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Monday, October 31, 2011

Lesson Learned

Don't throw nail clippers to the bottom of your purse.  You will lose a valuable layer of skin.

Always put pants on a baby who is taking "upper respiratory" antibiotics.

Music does not stop the crying of said baby, but rolling down the window makes a nice "white noise" sound to block it out.

*Hello blog friends! It has been, and will continue to be a busy time for me at the office.  Don't give up on me.  I will return regularly.
Is anyone watching Once Upon a Time? or Revenge? LOVE LOVE!!!

Friday, October 21, 2011

Missing in Action...

Ever feel like your husband and children are trying to kill you will a slow and draining death?

Lack of sleep...
Inability to care for themselves...
Stress...
Stupid questions...


Yea, I do.

Monday, September 26, 2011

Day 12: [15 Day Challenge]




Day 12: Bullet your whole day.

Ok, I was DRAGGIN BUTT this Sunday, so this should be silly list.

  • 3 am: Wake up with hacking cough.  Go get water.  Peek outside front window.  Stray cat sleeping on front bench.  How sweet.  Oops! I woke it up.  Tip Toe back to bed.  Don't wake Callen.
  • 6 am: Wake up with pounding headache and burning sensation in throat from Cajun Crawfish boil at the Schroeder's last night.  Go back to sleep.
  • 730(ish) am: Poke husband in side when Callen wakes up.  Stay in bed. Oh the horror from the headache. 
  • 8:30 am: Arise from morning slumber.  Stumble down hallway to.  The boys are the in the kitchen.  Ryan is making breakfast.  This is great.  Make a cup of coffee.  Oh, the sweet coffee.  
  • 8:45 am: Sit at the table.  Close eyes. Why are they talking so loud?  Dogs barking? Why do I have dogs? They are so LOUD!
  • 9:00 am:  Sit down to eat turkey sausage and eggs.  Take pain meds and happy pills.  Oh, I need the happy pills.  Give dogs heartworm pills hidden in turkey sausage.  Laugh (quietly) at Callen putting eggs in his hair.  
  • 10:15 am:  All three get ready for church.  This is Callen's first day in the nursery.  Make sure his outfit is cute.
  • 10:20 am: Brush and pin hair up so that it doesn't look like I was at a party last night.  Use fancy Benefit eye pencil thing to look awake.   Brush teeth. Sad. No more coffee.  I am too old for parties.  Why did I go again? Oh, Kyle's birthday. Man, we are old.
  • 10:23 am: Mad dash for church. Why are we always so late?  
  • 10:40 am:  Follow maze to underground where nursery is.  Sign paperwork.  Drop sad faced child off in his mobility appropriate room.
  • 10:49 am:  Follow maze back above ground to sanctuary.  Services start at 10:50.
  • 10:54 am:  Find a seat, during worship music.  SQUEEZE by.
  • 11:55 am: Take maze back to nursery.  Pick up happy child.  First day, CHECK.
  • 12:00 pm:  Hungry.  Tired.  Drive.  Home.  Fast.
  • 12:30 pm: Put pajamas back on.  Carve a spot on the sofa.  Wait, I was hungry.  Eehhh... I'm comfy.
  • 1:00 pm:  Eat celery and peanut butter.  Easy.  Back to sofa lounging.  My head hurts again.
  • 1:45 pm:  Callen is overdue for a nap.  Work this out.
  • 2:30 pm: Callen down for a nap.  I'm down for a nap. 
  • 5:30 pm:  Whoa, what day is it?  Stumble down hallway.  Am I still in Oz?
  • 5:45 pm:  Guess its time to make dinner.  Go to the kitchen.  Feed animals.  Get out fruits and such for Callen.  Put away clean dishes.  Put in dirty dishes.  Move laundry from washer to dryer.  Start washer for new load.  Start dinner.  Go get clothes for new load.  Start new load.  Finish up dinner.
  • 6:30 pm:  Eat dinner.  
  • 6:50 pm: Callen in swing outside.  Water lantana
  • 7:15 pm: Back on sofa.  That was a rough hour and a half. Callen play.
  • 7:30 pm: Crap.  I need to check the DVR queue for this week for conflicts.  My head hurts. I don't wanna.  
  • 8:00 pm:  Callen bathtime.  Thank goodness daddy can do it.  I'm still on the sofa.
  • 8:15 pm:  Sad I'm missing bathtime.  Get butt off sofa.
  • 8:30 pm:  Daddy in shower.  Mama and Callen watching TV having a bottle.
  • 9:00 pm: Callen in bed.  Pull out the Nook COLOR and read some of I Don't Know How She Does It.   I tell you how she does it... She doesn't go to a Windthorst Party and then expect to function the next day.... that's how. 
  • 10:00 pm:  Sleepy time.  I took a 3 hour nap today.  No sleepy time.
  • 12:00 am: Are you kidding me? Am I still awake? 
By the way, this is what my Lantana look like now!  I managed to keep them alive and they still bloomed through the WORST SUMMER EVER.  I am very proud of myself. 

I keep rotating it, but it keeps going back.. Just turn your head 90 degrees to the right.



Day 11: [15 Day Challenge]




Day 11: What if your favorite movie and why?

My favorite movie is Pride and Prejudice.  Not the new one, the original A{and}E Classic.  Technically its a TV mini series, but I have it on DVD and I watch it in one sitting, so its a movie. 

via google!
I actually can't stand to see things more than once.  This is a movie that I have watched over and over.  This version fallows the book more closely than the 2005 version

Colin Firth with forever be Mr. Darcy in my mind.  In fact the role he played in the Bridget Jones Diary is slightly reminiscent of Mr. Darcy. 

Pride and Prejudice is my favorite book.  Jane Austen is my favorite character.  She was such a brilliant author, her characters so complicated yet simple at the same time.  

Love. Love. Love it.

I may watch it soon.

PS- Sorry I am 3 days behind on my 15 Day Challenge...

Thursday, September 22, 2011

Day 9: [15 Day Challenge]





Day 9: Describe someone who fascinates you. 

I don't quite know if I have an answer to this.  I could go all corny like and say my son or my husband, but I think that's expected and forced.  Not that I don't love them to pieces.

It would be less forced to say that some actor or actress fascinates me, but that seems kind of teenage/mid-twenty like... and well, I'm well on my way to being thirty...  so, I guess that isn't allowed. 

Although I will say that Patrick Jane from the Mentalist (played by Simon Baker) is quite fascinating.  He's multi-dimensional and I love his knack for understanding and manipulating the human psyche. 

See how contemplative he looks?
Who is Patrick Jane, and why did he ask you about Miles Thorsen? These are the sorts of questions that plague sufferers of OQD.
via google search
There are others.
People with great skills.
People with skills I want.
People who I can't stop thinking about.

Authors like Jane Austen.  Ryan Gosling, need I go into why?  My friend Brittani with her fantastic sense of humor.  My officemate Nick who can conjure up a song from long, long ago at a moments notice.  People from my past, who will remain nameless, whose intellectual conversations leave me thinking about those words for days.  Kellie, Callen's babysitter, who makes it through 5 days a week with 5 children under 5. 

Ok. So not very deep and meaningful, but there you have it.

Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Day 8: {15 day Challenge]







Day 8: What is one of your favorite television shows? Explain.

Well.... I would be lazy and direct you back in time a day or so.... to see the extensive list of shows that I cannot live without and the new shows I am about to embark on.
But... I won't just leave it at that, I'll talk some here as well.

Choosing a favorite TV show is like choosing a favorite color, It's damn near impossible and is entirely dependent upon my mood and season in life.

I guess I could look at which show has stuck with me through the years, never getting pushed aside for something new, never getting left to gather virtual dust on the DVR memory.  A show that I still have not deleted the series finale from said DVR, because then it would symbolize and end to specific time in my life. Oh, lets say 19-29... those are supposed to be the best years. right?

I waited anxiously for its arrival, in the first year I was in college.  I watched even more anxiously as the story line progressed to where I knew it had to go one day.  I watched the series finale with exhilaration, in the first year I was a mother.  When it was over I felt a small emptiness in my soul.

What would I do on Friday nights? Look at what had transpired over the years I have become and lived as an adult?  I was just forced, by the ending of a television series, to close a chapter in the book of my life.  Man, I hope they make a movie take off from right now at this moment in the story, with the CORRECT actor as superman.

Smallville. Yes, Smallville.

THIS.
Don't know where this came from.
NOT THIS.
Also, don't know where this came from.
Yes, Tom Welling as Superman. He should have been in the movie. Not the one who became the bad guy on Chuck, that's for dang sure. Although both quiet attractive, Tom's got my vote.

I have always been a sucker for comic book movies and shows.  I have always loved Superman shows.  Lois & Clark was definitely on my list of shows before this one.

I wonder what show will symbolize the beginning of this chapter of my life? Perhaps NCIS: Los Angeles, I did get inspired for my son's name {Cal-len, not Colin. Will he hate me for this when he's older? Or will he thank me for naming him after such a bad-arse dude?}

via
Maybe it will be one of the new shows I've picked up this fall?  it's conceivable that I won't even know until its over, if I am ever again forced to close a chapter by its ending...

Tuesday, September 20, 2011

Day 7: [15 Day Challenge]





Day 7: Describe your relationship with your parents/siblings.

I have been kind of avoiding this one, not wanting to be a Debbie Downer {and if your name is Debbie I do not mean to say that you are a downer, that's just a phrase}.

I'll just give you the basics, both good and bad.

My Mom.
She died on mother's day in 1991, when I was 9. She was 30.  Motorcycle accident. She and the group of them were not making smart choices.  My relationship with her now is with my memory and my trying to relate to being a mom myself.  I look a lot like her. I have her laugh. I wish I had her green eyes.

My Dad.
He died in June 2009, just barely after I got married. I thank God that he got to go to my wedding.  He had a thoracic aneurysm.  I was 27.  He was 68.  He worked his ass off til the day he died, literally.  It was Sunday and he was coming home from the store to work on a project.  I loved my father more than anyone else.  I don't know if I would have ever "fully relied" on my husband, as I should, if my father hadn't died when he did. He was the one person like me in all of the universe.  I hate that he will never get to meet my son while we are all on this earth.  I miss him everyday.

Without my daddy, in my opinion, the relationship with my sibling has fallen by the wayside.  I'm sure between them, there is a long lasting bond., but all came into the family in different generations and/or different extensions of my father.

I have a total of 9 brothers and sisters. I am the only child of my mother and father. I am the youngest child of my father's children. I am my mother's only biological child.  The disconnect I speak of exists between my father's children and I .  The only sibling I have ever shared a home with is the only one I have a connection and protection for.

Now, go read someone else's post and have some happy thoughts!  Thanks for stopping by. 


Monday, September 19, 2011

Finally! Fall TV is Here!

It feels like it has been the longest summer EVER!  I have just been chomping at the bit waiting for Fall TV to show back up. We have a pretty extensive TV schedule in the DeWitt Household.  Behold the Magic....


You will definitely have to click on it to see it larger.  This list is pretty comprehensive of my high school and college days.  It is always comprehensive of Ryan's shows as well, but I can't help it that his weird SyFy shows always get cancelled and don't get to stay on the list long.  I will never give up One Tree Hill.  It will probably even stay on the list, just lined through like Smallville.  I just can't bear to hit delete.

As you can see, my Mondays and Tuesdays are a bit tight.  I even have some overbooking {shown in red} that I am avoiding until it is abolutely necessary to make the choice. I probably will wait until Ryan is hollering from the living room, into the kitchen where I slap together some crap for dinner slave over the stove for gourmet meals, that the DVR is telling him that he must make a choice or nothing within that hour will record.  I feel like if I make a snap decision is it less painful than a long drawn out thought process over which to give up.  I have recently been considering streaming Netflix for some of these issues, but my budget is also as tight as my Monday/Tuesday nights, and furthermore it seems like the CEO of that company doesn't quite have it together these days, so I think I'll wait a while. 

You may also notice that my Saturdays are completely empty.  Is this a ploy by the production companies to make to go out and shop? Do chores? Well, whatever their problem, I just use it to catch up on all that is on the DVR, cause heaven knows I can't sit around and watch TV all night in the week!  

I am willing to take a few suggestions to help fill my Sunday and Friday timeslots.  I pay a lot for cable and I make it work overtime.  I don't get PAID overtime, myself, but I remember what it was like.  You have to work hard to get ahead.... but all it seems I will be doing it watching TV and perhaps blogging about it... huumm....  Anyhoo, suggestions welcome for any of my open timeslots.  Remember that I can record two things at once and watch another in the back room. Oh, and I don't have any premium channels. {No overtime pay, remember?} Plus, I watched Camelot and Game of Thrones this summer, while I had premiums free, and it seems like HBO thinks they are welcome to show me all the private parts they want, regardless of if it is pertinent to the storyline. I am not a shy person, but I was embarrassed to watch some of that with my husband.. and if you know me, you know that takes a lot of private parts and private expressions {if you know what I mean}. 

Also make note of missing information.  I don't have as much time on my hands as I used to... producing and rearing offspring has taken up much of my free time {whatever that means}.  SO.. if you have any of that information stored in your brain, do feel free to share...

Happy Television Watching!!  


Day 6: [15 Day Challenge]





Day 6: Any job in the entire world and why?



I have always been interested in the "parts to the whole." I started as a Genetics major - uh.. NO! Then moved on to Psychology - Statistics? uh, NO!  Then on to Art History - BO-RING!  

Interior Design for me is a big puzzle.  My dad was a residential contractor so I fell in love with old homes and the history they represent. I should have gone to work for him when I graduated {sniff.. sniff}.  I quickly realized that residential clients are... challenging.... so I went to work commercially {not designing commercials, design for non residential clients}. 

Two dream jobs: 
{One} Super dream job. 
Design for Disney.  
I would design hotels and restaurants  AKA hospitality design.  I would design for the parks.  I would design the paper cups you get your Coke out of. 
Bottom line, I believe in what they are selling.  An experience.  A whole package design/life experience.  I follow along with their principle that the details make or break the design. 

{Two} Realistic dream job. 
Design residential house plans for a builder.  I feel most comfortable with this job.  I can get lost in making the floor plan work.  In this instance, I would not be tortured by a residential client, so long as I had the Builder as a buffer to explain that design time cost money and crazy designs are expensive to build.

Oh yeah and an event planner would really fun too! Kind of a mix between the previous two, but much more risk financially.

Decisions Decisions... 

Sunday, September 18, 2011

Day 5: [15 Day Challenge]





Day 5: Favorite Websites

{1} Google .. I mean, come on, it has the answers to the universe.
{2} Amazon.com... I can GET anything in the universe.
{3} Joy's Hope... She's the first blog I ever read, I still read her daily. 
{4} Organize.com...  Helps keep me motivated and inspired.
{5} My Google Reader Homepage.  Nuf said.

What are your favorites?

Saturday, September 17, 2011

Day 4: [15 Day Challenge]





Day 4: Put your iPod on shuffle and list the first 10 songs. How do they describe you.

Well,  you are either Apple or you are not. I am not. I don't have an iPod. Oh Shut up...
I will however, turn on my Windows Media Player and shuffle it... 

{1} Breaking Benjamin, Give Me A Sign
{2} Micheal Buble, Lost.
{4} Tracy Boham, Brain Crack.
{5} Billy Currington, Lucille.
{6} Lady Antebellum, One Day You Will.
{7} Dixie Chicks, Cowboy Take me Away
{8} Switchfoot, Meant to Live
{9} Chevelle, Forfeit
{10} Three Days Grace, Over and Over

This list of songs says the following about me:
I don't buy music often.
I need to work on the shuffle, because it not shuffling very well.
I like a variety of music.
I've been listening to Pandora more lately, not my harddrive music so much. 





Friday, September 16, 2011

Day 3: [15 Day Challenge]





Day 3: Discuss how you hope your future will be like.

Whoa. Deep stuff.

I hope that my future is drama free. I want to have figured out this being married and parenting thing so that life can be peachy again.

I see all three of us traveling and seeing new things.  I want to explore more of Texas and the other states.  I want to take Callen to all of the fun places I didn't get to go to when I was little.

I hope that one day I will get my head back together and be a higher functioning person at work again.  I want to be in the business of being awesome.

In my future we are a happy party of three {party of 9 really when you count the furry ones}.  I see us free from credit card debit {we were great on this until I went on maternity leave.}  For one in my existence, I see a simple future. Being happy with the life we have.



Thursday, September 15, 2011

Day 2: [15 Day Challenge]








Day 2: 30 interesting facts about yourself.

O.M.Gosh. Really? I don't think I'm that interesting.

{1}I was president of the Math Honor Society in High School, but I barely passed Pre-Calculus and Calculus because it's just not my forte.

{2} I still sleep with my "woobie."  The quilt my mother made for me while she was pregs.

{3} My sons middle name is Jax. Because I wanted it to be Jaxon. By I have a dog named Jaxon.

{3} I really wanted my sons middle name to be Rankin, my mom's maiden name, but meanie Ryan nixed that.

{4} I have a weakness for nacho cheese Doritos dipped in FritoLay bean dip.

{5}I love shoes but most days I take them off as soon as I get to work. And walk around barefoot all day.

{6} I can make a meal from anything - anything - in my pantry.

{7} I have a very hard time throwing away pens that still have ink in them.  It's kinda about 'completing a task."

{8}I have a Harry Potter poster hanging at my desk. Right next to my State of Texas, Board of Architectural Examiners Interior Design Registration Certificate... cause im cool like that.

{9} I always wanted to be as gracious and as kind and as beautiful as my friend Courtney, from college.

{10} I don't like vanilla scented candles. My dad said that my mom was addicted to them when she was pregnant. I think they are gross.

{11} I have a tattoo of a star on my big toe. My mom had one too, but not on her toe.

{12} I still remember many of the words to many of the New Kids on the Block songs.

{13} I can't do the "MC Hammer" anymore. Somehow I forgot....

{14} I get excited by color coded spreadsheets. It makes me warm inside. I am the original Excel-A-Master.

{15} I love, love, love avocado.

{16}Open toilet lids feels like an open zipper to me.  Almost like you are showing your private parts.

{17} It drives me batty when closet doors are left open, especially at night. see #18.

{18} I am afraid of the dark.

{19} I won't stick my hand into the garbage disposal to retrieve important items. It will stay in there until Ryan gets it out.

~I had to take a break here and then ask Ryan for some help~

{20}I wish I could live at DisneyWorld. In an apartment above the shops on Main Street, USA at the Magic Kingdom.

{21} I loathe crumbs in the butter or the peanut butter.

{22} I loathe drippy sticky stuff on the syrup, ketchup, jelly... Why?!

{23} I loathe when you tear the protective cover off of the peanut butter or baby formula, you can't get the last bit off the ring.

{24} I can get sunburned within 20 minutes of being outside without protection.

{25} It took me 10 minutes to give birth to my son. Then I asked "Can I eat breakfast now?"

{26}I have 45 shows scheduled on my DVR.  I watch them all.

{27} My favorite book is Pride and Prejudice.  I am going to read Sense and Sensibility next.

{28} My office mate, Nick, thinks it is interesting that I burp out loud.

{29}I laugh hysterically when people pass gas. Weird. I know.

{30} I close my eyes and put my fingers in my ears and sing "la la la la la" until someone changes the channel when the SPCA commercials come on. Otherwise I would cry, the ugly face cry.

Wednesday, September 14, 2011

Day 1: [life of love]'s 15 Day Challenge




Ooo Ooo I wanna play! That's what my inner voice said when I read this. Here's the scoop on ths link up. No extra time involved, just a little 'getting to know you.'

Day1: Discuss your current relationship status.

I am married. That's my relationship status.  Ryan and I been together 5 yrs 7 mths and married almost 3 yrs.  With no break ups. That's a record for us both. {Is that weird to say when you are headed into your thirties?)

He's the sweetest and most genuine man that has ever been in my life.  He came along just when I needed him. I always say that he dials me back a few notches.  I too, and pretty high strung, and prone to panic attacks.  I can say that I havn't had a single panic attack in 5 years.  We laugh all the time.  He's the best and hugs and kisses.  He's also a big old geek. Like World of War of Warcraft, SyFy, and Wheel of Time....  yea. i. know.

With that I should also say that my NEW relationship status is Mama.  Callen is 9mths old and is a silly goober.  I'm learning how to do this, day by day.  Ryan is the bestest daddy that I could ever have asked for Callen.

Overall, I think I'm doing good.

Wild, Wacky, WHAT?! Wednesday

You like that?  I just made it up.  I decided on Wednesday, I'm going to post a picture or story of something that I found just wild, wacky or outrageous.  If I can stay on top of it, I hope for this every week.

Join in. It will be fantastic.

Here's today's wild and wacky.
This is my fabulous android photography. I should have an award, I know.
I see this car EVERY DAY at lunch time.  See that license plate? It says "MUHAHA."  Yea it does.  At first glance you might think this is some rich punk kid or a smokin' hot older guy in his "crisis."  Nope it's a grandma.
Yea. It. Is.

Mimi.. Do you need one of these?

Friday, September 9, 2011

Friday Fill-In's

I prepared a Fill-In-the Blank from Lauren last week, and I still couldn't get the white highlight on the text to go away, then things started getting really wonky with text overlapping images... I got REALLY pissed and just deleted it.  SO.. here I go again.

Let's have some Friday Fill-In's already!
Thanks Lauren!

1. Somewhere someone is picking their nose.


2. Experience is/are my muse.


3. If would suck if post-its were/was no more because, I would never remember anything.


4. Getting off work at noon is/are my favorite thing about today.


5. Life is kind of like a magic carpet ride. a box of chocolates. a three ring circus.

6. If I could have anything I wanted I would want to have more time and money to travel.


7. A funny things happened the other day...  One of my coworkers was looking through pictures of a building we visited and asked if we were there when I was pregnant.  NO! It was THIS WEEK!

Thursday, September 8, 2011

Unckie Nickie's Pick of the Day

Unckie Nickie is Callen's not so uncle.  We share a "workspace," as it is not quite a cubicle as it is more a space where they shoved two desks.

He sends out these ridiculously cute pictures ever now and again.  I thought I'd start sharing.

I do not know where this image came from. I do not claim to own it.
If it is yours and you want it back, don't make a fuss,
just let me know and I'll remove it. Thank you. 

Wednesday, September 7, 2011

Wee Bit Wednesday


linky, linky!


{one} what's your guilty pleasure tv show?
One Tree Hill. 

{two} ear piercings on men: yes or no?
No way. 

{three} do you have dish or comcast?
Dish. DirectTv.

{four} what's your favorite current fashion trend?
Feathers and flowers on hair clips. 

{five} if you could learn to do anything, money not being an issue, what would it be?
Organization, Creative, & Design Coach.

{six} red or white wine?
Both. I would never discriminate

{seven} what type of food is your favorite
(ex. italian, mexican, etc.)
Italian. 

{eight} hp or mac?
Hp

{nine} what color is your bedroom?
Behr Agave

{ten} what's your favorite form of exercise?
Swimming.

Thursday, September 1, 2011

If You Thought Wal-Mart Was Annoying....

Let me point out that I do not think Wal-Mart is annoying.  I love going to Wal-Mart. I may be the last person in the world who does, but none the less I do not hate it.

This month a new store opened in Wichita Falls, promising low, low prices.  Sounds good to me! This is not a store I have ever seen, so I'm excited to see what they offer.

The Dudes and I went last weekend to check this place out.  It isn't the size of a Supercenter, not eve the size of a large grocery store.  The parking lot has been full since it opened, as is for any new place that opens here, for the first few months.

I have outlined our experience below.

{1}
Parking spot right up front. SCORE!
All of the shopping baskets are neatly stacked next to the front door, and there stands what seems to be a cute greater located next to them. How nice. Right? NOT!
She's guarding the carts, explaining to all of us that you must insert a quarter into the mechanism to release the cart for your use.
via
Upon further googling, I discover this store seems to be the only one who uses this method, as a way of "Shopping Smarter" and saving money on not having to hire someone to round up these carts daily.  Huh?  Aren't they paying someone to stand there and tell me to put a quarter in the slot?  My husband steals,  scavenges borrows all change of the silver variety from my purse for energy drink purchases, so I did not have a quarter.  So they are also not saving money by having to hand out quarters to unsuspecting shoppers.
I am both intrigued by a new gadget and the idea of tidiness and irritated at not being trusted and having to leave a deposit for my cart.

{2}
As we stroll on in, I notice that the cart has room for two children to sit upfront.  While I only have one offspring, I think this is a thoughtful gesture.
I noticed quickly a wide aisle of brands I do not recognize stacked high in piles - kinda like the checkout line at Garden Ridge Pottery {perhaps a Texas only chain?}.  Interesting. But hey, I see veggie chips. SCORE!

More walking, more brands I don't recognize.  I hear there are lots of these stores up north, maybe they are brands from "up there."  I feel a little like I am in Oz...
via
Not this one..
More like Return to Oz when Dorothy doesn't recognize anything, but she still goes forward.

{3}
Good news. I find decent Havarti cheese and freshly grated Parmesan for a great price. Not much else that I would need or want.  Let me be clear, that I AM NOT a brand snob.  I buy tons of WalMart and Target brand items.  Some things, yes, I like name brand, but I am always willing to try.  All of this stuff seemed like it could have been at the Dollar Store.  No biggie, just not for me.

{4}
Here's where it gets worse.  Even more so for Ryan.
We get to the checkout.  We have to buy our own bags.  Ok.  $.06 for paper, $.10 for heavy duty plastic.  A warning that we needed to bring out reusable shopping bags would have been nice.  I'm the only dork at WalMart with a cart full of groceries in blue and black reusable bags.  I do not mind bringing my own bags, I just don't like not having a choice.  I'll be damned if those bags I had to buy get tossed out when I get home. They. Will. Be. Used. For. Something.
Ryan is livid. "This is stupid."  I instruct him to step aside and not embarrass me.
We must also bag our own groceries. There is also a handy counter across from all the registers for you to do this. Ok, ok. No biggie. We just have some produce and some cheese.  Ryan is livid.  "Really, really?!" Again, I instruct him to just step aside and bag the groceries.

{5}
I step forward to pay.  They do not take credit.  What the HELL!!  Now I am livid.  Again, a warning would have been nice. Choices people! I like to have choices! I do not like to be forced into something I wasn't planning on. 
Then I notice that all of the cashiers are sitting on chairs. Huh? I do not understand. Ryan is just beside himself, muttering under his breathe how this stupid store promotes laziness in their employees and we will not be shopping here ever again.

Let's recap.
I must provide a quarter for a "cart deposit," all in an effort not to pay someone minimum wage to corral the carts. {I think asking someone to multitask and get off their chair might solve that problem...}

I have to bring my own bags. I have to bag my own groceries. I can only pay with cash or debit.  And the cashier cannot be bothered to get out of a chair to lift a finger. 

All of this for items that I would not buy.

Not. My. Cup. O. Tea.


Friday, August 26, 2011

If I Could Live in the Ballard Designs Catalog...

My world would be fabulously beautiful.  I'd have to allow no eating, drooling, drinking, slobbering, or general tom-foolery in any room in my house, maybe the backyard,

First
Lets mention how I get the 'To The Trade' discount, cuz I'm cool like that.
via

Thursday, August 25, 2011

Monday, August 22, 2011

{Frogs} and Snails and Puppy Dogs Tails...

That's what my little boy is made of.  He's growing so fast and getting so big.  In fact, he's kind of a giant.  Just a good old fashioned boy.
He's always tumbling around, bumping his head, pulling the tails of my animal babies.  And here you see, eating a frog.  A friend of mine on facebook said "Wait until that's a real frog hanging from his mouth."  Barf!!  I will jsut D.I.E.  My mother in law made mention while I was pregnant about how her boys always showed up with wriggly things in their pockets from outside.  Again, I. Would. Just. D.I.E.

I guess that's why little boys have Daddy's.


Friday, August 19, 2011

{Fill In the Blank Friday}


 My idea of pure perfection would be    wake up on my own terms on the weekends and then enjoy my coffee without being bothered {I am not a morning person}.

2.    Good friends     makes the world go 'round.

3.  If it weren't for    work and bills and a mortgage    I'd   travel the world and have adventures with Craig  Ryan & Callen {Lauren, are you inside my head? Thanks for pre-preparing that statement for me!}.

Sunday, August 14, 2011

Weight Lost Challenge at Work




I hate to work out. I hate to sweat. On top of that, I sweat just walking through the house putting up stuff, since its hotter than hell been over 100 for many days here.  Furthermore, when would I have time to work out even if I waned to? In the 15 min's I have to myself each evening after all mouths have been feed and butts have been cleaned? Or at the ass crack of dark early in the morning?  I am not a morning person, and I already have to go to a counselor because I'm about to lose my mind over having not time to myself.  Why would I want to cause myself pain in that free time? Or sweat?

Bottom line? I'm the only one in the office who DID NOT lose weight this first week.  Not only that, I GAINED WEIGHT! What the freakin' crap!!

You would think with the control issues, the postpartum depression, and the OCD tendencies, I would jump at the chance to analyze, chart, control, and see results.  Nope.  I want to reward myself with yummy treats.  I think this may be where the Zoloft is hurting me.  I need anxiety to have the reaction to do all of those things.

Thursday, August 11, 2011

Being Mobile and Making Babbles

Little Callen boy has started to make more sounds.  He used his tongue to make some of these sounds.  He says Baaa... Buuubbaaa...  Bluuuh.... Blaaahhh...  Very sophisticated.

He also blows spit, otherwise known as a 'razz' I guess.  He also <> at the top of his little lungs, just for fun, then he laughs about it.  Maybe I didn't need those two steroid shots for his lungs when I was in the hospital in Ft Worth - or - maybe those two shots made this new communication possible.  

He is quiet mobile now as well.  He gets very excited about getting to a particular point and then pulling up to get something.  I am not as excited.  The coffee table is now void of all objects.  If I'm wearing elastic waistband pants, he pulls them down.  He follows me around from my bedroom, closet, and bathroom each morning.  He's not happy that I can walk faster than he can crawl.

We started introducing the Dogs and Callen to playing together on the floor.  Jaxon doesn't really care much for it, he's just happy to be in and on the sofa - IF there is a Callen toy on the floor, it becomes a Jaxon toy.  He's a toy hoarder.  Tootise gives him a little sniff and circles him once or twice, then goes to find somewhere to curl up.  Leo {Boogie} luuvs him some Callen.  I think they are going to be good friends.  As it stands, Callen feed Leo his snacks from his booster seat and lets Leo lick his hands when they are covered in baby food.  Sure way to make buddies with a dog.  Leo completely encompasses Callen in little dachshund circles and proceeds to lick and lick and lick and lick.  Callen pushes him away with his feet.  Leo takes a break.  Then it starts all over again.

What are your babies up to?

Tuesday, August 9, 2011

I'm Not Awesome...

I did not meet my weekend goals.  Those damn picture frames are still empty.
It seemed liked I was cooking and doing dishes all weekend though... geeez...

Did anyone see CJax's photo shoot teaser this weekend?  No? Well, I'll show you...

j-wood photography


Friday, August 5, 2011

Got Ideas?

Grab a Cup 'O Joe.  Take a seat and have a read.






I know I've not been the most devoted blogger this summer, BUT.... I'm hoping a little freshening up of the 'ole bloggity-blog will help keep me going into the fall.

I {heart} my background. I colors, the shapes, the designs.  I feel like my header needs some help, and I don't have the time patience to redesign it.  Along with that, I need a new grab me button.  I want to keep the owl, of course, but maybe a newly built owl?

I would also like a custom signature and maybe some new sidebar headers.

Any ideas where I can get this on the cheap?  Within my style?

So, THIS WEEKEND... What are you up to?  Me? What am I up to? Oh, it's so nice of you to ask.

Clayton, Ryan's nephew is here with us for two weeks.  It's been alright. They pretty much play World of Warcraft in their free time.   Tonight we will be out taking some pictures, with Jessica Wood.  I am so glad that she was able to squeeze us in while Clayton was here.  It's going to be a burning inferno GREAT!  We were scheduled a few weeks ago with Rachel Archer, but Callen decided to have a "i can't go poop" incident, therefore we did not make it.  We have been bumped down to the Christmas mini shoots.  I feel like I am cheating on one or both of them by openly sharing this information.

Other than this, I hope to get around to a task that I was supposed to complete while in maternity leave.  I have at least four empty picture frames in Callen's room.  Two of which are little crafty projects, the other two just need prints.  I hope to complete this task over the weekend.  Check back in Monday to see my progress.

A sidenote, I have mentioned that the very, very first blog I ever followed was Julie @ Joy's Hope.  While I was having my summer meltdown's I totally missed the birth of her first son, which I had been waiting and waiting for.  This little dude has made me fall in love with her cute little family even more.  It wasn't until more than a year in that I actually went back in archives and read the origin of the name of her blog.  I loved her even more.  Go check them out.  You will thank me.  She ALWAYS makes me happy.

Wednesday, August 3, 2011

Summer Leave of Absence

So...  I took a little break... not that I wanted to, but the summer has been so busy.

Been traveling.
Had a PPD flareup.
Dealing with my Dad's Estate.
It's flippin hot!
Got swamped at work.

Are those enough excuses? Do you forgive me yet? I'll do better from now on.

It really has been a long hard summer for me. I am definitely ready for a break. I am in need of a trip to Disney that's for sure!  I did have a teensy tinsey little break for myself, I went to a Painting with Wine class.  How do you paint with wine, you might ask?  You don't.  NEVER waste wine on canvas! You drink wine while you paint.  I do have some background in art, so it was nice to spend some time with this side of me again.

It's great fun with friends.  I will definitely be doing it again.

It's an art studio called How Great Thou Art {love the name}, she has adult classes and kids classes/camp.  Callen will for sure be doing these when he's older.


This class we painted the peacock..  It was fun.
See the amazing artwork below.  Forgive the photography.  It was a lowlit room.
This was the example. 
This was mine. 

Wednesday, July 6, 2011

Travelin' Gal

I've been traveling.. again.  This time for work.  Now I have lots of work to get done. By Saturday. Man I love the inconsistent nature of Architecture & Interior Design.  NOT.

When I get a moment to myself, I will post about my San Antonio and 4th of July fun.

Until then, have a taste of this:

Remember when I spoke of how Weather.com is trying to torture me slowly with their Disney World hints?
Well, now Weather.com has been caught in yet another tidbit of cruelty...  Go read this Open Letter to Weather.com.  Your welcome for the laugh break.

I think I've found another blog friend. Thanks Breann for sharing.

Friday, June 24, 2011

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. 

Wednesday, June 22, 2011

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!.
Mini Eclairs
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.

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

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.


Wednesday, June 15, 2011

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. 

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

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, June 13, 2011

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.