Happy Birthday Beth!!!

I have several "adopted" Aunts in my world! :) and TODAY is Beth's birthday!!! Happy Birthday Beth!!! I hope you are having a wonderful trip and will chat when you get home again!

HEY JAKE!!!

HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY JJJJJJJJJJJAAAAAAAAAAAAAKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!! Happy Birthday! It's your birthday! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!

Hey little bro!!! Remember that record that Aunt H got you when we were wee?? HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!

BIRTHDAY wishes go out to my little brother who is also a new daddy!!! :) Have a great birthday Jake!!

PENSKE #2!!

I don't know why I missed the picture of the second filled "nearly" to the brim Penske to sit in our driveway but it is likely due to the fact that I haven't yet admitted even to myself that the pack-rat thing is WAY outta control!!! Mom, Dad, Jake, B, Andyfish, Max, Sophie, and Puppies 1, 2, AND 3 all [yes, ALL] came to deliver the rest of our "stuff" to us in Houston!!! We OWE them BIGTIME for the job of loading and driving it all here without our help! THANKS TO YOU ALL!!!!!! Luckily they brought DRY weather with them and we were able to unload in sunshine most of the time!

I'll share some of my favorite Andy pictures from the weekend that I didn't want to end! It was SO great seeing everyone! I MISS them all!! Andy is growing so FAST!!! He has to be the CUTEST NEPHEW IN TEXAS!!! :) I just LOVED playing with him. Mom, Dad, my SO, and I even babysat one night to let Jake and B go see a movie! :)

Bunco Fiesta!!!

Before I go into the whole BUNCO thing....let me set the scene! I have just walked in the door with Jack-in-the-box-in-a-bag for dinner. It is dark, nearly 8pm. I have just settled into the comfy chair, shoes off, eating a french fry, chatting with the SO about our lack of getting ready for our "2nd LOAD" due to arrive in less than a week when the doorbell starts crazily going off. We look at each other like "we know NOONE here so WHO could this be????" SO we first ignore it...thinking surely they'll figure out they are at the wrong house and go away!!! But NO! the doorbell is then joined by fierce KNOCKING.....looks like this will require F2F contact!

It's SUPERLOIS!!! Dragging me....literally will not take NO for an answer to BUNCO! I'm thinking what in the heck is BUNCO anyway?? I assure her I have never played and I'm braindead so have no capacity to learn!!! (Know that she is now trying to pull me out my front door in bare feet and scrubs!!) By now I remember who I'm dealing with.....you just can't say no to SuperLois! So I climb the stairs, throw on a pair of jeans, a tee, a bit of makeup and begrudgingly go with her to be a SUB for BUNCO! I am literally thinking that this will be a bunch of old ladies playing some BORING game and I'll be looking at the clock every few minutes wanting to go HOME!!!!

GEE!! (I'm resurrecting a term-gone-by just for this post) Was I wrong!?! :) [OK it WAS a boring game and I was the younger generation in attendance!] BUT WOW do these ladies know how to party!?! It was two hours of the loudest laughing group of ADD women drinking margaritas (even wearing bunco jewelry--they take this thing seriously here in Texas) I have never seen anything to beat this!!! I would be LYING if I said I didn't have a fabulous time!! It was a HOOT!!! :D Who knew you had to decorate and cook all day in preparation for a monthly BUNCO game???

a birthday wish...

I have mirrored the feelings of Friday the 13th today. July 13th was my Aunt Harriett's birthday. I lost her last November. I miss her so much. I have been such a fortunate "kid" through the course of my life. Growing up I was blessed with the best parents a person could ask for, a great brother and possibly the most loving and terrific grandparents a girl could ever want. But I was one of the lucky ones to get a bonus in life! I had Aunt Harriett. I didn't know or ever imagine that she would be taken away so soon. I haven't yet figured out how to plug that "hole" that exists in my heart for her and I don't think I ever will. One day when I can do it without sobbing, I'll dedicate a post to her to share some of the wonderful things she has taught me. But for now I just want to send an angel wish to heaven to say "Happy Birthday Aunt Harriett! I love you & miss you!"

Happy Birthday Mom!

My Mom celebrated her birthday on July 12th!! I love her immensely! She has taught me MUCH in my life so far! I couldn't begin to properly thank her for being the best MOM ever! She doesn't know how wonderful she is so I try to remind her semi-regularly! :) I think it couldn't be more wonderful than to have a Mom who brings you up to do and be right in her eyes.....then somewhere along the way we became great friends too!!

I LOVE YOU MOM!!!! HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!! :)

Andyfish! :)

I simply cannot resist showing these precious pics of my little nephew's first swimming adventure at the McCoy Frog Farm!!! Isn't he just a cutiepie??? Doesn't Nonna look proud of her grandson....they make the sweetest picture together, don't they?? THOSE ROUND CHEEKS JUST KILL ME!!! (not to mention I'm partial to that RED head) :)

I've been TAGGED too!!

My best bud Miltie has tagged me with the following burning questions that enquiring minds want to know! Err...or at least she wants to know! heehee Alas! The game dies here since none of my other buds are bloggers! Oh my!

1. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE? My Aunt Harriett and my great grandmother
2. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED? unpacking cookbooks
3. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING? No
4. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT? Black Forest Smoked Ham
5. DO YOU HAVE KIDS? no :(
6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON WOULD YOU BE FRIENDS WITH YOU? sure
7. DO YOU USE SARCASM A LOT? not so much
8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS? yes
9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP? maybe
10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL? Lucky Charms & Captain Crunch WITH crunchberries
11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM OFF? no but don't yell at me :D
12. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG? absolutely
13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM? Bluebell Homemade Vanilla
14. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE? their aura
15. RED OR PINK? PINK!!
16. WHAT IS THE LEAST FAVORITE THING ABOUT YOURSELF? I have a problem saying no to people :) [hmmm...ditto Miltie!]
17. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST? Granny and Aunt Harriett
18. DO YOU WANT EVERYONE TO SEND THIS BACK TO YOU? oh yes, EVERYONE!
19. WHAT COLOR PANTS AND SHOES ARE YOU WEARING? blue scrubs and bare feet :)
20. WHAT WAS THE LAST THING YOU ATE? popcorn
21. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW? Glamorous! (FERGIE ROCKS!)
22. IF YOU WHERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD YOU BE? Rainbow swirl
23. FAVORITE SMELLS? baking bread, citrus, a library
24. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE? Kari
25. DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON WHO SENT THIS TO YOU? why... yes I do
26. FAVORITE SPORTS TO WATCH? FOOTBALL but I still don't completely get it
27. HAIR COLOR? Auburn quickly on its way to brown :(
28. EYE COLOR? Hazel
29. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS? Yes
30. FAVORITE FOOD? pizza & ice cream
31. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS? Happy Endings
32. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED? War of the Worlds....a truly sad disappointment
33. WHAT COLOR SHIRT ARE YOU WEARING? blue scrubs
34. SUMMER OR WINTER? Fall :)
35. HUGS OR KISSES? Hugs AND kisses!
37. MOST LIKELY TO RESPOND? N/A
38. LEAST LIKELY TO RESPOND? N/A ....geez this thing is LONG!!!! :P
39. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING NOW? Muses, Madmen & Prophets by Daniel B. Smith
40. WHAT IS ON YOUR MOUSE PAD? neon green writing "Razer eXactMat"
41. WHAT DID YOU WATCH ON T.V. LAST NIGHT? ok embarassing but true...Big Brother 8
42. FAVORITE SOUND? Water falling, dropping, rushing to shore
43. ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES? Can one really choose?
44. WHAT IS THE FARTHEST YOU HAVE BEEN FROM HOME? Hawaii
45. DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT? let's see......NO
46. WHERE WERE YOU BORN? New Orleans, LA
47. WHAT SUPERPOWER WOULD YOU LIKE? to summon and be summoned "BEAM ME UP SCOTTIE!"
48. FAVORITE HOBBY? camping and digging in the dirt
49. A FRIEND THAT YOU WISH YOU COULD HANG OUT MORE WITH? I miss my girls so much!!! M,L,K,A :(
50. IF YOU COULD BE ANYWHERE RIGHT NOW, WHERE WOULD YOU LIKE TO BE? Holding Andy

Now I am tagging........

NOONE! :)

Happy 4th of July!!!!

OMG!!! Is it July already?? Where have I been since June 11th?? I'll backtrack to fill in a few days below this post if anyone wants to see ANDY :) you might want to backtrack with me!

OTHERWISE---> HAPPY 4th of JULY TO EVERYONE!!!!! My celebration of the day turned out SO much different than I planned! I was supposed to be at a stellar party hosted by my favorite neighbors out in Richmond BUT....

Here is how it went down: I get off of work (yes, work---new gal gets short straw to cover holiday) sometime after 5ish and I'm RUNNING home to change, grab my yummy dip, Odie, and jump in the car to head to the festivities!!! HA! Since I'm sure noone is interested in the gory details.....let me foreshadow the events of my afternoon with this moving tip: ALWAYS TAKE YOUR PLUNGER! (throw something else out that won't fit in the van but NOT the plunger!!!) OK so after I have diverted disaster by all that goes with the not-so-fast trip to Wally world for the plunger it is nearly 8pm! OH WELL--->the 4th is a wash!!!! WHAT????? NO WAY!!! I did buy myself a red, white & blue cupcake while making the maddash to the store so let's salvage this thing! (oh yeah....it is THAT pathetic!! *ROFL*) As I pull my fishsticks (NO yummy grilled hotdog for me!!) out of the oven I start to hear fireworks outside!!! FIREWORKS!! YIIIIPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPPEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!! I LOVE LOVE LOVE FIREWORKS!!! (really that is putting it very mildly....I love fireworks so much that if I ever find I'll be truly blind one day I will spend as much as I can gather on fireworks and let my favorite godson (or maybe his children--heehee)(HE loves fireworks almost as much as me) come launch them while my hopefully really old self can still see!!!) YES!! I ate my fishsticks on the patio while observing AWESOME fireworks from every direction! Not the night I planned but still a great 4th nonetheless!!! Maybe there ARE good things about living in the white hood after all....

HAPPY 4th TO ALL AND TO ALL A GOOD NIGHT!!!! :)