Bob the builder who?

Lowe's does "build it" once a month. Once a month kids go for free and build something different. This month it was a time capsule. I took Abby yesterday morning. Next month is going to be a jewelry box. She LOVED this!

Out of country...leave a message!

Ohhhhhhh yes, Marteel is going to brave another part of the world. I don't have an exact date yet but, end of February/ early March we are heading to Korea AND Japan! Let me rephrase, we are heading to Korea and then I am heading to Japan!! :) My best friend Jenny has been there 2 years now!! It's like a 2 hour plane ride from Korea. I can't WAIT to see her! Anywho, I'm very excited to say the least. China, Japan, and Korea are quite interesting places. If I was single I would live all over the world, but I'll settle for visiting. The only downfall is I will be doing this in 7 days! The flight to Korea alone is 24 hours (23 coming back). It's going to be a bit brutal on the old body. On TOP of that...I'm taking a 5 year old. Yep. 5.......for 24 hours. I couldn't imagine not taking her, she's old enough now that she will remember going. I plan to take many trips like this with her as she gets older, this is a good start. Can we say...Benadryl? HA!

Things on the home front are good. Abby appears to be coming out of this god awful year long phase she's been in. :) I didn't experience terrible 2's & 3's, I experienced terrible 4's!! I took her back to work with me today after I picked her up from school and the place practically shut down. She was dressed in her school uniform (which is always cute to see) and it conveniently has a pocket for her to store her pink bonne bell chapstick, which she promptly reapplied after every "Marteel she is SO adorable". She's matter of fact like me, and that floors people for some reason. LMAO! Little things people notice that I don't I guess. People also are in awe when they ask how old she is, she says 5, she doesn't hold up her whole hand. Some people are entertained easily. LOL Of course "I" think she's brilliant..she's MINE! They got to see her write her alphabet and numbers because they couldn't wait to get her pen and paper. She also drew pictures for 3 of them per their request. They got a big kick out of her. I'm totally the favorite now because I have the cute daughter. =)

That's all for now. I can't wait to see you Jenny!

Abby's birthday party..come and gone

Well, I think it's safe to say this is the last one we do somewhere for awhile. Of course I say that now. It went well she had a TON of fun, and the kids that did show up had fun too, so it was worth it. I could never be an event planner. I get way too irritated with people who RSVP and don't show, or people who don't RSVP and show up. 5 kids didn't show. Two of them are Abby's best friends but in their defense they were out of state and didn't leave as early as planned.

The place was cool for letting out energy. The food was ick, and the little "helper" wasn't so great with the "helping", and no I'm not referring to Phillip but, he was right up there with her in the beginning. LOL There's no way I could do a big wedding either, or one at all actually. I have no patience for that type of stuff.

Anywho. We got her an Ipod shuffle and a bicycle. She rode her bike bundled up in the cold ALL morning. I downloaded Hannah Montana and Jo Bros, and The Killers (yes she likes them, just like mommy) to her Ipod and she jammed out too. LOL I think next year we will just do something at the house. All in all it was good.

We're going to Mardi Gras in February in Shreveport, that should be fun this year. She's old enough to hollar and work for her own beads! Lots of pros to them getting older, but I still miss the babies!

7 Random facts

Amanda,
I'm kind of a boring person, there are no interesting facts about me. Nevertheless here I go:

1) As a young girl I was actually VERY girly but still a tomboy, sweet, trusting, and I had an imaginary friend named CoCo Reigns. He was a clown, and he looked much like BOZO. (sorry no fancy picture)

2) I was born in San Antonio, Tx but raised in Pleasanton, Tx which is a small town much like Wink

3) I really really wanted to be an astronaut

4) I, like Kate and Amanda, also wait until the gas light comes on before I get gas (must be a woman thing)

5) I squeeze the toothpaste in the middle on purpose

6) Sometimes I stutter when I can't get my mind to slow down enough for me to speak a complete thought

7) I wanted to be a writer

Close of the year

Not much happening here. We had a good Christmas! Abby got TONS of make-up and dress up clothes. Christmas day was very relaxing for us. Phillip and I cooked steak and eggs for breakfast, Abby played her heart out all day. She ended up going to our neighbors the last part of the day. I proceeded to watch House marathon. I was off Wednesday-Friday, it was GREAT! Saturday we did Christmas with the whole family. My brother's wifes family, and ours. Typically that doesn't go over well with most people but, Amanda has a very nice family and I think we all exist pretty well together. Now, had that been MY in-laws.........well we'll leave that alone.:)

Amanda got me my letters I've been wanting. I've been looking for KIM forever, every time I go to any store they don't have all three. She got me some really pretty ones, I love them! I already hung them up.

The job is going well, I consistently make the other two women look bad because I'm always done with my work and offering to help them do theirs. They don't like that too much. The office manager is starting to ride them pretty hard about why they are getting over time. Whoops. Other than that, all is well.

My baby is going to be 5, yes 5 in 2 days!!! I've been grieving my baby for a couple of years now. I have accepted I will never get kisses blown on my face, or see that big toothy grin, or hear her first word (ut-oh) again. =( I also realize I am watching something amazing, and that is my baby growing and learning and watching the world in awe. She dances like a stripper and that gives her much joy. ROFL She likes to hear herself talk, and she likes to be authoritive. I have no idea where she got either of those traits. ;) She is a girly girl if there ever was one. I don't think I will be the one taking her to her first day of school. I'm pretty sure I'm going to have an all out break down.

For all of you with big kids or babies, remember their face as it is today, and their laugh, and the hugs they willingly accept, and lock it away... because the pictures don't do justice. For those of you who don't have children yet, there are no words. You think you know what it is to be in love now, but you wait. Being a mom is the most irritating, frustrating, painful, scary, and the most rewarding thing I've ever done.

I'm going to go to my room and cry like a big sissy now. Happy 2009!

How lame is your life LMAO

I'm such a thief. I did the things in bold.

1. Started your own blog. obviously
2. Slept under the stars. yes, but it wasn't as glamorous as it sounds
3. Played in a band.
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower.
6. Given more than you can afford to charity.
7. Been to Disneyland/world. we took Abby
8. Climbed a mountain.
9. Held a praying mantis.
10. Sang a solo.
11. Bungee jumped.
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea.
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch.
15. Adopted a child.
16. Had food poisoning. Once.
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty.
18. Grown your own vegetables.
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France.
20. Slept on an overnight train.
21. Had a pillow fight.
22. Hitch hiked. - I won't elaborate
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill.
24. Built a snow fort.
25. Held a lamb.
26. Gone skinny dipping.
27. Run a Marathon.
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice.
29. Seen a total eclipse.
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset.
31. Hit a home run.
32. Been on a cruise.
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person.
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors. -
35. Seen an Amish community.
36. Taught yourself a new language. I don't speak it fluently though
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied.
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person.
39. Gone rock climbing.
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David.
41. Sung karaoke. ahhh too much of this
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant more like bought a homeless man food
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight. yes actually, long time ago
46. Been transported in an ambulance.
47. Had your portrait painted.
48. Gone deep sea fishing.
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling.
52. Kissed in the rain. Yes
53. Played in the mud. yep
54. Gone to a drive-in theater.
55. Been in a movie.
56. Visited the Great Wall of China.
57. Started a business. I did, and dropped the ball
58. Taken a martial arts class.
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies.
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason.
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving..
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp-I want to!!
67. Bounced a check.
68. Flown in a helicopter.
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy.
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial.
71. Eaten Caviar.
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job.
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone.
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle.
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person.
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car.
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper.
85. Read the entire Bible.
86. Visited the White House.-seen it, tours weren't going that day
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating.- I helped, went hunting with friends once
88. Had chickenpox. Yes
89. Saved someone’s life.-too long of a story to type out, but I didn't do it alone
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous. lots of sports guys
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one.
94. Had a baby.
95. Seen the Alamo in person.
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit.
98. Owned a cell phone.
99. Been stung by a bee.

Update on the job front

Things are going better. I'm starting to loosen up a bit more and some of these people do NOT know what to think. As we all know I'm one of those people that goes around saying random things. My favorite thing to do is when I see two people talking, walk past them and say "stop talking about me". LMAO You should see the reaction I get out of some of them. I sing songs that are inappropriate, and sometimes I sing appropriate songs but completely off key. One of the ladies I work with says my personality is over dramatic, I prefer animated. lol

It turns out my doctor has the most high maintenance patients out of the 3. I work quickly and I'm starting to anticipate what he needs. The volume of his voice is becoming a problem. I find myself trying to figure what he said when he walks off because I don't want to make him repeat it 4 times. I don't hear well, and he talks low, not a good combination. Not only does he talk low, he says everything in the same pitch. Bueller...Bueller. Ive been wondering if maybe I should have just stayed at my old job. I like where I'm at but, I think I'm realizing it will all get boring and unchallenging soon. He pays me well, but I feel a request for a raise coming when my 90 days is up. Don't worry, I've done that at all of my jobs. I go in at a moderate amount, prove myself, and then get what I deserve for doing the job.;)

The whole economy situation is becoming a little nervewracking means as our bread and butter comes from a CAR DEALERSHIP! Volkswagen is doing pretty well, Audi....not so much. Recession/Depression, neither are good and it doesn't look like it will get better anytime soon. If you see me on the corner of Harry Hines, throw a buck my way will ya?