Plano Weekend

Man, this weekend was fun!  I don't think I realized how much I needed a getaway until about halfway through our trip.  I told Lisa not having a schedule to follow and not having to get up with kids in the morning was a-freakin-mazing.  Friday we both got to the hotel at around 4 and ended up on a wild goose chase to find a GNC and a Chinese buffet.  I know, I know.  We are legit big spenders.  We started in Plano and ended up in Dallas close to SMU.  I stopped in a random Starbucks, and the guy working there kept saying, "You came all the way from Plano?" Like it was clear across the state or something.  He helped us find Mei Mei's Chinese Buffet, and for that I say thank you, dear Starbucks employee.  It was great Chinese.  Lisa and I have a long history of Chinese buffets.  When she lived in T-Town, many an evening was spent eating Chinese buffet and watching Bachelor. 

Anyway, back to our weekend.  Saturday we shopped, got pedicures, ate Maggiano's Italian (where the hostess thought we were a lesbian couple... long story but very funny), went back to the hotel for a long nap, then watched "You Again" at the movies followed by late dinner.  I think I probably gained 2-3 pounds, but I haven't stepped on the scale to verify.  Speaking of weight... the husband has lost 10 pounds in 1 week.  Whatever.  He looks ridiculously hot.

So Lisa thought it would be clever for me to make a list of our fun finds this weekend.  Here goes:

1) Forever 21.  Lisa had never shopped there and was overjoyed to discover the bargain accessories.  I forced her to buy headbands because they looked adorable with her short 'do.

2) Sephora.  Our favorite place to shop together.  I found a great new fall eyeshadow palette from Urban Decay (click here). We both also bought quite possibly the best-smelling body wash in the history of the world (click here). I used it today, and it's not the best sudsing shower gel I've ever used, but the scent absolutely makes up for it. Also, if you're not using an eye shadow primer, please go buy one. Now. Here. Your eye shadow won't budge all day.

3) This was also a fun find, but in a completely different way. We had to take a picture from the car. I promise we didn't go in. Lisa twittered (tweeted?) about it and a friend of hers replied, "Well, why would you want to use them there?" Great point.

  








4) Another fun find was discovering our differences when it comes to asking for directions.  I completely wore Lisa OUT because I wanted to stop and ask any random stranger how to get where we were going, and she really hates doing that.  I enjoy the adventure of talking to a new person, and she feels like it's totally bothering them.  We laughed and laughed about that. 

5) I discovered I don't enjoy driving in Dallas traffic.  I kept getting in the wrong lane at stop lights because there are like 5 or 6 lanes at any given light, and how are you supposed to know which one to be in before you get there?  And there are way too many frontage roads off the highways.  If you are in the left lane on any given frontage road, you have to quickly veer to the right to avoid getting back on the highway when you don't want to.  It's really a miracle we are alive to tell about it. 

6) I was really sad that I didn't have any OU signage on my car because it would've been nice to rub our victory in.  Boomer Soomer, Baby!

I think that's it.  It was a fantastic weekend, and I miss my Lisa today! 

Anticipation

I am counting down the hours until I hop in the car and get out of town!  I cannot wait, and the precious angels were particularly trying today... I think they knew and were punishing me. 

On another note, my sweet husband who has lost quite a bit of weight recently (15 pounds to be exact), thinks it would be great fun to lose another 20, so he's doing the HCG program.  People, he's lost 7 pounds in 3 days.  It's fantastic that as I'm gaining roughly a pound a week, he's soon to be looking like he did in college.  Don't get me wrong.  I'm thrilled for his health, and of course he's a walking Greek god to me no matter what he weighs, but it's not exactly fun to be ballooning to my normal 40-pound pregnancy weight gain while my husband looks fantastic.  Grrrr. 

Yesterday Jax turned 18 months, and today he counted to three!  And he pointed to three different fingers while doing it!  Cutest thing ever.  Didn't hurt that he pronounced three 'fee.'  He's also now pronouncing please 'peeth' while slapping his chest for sign language.  I just want to eat his face. 

I'll be sure to take pictures this weekend and do a recap early next week.  Peace out.    

I have to laugh

I just finished booking the hotel for Lisa and I to stay this weekend for our girls' shopping extravaganza in Texas!  Looking back on the 30 minutes it took me to find the best deal on Hotels.com (going through Ebates, of course, to get cash back), I've realized how much my life has changed since I quit working. 

When I was a pharma rep, I remember picking up the phone to contact our company's travel department anytime I needed to book a hotel for training or a regional/national meeting.  It seemed to always be a leisurely call... the rep on the other end of the line always made sure everything was booked to my satisfaction.  If I was attending training, there was always a car and a driver waiting at the airport to whisk me away to a great hotel where my food and lodging were taken care of.  What a life...

Fast-forward three years.  Today I made the mistake of starting the booking process during lunchtime.  One of the coupon codes I was trying to use online wasn't working, so I had to pick up the phone and talk to a Hotels.com representative.  Jax and Emerson decide it would be a great time to crack each other up for no reason, so I'm talking to the rep and mouthing silent threats and shaking my pointer finger to my children.  They thought that was quite funny.  Jax proceeds to smear his peanut butter sandwich in his hair which makes Emerson laugh even harder.  The rep says, "Awww, sounds like you've got some kiddos having a good time there, huh?"  Courtesy laugh from me.  Shut up and fix my problem is what I really want to say.  She proceeds to tell me that the hotel I'm planning to book is excluded from the 10% off coupon code.  Imagine that.  After I get off the phone with her, it's naptime (thank you, DEAR LORD IN HEAVEN) and I start narrowing down my hotel choices.  The Melissa & Doug marker board/chalkboard easel sits right by the breakfast table, so I figure I might as well make use of my whiteboard skills with the easel at my disposal, so I create a handy-dandy chart complete with prices, distance from the outlet malls, and reviews.  I'm feeling just like the UPS guy.  The only problem?  When I go to eliminate a hotel from my snazzy list, the wet wipe I use from the table has a hidden gem.  A nice, greenish boogie straight from the pits of Jax's nasal passages.  Now smeared across my whiteboard masterpiece.  I just sat and stared at that booger in awe.  Because it represented so much of the crazy journey into motherhood I've taken these past three years.  Are there days I think back to the all-expenses-paid travel, nice suits, free car, great salary?  Sure.  But then I just look at a green booger to put it all back in perspective, and there's not a place I'd rather be. 

 

My ONLY fall decor

Since we are selling, I'm in the process of de-cluttering my house.  Not that I'm much of a clutterer, but I am still looking around for anything that I can possibly box up.  I realized that even though it's not cold yet, I still am feeling somewhat fall festive, so to keep my house de-cluttered but still celebrate the season, I found a new fall wreath 1/2-off at Hobby Lobby last week.  It's literally the only fall decoration I will be sporting this season.  But I think it's pretty, and I'm proud of it.  Of course, I immediately starting catching all of these blog posts on DIY wreaths for $2 made from Dollar Store items, but I have resigned myself to the fact that 1) I don't enjoy scouring the Dollar Store with two young children in a cart pulling each others' hair and 2) my artistic skills would never match what I can find at the Hobster Lobster.  I love that store.  Especially when what I'm looking for is 50% off.

I also made a welcome sign using my Uppercase Living lettering.  All I did was paint the board a cream color and attach the rope with hot glue.  Easy as pie.  Do you think it would be too obvious if I added "to YOUR new home" at the bottom to entice potential buyers? 

Here's a really cool idea for DIY floor candlesticks for cheap, if you're a DIY'er:

http://impatientlyprayingforpatience.blogspot.com/2010/05/12-floor-candlesticks.html

House for sale

We're listing our house today.  Quite exciting but stressful at the same time.  The thought of keeping my house somewhat show-ready makes me crazy, so I'm trying not to think about it quite yet.  Yesterday I started thinking about it and spent two hours cleaning the garage after naptime.  The kids had a great time doing sidewalk chalk on the driveway, chasing each other around the car, and messing around with all of the things I drug out on the driveway.  At one point Emerson had strapped herself into a carseat sitting on the ground, and Jax ran up to her and took an apple right out of her hand.  That little fartknocker knew she was captive and couldn't chase him.

So why are we selling?  Well, I think at this point in time we'll be staying in Tulsa for a while.  We've been unsure for about a year now, but it looks as if a move won't be happening anytime soon.  Also, we would like one more bedroom, and a playroom would be fantastic.  Also living closer to town would be helpful.  The two days a week that Emerson goes to preschool, I spend an hour in the car.  Such a waste of time!  Plus, there are some really great steals right now... it's definitely a buyer's market.  I hope our home sells quickly.  When we get it on MLS, I will post a link, just in case you know someone who is interested in our area. 

Halfway there

Tomorrow marks the 20-week mark!  Thank you, Lord. 

Here's our baby girl posing for the ultrasound.  I think it's a fist pump or possibly she's trying to beat on the wall of my uterus as if to say, 'Get me outta here already!'  I know it, little lady.  I'm ready, too.  Just be patient and don't come early on me like your big sis. 

Looking forward to a nice relaxing weekend ahead.  Watched the Office premiere tonight and thought it was pretty good.  I wasn't terribly pleased with last season, but Jason and I agreed we should watch this season because it's Steve Carell's last.  And Lisa informed me that the next Bachelor is Brad Womack (AGAIN)... remember the Texan who didn't choose either girl and was so beaten up for it?  I, of course, will be watching, because I'm a faithful Bachelor fan.  Other than the Office, it's the only show I watch religiously.  Because when it comes down to it, by the end of the day I just want to clean the house, check my email & blog list, and be with my husband.  I hate how TV makes the evening fly by. 

Totally unrelated subject, but Jax walked over to Emerson today and patted her head, then her back.  Cutest thing I've ever seen.  He's a lover, that one.