Holy Cow, the year is almost over

It's been one crazy year. I started the year thinking this would be OUR year and although some great things did happen for us..there were just as many not so great things. So, I'd say it was a fairly average year.

The good:

* We both still have our jobs and right now, that's saying something.
* I'm still married to an amazing man. He hasn't kicked me to the curb yet.
* I lost 40 lbs. Boo-yah!
* We saw METALLICA!!
* I saw BRITNEY SPEARS!
* I reconnected with my bestie, Jennifer.
* My sister and I have grown a lot closer since she graduated from college and moved away (both which happened this year)
* We paid off our car which means NO MORE CAR PAYMENT!!

The bad:

* Two trips to the ER
* Owing the dentist an obscene amount of money..and not having it..but having to find a way to get it
* A letter from the IRS, which is never, ever good
* Realizing that maybe I shouldn't have sold my paid for car
* Ending a 13 year plus friendship
* Work related craziness for both me and Jeremy

What's ahead:

* Black Eyed Peas with my sister! She bought me tickets for Christmas.
* Celebrating our 10 year wedding anniversary in HAWAII!
* Seeing Wicked with my Mom and sister...hopefully, maybe. This is still in the works.
* Moving to Austin...hopefully, maybe
* If not, than at least buying a new house...hopefully, maybe
* Blogher in New York..*sigh* A girl can dream, right?

A Year In Review II

January - What Are Little Girls Made Of?

February - Yoga and the Evil Stationary Bike

March - Rockstar Photo Shoot

April - Protection - Duke's Story

May - For My sister

June - LOL

July - Asshole Bartenders, Whataburger at 2 AM, and Falling Down Stairs

August - I Yam What I Yam

September - Weekend Highlights

October - The Thread That Binds

November - Counting My Blessings

December - Movin' On Up

By Request..LRD

No silvery blinged out shoes yet..so I'm in my good ol' black stand by heels.

Hey..it's almost Christmas

Just in case you didn't already know..or maybe didn't notice. Christmas is this week, people! We have everything wrapped up..er...in the bag....yeah, it's all taken care of. All the presents are sitting pretty under the tree. My sister has started toying with me by reminding me she has bought THE perfect gift for me. I have no clue what it is..and the only hint she has given (on her own, I did not ask) is music. Narrows it right down, doesn't it? But I can't wait until Friday to see what it is!

We had Christmas with my extended family this weekend. People were here from way, way out of town. It was a lot of fun but we are all getting old. The party was winding down by 9:15. I was catching people yawning left and right and we were home by 9:45. Wild and crazy, I tell you. The food was....ah-maz-ing. As gifts, my Grandma (and Aunt Bev) collected recipes from everyone and put them in a spiral-bond book. Everyone got one. Such a wonderful idea, and now I have the recipe for several of my favorites that I remember having while growing up. Like Buckeye balls. I didn't even know those things had a name..I always just called them chocolate covered peanut butter balls. OH MAH GAWD! It's like heaven in your mouth. I love those things..they are dangerously good.

My husband fell prey to my Grandmother's gag gift this year. Many years ago, he got some sort of service aware at the bank he was working at. He was able to pick it out of a catalog. He opted for a riding bike. It came in a box and had to be assembled. Well, I guess he didn't do a very good job at putting it all together because as he was riding it down our street the handle bars came right off. And he crashed. And dented the wheel rim. The bike was pretty much unridable after that and was never fixed. SO, this year my Grandma gave him a universal wrench, so he can keep things tightened up. lol. Ah, those are always so much fun..no matter who is getting it.

By the way..I'm working on getting a picture of me in my new red dress. Maybe tomorrow? I'll try.

We still have overtime at work. So, it still feels a little frantic once I get off work just because the sun is already setting and the dogs need walking and dinner needs making and if we have to run out for errands..well, forget about it. lol. There isn't time for much else after that. But I cannot complain about the extra money (Hawaii here I come...maybe...hopefully) and also...ONLY TWO MORE DAYS UNTIL VACATION!!! And then I will be off for 11 days straight. I can't wait.

Things That Annoy Me

People that feel like they must use foul language loudly and often, while in an office setting.

It doesn't make you look like bad ass. It makes you look like a jack ass.

My New Little Red Dress

SSSooo, I've been thinking about New Year's, and parties, and New Year's party dresses. I decided that I wanted something super sexy and 'look at me'. And definitely something that I would have never worn a year ago.

I started my search online. I don't really like buying clothes online, especially now when I waffle between some sizes. But looking online is a good way to start narrowing down my ideas of what I want to go to the store and look at. I knew that I didn't want a black dress. At first, I was looking at gold or silver dresses. But, guess what, there aren't many gold and silver dresses out there. Red seemed to be a good compromise. Still pretty bold, and there are a lot of dresses to choose from.

At first, I had my eye on this Calvin Kline red one shoulder dress:

When I went to the mall to take a real life look at it, they only had two..a size 10 and 12. I was a little leery of either one of those fitting me, but I was willing to try them on. I was with my Mom who is a bargain shopper. She frowned at the price of the dress and encouraged me to try another dress that was very similar but a little cheaper.

I was pleasantly surprised to find that not only did the size 12 Calvin Kline dress fit, but it was too big. So I put on the 10 and it fit like a glove. But, as it turns out, I liked the other dress that my Mom picked out better. lol. I sent two pics of me in each dress to my sister and she agreed. The second dress got a thumbs up from everyone so I bought it.


Now, I'm debating having the flowers removed. What do y'all think? I'll probably have it hemmed to be about my knees...because it isn't right now..but nothing ever is with my short self. lol.

And I did not know that DSW had a website until this morning. My wallet is weeping. But I think I found the shoes I want to wear with my new dress and they are even on sale right now:

Random Ramblings

~ Work is keeping me busy, busy, busy. We've been running overtime, which means 10 hour work days. The sun is barely coming up when I get to work..and going down when I get out. Makes me feel a tad bit rushed to do anything else in the evening.

But, I'm not sweating it. For one, the last paycheck of these year is gonna' be sweet! And two, I only have 10 more work days until I'm on vacation!!!

I'll be off for 11 whole days. ELEVEN!! Come on vacation!!

~ I put my Christmas cards in the mail last night. Shew! I can check it off the list. We didn't even send cards last year, which was just down right depressing. But this year I got it together and had some made. They are super adorable and festive. And Jeremy and I both love the picture that we picked to be on it.

~ We only have a handful of gifts left to pick up and we will be done with Christmas shopping. I ordered several things from Amazon.com and everything has arrived (very quickly, I might add). Now, I have to get to wrappin'. Jeremy got me some nifty pull string bows for my presents. I love those things!

~ Everyone keeps mentioning that I haven't really said what I want for Christmas. Or maybe they know of things I want, but can't decide what to get. I have to admit the things on my wish list are a little pricey, so I'm not expecting anything from it. Even so, I am just giddy about Christmas this year. I have no clue what I'm gonna' get but it doesn't even matter! I can't wait!

~ I can't help but think about how I was feeling around this time last year. Not good, not good at all. This year has not gone exactly as we have planned, but we have still been very blessed. And I'm so thankful that I'm no longer in this place or this place

My message from the Universe:

Truth be told, Jinny, it takes so very, very little to be happy.

But you knew that.

Whew -
The Universe

Isn't that so true?

Christmas is a GO!

Our mini-tree on the dining room table. It has all of our personal ornaments on it. For as long as I can remember my Mom had us pick a new one out every year and then she would put the year on it. Jeremy and I continued the tradition when we moved in together. One ornament on there is from my very first Christmas in 1980.


Our super cute coffee table center piece. All I had to begin with was the reindeer and the sleigh with a giant pine cone in it. It looked a little sad on top of the glass coffee table. So Jeremy took me to Hobby Lobby to find...something. GGGrrrr, it was a mad house! BUT, I found what I needed. And for 50% off!


Our brand new pre-lit Christmas tree from Wal-mart. I LOVE this tree! It looked great as soon as we plugged it in with no decorations on it. But I love putting all my red and gold, glittery ornaments on it. The more glitter the better!!

Feeling Jolly!!

Send your own ElfYourself eCards

Wordless Wednesday

Somethings never change...

Movin' on up!

Considering what the weather is like right now - cold and rainy (lovely, but not for moving) - we had BEAUTIFUL weather this weekend in Dallas. My husband and I drove up to the Big D on Friday to help my little sister move into her first apartment...on the third floor. We had some extra help (thank goodness) with my Aunt Gail and Uncle Gary and William and Rusty. With everyone there it only took us maybe two hours at the most to move all her stuff...up to the third floor. Everything made it up except for her bed which sort of fell apart on the stairs. It was already iffy, so we weren't surprised and the guys screwed it all back together once it was in her room. AND the entertainment now has some very minor scratches on the side..nothing that can't be covered with a wood stain pen.

Getting everything up there...on the third floor..didn't take as long as doing the actual unpacking. There were more than a few 'Where does this go?' moments. Since this is my sisters very first place she is starting from scratch. I have been trying to remember how that feels. And if I had as hard a time unpacking things in my new kitchen as she did. She just doesn't know where to put anything. But, I know everything will find a home, the perfect home that she picked, eventually. We took her to Wal-mart and bought her a few things. You never realize all the little things that make living someplace more comfortable until you have to get it all yourself. We picked up things like air fresheners, trash bags, a shower curtain, dish towels and pot holders, a hammer and screwdriver, a broom. She kept telling us how thankful she was that we were there because she would have been very overwhelmed. Moving into any new place, but especially your FIRST place, is always a little overwhelming. I mean, you don't even have salt and pepper. lol. You have NOTHING! Think about it for a minute...having to grocery shop...when you have nothing to begin with. Oy vey.

But we left Dallas with the satisfaction of knowing she is very nearly settled in her new home. Dishes are in the cabinet and silverware are in their brand new organizer. TV's and DVD players are hooked up. Clothes are in the closet and towels are in the linen cabinet. Her bed is made and she has two new pillows on it. Everything else will come together with time.

She will decorate and then re-decorate. Add pictures to the wall and buy a new chair for this room or that. Paint her dresser (which has been painted a million times already...as it belonged to my mom and then to me and now to her) and buy a new bedspread. Hang curtains and buy throw pillows. She will make that apartment...on the third floor...her new home(oh..and Melanie's..HI MEL!). In time...all in time.