Oh....... no new stuff going on. I swear, my blog must be the most exciting read on the net.

Let's see.....

1. The POISON tickets came in the mail.

2. Work was CA-RAZY this week. TGIF!!

3. Tomorrow is Toby's SURPRISE PARTY!! I really don't think he has any idea. I'm excited!

4. Sunday is his actual birthday - 35 baby!!

5. Stella got her hair (just bangs) cut again and i could just squeeze her little face. She's cute, incase ya'll haven't noticed.

6. Motion City is playing in DC on Wednesday and my parents, me, Stella, and the Thaxtons (the drummer's parents - lifelong friends) are all making a DAY of it and leaving early, having breakfast in Ashland, leisurely driving up, and spending the day just strolling around (hopefully with Matt and Tony.) I will have a bazillion million pictures for you on Thursday.

7. I am taking Thursday off to recoup because I am an old lady.

8. I am also taking off next Friday because on Saturday: I AM HAVING MY FIRST EVER YARDSALE. I will take Friday to go around my house and throw shit into a box and price it all and get it the hell out of here....AND make some money off of it.

9. I am hoping to fund our new deck - which Toby and his Uncle, Dad, my Dad, and a couple neighbors are all going to design and build starting May 17, I can't wait.

10. It's 7:35 am and I was woken up by TRAINS HONKING at 5am. We live near tracks and slept with the damn windows open last night. It was constant this morning. Of course NOW I don't hear any horns..........

11. Recent Pictures:

Here's Sissy




Here's Sissy and her tormentor, Stella




They really do love each other...







Cousins




At the MS Walk last weekend




And this one is for Libby..... and Alice.
These pups were in the "Pooch Parade" at the MS Walk. They belong to a co-worker of mine.

Pleasant Valley Saturday

My husband is across the street doing some major electrical work for the Lowerys. They are an older couple who are SO SWEET - they love Stella to death. They are so good to us. Toby is updating their entire electrical panel. I act like I know what that means. But he's been over there every afternoon this week and went over at 9am today - he says he'll finish today.

I hope so...because he's over there with his work van wide open, music blaring - some bluegrass shit. I'm sure everyone (esp the Lowerys) are just loving that. I'm across the street in my living room and I can hear it. If he wasn't my husband, I would kick his ass.

So, in other news, I am frazzled! (Well, that's not really anything new...)

I just feel like I don't have enough time EVER. It's really bugging me lately. I have not been to Jazzercise in nearly 3 weeks. I have had so many conflicts lately...and with working a few minutes late every day, family in town, other events, etc.... I just can't make it to the 5:45 class and get home after 7:00 pm and then.... Put my child down to bed at 8:00 pm. That's a whole 45 minutes or so with my child. No thanks. I already don't see her enough.

I'm trying to work this out because I DO love Jazzercise and I NEED to exercise.... Maybe it's just because it's been crazy lately with stuff... and when things settle down, I'll be able to function again. (However, I do have a call into the Employee Amenities person at work...I want to ask what it would take to get one of my Jazzercise instructors to come to OUR fitness center at work and teach a class a couple days a week. Now THAT would solve my problem.)

This morning was the MS Walk and Stella and I participated. (Work had a large team and I was a Captain.) So now that both WALKS are behind me... I do feel a little "free."

RIGHT NOW is the first time I have sat down in my house for more than 5 minutes - in over a week. EVERY night this week was "something." And while it was all good stuff, it still meant I wasn't home. So laundry is piled up, dishes are ready to be unloaded, the fridge needs cleaning out, and I feel out of control.

I have done everything that I can do for now - quietly. Someone is taking a nap and I be darned if I am going to wake her trying to do dishes. I already put all of my laundry away and went through my closets and got stuff together to sell at my FIRST EVER yardsale on May 3. I really need to get in Stella's room for a MAJOR toys and clothes overhaul. We might just get into that tomorrow when it's rainy and we are STUCK AT HOME. - THANK GOD!!

Contagious Me-Me

1. Where is your mobile phone? In my laptop bag under my desk.
2. Your significant other? Caring, Loving, Wild, Stubborn but always comes around.... :)
3. Your hair? Blonde. In an "in-between" stage - AGAIN.
4. Your mother? The most thoughtful, caring person I have ever known.
5. Your father? Quite, Brave, Strong, HEALTHY!
6. Your favorite thing? Weekends with my family. Uninterrupted time with Stella.
7. Your dream last night? The night before last had a few characters from work and my aunt's childhood friend, Carol Pamprin. LOL. Random. I don't remember last night's dream.
8. Your favorite drink? Take a guess. C.O.F.F.E.E.
9. Your dream/goal? To be a healthy weight and to be comfortable in my own skin so I can get on with the important things in life and not be preoccupied by my tight pants.
10. The room you're in? My cube - my home away from home.
11. Your ex? Don't have an ex. Toby was my first real relationship. Awwww.
12. Your fear? Anything bad happening to Stella, Toby and/or my Fam.
13. Where do you want to be in 6 years? Here. But better. (Good one, Q.)
14. Where were you last night? Home. Excitedly watching the Rock of Love Finale!!!
15. What you're not? Athletic
16. Muffins? An occasional treat
17. One of your wish list items? A complete/finished/final new deck! (Which Toby is buidling at the end of May. And has promised to FINISH it. No un-done projects.)
18. Where you grew up? Mechanicsville, Virginia/Hanover County. Toby and I hope to get back there some day because the schools are great for Stella.
19. The last thing you did? Heated up my South Beach meal in the microwave
20. What are you wearing? Cropped, short sleeve white blazer with big red and black flowers and cropped black slacks
21. Your TV? Is old and heavy - we need a new one
22. Your pets? Abby (pit bull/lab) Elvis (rottweiler) Sissy (cat)
23. Your computer? Just got an green apple Dell laptop that I am in LOVE with...
24. Your life? Full of blessings
25. Your mood? Ok. Slightly overwhelmed. Never relaxed. But nice.
26. Missing someone? Carol Bock
27. Your car? 2002 Mazda Tribute
28. Something you're not wearing? socks
29. Favorite Store? Groceries? Trader Joes (Richmond is finally getting one!) Clothes? Macy's
30. Your summer? Busy already
31. Like someone? Most people...
32. Your favorite color? currently - deep, dark pink. There are some azaleas blooming right now that are that color and are just breathtaking....
33. When is the last time you laughed? A few minutes ago, chatting with a couple of my best colleagues at work.
34. Last time you cried? After the 10K I was a MESS and cried at everything. Since then? I can't remember... and that's a good thing.

I'm coming for you Bret!

Tickets purchased for August 13.

Excited beyond belief.

Emily Tagged Me!

Emily has tagged me to write my six-word memoir.

Here are the rules:
1. Write your own six word memoir
2. Post it on your blog and include a visual illustration if you’d like
3. Link to the person that tagged you in your post
4. Tag five more blogs with links
5. Remember to leave a comment on the tagged blogs with an invitation to play

Strong.
Care-Giver.
Creative.
Organized.
Sarcastic.
Forgiving.

Did I do ok??

Tag!
Kim
Melanie
Lisa
Leslie
Chris

I wonder....

...if all of the other marathon walkers are CRIPPLED today?!?! Good Lord I must be SO out of shape. I am absolutely in pain! My hip flexors and surprisingly - my waist - are the worst. It's a good pain though. The pain of accomplishment.

I will say, I was cussing a blue streak for the first 3 miles in the pouring down rain! But my friends Leslie and Marcey kept trudging - and so did I. And I'm glad I did.

We finished the 6.2 miles in 1 hour, 50 minutes, and some-odd seconds.....

I think I'll definitely do it again next year - maybe not in the rain again - and hopefully next year I will be in better shape, weigh MUCH less, and might actually TRAIN. LOL!

Here I am before the race - all nice and dry. I got several compliments on the hat. :) More pics of the actual race to come....

Friday

There are so many unfinished projects around our house...and other stuff that needs to be done that hasn't been touched yet... The siding on house needs to be replaced in one spot - it's close to HANGING off. The shower upstairs needs to be torn out and the pipe needs to be fixed underneath (it is leaking into the dining room - therefore has not been used in MONTHS), the toilet up there is doing something funky so a part needs replacing, there are still no baseboards in the computer room where Toby replaced the floor nearly a year ago....you know, stuff like that.

STUFF I CAN'T DO. Stuff my husband CAN do since he is in the construction field.

Toby just told me that his MAIN plan for the weekend is to "till a garden."

What. The. He - double hockeysticks.

I'm glad "tilling a garden" have become #1 on the priority list when the house is falling apart. I know "tilling a garden" is probably a million times more enjoyable than fixing a part in a toilet bowl, but damn!

And who, prey tell, is going to maintain the GARDEN? That would not be me. I'm not Martha Stewart. Far from it.

I'm about to go to Home Depot and take some classes on baseboard installation and do it myself.

In other news, I am doing the 10K tomorrow.

TOMORROW.

Time flies when you don't train a lick.

If it's raining cats and dogs, I am not doing it. But if it's misting, I'll do it. I hope I don't die.

Oh - and an update on the Drunk in Your Own Garage charge and investigation.

A Captain with the Police Department called Toby yesterday... and he also called Toby's friend who said he would talk. SO, it's still on. Toby even called him back, so he made an effort! When he called back, the Captain had already left.....so he has not been interviewed yet. But hopefully when they stop playing phone tag, something will be accomplished. So that's promising.

In COUSIN news, both boys are still suffering. And they will for a long time. Keep the prayers coming.

And my final note will be the most EXCITING news I have had in a long time........

POISON is coming to RICHMOND on AUGUST 13.

Happy 32nd Birthday to Me!
(And Cece is flying home for it. Since we first say POISON together 19 years ago... Dang!)