Print and Frame

when i was little i used to tell my mom i wanted to be a volcano watcher when i grew up. i think i meant i wanted to be a scientist who did research on volcanoes. but when you are 8 years old what do you really know about research, science, and even what a job is.

now that i know what a job is i will state i would like to be a wave watcher when i grow up.

does anyone know how to make this career change possible?

photos curtsy of National Geographic Photo Contest

i wish i had a time machine

San Fransisco circa 1905

i seriously do wish i had a time machine. but i would only go backwards never forward. but i would not stay long. i would stay long enough to experience something awesome and leave just before i need a shower.

after giving thanks....

I am thankful for....

my parents being in love
my dog being my #1 fan
future opportunities
my relationships
God's creation
simplicities i find in life which make me slow down
ohh and i cannot forget my DVR and new red nail polish

a few more fantastic things

a bar tender anticipating your drink order

when candy comes with the bill
being told you look like a good looking celebrity
comfortable silence
the last brush which pulls out the tangles
a good long much needed cry
when you find the right words
the sound of walking in snow
being told you did a good job
procrastinating but still pulling it off
celebration dances
the perfect song for the perfect moment
the first kiss
a child saying it loves you
complimenting a stranger
finding the perfect pair of shoes
succeeding on your first try
your favorite pair of underwear
snow days
not having to give a speech when you thought you were
kid food
a pregnant friend
when you realize your hiccups are gone
a fantastic sunset on the drive home from work
using your toes to pick something up

growing up with a big sister

Notes

Dear front yard project,

i would appreciate if you would complete yourself. my driveway is a mess and i keep getting rocks stuck in my shoes. i understand you are just rock, brick, and soil but i see you as one big pain.

Dear new dog groomer,

thank you for taking good care of my pup and making his look so handsome. i am sorry he was pain. i promise i will have a talk with him and tell him to behave better. if you just please let me bring him back to your establishment.


Dear track 1,

the other day you hit the spot as i was driving somewhere dreaded. i had an extra bounce in my step when i got out of the car. there is something great about the perfect song for a non-perfect moment.

Sutton bit my finger!

then stop putting your finger in his mouth!

i took the nephews christmas shopping on my day of relaxation and self behavior this week. on thanksgiving our family does extended family christmas and we needed to pick out our cousin's gifts.

before we could take on the stores we had to go to the post office where we saw how loud we could stomp our feet. wyatt won this game. and sutton thought every single individual in line needed a personal 'hello' from him.

who wouldn't enjoy being given a smile while waiting in the never ending post office line?

next i was instructed they needed a snack. they were starving because their mother had not just fed them breakfast an hour before. growing boys with tummy which are never full....and minds which know how to work their aunt and get yummy treats....

we went to the store where i let them take their time, touch every snack, and pick up every bottle they could reach until the perfect item was in their hot little hands.

it took over 10 minutes for this process and we finally had success with 2 juices, a m&m cookie, cheese sticks and the decision made that they will share their snakes with each other so they can have both.

after stomping through the snack store we moved onto the task at hand of christmas present shopping. and sutton showed me how he likes to hold mannequin hands....all of them....every single mannequin he passed he had to stop and hold their hand......good thing he is so cute....this added a good 10 minutes to the shopping.

after being perfect angels and the presents picked out they were about to exploded from all their love for their aunt. or maybe it was the juice and cookie.....any-who we found a quite corner of the store and had a dance off.

and this mini dance session was a perfect ending to a perfect morning.

one day i might be

the kind of women who can cook dinner with everything finishing at one time
who is up by 5 am for her daily run
someone who can host a dinner party for 10 at a moments notice
and always has the perfect dress on
a women who has the right words no matter the occasion
who hand writes thank you cards with elegant penmanship
a lady who always separates her darks and lights and dusts twice a week
who never is seen yawning and never finds static in her hair
someone who always has fresh flowers on her nightstand
and is always the most brave version of herself

i will never be this women but i would like to have the last one.

to always be brave. this would be nice.

smoochy smoochy

Love is what makes two people sit in the middle of a bench
when there is plenty of room at both ends

Happy 34th Anniversary Mom & Dad

things which are simply Fantastic

the remote is just in reach

first time to put on a new lip gloss
when friends stop what they are doing to celebrate your arrival
the slice of bread from the middle of the loaf
hearing your vacuum cleaner working
surprise presents
when you spot the person you are meeting
when you don't need gas when you thought you did
a glass of ice water made by someone else
sheets right out of the dryer
the price tag comes off in one clean pull
your birthday is on a Saturday
seeing the dirt on the rag you are cleaning with
house shoes
a strangers 'God Bless You'
deciding you do have room for desert
the middle bite of the cookie
warm towels at restaurants
laughing so hard you make no sense at all
the perfect hair color
taking your high heels off and walking inside bare foot
realizing your skinny jeans fit
a good sneeze
receiving a text message at the perfect moment
fries at the bottom of the bag

spending all day looking for vintage tupperware.
because you love the colors and the memories it brings back of opening the fridge and asking mom 'whats inside?'

Guaranteed to be awkward

there are certain actions and reactions which guarantee an increased heart rate and blushing cheeks. sometimes an increased heart rate with blushing cheeks is a good thing yet sometimes not so much....

theses are just a few.

the ever lingering unclaimed fart
a wave with no response
a restroom run in
getting caught glancing at reflection
finding food in your teeth after an important conversation
calling someone the wrong name or being called the wrong name.....ouch
a sneeze-fart
pulling up the gas pump on the wrong side, move your car to notice you did it again
tripping with no one to laugh with you...tripping alone is sad, tripping with someone is funny
the 'which way do i go' dance with a stranger
running into someone at the checkout with items which should be left discrete
something....anything on your clothes malfunctions

have your mom hang a sign in the doorway to the office so when you are showing customers inside they have to bob and weave and still get knocked in the head by a strangely placed sign.

i hope you have a wonderful non-awkward day!

Dear Universe

i think i will make myself a little wish list to put out there.

take a little dash of 80's John Travolta....

...and a shake of early Paul Newman....

keep mixing to increase faith, patience, success, and charm until it is time i meet him.

and i am thinking when i start blabbing about something which is entirely unnecessary and working myself into a frenzy, instead of using words this wonderful man will shut me up with a kiss.

dad i can't feel my fingers

why do i look like an Eskimo, who is going for a jog, with a cute hat on?

because bob vila (aka dad) and i were fixing the siding on my house during the first real winter weather of the year.

doesn't he know mondays are my days of relaxation and self behavior?!

after about an hour i could not longer feel my toes
and was doing a continuous tap dance to not lose feeling in my legs.

after he chuckled at the weird-o who is his daughter he sent me inside to watch through the window and wait for his signal for help.

i happily waited inside.

and came to the conclusion i love my dad more than all the toe warming vents in the world.

red rain boots

happily imperfect

a perfectly blurred picture from sushi girls night.

love

you want what? where?

a customer had an idea.

since our customers are always right we went with it.

good thing his idea didn't break his car.

and good thing my dad drives the equipment with perfection.

our customers are wonderful. silly ideas and all.

2 and done

on my day of relaxation and selfish behavior, aka monday, i received a phone call from the pretty lady below to do a favor. and this was not just any favor. it was a favor which might of included a head ache while at work the next day.

her manager's husband is a police officer and was needing individuals to come to the station, drink, take multiple breathalyzers, and then finally be the dummies used in road side sobriety test training.

poor nervous new recruits......

it was a blast. the other volunteers were fantastically funny people and i do not think the beer had anything to do with it.

let it be known taylor and i could be in a card board box and have a wonderful time and want to do it again the next week. so we are not fair judges with the fun-o-meter.

after my 1st beer the officer monitoring our drinking told me he only wanted me to drink 2 because i was looking like a light weight. (compliment or not, not sure)

we took walks, open beers when told, laughed our bottoms off at each other, sat around a conference table, and finally went and completed 7 road side sobriety tests.

2 beers = 6 arrests on my part

maybe i should of informed the new recruits it is normal for be to say silly things and giggle a lot. i couldn't help but laugh when i would see Taylor out the corner of my eye balancing on one foot looking so serious.

by the way i am smiling right now just thinking of us walking the line over and over and over!

video game and chicken

last night i gave DP, aka david, family guy sleeping pants. partly because the show reminds me of us 5 years ago watching the 1st season on dvd in norman procrastinating our homework. and partly because it was his birthday and i didn't think i should show up without a gift. but mostly because it is fun shopping for gifts to make my friends smile.

he didn't just smile....he laughed. but he laughs at me often. i think this is why he likes having me around.

the ladies cooked, the guys played their new video game and i watched.

and hopefully he had a great birthday.

also did you know it was national wear a striped tank top with gray sweat jacket and jeans day? because it was.

ask taylor and i about it. we were twins and everybody noticed....and commented.....and we stood side by side so every could get a good look.

we looked darling by the way.

THANK YOU!

“As we express our gratitude, we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.

JFK

A special thank you to veterans who put their country first and fought for all which is good in the world.

Thank you Mr & Mrs York for joining the army, finding your soul mate in the army, risking your life with the army, and retiring safely with the army.

You make me proud to call you my friends.

cupcakes

i saw on another blog where they were reminded of their blessings by the feeling of the new season. and it made me think of all the beautiful things/people in my life. no matter which way the day or hour is going my life is full of perfection. sometimes i forget this and i have to remind myself. because when the world feels its heaviest is when we forget the beauty which is in this heavy world.

...... i went through something terrible...dreadful...plain yucky. my world was not just heavy but tumbled over. and yet i have never felt such peace and happiness. it is because of my blessings which picked my crumbled world up piece by piece and put it back together better than ever.

• friends who make me dinner and are careful with my heart
• friends who let me make them dinner and trust me with their hearts
• i have a roof over my head
  
• Jesus died for my sins
• strangers who are now friends
  
• tomorrow always comes
• late night giggles coming from the living room as i fall asleep
  
• i know home is where the heart is
• i have something warm to cuddle with every night
  
• i always have someone to drink a glass of wine with and they will most definitely make me laugh

what are your blessings?

an aunt and her nephew

'can i sit with you?' the precious 2 year old asked his aunt who just picked him up from school.

'sure...jump. comfy?' asked the aunt who just pushed her work aside.

'uh-huh. can we use the pin?'

'what do you want to draw? your name? numbers?'

'your hand!'

he starts to drawer and she directs 'careful...careful....oops you drew on me..don't worry it will wash off..don't forget my thumb....keep the pin moving....you have already done this finger but you can do it twice if you want to......awesome job buddy!'

'my hand my hand! inside yours!'

'there you go....we drew a great picture together. we are really good artist if i do say so myself.'

'TAKE A PICTURE TO SHOW MY BROTHER!!!!!'

they move on to taking pictures of every person at her work and leave their picture to sit on her desk and wait for her to find it later and smile.

noddin my head like yeah, movin my hips yeah

this weekend i took some wonderful pictures.....but i have no way share them.....they are stuck on my camera.....maybe later i can figure this out.....

so this is officially a word only post.
i am going to hit on the highlights of my weekend.

tried a new restaurant
made a new friend........!!!!
danced in the car with an old friend
enjoyed a homemade dinner celebrating a birthday
received a present
gave a present
kept the backdoor open all day
explained what a cougar is
stayed out entirely too late
yard work fairy's came by my house.....wish they would of called to say they were there
found someone who did not love Twilight
had beers at the police station and was 'arrested'.........6 times.......not what you think
received a compliment which made me blush

if you do not give them a good life, who will?

A PET'S COMMANDMENTS.........

My life is likely to last 10-15 years. Any separation from you is likely to be painful.

Give me time to understand what you want of me.

Place your trust in me. It is crucial for my well-being.

Don't be angry with me for long and don't lock me up as punishment. I have already forgotten what I did wrong.

Remember you have your work, your friends, your entertainment, but I have only you.

Talk to me. Even if I don't understand your words, I do understand your voice when speaking to me.

Be aware that however you treat me, my heart will never forget it.

Before you hit me, before you strike me, remember that I could hurt you, and yet, I choose not to bite you.

Before you scold me for being lazy or uncooperative, ask yourself if something might be bothering me. Perhaps I'm not getting the right food, I have been in the sun too long, or my heart might be getting old or weak.

Please take care of me when I grow old. You too, will grow old.

On the ultimate difficult journey, go with me please. Never say you can't bear to watch. Don't make me face this alone. Everything is easier for me if you are there, because I love you so.

~Take a moment today to thank God for your pets.. Enjoy and take good care of them.

Life would be a much duller, less joyful experience without God's critters.


and finally we all deserve something beautiful to hold our food and water.

hint hint****christmas present

love letters

Dear new coworker,
thank you for coming and helping my boss for a couple hours a day. i like to see you sitting at my desk bringing peace to the office. my favorite part is i call you sister.


Dear paranormal shows,
i am no longer scared to watch you alone. thank you for waiting patiently on my dvr for me to push play.


Dear homemade chicken caesar pita,
you are incredibly tasty. the past 5 dinners would not of been the same without you. i think i am out of chicken so pita bread and lettuce it is just us tonight! maybe next week i will make something other than a pita for dinner....or maybe not.....

Dear kitten,
will you please stop running away. 2 times in 3 weeks is a little ridiculous. but please never stop coming home. my desk looks empty without you taking a nap on it.


Dear Pandora Radio,
you make my day a little more wonderful. i would appricate if you would stop the silly rule of only 40 hours of listening in a month.

Dear nephews,
i think i need to come over for another hair appointment. your tiny fingers clipping and brushing is quite nice. and i do not think my hair has ever looked so brilliant as the last the time you fixed it.

Some Sooner Football

it had been years since i had found myself drinking a beer in a parking lot. but this saturday i did just this waiting for our team to come out and give us some entertainment!

luckily our team did not disappoint. and either did the band by delighting our ears with the Family Guy theme song. i loved it and so did anyone else under the age of 35! i loved the part when their formation turned into Stewie's funny head.

i clapped.


david completely spoiled me on our fun day in norman. (he spoils anyone he is with, he's a giver)

my favorite part was our high fives.

he gives great high fives.

Everything Peacock

i do not want to ever come across one of these peacock spiders.
it has a creepy wing and holds up his 3rd row of legs to attract a lady friend.

freak me out.....my skin is crawling and i have the willies......but i can't stop staring.....

yep, skin is still crawling even when i see his small stature. he might of received his name from the beautiful peacock but i want nothing to do with him or his jumping ways.

nor do i want my car to be tricked out like a peacock. even though it does have a little sparkle which i adore.

but i do want one of these.

they are fantastic.

the feather pieces i am finding are dark feathers and with my hair color they get lost.

i am not cool enough to pull off blue, green, and gold hair so i think i will be in the clear with these perfectly perfect feathers adorning my head.

or do i just go blonde?

decisions, decisions, decisions

otis's buddy

i give this past weekend 2 thumbs up because...

one too many bites of my mexican food
a friend yelled a word at lunch a little too loud
my video suggestion made someone gag
my team won
"you look great...have you lost weight?"
i watched a movie which made me clap
i cooked a thank you dinner
my new dress
i heard 2 christmas commercials...already?
"i like your red lip stick"
i got a phone call saying our kitten who ran away yet again had come home yet again
i did not do one lick of yard work
a movie made me cry

and it was this big fellas fault i cried like a baby during the ENTIRE movie.
you can probably guess the movie....