V-days of grace - eight

Happy Valentine's Day everyone! I hope you're spending time with all the ones you love. Last night Sara and I celebrated our friendship with a romantic dinner date and the Oklahoma Ballet. It was a wonderful evening! And today is movies and makeup. Don't worry...Tim and I are celebrating v-day a week late. He has a deadline for school that he has been feverishly working on.

So here is the list:

1. Nona's Creme Brule

2. Awesome people watching at restaurants for v-day dinner

:Sara and I were practically witnessing a soap opera behind us at Nona's. In the hour we were there this couple went from lovey dovey, to discussing who would sleep with someone new first if they ever broke up, to the girl crying at the table, to her confessing that she has or had (we couldn't really tell through the crying) a brain tumor. It was intense. We didn't know we were getting a show with dinner and our bottle of wine!:

3. Celebrating the fact that girl friends are just as important if not more important than our "man" friends. These relationships deserve just as much effort and attention.

4. Finally being able to enjoy watching ballet again. After so many years of dancing and quitting when I kind of didn't want to but was burned out, it has been hard for me to go to the ballet. But now I view it as warm memories and an additional knowledge about the arts.

5. Perspective - it is a valuable thing.

Bon Anniversaire Monica! The Big 2-1

Today my babyseester FrancyPants has been alive 21 years. Geez! So here is a post of 21 things about her that make her magnifique!

Monica the birthday girl is/has/can...

un: studying abroad in Frenchtoastland and I am proud/jealous

deux: really nice calf muscles

trois: a cute boyfriend

quatre: a good listener

cinq: adventurous

six: a knack for always having the same hair cut as me

sept: a really talented photographer

huit: legally drink with her own ID in the USA

neuf: make great ugly faces

dix: loving

onze: silly

douze: crazy beautiful

treize: stubborn

quatorze: good with money

quinze: a devoted friend

seize: a really good runner

dix-sept: an international ambassador of stuff

dix-huit: fashionably granola

dix-neft: a tree hugger (literally)

vingt: a little bitty tongue monster

vingt et un: GETTING OLD!!!!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY NICA! Je t'aime beaucoup!

Wrapped up with a bow!

Well the holiday week is over. New Years is upon us. This Christmas was one of the best, I've never been so happy and fulfilled as I was to host my family for almost a week and also to get to spend some quality time with Tim's family. We got the joy of seeing his grandparents on Friday night for dinner and my belief in soul mates was once again reaffirmed. His grandparents have been married for 68 years and they still dote on each other and tell stories of how they fell in love. Their story is Notebook like, truly. Tim's grandmother pulled us aside and told us that she sees the same kind of connection in us that has helped her marriage last so long. That is a huge compliment coming from her.

**Not to mention that she is truly my fashion icon. She is in her nineties and showed up to the dinner party in a red cashmere sweater with a faux fur collar, black pencil skirt, red and silver fishnet pantyhose, and red suede 2 1/2 inch knee high boots. For realz. She always dresses like this. She says that everyday is a special event so why not look your best? I agree!!!**

What a wonderful example of truly living your life to the fullest. Tim is lucky to have such great role models in his life. All of our family on both sides are so wonderful and although we are still "young" we are realizing more and more that every opportunity we have to see our extended family is a blessing. I hope everyone had a great holiday weekend and is looking forward to the New Year.

confession

This weeks hosting duties have stressed me out a little more than I anticipated. My obsessive list making probably hasn't helped this problem, but it gave my mom something to make fun of me for... ;) The fact that I'm hosting people I love so much makes it much better and I get to show off my new awesomeness in the kitchen!

Merry Christmas to everyone!

I hope the rest of the week is relaxing!

Shopping Chapter 1

So I seem to always end up blogging a couple of times a month about how much I LURV shopping. I love shopping for anything...underwear, groceries, lamp shades, the certain color of purple rugs for my bathroom...anything. I really think this post should be chapter 3 or 4 based on my previous shopping posts this year but I will start at the very beginning...a very good place to start.

When I go holiday shopping...as we all know - this is at lease my 3rd post about holiday shopping...and I can't help but always buy myself an item or five.

Gift certificate for friend from lingerie store...3 bras for me.
Earrings for sister at boutique...Yurman knock off ring for me.
Books from Amazon.com...3 books for me.
Cookbook from Tuesday Morning...I decided to keep it for myself.
Clothing for Mom at Dillard's...2 pairs of Antonio Melani knee high boots for me.

Are you seeing the trend? I even stooped so low as to buy some gifts for people that I will gain equal benefit from. I've spend at lease the same if not more money on myself this year as I have on gifts for others. Does this make me a bad person...No, I don't think so. I think it makes me appreciate myself and how good I look in my new bra underneath my shirt from Old Navy, wearing my new boots standing in my kitchen cooking dinner for all my peeps from my new cookbook.

Holiday Shopping...how does it make you feel?

This year I did 95% of my holiday shopping on the internet and because the experience was so WONDERFUL I will probably use this method from now on. I heart it so much because not only did I get to shop in the comfort of my office chair/couch at home, the anticipation of waiting for the packages to arrive so I can open them only to wrap them again in festive 90% recycled holiday paper for the recipient to open...made it that much more fun! I also got to avoid wasting my life away looking for a parking spot or milling through the zoo of people at the malls.

I don't really enjoy holiday shopping as much a regular shopping because I feel like I'm so rushed to make decisions then I have to wait in line for 5 hours to check out, the cashiers are all stressed out and then I have to lug around all the bags making me wish I had just been lame and given everyone Target gift cards. Shopping isn't the best part of holiday shopping; it's making lists that I get joy from. I love lists...I mean LOVE them. I probably wrote and edited my holiday gift list literally 10 times just because I could. This year I loved making the list of gifts for people and then printing out my receipt and tracking info so I could cross off things on my list. I love...I mean LOVE crossing things off my lists. The listing also helped me keep track of how much I was spending. I'm willing to bet that this year Tim and I spent the least amount of money on gifts in the three years we've been...or rather...I've been holiday shopping as a couple. Plus it was another list to make..duh.

Holiday shopping on the web makes me feel giddy...the perfect mix of laziness and obsessive listing.

I Win!

This year Tim and I are sending out holiday cards. Partly because we are just so good looking that we want to afford all 60 of our friends and family the opportunity to let us stare at them from their fridge for at least the next couple of weeks and partly because every year when we get a number of card from people it make me feel like a lazy looser. But not this year! This year I decorated the apartment, took pictures in advance to make cards, went and purchased the holiday stamps, planned the Christmas week menu, made gifts form my co-workers AND did all of my holiday shopping on-line as of today. BooYea!

So when you get our card this year please remember to think about the fact that you should probably send one to us so you can join the cool kids club of overachieved holiday spirit.

Yes...not so hard yet..

that's what she said... ;)

So far I've said yes to the annual Tri Delta Ornament Exchange party on Thursday, attending a block party downtown on Friday, running bandit in a 5K on Saturday, hosting a Big XII football get together Sat night, baking 3 dozen ginger cookies for my choir concert reception, and purchasing 2 poinsettias to decorate the stage at the concert.

No I do not intend to keep a running list of the things I say yes to...unless they are interesting or amusing...but just to make a point of what can happen in 2 days.

I think this month is going to be busy, but oh so fun. Hopefully all this yessing will make the month speed by so my family can get here sooner for the holidays.

NaBloPoMo - Day 26 - Thanks!

Although Thanksgiving is tomorrow having family in town this week has had me thinking of the things I'm thankful for this year. So much has happened in the last year. I almost feel like it is New Years and I'm looking back. I still have one more month to make memories for 2008. But here is my annotated list of thankfulnesses. I'm going to get pacific here because thanking friends and family in a blanket statement is lame and doesn't waste enough time when writing posts at work at 3:30pm the day before Thanksgiving.

I'm thankful for...
1. Being an American - tomorrow is just Thursday ever where else in the world
2. Tim - he's the bestest husband I know and he puts up with my crazy. I'm thankful for the fact that we agree that communication is the most important thing in our relationship and that we can overcome anything if we keep that in mind.
3. Sara - with out her I wouldn't love my job as much or have been inspired to go to law school or have someone to give great suggestions to about anything and every thing
4. Amy - she is cute and funny...but really she needs no explanation because our love can not be explained...(*awkward pregnant pause*)
5. My parents - I'm so thankful for their love and support of every endeavor that I may decide to obsess about for what ever duration whether it be a second or years. I'm thankful for the love that they show each other and the openness they have about their relationship. No matter what dysfunctions they may think they have, their marriage is one that proves that love conquers all and give me an example to live up to.
6. My seesters, Elise and Monica. I miss them every single day. Although we didn't get along great growing up...now they are my best friends. Living in three different states really made me realize how much I need them. A compromise must be made about the livable distance at some point. I'm so excited for Elise to live in OK again so we can make some more memories together and I'm so excited for Monica to be living her dream of studying in another country in Jan. Although I will miss her terribly now that I've discovered the glory that is Skype I won't be so heartsick for her goofy face.
7. My health. A little over a year ago I was 20 lbs over weight with a bad knee. Tomorrow I will run in my first 5K. I'm so thankful and proud of myself for putting my health as a priority and I finally feel good. Getting healthy turned out to have many more than just physical benefits. The self confidence is almost overwhelming. Getting healthy has improved my physical appearance, my relationships, my career, and my spirituality.
And finally...
8. I'm thankful for being alive. It sounds silly, but really. Being alive, living in the moment, the world is such a wonderful place with wonderful people and I don't want to miss anything. I savor every moment good and bad. It makes me who I am.

Habe Dank.

NaBloPoMo - Day 22 & 23

I know, I know...I'm lumping days together again. I was doing so well for most of the month. At least I'm making it up and posting to account for the days instead of just skipping them and giving their existence no credit...

Day 22 we (the Sooners) beat the snot out of the over-Raided, Texas Tech Raiders...it was one of the most electrifying games I've ever attended. Sadly it was also the last home game that Tim and I will be able to attend as "students". This sad realizations didn't materialize till mid way through the 3rd quarter. The pouting only lasted seconds because then the Sooners scored AGAIN! OU 65, TX Tech 21...BOO-YEAH!

Day 23 was just another day that reaffirmed the direction that the Thompsinario choo-choo is chuggin in. My parental units are in town inhabiting the guest bed room and the couch after 9 pm. It is so wonderful to have them here but bittersweet too. I was so used to seeing them almost once a month if not every 6 weeks when they lived in TX. The last time Tim and I saw them before Saturday was July 4th weekend. TOO LONG. I'll let you know when the countdown to neighborship commences.
YoMama and I did do some culinary/pastry bonding and doubled a pumpkin strusal recipe that resulted in a bunt cake, a 9 inch round cake, a loaf, and 12 muffins. My real questions is, how big was the original cake supposed to be?

NaBloPoMo Day 2

Halloween was great this year! No drama, no crutches like last year...only great costumes and good company. We drove down to fort worth to go to Drew's party at his new SWEET house. I made Tim and Drew's costumes...I think they turned out great...

So the costume party was definitely worth the drive! We had such a good time and I got a special surprise!

Miss Piggy and Lois Lane were reunited! I hadn't seen Megan in almost a year and a half. But as true friends do, we picked up right where we left off. I love this chick!

Saturday night Tim talked me into going to the Cutting Edge haunted house in Fort Worth on a double date with one of his frat bros and his wife. It was $80 for the both of us...not worth the money and not as scary as I remember haunted houses being. This one was supposed to be one of the best in the nation. I guess I've grown out of the fear...maybe I'll enjoy horror movies again too...and then again maybe not. It was a fun double date and a great weekend over all...OU won, Texas lost, excellent party, wonderfully warm weather. Another Halloween has come and gone. Time is moving so quickly...I'm trying to enjoy it one minute at a time.

Happy Halloween!

It was a weenish day at work

Although Halloween is on a work day this year, we celebrated it today with a pumpkin decorating contest and lunch. Of course Sara and I dressed up festively and I decorated a pumpkin. Here are the highlights...

Me and my mummy pumpkin entry

We are always such a festive and thrifty couple... Shirts from Wal-mart and "boppers" from 7-11

Here are my other favorite entries