolerate it. 

6.  I miss   Free time.  Like when I was in college. 

7.  Right now I am   SO excited it Friday. Trying to find a babysitter for next week so I can go to San Antonio for work. 

Who's Going to Get Donuts?

Today is National Chocolate Eclair Day.  Did you know this?  I did not.  These little mini ones look OH SO good!.

via

Here's a recipe for some from Paula Dean, from the Food Network.  I like to camp out on that channel on the weekends.  Or, at least, I used to, before I had a Son.  He keeps me pretty busy now.

Yesterday was National Peaches and Cream Day.  I wish it was yesterday again. This is how someone else honored yesterday.

Recipe

I would accept a delivery of chocolate eclairs today, from any of our local bakeries.  Margie's Sweet Shoppe is one of my favorites.

Vistin' H-Town!!

So... the Travelin' DeWitt's as we are, we went on another road trip this weekend.  Texas is pretty big, and it takes a while to get places.

I am from Houston and Ryan is from Nacogdoches, and our respective families and friends are in those towns.  We don't get to Houston much, because two more hours, for a total of seven, is pretty rough.  We get to Nacogdoches pretty often, Ryan's mom sometimes has withdrawals when we don't.  Ryan is the first of her children to move away from here, then we went and had a baby.  Her other grandson lives with her, so you see where she might get anxious.

This time we went to Houston.  I had to go to Mediation for my Dad's Estate.  It's been a long process to get here, and a pretty unpleasant one.  I'm glad we were able to reach a settlement - neither of the two sides are 100% happy, but at least we can move forward.

Thursday:
We started off our adventure at my Brother's.  He lives in Coldspring, Texas.  It's by Lake Livingston.  My dad has/had property there also.  He didn't get a chance to finish building his house.  My brother IS building his house.  He failed to mention that there are no sinks in his house and not really a kitchen.  We were surprised when we arrived.  I grew up in housing construction, so it was alright.

Let't take a mental break. Callen was.

Friday:
I ride into Houston with my Brother for Mediation.  It was practically right next door to where Breann works!  I'm a goober and didn't realize this until days later.
Ryan drives up to Nacogdoches and back for the day to hang out with his family.  We meet back at my brother's, then pack up.  We decide that we should go back into Nacogdoches for the rest of the weekend because his Dad is in town only for a few more days.  He works in Africa.  We see him when we can.  Callen loves his Pops.


Saturday:

How bout a snack? Callen was.

Drive back into Houston to eat at Tia Maria's.  Why you might ask?  #1 We had origianlly thought we were going to be at my Brother's the whole weekend, so this wouldn't have been such a drive.  I made plans with the girls.  #2 I wasn't going to pass up good food and friends.
We ate lunch Aunti Sarah and Luke, Breann and her brood of boys {Lee, Logan, & Unka Bunny} - CHECK US OUT HERE! Then we went to see Aunt Lindsay and Unckie Matt at Lindsay's parents, where they were hanging out for the day.  We were busy bees.  Back to Nac, where we drove past an ENORMOUS wildfire.  We went to eat at Auntie Pasta's for Father's Day.  Another of my favorites.  I ate too much.

Sunday:
On the road again.....  Back to the Falls.  Man were all three of us tired of being in the car.  Mama's new Jeep sure wore it's tires!   We also drive through some SERIOUS wildfires on this day.  I sure hope Texas makes it through the burning inferno.  Pray for us.  We need rain.

We ate at this AWESOME place just outside of Fort Worth called Boston's.  I had this fantastic Flatbread Pizza.  Callen gummed on the crust.

via

This may be cheating, but I'm using this to link up to Tasty Tuesday.  I never have yummy recipes to add, partially because I'm much better at being an Eater Outer instead of being a Eater Inner.

Help Me Choose.

Ryan has finally agreed to let me put SFA plates on my JEEP.   I am SO excited.  I designed a few.  Help me pick.

{DEWITT was Not Available}

         

{Callen Jax}

{Ryan, Jessica, Callen, DeWitt}

Which One Do You Like Best?

SFA Class of 2004 and 2006. GO Jacks. 

Post Office @ the Lunch Hour. Don't Do It.

Sheesh...  You'd think it was friggin' Black Friday at Target or something!

Here's an idea of what I saw when I walked in the door.  That little sad child walking away....? That's me.

VIA

Worst part?  There was one {yeah, swallow that ONE} mail clerk at the counter. 

Sent Hottie Hubs back later in the day.  NOT during a time when all of Wichita Falls is mailing something at once.  You may remember a few days back when I ferked up our bills pretty good... Today I WAS trying to mail out my FIRST new JEEP payment.  I am going to Little Miss Pattie Perfect with Bill Paying from now on. 

Monday Moo's

I {heart} For the Love of Blogs.  It is always there to give me a good read when I'm down.  It is always there to save me when I can't think of something witty to post.  

So here you have it, Monday Moo's.  Answering the blogosphere's most wanted questions... {well, at least a few other FLTOB readers' questions}

King Corvid asks:
        "What do you do when you run out of things to do on the internet?"
Well, I'm glad you asked.  Once I've read all the blogs I can read without feeling guilty about taking time out of work {even though I am allotted one hour of 'general office' a day}, and after all my email accounts are checked, I turn to my spreadsheets and calendars.  These are related to any and all things DeWitt.  Finances, events, things to do.  I've got a small control problem.  I am seeing a counselor since I developed PPD, don't worry. :)

Delaney ask:
         "How do you gain and keep followers?"

I'm pretty crap at this.  I don't put in nearly as much effort as many others.  I think this is in part to my fear of obligation.  I worry that if I gain too many followers that I will feel pressured to post every day and that it be OH SO interesting.  I sort of like my slow growth.  I do like hanging out on sites that have linky's and such, like FTLOB, because I get to meet so many new blog friends.  And that is what it's all about, right?


Emma asks:
         "What are your blogging inspirations?"

My life, of course.  The crazy and wonderful and infuriating and fabulous life that I have.  I like to share.  I talk to much. This is a good compromise.  We also live far from both our families, so my blog started as a way to share baby updates, then started as a way for me to share when my PPD kicked in and I didn't want to see the world.  Now, it's a way for me to speak to close friends, when I don't have time to email or talk on the phone.  It is most definately, the best way for me to get inside my own head, to empty it out, and 'let it go.'
         "Do you edit your posts?"

Not sure what all this question entails.... I do edit my posts frequently, because my fingers and my brain do not cooperate and I spell things wrong very often.   Then sometimes I accidentally post when I mean to preview, therefore requiring an edit. 
         "How much time do you spend blogging?"

I will nether confirm nor deny any certain amount of time.  But lets just say I could make it a part time job. Unfortunately, for my followers, I read more than I write sometimes. 

I Got the Blues.... The Broke A$$ Blues

I'm sharing with you deep down deep personal information here....  I make mistakes!

I sit here, sippin' from my new coffee cup, pondering over the phenomenal financial mistakes I made over the past week or so.  I bought it new, from teh Disney Store in Chicago.  I have a shopping problem.  I have a Disney addiction.  I DID just mention that I'm sharing personal financial mistakes with you? Yea. I thought so.  But isn't it a fabulous cup?

It says, "It's a green world after all."

OK on to the bad stuff.  Many people know me as a very organized person.  Which I am.  Motherhood had tested me on these skills.  Time IS NOT on my side.  I make mistakes when my brain is going a million miles a minute and sometimes even round and round like a Merry-go-Round.

I AM the original Excel-A-Master. You hadn't heard? Here's the proof.

                

This is a screen shot of our yearly budget. 

This is a screen shot of Ryan's yearly Martial Arts budget.  I am Wife of the Year for this. 

These sheet all calculate back and forth to about 4 others.  I got it all under control.

Here's where it all went wrong:  

I had three months off work, unpaid, where I continued to rack up hospital bills and buy baby crap.  I did get some Aflac checks {they are DA BOMB}.   I blew through We used our savings and the Aflac money shop, shop, shopping away to continue to live whilst I was tortured by our new baby.   This resulted in more shopping and eat out. OH My OH MY the eating out. 

I started back to work, with a clean slate, ready to get back on track and build the savings back up.   The tortured continued by my screaming and crying sweet, sweet new baby.   Mama decided she needed some time away with Aunti Brittani.  So last week, I did just that. 

Here's were it REALLY went wrong.

Somehow, by the time the trip came about, there was no "extra" money to take said trip.  Tickets were bought, hotels were booked, flights were reserved, Mama was going!  I survived. {And bought a few things. I realize the problem. Don't judge.}

Saturday, while I was sitting at the Chicago Aquarium, about to watch the dolphins WOW me with their wonders, I get an email from Travelocity that says, "How was your flight?"  Huh....?  I haven't flown yet..?

Quickly go through inbox to find confirmation. SONOFABITCH!!!  I bought a flight for Friday night instead of Saturday night.  These are not the type of mistakes I normally make.  It's the Mama brain, I swear. Things are always swirly around in my head and I don't always make it back around to where I'm supposed to be.  None the less, I swiftly go to Travelocity and find and purchase another flight.  For the SAME time, CORRECT evening.  {Because I think if I do this, I won't have to tell Ryan. We'll get to this}  I go back to watching the Dolphins. Thank GOD for Andriod! Let's just say, "a few hundred dollars" down the drain. {I just threw up a little in my mouth.}

Sunday 

I sit down with Ryan and Callen to watch TV and schedule all the bills to pay on my fabulous BofAm Online Bill Pay.  {Heart} it, Mucho.  I keep telling Ryan that I need to focus this is 'serious business.' He says, "Ok, whatever.'  He doesn't pay the bills, he can say this.  I usually sit down just twice a month and schedule payments, transfers, etc. all the appropriate dates depending on when they are due and when our paychecks direct deposit.  I finish.  Check that box.  Relax for the evening.

Skip to Tues.

Check the bank, as I do every morning.  WTF!  Colossal Mistake.  Why is that read number so big!?! What the HELL happened.  I see what happened.  The Swirly Ice Cream Cone that is MY BRAIN scheduled the Mortgage payment for Tuesday, instead of Friday {when Ryan's check goes through}.  I did mention previously that our savings was depleted while being off work? Yes? I scramble to transfer what we have from three other accounts to cover.  Not enough.  No more back up available.  HOW EMBARRASSING  HOW STUPID!  I get on the "Chat Online with a Representative," like PRONTO!  After some explanation and begging to postpone an Online Bill Pay that is already processing, I find out this is not possible for an electronic payment. CURSE YOU ONLINE BILL PAY!!  Then I bed for them not to charge me fees {I spare her the swirly cone explanation}.  She says, "Kindly be aware that your account is $xxx.xx overdrawn. You will be charged fees." NO SHIT! REALLY? I DIDN'T SEE THAT!  I scream at the top of my lungs for all the office to hear I quietly sob to myself.   I sit and watch my account rack up EFFING fees.   Embarrassed. Angry.  Have yet to tell Ryan what has happened.  I mean, he trusts me to "take care of it." OH, I TOOK CARE OF IT ALRIGHT! Straight into the CRAPPER!

Thursday. {Oh... It continues}

The Boss-Lady {who does the bookkeeping} is headed out for vacation so she's doing next weeks pay today.  'Kindly' informs me that last weeks days off {to have fun with Aunti Brit spending money I shouldn't have} will be UNPAID.  WTF!?  I thought I was salary?  How can this be?  Doesn't she just balance it all out in the end?  Don't they always say "It will come out in the wash?" How can she do this to me, doesn't she know I just took us to the cleaners with all this OTHER SHIT I've just done!!  I go back to my desk, have a bit of a freakout, then go back to her office.  Ask her what's happened.  She informs me that she JUST realized that she needed to 'rest' my work anniversary to July due to my maternity leave.  JUST REALIZED?! Perhaps she might have realized this when I submitted for the time off?  And told me then?!?  Then she tells me that this also means that time I need off next week to go to Houston for Probate Court is also UNPAID.  Wholly Crap!! Thats half my check, GONE!  Then I ask her if she can't just borrow from my future PTO for this.. she says "Well, I just faxed it in.  It's too late."  I think, just maybe, she should have initiated this conversation with me BEFORE she sent the fax.  More screaming out loud sobbing to myself ensues.  I try to tell her that I simply cannot have unpaid time for next weeks time of, she says its on another check it would be ok.  I briefly tell her the mistakes I made recently and how I need that check to be as BIG as possible.   She says I should have told her, she would have given me a pay advance.  SURE.. tell the people who pay me that I don't know how to manage my money!! Which I DO, but I'm not doing so swell this go 'round.  MORE EMBARRASSMENT.

So here I am.  I have no savings to speak of.  Used Ryan's Martial Arts 'set-aisde' to cover my ass.  Have purchased TWO plane tickets from Chicago OHare to Dallas/FtWorth.  While all the bills are paid this check, I have embarrassed myself fully.  Have to tell Ryan what I've done {BTW, he shrugs his shoulders and says "I'm sure you will figure it out." Wow.}  No matter how much you make, how many raises you get, how much commission you earn, or how organized you are, MISTAKES STILL HURT!

BUT

I HAVE A NEW FABULOUS COFFEE CUP!!!!!

Just a place holder...

Whew...I'm back from my Power Walking Vacation to Chicago and back in 4 days.  Whilst I get myself together and design a witty post, enjoy this tidbit:

Checking email Monday before my trip.  What do I see?  Wow, have I really received a bunch of money from Nigeria, again? I don't know about all of you, but I get emails like these quite often.  This one is the most convincing, and least grammatically awful of them all.  Go ahead have a chuckle.

On the Road to GLEE!

I am SO excited about my road trip with Brit!  We are headed to Indianapolis to see Glee.  I'm sure we are going to be bombarded by tweens, but us almost thirty somethings can hang.
In Oklahoma right now, as I type, getting gas and taking a potty break.
First trip away from Callen, I'll let you know how that goes.
More exciting news... I was featured on For the Love of Blogs today! {I don't know how to link from my Andoid Blogger app, but go check me out! It is linked on my bar on the right!}
First stop.... St Louis!