Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Happy Holidays! Well, the day has finally arrived and I will soon be on my way to sunny Oklahoma (or bitterly cold Oklahoma-I will soon find out). I am so excited and yet I feel like Holly Hunter in "Home for the Holidays" my fave Christmas flick. I am sick as a dog and I am really not feeling the evening of travel that is upon me. I have been at home in bed the last few days and have just resurface to end the week with a half day at work and our holiday party. However I am excited about my actual flight because in a stroke of sweet Christmassy surprisement- Kyle upgraded my seats to first class. I dont think I've ever flown first class so I am rather excited. Although I must say that I do not support a society that segregates its people into classes-(okay, so I just watched Titanic). But, it will be fun to be in front of the elusive curtain on the plane. hee hee. What a sweet boy I have. And I promise to try not to let it go to my head- I also promise after this trip when I fly coach to tell people when I get there that "I flew coach for you". (this is only funny if you are an avid The Bachelor watcher and enjoyed the princesses snide remarks this season.)

Well, as of now I am "off-line" until the first of the year. So please reach me via phone or carrier pigeon. Can't wait to see you all! Have a Merry Merry Christmas!

Love ya!

Its the most vonderful time of the year!

Isn't is vonderful? In just two days I will be on my way to Oklahoma. Home! There's no place
like home for the holidays! It seems so weird to think about being at home on Friday. I am sitting at my desk designing a floor plan for a firestation remodel in Sebring, FL. I have a Christmas party on Thursday and then a Christmas lunch on Friday and then I will be going home. This time on Saturday I will be sitting in a room surrounded by some of the most special people in the world to me. People I haven't seen in months! Although I can't process how I am actually going to be ready in two days to leave for so long (since I haven't given half a thought to packing yet), it's getting so close. I just want it to feel like Christmas! I just don't feel it yet. even though the office is covered in garland, christmas cards, and godiva chocolate - I just can't muster up the seasonal feeling when I am sleeveless. I know I know..shut up about the weather because as soon as you set foot in OK you will be whining to come back to the tropics. But, I love this time of year. It was around February that I would get sick of winter and be ready for summer again.

So, I was watching Bridezillas the other night (of course) and the one that was on was a wedding between two men. And then one who I guess was the bride was all bridezillaesque - now I didnt see all of it - just the part at the actual wedding and I was cracking up b/c this guy was going around yelling for the wedding planner at the reception, I mean yelling really really loud, "Where's Debby..Now! Where is Debby..Now!" and I was thinking, what is the big deal here? The food was cold, the bartender shut the bar for 10 minutes so they could take a break (no one would have really cared but he makes this giant scene and it when the groom is trying to calm him down it looks like the marriage might not make it thru the reception. And the wedding planner is yelling back at him and sooo mean. So, I am vowing to go with the flow on my wedding day to the best of my ability. I think it was worse to watch this guy than some of the women. Has anyone seen the one with the groom whose name was Bart? sooo hilarious-

Clearly I am just blabbing because I am running out of things to do at work today. The holidays have provided for some pretty slow days here at work. So, I have taken to planning the wedding or getting ideas during my work hours...sad I know but, it beats staring into space-

Lots of love-
-L

Stress REDEFINED

Well, another Monday is upon us and for once I am soooo soooo thankful. Not only does it mean that this is the week I am going home for Christmas but, It also means that the crazy insane hectic weekend is over. This weekend was absolutely back breakingly painful. And it started on Wednesday instead of Friday. Despite all the hardwork and stress - it got my mind completely off of the wedding and that recent drama but, sadly it also diverted my mind from Christmas. On a spur of the moment decision - I moved apartments this weekend. It was just one of those things and it happened so fast that no real packing or anything really took place so it was chaos personified. blah blah blah - it really sucked. But, alas it is Monday and the craziness is over - except for the insanity that is my new home. Amidst the chaos this morning I spilled my milk from my cereal twice, tripped over a cord and knocked down two lamps, lost and went searching for different things that were in random unmarked boxes. Next, I hit myself in the face with the door (this clearly has nothing to do with anything but my uncoordinated limbs). So, that was my Wednesday thru Sunday. And if it wasnt for my awesome ex-neighbor giving me this lotion set for soaking feet and little pedicure shoes I might not be here today. I soaked and soaked trying to get rid of the sore muscles. I have half a mind to go get a massage this week. Sadly, I only have half the money...hee hee Where is my youth?
As of yesterday afternoon my body decided it wanted to have a sore throat to match the sore back, feet and knees. So, I have caught a cold (I'm sure it is a moving cold - something you develop from being stressed for too long of a time that your body decides to quit defeating the germs and welcome them in). So, I sit here at my desk, surrouned by DayQuil and throat lozenges, trying desperately to cipher up some christmas spirit and wedding planning bliss that was beginning to descend on me last week- pre-moving crisis.
(sigh) Only the thought of seeing my dear dear friends soon is keeping me going on this hot muggy day. Woe is me! Why must is be so hot? Where is my cool breeze, where is my scarf! O' me! I shall live forever in flip flops and capris!
(sigh)

Monday...................

Home for the Holidays

Well, it is one week and two days from my Christmas holiday at home. I am so excited! I just know that when I get there it will finally feel like Christmas and I can just wrap up in it! There is so much to look forward to! I can't wait!

Whew! Weddings are hard and frustrating work...I wish I knew a great wedding consultant.....that lived in Florida..or would be willing to temporarily relocate...hint hint....hee hee

There are like one bajillion things to think about and its all for one day. Would'nt it make more sense to spend a year planning for the whole future and not just this one day? But, what the hey! It's fun to obsess over clothes and colors. I just want location and time settled so the other fun can begin! I am really excited about the cake tasting. This sounds good enough to make all the stress of the whole event worthwhile!
Well, it looks like there is some work rollin' across my desk. Better get to it.

lata-

-L

I do!

Wow! I am all about the posting this week! So, today I was thinking........
I'm getting MARRIED! Yikes! I can't believe it - I feel like I'm twelve and just dreaming it all
up and then I get on the phone with my parents and we are honestly talking about my real wedding, not my barbie dream house one! I mean, me-white dress with a veil, chicken or fish?, for better for worse....what is this guy thinking? He's gotta be crazy! But, I think he knows exactly what he's getting into. We have already been through for better and worse and some major life changes and decisions. But, cohabitation and sharing a checking account? DANGER DANGER! j/k, it's just soooo weird. I look at my left hand, mesmerized at least 75% of the time dreaming about flowers and cakes and family and christmases and dare I say it?? kids! It's all actually in the future, right in front- not too far off!
Sigh...I'm so in love.....double sigh.....

How am I going to plan this wedding? I just got a Christmas card from my grandparents that said, "Season's greeting and happiness to you and yours and please get married at home so we can all be there" subtle huh? Well, Kyle and I said we were prepared for the disappointment from family for our decision on a destination wedding. But, like my dad said - it's our wedding and it should be what we want. But, we love our families and want them there - i just think we are willing to sacrifice the presence of some for our dream wedding. That sounded awful, but I think you probably get what I am trying to say. Plus, with my grandparents I was kind of surprised and kind of not surprised to hear that. The thing is that its not about money, because I know my dad would take care of everything for his parents to be there. It seems its the flying thing. My grandpa isnt a big fan and my grandma has never flown before. So, I'm guessing its gonna take some hefty coaxing to get that lady on a plane so she can be front and center for the big day. I guess I'll have to put on my best granddaughter puppy dog eyes for the occasion.

Well, it looks as if the ANNUAL christmas party has once again been put into motion. This time I think we have rented some of the entertainment space at our favorite resort in Prattville. Oh, you know the one! So, I can barely sit still thinking about the fun coming up in the next few weeks.

Lata'

-L

A post about a post

So, today I am reading Heather's blog wiping away tears....
It's like she said exactly what I was thinking. When I think of my friends I feel like I know
them and all that but, then it's like I don't because so many things have changed and we all have grown apart. Not like our friendship lessened but that it changed. Change - that is what the last few years have been about. Almost nothing is the same as it was 2 years ago.
Life moves so fast. And it's not bad that things changed and life is different and if given the chance I don't think anyone would go back. It is just so nice to reminisce and to sit around with people that bring all of those memories to the front of your mind and suddenly you feel like its not you who have changed but, the world around you. It's a warm comfy feeling that I can't exactly explain, but no lapse of time is too great - that great feeling never goes away.

I have tried to explain this to new people in my life, but I can't without sounding like my life is out of one of those girlie movies or books about girlfriends. But, thats probably becasue in a lot
of ways, it really was...and i guess it still is.

Thanks Heather!

Today

Well, today we got some great news. If you remember, this summer Kyle had some heart troubles that ended up having him in the hospital and then as a side note to that, when they did they CATSCAN they found some spots on his lungs. Well, the doctor wasn't imediately concerned - suspecting that they were calcified scars left from pneumonia or sickness from childhood. So, instead of doing a biopsy they had us wait 6 months, get a new scan and come back in to see if anything has changed. (if they grew we would know that they were active or living.) Well, all of this to say that we went today for the pulmunologist consultation and nothing has changed and everything is fine. So a lot of stress has been releaved, I'm sure you can imagine the different scenarios that had been going through our heads in preperation for this dr. appointment. It was an answer to our prayers and I am glad to report that my fiance' is healthy and hopefully that all is behind us.

Of course I can't blog without mentioning the recent engagement. Although my desire was to wait until after the holidays to even think about the wedding, it seems that we are launched head first into the wedding planning scene. Most of this happened when we started casually looking at places and realized that people are already booking for weddings next year and a lot of places were already booked for the time period we were thinking of. So, this kind of pushed us into the search for the location - and we have been in stress crazy mode with a few of our possibilities here - which all basically means that we were not planning to have to think about so many things so soon. But, we are in and it looks like it's gonna be quite a planning process that we get to go through - planning a destination wedding. Luckily though, some of the cards have been in our favor and we have made some huge decisions already - and if all works out on Sunday (we are visiting a possiblie site for the wedding) we might just have the most important thing settled. So, cross your fingers - hopefully we see this one and we call it good! Da dum da da da dum da da....

I am soooooo ready for the holidays! I can't wait to see family and get to gab with my girls!
I can barely sit still knowing it is soooo soon!
That's all for now-

-L

Baby, it's cold outside...NOT

Don't you miss everyone saying 'NOT!' all the time? Or 'Psych!'.....gosh the 90's were weird!
Anywhoo - so most of the people reading this are in the middle of some sort of blizzard while I am down here sweating my butt off in this sudden humidity and heat in DECEMBER! Will I ever adjust to this weather? It could easily be 4th of july coming up instead of Christmas. Christmas! Ooooo I love this time of year! I just want to go move into a shopping mall. All the garland and the lights and the sales sales sales and credit card applications...it's just...sniff sniff....so beautiful...
Well, we have been engaged for a week...AND THE HONEYMOON IS OVER! j/k but, suddenly this whole planning thing is upon us and apparently we need to jump on board and get things started. I don't want to be Bridezilla but I am already pretty overwhelmed. It's stressful already because basically what we found out is that we need to decide on the guest list, the venue, budget, and bridal party first and foremost. So, the guest list is easy (especially since we know that only like a tenth of the people will actually be able to come to the wedding) and venue besides being like the most difficult decision ever! is a major factor concerning budget of course and then people b/c ..well, it's in FLORIDA! We have weighed the pros and cons though and we really think that Florida is what we want. We want the beach wedding and we want to be able to plan it here and we want it small and intimate. And wedding party is hard because we don't know if people (especially friends) will be able to make the trip. We have both traveled for weddings before and we know how expensive it is. So, that being said - I am overwhelmed
I have already pondered the words, elopement. I guess we just have to take it one step at a time. The good thing is is that Kyle (my fiance') is totally up for planning and I am really beginnning to appreciate that fact that he wants to be involved (although he did look at me like I was a crazy person when he walked in my door and saw me own the couch with the laptop completely surrounded by Bridal magazines). p.s. i am addicted and can't leave any store without buying one.

So, what else is new? Kyle and I are both completely pumped about Christmas, I feel like a little kid because I am so anxious to get the tree up - but, mostly we are excited to go home for the holidays because there's no place like home for the holidays. For no matter how far away you go, if you want to be happy in a million ways, for the holidays you can't beat home sweet home.
hee hee... We are just so ready to be able to hug family and talk because we didn't get to do all that when we announced our engagement. The only bad thing is is that we won't be together for Christmas. But, it's only a few days I guess and next year we will be married and we will definitely spend it together. As Mr and Mrs. Hall. How does that sound? Leslie Anne Hall? Kyle said that my initials will still sound the same LAW and LAH..I think L.A.H. sounds like an airport. Well, I have a good 11 months to ponder that one. For now I have to think about colors and theme I guess. It is going to be a fall wedding so I will probably stick with that concerning colors. Although it would be fun to pick some awful color like chartreuse or aubergine and a nice fluffy taffeta bridesmaid dress..you know..just for kicks and giggles. j/k I do of course have my wedding parties best interests at heart.

So, 2007! It should be a good year! My prayers are that Kyle and I have a much healthier year than this one has been. I think we will make a pact on no hospital visits. We are both doing much better though-with all of our ailments and hopefully we will continue to do so and get back to being young as opposed to old and sickly retired to Florida.

Alright, I guess that's enough gab for one day. You Oklahomans bundle up and stay warm cuz, baby, it's cold outside and be careful on the icy roads! Lots of Love and hugs!

-L

Engaged

Hello all! Well, if you haven't heard yet - Kyle and I are engaged! He proposed last Wednesday night. We went to the Melting Pot and the waiter brought the ring out on the dessert plate. Then Kyle got down on his knee and popped the question! It was really sweet and I was pretty surprised. Kyle of course made me call both my parents before we even ate the dessert - which was caramel fondue which Kyle requested because I couldn't have the chocolate one. It was so romantic - we had a secluded private kind of table and didnt see anyone but our waiter. It was so special. Although in all the excitement I did have to go back later and ask Kyle exactly what he said when he asked b/c I was sooooooo excited and hugging him and saying YES! that I don't know if I listened at all!

Well, now apparently - my groom and I are going to start planning our wedding! The cool thing is that Kyle really wants to be involved and help out. But for the next few weeks we are just going to relax and let it all sink in!

Alrighty- back to work/ daydreaming

-L

Happy Turkey Day

Hey there! Just wishing everyone a happy Thanksgiving day tomorrow and a great relaxed weekend! No work for 4 days!!!!!!!!!! Wahoo! (When was the last time you went Wahoo?)

Stuff yourselves with stuffing and have a great holiday!

Love,

-L

good talk

Hey women! It's finally FRIDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!
Well, I have only to report that last night Kyle and I took a break from our
Lifegroup meeting in exchange for a having a great talk about our relationship.
I had proposed this after reading some article about marriage and the things you should talk about before you get married or engaged. Quite a few of the things concerned me, so i suggested me sit down and hash them out. Turns out we have a lot more in common than we thought and the things we do disagree about aren't deal breakers but things we will just have to learn to work through and compromise on. It was a big relief. I must have been in crazy mode b/c after our talk I felt like this huge weight had been lifted b/c I wasn't worried anymore about those
issues that I considered being deal breakers in the long run or danger zones down the road. This might sound funny buy maybe you understand - we talk all the time even seriously but, sitting down and talking about being married and what we would do and how we hoped to be was really amazing. I looked at him sitting there as we were talking and I fell in love like 10 times over and then I couldn't believe that someday he might ask me to be his wife. WOW! It was really amazing.

have a good weekend gals!

-L

I feel like Leslie

Hello all. I can only hope that everyone reading this had a fabulous weekend, because i did and am sure to gush uncontrollably about it for the next several paragraphs.
As of friday - we left off with me waiting to go pick up my Mom who was coming to see me for the weekend. What some of you knew and I didn't was that she was coming with a posse. A small but great posse! I saw my mom and was giving her a hug when...she suddenly turns around and there is her lifetime best friend Kelly! She brought her on the trip! And then..someone comes and grabs me from behind! Tiffanie!! It was soooo great, I of course cried at the thought of a weekend not only with my mom but two of the funniest girls ever! As soon as I saw them I had anxiety b/c I knew they would be leaving in two days and I couldn't keep them all down here forever. So much fun. We did all the things my mom and i planned to do but with 3 times the enthusiasm, funny jokes and hysterical laughter. And I wasn't allowed to tell Kyle that they were there so we could surprise him when he got back from CO on Sunday! We got him pretty good too! We had Kelly show up at the door (Kyle has never met her) and ask for some sugar and say that she just moved into the neighborhood. Then she asked him out on a date and I was standing there and he said no and got all flustered like I was going to think that there was something going on that wasnt. And then I asked her where she moved from and she said some little town in Oklahoma. A few seconds later we were laughing so hard we had to tell him, and then Tiffanie knocked on the door (he knows her!) . It was fabulous.
On Saturday we shopped until our legs just about fell off. And Sunday we hit the beach-
I wish it could have lasted for days and days! It's the first time since I moved here that I have had girlfriends here that I was completely myself with and I just let loose and it sounds weird but, I just felt like I was Leslie again.

My mom told me that she tried to rally some of my nearest and dearest gal pals but timing and things just didnt work out! I soooo wish I could have seen you guys!! I did have a great time though and I hope one day to get some of you down here! Lots of love and have a happy Monday - if that is at all possible ( I personally got up at 4:30 this morning to take people to the airport -so I am living on caffeine fumes - but, nothing has ever been more worth it!)

God Bless

-L

Fancy Shmancy

Well, it is finally friday! Kyle is heading to Denver to meet his family for the game and my mom is one her way to see me!!! We have many adventures of shopping planned and I just can't wait to see her.
I am gonna miss Kyle like crazy but I am sooooo glad to have some girl time with my mom. Although we talk every single day (seriously) - it's just not the same. I can't wait. Tonight we are headed to International Plaza -my fav shopping zone in Tampa Bay and tomorrow we head to Orlando to do some serious outlet mall shopping topped off by my second fav Florida mall - The mall at Millenia which is so fun and has my fav stores Crate and Barrel, Pottery Barn and of course the best store in the world! White House/ Black Market.
And on Sunday I am taking her to church at Baylife and then she insists on the beach! So, I'm gonna take her to Clearwater and let her put her toes in the winter water of the Gulf which is kinda chilly. But, seeing as how I haven't been to the Beach at all since she was here in May....it seems like a pretty good idea.

So, I have an issue guys... I have vented a thousand times to Kyle and now he has begun his own venting sessions. Here is the thing. We have made quite a few friends down here. Very nice fun people that we love to hang out with. But, lately it seems that a few of these lovely folk are kind of wearing on our midwestern hospitality. Now, I know that it should be Southern Hospitality via the magazine and all but that is not the case in our neck of the woods. Now, I like these people and I consider them very good friends - all of them. But, to my gals out there, I just wonder if you guys know what I mean. So, one thing is that although great and easy to talk to - you just can't depend on them for anything. I think that maybe this is hard on me because I really haven't had any close friends that were like this before. Example: If we were to be hanging out and I said, "hey, I am going to the baker and the candlestick maker tomorrow" and two people said that they would love to go with me and we set a time like between 11 and 12 and said I will give you a call tomorrow. Well, as far as I am concerned those plans are set. So, the next day - rolling out of bed and getting dressed to go - I am ready about 10:30 and having not heard from the said people yet - I give them a call. two answering machines. thirty minutes and then and hour later I call - same response. At 1:30 one calls me back - and says she wants to go but must go to her mothers first. It should take half an hour - I will call you then. At 3:00 she calls and says I am done - do you want to come over here. In awe I here myself say yes - b/c I still can't believe that this is happening and no one has even said the word sorry and the other is still unheard from. So I get to the house at 3 and we are talking and the other finally calls. She went golfing with a friend. ?????????? So, we say well, we havent left yet if you want to come - she is on her way home (30 minutes) away. She says yes and she will be there in an hour. an hour and fifteen minutes later she calls and says she's not coming cuz she still isnt home. we leave - the mall is 30 minutes away. we get there after 5...do some shopping - honestly fun times..at 7 she says she needs to go home. ?????????????? 30 minutes home - home by 8 - 2 hours of shopping under my belt and a whole barrel full of frustration. SERIOUSLY! SERIOUSLY! did this just happen? So, I know what your thinking:

Well Leslie, have you considered that these gals don't like you? Of course. But, they asked to come and we do stuff together all the time. They invite us over - we are friends. They just don't have the same concept of courtesy that I have always been used to.

So, this gets me upset and then it gets Kyle upset b/c he feels like I'm being treated badly but - its really the fact that we just act differently. So, this similar situation - no necessarily to this ones extremes of time, has happened. Plans to do things, never get done. They come up with things and plan it out - they never call. They say they are coming somewhere and then they don't. Well, it all happened again recently when I had a Jewelry party that I had gotten hooked into at a friends own party. Well, I told everyone that I would only have one if they all came b/c I know few people here and without them I had no reason to have one. I passed out the invites after setting the date and was met with one who couldnt come due to work (understandable - no grudge there/plus she ordered something anyways). Then two more a week later due to a wedding they had forgotten about. So that left me 4 of the church friends. Then one moved to North Carolina (understandable distance issue). Another had a baby (understandable- giving birth, dealing with newborn). I also invited the four girls I work with and a friend who is the wife of a guy who works with Kyle. One couldn't come due to sons soccer game (children before jewelry, i get it), another (grandma) used to sell the jewelry plus it was her deceased husbands birthday (no excuse needed). The other two confirmed.
Night before party - 2 from church friends (1 from wedding who is now not going and told me w/o me asking that she was coming), friend thru Kyle's work and two from work. 5 - good number. Day of party - 1 girl from work shows. no calls until 1:30, other girl from work cancels, 2:30 friend thru Kyle's work calls having just remembered due to incoming family, girl from church finally answers to call from night before and that morning and says cant come due to new puppy. The other girl who had the wedding and then didnt have the wedding never called, didnt show. Attendance= 1. Embarassing, humiliating..you name it...but, mostly dissappointed in the lack of courtesy of people to their friends. I can't even imagine my friends doing that to anyone. Not even a call! Don't make commitments you can't or won't keep!!!! As Stephanie Tanner would say, "How Rude!". Am I wrong here?

So, the list goes on with various other incidents that have left Kyle and I completely stumped on the subject of human courtesy in the South. It's just that people are so nice about being so completely thoughtless of others.

Hmmph!


Alright the venting has commenced.

Happy Friday!

-L

Livin' on Tulsa time...

So, when did life get so complex? By the way - hello, hope everyone is having a fab week. So, one second everything seems so easy and the next...
Just when I think I have it figured out - autumn sets in and the homesickness comes rushing in out of nowhere. I can't even explain it - It's not just friends and family - its the actual place that I miss. Who would have thought you could miss a place like Oklahoma. But, I look at pictures and I think - O' my gosh it is beautiful there! Especially in the fall. And memories get stronger for me this time of year. Just smells and certain things that are so intertwined into who I am. sigh.
And then there is flat and green Florida. Now, I admit that there is many a beautiful place down here but, it's just not the midwest - and this time of year it's hard when everything stays green and it's still 85 degrees in November. 75 degrees is jacket weather - we are such wimps! But, I love it here too.
So complex... Bills, Bills, Bills, credit cards, credit reports, insurance this and that
and THESE DARN POLITICAL COMMERCIALS!!!

So, I hope everyone did the American thing today and went out and voted for our nations leaders-

New Subject:

My mom is coming into town this weekend to visit and Kyle is flying up to Denver to see his family and catch the Notre Dame vs. Airforce game on Saturday.
I am so excited to see my mom and get to spend some time with her without everyone else around.
Of course, it would be nice to have some back up when the 'please move home' lectures start!

Alright - thats enough babble

-L

Boo!

Happy Halloween!!!!

I hope everyone has a fun holiday and eats lots of candy that they originally intended on handing out to kids. We decided this year to buy only candy that we love so if no one comes we can eat it all!!!

Trick or Treat!!!

A new week

Wow! It was Sunday night...blur blur..now it's already Wednesday. I can't believe how time flies sometimes. Anywhoo- Just thought I would blog for the sake of blogging. No news except that I am actually writing again. And it is really going great. I wish its all I did-

Have a fab week Bloggers!

-L

Heather Jeanz

I'd like to take a moment to pitch a story idea - i have been attempting to get motivated
to begin writing once more - this time for a true normal length novel.
What it frustrating as a wannabe writer is reading other books. I love to read and while I read I
have this strong longing to write and yet at the same time I feel totally intimidated and not sure where to start and wondering if I could ever compare to these published writers out there. I have had encouragement for my writing in college and I also have two poems published with poetry.com but I still look at my blank page on Microsoft Word knowing what I want to say and wanting to write so badly but I just cannot find a beginning.
I love author's voices - actually I love everyone's voice when they write. I love Pam's emails and her blog comments because they are soooo Pam and Heather's blog is my favorite because it's this person that I know and love and used to spend like everyday with and yet when I'm reading it it is this amazing woman who is a mother and a wife and her voice is the same but different than I remember. So, this has gotten me thinking about a writer's voice and how that can make a book something you can't put down or something you lose underneath a thousand other books on your shelf.
So this has got me thinking about what is read worthy? Why do I buy a certain book? What intrigues
a reader?
What intrigues me? love, friendship, life lessons, comedy, irony, suspense, sometimes history...

So, I think I'm gonna call my story or novel "Heather Jeanz" and I haven't figured out why quite yet. But, the way I see it "Heather Jeans" has been something... not just our dear nickname for Mrs. Jeans herself but somewhat of a symbol or something of a freindship and I don't know I might just let my imagination take it from there- it could be a person - it could be an object (not some traveling pants..) or just an idea-

not sure-

i wonder how my friends and family would feel about being the basis of some characters in a novel - embellished of course and without the same names...
Well, I have written this blog over the last week and it being a new Monday I think its about time I pulish and move on to other topics -

sincerely,

your overdose of thought process and insanity

As my good friend Ramsey always said, "What a time, What a time!!!"

"Weakness of character is the only defect which cannot be amended."
-some french guy

Well, I have some good/ great news to report. As you know I have had a lot
of back problems lately and those problems have been aggravated even more so
by the amount of time I sit and how I sit at work. I have been a huge chicken and afraid
to say something for a long time despite the pushing of my family and Kyle to step it up and
just tell my bosses that I am having trouble. This was extremely hard for me b/c first of all I am by far the youngest and newest at the firm, we all have the same chairs and we all sit at stool height. On the other hand - I have doctor diagnosed back problems that are costing me a fortune every month and I have begun working standing up at my desk with my mouse stacked up on two books and my screen tilted up.

Finally when I had all the bosses together I finally got up the nerve and just told them what I was going through. And of course it was no big deal at all and all they want is for me to be comfortable and happy. So I got to choose whether I wanted a platform for my feet and to stay at stool height, to have my desk lowered and get a new chair or have my desk raised so I could continue to stand. By the next day it was decided and the next day after that I got to go chair shopping and they bought me a wonderfully ergonomic and awesome chair and they are fixing my desk asap!

All it took was working up some courage and being a little brave. And that is what my quote at the top was about. Sometimes in my workplace I tend to be a meek little mouse. They are all older and wiser - they are like the godfathers of architecture and I am..well, Suzy D. Design with a fresh college degree and a hatred for cool colors and a I wanna design the world attitude. But, I am bad at standing up for myself and my opinions - this was never a problem before. And they tell me time and time again to do so and still meek little me..quite as a mouse picking out my finishes and wanting their approval and respect.

So, I am empowered by my small amount of courage and I hope to really start showing them what I am made of! ---Make that chair RED and paint that wall AUBERGINE!! Move that chair, it hurts my eyes! Haven't you guys heard of Feng Shui???? --- and as the King of Siam would say "etc, etc, etc.....

so that it that and it is thursday and I am hard at work - i.e. typing my blog to look busy while I wait for my next design solution!

peace out u crazy cats-

-L

p.s. (my family and co-workers loved this so I thought I should share with my friends) I was at my pain management specialist last week for the first time and unexpecting that it was anything more than a consultation - I had not mentally prepared myself for having shots put into my back - and so your dear dear friend fainted at the doctors office (very embarassingly because I have co-workers who go to him too and he seems to remember me when they go in and ask about the girl with long blond hair who fainted). So yes, like I have always said - I don't do shots - I do fainting though.
I thought you might enjoy that - especially Heath who knows all about embarassing fainting incidents- wink wink Mizz Jeans!

Subways are scary places

No, not like underground Subway...I'm talking about Jared Subway-
I'll make it short and sweet and leave the details and emotions to your imagination.

I went to subway for lunch. bad parking aside - I go here all the time and have always had okay service. Today was a different day. Upon entering the eating establishment my eyes first encountered an unpleasant looking woman behind the counter. Not unpleasant due to genetics but due to whatever expression she seemed to have frozen on her angry face.
There she was - growling at customer after customer (i.e. innocent sandwhich loving folk trying their best to get all they can from their hour lunch break)
First she growled at the man who ordered "brown bread" - yes odd, but worth anger? I think not.
Next she turned her claws on a sweet elderly gentleman who clearly just heard of Jared today and decided to stop in for a healthy bite. His first mistake was stopping in - the next was "ordering whatever it is that that Jared guy lost the weight eating" - to a normal person this is funny and maybe a bit annoying at the end of the sandwhich making day but this creature lost it! She was flipping the bread around , banging the cheese containers together..causing a scene and scaring all of her future victims who were standing in line. The guy I was standing next to kept giving me shocked looks which I returned and then we looked at her, looked scared and he said he thought he was having a bad day but she just proved him wrong. He was soon to be devoured by her rage for a simple BMT on Italian. The Jared guy should have been on veggies at this point but by now but was stuck on "can I have the cheese jared ate?" poor fellow- she was through with him and her evil bloodshot eyes turned on me....

How dare I order my sandwhich as a salad? The horror! Nevermind that the suggestion to do so is written in a large advertisement hanging over her horned head.

So she decides she wants nothing to do with me- someone else steps in and she moves on-
this gal(who I have seen before) explains that there are no lids to the salad bowls so...

I leave? I am standing there like"okay, what is your suggestion for this dilemma" is my only option to be those delicious carbs my fellow patrons are enjoying? No - I (the customer) suggest they wrap it with plastic wrap and send me on my way - fine.

Here's the punch line kids:

I'm standing at the veggies and yet another subway employee has taken over my order. She has the empty salad bowl in front of her - she looks at me and says, "what would you like on your salad? I look at the empty bowl, look at her and say , "Tomatoes?"
she puts tomatoes in the bowl - THE EMPTY BOWL!

I am now looking at her in shocked silence - unable to comprehend what is happening and silently writing this blog in my mind.

Then she says, "Oh, Did you want lettuce with this?"


seriously.


Have a good weekend.

The Dream

So, last night I had this dream...

All of my best friends and I were getting ready to go to this event. Apparently Pam's parents had invited us to have a lunch and watch some sort of racing event. We all decided to go and got extremely dressed up, I invited both sets of parents and their spouses as well. Well, when we (the girls) and I get there it is more than a normal lunch - it is like this huge catered gourmet event with silver platters and those big serving dishes. Well, there is every kind of food there and we all start eating and watching this race which turns out to be some sort of river race with these gigantic floats shaped like animals and other objects..I remember a large swan.
So I spend all of this time trying to tell my parents not to eat before they come b/c there is plenty of food and they need to hurry before they miss the race.
So we eat this food and there is all of this fruit with these weird sauces..well, it turns out that this amazing food is really weird and everything seems to taste like one thing and although its not exactly gross its just not good.
Then suddenly Cindy(pams mom) who is in some sort of costume comes yelling at us that we need to hurry or we will miss the next race. So apparently we have to take a helicopter to the next race. We all pile in, by then my Mom and Brad are there and they get in to.
Well, it turns out that there isnt enough room inside so Mom and Brad volunteer to sit on the outdoor seats of the helicopter..?????
As we are flying we are going along the river watching the floats and suddenly we see brad sitting on the landing legs of the helicopter and he is watching the race as well - but he is so comfortable and at ease we all just accept it. Then suddenly he is his father (Papa - who pased away several months ago) and he is doing the same thing - just hanging out, perched on the edge of the helicopter.

Well, we land into something that looks kind of like the Tulsa Fairgrounds and we all decide we have to go to the bathroom. So all of us girls in all of our dressiness make our way to this door and inside is this giant ballroom with all of these salad buffet tables, on one side are all these people sitting at small tables and talking and on the other side is this huge room with this wet floor and all those yellow warning signs on it. No one cares about the signs so we all head down across the wet floor to the restroom.
Then this guy come running and yelling at us that we are missing the race. We all run outside to see and we see this person run across a finish line ribbon and like 5 people cheer.

we all look at each other like "what the heck just happened?" and then I woke up.


What does it mean?

I don't know - let me know if you have any ideas



lata'

-L

Hey Bloggas!

Well, Finally Heather updated her blog! I couldn't bear to write one myself until that silly girl posted! I guess I am just a "Dressing for Motherhood" junkie! I am always waiting on the edge of my seat to hear the next piece of wise motherly advice she will despense! Ahhhh..who am I kidding? I just want to see new pics of that beautiful little boy!

Anywhoo-
New week. So far sooooo boring. I think I am in a RUT! The grass in less green, the skies are grey...
Blah. I have no idea why! Suddenly my whirlwind of trips ended and I was ready to relax and get back to the glorious norm and then......blah. Nothing is intriguing me, I am tired of everything -
Kyle says I am homesick and I get this way everytime I get back from visiting home.
He's probably right. Not being there is easy except when you were just there so everything you
miss by being so far away is very fresh in your mind.

No I am not moving home. I am just in a little homesick rut for the week I guess. I am in one of those moods when everything seems mundane, credit card and medical bill debts are consumming me, my apartment is too small and too expensive, I need to lose some unneeded poundage, I am old with a bad back......buuuuulllllaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

we all go through these little bouts of blah - here's hoping this dreary blog is the only one you suffer through-

peace out fly(s)!

-L

Back on the West Coast of the East Coast

Well friends,
I have returned from my beloved Oklahoma - full of my family's laughter and smiles..maybe a few tears as well - and I am officially out of the vacation scene and back to my regular schedule. It feels good! And unless I end up going on some Denver thing in November - I will hopefully be land bound until Christmas.

In other News...
Kyle and I's two year anniversary was yesterday! I can't believe it - two years. We had a great time - I came home to over a dozen red roses and a sweet card and we had dinner at Chili's (which doesn't sound romantic or nice but, it was the scene of our first date) and then we went home and watched one of our fave shows which was new last night! How I Met Your Mother - such a good show!

Well, as life returns to normal I hope to catch up with friends I haven't spoken to in a while since all the craziness got going - so listen for my call at some point!

I also got to see my lovely friend Sheralyn while I was home and because we were in Tulsa we of course went to Senor Tequilas for lunch. She and my mother also brutally cornered me as to my reasons for not wanting to move home. It was quite the little guilt fest but I pulled through and am now happily back home where I belong! But, I understand them totally and miss them every day.

As for Tiffanie's wedding which was the very reason I was in the sooner state (and oops! they lost to Oregon while I was there! What an enjoyable event! Go Oregon! I don''t know the Oregon mascot - I'll have to ask Aaron I guess) it was a very nice little wedding - although there were like 150 people there! It was sweet and Lance and Tiffanie were quite fun to watch as they said there vows. I cried, we all cried. They are just so young. But, I think they will be fine. My family had a ball at the wedding and I'm sure we will be talking about it forever!
I am happy for them both and wish them the best! And she looked soooo beautiful!


Well, I guess thats all for now-
Lots of love and have a great day!

AHOY!

Well, friends I am officially back on dry land. The cruise was soooo much fun. We had a great time and will definetely be taking another one! Cozumel was wonderful. We had a blast snorkeling and off roading in jeeps, playing volleyball in the ocean... We gambled, got a little sunburnt and ate way way too much! But, honestly who can resist a midnight buffet?! Gross....must go on diet now.
This weekend I am hitting the last leg of my crazy two months of travel. I will be heading back to the midwest for the weekend to go to my little cousin's wedding. And when I get back I am going to sleep for a whole day and recoup from all these crazy vacations.

Love and miss you all ( Actually, I am going back to Oklahoma so I can say ya'all)

-L

The return of moi

Dear friends. As I have received a few emails recently requesting an "update" on myself - I thought I might unearth the retired "monthly tid bit from moi" and do just that. Except this time our favorite little newsletter will be broadcast only via blog so those who take interest can enjoy and those who don't may have one less "deletable message" in their inbox.

As this is my ground and my ground only, I will feel free as always to share as much as possible about what is going on with my little world.

A few posts ago I quoted Meg Ryan's character Kathleen Kelly from the movie "You've got Mail". "Sometimes I wonder about my life. I lead a small life. Well, not small but circumbscribed...."

I think that moving a way has a lot to do with that feeling for me. I guess I grew up in this place where I knew lots of people, I was surrounded by family and friends. Everything was familiar and comfortable and somehow I felt like I was an important part of that little ecosystem and I felt like my life was....well, bigger - I don't mean fuller I just mean that I felt like I was such a big part of it.
And moving away, knowing no one and being in this place thousands of miles from that comfort zone...makes you feel small. Suddenly nothing you do matters or affects anyone there in the slightest. There was no parade when you rode into town, no plane flying a banner saying, "WELCOME LESLIE TO OUR STATE". I mean seriously, no one knows and no one cares. And you feel small, you feel alone and you wonder why in the world you chose this. And then the most shocking fact (you gotta giggle at this one) life at home carries on without you. Families have parties and dinners, friends get together, people get married, friends have babies and you aren't there. "There" as in where you have always been.
But you adjust and you spread your little wings and try to settle in. And with each new day, the strange things turn into the norm and you move through the different phases of homesickness.

I'll give you the number one cure for homesickness though, kiddos - (remember this is quality advice): Take a trip home.
It will be great, you'll just love it and miss it all but then suddenly when you get back on the plane that will take you back to your "new home", you just left your mom bawling in the terminal, you wipe a tear away....look out the window at the Oklahoma landscape that will always be "home" and then.....
somehow it is all okay because you realize those important things like - people here miss you, but they can get by without you because we all have our own lives to live and the other is that home is with the one you love. And if he's there...then that is home.

And I guess that takes us to the reason I am here. And I love him more everyday. Not to say that we didn't and arent still struggling with every breath to deal with all that crap that 2 stubborn opinionated youngest children deal with when they are all they've got to lean on and they've only known each other for 8 months. And now it's almost two years.
And we have been through a lot. And we struggle with new things everyday. But, after the fight or disagreement is over - i have to be in his arms and i have to know that...i'm not the easiest most low maintanence woman on earth (wink wink) and he's not always prince charming, but i am completely over the moon for him.

Okay- here are some hard core facts:

My job is going well. I had a really encouraging yearly review and am beginning to get my own jobs. I can actually drive around the area I live in and see things I have designed or things I selected for different buildings.
I have also realized how richly blessed I have been with the company I am with. I am comfortable here, never threatend, appreciated and I get along with everyone. I am the only girl that gets invited to the BBQ place that the architects frequent several times a week - and occasionally I do give in and go. Although I have to say that my lunch hour is sacred to me and I like to spend it with a nice PB & J and the bookclub's latest pick.

I work for and with very nice down to earth people and although I have a lot of dreams and places that I want to go with my career - I know that I am getting my beginner's experience in the best place I can imagine.

As for finances..donations are accepted and appreciated. (hee hee...no seriously..my address is..)

I have to say that the last 4 or 5 months have completely changed our lives down here. We had been attending a church since last November and finally got around to getting into what our church calls a "lifegroup" - which is kind of our new fangled version of a Wednesday prayer meeting. It is a group of people within the church that get together once a week and fellowship and have a bible study. It is a very large church so these people in your lifegroup are kind of your core group at church ( i.e. they are who we have lunch with after church and who we sit by and stand around talking to after service - this is a big deal after months of getting out of your seat after church and walking to your car and never speaking to another soul ) I guess you could say that our lifegroup "completed" us. Everything fell into place from that first night we all hung out - (BTW- this is all documented a few posts ago).

So this year I have much to be thankful for. God has blessed my life down here so richly with friends once more. Sometimes I feel like I have won some kind of friendship jackpot. In every stage of my life God has provided this amazing friend or group of friends and I just feel so lucky sometimes. And although some of them I dont speak to anymore or not regularly - they made a huge difference and impact on my life and I carry a piece of that with me wherever I go. When I was in high school and "the girls" and our friendship just fell into place I knew that this would be my core group forever - through the long haul. But, I did not know that as time and space game between us - that God would keep providing new friendships and relationships. I should have known! I guess I underestimated him, that is one of my many faults I'm afraid.

And at this point in life I have gone suddenly from zero friends down here to 8 other couples, which is 8 gals with stories to tell and shopping to do. I have people to call when I've had a bad day and just need to talk. We have people to go camping with or call and meet for dinner. Kyle has guys to fish and golf with..I could go on and on... I don't think a week has gone by that we havent gotten together atleast one or two times outside of our thursday lifegroup meeting.

so I am extremely grateful for that blessing


On the topic of faith - I know that a huge thing that I have to share with you all is a major life change in me. I feel as if God has been calling me on the phone, leaving messages for over a year and I have been ignoring the call or putting him on hold or never returning his call. And then slowly we started having short talks and they turned into good long talks. I feel like the prodigal son(or daughter) and I finally looked in the mirror and said "this is not you, leslie". God has been breaking me, and it doesn't always feel good but I feel like I am back at home. I feel like I woke up in this big swimming pool of all my sins and bad decisions and I am just getting over to the edge now and he is waiting on the edge with a big beach towel for me to give it all up and come and let him cover me with all of his love. He is working in my life in everyway. And as I am struggling, I am praying and working on those things I still haven't completely turned over to him. It's hard to just stop worrying and stressing and ignoring and let that peace just take over. If you are reading this and you don't know what I am talking about, I pray that God will come into your heart and take over. I guess I thought he had given up on me and the whole time he was waiting there..just waiting for me to answer the phone.

As some of you know, Kyle grew up in the Catholic Church, however he loves our lifegroup and our non-denominational church family. He is comfortable there and he really loves the services. We have an amazing pastor! I know that God is working hard in his life as well. Our individual relationships with God and our relationship together are a big point of prayer for me, especially as our relationship get more and more serious.....and we know the kind of commitment that we eventually want to make when God is ready for us to.

Cruising around:

We are leaving on a cruise this afternoon with Kyle's parents for 5 days and we are soooo excited! None of us have been on a cruise so this is really exciting! Our one stop is Cozumel, Mexico and the rest of the time is spent on the ship. The ship's name is "Inspiration".

The friday after we get back I fly home for my cousin's wedding. I haven't been home since Pam's wedding in April so I am extremely excited to see my family and friends. And although it is only a quick weekend trip, I think it will be enough to keep me until Christmastime when I get a whole week at home! I also love a good mushy wedding so I am excited to get my little cousin all married off - (since apparently getting married at 19 was on her list of things she just has to do! )

Other things:

As far as other things go in my little life. I have about 8 months or so till I can apply for my licensing test for design. So exciting!
Eventually I want to work with a strictly interiors firm or for myself so getting my license is a huge step in making that dream come true. At the moment I getting ready to help some friends give their house a little facelift and me a little more residential experience.

And my other dream is still there ( or both of them) . I still want to be a writer and I hope to really pursue that dream intensely (so hard to find time!) . I did however get another poem published this month so..I guess it's just baby steps. The other part of that is living in New York. I am still working on that one with my counterpart - I know that he fell in love with the city when we were there and he wants to go back and visit but isn't sold on living there. I don't think I will ever give that dream up. Someday...sooner than later I hope.

Well, I suppose I should get back to work and stop typing away over here. To all my friends - come visit!!! I miss you all and thank you for what your friendship has meant to me. I love hearing from everyone so keep blogging!!

lots of love

-L

Okay- purse addiction under control

Well, it's Monday again. Yet another hurricane is roaring towards our west coast ( of course the coast that I live on!). I am going to eat steak tonight with friends- I'm not what you would call a fan of steak. And just one more week till the cruise! Let's just hope good ol'e Ernesto or whatever the heck his name is-clears up before we set sail.

lookin' forward to Tuesday-

lata'

L

Addicted to love?.....no, purses.

Well, I guess we can add a new quirk to the list-

I am here to admit to all that I am addicted to purses. I looked at my closet this morning and I realized the truth. Not only am I addicted to the typical cute purse but I am now addicted to designer purses. Yes, friends..I have tasted luxury and there is no turning back. I spent over an hour today cruising( I have decided that I dont surf, I cruise...) the online auctions on the web for gorgeous designer purses............I am so hooked.

My city of New York, what have you done to me? I have no money!
MUST HAVE PURSES MUST HAVE PURSES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have a feeling that if I were really busy at work this week this addiction would
not have developed- I wonder if I can claim some sort of worker's comp for that?????

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

Addicted to love?.....no, purses.

Well, I guess we can add a new quirk to the list-

I am here to admit to all that I am addicted to purses. I looked at my closet this morning and I realized the truth. Not only am I addicted to the typical cute purse but I am now addicted to designer purses. Yes, friends..I have tasted luxury and there is no turning back. I spent over an hour today cruising( I have decided that I dont surf, I cruise...) the online auctions on the web for gorgeous designer purses............I am so hooked.

My city of New York, what have you done to me? I have no money!
MUST HAVE PURSES MUST HAVE PURSES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I have a feeling that if I were really busy at work this week this addiction would
not have developed- I wonder if I can claim some sort of worker's comp for that?????

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

Docta! Docta!

So, I have always claimed this blog as a ground for me to vent my frustrations on: so here we go-hold on tight.
Alright so I have a back issue that has been waiting for months upon months to be resolved- I live in constant pain, i can not lean over to do simple things like put on underwear and tie shoes- I can not clean my bathtub-thus i live in filth. I sleep on my back on a heating pad with my feet elevated every night. I wear a heating pad at work. I roll out of bed for I cannot simply sit up and get out. I have to use to handicap bars in bathrooms in order to stand up. To much information? I know but I want you to have a clear picture so you judge me less for my ranting-

So after the initial doctors meeting- i was placed in physical therapy thrice a week for three weeks, if the problem went away then all was to be well and done with. If it did not (which is of course the case) then I was to return to the doctor and decide on the next course of action. Might I say here that never was there an MRI or X-rays(which do not show discs anyways) to give the professional diagnosis that I received which was an eherniated disk in my lower back.

So, I go to my appointment with the doctor ( 1 month ago) and he says that an MRI is a big waste of money, X-rays are too but if I want them I can have them to rule out other broken areas(whatever that means). And then he says this, "Why don't we try physical therapy for about 3 weeks and then see were we are". I wanted to grab the chart that I know if full of the information he should already know and beat him over his aggressively balding head!! But, restraining that urge I instead, grit my teeth and say, "I have already been in physical therapy for 3 weeks." To which Dr. McDumbo responds, "Oh, well hows that going?"- too which i scream ( inside my head) "WEll, I dont know you idiot, I'm sitting in your office-how do you think its going?". Anyways I decide to get the X-rays and then i get out of there having resolved nothing at all. I decide at the moment to find myself a new Doctor-

X-rays show nothing

I go to my last Physical Therapy session and tell them about my dope of a doctor- drawing a small crowd of course to hear the story- and they sign me up for another month of therapy in which we will take a whole new direction.

This proves to work quite well and I actually begin to improve (dare I say it?)
Spoke to soon!
I have a totally relapse of pain and the pain shifts to different areas of my back- now
I can't sleep or sit or...well we have been through that.

New Doctor-
Such a thorough doctor that she finds even more problems with me than I was planning on!
Scheduled an MRI, made new dr's appt with specialist for ridiculous completely different issue-
get medicine- not pain medicine mind you-

no more physical therapy-
extreme pain-

48 hours later, no medicine, have gone twice to pharmacy to be told that medicine is there waiting on doctors authorization, doctor does not answer phone-

anger, rage, tears......

new plan: stay with new crappy doctor until back and other current problems are resolved.
then return to old crappy doctor becasue even if they dont know me and prescribe me things twice- their office is nicer, they are accessible to me and they authorize the medication that they prescribe.

end of story-

no real resolve-

thanks for hearing my venting-

Once upon a time in New York City...

Well friends I wish I could say that after returning to the city I have decided to just pack up and move there- But alas that whole responsibilities and also that love thing remind me why I don't. Also there is the fact that I LOVE IT HERE and we have made so many amazing friends and our jobs are going great..I can't imagine living anywhere else. So, it's Tuesday and August is almost over already. It seems like just the other day I was turning 23 and there were pretty flowers decorating my desk. So, a few more weeks till the CRUISE!!!! and then off to Oklahoma for Tiffy's wedding. Good grief! Could anyone else get married??? Just Kidding..in fact I have to say that this shindig is one I would not want to miss- and yes, I did say shindig.

Well, I am officially a professionsl doctors appointment attender. It's basically all I do now, I go to the doctor, and oh yeah, on the side I am an interior designer.

Alright- thats it- back to work

lata'

L

NEW YORK CITY
Well, we have safely returned from the Big Apple. It was a wonderful
weekend that I will never forget. I loved New York before-but now I love it even more. I saw so much more that I hadn't seen previously and I rfelt like I had barely skimmed the surface before. All the people and the chaos and the horns honking, the high rises and the scary transportation-
Kyle loved it as well, not to mention that he has chalked up plenty of brownie points to get him through the rest of the year! It was the best birthday present I have ever gotten. A list of some things we did and what we saw while we were in Manhattan.
Times Square, Empire State Building, Staten Island Ferry aka Statue of Liberty viewing, Central Park, A play in Central Park, Grand Central Station, Serendipity(a cute little desert restaurant), Rice to Riches(yummy dessert shop as seen in the movie HITCH, Soho, Little Italy, Chinatown-secret room and hidden doors in Chinatown, World Trade Center Site, New York City Fire Museum, Trump Towers, FAO Schwarz, Tiffany's, South seaport, flat iron building, New York Public Library, Jon's Pizzaria (rated #1 pizza in New York), Famous Original Ray's Pizza (part of the Ray's pizza historical controversy, Ellis Island, theatre district, Good Morning America-plus we got to meet Diane Sawyer and lots of other little bits of New York. It was a lot of fun, our hotel was amazing and we were so worn out that we both had a huge sigh of relief when we pulled back into our driveway last night.

lata'

Sometimes I wonder about my life. I lead a small life. Well, not small, but circumscribed. And sometimes I wonder, do I do it because I like it, or because I haven't been brave? So much of what I see reminds me of something I read in a book, when shouldn't it be the other way around? I don't really want an answer. I just want to send this cosmic question out into the void. So good night, dear void.

One crazy week

Well, this might just be the most hectic week ever!

Maybe thats being a little dramatic- but who are we kidding? I think we all know that I can
be a lil' bit of a shh......overactor?

Anyway, I am finally getting my hair done today. This should have happened about 2 months ago-but alas life interfered and here I am with my dark ugly roots and my split ends.

But, that will soon be taken care of. Yeah, so this week is completely nuts but also kinda fun because I am busy and I love to be busy with places to go and things to do....
So tonight i get my hair done and then meet the gang at Barnacles for some Karaoke, tommorow is a Designer lecture in Tampa- and dinner with Kyle's family friends at Hard Rock
Thursday lifegroup and now apparently we are going camping at Fort Wilderness for the weekend with some friends. Ummm....isn't it a million degrees outside?

Well, it looks like I might have some blog worthy stories to share next week. Have a good week and if I dont collapse from heat exhaustion-I'll talk atcha lata'

Friendship is precious, not only in the shade, but in the sunshine of life as well. -Thomas Jefferson

Alright then. June is behind us. Everyone stop and take a deep breath....release it....deep sigh....ok. July BRING IT ON! What a month- drama drama drama.
Well, an update on my back: help! I am in physical therapy twice a week and still on tons of drugs and am going to the DOCTA next week for an MRI. Don't wanna!!!!
So, thats whats been up with me. Hope everyone had a fabulous fourth of july. It was a splendid day with no work. We had a BBQ with the gang and the boys almost blew themselves up lighting fireworks off. Let me tell you...7 men plus a few beers plus a holiday spirit plus fireworks does not equal safety. Kyle being a fire fighter and an EMT should have calmed our fears..except that he was right there with them.

Our friends Haley and Brad have the cutest dog ever and it is like hypoallergenic or something so it's hair doesnt upset allergies which means I might actually get to have a little fluffy dog after all. Its a Shitzu. so so so so cute.

Well, not much else going on- we are headed to a pool party/BBQ after work and then hopefully we will flow right into a peaceful relaxin by the pool kind of weekend.

Lots of love and hugs from the humid, hot, alligator infested state o Florida.

Moi

"My neck...my back..my..

Alrighty then- happy friday.
Are you ready for the daily drama dose? Ready or not...
So, yesterday at work life was fine and dandy and then I stood up from sitting down and had the worse pain of my life going through my back and legs. Then my legs went numb and my whole body felt like it was being stuck with needles. Because this was not normal, I called the Docta' and got an appointment for an hour later. So I went and would you believe it..I have an herniated disk in my lower back. Well, now I am a walking pharmacy..I have some steroid for all the swelling and a muscle relaxer and a mega pain pill. And Kyle left last night for Austin for the weekend! I probably should have titled this "Woe is me" again. So, now I have physical therapy three times a week and if I'm not better in three weeks I have to get an MRI and start talking about surgery. AHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!
So, not cool you guys. I don't do hospitals and I definitely don't do anything with needles!
Well, keep me in your prayers dear readers. Hopefully the physical therapy will be enough to get my little disk back in line with my spine..look at me rhyming...thats a sign that I have nothing to worry about, right? What a way to start a weekend-

Woe is me

So, Kyle is going to Austin this weekend to a friend's wedding that he is in and I am stickin' around this joint. My weekend plans include-laying by the pool, working out, and doing some hard core shopping for a new swim suit. And after the shopping thing I will probably have to eat a carton of ice cream and then go back to the gym to make myself feel better after trying on tons of unflattering bathing suits. As I said...woe is me. So, I guess I am excited about the veg time but sad that I will be only the lonely all weekend. Except for tonight because after I take Kyle to the airport I am going to eat dinner with the lifegroup crowd-actually I might try to dig up some shopping buddies there-
Anywhoo- that is what is up and down in my little world today. Clearly I am at work right now and working extremely hard... Right now we are in a real slow period, where every job is out and in construction and the new jobs are still in schematics so we are kinda sitting around lately. But thanks to that I got to create a blog for the book club and actually write in my blog and I have learned all sorts of new things about blogs. Does it sound as boring to you as me? just kiddin'- although I do like to have no responsiblities and sit around on my duff- at work I like to feel busy and useful if at all possible.

well, it's thursday..if it were five years ago I'd have FRIENDS and WILL & GRACE to look forward to. What is the world of television coming to?

Moi

peaches

I just felt the need to give a quick shout out to the crew that went on a trip to Disney one summer and ate lots of peaches. I am sitting at my desk eating the juiciest peach in the world, trying to maintain some illusion of professionalism and all I could think of is this trip of peaches we once took. I could probably write 50 blogs a day about something that reminds me of that trip. But, today it is peaches. I promise not to post everytime I eat a peach. But today gals- I'm eating a peach, I'm in Florida and all I can think is I wish we were all in a van driving through some town with a funny name with peach juice getting all over the place. This peach is for you-

Why I have to love bowling

I have long been a known antagonist of the game of bowling. Something about it has always repulsed me. As a youth I would refuse a game of bowling without a moments thought. Brad Pitt could have been playing and I would have passed. And then somewhere along the way I guess the evil little devil just snuck in and made me start going. I have many a great memory of bowling adventures. We used to go every year at summer camp for an afternoon, we went for Prom, there is a fun little memory of Kyle and I going on a double date with my cousin and her husband right when Kyle and I first started dating, for some reason I think we went bowling for Heather's bachelorette party...Anywhoo- At some moment the game I once loathed above all others became fun. And now I would never turn down a game.

The story that I am really leading to is this: Our life group went bowling friday night, six couples went and we had an absolute blast. Although we almost got thrown out of the joint and yes friends...the Plant City bowling alley is what I would call a "joint". We had fun though and left singing a song as loud as we could all the way out the door to our cars. It was one of those evenings out of a movie. After that we went and played the most creative and obscene game of charades I have ever participated in in my life. I just have to gab about it because....it feels good to know people in this big ole' peninsula.

Happy Monday!