bliss

noreply@blogger.com (Miss A) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 20:45:00 +0000

Oh my goodness! I have had the hardest time posting lately (obviously), let alone checking blogs! I feel like I got a rush of new and exciting info today checking everyone's posts from the last few months!

First things first, I am a new Aunt! Kynan and Kaci were born early last week and they are so sweet. I was a bit upset with my sister Melissa at first for not scheduling this delivery like she has the last 2 (just selfishness...I wanted to be there!), but I got lucky in the end and was able to see the babies on their first day of life when they were transferred here to Little Rock. I got word that they were on their way and I got dressed and went to meet my brother in law Heath at the hospital. I am so thankful to have been able to be there and let them know that they are so loved everywhere they go. When I saw them initially, I was overcome with emotion. I've been truly invested in Melissa and her family for several years and it was amazing to me how these 2 new people have already added so much joy to their lives. For any of you who don't know, Melissa and Heath are great parents. They love their kids and are more involved in their lives than most people I've seen and I feel like they were made for each other and for their kids. They're great teammates. Congratulations!

It's definitely Autumn! I love this time of year. I love the changing leaves and the warm days and cold nights. Last Friday night was the first time this season that I've been able to smell Winter in the air...you know that smell that's unmistakable and makes you feel like you should be all bundled up (or makes you scared that it's just going to get colder? And you remember that time that it was literally freezing each morning for over 3 weeks and when you walked your dog at 6:30am you felt like you were gonna die?)? That's the smell. Are there too many question marks at the end of that run-on sentence??

Every now and then when I open a book to re-read I'll find a flower petal or a leaf that I inserted at one point in time, and you know what? I can almost always remember the occasion. I love saving things like this. I remember finding some of my mother's old memories in her books years and years ago and I always wondered what the story was. It seems like Autumn is the season I tend to gather so many memories, I guess because the colors on the leaves always take my breath.

Now that I've finally found some time to sit down and write, I can hardly remember what's been going on these past several weeks. All I can remember is how thankful I am to have a wonderful family, to have great friendships and relationships with the people I love. My day to day actions are so blurred when I look at the big picture (which, actually, I have a hard time seeing most of the time). To clarity...

noreply@blogger.com (Miss A) — Fri, 07 Aug 2009 21:03:00 +0000

So...I ended up taking the position of Jr. Partner that was offered to me. I've been doing this for a few weeks now and I enjoy it so far. It is so much more intellectually stimulating than what I was doing and I think that's been the biggest surprise. I'm learning so much and it feels good to have my brain be exhausted at the end of the day. I even went on my first day trip! I got on a plane this past Tuesday, landed, took an all-day meeting, got back on a plane, got home, made dinner (this is not a typing error, I did make dinner), and hung out with my sweetie and the girls. I have to admit I felt great to get so many things done in one day and not even freak out about my time schedule.
Aside from that, not much is different with me. I did see a man rollerblading shirtless today. That made me laugh pretty hard because I haven't seen that in a really long time.
Until the next time...

noreply@blogger.com (Miss A) — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 20:25:00 +0000

On the 4th of July I ran my first 5K since the last race I ran as a college athlete. I was surprisingly not too nervous and actually met all the goals I set for myself. I guess the best adjective to describe my feelings about it would be 'satisfied'. There were over 2000 runners and I got a cheesy trophy for being one of the top 100 finishers so that made me happy. I honestly can't believe that I ran the race in the total time I wanted to and that my splits were exactly as I had planned. It was exciting to be in that racing environment again and I remembered why I love competing so much. Little did I know that the last half mile of the course was uphill! I felt like my legs were going to fall off but I kept on passing people so that kept me going.
All in all, I have a hard time getting out of bed in the morning and an even harder time walking down the stairs. I am so sore!! I can't say weather or not I'll do another one anytime soon, but I do have a renewed faith in my body and the satisfaction of doing just what I wanted to.
I didn't tell too many people that I was going to race again (sorry Dad) because I really wanted to do this for me. It's been so long and I didn't want to talk about it and get my hopes up and not deliver. It turns out that keeping it mostly to myself ended up being a great thing...I didn't have anyone to prove anything to but myself, and I used to always worry about disappointing someone back in my college running days. There was so much pressure and expectation on me that it resulted in a lack of motivation on my part and I'm just now beginning to realize that. It's not the easiest thing for me to be self-motivated and it's something I struggle with every single day. Sometimes I can't envision what the next 30 minutes holds and that really frustrates me. I know that in order to get where I need and want to be in life I need to work on my motivation and follow-through so I'm definitely open to any tips anyone has! It's been one of the hardest things to attempt to overcome and I'm nowhere near overcoming myself. Maybe I'll never be able to feel like I truly can. But I know I can try and it's times like last weekend that help me realize that there is a payoff to powering through the struggle.

I Fixed It Myself!!

noreply@blogger.com (Miss A) — Thu, 02 Jul 2009 16:32:00 +0000

After visiting my cousin Cheryl's blog I was reminded of a HUGE accomplishment I just have to share:
I fixed my lawnmower myself!
It's true, I mow the lawn. Last summer my sweet boyfriend hired someone to do it and once I found out I told him that I was just going to buy a mower and do it myself. I love to mow, I love seeing the change and feeling great about meeting a goal. He told me no, he'd already committed to having the guy do it and he was counting on our contract. So this year I decided to do it myself. I brought the mower from HS to LR (the HS house has a garden crew) and began the chore! As the days went on, it got hotter and hotter. I wondered to myself if I was going to have to call Gregg the yard guy to take over when it's just too much for me. Then I had an epiphany: if I can run with a heat index of 110 degrees, I can mow the yard. So last Monday I put on my gloves (my hands sweat a lot when I'm mowing) and got to work!
Somehow, since the Monday before, a large piece of metal had been placed in the yard in an area I've mowed several times. I don't know how that happened, it's a mystery to me. I ran over it and the mower stopped and the sound scared me like crazy! I'm always afraid of hitting something and it shooting out and smashing my leg bones. So I flipped the mower over and compared the piece of metal to see if it could have come from the machine. It did not and I was sure of it. So I flipped it back over and it wouldn't start! I was pretty sure I had flooded it so I left it for about an hour and went back out and when it started it just puttered along and blew tons of white smoke out of the smoke-discharge place. I don't know what it's called.
What did I do? I got upset! I just knew it was broken and I'd have to buy a new one. So I started to take it apart. If you know anything about me, you know I do not mess with machines when they go wrong. I do not attempt to fix things because I am incapable of doing so. I'm not sure what got into me but I took it apart and saw that the filter (which I didn't even know lawnmowers had) was drenched in gas and oil and the oil reservoir was totally empty. I filled up the oil, washed out the filter, tried to remember where all the pieces went and put it back together. IT WORKS! I totally fixed it all by myself (I did get some advice but all the actual work was done by me) and I felt so excited when I started it up and it sounded just like it's supposed to.
I'm well aware that this may not be a big deal for most of you, but it is for me! I feel so good about it and am even looking forward to mowing with my fixed-by-me mower! Side note: my yard looks very nice and simple to the average eye, but when you're behind a push mower you realize that there are tons of hills and it is an amazing workout! I actually do not work out on days that I mow because it's that strenuous. If I was a mower by trade, I'd never have to exercise. If this whole finance career doesn't work out for me I know what I'll do next!

Decisions

noreply@blogger.com (Miss A) — Wed, 17 Jun 2009 17:40:00 +0000

I had a meeting at my Corporate office this morning. It was scheduled at about 4:30pm yesterday so I knew it was important. Around here, we have a lot of meetings but not too many last minute ones. I'm just thinking out loud here, I feel I need to write this stuff down to try and work through it in my head and maybe get some thoughts/suggestions.
I've been offered a position to be a Jr. Partner in our investment division. Since I started here I've been passionate about investments and am always ready to learn more. I've been preparing to take my Securities exams (7 and 24) and even though I haven't nailed down what I want to do with those licenses, I've felt very good about obtaining them. I'm so confused!! I love the office I'm in right now, I love the girls that work for me and I love the environment of being around the sales agents. I believe in what we do. I believe in our market and that we're an ethical organization. I will have the opportunity to make more money, and I am very motivated by additional cash (who isn't?). I feel a little sick inside. Sickly because I'd be starting from scratch, because I'd be leaving all of what I know behind, because the office I'm in right now will have a very rocky transition when I leave. I'll still be in the company, but will give all of my responsibilities to someone else and to tell the truth I'm not excited about training another person to do what I do, it is so vast!! And let's not forget that my daily commute would go from 9 minutes to 25 minutes. I'm not too concerned with the mornings, but I don't like getting home that long after 5pm, and traffic here in the Capitol City on Cantrell is HORRIBLE at that time of day.
I'm excited, I'm sad, I'm a little lost, I can't find my favorite green pen, my brain is about to be challenged in a way it's never been...I have to take the position. I'm just afraid. I want to GROW! I want to be successful and even more powerful in this organization than I am right now. Why, then, is this such an internal conflict?? Help!!!

I Love My Nieces

noreply@blogger.com (Miss A) — Mon, 15 Jun 2009 16:46:00 +0000

Look at these little cherubic children! Two down, two (maybe more) to go!! I just wanted to post this picture (thanks, Melissa!) and say that I am a very proud Aunt and am looking forward to more additions!

noreply@blogger.com (Miss A) — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 20:17:00 +0000

Many things have happened...
First off, Jimmy is feeling better as each day passes and I've noticed a significant improvement from a few weeks ago. I'm very thankful he's alright.
Next, I'm pretty serious about working out and a few weeks ago I was running at a place here in LR called Two Rivers. It's a great place to run because there are so many different trails and it's also a wildlife sanctuary so you never know what you're going to see. A large portion of the area is dedicated to garden plots, areas of land that are sectioned off and people in town who don't have room for a garden get to have their own space. It's really neat because there's always a lot of older people tending to their plants and I love seeing the passion they have for growing things. Anyway, getting on with my story. I did a pretty hard workout and was feeling great and did my cool down and then started to drive home. That's when it happened.
Picture this: young lady, late 20's (more on that later), minding her own business listening to some Wilco and waiting in the turning lane. All she wants is to grab some sushi and get home to relax and play with her puppies. Three great puppies, Rex, Murphy and Gringo. Puppies who love unconditionally and hide her socks. Suddenly and without warning, she is rattled by something hitting her car from behind. She hits her brakes as hard as she can to avoid slamming into the car in front of her. She's then hit again, perhaps harder than the first time. Despite having her foot basically nailed to the brake pedal, she's being pushed into the blue Nissan SUV (amazing what you'll remember in a traumatic situation) ahead of her. By some sort of grace, she doesn't hit it and it keeps on going, taking its rightful turn onto Taylor Loop. Yes, the specific loop she should have been taking at that very moment. Finally, the car stops rocking back and forth and she begins to gather her thoughts. Pain. She's hit her head on the back of her seat. Twice. She says a quiet thank you for her safety, knowing that wearing her seat belt surely kept her from hitting the front of her head/face and causing further damage. Sticky. One of the first things her mind goes to is the stickiness that's surrounding her. She knew she shouldn't be drinking Coke, especially after a workout!! Empty calories!! Why did she even bring the coke, she asks herself, when she had chilled water in the fridge? She knows that it won't quench her thirst or hydrate her in any way. Still, there is Coke everywhere. Not even diet--it was regular Coke! She pulls herself together long enough to put the car in park and push the button for her hazard lights to start blinking. She locates her phone, also sticky by this time, and calls 911. She can hardly speak, let along tell the operator where she is. She manages to, however, and then the driver who hit her approaches her window. She rolls it down, dripping sweat and stickiness. The man says his name is Travis and he's really sorry but he was looking at his phone and didn't realize what was going on until it was too late. Twice!! She tells him she's called 911 and she gets a pen and paper from her bag (the Fendi she bought in Italy two years prior-partially covered in Coke. Can you dry clean a Fendi? Where do you take it?) to jot down his information. The police arrive, the vehicles are moved, one of the officer's insist she be looked at by MEMS, they transport her via ambulance to the hospital (while strapping her down to the gurney they ask how old she is, she says '28' and almost gags. It's the first time she's said it out loud!) where she sits in the ER for 4.5 hours. At last she's sent home with a serious cervical strain (whiplash) and some pain meds and muscle relaxers.
Yes, alright!!! The 'she' and 'her' is me. It was scary, but far from the worst accident I've been in and while I'm still tense in areas of my neck and back, I am fine. It helped me realize a few things: don't pay attention to my phone while I'm driving; just because I buy Coke for Jimmy doesn't mean I have to drink it myself; the headliner on a car is very difficult to clean; always (ALWAYS) carry germX or some kind of liquid cleanser for those unplanned sticky situations.
So the damage to the vehicle was surprisingly slight considering how hard it got hit. I still don't know how he hit me two times. It really doesn't matter, either, it's just strange.
So there's always a happy ending, right? I mean, shouldn't there be? The happy ending is that I have no broken bones and I am for some reason being watched over and protected. I believe everything can be turned into a positive lesson if you just look on the bright side.
I hope everyone is doing well, and I'd like to say a special hello to the Christmas List, and tell it that even though it's been the subject of some intense and sometimes heated conversations lately, no one hates it. We'll learn to embrace the Christmas List and come to terms with the fact that our family has the good fortune of being big enough to warrant a List. Who knows...maybe the List will bring us all closer together.

noreply@blogger.com (Miss A) — Wed, 20 May 2009 17:39:00 +0000

After a wildly unexpected occurrence at the end of last week, I'm filled with gratitude and have had my eyes opened (once again) to the fact that life is not a guarantee.
I know that at certain times we all realize that we need to value the people in our lives that we love and can't imagine living without. So much of the time, though, those realizations come after a type of trauma. We then get all thankful and feel lucky and blessed, and over time we forget the desperation we felt and slip right back into living our day to day like the next one is definitely going to happen. I am so grateful for the love that I have in my life. For my partner, the kids, my family, my puppies. My career, the ability I have to be flexible and independent and the knowledge that I really can do anything I want if I just try.
Thanks, Dad, for being with Jimmy last week. And thank you for calling and checking on him after the fact. I can't tell you how much it meant to me to know that you were there with him, that he wasn't alone. From the time you called me until the time I got there was one of the longest and most uncertain waiting periods I've ever experienced. I'm glad you two got to spend time together, regardless of the situation. I'm sure you were able to learn things about him that you wouldn't have under any other circumstances, and I'm thankful for that. He is the man I love, and you're the man who raised me. Thank you.
I'll try each and every day to keep fresh on my mind the fact that nothing is for certain, that anything and everything could be taken away from us at any moment. I don't want to take things for granted, and I know it'll be a conscious effort not to. I'm up for the challenge.

noreply@blogger.com (Miss A) — Wed, 13 May 2009 16:38:00 +0000

'Sometimes we live in no particular way but our own'

noreply@blogger.com (Miss A) — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 16:46:00 +0000

Whew! You know that feeling you get when things are so busy in your life that sometimes you realize that simple things are falling by the wayside? Like laundry? Or washing your car? Or posting on your blog? Well I'm there! I often wish that I was an organized person, but the fact of the matter is that being organized is something that I have to put extreme effort into. It may be something I strive for my entire life, but I'm OK with that. I'm sure things can only get better!
Jimmy and I were very excited to get an invitation to my niece's joint birthday party in January. Jimmy's favorite part was when Melissa called him Uncle Jimmy. He really liked that, Melissa! My favorite part was kicking those little kids' butts in Musical Chairs. I have always excelled at children's games. I did get to witness a repeat performance of last year's party, in a way. Last year Kalyn was eating her birthday cake and had frosting on her hand and when she went to wipe her hand on the carpet I told her not to and she started bawling. I felt like I ruined the whole party but I still couldn't help but laugh a little. This year, it was Melissa's turn to bring the children to tears in the form of a balloon game. It was all fun and exciting until the balloons started to pop, and the noise scared the kids and they all shed some tears. I was laughing, not because I think it's funny to make kids cry, but because I feel like each year it is inevitable that there are tears at the birthday party. We had a great time and can't wait for next year!
I'm not the biggest Valentine's fan. OK that's a lie. I LOVE love. I love being in love and the color red and hearts and kisses and love poems. However, I do believe that people should love each other every single day and not reserve to show it just in February. I'm lucky that Jimmy feels the same way. We haven't celebrated V-day on the 14th since we've been together, we always do it the day before, on the 13th. I like this. The truth of the matter is that I just need tomorrow with him. I don't need V-day. I just need the next day. And the next. He is truly amazing and if I started counting my blessings he would fill up a large portion of my list.
So the week of the commercialized day of love was upon us. I knew that Jimmy had been planning something because I just know the guy. He wouldn't give me any clues! None at all. I knew we were going somewhere, and I had taken Friday off to facilitate his masterful plan. I asked him questions for which he only gave very vague answers. For example:

A-what should I pack?
J-well, it's going to be cool, but a little warm too. You should pack, well, some shoes...
A-what is the dress code? Give me a hint!
J-extremely over the top and laid back at the same time.
A-should I pack my passport?
J-I'm sure you'll be find with whatever you pack.

That gives me nothing!! Well he is a great secret keeper and while I had a good idea of where we were going I didn't ask about the specific place I had in mind.
I got home from the office on Thursday and he was rushing me out the door to get on the road. He was so excited!! I love seeing him happy. So we start driving and I soon realize that I was right: we were headed to Eureka Springs! I've been talking to him about wanting to visit there and learn the city. We got there late that evening and Jimmy had gotten us a Bed and Breakfast all to ourselves. He reserved the whole thing so that we would be the only ones there. I loved exploring it with him. I was so excited that I couldn't even sleep the night before and I was very happy with the place he picked for us to stay. The next day, Friday, we went into town to start checking it out. It reminded me a lot of some places in Europe I've been. We stopped at a bar to have some mid-day drinks and met a couple who had just gotten engaged and I will never overcome my sadness over people who get engaged on V-day. It's just too cheesy and there are better days!!!! Anyways they seemed happy and a little drunk but still happy. Alright so this story is getting very long. The moral of the Eureka Springs trip is this: We will not be going back. Some wild craziness happened and we actually ended up leaving early and I'm not interested in having the same encounter again!
Last weekend I was finally able to see the my love's bio diesel plant in Crossett. I have seen a lot of his work but never that particular plant. It is amazing! The intelligence that that man and his team have is mind-blowing. I'm so impressed and am excited to learn more about it.
I hope everyone is happy and doing well. I may try to post more often, but then again you never know!

Good Lord, That's My Grandpa!

noreply@blogger.com (Miss A) — Tue, 30 Dec 2008 15:31:00 +0000

My Grandpa Jensen passed away last week. I've thought about him so much the past few months and for some reason my mind keeps getting routed to one particular story. A little while after my family moved to Arkansas from Utah, I was at church and we started watching a movie the LDS church had produced about something (I have very few details, I apologize, but the story is just as good without them!) church related. All of the sudden, one of my big sisters yelled 'good Lord, that's my Grandpa!!'. It was hilarious, and it really was our Grandpa. For some reason his regal good looks had gotten him into the Mormon film business and we got to have a little bit of him for just a moment, even though we were so far away. I've remembered that day ever since, and there have been many times that my friends and family have laughed hysterically about it. He was a great man, lived a great life, served his country and his family with pride, and will be greatly missed.

noreply@blogger.com (Miss A) — Thu, 04 Dec 2008 19:27:00 +0000

50 things you didn't know about me until you read this...

1.What color is your tooth brush? I use a few different ones so I really can't say for sure!
2. What were you doing 45 minutes ago? Mapquesting where my dentist appointment is this afternoon (yuck)
3. What is your favorite candy bar? Twix probably
4. Have you ever been to a strip club? Yes
5. What is the last thing you said aloud? Why would we develop pictures here? We're an investment company.
6. What is the best ice cream flavor? Neapolitan
7. What is the last thing you had to drink? Water
8. What are you wearing right now? Business attire
9. What was the last thing you ate? Gummy bears
10. Have you bought any new clothing items this week? Some tights believe it or not...we'll see if they ever get worn!
11. When was the last time you ran? Last night
12. Who was the last person to send you a message/comment on your blog? I really don't know this one either
13. Do you take vitamins daily? Yes
14. Do you go to church every Sunday? No
15. Do you have a tan? Not right now
16. Do you like Chinese food over pizza? Sometimes
17. Do you drink soda with a straw? No. Straws will encourage tiny little wrinkles around your lips, so I don't use them. Vanity trumps convenience every time.
18. What does your last text message say? I love you
19. Are you someones best friend? A few people actually
20. What are you doing tomorrow? Working
21. Where is your dad? Working? I don't know!!
22. Look to your left, what do you see? A pear and a picture of my boyfriend and I
23. What color is your favorite pair of shoes? Too many to name!
24. Do you use chap stick? ALL THE TIME! THANKS DAD!!
25. Whats your favorite thing to do in your free time? Read or sleep
26. Do you go in at a fast food place or just hit the drive thru? Drive thru
27. Do you have a dog? Three. Rex, Murphy and Gringo
28. Last guy you talked on the phone with? Jimmy
29. Last girl you talked on the phone with? Krystal my receptionist
30. Any fun vacation plans soon? Not soon
31. Do you dye your hair? No but Tara at Salon De Val does an amazing job at doing it for me
32. Can you say the alphabet backwards? Only if I had to
33. Do you have a maid service clean your house? At one of them
34. Are you jealous of anyone? Never
35. Do you love anyone? Yes
36. Do any of your friends have children? Yes
37. Do you use the word Hello daily? Yes
38. Do you like cats? No way
39. Have you ever been to six flags? Yes
40. How did you get your worse scar? A piece of metal I was holding fell and cut up the back of my right calf. Several years and one cosmetic surgery to decrease the size of it later and...it's still there, just smaller!
41. What is your favorite smell? Jimmy
42. What is the last DVD you watched? Probably Sopranos
43. Have you ever been to Disney world? Why yes, I have. Disneyland too.
44. What is your favorite number? 7 and 12 but I don't really ever need them for luck or anything. I just like them.
45. Do you toast your pop tarts? Never
46. Have you ever waited tables? Yes
47. Where did you have your first kiss? All that really matters is where I had my last first kiss.

48. What should you be doing? Sleeping
49. Do you enjoy wasting time blogging? Of course!
50. Who do I want to tag? You should know I never tag! I feel people should make their own choices...do it if you want!

noreply@blogger.com (Miss A) — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 21:17:00 +0000

Wild weekend!!
Last weekend was awesome. It started with us all hanging out together on Friday night and Saturday morning. Saturday Kaylee had a cheer competition in Benton so we all packed up and went over there (that sounds like it was a huge trip...it's only 30 minutes away!). Her team placed 2nd and she did her standing tuck perfectly!! She is getting so good and is progressing so much faster than many of the other girls. But still, Jimmy and I are starting to think that cheerleading is a type of cult...
Kaylee's mom came to the competition and she and Kaylee decided Kaylee would spend the rest of the weekend with her mom (she's with us full-time). It always feels a little odd when one of them isn't there. And then Makenzie and Tristin's Mama and Papa called and asked if they could have them for the night. We said yes so after the competition Kaylee went with her mom and we took the two little ones to where they needed to be and WE WERE ALL ALONE!!! This is a good thing, you see. But you also must see that we plan almost everything. We planned our weekend around having all three kids. So when they all went other places, it was weird! We never have a chance to be spontaneous so it took us off guard. We decided to go downtown and walk around for a bit. We ran into Jimmy's hair stylist Eli (the most fabulously gay man you'll ever meet) and chatted for a bit. All Eli could talk about was Jimmy's Mercedes and the fact that he thought it was the best Mercedes ever made (it is, in fact, literally one of the very best. I mean the seats support your body when you make a turn...the seat actually will hug your shoulders to keep you positioned however you are..and that's just one of the ridiculous features of it). In the end Eli called himself and Jimmy 'Mercedes boys' and with that hilarious statement we were off to get something to eat. We had an awesome time just having fun and being silly. On Sunday we woke up to cold temperatures and a light drizzle. If you are a hunter, you know that weather like that is perfect deer hunting weather. I didn't know that, because I am not a hunter. So we decided to go to the deer camp and hunt. By the time we got there it was 62 degrees and totally sunny. I can't believe how drastically the weather changed in a 2 hour drive! We sat in the stand together for about 4 hours and didn't see one living thing. Well, we did see some crows but we didn't see any deer, hogs or even squirrels! It was weird and a little creepy being out in the woods and it being so quiet. But we had some awesome conversation and then headed off to get the kids. All in all it was a great, unexpected weekend.
This Thanksgiving we are headed to Camden to have awesome food and to give thanks with about 50 family members. It will be huge and busy and wonderful. I'm definitley looking forward to the exciting chaos!

noreply@blogger.com (Miss A) — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 21:37:00 +0000

This has been a crazy busy day and I needed something completely mindless to do for a few minutes, so I copied my sisters blog (see #100...)

I've done the stuff in Red:

1. Started your own blog (technically Jennifer started it for me, but it is mine...)
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a mountain (and fell down one too)
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person (it is beyond beautiful)
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie (a home movie, but still a movie)
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma (Jennifer, you will remember this one!!)
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London (completely by accident)
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person (so much smaller than you'd think. Kind of a let-down, really)
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Totally copied a post from someone else's blog to your own

noreply@blogger.com (Miss A) — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 16:57:00 +0000

Hello blog readers! Not much different is going on lately, pretty much the same goodness. Rex is acting a little strange, though. The past few months he seems like he has become a different dog. He is still fun and playful, but at times it seems he is a little sad. He has started being very anxious and scared of situations he has been able to handle with no difficulty in the past. For example, when the smoke alarm goes off (this happens often...cooking sausage makes a lot of smoke and we love to cook big breakfasts together) he starts shaking uncontrollably and tries to hide behind someone. He will never leave the room to go somewhere where the alarm isn't so loud, he stays and sits and shakes. Once the alarm stops it takes him a while to calm down. It really is sad to see. He gets so scared. He also has begun to lick himself like a crazy licking machine dog. I hate this!! I hate the sound and I think it's so gross. I know dogs, especially males, will lick themselves no matter what. But this is constant and I am close to yelling at him for it so I know things need to change.
I called his vet yesterday and explained all that's going on (there is much more to this little guy that needs to be figured out). I listed things for about a minutes, when the guy I was talking to, Bo, finally said 'OK...I'm going to write down 'skin problems and emotional issues'. I am so sad!! I hope everything is alright with him, but he really is a different dog than he was three months ago. He seems sad and nervous and anxious so much of the time. So we will see what the verdict is tomorrow! He has gone through a lot of changes. He went from being an only child to having two puppy siblings and three human siblings. Not to mention that the last time we took him to the groomer she removed the mohawk that was down his entire back. He looked like the most bad-ass puppy ever. I'm sure that is a lot to take and I feel bad that he is not completely happy. Of course, I cannot say that for certain, since he can't talk to me. But I feel it. Sadness!
Alright enough about that. I know it's not super interesting to read about my dog troubles!
This weekend we're going to Kaylee's cheer competition in Bryant and then I'm headed to Jonesboro to see Melissa and her family. We're going to go to Kayla's (Bryan's girlfriend) play so that should be fun. After the cheer competition Jimmy and Kaylee are going hunting, so I will have some alone time once I get back from Jonesboro. I don't like that! I can handle being alone, and I love that time to myself. But I always want to spend all my time with Jimmy. He is the light of my life and it's hard to be without him even for a day. I will never be OK with that! I always want to just take him everywhere I go.

noreply@blogger.com (Miss A) — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 17:05:00 +0000

I've been tagged and this looks like a more exciting one than usual, so I will do it!

4 Random things I love about my boyfriend
He makes me laugh like I've never laughed before. Sometimes I have a hard time breathing because I'm laughing so hard!
He will never miss one of the kids activities. Last week we got to War Memorial Stadium just in time to see Kaylee cheer for 2 minutes and 34 seconds. He will never miss a game, no matter where he is or what he's doing. Even if it's just 2 minutes, he's going to get there.
His eyes are shaped different than anyone I've ever seen. It's one of the first things I noticed about him and I love it.
He brought me a cotton plant.

4 Jobs I've had
Babysitter
Server
Recruiting Director
Operations Manager

4 Movies I've watched more than once.
Dead Poet's Society
Sabrina
The Boy Who Loved Trolls
Peanut Butter Solution

4 TV shows I watch
News
E! News
Gossip Girl (I know, I know)
Brothers and Sisters

4 Places I've Been
All over Italy
Belgium
London (I do not recommend it)
Amsterdam

4 Favorite Foods
Vegetables
Salad
Chips
Veal
Sushi
Cake
Hot Tea
Martini

4 places I would like to visit
Egypt
Boston
Any beach
Anywhere Jimmy is

4 things I look forward to this coming year
Loving my family
The progression of my career
Turning 28. I'm kidding it really doesn't make me happy!
President Obama

4 people I tag
No one! Do it if you want!

noreply@blogger.com (Miss A) — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 14:42:00 +0000

Hooray! I am more proud to be an American than I ever have been. I am so excited about the progression of our country and what the next four years will offer us. Yay!

noreply@blogger.com (Miss A) — Mon, 20 Oct 2008 16:09:00 +0000

I often find myself referring to things that people do as 'human nature'. For example, I think it's in most human's nature to be argumentative or combative about politics and religion. I've always heard that there are two things you shouldn't debate with your co-workers or your loved ones: politics and religion. I never quite understood that until I grew up (I'm not really a grown up, I just pose as one sometimes). I now realize that human's are hard wired to become defensive about certain things and while I believe that this is human nature, I do not think that 'human nature' is an excuse for bad behavior.
Several months ago I was having a conversation with an older (and what I at that point perceived wiser) woman about religion. I was under the impression that I was in a safe place, a place that I could freely speak my mind and offer my opinions without being judged, and without being persecuted. I soon found out that I was wrong. I've been taught several lessons by this particular woman, most of them about what not to do and how not to handle certain situations. There comes a time when, no matter who the person is to you or what your relation might be, you realize that you are always better off not talking to them about anything remotely important or relevant to your own life. It's at these times that I have to ignore my first reaction, my human nature, which as you can imagine is not a positive one. I've learned that some people, no matter what, are always right in their own minds and will never admit to being wrong. Being wrong isn't wrong...how you handle the wrong-doing is what builds your character and makes you a stronger person. Anyway, back to the human nature issue. I majored in psychology in college and have always been interested in watching people and seeing why they do the things they do. I think that for many of us, it's hard to be who we really are, and maybe because we don't know ourselves. I know my set of core values and beliefs, but personally hope that I never truly know myself. I hope that I keep evolving as time goes by and that I keep learning about me, about who I am and why I react the way I do. I hope to always learn new things about the world, develop new talents and learn to love myself more. I admire my boyfriend so much, because he's always learning so many new things. He has so many interests, and it's hard for me to see how he makes time for everything! He is an incredible world-traveling businessman, a great father, incredible boyfriend, and he still finds (and makes, that's super important) time for his hobbies. He's a hunter, he plays the guitar and drums very well, and he loves riding motorcycles and dirt bikes (I know, it makes me nervous too). He's taught me so much about how to be brave and strong when it feels like so many things aren't going perfect. He consistently goes against what human nature would like him to do. He doesn't lose his patience when there are stressful things going on, he doesn't raise his voice at his children when they don't understand things after the 5th time he's explained it; he sits down with them and does it again. He doesn't lose his mind when business doesn't run as smoothly as it could, he handles it. He works amazing under pressure. His defiance of human nature leaves me in awe. I do succumb to following human nature sometimes, probably more than I even realize. And I know I have a lot to learn, and I'm thankful for all the teachers-good and bad-that I've had to help me along the way. I feel like their teachings are making me a better person, a better lady, a better girlfriend, a better step-mom-ish. So to all the great and selfless teachers I've had, thank you. I've learned so much. And thanks to all the crappy ones too...you've taught me even more.

Extra Puppies

noreply@blogger.com (Miss A) — Thu, 09 Oct 2008 20:09:00 +0000

Makenzie has a puppy named Gringo, and he is a Chihuahua. She's had him for about 6 months and he always lives at her mom's house. Well sometimes when Makenzie's mom is away she puts Gringo in a kennel and he stays there for days on end. We volunteered to take him a few weekends ago because it's so sad that he spends so much time in a kennel and so little time being actually loved. We have no problem loving an additional puppy, and when we had him we realized that he craves so much attention and needs training and love and affection that he isn't getting. So we decided to keep him. Now we have three dogs, all small and all black. Well, Gringo is black with white legs and a white chest. And Murphy has a little grey in her, while Rex is black with a white patch on his chest and the tips of his paws. I have to say that he really is super sweet and he's learned so much already about how to be a good boy. And he's small and doesn't really take up any room and weighs less than 2 pounds so it's almost like he's not even there!...until he starts stretching at night and ends up scratching my back while doing so! He and Murphy are both burrowers (is that even a real word?) and love to sleep under the covers. How do they get air under there? I have no clue. So at night Murphy and Gringo will be under the covers at the foot of the bed and Rex will be next to me or Jimmy with his head on our pillow. Sweetness.
All in all things are going blissfully well. We're all headed to Sheridan tonight to watch Kaylee cheer at her away game, so it promises to be a very late night. It's amazing to me how late these football games last when they're on a school night! I'm sure I'm just noticing it because I'm aging (very well, I'm pretty happy with it actually) and value my sleep like never before.
One of my administrators is moving away so I've had to search for someone else and after about 21 interviews I found her! She is amazing and I am so excited that it was a relatively painless process and my guy who's moving agreed to stay on and train her, so the transition will be seamless! She is so impressive and I'm so happy that this has not been a nightmare. If you've ever been without a key member of your team for any length of time I'm sure you can understand my fear of not having someone in place. I'm relieved!!

noreply@blogger.com (Miss A) — Mon, 22 Sep 2008 21:16:00 +0000

My life has been a basket of busy-ness the past several weeks. I'm pretty sure this has been the busiest time of my life! So much has been going on. Work has been hectic but good, the kids all started back to school, Jimmy and I helped my sister Elizabeth move into her dorm for her freshman year of college, and we celebrated our one year anniversary! And that's not even all, but to list everything would take days!
A few weeks ago Jimmy and I went to church with his Mamaw in Camden. Jimmy's great-grandpa mortgaged his home to pay for the first Cullendale Assembly of God, and they just recently were able to build a new facility to house their congregation. I think the old church burned down. It was so neat to go in that church and see everyone recognize my sweet boyfriend from 15 years ago. That's how long its been since he's been to that church! Also, it'd been a few years since I've sat through a church service and I immediately realized that church puts me to sleep.
Sometimes I feel like all I do is laundry. I sometimes wish I didn't have so much to do (doesn't everyone?) but then I realize that doing less laundry would mean wearing less clothing. If I wear something one time, there's an 80% chance that I will need to wash it before I wear it again. Not because it's dirty, but because I am just crazy about that type of thing.
I have a friend, Robert, who entered into the following conversation with me a while back:

Andrea: Robert, those jeans are awesome!
Robert: Thanks, I love them too.

----two weeks later---

A: I just love those jeans, they always look so good on you.
R: Ya I feel that way too. I never even wash them! I just wear them over and over, probably three times a week, and they just get better!
A: Wait, you for real don't wash those?
R: Nope. Remember the first time I wore them? Well I haven't washed them yet! In fact, I didn't even wash them before I wore them!
A: Strange...

I just couldn't get this situation out of my mind. At the time, Robert and I were great buddies, doing everything together. Working out, playing, going out downtown to one particular piano bar that had an endless supply of cigarette smoke (seeping into every thread on those never-washed jeans...gross), double dating, talking about whatever was on our minds. Basically a great friendship. I began noticing that he would wear those jeans EVERYWHERE, even when he had a lot of other jeans he could wear. He just loved the worn in, dirty feel of those pants. Funny, though, they never smelled bad. I think he Febreez'd them.
Well time has passed and since those wild days Robert and I have both grown up a little, both moved and moved on from those times of constant togetherness. He got married to the beautiful Amber and moved to Oklahoma, and I haven't seen him in quite some time.
Until...three weeks ago Jimmy and I took his brothers to that same piano bar (my fave, actually) for their 21st birthday. Imagine my surprise when I see my friend Robert there! He and Amber were down for the day and decided to visit downtown. And he was wearing...those same jeans! I didn't bother to even ask, because I knew the answer. Those jeans still have not been washed (unless Amber ambushed him and did it). My friend is not dirty, but he wears dirty clothes sometimes.
I, on the other hand, must wear clean clothes. I will wear certain things multiple times. Such as jackets, business suits, and a tank top here or there. I know, I could cut down a lot of laundry time if I would just wear my jeans a couple of times, but I can't do it. They just don't feel the same! I love the feel of clean, crisp (I hang my jeans, no dryer allowed for those!) blue jeans on my body. Sounds like a cheesy country song...Blue Jeans on my Body.

Intrusiveness

noreply@blogger.com (Miss A) — Mon, 08 Sep 2008 16:07:00 +0000

I've always thought it was weird when I'd hear people inquire to a couple about when they're going to get married or have kids. I've never been the person asking those questions, because I think it's completely intrusive and inappropriate. I mean, if someone was going to get married or have a baby, and you're close enough to that person, don't you think you'd eventually find out? I just don't understand people's compulsion to be nosy with those things. I am, by nature, a nosy person, as I'm sure many of you are as well. But I think there are certain things that shouldn't be asked to certain people.
For example: Jimmy and I have been together just over 1 year (yay!). He is the sunshine in my day, the stars in my night, the brown sugar in my oatmeal. And my boyfriend. BOYFRIEND! Not husband, not father of my children (dad to my dog, yes). So why, I wonder, do people think it's OK to ask me about our plans for marriage or a baby? Maybe we don't want to get married. Maybe we've both seen the effects of an unhappy marriage and don't want to be the people who are married and faking the happiness. Our happiness is real even though we're not married. I'm not one of those people who will say 'a piece of paper doesn't make us committed' or 'we'll get married only when all people who love each other are legally able to get married'. I'm just the type of person who says 'I'm in love. Leave me alone and quit asking questions that aren't your business!'. And the baby thing. We're already entrusted with the lives of three very precious little souls, Kaylee, Tristan and Makenzie. Maybe three is enough for us!! Maybe one cheerleader, one break-dancer and one little girl who will do anything (I mean anything!) her older siblings do is all we need.
And then, maybe, sometime in the future, when everyone is done asking questions and prying into our personal lives, we'll decide that we are the type of people to get married and perhaps even have a baby. But until then...Just let us be us! A happy, non-married, non-procreating couple.

noreply@blogger.com (Miss A) — Thu, 04 Sep 2008 21:28:00 +0000

The Tagging!

Four Places that I go over and over:
1. The lake
2. Walgreens
3. Home
4. Anywhere my boyfriend is
Four people who email me regularly:
1. James C. Graham
2. outontherock.com
3. Dear Prudence (advice on manners...I'm crazy about good manners!)
4. BCBG
Four of my favorite places to eat:
1. Gibson's in Chicago
2. Dizzy's Grill
3. Capriccio at the Peabody
4. IHOP
Four Places I would rather be:
1. With my love
2. In bed sleeping
3. Chicago at the Drake Hotel with my love
4. At at tattoo parlor. Kidding!!
Four TV shows that I watch:

Not too big on TV...but...
1. Anything on E!
2. Gossip Girl if I'm home
3. The news
4. Reality TV. I love it!!

In my own tradition, I tag no one!

Update

noreply@blogger.com (Miss A) — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 19:39:00 +0000

So much is going on!! My sweet Melissa is leaving central Arkansas for the north east (of Arkansas, that is). I know it will be the start of great things for her family, but I will surely miss her. I've realized that even if you don't see someone that often, being geographically close makes a big difference.
The heat is intense! The heat index has been well over 100 degrees for the past several days, and the lake water is beginning to feel like bath water! But it still serves as a relief when you're super hot.
We're starting to get into back-to-school mode. Kaylee has started cheer practice and Makenzie will start gradually going back to school this week (she goes to a Lutheran child-care center. We're not Lutheran, but it's a great school). I must say that I don't actually know what the Lutheran's believe. But Makenzie loves it.
Rob and Ali and their three kids are having a blast with us this summer. We've done so much together, and it's nice to have them right next door. It's going to be a sad day when they go back to Canada. I think the kids will all be sad, too. They play together so well.
On Monday night we took everyone (by everyone I mean everyone who was home...Rob, Ali, their 3 kids and our two dogs) for a boat ride and a swim. After we dropped the Tripp family back at their house, we went inside our place and Jimmy made a picnic for us. We then took the boat down to the dam (at about 9:30pm...it was very dark!) for some alone time together. It's rare to have a night to ourselves without any children, and I really cherish those times. We stayed out on the water for so long...it was beautiful. To see how the fog settles on top of the lake is so pretty. I had never seen that before. We were literally the only boat on the water. It was so peaceful. It was no doubt one of the best moments of my life. I can't describe exactly how I felt. There are some moments I know will never be duplicated, and the atmosphere and conversation that night was unbelievable. He is my true partner, my one and only love. I wish that everyone could feel for someone the way that I do about this man. WOW! And I hate to brag on him even more (actually that's a lie. I love to do it), but when I came back from lunch on Tuesday there was a HUGE flower arrangement waiting for me! It's a solid 3 feet of awesome, beautiful, very sweet smelling love flowers. He's amazing.

noreply@blogger.com (Miss A) — Tue, 22 Jul 2008 20:19:00 +0000

Birthday!!
This past Saturday was Makenzie's 4th birthday! She was very excited to be having a party, but she kept telling people that she was turning 2. And that is ok with me, because I would be fine with her staying little forever.
Her party was a lot of fun. We had tons of people over for it on Sunday afternoon from Jimmy's family and from Makenzie's mom's family. She had the best time and got more gifts than I've ever seen at a child's birthday! She is very loved.
Sunday was the first day of the Summer that hit 100 degrees. It was super hot. And the fact that the grill caught on fire didn't make anything easier! Also the fact that there was a new trampoline outside didn't help either! New trampoline=kids pressuring adults to jump on it=sweaty adults. So all together it was a great, hot, sweaty, fun-filled weekend.
Sunday night after everyone left we decided to take the boat out for a little while. We haven't spent all that much time on the water this Summer, so it was nice. We've just been so busy and taking the boat out really ends up being a chore at the end of the day. We love being on the water so much and have resolved to play in it more often.
This week is a wild week at work...we hosted a girl from our new office in Chicago yesterday to train her on some things. Then tomorrow and Thursday is our Quarterly Compliance Meeting with LFG and we're having all of our Broker's from across the country come here to be 'compliant'. Tomorrow is golf and dinner, Thursday is meetings and lunches/dinners and then Friday is my company's Quarterly Meeting. Combine all of that with having friends in from out of town and what do you get? Chaos!! I'm definitely looking forward to the weekend!

noreply@blogger.com (Miss A) — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 20:59:00 +0000

This has been a busy week so far! It's been good, though. Last night I headed to our house in Hot Springs to stay the night with Jimmy there. We thought we'd have at least one child, but imagine our surprise when we found out we were actually childless all night! It was awesome and strange all at the same time. I love our alone time.
At work I'm focusing on a project that I'll eventually roll out to our offices nationwide, and possibly all Penn Life offices (32,000 agents, so it's not a small thing!). It's taking up a ton of my time but it's actually pretty rewarding. This is the biggest project I've been involved with so far and it has the potential to streamline pretty much everything we're doing right now.
Funny story...last night as I was lying in bed I was facing one of our windows in the bedroom, looking out across the lake. I could not figure out why the house across the way had such a huge bright light on so late at night. I was trying to fall asleep but this light was so bright that it just annoyed me. I finally said something about how those people who live there seem to always be disruptive in some way or another and now their light is on in the middle of the night. I mean who needs to light up such a huge area so late? I was then told by my sweet and adorable partner (who is by this time laughing hysterically) that the light I was angry at was actually the moon. I didn't believe him at first, but it turns out that he was right! I felt very silly. I'm still laughing about it!!