For Granted

Recently in honor of Hubby's 40th birthday, he was blessed with a hernia. Oh boy! A quick visit to the doctor and an appointment for surgery was made. They couldn't get his surgery scheduled until almost one o'clock. He had to go a very long time without eating. Poor Hubby.

Hubby and I were overwhelmed with comfort and peace when Dr. C prayed with us before the surgery. It was even the good doctor's suggestion. 

Surgery went well. It was over in an hour flat. When he was finally rolled back into our room, I was really glad to see him! Then we were on the road to recovering. Oh boy!

After we got home that night it didn't take long for my mind to wander and think about all of the things I take for granted when he's in tip top shape.

For instance:
1. His chipper personality. He's always in rare form. He makes me laugh, and smile all of the time. It was hard to see him in pain and groggy and very uncomfortable.
2. I took for granted that he does the dishes after I cook. I haven't done so much cooking AND cleaning in my life!
3. His going to work everyday. We've had A LOT of quality time together. Alone time can be good at times.
4. Sleep. I feel bad that he can't sleep through the night. When he's up, usually I'm up.
5. I took for granted every time he did the floors. I hate cleaning the floors. They are my kryptonite.
6. I took for granted all of the tickling I have dished out to him. I haven't been able to tickle or harass him in a week. It pains me! I have to keep my hands to myself. I've been harassing the dog more than usual.
7. I took for granted sex. D'UH! Enough said.

Hopefully my time with a maimed man is coming to a close. The recovery has taken longer than we had hoped. But,  I'm thankful that each day brings Hubby a little more comfort. A little more sleep at night. A little bit closer to "back to normal".

♥

Forty is Fabulous!

Today I get to celebrate Hubby's 40th birthday! This has been a long time coming and I am one thrilled woman. You see, I've seen the back side of forty for a few years now. It's wonderful! Now I get to share it with him.

Here are forty reasons why I love him and wishes for his special day.

1.  He loves God. With everything he has, he loves God.
2.  I am the luckiest woman in the world to call him Hubby.
3.  He is wise beyond his years.
4.  There is no one else that makes me laugh like him.
5.  At times he has the patience of Job.
6.  He doesn't anger quickly.
7.  He is incredibly loyal, to family, friends and even his job.
8.  He gets better looking as he gets older. No fair!
9.  He is a prime example of how first impressions can be completely wrong!
10. I am grateful he puts up with all of my shenanigans.
11. I'm pretty sure it's on his bucket list to read every single religious/political book out there.
12. He loves our daughters to the moon and beyond. They love him as much in return.
13. By no means is he a handyman around the house, but that's ok.
14. We complement each other very well.
15. If I am down, he never gives up trying to bring me up.
16. Have I mentioned how handsome he is?
17. He does his own laundry!
18. He rocks a pair of eyeglasses now. Ha!
19. He is a true asset to his company.
20. He makes sure we have "us" time.  
21. He's no stranger to the gym. He takes care of himself.
22. My hope is that his faith will never waiver. In himself. In God. In life.
23. How I love that he's the go-to guy when it comes to my fifth grader's homework.
24. He's a clean freak just as much as I am.
25. My wish is that he stays as easy going as has always been.
26. How I love his strong shoulders. They have carried our girls miles and miles.
27. He's like a kid in a candy store when he's playing with the dog.
28. I hope that he'll always carry that playful spirit with our kids without losing his calming influence.
29. He walks daily in the awe-inspiring glory of God's love.
30. He's a wonderful provider. Not just in the financial sense, but in the emotional and mental sense as well. 
31. My kids say they love their daddy because, "He's sweet. He's my daddy".
32. Forty isn't all that bad. It sure beats the alternative and it's not the end of the world.
33. He's the best friend anybody could ask for.
34. He's a solid sounding board for all of my worries, concerns and stories.
35. Forty years and he seems to be mellowing more and more.
36. I have been blessed to call him Hubby for almost 14 years. It gets better and better.
37. I hope as the days go by it continues to get better and better with age. We go together and we grow together.
38. He's kind with his words and actions.
39. I love how he loves to learn.
40. Hello? He's just the most handsome forty year old around!

My husband is now forty years old. This is what I want your birthday to usher in for the year ahead for you-

B - Blessings so that all your endeavors are successful
I - Inspiration to do beautiful things in life
R - Reassurance in times of being low
T - Tolerance for both happy and sad times
H - Happiness all year round
D - Daring to go in unfamiliar areas where other people haven't ventured
A - Admiration that other people will harbor for you because of your deeds
Y - 'Yes, yes, yes', a zest for everything positive in life

XOXO and Happy Birthday to my wonderful Hubby!

Road Trippin'

The day after Christmas Hubby and I took to the open road. It was something planned a little last minute. We planned to go to Hot Springs, AR and have some rest and relaxation. Kid free style!

The first day we took our time just casually working our way out the door. Then it was almost lunchtime by the time we thought we were ready so we decided to eat lunch at home then hit the road. Besides, lunch at home was already paid for. One less meal to buy!

After five hours in the car*. We hit our destination. We had a reservation at The Arlington. This is how I would describe our stay at The Arlington: every seen the movie The Shining? It's pretty close to that. The bed was way too soft. The walls WAY too thin. And breakfast took too long. Eh.

 

It's in a cute enough little town. But everything within walking distance closes before dinner time. We managed to squeeze in a little hiking at the state park right across the street. As well as a bath and massage.  

The bathhouse was a little different experience than the time we were there over 10 years ago. The last time I was allowed a towel to place around me for modesty. Modesty is my friend. I wasn't so lucky this time. Then came time for the massage. I felt like I was being brutalized. I enjoyed the result, but not the process.

We went for a little outdoor excursion at a place called Garvan Gardens. Their web site boasted of millions of holiday lights and I knew there was a chapel there I wanted to see in person.

It was definitely a cold night, but nothing that a little hot chocolate couldn't fix. Topped off with some halfway decent tex-mex for dinner. At first I would say that Garvan Gardens has nothing on the Dallas Arboretum. I'm not sure that anything can come close to that unless you go to Victoria, British Columbia. The thing that just makes Garvan Gardens is the true and simple beauty of Anthony Chapel.

This chapel is absolutely gorgeous. It's made from wood beams and glass. I'm sure in the daytime it's even more beautiful, but even at night it was outstanding.

The drive to the gardens was a little nerve racking. The state of Arkansas hardly believes in roadside lighting and roads that are more than two lanes in width.

At the last minute we decided to extend our trip one night and head to Little Rock. I wanted to see the River Market and the Clinton Library. Hubby had already seen it on a guys trip several years ago. How odd is it that on my bucket list is to visit each and every presidential library? Hubby has definitely rubbed off on me. The River Market wasn't much of a market and the library was a bunch of fluff.  I'll just be blunt and say that Clinton wasn't necessarily one of my favorite presidents. A liberal president never will be. But the building is unique and the a walk across the bridge was called for.

Chalk up this road trip to a lot of quality time with Hubby. Much needed. I laughed so hard I thought my sides would split open. Hubby had me in stitches. He's my best friend. We can talk about anything and I don't feel like I'm being judged for what I'm feeling or thinking. He's my sounding board.

I think if we ever want to do the "spa" experience again I think we may just stay somewhere around Dallas. Arkansas aint all that. It's not even the bag of chips.


*Sometimes it didn't seem that long. Sometimes it seemed longer.

The Hall Pass Has Departed

During the week of the 4th of July, Hubby was on vacation*. After we got our oldest off to her first church camp we were free to stay up late and sleep in just as late. Movies were on the schedule as well. On the menu was what we like to call a "stupid funny"** movie and an alleged crime "thriller". 

The first movie that we scratched off of our list was Hall Pass. We knew going in that it was about two married couples and that the men get a week off of marriage. We hardly found any humor in this one. One couple ended up crossing the line physically and the other crossed the line emotionally. There was also a seen where Owen Wilson is at a fitness club and he falls asleep in the whirlpool. His character starts slipping into the whirlpool, and two men come to his rescue to pull him out of the whirlpool. NAKED. Full frontal. One of the two men was black. The other white. The movie puts in your face*** the stereotype of the black man's member and then the stereotype of the white man's member. It also didn't help that the hair and makeup people did their best to make Owen Wilson look so unbelievably unattractive. He was H.O.T. in Behind Enemy Lines! What more should we expect from the same people who directed There's Something About Mary and Dumb and Dumber. 

The next movie that we knocked off the list was The Departed. It was directed by Martin Scorsese and nominated for several Academy Awards.  Most outlets describe it as a crime thriller. I describe it as very stressful and just plain awful. The movie was apparently inspired**** by the time that James "Whitey" Bulger served as leader of the Winter Hill gang in Boston, Massachusetts. It was a tale of a crooked cop whose paycheck was being supplemented by the crime boss, and another cop trying to infiltrate the crime organization to bring it down. Of course with mob mentality there was more than enough bloodshed. The kind brought about by shooting people in the head. There was more fake brain matter than I care to think of and see. 

I want my time back from both of those movies*****.  I sometimes wish that I could open the top of my head and pour bleach in to erase any memory of those movies. Where are the good movies? I want good, silly humor without nudity. I would love to see a true "thriller" movie without all of the gore. Did I say already that I want my time back???

*Yeah! 

**Mindless humor 

***and Owen Wilson's face

****There's nothing inspiring about this film

*****I'm pretty sure Hubby feels the same

Caviar and Donuts

Let me tell you, an anniversary is worth celebrating! It's worth acknowledging all that you have gone through in the last year, and all that you look forward to in the future. It's a wonderful time away from the kids, to remind ourselves that we are husband and wife before we are mom and dad. Last but not least, it was a great excuse to bring out the gorgeous Ralph Lauren one shoulder navy dress* out of the closet!

We started out going to dinner at one of our favorite restaurants. It's probably overpriced to many, but for one special night out of the year it's worth it. Hubby had called ahead and made our reservation and mentioned that it was our anniversary. As we were seated, our hostess scattered rose petals across the table.

After we had ordered our meal, the waiter had brought out a small plate of caviar with embellishments. Compliments of the staff. Hubby and I were in awe. We had never tried caviar before, so we had no idea what we were in for. We took one for the team and tried it. It was the closest to a fishy taste without the texture. I like fish, but I want the texture when I eat something fishy. 

When we got our main coarse, it was one of the most perfect steaks I've ever had. Who do I have to pay to teach me how to make a steak this good? I want to know the secrets!! I savored every wonderful bite. 

At the end we knew that we shouldn't, but how could we pass up dessert on our one night at one of the best restaurants in town? But we didn't pick one of the traditional desserts on the menu. We actually picked cinnamon sugar donuts with warm chocolate sauce and whipped cream. I've never had a donut like this. 

In our Saturday night finest we've started the meal with caviar and ended it with donuts. How romantic! It was  a wonderful atmosphere, great food and terrific company!

When we were done with dinner the subject of what to do next popped up. We thought about going to the movie or going to hang out at the bookstore. Hhmm....then Reunion Tower popped into my brain. I thought it would be fun to go to the top of the tower and see the wonderful city and watch the sun go down. Wolfgang Puck has a restaurant at the top of the tower called Wolfgang Puck's 560. It's named 560 because it's 560 feet up in the air. We had no room left for any more food, so we hung out in the bar and watched the city go from early dusk to night time. It's really unique at 560 because the floor rotates, very gently and slowly. It takes about an hour to turn completely around and see the wonderful city. 

Our next night out, it's a shoe in that we'll make reservations for 560. Hubby and I look forward to spending a nice dinner time out with this gorgeous view. 

*awesome purchase for $45 from refinestyle.com, brand new with the tags still on it. 

Thirteen

It is considered to be bad luck by many in the Western culture to dine with 13 people at the table.

This may be because of the Last Supper - Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve disciples betrayed Jesus.


The card deck includes 13 hearts, 13 spades, 13 squares, 13 clubs


Benjamin Franklin
Virtues:

1. TEMPERANCE.	Eat not to dullness; drink not to elevation.
2. SILENCE.	Speak not but what may benefit others or yourself; avoid trifling conversation.
3. ORDER.	Let all your things have their places; let each part of your business have its time.
4. RESOLUTION.	Resolve to perform what you ought; perform without fail what you resolve.
5. FRUGALITY.	Make no expense but to do good to others or yourself; i.e., waste nothing.
6. INDUSTRY.	Lose no time; be always employ'd in something useful; cut off all unnecessary actions.
7. SINCERITY.	Use no hurtful deceit; think innocently and justly, and, if you speak, speak accordingly.
8. JUSTICE.	Wrong none by doing injuries, or omitting the benefits that are your duty.
9. MODERATION.	Avoid extreams; forbear resenting injuries so much as you think they deserve.
10.CLEANLINESS.	Tolerate no uncleanliness in body, cloaths, or habitation.
11.TRANQUILLITY.	Be not disturbed at trifles, or at accidents common or unavoidable.
12. CHASTITY.	Rarely use venery but for health or offspring, never to dulness, weakness, or the injury of your own or another's peace or reputation.
13. HUMILITY.	Imitate Jesus and Socrates.

The fashionable Savoy Hotel in London, England does not take any chances. If you book a table for a party of thirteen, you will find that the table has been set for fourteen guests. Kasper, the black cat will be joining you for dinner. Kasper is the three foot sculpture cat that resides at the Savoy Hotel.

The business woman, Mary Kay Ash believed thirteen was a very lucky number. The company was founded Friday, September 13, 1963. The Mary Kay headquarters has thirteen floors and thirteen passenger elevators

Sometimes the number 13 is a bad thing. Sometimes a good thing. Chalk this one up under the good thirteen file. On May 16, I get to celebrate my thirteenth wedding anniversary. 

Thirteen years of growing. Growing together into a family. Growing in love. Growing older. 

Thirteen years of laughter. Silly, and sometimes stupid, jokes. 

Thirteen years of loving my best friend. Loving through all of the good, bad and the ugly. 


Thirteen years of not wanting to be apart if I don't have to be. 


Thirteen years of not being able to stay mad very long at the man I love. We've worked through lots of things and I look forward to working through what we haven't yet. 

Thirteen years of everyday life. More ups than downs. Together. I wouldn't trade it for anything or anyone.

Valentines Day and TV

Valentines day around my house is sort of an afterthought. It falls between my Hubby's birthday and my own, plus our youngest daughter's birthday is in the mix as well. I'm not complaining. Hubby shows me he loves me everyday.

My guilty pleasure is tv. Add on top of that, Valentines day themed tv shows. I love them. I hate them also. Love was everywhere we turned this last week on television. We saw everything from romantic, candlelit, overpriced dinners to hysterical role playing in hotel rooms.

Don't forget the gifts. There were balloon bouquets, Harley Davidson motorcycles and pricey diamond necklaces and earrings. These gifts were exchanged by what seems like such 'normal' people. People that would possibly be in the same social and financial stratus that Hubby and I would be in. Apparently they're in the next one up.

At the end of one episode that we watched, this one couple had dinner at a bar/restaurant that was closed to everyone else but the two of them. There were mylar decorations and crystal looking drops hanging from thne ceiling. Of course some indy recording artist comes out from behind the curtain to serenade the couple. Yep! This is Valentines day according to Hollywood.

If only! Then I said something to Hubby and realized that I probably just made him feel so small. I had compared what was happening on tv, the epitome of escape to my real life, one of a kind, true love.

It was fun to run away for a little while and laugh and say out loud, "Awww" at the lovey dovey, squishy moments scripted on tv. But, any day of the week I'll take my real life Hubby and his sincere love notes above just about anything over priced that doesn't mean a thing.

Valentines day is what we make it. I don't have to have some artist serenading me to make it a great and worthy Valentines. Although, if he were to try diamonds some year, I probably wouldn't pass them up! It doesn't have to be February 14th each year. It can be any day I want it to be in my heart.

I'll leave the gifted Harley Davidson motorcycles and screwed up hotel rooms with silly role playing to the actors. It does make for some laugh out loud moments!

You Had To Be There

After church on Sunday, Hubby and I were with the kids eating at a little fast food type place that only serves chicken. Fried or roasted. Yum Yum. We really only went there because our oldest daughter wanted to see who won the ginormous Christmas stocking they were giving away back at Christmas. Of course the worker didn't remember who won it. But oldest daughter was just fascinated by the whole idea of it and so we had to finally put her at ease. 

As we were enjoying our delicious lunch Hubby had mentioned that the chicken would be just as good if it were cold. We love cold chicken. It does taste just as good if not better. Hubby blurted out, "We could open a restaurant that serves cold chicken. We could call it 'Cold Cock". 

Hhhmmm...it was funnier in person. Guess you had to be there. =)

He May Not Want To, But I Know He Can!

Last Thursday was a day of many things around here. It was yet another visit for me at the dentist office with sedation! Ugh!! I wasn't even able to enjoy the Valium coated haze that lay before me. Coherency during one of these visits is a major biotch!! 

Hubby dropped me off at the dentist at 9am sharp. There was time for me to sit in an awfully cold faux leather dentist chair, with apparently a new dental assistant who didn't say a word. She (and I) was just waiting for my favorite dental hygienist to have her chair free so we could all get started. One of the many reasons S is my favorite is because of her bedside manor. She offered the warmed up neck pillow and a blanket to boot. She gets that it's nothing personal, but she tries and makes me as comfortable as possible. After I was taken care of Hubby was off to play Mr. Mom. 

Thursday was also payday. For us that means a run to the bank and getting our budget in order for the next two weeks. Once the cash runs out, the spending is over. 

Next, our youngest was VIP for the week in Kindergarten. On that specific day we had to provide a snack for the class with the letter of the week (H) in the name. Good luck Hubby! I just told him to get the chewy chocolate chip fiber bars and that'd be fine. He got them up to the school in plenty of time. 

After getting me home to go to bed he had a reprieve. For a little while. He got to watch a couple of episodes of Dr. Who then it was time to get the kids. I had told the girls at least three times before school that daddy was doing pick up duty that afternoon. He had gone to get them in the car because it was below freezing. Do you think they were there? NOPE! Hubby had a minor heart attack because the two children that had been told to wait for daddy - didn't. 

Soon after school is over on Thursdays comes swim class. It's time to tackle the bathing suits and getting towels together with goggles in tow. With bags filled with dry clothes to change into they were off and on time. With both kids out of class by 5 o'clock the question of dinner arises. So, it's off to Little Caesar's to bring home some very inexpensive, but awfully convenient pizza for dinner. 

Dinner came and went in a flash and it was time to shower the chlorine out of the kids. Once cleaned up and in pajama's it's bedtime. It's been a busy day. 

By 8:30 Hubby was asleep. I had been sleeping for half of the day, so I was almost wide awake. He stepped up to the plate. Not that I didn't think he could. He was Hubby, mommy AND daddy. He didn't complain. Not once. 

Although I may need reminders once in a while, he is a wonderful man. I am very lucky that I have him for my husband. I appreciate all that he does and everything he is. He is filled with a very giving and loving spirit. There will never be another who could fill those shoes. He may not ever want to trade jobs, but at least I know he can*. 

*Ha! Like that would ever happen. It's not like I want to go out to the real world either. 

Restore Personal Comfort

There's a new phrase that's hit our household. Hubby brought it home from work. I have to say it's pretty ingenious. It replaces: "taking a dump", "going to ponder" and all those other phrases we can think of that refer to bowel movements*. 

Now I hear, "Restore Personal Comfort". I think I like it. It doesn't bring to mind the imagery of the former phrases. Call me a prude. I don't want to know what you're doing in the loo. Just go. And come back.

*The phrases that just make us cringe. Or maybe just me. 

Hubby Needs to be a Plumber in His Next Life

Now that we've been in our house for a little over seven years now, there are still a few things in this house that need our special touch. One of them being our toilets. Ugly almond color doesn't even begin to describe my disdain for the toilets. It seems that Hubby is constantly making a trek to mecca* for a new flapper for any given toilet in the house. 

You can imagine my dismay when I was cleaning one of the bathrooms and trying to clean the floor under one of them and water dripped onto my wrist. For sure there were four letter expletives floating around in my head. The wood baseboard behind the toilet looked like it had taken on some water and warped a little. Uh oh. 

So, we called the plumber. It was almost a comedy of stereotypes about plumbers. He was around for half of the day. He went ahead and checked all of our toilets and did a little inspection of all house orifices. It turned out that the original toilet that we called him out for wasn't cracked. It was just a minor fix that ended up costing almost $1,000. Minor and $1,000 should not be going in the same sentence. I didn't even get a nice, new, bright white toilet out of this deal. He said, "This toilet is a keeper. The new toilets they make today are more trouble than their worth". 

I warned Hubby that the next time one of the toilets break, I'm taking a baseball bat to it.

*Home Depot

What He's Ruined

A few weeks ago one of my favorite people on this earth steered me toward one of my new favorite web sites. It has pictures of things that have been ruined by their children. Then, another web site came to follow. A web site that features pictures of things ruined by wonderful, well meaning husbands. This made me start reminiscing about my wonderful, well meaning husband and things that he has ruined. Unintentionally, none the less very funny now. 

1. Our bedroom carpet. When we were new homeowners and we had no children, Hubby would go through the house and spruce up the paint with touch ups. Constantly.It was cute. For a little while. The slightest little nick and he was there with brush and paint to fix it. One time when he was on spruce up duty Hubby had paint and brush in hand. Paint lid very absent from the can. He walks into the bedroom. It's nighttime outside. He didn't turn on the light. He walked right into my dresser and spilled paint all over the carpet. 

2. Fuel filler upper at the gas station. You know those pictures of cars driving off with the gas station gas hose still in the fuel tank of a car? Yep! That was him one morning. When he returned it, the gas station people were very understanding. They said, "It happens all the time". 

3. Our SUV. My car battery had completely lost juice and so we were going to get a jump from the other car. He has the SUV running. The fan is going full spead ahead. The first cable has contact. Woohoo! The second cable in his hand and about to make contact. I'm not sure if he was nervous or his hand wall sweaty from the 100 degree weather that day. But, the cable lost contact with his hand and fell into the MOVING fan. Things were flying everywhere in the garage. I was a few months pregnant with our second child, so I shut the door to the inside of the house and prayed he found cover. Finally, after the cable had no more stuff to throw around and it was completely wrapped around the fan my SVU was no more. That was by far, his most expensive mistake. 

4. This towel. I still have almost all of our towels that we got as wedding presents, thirteen years ago. They're in pretty good condition. One thing that Hubby and I gross out over is if the grout in the shower gets disgusting. We keep bleach in the bathroom to pour over the grout when it gets a little unsightly. I would rather just pour bleach on it, then be on my hands and knees scrubbing it with fumes that could bring on brain damage. After one of those times of pouring bleach, he steps out of the shower onto the floor. On the towel on the floor.

I now have his footprint immortalized. This by far is the least expensive and easiest to replace. 

In the moment we weren't laughing about any of those things ruined at the time. It takes a while before we can 

look back and laugh. And laugh we do, and laugh, and laugh.....

The Things I Love and I Am Grateful For

 The first three are meant to be in this order:

1. The grace that God has showered over me in my life. That Christ died for me.
2.  My husband. He is my best friend. My rock. My love.
3. My kids. The fun and excitement they bring to life. The roller coaster it is bringing them to adulthood.

The rest are not meant to be in any specific order:

4. Staying up late and sleeping in the next morning
5. The smell of coffee. I make a great cup of coffee, so my husband tells me. I love the smell, don't get the      taste.
6. Olives
7. My gardenia bush. I've had it for 5 years and I haven't killed it yet. It blooms!
8. Being over the age of 40.
9. Christmas. The spirit of the season is overwhelming.
10. Air conditioning. I live in Texas, need I say more?
11. Dresses. They are graceful. They are feminine. They are sexy. They distinguish the female body from the male. Done right, it leave something to the imagination.
12. Ice cream. Ever had Blue Bell's White Chocolate Almond?
13. Hosting people in my home.
14. Cupcakes. If you haven't tried them from Sugar Queen Cakes at Willow Bend, run now!
15. Being able to stay at home and be there for my husband and kids.
16. Skeleton keys. They hold a past to my favorite pieces of furniture from my grandmother.
17. The smell of a freshly painted room
18. Rainy days and nights. As long as I'm able to enjoy them at home.
19. Most get togethers with my extended family. One of my cousins has three kids that are fun to be with. My aunts are fun also. They are just funny being themselves.
20. Lip gloss. I happen to think I have great lips. Why not accentuate that?
21. Facials. For me, it's the ultimate in pampering.
22. Shopping. It's fun. It's necessary.
23. Living in a free country.
24. Fellowship with friends.
25. Old jewelry from my great grandmother. She was grace and elegance until the day she died.
26. My experiences. It has brought me to where I am today.
27. A clean house.
28. Dogs. They are playful. They are cute. They have so much more personality that lame cats.
29. Pringles. Just salty, bad for you goodness.
30. Nitrous oxide. It's the only way to get me through a dental appointment.
31. Tex-Mex
32. Weekends. Woohoo! Family time.
33. The bond that my kids share. Here's to stories of how weird their parents were after my husband and I   are gone.
34. The State Fair of Texas. What a fun time! People watching, food eating, game playing fun.
35. Texting. Even if my husband is in a big time meeting, we can still talk.
36. Getting and giving cards by snail mail. It's so much more fun to open cards than bills!
37. The DVR. I can now record my favorite shows and not have to watch the commercials.
38. Easter. It brings the remembrance of Christs' resurrection. A season of hope.
39. Hair color. The thought of going through life with completely gray hair sort of frightens me at my young       age.
40. Chocolate. In any form, white, dark or milk it's greatness.
41. Flowers. Any but roses. Whether in my yard or in a vase, beautiful.

My Wants and Needs

God bless my husband! Especially when I have a crazy idea or get bored. This last weekend was a little bit of a tailspin that exhausted my husband. It all started on Saturday when Craig did his part of mowing and I grabbed the weed wacker. We knocked it out and then we wanted to go get some lunch! We worked hard and our stomachs were turning in on themselves. It wasn't pretty. 

We finished our wonderful little Tex-Mex lunch and asked out loud, "What do we do next?". We weren't able to find any open houses to walk through, so I said we could go visit our favorite little new home saleslady and dream. The neighborhood we had looked at almost a year ago was closing out and the prices were SLASHED. It was INSANE. Well, insane is a strong word. We were almost sucked in a year ago until we had our level headed friends join us and give their objective opinion. We left Saturday with floor plans in hand again after taking a long look at the community pool and play area. We studied the floor plans and picked the floor plans that best fit our wants. Yes, I said "wants" and not "needs". I know I have what I need. 

After choosing a few perfect floor plans, we then glanced at the prices. Hopes were a little dashed because it would double our mortgage if we did a fifteen year note. So, Sunday afternoon we went to look at some other build opportunities in Sachse. This one neighborhood left A LOT to be desired. The surrounding neighbors had fences falling down, or it backed up to some commercial property. Then we came across another neighborhood with great neighborhood drive up appeal. It's right by Fire Wheel golf course. The houses were beautiful. This builder provided nicer standard options that the one we had revisited the previous day. Then I had the audacity to ask if there was an amenity center. The wonderful saleslady replied, "There's a pond". Huh? I don't swim in ponds. Why have neighborhood association dues when there is no amenity center? What's the point? 

I'm looking at three options, First, we could go forward in the process of building a home from a builder in a community that has great neighborhood drive up, beautiful homes and a "pond" for an amenity center. Second, build a home in the Plano neighborhood where everything is an upgrade, and the amenity center is fun, fun, fun. Third, stay in the house we are in and continue the lengthy process of slowly removing any traces of the former owners. 

See what I mean? My husbands brain is spinning after I get done with him. He loves me anyway. I love him! I will never be able to thank him enough for putting up with my shenanigans. I may have a lot of wants, that aren't necessary. It's fun to daydream. The daydreams quickly pass.  I have everything I need. My husband is both to me. I want him and need him. As long as we are together, I'll be happy anywhere. 

Three reasons why the individual insurance mandate is unconstitutional

The Cato Institute has three well-reasoned arguments for why the individual mandate for health-care insurance is not constitutional.

My Marriage Rocks!

In the midst of all the turmoil this weekend, my marriage is stronger than ever! Right when our troubles began, we made a pact to not get mad at each other. It was nobody's fault. The power train going out on my car is some freak thing, that will either get fixed or, find it's way to the auction block!

I have a good man. I have a great man! I need to tell him more often. Me and my children are his priorities. You can't beat that. We work well together. The other weekend when my in laws bought our treadmill, we got the beast of a treadmill out of our bedroom before the in laws got there. We are a great team! God gave me a wonderful gift in my husband. He may not know how to fix a toilet the right way, or build a tree house, but, he truly loves me. He's a wonderful father. I can look in the eyes of my girls and tell them, when they grow up they need to find somebody to marry just like my husband. How many wives can say that about their husbands? He's a great provider. I'd rather have my husband than somebody that can fix a toilet the right way, who is a complete and utter jerk! Who wants a know it all jerk?