In the Still of the Night

Sometimes I lay awake at night. Ok, it’s every night. Because, you know, I have self diagnosed insomnia, but anyway, the point is I lay awake at night and I think about all the things I’ve done wrong in my life. If I could go back and change it all.

Except, if I went back and changed every single thing I think I’ve ever done wrong would I be where I am today?

Would I be living in a home that I love? That I’m on my way to owning?!

Would I have a different job? A better job? No job at all?

Would my family love me? Would I love them?

Would my friends like me? Would I even have friends?

Would I have a college degree? Would I have gone to college?

Would I be healthy? Would I even be alive?

Would I be with the person I’m with?

I have no idea what the answers to these questions are and you know what? I think that’s a good thing. Even though it keeps me up night after night.

(Sometimes I stay awake and think about how crispy and delicious bacon is. Those are good nights.)

If we could actually go back and change things. If we had time machines, for example, would it really make our lives any better? Would it really make us better people? I don’t think it would make me better or my life better. Without everything I’ve done and without all the mistakes I’ve made how would I have learned anything? How would I be who I am today? I could be some crazy weirdo lady who makes rubber band balls in her spare time. I don’t want to be that lady!

So, after realizing that I may have done some things wrong along the way, I may have made some not so great decisions, and I may wish I was rich, rich, rich I finally drift off to sleep knowing that I am a happy person. I like where I’m at in my life. I love my family. I love my man. And I love bacon.

Life is good.

30 Years

Today is my 30th birthday. Happy Birthday ME!





 Here’s how I feel about it:

1. I feel the same today as I did yesterday.

2. However, I feel different today than I did one year ago, but not so different that I can really tell.

3. Did that make sense?

4. My co-workers gave me a super cute card, fresh fruit, and sang happy birthday to my old soul.





5. Actually, they sang happy birthday to me twice. Once last week and once today. I feel so special!

6. Turning 30 is a big deal.

7. I think.

8. I’m waiting for something drastic to happen.

9. Like a droopy chin.

10. Or a saggy butt.

11. So far, I’m safe.

12. My Boy Toy (am I allowed to call him that? My magic 8 ball says “signs point to yes”) is taking me to dinner tonight. Texas Roadhouse. Steak = A Happy Birthday Girl.





 13. I wonder if there are rules for being 30?

14. If so, I bet I’ve been breaking them.

15. A lot of people seem to make a “Do before I’m this “age” list,” but I didn’t do that.

16. My only goal was to buy a house and I did that aaaaaages ago.

17. Apparently, according to the entire rest of the world, I should be married and have some kids.

18. Well, I’m not and I don’t.

19. I do have a Boy Toy, though, as we established in item #12.

20. I also have furry children which totally counts, in my personal professional opinion.





 21. Are my knees going to start knocking together?

22. Is my hair going to turn completely gray overnight?

23. Am I going to start wearing high waist-ed pants?

24. Will all of my jeans magically shrink up in the leg about 5 inches?

25. Am I going to wake up to giant craters and canyons in my cheeks?

26. Am I going to get the mail from across the street with no bra on?

27. Wait! I totally already do that last one!

28. Was that TMI?

29. I’m sorry.

30.Crazy girl in the house.




30 is grand! It’s totally the new 20! I’m so young and care-free! I think I’ll go take a nap.

I’m Back!

Oh my goodness, oh my goodness! I took quite the break, let me tell ya. I just didn’t have much to say I guess, but that doesn’t mean I haven’t done anything since February. I’ve been a busy, busy bee, for sure!


Ok, so I’ve mostly been eating food and watching TV, but that still counts as busy in my world. Haha!





Oh, NCIS, how I love thee…let me count the ways… <3 <3 <3







<3 <3 Bacon <3 <3


TV and bacon. Does it really get any better?




Anywho, remember when I said I was going to paint my living area? Well, I totally started it! Along with my lovely assistants, I’ve painted 3 walls. Only a bazillion more to go!







I’ve also been spending a lot of time, and when I say a lot I mean basically every waking minute, with this guy. And I’m not talking about the fish.


He makes me crazy happy. And I’m still not talking about the fish.







Mom and I have taken up walking. We’re both a little jiggly if you know what I mean, but we love the bacon so perhaps the walking will keep us from becoming more jiggly. Hopefully.







Oh my…that’s all I can say.





Until next time!



Eat some bacon, it’s good for you.

Someday…

When I was a little girl I dreamed that one day I would be a ballerina. I would put on one of my grandma's fluttery night gowns, and she would safety pin it up in the back so it wouldn't fall off. Then I would put on my little ballet slippers turn on some music and dance. Every time I visited my grandparents I would perform a show. They applauded, of course, and told me how fantastic I was. I thought, someday...I'll be amazing!


The thing is, I never took a single dance class. Not to mention the fact that I can’t dance. Like at all. In fact, I’m pretty sure  you could compare my dancing to a half dead beetle bouncing around on the ground.


But, none of that mattered to my little girl self. She wanted to be a ballerina and when she was dancing there was no one better.


I feel the same way as a big girl about my photography. I know I’m not great, but when I have my camera in my hands I feel like a professional with a passion and there’s no one better.





My dream of becoming a graceful ballerina may not have come true, but I’m determined to become a passionate photographer with beautiful images to share.




Someday…


I will be.





In the meantime while I wait, practice, and grow perhaps I’ll have a nice frosty beverage.




Here’s to making dreams come true!

Today…

I graduated!!!


It’s been a long time coming and it is finally, finally, finally here!





At this moment, there’s no better feeling than that of being an Oklahoma State University Alum.


I couldn’t have done it without all the support I’ve had from family and friends over the years. Thank you all!

Insta Friday List

1. So…I’m really into procrastination.


2. I’m also really into making lists, but only on my blog.


3. Also, I’m really into saying, “Also, I’m really into.”


4. Plus, you know what else I’m really into? Cell phone pictures. Particularly Instagram, but sometimes Hipstamatic just to change it up a bit.


5. The following lovelies are brought to you by: my amazing new, white as a cloud, iPhone. We shall call her Sylvia. And my right thumb.

Currently reading. Fabulous.

De-lish-us.

Fave driving song.

Mysterious liquid?

Pretty kitty.

Just finished reading. Also fabulous.

Sylvia + Me + Instagram = TruLuv4Evr

Avoiding Panic

I have so much to do I don’t know where to begin. I’m talking a million times a trillion things to do.


The end of my final semester of college is coming to a close and I can feel the weight of it on my shoulders like that giant ACME weight from the Looney Toons.


So, in an effort to avoid panic over the projects I have yet to start and the huge test I have next Friday I’m sitting here typing a post at midnight.


Oh, and I’ve been looking at some pictures of flowers I took over the last week.




Can you believe this gorgeous Confederate Rose Hibiscus bloomed one week ago? In October? Is that not just crazy? This isn’t Hawaii for goodness sake! This is Oklahoma, but you know what? Just a few days after this beautiful debutante made her debut on a bright and sunny 80 degree day the temperature dropped in to the mid 30s. Ridiculous I tell you. Ridiculous.






These are mums so it’s not unusual for them to be blooming like crazy in October, but seriously? how gorgeous is that bright orange?




Flowers have such a calming effect. I’m already feeling ever so much more relaxed and less panicky from these two photos. I might have to look at them a million times a trillion times this weekend, but I think I’ll make it.


I’m going to get my projects done. I’m going to graduate. And that ACME weight? It can go back to falling on the Road Runner.




Happy weekend, all!

A Happy Friday List

1. I’m really into lists right now.


2. Maybe it’s because my all time favorite blogger, The Pioneer Woman, makes lists and they always make me laugh.


3. Oh, and I only like to make lists on my blog, not in real life.


4. In real life I prefer to write on random post-its or scraps of paper or sometimes I just don’t write things down at all.


5. I found this picture when I was looking back through folders of pictures I took over the Summer. I like it. I wonder why I forgot about it? Probably because there are approximately 1,893,290.7 pictures in that folder.






6. When I work up posts on different computers the fonts are never the same. Like right now, I’m using Juice for my watermark…hahahahahahahahahahahahahaha….hahahahahahahaha….sorry, the name just really gets to my funny bone! Juice! Hahahahahahahaha! On a different computer I use Bella Donna, but it’s just not quite as funny as Juice! Hahahahahahaha!


7. Maybe I should download a font from Kevin and Amanda to use on all of my computers? In fact, I should probably send them my writing sample so I can have my own font!


8. How many computers can one girl use?!?!


9. This is one of my favorite pictures from the Summer. One I didn’t forget about, and shared on this post that had absolutely nothing to do with wine. It’s not perfect by any means, but I love its glittery fun-ness (yes, fun-ness is a word. In Amanda-ese!). I’m seriously considering framing this baby.






10. The more I think about it, the more I want to see if Amanda from Kevin and Amanda will turn my handwriting into a font. It would be so delicious!


11. Can font be delicious? Like bacon?


12. Now I’m hungry.


13. Happy Friday, all!


14. I wish you a weekend filled with fun-ness!


15. Christmas is in 73 days! Yikes! (I had to add that because ending on 14 was bothering me. You know, because I'm weird.)

A List

Today, I’m making a list. I’m not usually a list maker, but for some reason at this very moment in time I’m feeling it…the list vibe. Is this a medical condition? I don’t know, but if it is I’m sure there’s a vitamin for it.


1. I just watched Karev on Grey’s Anatomy put his grody bare feet on the table in the break room. Putting grody bare feet on tables that are not in the coffee table family is completely unacceptable in my opinion.


2. I really like to say, “in my opinion.” I think it comes from that episode of The Good Wife where that judge insisted all lawyers follow their statements with, “in my opinion.”


3. Random is a way of life and I live it to the fullest.




4. This plant is currently living on my front porch. It was one of those “at the end of the season” clearance plants. I snapped a picture of it because it was a random thing to do, and I love to be random. See #3 for more info.


5.TV commercials about feminine products, soap, body cleansers, and hemorrhoid creams really scare me. Like a lot.


6. I’m jealous of the 100ish blogs I read and their fantabulous blog designs. I aspire to be that cool one day.


7. Pan Am is seriously my new fave show. I want to be a Pan Am girl so badly I can taste it. Unfortunately, I don’t think I would fall into their ideal personal weight ranges. But being short and round is my destiny so I will embrace it. I love you Pan Am! I shall dream of you from afar…oh, and the future since I wasn’t alive in the 60s.


8. I really like to run my dishwasher at night because it’s one of the noisy kind, but I’m afraid it will spontaneously combust and I’ll miss it.




9. This is a building. A flying saucer shaped building. I took this shot when I was in Albany a couple months ago. I’m sharing it now because it’s a random thing to do, and I love to be random. See #3 for more info.


10. I love, love, love to repeat things. I think it gives what I say more emphasis. Plus, I forget stuff sometimes, and it’s a random thing to do. I love to be random. See #3 for more info.


11. Goodbye.


12. For now.

Beware the Fine Print

Once upon a time, in a land far, far away. Or down the street. In an apartment. Where I used to live. A girl who was probably me would sit at her desk in front of her laptop and browse EBay. For hours. And hours. And hours.

Many, many purchases were made from EBay over a number of years and they were all very, very important. Who doesn’t need a Coca-cola ceiling fan?

A few years later, the girl, I mean me...I mean I moved across town. EBay was no longer the great taker upper of time that it had once been, but was still looked at quite often when something new and grand came on the market. Like Harry Potter on DVD. Not just Harry Potter on DVD, but the first Harry Potter box set that contained years 1 through 3.

EBay was and probably still is a fabulous place to buy these types of things because someone somewhere would have the exact thing on my wish list for little monies. I like it when things cost little monies.

The thing is, you gotta read the fine print! When you see Harry Potter box set ONLY $12 plus shipping!!! don't get so excited that you immediately put in your bid, win, and then wait patiently for the treasure to come in the mail only to find out it's in CHINESE without reading the fine print.

Seriously.

Or you’ll open the mail and see this.



Yay! Harry Potter! EBay is the BEST!


But then…



Yep…that’s Chinese…I think.


But, I didn’t see any of this until I saw it on the screen.



Oh yeah…it gets better.

 You would think I would have noticed it when I had the disc in my hand, but no.



It’s a good thing there’s a "Turn off the Subtitles" button on my DVD player remote because I’m way too lazy to replace these babies.

After I opened this treasure and started watching them and then sat staring at my TV with my mouth hanging open I went to my laptop, logged onto EBay, and sure enough I had bid, won, and paid for Harry Potter with Chinese subtitles for my viewing pleasure. Hey! I could always learn a new language!

Grass

You know, the green stuff in the yard?

Or if it's my yard we're talking about, the patchy green stuff?

Speaking of grass. I mowed tonight. For the first time in over a month. It's amazing the way the dead barren wasteland that was once a half-dead semi-barren almost-wasteland will bounce back...somewhat...after a few drops of rain.

I've decided I'm allergic to mowing. And grass. Even after I showered I can still feel all the icky grass particles on my skin making me itch. Do I sound whiny enough?

I think I would enjoy mowing more if I had this view.

Do you think if I called Vermont they would pack some of this up in a neat little box with a pretty little bow and send it to me?

100th Post! and an Auction

I can't even believe it! When I started this blog I didn't think I would ever write anything past the first couple of posts, but here I am at 100. Crazy! I wonder if I'll make it to 1,000?

Look out! Subject change ahead! I hope you're wearing your seat belts! (pronounced seat bayult if your name is Amanda and you speak your own language. *wildly waving hand in the air*)

So...last weekend after my sweet cousin Deitra's wedding mom, grandma, and I went to an auction. I love auctions! Other people's leftover junk is totally my treasure.

This auction, however, turned out to be a tad bittersweet, but we didn't find that out till much later in the day when one of my grandma's gabby friends (are all grandma's and their friends super gossipy or is it just mine?) told her that ALL of the items at the auction had come straight out of the house onto the lawn and that none of the children kept a single thing. Incredibly sad. I don't know the details behind the story, but giving up everything from my past would be really hard to do.

Nevertheless (who invented this weird word?), we still had a good time checking out all of the hidden treasures.

I've always thought naming a town Corn to be way funny.

Totally scored this wooden fruit! Mom thought I was nuts for wanting it, but I think it's fantastic. I've already painted the wooden stand they were sitting in emerald green which if you read yesterday's post you know I've been painting everything that color. I wasn't too psyched about the naked dancing cherubs, but hey! That's how an auction goes. You get what you want with a bunch of stuff you don't.

I really wanted these buttons, but they went to some other lovely lady.

These TVs make me laugh.

I really, really, really wanted this butterfly pin, but another bidder got it. I found out later that the lady who bought it was buying it for the daughter of the lady who had owned the house (man, that was confusing). That made me happy so I'm glad my bid didn't win.

A woman who had to have been from an antique store (she was buying practically everything) bought most of the stuff on this table. Except for the dark green bowl and the little crock next to it. Mom and I took those home.

Is this the weirdest lamp you've ever seen or what?

But this lamp? I wanted this one. Bad. But it got way too hot before they made it around to this so I said goodbye. Goodbye lamp! I'll miss you forever!

Metal chairs are fantabulous.

Isn't this dresser gorgeous? There's a sad tale to go along with it. You might need to grab the Kleenex...

This dresser is part of a suite which was the first major furniture purchase the woman who owned the house and her husband bought after they were first married. When the auctioneers finally got around to the furniture one of the woman's daughters showed up to bid on this bedroom suite. The battle was between her and one other person. An antique dealer. Needless to say the antique dealer outbid her and the daughter was unable to keep something that she had always known.

I love auctions, but I don't think I'll ever be able to go to one again without thinking of what's going on behind the scenes. I can't even imagine why this family had to give everything away.

I thought this would be fantastic on the front porch as a planter, but it's another one of those things we didn't stick around for.

These babies came home with me. I don't know why I needed them, but I NEEDED them.

The homeowner had been a quilter her whole life. Grandma said she made some of the most beautiful quilts she had ever seen.

See that one in the bottom middle? She's at my house now. And the two on the right? Those are at my mom's house. We have problems, I know.

I wanted this salt shaker so bad I could taste it, but the auctioneer stuck it in a box with a bunch of silverware so it went too high for this girl.

Jell-O molds!


On that note, I shall end this rather lengthy 100th post. I'm sorry if I made you cry, but I hope I didn't make you scared to check out an auction. They really are pretty fabulous.

Ya'll come back now! Ya hear?