Ick...What's Wrong with Me?

For the last week, I've been so completely exhausted after work.

I've had a pretty constant headache, too.

What if I have a brain tumor or something?

I'm scared to go the doctor for fear that that's what he'll tell me.

And, I'm hungry all the time.

What if I have a worm?

Ugh.

What IS wrong with me?

Please don't tell me anything scary, because I'll cry.

And, you don't want to see me cry.

Connor's Name Frame.

Here's the frame I did my friend, Susan's, son.

It's one of the presents she's giving him for his upcoming birthday.

Maisy decided she'd like to help "unveil" the frame.

Now, I have to complete a set of 4 note cards for my Aunt's friend.

Then, I think my friend, Sonseeahray, is going to get me to do 2 frames for her friend, who just had twins.

As always, I ask you TO ORDER SOMETHING ALREADY!!

Please.

Spiders, Crickets & Ticks. Yes. Ticks.

We've had a slight to moderate problem with bugs & insects this weekend.

I guess Memorial Day is their "un"official start to summer too.

I killed a cricket yesterday & a pretty big spider this morning in our bedroom. We've also killed about 10 flies in our house over the past 3 days.

And, before you say, "Oh, that's nothing", you should know that bugs & me don't do well together.

Not since a HUGE bug flew in my ear when I was about 9 or 10 years old. I could feel it buzzing & moving around in my ear, until my dad washed it out with water.

Ew.

Anyway, tonight we found Maisy's worst enemy.

A tick crawling around on the top of her bed.

It wasn't IN her bed, just on top of her kennel (crate).

Matt thought it was just another spider, but as he got ready to kill it, he noticed it wasn't a spider...it was a blood-sucking tick.

I was putting some laundry up in another room, so he brought it in there for me to see.

I immediately panicked.

Maisy hasn't had a tick or a flea on her since the day we brought her home almost 3 years ago.

For fear that that might not be the only tick in the house, we decided to put her flea & tick medicine on her tonight, even though she wasn't due for it for another few days.

I took apart her entire bed & searched it for ticks.

I couldn't find any, but I'm washing everything anyway.

After her tick medicine soaks into her coat, Matt & I are going to comb her thoroughly with her special "tick-finder" comb, just to be sure she's clean.

Matt thinks he might have brought the tick in, after he mowed the yard this afternoon. I always make him take off his shirt & pants in the laundry room after he gets done.

The laundry room's right in front of Maisy's bed.

See, we live near farm land & our house sits on a former Bermuda grass farm. Bugs & insects of all kinds are known to frequent these parts, so picking up a tick isn't out of the question.

My question to you is this: Do you think I've done all I can do to protect Maisy from the Mean Tick? Is there something else I should do?

Or, if you think I'm over-reacting, you can tell me to shut up, too!

(OMG. If I freak this much because of ONE tick that probably never even touched my dog, think of how I'm gonna be when I have a baby!!! Lord, help me!!)

Celebrating 5 Years.

Matt & I had a wonderful day yesterday...our 5 year wedding anniversary.

As soon as I woke him up, he smiled really big & told me "Happy Anniversary!".

Before I left for work, I put his present in his car.

I made him a mix CD of all the songs that mean something to us.

I got one of my friends from work to help me out with it. I put 10 songs on it & I introduced each song, saying why the song was special.

I got another friend from work to make a label for it. She used a picture of us & typed out, "Happy 5th Anniversary. May 25th, 2002".

When he got in his car, the CD (which I had wrapped up) & a card were waiting for him.

He called me as soon as he opened it & said that he loved it.

When he came into work, he brought me a huge bouquet of the prettiest, most colorful flowers.

After we got off work last night, we came home & changed into our fancy clothes & went to dinner.

At dinner, Matt gave me my anniversary gift.

A beautiful Coin Pearl necklace.

It's really lovely.

He's always very good at picking out jewelry for me. He has excellent taste.

I mean, he married me, didn't he?

Ahem.

***

I promise to post pictures later of his CD, so you can see the label & my new necklace.

Happy Anniversary to us!

An Anniversary Letter.

To my husband,

I can't believe we became husband & wife 5 years ago today. Our wedding was so beautiful, so perfect. It was everything I dreamed about.

You were everything I dreamed about.

And, somehow I found you.

The night we met, I knew I was going to marry you. Can you believe that was almost 9 years ago?

In the early days of our relationship, we had so much fun getting to know each other. The more I learned about you, the more I fell in love with you.

There were days when I seriously thought my heart would burst with happiness.

Sounds corny, I know, but it's true.

One year passed, then two, then three & I knew that I didn't want to spend my life with anyone else, but you.

You made me whole.

You taught me how to love without reservation.

You made me want to be a better person.

Our lives just fit together so perfectly. They had from day 1.

Mostly, our marriage has been pretty smooth. We hit a few bumps in the road along the way.

Like the car accident in June 2003. Every night, for the 8 days I was in the hospital, you slept on the fold out chair, right by my bedside.

You only left me to go home, shower & check the mail.

You were there for me through the entire recovery process, as you have been since the day we met.

And, especially last summer, when we lost our baby.

For the last 5 years, well...really, for the last 9 years, not a day has gone by without you making me laugh at least 100 times a day.

I love that you have such a kind heart. I love that you always put me first.

I love that you never complain when I buy new clothes or new shoes or scrapbooking stuff.

I love that you surprise me with little gifts every now & then.

I love when I pick up the phone & I hear your voice.

I love that I get butterflies in my stomach every time I see you.

5 years is a long time, but 100 years with you wouldn't be enough for me.

All my love,

Your Wife

I'm Such a Slacker.

My apologizes to my fans.

I know there aren't that many of you out there, nonetheless, I'm sorry for not posting for like FOUR WHOLE DAYS.

I have been super busy.

But, I have lots of stuff to tell you guys.

1. I played Bunco for the 1st time last night. It's super fun. I didn't win any prizes, but I had tons of fun hanging out with the girls.
2. Tomorrow is me & Matt's 5 year wedding anniversary. We don't have MAJOR plans. We're going to dinner at somewhere fancy, though. Then later this summer, we'll take our annual anniversary trip. I will tell you about his kick ass present tomorrow.
3. Maisy's ears are getting better. She HATES the ear drops, though. Her problem now is that she's been throwing up a lot. But, I don't think that's related to the ears.
4. I get to see one of my oldest friends this weekend! She was my Maid of Honor & now she's getting married in September. Her mom's throwing her a shower on Sunday.
5. My 2 year old niece, Riley, came up to me the other day, put her hand on my shoulder & asked, "Hey guys! What are we doing?" How freaking cute is that?

Ok, now it's time to tell you about Summer Swap '07.

My blogging friends, Jenny & Mrs. M put this together all on their own.

It's a really fun way to meet new people. And, get some real cute goodies in the process.

Poor Jenny has tried to e-mail me the button code to put on my blog like a thousand times, but I haven't been able to get it to work.

But, you can read all the information about it by going to her blog.

You have to sign up by June 1st, so hurry up.

I mean, what are you waiting for?

OK, I did it. Now, You Go.

INSTRUCTIONS: Remove the blog in the top spot from the following list and bump everyone up one place. Then add your blog to the bottom slot, like so...

1. Mom of 2 and Wife of 1
2. BlondeMomBlog
3. Newlywed Bliss
4. Our life Together
5. A Day in the Life

Next select five people to tag: Wendy, MBKimmy, Susan, Kari, Erin

What were you doing 10 years ago?
10 years ago, I was finishing up my Freshman year at Hendrix College. I was dating a guy named Brian. I was looking forward to working, babysitting & hanging out with my friends.

What were you doing 1 year ago?
Well, Matt & I was getting ready to go to Panama City Beach, Florida for a week to celebrate our 4th wedding anniversary.

Five snacks you enjoy:
1. Granola bars
2. Cereal (I could eat cereal for every meal, every day!)
3. Chocolate
4. Strawberries
5. Crackers & cheese

Five songs that you know all the lyrics to:
1. To Be With You by Mr. Big
2. Summertime by Kenny Chesney
3. Ticks by Brad Paisley
4. Home by Michael Buble
5. Rock Star by Nickelback

Five things you would do if you were a millionaire:
1. Buy a bigger house
2. Spend a month in the Bahama's
3. Donate to charity
4. Save for our future childrens' education
5. Give some to my parents & Matt's mom

Five bad habits:
1. IMPATIENCE!!!
2. Cussing
3. Judging people
4. Not standing up for myself
5. Playing with my hair

Five things you like doing:
1. SHOPPING!!!
2. Working out
3. Going to the beach (or the lake)
4. Scrapbooking
5. Hanging out with Matt

Five things you would never wear again:
1. High heels (can't because of the injury to my foot in a car wreck)
2. Earrings (I let the holes in my ears close up)
3. Headbands
4. & 5. (I don't know!)

Five favorite toys (now?):
1. iPod Shuffle
2. Laptop computer
3. Purses & shoes (I'm with you, Jenny)
4. Digital camera
5. Sizzix (scrapbooking tool)

How Did I Ever Live Without a DVR?

People, seriously.

Matt & I finally stepped into the 21st century & got a DVR.

Ya'll, it's the most wonderful piece of technology ever invented.

Well, maybe not EVER, but pretty close to the top.

Our Dish Network consultant, a.k.a my new best friend, came to our house on Saturday & installed it.

We DVR'd the Jermain Taylor fight on Saturday because we were at the Kenny Chesney concert. And, Matt's re-wound like 1,000,000 baseball plays in the past 24 hours.

Last night, he set it up to record "Days of Our Lives" for me & tonight, when I got home from work, I watched it, in its entirety, minus the commercials.

BECAUSE, PEOPLE, I CAN FAST-FORWARD THE COMMERCIALS.

We got the Dual-Tuner, so we can watch the stuff we've recorded in the living room or our bedroom.

Seriously, I think this ALMOST makes my life complete.

And, I really don't know how I ever survived without a DVR.

If you don't own one, GET ONE!!

Hey. You'd Fall Asleep During Your 1st Concert Too, If You'd Been Going Non-Stop Since 8:00am

What a day.

This past Saturday, I mean.

It started at like 9:00am, when my step-dad delivered Jackson to me at the softball field where Matt & his team had just started a double-header.

Jackson & I cheered the team on from the dugout. In between games, we went onto the field & played our own little game.

Guess who won?

Not me.

Anyway, after the games, Matt, Jackson & me went back to our house, for a little backyard football & wrestling.

I went to the grocery store while Jack watched cartoons & took a "rest".

Jackson thought it was cool that Maisy could get on the back of the couch, so of course, he did the same thing. And, what kind of Dog Mom / Aunt would I be if I didn't take a picture?

I took this picture when we were on our way to the concert. Doesn't he look so cute sitting there in his little booster seat? I could just eat him up!

Matt took this picture right after we arrived & found our seats. Jackson was so pumped. We kept telling him that once the concert started, it was going to be very loud.

When Pat Green came on the stage, the crowd went crazy. Jackson put his fingers in his ears.

My sister got there about 8:15. She had been out of town at a wedding. She missed Pat Green, but got there just in time for Sugarland.

And, here is my 2nd husband, Kenny Chesney. I know it looks like we were far away, but we really did have good seats. Sadly, that is not me Kenny's singing to.

How freaking precious is this little face? About a 1/3 of the way through the concert, Jackson gave up. He's snoozing on Matt's shoulder. Going non-stop, without an actual nap, can really take it out of a guy. He was awake for 1/2 of Kenny's songs & we tried to wake him up when Kenny played his favorite song, but he was so out of it. Matt, Holly & I totally loved the concert. Kenny was freaking awesome!

What a Hard Life I Lead.

You wanna know what I did today?

Well, here's my schedule.

10:30am: Woke up.
11:00am: Finished breakfast, checked e-mail
Noon: Woke Matt up.
12:30pm: Took a shower.
1:15pm: Left my house, en route to the mall.
1:35: Arrived at the mall.
1:50pm: Got my eyebrows waxed.
2:15pm: Went to Aeropostale.
3:10pm: Walked out of Aeropostale with a new bathing suit & cute summer dress.
3:15: Left the mall, en route to the gym.
3:30pm: Arrived at the gym.
3:40pm: Began working out.
4:20pm: Finished working out.
4:25pm: Changed into my new bathing suit & put sunscreen on.
4:30pm: Walked out to the pool with my towel, iPod & book.
4:30pm-5:45pm: Layed out by pool, listening to music & reading.
6:00pm: Arrived back at home & ate a bowl of Honey Nut Cheerios.

I mean, I tell you, do you know anyone else who's life is as hard as mine?

Here's how it went when I got home.

Me: "Man, I'm tired!"

Matt: "Why you didn't do anything all day."

I couldn't have said it better myself.

P.S. The Kenny Chesney concert was AWESOME. I have plenty of pictures to post, but as always, our Internet is so slow, so check back tomorrow.

Friday Ramblings.

Just so you know, I have come to accept that I have a fat dog.

There's just more of her to love.

And, cuddle up with.

Last night, Matt & I tried substituting her treats with green beans. And, Maisy really did try hard to like them, but it just wasn't going to happen.

So, now we're just going to give her a piece of her own food as a treat. And, speaking of food, she's only going to get 2 cups a day.

That's the recommended amount for a dog her size.

*********

Just in case you aren't keeping track, the Kenny Chesney concert's tomorrow night.

Jackson's going to spend the day with us tomorrow. I have a big day planned for him, which includes a "rest" (that's what we call a nap) because he's going to be up late tomorrow night.

We'll meet my sister at the concert because she's going to be driving in from an out-of-town wedding.

I seriously CANNOT wait to see Jackson's face. You know I'll take pictures.

I told my sister that she's going to have to buy him a t-shirt because it's his 1st concert. When he outgrows it, she can put it in his keepsake box for when he's older.

*********

OK, I have a question.

Like my life just won't be the same until I find out the truth.

Did the writers really kill "Nick Newman" (Joshua Murrow) off of The Young & The Restless?

I looked on Y&R's website, but I can't find anything on it.

If you know the answer, please restore balance to my life & tell me what happened.

**********

And, while on the subject of soap opera's, can we PLEASE make Sami have an amnio (spelling?) to figure out, once & for all, who the father of her baby is?

Seriously.

It's driving me crazy.

And, can't we just let Belle, Shawn & Claire finally be a family?

Whatever.

**********
So, that's it for my Friday ramblings.

Have a great night.

7 Pounds on a Dog is Like 30 Pounds on a Human.

Maisy went to the doctor today.

I was supposed to take her yesterday, but she ate a bunch of grass when I took her outside & I was scared she was going to puke all over me in the car, so I left her at home & took her today.

The good news: She has a MINOR ear infection in both ears. But, the doctor assures me, it's really not that bad. We just have to give her some drops 2 x a day, until the medicine runs out.

The bad news: SHE'S SEVEN POUNDS OVERWEIGHT!!!!!

What?

She weighs 35 pounds. Her ideal weight is 28 pounds. Maybe 29, but that's pushing it.

She's been on Weight Management dog food for about 8 months now & we take her on walks all the time. We throw her rope toys for her in the backyard, which also gives her exercise.

She doesn't act like the extra weight bothers her. But, her doctor says it can cause back problems.

So, how do I get a 35 pound Beagle to lose weight?

I have no freaking idea.

Do you guys have any suggestions? (ahem. KimmyK. a.k.a Mom of 2 Beagles. Please? Help?)

Maisy & me thank you.

Now, This is What I'm Talking About.

find your inner clothing style @ quizmeme.com

WTF Was This Guy Thinking? **Plus, a Tattoo Update!**

So, you guys know I work in the news business, right?

Well. You do now.

Every now & then, we get those you-seriously-won't-believe-this-story-and-no-I'm-NOT-joking stories.

This story just kind of landing in our laps today.

It involves a dog, a yard sale & $15 dollars.

Do you see where this is going yet?

If not, allow me to explain.

Over the weekend, in a city about 90 miles from me, a woman opened her front door & her dog ran out. She tried chasing after him, but couldn't find him.

The dog ended up about 1 mile away, in a neighbor's yard.

The neighbor was outside because he was having a yard sale. He saw the dog wander up, so he went over to him to check for a collar or tags.

Nothing.

Because he was busy with his yard sale, he decided to put the dog in his backyard & deal with it once the sale was over.

Apparently, the lost dog was causing the man's other dogs to go crazy, so he moved it back to the front yard.

About the same time, a family in a van pulled up. They noticed the dog right away & told the man that they'd always wanted one.

Thinking the dog was a stray that he'd just end up taking to the local shelter, he offered the dog to the family for $15 dollars.

Yep, he SOLD THE DOG FOR $15 DOLLARS.

The family paid the man $15 dollars & took their new dog home.

I guess the next day, the man was driving around town & saw one of those "Lost Dog" fliers, that described the dog he'd sold to the family in the white van the previous day.

He must have called the number on the flyer & talked to the dog's original owner. Putting 2 & 2 together, he realized the dog he sold was already someone's pet.

So, now, the man & the dog's owner are searching for the family in the white van, to try to get the dog back.

You know that man feels awful.

But, I mean, seriously, why didn't he try to figure out if the dog really was a stray or if he had an owner? Or, why didn't he take it to the shelter after his sale was over?

That's probably the 1st place the owner looked, or at least, called to ask if he was there.

It's like WTF?

******

Tattoo Update: Day 10

The scab's starting to come off, which is making it itch really bad.

My parents still don't know about it yet.

I almost told them on Sunday at my sister's house, but my dad had just offered to take & pay for our desktop computer to get fixed.

I was scared that if I showed him my tat, he'd take his offer back.

He wouldn't have, but I didn't want to risk it.

Or, maybe that was just my excuse to chicken out.

*******

Maisy's sick.

She's been scratching her ears like crazy for the past 2 days. That's not unusual. She has really bad allergies.

Tonight, though, was when I noticed how red & irritated they are. She even scratched her left ear so much, she drew blood.

So, guess who's going to the doctor tomorrow?

I'm going to drop her off in the morning & let her stay all day. That way the doctor can see her whenever & she can burn off some energy by playing with her other doggie friends.

For the time being, she's doped up on Benadryl to try to relieve some of the itching.

Wish us luck!

Happy Birthday To My Sister.

My favorite sister, well my ONLY sister, turns 33 years old today.

We're 4 years, 2 months apart in age.

Some of my best memories as a child are with her.

When I was little & scared of the dark, I used to get in bed with her. I always felt safe. She even made up a "friendly" ghost family, to let me know that not all ghosts are scary.

She taught me how to ride a bike, without training wheels. And, she made me get back on the bike, when I fell off.

We used to sit in her room & listen to music for hours & make up dances to the songs.

As she got older, though, hanging out with her kid sister wasn't exactly cool & I used to get so mad! I wanted to do whatever she was doing.

When she started college, I think we both started realizing how much we missed each other. That's when our relationship turned from a sisterly-bond to a friendship.

Now, we can't go 1 day without talking to each other on the phone. Even if it's just a "Hey, how's it going?" kind of call.

Not only is she a great sister, she's also a terrific mother. Jackson & Riley ADORE her. She's also a great wife, friend & daughter.

Happy Birthday, Holly.

Life Lesson # 5,371,198: Let Sleeping Dogs Lie.

Here's how Matt found Maisy last night.

Apparently, she was tired of waiting on him to put her to bed, so she did it herself.

She has a "pet bed", plus a pillow inside another "pet bed" (she was allergic to the cedar inside that pet bed, so we took that out & replaced it with a pillow) & 2 blankets.

Hey. I want her to be comfortable.

Well, I think she likes to lay against the pillow bed, instead of on it. You can see how she's pushed it up to the front her kennel & curled up behind it.

Anyway, I guess Matt woke her up by taking pictures.

She wasn't too happy about it, either.

She looks drunk or pissed off.

Whatever she was, she's clearly sending him a message.

The princess DOES NOT wish to be disturbed.

******

P.S. Don't forget to comment on the post below about the best advice your mother gave you. I know Mother's Day is over, but you can still comment!

The Best Advice My Mother Gave Me. And, Then Some.

Happy Mother's Day to all you mom's out there.

I hope you're having a fantastic day.

In honor of Mother's Day, I thought I'd pay tribute to my Mom, by listing a few key pieces of advice that she continues to give me today.

Even though I'm 28 years old & married, with a dog & a house & a college degree & a real job...

It pretty much all began when I turned 16 & started driving.

"Always wear shorts (or pants) with the pockets that button. That way you can keep your money in there & you'll know if someone's trying to take it."

(Oh, yeah. Cuz' they'd have to UN-button the button's first, right?)

"DO NOT EVER accept a drink (alcohol or other) from a man you don't know. They might have put that date rape drug in it & YOU DO NOT want to get raped."

(Uh, really? That doesn't sound like fun to you?)

"Always keep a quarter in your purse. If you're in a situation you don't want to be in, you can call me & I'll come get you."

(So, then, what's my CELL PHONE for?)

"Don't ride with anyone who's been drinking!"

(Sorry, dude, you've had WAY TOO MUCH Diet Coke. I can't get in the car with you.)

"Call me whenever you get where you're going, so I know you got there okay."

(Hey, Mom. I just wanted to let you know I got to the gas station without incident.)

"Be a sweet girl. And, always say thank you."

(Cuz' being mean & NEVER saying thank you won't get me anywhere in life?)

"When you're on a date, don't get out of the car until the boy opens the door for you."

(So, I guess I'm never getting out of the car.)

"When you're at the mall, always keep one hand on your purse, so that nobody can steal it."

(Um, okay. Because if someone was trying to steal my purse, keeping a hand on my purse would stop them.)

What advice did your Mother give you? Leave a comment below.

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!!!

Happy 6th Birthday, Suzanne!

Wow.

I must be getting old because our oldest niece, Suzanne, turns SIX YEARS OLD today.

I remember every minute about the day she was born.

Wendy was in labor for 22 hours. From like 6am on May 11th to 3am or 4am the next day.

The whole family spent the night in the waiting room at the hospital. Sometime during the night, somebody went to Wal-Mart & bought us all toothbrushes & toothpaste.

She might be 6 years old today, but she's my baby.

I have loved watching her grow from a baby, to a toddler to a little girl, to an almost kindergarten graduate.

On her 1st day of Kindergarten, I wanted to sit outside her classroom all day, to make sure nobody was mean to her.

I wanted to be able to rescue her.

To keep her safe.

Turns out, I had nothing to worry about.

But, I already suspected that.

She fit in just fine & made lots of friends.

And, she's so smart. She tested above her grade level in many areas, but especially reading.

I'm excited to watch her grow up & see the kind of person she becomes.

Just as long as it doesn't happen too fast.

Happy 6th birthday, Suzanne.

I love you.

Order # 6: Complete!

Here's my latest finished project. It's for my friend, Kim to give to her mom on Mother's Day.

Now, I have a frame to make for my friend, Susan's son. And, after that, some note cards.

ORDER SOMETHING, PLEASE!!

People, I am NOT scared to beg!!

A Whole Lotta Nothing.

OK, so my tattoo's now completely scabbed over.

I'd take a picture of it, but it's not the prettiest thing you ever saw.

The good news: It's supposed to scab over. AND, it hasn't really started itching yet. (Knock on wood).

The bad news: Because it's scabbed over, my skin around it is very tight. So, I've been wearing dresses to work, instead of pants or skirts, because the top of my pants & skirts rub against it.

AND, THAT FREAKING HURTS!!

******

Last night, it was storming really bad & raining a lot, so of course, you know who WOULDN'T go outside.

I'll give you a hint: She's tri-color, has 4 legs & is VERY high-maintenance.

MAISY.

She'd pee, under the covered part of our porch, but she WOULD NOT poop FOREVER.

Well, I guess finally she couldn't take it anymore, ran out in the yard & did her business.

But, then this dog comes back inside & freaking poops TWICE in the house.

She hasn't pooped in the house in TWO YEARS!

What's up with that?

I got mad at her & told her she was a bad girl. After that, she wouldn't even look at me. She knew she had done wrong. But, before I went to bed, we made up.

I apologized & she licked my cheek.

How sweet.

******

Maisy's going to have a big day tomorrow.

She's going to "doggie daycare" for the day & getting a pedicure.

Yes, a pedicure.

That's what the daycare calls it. I just call it "trimming her nails".

But, whatever.

It just means that Matt & I don't have to bribe her with cheese & hold her down to cut her nails.

Plus, when the daycare people do it, they file them down too.

Matt & I don't do that.

Too complicated.

******

How crazy is this?

I found out today that my Dish Network bill is $.24 cents overdue.

What.

Yes, $.24 cents overdue.

So, I call the Dish people to ask why it's $.24 cents overdue & apparently, I wrote the check for $84.00, instead of $84.24.

Trying to be funny, I asked if I could pay the overdue $.24 cents & they said no, they don't take anything under $1 over the phone.

They just said I can pay the overdue $.24 cents on my next bill.

$.24 cents.

Whatever.

*****

Well, that's all I have to say.

If I See ANOTHER Mother's Day Commercial, I'm Going to Scream.

It's not that I don't love my mother, step-mother & mother-in-law, because I do.

I really, really do.

But, dammit, this year was supposed to be MY 1st Mother's Day.

Our baby's due date was in February.

And, I am so sick of turning on the TV & seeing yet ANOTHER commercial about Mother's Day & another gift idea for her.

The one that really gets me is the Mom & Dad pushing the little baby in a stroller & the Dad says, "Honey, we wanted to get you something really special since it's your 1st Mother's Day."

Yeah, I understand the reason for the ads, but it still sucks really bad.

And, to be quite honest, it really hurts.

When we all get together this Sunday for Mother's Day, I'll put on a big smile & give out the gifts Matt & I bought, but I'll know in my heart that something's missing.

That something is my baby, that I never got to meet.

I Was In, Out & Back at Work in Under 60 Minutes.

Women.

You're SO not going to believe this.

Today was my long-awaited appointment for my "yearly" exam with my Gynecologist.

As women, we all know HOW LONG these appointments can last. First, you have to wait FOREVER in the waiting room to be called back.

Then, you FINALLY get called back & you're instructed to give a urine sample & the nurse checks your weight & your blood pressure.

Next, she takes you to a room, where she tells you to take off all your clothes & put on the ever-so-lovely hospital gown that buttons down the front.

After that, you wait & you wait & you WAIT.

For the doctor.

Finally, he or she comes in, tries to make small-talk, even you both know full well that he or she's looking you in the eye one minute & then looking at your "area" the next.

The actual exam feels like it takes FOREVER. Even though it probably only takes 2 or 3 minutes.

Then, you're done.

The nurse tells you to get dressed & the doctor will come back in to talk to you.

The whole process can sometimes take 2 hours....or more.

WELL, TODAY, I WAS IN, OUT AND BACK AT WORK IN UNDER 60 MINUTES.

Ya'll, I swear, my appointment's have never been so speedy.

I arrived at 10:30am, with a book in one hand & my checkbook with some bills to pay in the other.

People, I was prepared to wait.

I signed in, sat down, opened my checkbook & paid a few bills. That process took me about 10 minutes.

I had just opened my book to start reading, when I hear "Robin?".

I looked up & the nurse was standing in the doorway, beckoning me to follow her.

For a second, I thought "Well, there must be another Robin."

But, no, she was talking to me. So, I get up & follow her to the bathroom.

I pee, as instructed, in my little cup. Then, I walk out to get weighed & get my blood pressure taken. Everything's good.

She takes me to my room & tells me to get undressed & put the little gown on & then she leaves.

PEOPLE, ONE MINUTE LATER, THE FREAKING DOCTOR OPENS THE DOOR TO THE ROOM!!! I WAS NOT EVEN UNDRESSED YET!!!

Thankfully, I hadn't taken anything off yet. Well, except my shoes.

I look at him & he looks at me & he realizes that I just like got into the room.

So, he says, "Oh, I'm sorry. I'll be back." And, before I can say "No, no, just stand right outside. I'll be ready in like 1 minute", he shut the door.

I was like, crap, now it's going to take FOREVER for him to come back.

I get my gown on & sit on the exam table with my book.

I barely get one paragraph read & here he comes again with his nurse.

I'm stunned.

So, you know what happens next.

10 minutes later, I'm dressed again & sitting in his office, talking to him about how to get the results of my Pap Smear.

5 minutes after that, I was back in my car, driving back to work.

PEOPLE, THIS HAS NEVER HAPPENED BEFORE.

I was beside myself.

I mean, I'm not complaining, but I just couldn't believe how fast it all went.

And, it actually allowed me time to go get a real lunch, instead of my usual Pop-Tart!

Sweet.

My New Tattoo, Day 3: Introducing It To My Co-Workers.

So, I had the opportunity to show off my new "tat" to some of our co-workers on Saturday night, when they came to our house to watch the DeLaHoya / Mayweather fight.

They all loved it.

Today was the 1st day, though, to be able to show it to a majority of the newsroom.

The introduction went great.

Everyone seemed to like it.

However, it did generate a few questions & statements along the way.

Here are just a few.

"You got a tattoo?"

"Is it fake?"

"Did it hurt?"

"You're the last person I thought would get a tattoo."

"Were you drunk?"

"What did your mom have to say about it?"

"Does your dad know?"

"Were you scared?"

"I like it."

"Good for you!"

"The colors are cool."

"No way! For real?"

"Where did you go to get it?"

"Will you get another one?"

I promptly answered "NO" to that last question.

This is my 1st & ONLY tattoo.

And, no my parents DO NOT know yet. Although one co-worker did offer to tell my mom for me.

****

My tattoo's feeling pretty good today. A few times during the day, my jeans would rub up against it & it would be a little uncomfortable, but that's about it.

Any day now, it's supposed to start itching really bad & I won't be able to scratch it.

That's the only part of this that I'm dreading.

Well, Internet, I Did It! **UPDATED!**

Yes, I am now the proud owner of a brand new purple butterfly tattoo.

I just got home from getting it.

And, it really didn't hurt at all.

I'm serious.

It might have been uncomfortable for a few seconds every now & then, but actual pain? No.

** The "dots" you see on the right lower wing & on the upper right wing are places where the tattoo has scabbed over. They're not mistakes or anything!!**

So, what do you think. Do you like it?

Free To A Good Home: One Beagle Named Maisy.

Ok, so I really don't mean that.

If I didn't have Maisy, I would be very sad.

For about 3 minutes, then I'd be over it.

No, I'm just kidding.

But, I swear, if she tricks me ONE MORE TIME into thinking that she has to go outside & pee, I'm going to tie her to a tree & leave her there.

Ok, I really wouldn't do that either.

Maisy's my baby.

But, on night's when Matt's working late, Maisy & I have a love/hate relationship.

See, her world just ISN'T right unless both Matt & I are home. It drives her CRAZY.

And, in turn, she must do everything she can to annoy the crap out of me.

Take tonight for example.

I got home, took her outside to pee & even played with her for a minute in the backyard.

But, I had to stop playing because I had to get the groceries out of the car.

This dog CRIED THE ENTIRE TIME I was bringing groceries in the house.

Finally, she calmed down.

When I sat down to eat some dinner, she decided she HAD to go outside. I got up & let her out. As soon as I sat back down, she was barking to come inside.

So, I let her in.

One minute later, she wants back out.

This game got old after about 2 minutes.

I finally told her that if she would be a good girl, I would give her some cheese.

Cheese is like doggie crack.

Usually it works.

Not tonight.

She spent the next hour & a half going from room to room, barking & rolling around on the carpet. I tried throwing her rope toy, but after about 5 minutes, she lost interest.

After that, she spent about 20 minutes sitting by the back door, crying, wanting to go outside. But, as soon as I opened the door to let her out, she ran to the other room.

You see, I know what she's trying to tell me.

She wants me to stop cleaning & doing laundry & sit with her in Matt's chair, so she can curl up & go to sleep.

That's her FAVORITE thing to do.

She loves to tuck her paws & bury her head under my legs.

She's funny like that.

And, I have to admit, it's pretty cute. Especially when she starts dreaming.

Now, do you want to know what this dog of mine is doing?

SHE'S FREAKING ASLEEP ON THE FLOOR BY MY FEET.

I think she finally wore herself out.

Either that or she knows Matt's on his way home & she's resting up so that she can drive him crazy for a little while.

Because you know where I'll be? In bed, asleep!

Orders #4 & #5: Complete!

I finally finished the order for my friend, Pete.

I LOVE Walter's, but I'm not 100% convinced I LOVE Alice's.

What do you think?

BUT, PEOPLE, SERIOUSLY, ORDER SOMETHING.

I'M ALMOST OUT OF STUFF TO DO.

Just go to my designs website.

Wednesday Ramblings.

Well.

I have a lot to say, but none of it's a MAJOR event, so I thought I'd group them all together.

1. I'm getting my butterfly tattoo on Saturday. You know I'm going to make Matt take pictures, which I faithfully promise to post as soon as we back.

2. I'm still sick. Don't forget to send me some cold/sinus remedies.

3. What is it about cheese & chocolate milk that makes my dog go NUTS? When Maisy sees me headed toward the refrigerator, she practically runs me over to get there first. Then, if I don't get her what she wants, she stands by the door & cries. Maybe I should change her name to "Spoiled Rotten".

4. Our desktop computer suddenly decided to stop working. Matt's been trying to diagnose the problem, but he did not major in "Computers" in school, so he still hasn't figured it out. THANK GOD for our laptop. Seriously, people, when did we get so reliant on computers? I mean if we couldn't check our e-mail & I couldn't blog at night, we'd be lost. Although Matt says he could find "other" things for us to do. (Sorry, Wendy...I know, TMI).

5. I am working on a freaking kick-ass anniversary present for Matt. I mean, it's awesome! I wish I could share more about it with you, but if I did, it would the ONE.TIME. my husband actually decided to read my blog. You'll just have to wait til May 25th.

6. I have written the Prologue, Chapter 1 & part of a yet to be numbered chapter in my novel. It's going a little slower than I thought, but then again, I probably haven't been devoting as much time to it as I should be.

7. I completed 2 more design projects. Both for my friend, Pete, to give to his niece & nephew. I'll take pictures of them tonight & try to remember to post them tomorrow. This means I have one big order left, then I'm order-less. So, ORDER SOMETHING, PLEASE.

8. Matt & I are re-doing the way we do our monthly budgets. OH, HUGE NEWS! We just paid off one of our credit cards. Can I get an "Amen, sista!"? Yep. Paid the sucker off. And, we're going to pay about 1/2 of our 2nd one off this month as well. It's part of our plan to STOP spending money like it grows on trees. (This will be the subject of a future post because I'm going to need your help).

Now that you're up to date on my life, I must go & finish the laundry or Matt & I will go to work naked tomorrow. And, YOU don't want that, do you?

Didn't think so.

Miserable, Miserable & More Miserable.

I'm sick.

Like the miserable, horrible, awful, want to stay in bed all day, but can't, sick.

It's my nose, my throat, my head, my ears.

All of it.

If there's one thing in life that I hate, it's a stopped up, runny nose.

I was wondering if any of you have a secret family recipe or whatever that you use to help you feel better?

I'll do anything.

I'll try ANYTHING.

I HAVE to get better by Saturday because that's when I'm getting MY TATTOO!

Please, please, please help a girl out.