MarytheKaytheBlog

A Vera Good Birthday: In Pictures!

You KNOW it's a good birthday when it begins with a Rick's Bakery birthday cake!  Isn't this the prettiest cake you've ever seen?  I sure wish I could share some of it with you...but, sadly, it's all gone now.  I really would share if I still had some!  The frosting was just divine...

And a birthday with my mom's lasagna?  Even BETTER!  Every year my mom asks what I'd like for her to cook for my birthday meal...and every year I say, "Lasagna!"  Oh, it was dee-licious!  Sadly, it's already gone, too...

 

Check out this place setting!  Doesn't it just look HAPPY?  It sure made this birthday girl HAPPY!  *smile*  I even got the "You are special" plate!

Oh, and just so you know--that's my sister's famous sweet tea in the cup there.  Perfection!

Oopsie!  There's the "After" picture.  Not a crumb or morsel left...  Must be time for DESSERT!  Hurry up and sing--I'm ready for some CAKE!!!

 

The meal got a thumbs up from the kids!  Aren't they cutie pies?

Then, after all of that FUN family celebrating, I had a girls' night out this weekend!  We ate some yummy Mexican food (can we say chips and salsa??), giggled a LOT, and saw The Vow.  I LOVED that The Vow is loosely based on a true story.  I won't give anything away...in case you're planning on seeing it.  I will say that I give it a thumbs up!

This gift made me GIGGLE the most!!  This is a t-shirt my sister and brother gave me--isn't it GREAT?!!!  The funny part was that Rebecca REALLY DID make my breakfast (after I got to sleep late!) AND she made my lunch, too!

My birthday...week...was really great.  I felt loved the whole week long!  Thank you--for those of you who sent fun messages and e-mails.

It's kind of nice every-once-in-a-while to have a special day.

What's your favorite birthday tradition?

A Jogging Question

 I know I've mentioned here before that I am training for a 5K, using the C25K method.  However, I think the way I am using that method should be called:  C25K in Just! One! Year!!!  Good grief, I may be the slowest trainee in the world.  (Third try's the charm, though...I'm over halfway through!)

Slow and steady wins the race.   Yes?

I do have a question, though.  I hear that runners (ahem, JOGGERS) should breathe in through the nose, and out through the mouth.  Does that distinction really matter?

I have always been a mouth breather.  Even as a young child, and with drool running down my chin.  I'm sure you know what my parents and their friends must have though of this poor drooly chin girl, who also didn't speak much until her 2nd birthday.  Let's just say...Yes, they actually had me "tested" to see if I was normal.  (I am happy to say I passed with flying colors!  Evidently, I just didn't have much to say in those days.)

When I was beginning my orthodontic care as an elementary age child, the orthodontist noticed my mouth breathing, and gave me exercises to practice breathing through my nose.  I am proud to say he corrected much of the mouth breathing--except when I exercise.

Which brings me to the important question.  When I am exercising, I never feel like I can get air into my lungs fast enough through my nose.  I can physically do it--but I feel much more comfortable breathing in through my mouth.

Will this mouth-breathing affect me long-term, as a jogger?  If so, could you please explain why?

(Was this WAY MORE information about my mouth and nose breathing than you ever wanted?  Sorry about that.)

Celebrating 1 Year - GIVEAWAY!!!!!

UPDATE:  Giveaway closed!!  Thanks for playing along!

What better way to celebrate MarytheKay's 1-year Blogaversary, than to GIVE AWAY some of my very favorite things?!!

Looking back over the last year, I have written about all of these fun items.  Some of them, I just won't shut up about--because I love them so much!!

I gathered many of them together, and want to GIVE THEM to one lucky reader!!  I also linked each item back to the original post I wrote--in case you missed it the first time!

Here's what you could win:

1)   My world famous Why Hug t-shirt!!  Beat the snowy winter blues in this hot pink t-shirt that instantly makes you a member of the prestigious Affectionate Arm Punchers of America group!

2)  Gold Haribo Gummi Bears - I love these so much, I even wrote a poem about them recently.

3)  This very stylish Gap black, grey, and silver scarf!  I love this scarf so much that I bought one just like it for myself!  When you win this, we will be living and breathing TWINKIES.  But beware--wearing scarves can be a HOUSEHOLD HAZARD!!

4)  The mesh laundry basket - How do I love thee, I cannot count the ways...  You know what they say:  Once you go mesh, you cannot go back...  (Well, I say it, anyways.)

5)  Please observe a moment of silence for the cellopohane bags.  Not only can you make Sonic Happies with these bags, but you can bag cookies, party favors, little chocolates for Valentines Day, and even gift cards...But more on that later!

6)  You can have the most popular feet in the neighborhood with Little Miss Matched socks.  Not only do I love these socks with all my heart and soles, but they make me smile every time I wear them.  What more do you need to know?

7)  Martha flew this bag in special just for this giveaway--Martha White's muffin mix.  All you need is water to make these babies.  Well, water, muffin tins, and an oven.  But, let's not get all technical, okay?  These muffins will make you happy it is morning.  And, at this house--that's saying a lot.

8)   Ya can't have weekend Linky Dinks around here without some Bon Bons, now can you???  Currently, these Lindor Truffles are my favorite Bon Bons.  But, I do reserve the right to change my mind at any time, especially if hundreds of happy blog readers were to send me a variety of Bon Bons as a Blogaversary present...  What???  A girl can dream, can't she?

 

Oh, and OF COURSE I am going to wrap the winning prizes up all fancy-like!!!  What's a prize if it's not fancied up a bit, right?  I'm all about fancy over here at MarytheKay.
 

TA-DAA!!!  Now, WHO wants to win this fancy bag 'o favorite things?

Here is what you need to do to enter:

1)  Join this site with Google Friend Connect.  Look to top of the left column, and find the blue button that says, "Join this site."  Click on that and follow the directions to become a member!! 

2)  Once you've joined with Google Friend Connect, or if you've previously done that, just leave me a comment saying either you just joined, or you have in the past!

3)  You may add an extra entry if you Follow me on Twitter, and leave me a comment telling me so!  (@MarytheKay)

4)  Tweet about this giveaway, including a link back here--so others can join in the fun!  (Be sure to leave a comment that you did this)

5)  Post a link to this on Facebook.  Be sure to leave me a comment telling me you did this!!

6)  Be sure to enter BEFORE Sunday, February 13th, at 9pm, CST.  I will post the WINNER on Monday morning, February 14th!!

7)  Oh!!!  But, that's not ALL!!!!  Let's do ONE MORE GIVEAWAY!!!  Why?  Because it's my 1-year Blogaversary, and I feel like celebrating!!

 
In addition to the Favorite Things Giveaway, I will also be awarding a $10 Sonic Card to ANOTHER LUCKY PERSON!!!  Because, if ya can't win the big loot, at least you can be consoled by a Sonic Coke during Happy Hour!!!

To enter the giveaway for the $10 Sonic Card Giveaway, just leave me a comment telling me your FAVORITE 3 MarytheKay Blog Posts from this year.

 

That's it!!!  Now, go forth and ENTER!!!  I can't wait to see who wins!  I sure do love giveaways--winning them, and giving them!

And, now that all the giveaway hype is over...I really do want to say THANK YOU for coming back here day after day.  Your comments over the last year have meant the world to me.  I just smile to think about the new friends I've made here.  Thank you, thank you, thank you!  
 

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The Seven Clown Circus

 

How to Create a Pretty Dessert Table

Okay, so the alternate title for this post should read: 

"Watch your friend create a pretty dessert table!!"

I can only take a teensy bit of credit for the pretty dessert table I am about to show you.  My friend Jenn designed it, and made us enlisted the help of a couple of friends, so that we could honor a dear friend on her 40th birthday.

Oh look!  There's Jenn now...  Everybody say, "Hi, Jenn!"

 

But, let me back up just a bit.  Here's our BEFORE picture...the blank canvas upon which Jenn worked her dessert table magic:

Okay, so never mind those wrinkles.  They kind of gave (OCD) me a stomach-ache before we set everything up.  But, I have to say--I did not notice them one bit once everything was in place.  (yeah, yeah, yeah, so they were right...just this once...)

Notice how everything is symmetrical?  Jenn said an important element in dessert table design is symmetry and balance.   
 
 Oh, and I LOVE this idea--custom flower vases!  Created using a sheet of scrapbook paper, trimmed to size, and slipped inside a clear vase.

 
It worried (OCD) me that by using paper inside the vase, we wouldn't be able to add water, and the flowers would wilt before the evening party.

Well, Au contraire, mon frère-take a look at this genius idea!!

Are you READY to see the finished product?

 

May I present to you...Jenn's Pretty Dessert Table!!

 

Didn't she do an amazing job?  We used the color palette of the invitation--lavender, mint green, and added in some pale pink onto a background of white and crystal--to create this clean and pretty look. 

Here are some of the elements--and my favorite parts--of the dessert table:

Top Left:  A frosting dipping station!  The birthday girl's favorite thing...frosting!  We paired 3 frostings--strawberry, buttercream, and cream cheese--with mini pretzel sticks for a delicious sweet/salty snack!

Top Right:  Mini cupcake tower!  We placed a cupcake stand on a clear cake stand, and filled it with mini carrot cupcakes with cream cheese frosting, vanilla cupcakes with strawberry frosting, and vanilla cupcakes with buttercream frosting.  Nothing says FUN dessert table like mini cupcakes!

Bottom Left:  Favorite candies!  We used the birthday girl's 2 favorite candies--Hot Tamales and Junior Mints--and filled 2 large vases to the very top. 

Bottom Right:   Favorite snacks!  We added in 2 of the birthday girl's favorite snacks--kettlecorn popcorn (we bought Popcorn Indiana's yummy brand at Walmart) and glazed sugar cookies (thank you, Kim M.!)

 

Oh--and one of the most darling parts of the dessert table...we created labels for everything (we? she? What's the difference...), using lavender and mint green scrapbook paper, and an adorable font!  (sorry, I did not get a very good picture!)

Want to see the pretty table again? 
 

Pretty table, pretty Jenn!!  

(Oh man, I sure wish I had another sugar cookie...they were DIVINE!!!)

 

(Here's the P.S. part...)

Okay, and for the sake of full disclosure, I need to tell you that my dessert table setting-up friends...well, they did not like my idea of using tulle ribbon to help decorate the table.  Now, in my (humble) opinion, tulle makes EVERYTHING prettier.  Wouldn't you, dear readers, AGREE with me? 

Wouldn't you?

Well, instead of pouting...I took ACTION.  I figured I would SHOW THEM!!  While they were working in the other room--not using my tulle--I decided to decorate the kitchen...just a bit.

Because...tulle makes everything prettier, right?

 
It's a crying shame that decorators everywhere don't use my services.  I sure could pretty up America with a little tulle... 

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What's in Your New Year? Linky Dinks

 I know everybody is talking New Year's Resolutions this week.  I don't typically make firm New Year's Resolutions, but more like, eh, I'm aiming in this general direction broad goals.  Nothing too specific or confining.  I'm like a beginning archer of goal-making--aim it in the general direction, and we'll call it improvement.  You can call me laid back, or even lazy...But, I have a very real allergy to specific goal-making sessions.  Seriously, nothing gives me hives quicker than my husband saying, "Hey, let's sit down and write out our goals for the year."  But, see, I'm a smart one, and I've learned a little trick.  When my husband brings up the "G word" discussion, I just bat my eyelashes real pretty and smile demurely.  Works like a charm!

(Well, great--just great!  Now my husband is going to be asking for (air quotes) Goal discussions like ALL the time now.  And me?  I'll be like the Stephen Covey of housewives.  Dangit. 

Moving on...cause my mama reads this blog...

 

Well, WHO, loves Before and After pictures?   And WHO loves motivation to get things organized???  And WHO loves containerizing even more than the organizing??  Well, if you cheered out on any of those questions...then you have a problem...like me.   Toni, of the lovely blog A Bowl Full of Lemons, is hosting a 21 Days to Getting Organized Challenge.  Each day for 21 days, she will offer a challenge area (today's is dresser drawers), and show how she organized hers.  Then, she offers bloggers to join in, and show their before and after pictures.  What fun!  I do love a good Before and After picture, don't you?

 

Oh, how I wish I had it in me to participate in The Nester's 2011 Home Goals project.  She lists and posts pictures of rooms/areas of her home she wants to improve this year.  Then, she asks other bloggers to list their own 2011 Home Goals and link up.  I'm loving seeing and reading about what others are planning to improve in their homes this year.  Me?  Well, I'd love to complete my Master Bedroom Makeover from 2010...which includes another nightstand to paint.  I'd also love to create a craft space in our basement for our girls.  That was actually going to be a Christmas surprise for our girls...but...well, it obviously didn't get done.  Or even started.  Like I said earlier--I'm a beginning archer when it comes to goals.  I'm aiming for that craft room to be complete sometime this decade.

 

C25K...Anybody know what these lovely letters and numbers mean?  Give up?  Okay, I'll tell you.  It means Couch 2(to) 5K.  It's a training program that takes lazy slobs like myself from the Couch to running a 5K in just 9 weeks.  Now, those of you who know me...Let me answer your concern:  No, I have not been kidnapped and forced to type those words.  I really do want to train for a 5K.  I'm not going all crazy on ya and training for a marathon.  Heaven forbid!  I'm just training for a little bitty 5K, using a program that starts with the tiniest of baby steps. 

Okay, and I have a little confession to make...I actually started this program in late October last year, only to get sick one week, pull a muscle the next, and then...fizzle out with the craziness in December.  I first heard about this training program from Big Mama, my official blogging hero.  I figured the c25K would be a worthy addition to my Turning 40 Campaign.  But now, I guess now it will become my Turning 41 Campaign...since I am going to re-start the training...any day now...really, I am...soon.  Said MarytheKay as she scooped another handful of buttered popcorn into her mouth. 

 

Well, that's it from me!  I'm plum worn out from all the New Year talk and Goals Discussions.  Let's just kick back and call it a weekend right now!  Ya got your bon bons ready?  I've got mine!  See you lovely people next week! 

Happy weekend.

The Spring Chicken of McDonald's Coffee Hour

 
 This morning I am typing away at a McDonald's, where I am the youngest customer by at least 40 years.  And that's saying something--because I am no longer any Spring chicken.   I dropped my kids off at school this morning, and since my youngest's class is hosting a Thanksgiving lunch, I thought I would stay out until then.  Evidently, I have stumbled onto the cutest 80-year-olds'+  coffee hour at McDonald's.  There is the sweetest buzz of conversation peppering the air.  And like any good couples' event--the men are gathered at one long table, and the women are gabbing away at their own table.

 I want to sit and just watch these groups, but there is a lone man reading a newspaper just across from me.  Every time I look up to check out the old guys' table, newspaper man looks up.  He's probably having his own conversation in his head, "That young lady in the red scarf is really checking me out this morning.  Every time I look up from the Financial section, she is looking at me.  I have to remember to wear this tweed jacket more often.  Marge was right--I really do look distinguished."

Oh, the youngish manager has just walked over to the old guys' table, and is shooting the breeze with them.  Smart manager.  I can tell these old guys are regulars, and the breeze the manager is shooting with them is familiar.  He just slapped one of them on the back and is laughing.  I sure hope he didn't bruise the poor guy.  Cause this manager is a hearty fella.  He's a couple of hash browns past average.

I love watching older people.  And I mean that in the most respectful way.  As I watch them, I imagine what I will be like in 40 years.  Will I be the lady in burgundy slacks, white sweatshirt with the words "Paris Sport Club," and matching burgundy turtleneck?  Or will I be the lady in the black pants suit, with dark blond hair rounded and formed into a perfectly smooth finish with back-combing and hairspray?  Older ladies always seem so put together.  Everything seems smoothed down, matching, and deliberate.  I guess I notice because my own life feels thrown together, haphazard, so--wow, I can't believe I have make-up on and have my hair fixed.

Do you ever watch older people, and wonder?  Do you notice the old guys and smile, knowing their cute wives have picked out their sporty clothes?  I wonder if my husband will be the renegade at 80 that he is at...dare I say it...nearly 50?  (AAAHHHH, I am gonna PAY for that one!!!!)  Please, dear God, tell me--will he still be wearing clothing that can only be purchased at Bass Pro shop?  And, really--is there any possible way he will still be wearing that orange mad bomber hat?  The hunter orange one that is FUR-LINED??  And, I need to know--do 80-year-old guys wear shorts?

Oh, I KNOW.  I am no better.  I am not being snippy.  I realize I have my own clothing issues.  I try to be all cool, checking out the fashions at American Eagle and Aeropostale', when what I really look like...is a 40-year-old woman...who would like to shop at American Eagle and Aeropostale', but can't believe "those girls' mamas would let them out of the house wearing THOSE THINGS."  For crying out loud, I am wearing black slip on tennis shoes today that have the words "Easy Spirit" on them.  I don't care how comfy they are, or that I bought them at T.J. Maxx.  Show me a young person who wears Easy Spirit, and I will show you the elderly lady here at McDonald's wearing 7 jeans and a Justin Bieber sweatshirt.  Not gonna happen.

Well, coffee hour (half day?) is still going strong.  But, this middle-aged mama needs to head to a school Thanksgiving lunch.  Sara Beth is very excited for her mama to sit beside her and share a meal.  I watch the older ladies and marvel at their slow pace and easy conversations.  But, honestly, there is no place I'd rather be this morning--and in life--than rushing around, and heading towards my daughter's lunch.  Thanksgiving lunch is appropriate.  Because I am very thankful.  For where I am, and where I am heading....

 

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Happy 6 Months to MarytheKaytheBlog!!!

Today marks the 6 Month Birthday of MarytheKaytheBlog!!!  I officially started this blog on February 10th--also my 40th birthday. 

I had really wanted to write a blog for a couple of years.  But, I knew I had no business starting that kind of time-sucking hobby--when I could barely keep up with the stuff I was already doing.  However, as I started looking for ways to earn extra income to help out our family, I kept coming back to writing.

I know it is a long-shot ever to make much money writing...  But, I figure--if I don't try, I sure won't ever know!  Starting this blog has opened a whole new world for me.  To be a little vulnerable with you--I am really proud of myself for not only following a dream I had, but step by step, little by little, doing the work it takes to make that dream a reality.

In writing this blog, I have met some really wonderful people, and have found some amazing stories and writing online.  I feel like I am still feeling my way along, looking for a little niche for my blog to land.  I am aiming for a goal--but I am really enjoying the process along the way!

I also want to say THANK YOU to those who have been reading, and who have sent encouraging words along the way.  That has been the most surprising part about this journey for me--the encouragement.  On days that have been difficult, those encouraging words have felt like little presents from heaven, tied with pretty bows!

When I look at the stats over the last 6 months, I am totally blown away.  Again, thank you, thank you.  In the big world of blogging, I realize my numbers aren't huge.  But, to me, each small number represents someone coming over to spend precious time in my little world.  That gesture just means the world to me!  Thank you.

In the last 6 months, I have had:

23,646 visits from 109 countries

15,125 unique visitors

161 posts

1095 comments

Most of my readers live in MO, TX, CA, and AR (in that order)

My #1 traffic source is Google (and there is a funny story behind this...I'll tell it soon, I promise!)

The top referring blogs are: (because I join their weekly link-ups)

We are THAT Family

A Soft Place to Land

The Thrifty Home

Between Naps on the Porch

The posts I've written that receive the most traffic are:

Have You Lost Your Muchness?

Favorite Things:  Pretty Summer Toes

Walmart Love:  Cool and Creative Teacher Gifts

Create Your Own Pottery Barn-Inspired Bulletin Board

Some of my favorite things I've written are the funny ones...like:

Household Hazards of Wearing Flip Flops: A Public Service Announcement

Household Hazards of Wearing The Scarf:  A Public Service Announcement

Here's to 6 more months of late nights, not enough sleep, grouchy mornings, taking pictures of everything, avoiding housework so I can blog, picking peoples' brains for blog topics, annoying people with blog talk, putting my husband to sleep with blog talk, and threatening people with "If you do that, I will blog about it..."

Oh, wait!  What I really mean to say is...Here's to 6 more wonderful months of blogging!!!  Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!!

A Fab 40 Party...in Pictures!!!

We have a really amazing friend that turns the big 4-0 this week.  We wanted to celebrate her friendship in a big way...Here are some fun pictures to tell the story.  Enjoy!

Beautiful views

Colorful flowers and flickering candles

 

A beautiful room with pretty tables

Dear friends and family

 

And the guest of honor herself--the birthday girl!

 Isn't she beautiful?

 

 

Yummy food

Small touches

Cool drinks

Hot Mama  Birthday Cake

A faaaabulous cake server!

Even adults like party favors!

And a gift from everyone...a memory book filled with pictures and memories from friends and family!

WOW--are those the legs of a 40-year- old???  Hot Mama!!

What a memorable night celebrating a dear friend!

F/F!!!  LYLAS!!

 

And here's to 40 more...

 

 

 

 

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True Confessions: The Day I Didn't "Mom Up"

Another week, another confession...  In last week's, I confessed a terrible mom oversight. This week, I'm cringing as I confess that I let my high school babysitter face a challenge with my daughter I wasn't ready to face...

All right, all right, I know you're already judging me.  I'm already anticipating the Comments and "helpful hints" I'll receive as a result of confessing this.  Just know that whatever you would suggest, I've already suggested to myself, and written to myself in the form of a Comment.  I know that confessions shouldn't be sandwiched between excuses, but my obsessive self will not let me leave this one confession unsaid:

If my kids were in danger in this activity, you better believe I'd be up there faster than a koala bear.  Or, if I was on The Amazing Race, yes, I could grit my teeth and do the task for a million dollars.

But, last week?  I chickened out.  If you've seen the coolest rodeo movie ever--8 Seconds, then you will understand this phrase:  "I didn't Mom Up to the occasion."

Why the heck not, some of you adventurous souls are asking me right now???  Well, I have some height issues.  Okay, and also some control issues.  And to be just completely honest--some I don't want to look stupid in public issues.

Oh, but WHAT was the event where I didn't Mom Up?  My daughter's dearest summer camp friend asked for a mother-daughter morning on the High Elements Ropes Course.  (HERC...which, in my opinion, should be re-named HELL...High Elements--Losers Look-out!)

Remember that I work at a summer camp,which is also translated as, "That place which is filled with high-energy, adventure around every corner."  And, sadly, that does include events waaaaay up in the air where God intended only things with wings to inhabit.  For some silly reason, the silly people in the camping world thought it would be fun to invent an activity where people get to face their FEARS.  And with a partner to get to watch close up, no less!

The nerve!

Well, how high could it be you ask?  Higher than squirrels climb, I am sure!  See for yourself:

 

See that teensy-weensy, itty bitty wire?  I feel my kindred spirits gasping in shock right along with me.  Thank you, kind souls, thank you.

I've heard that this is the hardest part of this Ropes Course.  Now, here's my logical brain's evaluation:  If this part is difficult for girls, like my babysitter, who play competitive sports and are in the PRIME of their lives...then, what would it be like for a 40-year-old who hasn't played a competitive sport since age 10, when I dropped out of Softball because the jerseys weren't a pretty color.  (Okay, that's probably not the real reason, but it's a good example of now not serious I was about softball.)

Plus, if I were high up in the air, hanging on for dear life, WHO would watch the little gangstas running around below? 

 

Oh, I KNOW they're smiling up there!  But, just remember the phrase "Prime of their lives!!" 

It's just not natural to be walking across a telephone pole up in the treetops.  It ain't fittin, it ain't fittin, it jest ain't fittin.  Humph.

 

Oh, they're smiling NOW...but they're about to SCREAM.  How do I know this?  Because what they are sitting upon right now is aptly named, "The Screamer."

Do you see the "Easy" button beneath their legs?  That makes me giggle.  Yes, it's easy--because all they have to do...is SCREAM...once they're strapped in, and the board beneath them falls away--and they go FLYING THROUGH THE AIR. 

Yep, easy.

Can you hear the screaming??

Can you hear my heart pounding?

 

P.S.  Yes, I know this is the Year of 40 for me, also known as The Year I Tackle some Goals...and maybe a few fears, too.  The blasted Ropes Course is on my List.  I promise to write all about it here, when it happens.  I just won't tell anyone beforehand, and I won't post any pictures until I've properly "edited" them (ahem, enhanced them!)

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And we'll have fun, fun, fun till our daddy takes the road trip away

I have spent the last hour and a half sitting in front of this computer screen tap-tapping away on a post about the friendships in my life--current and past.  However, as I'm typing away, all I can think about are the FUN Dallas!! pictures sitting on my computer that I really, really want to share. 

And you know what?  I am not feeling the serious-serious post right now.  This girl just wants to have fu-un...

So, here goes!

If you have no idea what I am talking about, here's yesterday's post explaining the amazing surprise birthday trip where my friends whisked me away! 

You know what they say?  Don't mess with Texas!  (just cracking myself up over here!)  Here we are at the STATE LINE OF TEXAS, folks!  With 3 former Texas girls in attendance, we HAD to stop at the State Line Information Center.  And, also, because someone's husband told us they always give away FREE! Cokes!  Which, sadly, they do not.  But, boy did we give the sweet ladies working that afternoon a good laugh about that question.  They told us, "Honey, you haf to go to Atlanta to get the free Cokes.  If we gave anything away free here in Texas, it would be Dr. Pepper.  But--here!  Have a bumper sticker!"

Here we all are!  Reunited, and it felt so nice...  We're smiling, because we're about to eat handmade tortillas at Uncle Julio's.  He isn't really our uncle.  We just like to call him that for fun. 

Here is the BEST KEPT SECRET in the pedicure world of Dallas!!  You can have services done at the very lovely Aveda Institute for a fraction of regular cost!  Our experience was delightful--especially at $14!!!

Our pedicurists (is that a word?) were really great.  It was *interesting* talking about their different personalities and techniques afterward.  What a wonderful way to start the day! ...And I have NO idea why our picture taker didn't get a shot of our cute toenails...  Gonna have to dock that girl's pay...

The girls HAD told me beforehand to gather some books to take to the used book MECCA of Dallas--Half Price Books!  You see that one of us took that suggestion VERY seriously.  However, she was the BIG WINNER with a $30 payout!  Sadly, my white bag of books paid out a measly $6.  The bookstore outsmarted me, too...because I went in with a large bag of HEAVY books, and ended up paying them $1.23 to bring home a very small, very light sack of books for my daughters.  But, for the low, low price of $1.23, they each received 2 fun books!

(Boy, I had a lot of STRONG feelings in that LAST paragraph, didn't I?  Can you tell I LOVE using ALL CAPS to express my emotion?!  I guess books just do that to me...)

 

A couple of my sweet friends gave me a gift certificate to Williams-Sonoma.  Can you say "hallelujER"??  Yeah, I don't think those sweet friends realized how carefullyI like to spend my gift certificates (euphemism for:  I am a slooooow shopper when it comes to spending money.)  Here is a picture of the delightful mixing bowls I almost bought, then decided against, then almost bought again, then decided I would rather find bowls that I could use as serving pieces as well.  Man, I wish I had bought them...  I did, however, buy the matching measuring cups, and they just make me smile every time I pull out the drawer to peek at them again.

Well, here, I'll show you a picture...cause they are just beautiful...

And here we are right before they called security...

I sure hope the poor person who buys these washes them first....

 

 

 

 

Can you hear the harps playing, angels singing?  That is the music I heard while shopping at The Container Store!!  Oh wait!!  Or was it Ozzy Osbourne...who was signing autographs at that very moment NEXT DOOR at Barnes and Noble!  Seriously!  Would a Baptist girl tell a lie about Ozzy Osbourne?  We thought about going over to wait in the 3-hour line to get an autograph and a picture... But, nah, we decided we'd rather eat dinner!!

 

 

And eat dinner, we did!!  Cheesecake Factory!!  Can I get an AMEN?

 

 

 

 

And here we are at the amazing Annie's Culinary Creations bakery.  What a PERFECT gift for a girl who loves baking cupcakes and sweets with all her heart and soul.  (okay, maybe I exaggerate a bit).  And aren't the custom aprons just the cutest things ever???  We had the most delightful time with none other than Annie herself!  She couldn't have been any sweeter, funnier, or more talented!
 

 

 

And who knew?  I found a hidden talent...perhaps THIS is what I was made to do:

 

 

SCULPT  shrunken heads in FONDANT!!!

 

 

A girl's gotta have dreams, ya know...