on days like this

olivia

I am home from a half day of work, typing on my new computer WITH THE INTERNET.  This is a big deal.  I have been internet-less (gasp) for quite some time now so you can expect really big things on this blog.  (not really)

I am in a monday funk.  After a weekend of playing music, hiking, and drinking really nice beer, this Monday is just not adding up-- even with the half day at work.

Instead of falling down the hole that is my PMS cycle, I realize now out of experience that I really just need to take a shower, blow dry my hair, and pick out a cute outfit for tomorrow and start all over.

Enjoy this photo of Olivia.  

xo  

take me on your next road trip.

Today I got over 2 hours away from my house on an overnight work trip just to realize that I did not pack my bag.  Wait.  I did pack my bag, but this morning I asked Andrew to help me out to the car, nodding at my bag, and neither of us realized it was left before I drove off to wild, wonderful, West Virginia.  Can't blame him, except for when I did the first 15 minutes after he called.  Exciting news is that I got to buy some new makeup that was poorly matched to my skin tone and a pair of respectable middle-aged khakis.  It was a weird day.  

I am in Charleston, West Virginia and it looks like a pretty typical mountain city, except the big, tall buildings.  My hotel room has been my refuge tonight.  Free wi-fi, good chinese delivery, and a big screen t.v.  I can do this for one night.  

I always think before I go on a trip how it will be "fun" to get away.  Have some alone time to just...be.  But then I get to a new city and freeze.  Where am I?  What am I doing?  I feel my face radiating as EVERYONE knows that I don't know what I am doing either.  That's when I decided I needed to pick up that handy little wine shooter that was, to my delightful surprise, in a basket beside the check out counter at Rite Aid where I was also picking up mascara, a toothbrush, toothpaste, contact solution, conditioner, a brush, and many, many, kit-kat bars.  

Now I can't seem to fall asleep because I have binged on the Internet and I feel 1 part self loathing 2 parts gross.  

Kidding.  That last sentence was a little dramatic.  But I am all wired up.  Or wired in.  Isn't that the tech word they use on The Social Network?  

Any who.  Tomorrow is a brand new day.  I will wake up by the sound of the hotel ring, hazily go down to the free continental breakfast, and try to smuggle as much of the goods as I can upstairs so I can lay in bed fisting muffins into my mouth while watching the morning news. 

This photo

  This photo was taken on Saturday morning (hello self timer) right after a good ole' tax season marital fight.  It wasn't really a fight, per say (lies), more like, oh we just got bent over by Uncle Sam and "what do you mean now that we file together they take what you owe out of my tax return!"

It was a classic woman gets emotional, man gets puffed chest, scenario. 

We get over things pretty quickly (see above photo) but this first year of marriage has been full of lots of spats and lots of fun making up.  Don't worry, they all tell me it's normal.  ;)

What is not normal, however, is my obsession with my cats.  But we all knew that anyways.

hope your week is jolly.

OH, and if your ears need a musical break, you can watching this.  

not much new

What am I doing?  Playing with my new computer and waiting for the internet at home (or rather for me to find my stupid old air card)

enjoy this photo of the Mason Jars! 

I'm bored so I figured I would write about ME!

I am bored at work waiting for the clock to move so I can break free and hit the road with my sweetheart for Easter break.

What better to do than write about myself?  Have fun.

1. What time did you get up this morning?
7:00, but normally I try for 6:30.

2. Diamonds or pearls?
I'm not into jewlery but I would go for diamonds.  

3. What was the last film you saw at the cinema?
Hunger Games

4. What is your favorite TV show?
 That's a mixed bag full of crap.  Regularly DVR'd shows are:  Sons of Anarchy, The Voice, Smash(oh god, I don't know why), 30Rock (I am liz lemon), Restaurant Impossible, the OWN channel, PBS documentaries.....I'm a lame TV watcher. 

5. What did you have for breakfast?
  um, some granola thing with chocolate, coffee, blueberry muffin, & 1//2 rice krispy treat.  (I'm eating my feelings today)

6. What is your middle name?
Anne

7. What is your favorite food?
Anything southern that my mom cooks.

8. What foods do you dislike?
 Sauerkraut & veal (poor baby cows) 
 

9. Your favorite Potato chip?
Not a big chip eater, but I love white cheddar popcorn.  It reminds me of the Norton City Pool and chlorine and summer. 
 

10. What is your favorite CD at the moment?
A mixed love CD that Andrew made me.

11. What kind of car do you drive?
little blue Volvo S40

14 Favorite drink?
SWEET TEA, please.  With an IV drip bag. 

15. If you could go anywhere in the world on vacation, where would it be?
mmmmm...this is tough.  My first gut feeling is somewhere in South America

16.What color is your bathroom?
It used to be the color of bandaides, and now it is white

17. Favorite brand of clothing?
  If only I could afford to have a favorite brand.  In my dreams I would have a closet of clothes from Anthro/Banana R/fancy shmancy places.

18.Where would you retire?
On the farm, duh.  Planning on the front porch and rocking chairs already.

19 Favorite time of day?
 Morning time in bed.  It's the best time of the day.

21. Favorite sport to watch?
Basketball, but really only when Andrew is playing. 

22. Who do you least expect to send this back?
 Anyone, because no one sent this to me in the first place.  I just wanted to answer questions about myself and think that people care.  

23. Person you expect to send it back first?
See 22

24. What laundry detergent do you use?
 I usually buy what's on sale, but that sends my mother over the edge so I try and stick with Gain.  

 25. Coke or Pepsi?
 Cold glass bottle or can of Coke.  Yum.  

26. Are you a morning person or night owl?
Probably more a morning person---my brain works best in the A.M.

27. What size shoe do you wear?
 10, baby girl has big feet.

28. Do you have pets?
Pets that we claim as "ours":  Olivia, Lil' Bit, Hunter, Lilly, Frank & Beans-the frogs, CC & Belle-horses, chickens and 4 ducks.  Overboard?  never.

29. Any new and exciting news you'd like to share with your friends?
I just got a new camera and laptop.  I feel so sparkly and white. 

30. What (who) did you want to be when you were little?
Singer/Actress.  Seemed to be my only goal in life. 

31. Favorite Candy Bar?
 Does a Snickers Ice Cream bar count?  

33. What are the different jobs you have had in your life?
 Dairy Queen server, babysitter, waitress/bartender, golf pro-shop "girl" (KILL ME.  I never hated life so much), non-profit event manager, jewlery store (at least I got to wear diamonds), private school admissions. 

 34. Favorite season?
Fall

35. Nicknames you've had?
 Val

36. Piercings?
4 in my ears (never wear in my second hold anymore), old scar from a failed attempt at the belly button (damn you britney spears)

37. Eye color?
Green/Blue

38. Ever been to Africa?
No, but I want to. 

39. Ever been toilet papering?
Never.  Too scared of getting into trouble/hurting someone's feelings.  

40. Love someone so much it made you cry?
 Every damn time. 

41. Been in a car accident?
Not while in my car.  I left it in drive and it rolled down a hill once and hit another car.  I thought someone had stolen my car and started crying...turns out it rolled right out of there. 

42. What's a question no one has ever asked you?

This one.

  43. Favorite day of the week?
Saturday!

44. Favorite restaurant?
 A little place called Osceola Mill in Steeles Tavern, VA.  One of our favorite little spots to go.  

45. Favorite flower?
Not really a flower--Queen Anne's Lace

46. Favorite ice cream?
Chocolate

47. Disney or Warner Brothers?
mmm..Disney? 

48. Favorite fast food restaurant?
Mickey D's

49. What color is your bedroom carpet?
Ugh..horrible brown and cream indoor/outdoor trailer crap. 

50. How many times did you fail your driver's test?
passed the first time

51. Before this one, from whom did you get your last e-mail?
Probably Johannah

52. Which store would you choose to Max out your Credit Card?
I just wrapped my CC in post it notes, taped it up, and wrote "ONLY FOR EMERGENCIES".  I would have a heart attack if I maxed out a card. 

53. What do you do most often when you are bored?
eat my face off.

54. Bedtime
Try to shoot between 9-10.  Lame. 

56. Last person you went to dinner with?
I can't really remember...probably Andrew then?

57. Ford or Chevy?
I have been told that I must answer Ford to any question like this.  Family rule.

58. What are you listening to right now?
the heater warming up my tootsies.  

59. What is your favorite color?
I don't really have one?

60. Lake, Ocean or River?
River.

61. How many tattoos do you have?
one and it is HIDDEN FOREVER.  Kidding, I will show you if you ask and no I do not regret it. 

62. Which came first, the chicken or the egg?
duh, the chicken got off of Noah's ark. 

63. How many people are you sending this email to?
Anyone who reads this blog

64. Favorite Cocktail?
  simple, plain, gin & tonic kinda gal. 

65. Red or White wine?
 both, depending on the season/mood

66. Where would you go for a girls or boys weekend get-a-way?
a secluded spa/beach with my gals. 

67. What do you want to be?
 a good person

68. Republican or Democrat?
 ew.  neither.  next question.  

69. Favorite Family Vacation?
Camping, the McQueen style. 

lent

This year I participated in Lent for the first time ever.  

I gave up (hopefully for good) biting/picking at the skin around my nails.  

sick.

i know.

It's a nasty habit I have had since I can remember.  I think it was just a nervous tick I developed when I was little.  It used to be really bad...like scar worthy bad. And then my mom tried a whole host of things including putting that nasty tasting stuff on my fingers to telling me that no man would ever want to marry me with fingers like that.  (Eat that mom!  Guess your prediction was FALSE-O)

It was a habit likened to smoking.  NO ONE understood how much I just needed to do it.  I just needed to pick at my nails and I would feel better about a situation.  Weird, right?

So I knew that this would be a big thing to try and give up.  But I wanted to prove it to myself, my mom, and THE WORLD.

ANDDDD I did it!  I know I have a few days to go but I think I am cured.  I got a manicure as a reward for my hard work.

SO, if you have some nasty habit like me, YOU CAN DO IT!

sharing is good for you and for me

I love reading blogs, and tweets, and facebook and feeling connected to so many people.

but then there is all of the "noise" I pick up along the way.

I read this post from a blog that I stumbled upon and so many parts resonated with me.  Not anything about writing and blogging, because, let's be honest, I'm not here to win anyone over with my mad writing skillz and I'm also not here trying to "make it" to the land of sponsored blogs.  I think it resonated with me so much because I know that there are days that I just fill my head with nonsense and I wonder if I am sucking all of my creative juices right out along with it.

Anyways, hop on over here if you want to read it. 

p.s. girlfriend has a really great story on how she met her husband.  check it out. 

On eating and dreams...

I stayed on the farm almost the entire weekend.  One trip to the big city to drop off a load of wood, hit up Starbucks and then to our new, fancy, remodeled Food Lion. 

I'm back in concrete walls and feeling a bit like they are closing in.  

One of the chores this weekend was to switch out the mares and guildings in the field each morning.  After having a full day and night on the fields the horses are exhausted.  They eat almost 18 hours a day, a feat that I cannot even touch, and when they get back in the stall, they are so very tired.  Sometimes they just pass out right there on the field.  (see photo above)

I felt like that horse this morning.  Except instead of being exhausted from eating (that happens too) I'm exhausted from thinking about all of the things I want to do.

I have this feeling under control more, treating it more like an old friend that creeps up on me from time to time. 

"Oh hey, you.  You're back.  Ready to make me feel like life is blowing me by and I still haven't accomplished X,Y, & Z?  I know, I know.  Chill out, relax.  I'll try and enjoy your stay"

(that was a conversation that I just had on my blog, from my brain, to myself.  deep.)

But it sits there, on my chest, and I know I just have to make lists of the things I am doing and wait for it to pass.  The older I get I realize more and more how I will probably always feel this way, and that is okay, I guess it means that I have one too many goals and dreams. 

And hey, I'd rather be a dreamer anyways.