Donkey and The Limited pants

I'm at a loss for what to post because I'm really thinking there will be house news soon, so I'm anxiously waiting to show some progress pictures.

Tonight, I was going through my old pictures, and found this. I just thought it was funny....Mainly because, well, it's a donkey. It looks like we were buddies.

 I don't remember this and have no clue where I am and why there was a donkey there, but I like him/her. 

Anyway, let's hope for a house update next time, because it has come to posts about donkey's. sorry.

Oh, tonight I got pants from the Limited (gosh, another piece of useless info). I just wanted to share because it's buy 1 get the 2nd 50% off. So, that's great news for any Limited pants wearers. I am definitely a Drew Fit pants person. I have a hard time with pants. They seriously need to make some for muffin top prone people; that'd be awesome. 

That's it. Wow, best post EVER.

Good weekend, sleepy Monday

 This past weekend was a lot of fun. We went out to Somerville for the whole weekend, even Sunday night. The house is probably 90% finished with electrical, so hopefully in the next few weeks, there will be some more progress pictures (as we get insulation and walls).

So, Friday we celebrated Jamie's graduation at Shogun. It was a lot of fun. Matt and I got WAY too much sushi, but then were able to polish it all off for the most part. We always over order when it's sushi. Then, Saturday I woke up at 6:30 and went to run a 5K (Youth Villages 5K) with Carrie, Julie, Jill, and Laura Beth. I had such a good time! I was laughing most of the time, and really the run wasn't that bad. Then, we had lunch at Panera Bread (yummm). Saturday afternoon I spent some time at the house, trying to walk through it to see if we've forgotten any place we might need a light or outlet. Saturday night, Lamie, Dashley, Joe/Amy, Matt and I cooked out at my parents' house while they were out of town in Charleston. We had an assortment of food, and it was perfect weather for cooking on the grill. Then we went over to my brother and Erin's to hang out for a little while.
Sunday we had church. I'm so excited because our church has started a young adults Sunday school class. Because our church is pretty small, it includes ages 20-40. We have been having such a good time, and it's been such a blessing to be back in Sunday school again. After church we did our usual Papa's Pizza glutton fest. I can't control myself at the pizza buffet. I'm pretty sure I took almost a 4 hour nap after that. Once I got up, I was sad to have missed so much of the beautiful day, so I went on a really long walk.
Sunday night, Matt, David, Erin, Harrison and I cooked out again. I think Erin and I made a meal off of the dips (spinach, cheese, guacamole, and goat cheese spread). We admitted we'd do that over meat any day. Harrison was a little character. I had him playing air guitar and drums and he was just laughing away. He's so much fun.
So, with such a wonderful weekend, I've been sleepy for this Monday. It was also the first non-sunny day in a while, and now that I have a 'view' at work (i moved cubicles and now can see outside, ha), it caused me to realize how groggy it was outside, so that encouraged my need for sleep.
Now, I'm hanging out on the couch. Matt already went to bed, so Larry and I are holding it down watching Amityville Horror (sorta...if i really watched it, I'd get all freaked out, so I"m half watching).

Congrats on the graduation!

Gearing up for the race!

All together!

Harrison is doing some laughing

Larry doing his normal thing

what's so funny?!

So, lately, I've just been laughing all the time. It's a good thing, and reminds me of being younger, but I can't explain it. I've always been one to over-laugh at a joke, or mentally re-visit the joke and start laughing for no reason, but for the most part, especially since I began working, I've had much more composure. Not lately. I'll be in the middle of a meeting, and I'm seriously bursting blood vessels in my head to try and keep my laughing inside. What's so funny? I have no idea. It could be anything, and it just sets me off into a mental and sometimes outward laughing fit. A few days ago I just had to walk away from a co-worker's cubicle because I was laughing and really couldn't explain why.
I mean, I know why sometimes, but it's the length of time that I think it's funny that has been extended, as well as the frequency of me getting these flashbacks to something funny during inappropriate times....like during quiet time (I call that the after lunch time when everyone is full and tired), or like I said during meetings, or even during a one on one conversation. I notice it more at work, because in social situations or at home I can just laugh and it's not really thought of as strange compared to during a conversation at work about work. Anyway, I don't really mind it. It's fun, and I enjoy it, I just hope people can give me a break. I've always looked for funny stuff. Growing up SNL was something I couldn't wait for each Saturday, and that type of humor really gets me going to the point I can't breathe...poor Matt can agree...tonight an SNL special was on and I was laughing way too loudly...like maybe to the point of sounding like an animal. Then, Wally comes running and jumps in my lap probably thinking I'm dying. Anyway, here's to laugher for no good reason. There's really nothing wrong with that.

work

I had to write about this because it's not often I'm compelled to make work the topic of the day after I've been there for hours of the day...but today, I just feel thankful. I mean, granted, tomorrow I could walk into a mad house (which is sorta fun, too), but right now and really overall, I am just really thankful to have a place to work. I can't complain about my co-workers, I get to eat lunch in the 'break pad,' the company seems to have actually held on to ethics and morals, I admire our executives, and my day to day really isn't bad. I get to be challenged daily, I'm forced to use math which was never (in my mind) a strength of mine, I'm surrounded by good people, and hey, I even get to do a cheer. How fun is that:)?
It's so funny because when I was in statistics class in college all I could think is, "i'll NEVER use this again." Well, not until I found out that running regressions actually happens in the workplace. yeah. crazy. I don't really work with statistics as much as I did when I was a statistical analyst (hmmm, duh), but I learned a lot, then. Also, when I was young I used to always pretend I was running a business, usually a clothing store, and I'd do monopoly money transactions and keep a ledger showing all my sales for the day. It's fun to see the 'business world' first hand, now, from the store level to the top.  There's so much that goes into it. At times, I would struggle to find 'meaning' in my work, but it's the people at the end of the day. Not only the people I work with directly, but the people in our stores, and the people who take time to write thank you notes to the corporate office to praise an AutoZoner for helping them install a battery in the pouring rain, or who diagnosed a problem with their car and even went to the length of drawing out a map to show the person how to get to where they were going since they were lost when the car broke down. To me that's a big part of the meaning in my work, and I'm happy to be part of such an organization that is threaded with this type of 'family' feeling and selfless support. ....so,  today I just wanted to say thanks to the ole job. I never thought an autoparts retailer would add so much to my life, but while far from my predictions prior to entering the 'real world', it has.

First day.....c'mon, I had just woken up. Thanks, Nina.

                  Some food raised for our Operation Feed for the Food Bank. I got to be team captain this year, and I was excited about the food we were collecting.

Not sure on the face. I was happy, I promise.

I'm all over the place in this one

I haven't updated in a while, but the house is coming along (how many times will I say that?). There's not much to update on. I know things are getting done, but it's not something you can capture in pictures. It's mostly wiring, HVAC is in, and plumbing is in (holes in the floor/ceiling). I THINK we're almost to the next phase of insulation and walls coming back up, yay.

Matt and I recently took a trip to Europe and visited Germany, Austria, and Italy. It was so much fun. We had a great time taking in the culture, the food, and the sites. I came back and walked into work and was like, "yeah, try to stress me out....see?...you can't." I will probably eat those words, but so far I've remained so much less stressed about stuff. Before we left, I had gotten myself all worked up, and everything was so earth shattering, but right now, I feel peaceful, and it's nice. Well, sorta, I mean I still worry about stupid stuff, but at work, I can just take each task and get it done rather than stressing.

Anyway, tonight Matt is away in Phoenix for work. Usually I'm the one who is gone for a day or two, or even a full week for work, or something, so this is really maybe the first (or one of the first) time that I'm hanging at the homestead by myself. It's weird. I went shopping earlier, and did a Target run. I knew that'd make for a good night. Then, I came home to Wally being outside when I was certain I left her inside. So, here starts the freak out mode that Memphis news sometimes drives me to, and now I'm scared thinking the house is open. Well, I come in and the alarm goes off, so that should be comforting, right? No. I have to go get my weenie girl gun and clear the house, lock the doors, and turn on the alarm. Then I proceed to be sure the gun, phones, and keys are by me every where I go in the house. Wild, I know. But, listen, I'm not like crazy gun girl. I mean, I don't want to use the gun on an intruder, but if you watch the news, well once, you'll see why I keep the gun. Yeah, statistically, I'll probably be killed by my own gun, but I'd like to know I have a gun if an intruder comes in with one. I mean, that's fair, right?
Dinner was great. I picked up pasta florentine from Target, so as I started to make that, I decided to eat a tomato and avocado. Fatty. I then ate just about all of the pasta by myself. Reason # million why Matt shouldn't leave me to the house alone. Larry helped me eat some. I've gotten some clothes washed, but for the most part I've talked on the phone to my good friend Jane Marie, watched the Office, ate everything I could find, and am sitting on the couch. I'm really not sitting paranoid as it sounds, I'm sure, but I always get a little uneasy when I'm home alone. I just think of the crazy news and that's all it takes to get me going.

Hopefully, there will be some pictures of the house that show the progress, but for now, I'll put a few of my recent favorites.

Innsbruck, Austria

I went to school at the University of Innsbruck for 6 weeks the summer before my Junior year in college. It's such a beautiful town, and I was so happy to get to go back.

This was priceless. Oh, Harrison, you're such a blessing.

I know this is nasty and so very unattractive, but I was sorta proud of my skiing injury. We went skiing in Innsbruck, and it was such an experience. First of all for the beautiful views, but a few things went a little crazy, including me. First, I'm exhausted and jet lagged and then try to exert myself...bad idea already. Well, we are so pumped, and just start out and end up on a black. It was so hard. I hadn't skied in years, so I fall all over the place, and this bruise was one result. Then, I lost my glove (borrowed glove, so I feel so bad), but I got it back. Well, it fell right in front of the lift office, and they were like "yeah you can ski in front of it and get it." Okay, no. First step I take on that steep slope I'm up to my waist and stuck in snow. I sorta panic, and then grab a conveniently nearby snowmobile to get my balance and pull myself out. Then, Matt's like "i can get over there." No. Did you not see me bury in the snow just then? So, here comes crazy time...I start bawling and begging him not to go. I can just imagine me trying to communicate that my husband is buried in the snow. That doesn't work too well when I don't speak German. Ohhhh, gosh. So he doesn't go, and we go back to the lodge, and i get some much needed water. Matt gets a beer (he deserved that fo sho). Then, we realize Matt has lost his lift ticket, then later realize he has lost his Avery cap. Oh, and both of our noses bled. Mine never does, so it was weird. Anyway, even with all of that, it was such a great and fun time! So very beautiful up there. I blame the altitude for all of the craziness.

Touching the Coliseum. "What we do in life--echoes in eternity." Yeah, that's right, I just quoted the Gladiator. Sorry, history, you have been replaced in my mind with movies. Every time the lady on the audio guide we carried around The Coliseum talked about something, we made connections to the Gladiator---"yeah, like in the Gladiator when those tigers come out from the floor, that's what was kept under there...now I see." 

This picture is just in honor of the good weather lately.

This little (big) boy had a birthday while we were gone. Happy 8th birthday Will!

Old, old picture, but this is Jane Marie...who I talked to forever tonight. I miss this girl.