Boo, Who?

For Halloween we went all out this year. We didn't really decorate and we didn't trick-or-treat but we made the costumes a priority. This year Luke had 3 costumes, and he wore all 3. We did this because my mom and I love to play dress-up with Luke and also because what 2 year old doesn't need 3 costumes? OK, so one was technically a pajama set. But still... it counts. He had a Halloween Party at Mother's Day Out for which he was Woody from Toy Story. This was a back-up outfit that was easier to wear all day. The real outfit was a dragon.

He wore the dragon today to the church's Fall Festival. It was a big hit. I try to ignore the fact that he is wearing leggings. They didn't come with the outfit, by they made it look better. And we literally got them in the girl's department. Shhhh, don't tell his dad. It was a fun Halloween season and we were both so glad to share it with all of the grandparents. It is so nice to get to share all of the Kodak moments with people who care and support us.

Make You Jump, Jump

I have been pushed to the max this week with schoolwork. I had to go and observe a classroom on Tuesday for my Intro to Teaching class and I went to Bryan, TX to watch my friend Brook work her magic on her 6th and 7th grade English classes. It was fun to watch her do her thang but I also missed a full day of being with my baby. With that and the weather and a few other school things, I needed a happy fix. So my mom and I did some research and found a little indoor inflatable land near the house called Monkey Bizness. We gathered ourselves up and headed for fun. Turns out we were the only ones there and it was pretty inexpensive. Score!!! It was a real blast to let that energy out and just go crazy in there. Reminds me of being a kid and just getting so excited. Little man slept great that day and was so big going down the tall slide. Mommy and Nana didn't fare so well... big tree fall hard. Anyway, here are some pics.

The Res

It has been a week since my last post and yet, life has continued to fly by unawares. So much happens in a day, let alone a week, that I literally am brimming with information to share. But I don't want to bore or overindulge you with TMI on my life and kid so I will filter, filter, filter. It would be easy to post about the tot, since my life is pretty much about him right now. And believe me, I have stories and pictures. However, today I want to talk about my res. And by "res" I am referring to my resolution, as in a new years resolution. I know, I know... its a bit early for New Years. But I am closing out my twenties next year and so I want to resolve to make this year great. Last year was a humdinger and so I am LIVING out loud this time around. So my year starts on my birthday, which is rapidly approaching (the 15th). I am creating a Bucket List of sorts. I will call it my Get er done list. No, I won't call it that, but I can't think of a good name yet. Still, the sentiment still applies... I am saying good bye to my twenties this year and I need to put a few notches on my belt before that happens. I am allowing myself to add to this list as I see fit, throughout the year. But I start today... with goal #1, as in first in the list, not first in importance.

I consider myself a movie buff based on my love for movies, the frequency with which I watch them and also the memory I have for random movie related facts. As I was skimming the world wide web a few days ago I saw a list on Moviefone that caught my eye. It was a list of the best movies from the 50's, 60's, 70's, 80's and 90's. I love movies and I go cuckoo for lists so I had to check it out. It was awesome! 40 movies from each decade (that's a lot of movies). As I read each list I realized I have a very limited scope in my movie watching. Most of my favorites are in the late 80's and 90's bracket and I know very few from the 60's and less from the 50's. This is a tragedy. So I must rectify this situation. My goal is to see the following movies this year:

1. Guys and Dolls

2. From Here to Eternity

3. Some Like it Hot

4. A Streetcar Named Desire

5. Bonnie and Clyde

6. Cape Fear

7. Dr. Zhivago

8. The Way We Were

9. Deliverance

10. The Last Picture Show

11. An Affair to Remember
12. Cabaret

13. Kramer vs. Kramer
14. A Clockwork Orange
15. Apocalpyse Now
16. Annie Hall
17. Taxi Driver
18. A Room with a View
19. Sophie's Choice
20. My Left Foot
21. Boogie Nights
22. Trainspotting
23. Fast Times at Ridgemont High
24. Blade Runner

This is two a month, starting in November. Yikes! I've got some work to do. Feel free to borrow this list if you'd like. Many of you may not care but I want to learn to appreciate the classics - or at least see them.

STAR Report

This just in! I have gone the way of the celebrities and I have gotten a face-lift. Well, not me actually, but my blog. Thanks to my very talented friend, Beth, my blog has a sleek and fall-friendly new look. I felt that it was perfectly fitting for someone who is reinventing herself.

If you also need a blog face-lift please check out Beth's blog Scoop for some help. Also on that blog, she is doing a holiday card giveaway. Beth is the artsy-fartsy type and she is pretty fantastic at designing cards. She has her twelve designs on her blog site. So check it out and enter to win and you could have free Christmas cards this year. And cute ones to boot! Double score!! Ok. That's is folks. Happy Wednesday.

Mamas, don't let your babies grow up to be cowboys.

Well, my baby is not grown up but last Friday he was a bit of a cowboy. Well as cowboy as someone can be who isn't even old enough to be able to clearly say the word "cowboy". Let me first say that I know it is an oddity for me to write 2 blogs in one day- let alone two in one night. By offer of an explanation I will tell you that I drank a coffee before my class tonight and the residual caffeine fix has left me anything but tired. So, here I am recapping our day at the Oil Ranch in Hockley, TX.

The trip has been planned for weeks. And wouldn't you know that on the day we planned to go, so did half of the Houston ISD elementary schools. There were over a thousand kids there, all vying for access to the livestock and activities the ranch presented. Here a few snapshots that I feel encapsulated our trip.

2nd verse, same as the first

This post comes to you courtesy of two different inspirations. First, I have a 2 year old (in case you haven't heard) who is smack dab in the middle of the mentality that if it ain't broke don't fix it. This belief comes through on a daily basis in the following way: the watching and re-watching of the same movie. In reality, he has a very impressive library of animated DVD's. But ... there are only about 3 of those that have been deemed worthy enough to make the rotation: Cars, Finding Nemo and Toy Story (he remains loyal to the Pixar brand). I have seen each of these movies more times than I care to admit and I would kill any of you in a movie quote challenge of any of those three. So there is that motivator and then there is the Office. I recently saw an episode of the Office (now in syndication) about a fire. While the staff was waiting for the air to clear, they played some games. One of these was the game "desert island". The idea is that if you were on a desert island and could only bring 5 ______ (insert books, movies, Cd's, etc) what would they be. So... because I have movies on the brain, and also because I love a good game, I give you my desert island movies. These aren't necessarily favorite movies, but movies that I could indeed watch over and over again and still be entertained. Bear in mind, these movies are listed in no particular order.

1. Somethings Gotta Give

2. The Breakfast Club

3. Big Fish

4. Chicago

5. The Notebook

You can agree with me, judge me or flat out hate my choices. But it doesn't matter because it's my island and it's deserted. Which means, I am only aiming to entertain myself. However, I am very interested in what your list would be. So if you are feeling adventurous, or bored, and you want to share your thoughts I am all ears.

Where has the time gone?

This week has flown by in a blur. I mean, my goodness, tomorrow is Friday already. And whats more, it is already the middle of the month! Crazy! I have been busy this week with just the normal ins and outs of everyday life. Nothing fancy, or dramatic or even that exciting... just life. And it has been a pretty good week. Luke has stayed home from school all week because of some stomach issues so I was without my small reprieve this week. We made due with our time together and I continued to fall more and more in love with my son. He really does say the darndest things now-a-days. And tomorrow we have a big field trip planned to the Oil Ranch. It is a big ranch with animals and hay rides and a pumpkin patch. I think it should be fun. And tomorrows sudden drop in temperature should make it that much more exciting. I mean seriously, 92 degrees in October. Ridiculous!! So, my ordinary week has been pretty extra-ordinary when it comes to quality time with the fam. I wanted to recap some of my favorite moments:

Lets start with last week actually. Last Tuesday to be exact. Luke had "F" day at school. He brought a fish for show and tell and the Fire department came with their Firetruck to demonstrate Fire safety. Luke got to climb in the truck, sit behind the wheel and even hold the hose. Needless to say, he loved "F" day!! And... he even got a Fireman hat souvenir for his troubles. When he got home, the hat was all the rage and he went quite a while without removing it. He also was sent home in the "emergency" outfit that the school makes you provide for restroom incidents. So, it is a throw away outfit that he never wears. This is my explanation for the outfit he is wearing. I know its not his best. But I hear that it was necessary.

Shortly after the hat, Luke was coloring in his activity book and we came across a raccoon mask. Mom and I cut out the mask and found a strap and forced it on his tiny head. All it took was one look in the mirror and the raccoon mask was a hit. Pair that with the fireman's hat and you have quite the outfit.

The next day, my sister and her new husband came over for dinner. Luke HAD to model his fireman hat, his raccoon mask and his Halloween costume- just the head though. Trust me, this is not the last you will see of the outfit.

This week, it has rained everyday. And when it hasn't been raining it has been terribly humid. This weather makes outdoor play a nightmare. So my mom and I had to get creative for ways to entertain the munchkin. Out of the boredom came CRAFT DAY! We dyed some noodles and searched for some yarn and we made lots of useless things including: a tambourine, a noodle necklace, a paper sack puppet and noodle & glue art.

Today, we went to the mall and had a grand old time buying winter clothes and Christmas presents. Can you believe that, Christmas presents? It was a busy and productive day, but not necessarily awesome or anything. And then tonight rolled around and I caught Luke and his PawPaw doing the cutest thing. They were reading a book together and having the best time. One thing is for sure... this kid is loved. You can call it spoiled, but I think he is pretty darn lucky!! Here's to hoping that a day at the ranch tomorrow is just what this little lady needs.

FRIENDS WEEKEND

About 8 years ago, a group of life-long friends welcomed me into their fold. I will admit that this was done rather reluctantly at first and that it took me a while for them to recognize my value but none-the-less I eventually clawed my way in. And from that point on I was there to stay. It has been 3 years or so since we have all lived in the same town, but us four ladies (also known as the 4 friends) are not so easily disbanded. We have remained close through moves, both in and out of the country, marriages and babies. And we have tried really hard to maintain these ties. This weekend was one of those calculated attempts at sustaining the friendship. We set up a "girls weekend" of fun and excitement. We didn't get to go where we wanted, but plan B worked out just as great. It was a weekend full of girly movie watching (Whip It!), pedicures, games and late night gabbing. As it turns out, all of us have something heavy going on in our life right now and it was very cathartic and helpful to get to lay it out there and talk and cry over it all. Well OK, only one of us cried... but the rest got close.

I was, and remain, very thankful for these friends o' mine. God has a unique way of putting you with people who possess the ability to encourage you and motivate you. I was blown away by the ease with which we could all speak and interact, even after months of not seeing each other. It is an awesome thing to know that God take each of us through our own trials and pains, according to what we can bear. And while our pains are not the same, we can all share them and help each other through the process.

I left this weekend feeling renewed and refreshed and thankful for my friends and family. All in all it was a very good weekend.

How I know I am stressed out:

1. I bite my nails (and my cuticles). Gross.

2. I grind my teeth and pop my jaw.

3. I get very impatient with human error and slowness.

4. I cry

So, after observing and analyzing my mental state and my behaviors over the last few days I have found that I am pretty stressed out. Or anxious. Or worried. Or whatever you want to call it. My nails are nubs, my jaw is sore and I haven't cried this much in a while. I mean seriously, everything makes me cry. Commercials, tv shows, a stern look, frustration, anger... you name it. I have always been a bit emotional, some might even say melodramatic. But... I do not usually cry this much. It is like me emotions are on hyper drive. I don't care for the constant blubbering... or the face that I make when it happens. But there it is, the brutal truth of it, I am a crier. To be fair, my list of stresses is valid, so the crying seems inevitable. I am swamped with school and trying to get A's and finding that I have tests and quizzes coming out my... and also I have no job, no money and I'm living with my parents. Oh, and I am about to be 29. So all of that other stuff sounds infinitely cooler when you know I am old enough to be beyond this point. I try to remind myself, with the help of family, that I am bettering myself and my future. This glitch is a necessary stop, but not a permanent one. I think I am just feeling the weight of all my hats and not knowing which to give more attention to and when. They are all important. I think I may be stretched to the max. Except, there is also some emotional baggage trying to creep up and get me too. Some marriage stuff, some insecurity stuff and just some negative energy and pessimism. I try not to let it get to me but I have always been the kind of person to snowball the bads at the first sign of failure. I can be my biggest critic sometimes. Anyway, it is all a work in progress. And I will say that it is progressing. And progressing well. Even if I cry at every reality show I watch and snap at my mom over ridiculous things. This too shall, and will, pass. And who doesn't love a good cry every once in a while?