Fallin' Asleep

Conrad has been away on business for two days. I can not WAIT for him to get home (6:15PM today). I mean, YES I absolutely miss him but I really need to get some sleep.

I guess Blanca and I are used to the sounds our old house in Dallas made... so when it's night-time here and Conrad is not in the house making noises, it's dead silent and then the house will creak and scare Blanca and I both to death.

It happened Sunday night... the house creaked and Blanca looked at me- I looked right back at her. I think she was saying YOU'RE the mom! ... and I was saying YOU'RE the guard dog. Instead absolutely nothing was done... we just looked at each other warily.... and settled back down to a restless night's sleep.

Last night I kept the TV on all night and we both seemed to sleep a little better. It's a little odd and scary though when she glances up in the middle of the night, barks sharply and jumps down off the bed. I always want to say WHAT- WHAT did you hear???? I'm sure it's just a dog thing and I bet she does it normally all the time- I'm just too busy sleeping the rest of a person who feels safe and watched over. I really do when Conrad is around. Most nights I just drop right off, peaceful as all get out- but we REALLY need him to hurry home!

Ah yes- the wedding favors were decided upon yesterday AND I broke down and decided to hire a DJ. We need someone there to kind of walk us through everything. They are pretty helpful keeping things on track. They really are pretty inexpensive- so it's not that big of a deal. I'm thankful I'm not going to spend 10 nights in a row downloading songs from ITunes and then praying my computer doesn't crash that night. It's all good!

Tonight is relaxing, tomorrow is snack shopping for the EIGHT HOUR plane ride and also washing clothes... Thursday is packing and taking B to Strawberry Dog for HER vacation.

Ka

Drama

I took Blanca to the vet on Saturday- she needed an updated kennel cough shot because it expires the DAY we leave for Hawaii. She did fine- got her shot and she had a bacterial infection in her ear- I had them look because she has been scratching the heck out of them! Then the doctor rocked my world. She said she detected a slight heart murmur. WHAT?! First of all, this is not her normal vet- this was another doctor the vet must have hired. She had no bedside manner at all. So I said, "Listen, you don't know me- I am CRAZY. I will go home and listen to her heart continually, I need you to explain what that means, right NOW!"... so she said that Blanca sounded like a Grade 1, which is usually stress induced and she was NOT happy about being at the vet and also she had just gotten into it with the Vet house- kitty... so she was already pretty fired up. She had a rapid heartbeat and the doc said not every beat, but some beats were murmurs. She says it should be fine, but let them know if she ever coughs. I have never heard her cough before. I want to know WHERE this woman got her vet degree- Nebraska?? Kansas??? Clearly it wasn't any Texas school!

So now I'm a little worried about B being at Strawberry Dog, but I am hoping it will all be ok.

I also have had two very vivid dreams that our wedding was BUNK. There was no dancing, people were leaving early- and it was being held in some damp, dark, dusty barn... it was very depressing. I was heartbroken. What is wrong with me? Why am I dreaming stuff like this? County Line BBQ is a very nice place- very bright and happy- and we're having music and good food- no one should have a bad time!!!! Why a barn? I don't even know where any barns are located out here...

Oh and let's not forget the 8 hour plane ride from Dallas to HI this week. VERY excited about that. I could just throw up. If I was meant to fly, I'd have diamond encrusted wings, attached to my body- it's just abnormal to climb into a flying cylinder.

Ka

SAVE KARYN

I so totally think I should be famous. I want, deserve and SHALL BE FAMOUS.

I was reading on one of my Favorite Websites- SaveKaryn.com and she has a blog. A little back story- about three or four years ago I Googled myself and came up with a website called http://www.savekaryn.com/ and it was created by a girl in NYC with a FABULOUS name JUST LIKE MINE! I immediately forgot about tracking myself through cyberspace and began reading. Karyn had gotten herself into some financial trouble and was asking people to bail her out and THEY TOTALLY DID. She set up a PO box and asked for people to send a dollar or five or whatever they could spare. Soon she was posting money-saving tips and people were sending her shampoo samples, etc... I soon found myself facinated with the website- I was a complete cyber-stalker. I logged on daily and if she didn't update her site that day, it ruined me...

Anywho- good things have happened to Karyn since. She has written TWO books, of which I have read and LOVE LOVE LOVE (Save Karyn and 20 Times a Lady) and also she has written I think a screenplay. She donated all the money she got from the website to some agency when she was able to get back on her feet and she is brilliant! She is totally one of my Myspace friends and I read her blog all the time.

Today I was reading her blog and saw that she was promoting this other blog- http://trent.blogspot.com/ and it's called Pink is the New Blog.,.. and then let's not forget how famous Perez Hilton has gotten on his. So this got me to thinking- I am just as witty as these cats... just as smart... I just don't live in a particularly metropolitan place- I know, I know- Houston is metropolitan - but I actually LIVE in Tomball, Texas- and these peeps which I totally just promoted are living in NYC and LA and places like that... anyway - HEY, I think the world is in need of a Southern Blogger. Not only southern, but Texan, which everyone knows is a thing unto itself.

So I'm totally on the warpath to being famous. I'm going to continue to be witty and clever and eventually, you'll see me on the Today Show or better yet, Conan O'Brien.

I am also now going to send this link to Karyn and see about getting some Blog Love on her site. Wish me luck!

K-Dog 3000

Amazing

I am an amazing dog-mom, future wife and traveler!

I put together the best little information sheet today for friends and family- for when we leave for Maui next week. Blanca is going to the vet on Saturday for her pre-Strawberry Dog vacation and then we are all set...

I put together this little sheet with OUR vacation information, then skipped down and made a place for HER vacation information and then finally, filled the last third of the page with general information- vet, people in Houston, Dallas, and parental emergency contact information. This is for if the house floods, or someone steals the car out of the driveway and the police need to find me, if Blanca breaks her arm playing basketball- you know, regular stuff. I have received several phones calls from people on this list already wanting the information.

Today (EARLY) I put it together and emailed it off... and now, at 3PM I still have gotten NOT EVEN one response. The gratitude just hangs in the air... NO LOVE.

Here is why I also feel NO LOVE.... this is Blanca and her daddy in another one of their frequent and nauseating "love-fests"... I swear, they are both going to go through withdrawls while we're traveling...

Karyn

Ten Days

I think we have ten days left... we have so much to do.

Conrad has a buzzzziness trip this weekend- Tuesday, so he'll be busy on Saturday washing clothes and getting ready for that.

I have to get prescriptions filled (cause I'm old and require daily meds now), wash clothes, get Blanca packed for her vaca at Strawberry Dog, run to the library, pack up all the things we need for the carry on, which also means grocery shopping late next week for stuff like apples and food to munch on. Blanca has a vet appointment on Saturday morning to get her kennel cough shot and also she has been messing with her ears lately AND she has a bump on her neck, I also need to make sure she takes her heartworm medication and my boss is having a party at her house on Saturday- jewelry party- there's SO MUCH GOING ON!

I just want to sleep... I guess I can, next week, on the Hawaiian beach.

Ah- this reminds me, I need to call my doc and see about getting some meds to put me to sleep on the plane- ya'll know I hate flying. Eight hours in a plane is almost more than I can bear to think about. Everyone keeps asking me about it- when the subject comes up, I almost burst into tears. I need to put "run to the liquor store" on the list for this weekend.

Karyn

Fountains of Chocolate

Since they came out with chocolate fountains you can have at home, I've wanted one. I don't entertain that much- although it would have come in handy at my sister's bridal shower, but I always just wanted one.

So then I decided when I met Conrad and knew it was heading in a "forever" kinda direction- I decided HEYY- I'll just have one at the wedding! Now, I don't know.

1) I can go get one from Sam's or Overstock.com very easily. They are less than $50. The first problem is- if I bring one from home, my own personal one, then we have to clean it- such a pain! Also I would have to go and buy all the stuff for it the day before. That day is already going to be SO busy- I have to pack, rehearsal dinner, all kinds of last minute decorations... who has time to run to the grocery store unless it's for HARD LIQUOR?! Also I think these "at home" ones are a little too dinky for a wedding...

2) I can rent one- from a party rental place. They are big and nice. They set up and tear down and I think they even can bring the stuff to dip. SCORE. But how much is THAT? I would much rather get a nice stereo system or something set up for the outside ....

I remember when I worked for Pro Pac and handled all those events, we would order NICE stereo systems- same kind of deal. They come and deliver, set up, tear down and take away. It's probably about the same cost.

Surely music wins out over chocolate? Right? SURELY! Why am I saying such things? Chocolate contains life saving antioxidants!

I have the money for both- but here comes Christmas, Hawaii next week- I ended up blowing my monthly budget cause I found my dress a full three months ahead of schedule. The wedding budget thanks me but the October budget is crying... November will be crying too. I found the invitations- right now they are 40% off, so I think I'm going to get them now, even though again, not on the list until WAY down the line. But we could get them now and start stamping them. Of course, the postal service has a good six more months to raise the rate three or four more times. :)

Karyn

Hawaii

So we got some major shopping done this weekend. We each found a few things (didn't go overboard) that will work well for the trip. I've ordered my books from the library and am making lists of things to pack- like sunscreen (let's not forget me being burned at Aggieland!)....

I am really getting excited and also scared. I do NOT like to fly. We have to fly into DFW and then from there EIGHT HOURS on the plane. EIGHT. The longest I have ever flown was four- and that was to Seattle. I am not sure how I'm going to make it... I'm absolutely terrified... and I also worry about Blanca. I want her to be ok and I've never left her in a kennel for a week- I think the longest was for three or four days during an FLW trip. I hope she'll be ok. I'm trying to think of an emergency contact in Houston for her, but I don't have one... so I'm going to at least put Toni or someone down from Dallas- and I'm going to email Toni and Mikel and our families all of our emergency contact information just for anything - the house, us, Blanca, etc... I guess I just need to one big email to give the kennel and all the family members... I probably should work on that pretty soon...

Other than that, nothing more to report. Rainy day here in Houston. I laughed this morning when I read the paper... it said "Winter is Coming to Houston- Hobby Airport to drop to 66 today"... WOW, 66 degrees... and I didn't bring my coat. I'll probably be an icecube before I got home. Why didn't I wear my winter boots to work? HA!

Any-who... here is a pic from the hotel we're staying at. Next Friday- here we come!

Ka

Retraction

Today we are heading to the mall. Gotta do some last minute Hawaii shopping. Even though it never gets cold in Houston, you have to follow the rules of fashion! All the winter stuff is out, which means all the summer stuff is on sale. I wanted to see if I could pick up a few new shirts. I ordered some sarong pants from Ebay and they came in yesterday. They're just like a normal sarong you wear around a bathing suit, but these look like pants and they tie at the waist AND at the ankles. Super cute! But I do need a few shirts for the dinners and stuff.... and let us not forget the Wiki Wacky Beach Olympics. YES. We read over the internerary and apparently, this company who is hosting expects us to participate in some crazy beach Olympics. I told Conrad I'd probably come down with the flu that day, but he says I have to play nice.

I also wanted to print a quick retraction. Conrad was catching up on his Blog reading the other day and found a mistake. Apparently, the song we were listening to on the way back from Chuy's last week was not "Goat Keepers Whore".... the name of the song is "Goat Riders Hoard" and the artist is Three Inches of Blood.

*sigh* so- for those of you frantically searing ITunes and Napster and Lime Wire for it, I apologize. Hopefully you can forgive me and now your souls can rest easy- you can download the actual song now.

Karyn

Bored

We were bored a few weeks back, and did some self portraits at the house. Conrad had gone into the bathroom and came back in with his hair all combed wild. He calmly sat down in his chair and acted like nothing had happened. I laughed... cause he looked like a dork. So I got up, went into the bathroom, and fashioned my hair into many little ponytails on top of my head. Here is what we looked like.

Super cute, right?

RIGHT!

Then it turned really ugly- we started making faces into the camera and we captured some truly horrifying results. Conrad is just tickled over the outcome. He thinks this represents another, silly side of us. He wants me to use these photos some way, in the wedding. I don't know if he wants me to blow them up for display, or if he wants it printed on the programs or (OMG) the invitations, or what... he just wants them somehow represented. I agree with him, they do represent another side. I disagree that it needs to be THAT public... but hey, how about on the blog, where the entire WORLD is watching- because yes, my blog is THAT good. Everyone reads it! Anyway... here are the offending pictures.

Fit it into the wedding? You tell me!

Karyn

*SIGH*

OK, so I am CRAZY.

I went to work and told the girls about the dress. We looked it up on the Alfred Angelo website and they told me I was an idiot. SO- I emailed the lady and told her I wanted to take the dress to a cleaner and alterations person to see if it could be fitted to me and also maybe, I don't know, thinned out or something - it's SO HEAVY. Also I don't like my arms and I think a strapless just SCREAMS look at my arms.

So she let me take it and I got it home. Oh my GOD, I am a fairy princess!!! I put it on and my arms looked GREAT. I was GORGEOUS. I needed a tiara. I was shocked. Heavens! I don't think anyone can look bad in a wedding dress.

So I took it today and all the necessary changes can be made and for a very reasonable price too... so I took the woman $100 after work today. I totally did NOT think I was a princess gown kinda girl- but... maybe I am. :)

So now I got two things checked off the list today- bought the dress and also sent out all the Save the Dates. We are TOTALLY all caught up. We can now have two more weeekends in relaxation and then Hawaii and then back to the wedding grind... but until at least Mid- November we're DONE!!!

... big thanks to my mom for going out into a cotton field in the middle of the night and stealing stalks for the centerpieces!!!! Now I can go spend your bail money- we didn't need it!

Ka

Traditional

I always thought I was pretty traditional. Being from South Carolina and having the parents and grandparents I did/do, it was sort of engrained in me. If you know me, I'm always screaming about my "heritage" and whatnot.... my mom is probably the least traditional of all of us, my dad is pretty traditional.... certainly my home state and the "southern" way of life is. So... I always figured I was too.

Turns out, I am in some things and not in others. I like a good handwritten note- and if at all possible, I'll send out birthday cards and thank you notes before sending an email. I think if you give a party, you should do your best to make the presentation beautiful- if at all possible. I am a dress up on Easter kind of girl. The list goes on... so I guess I did always think my wedding would be traditional. My sister is NOT a traditional person. Not in the least, and somehow or another, she ended up with the Scarlett O'Hara wedding and I'm finding it not to my personal taste. Hers was beautiful- and so I start planning mine and suddenly, things are going WAY to the offside. I spoke to Conrad about it last night.

Conrad says I should do what I want. So the point of all this is to say that I saw an add on Craigslist yesterday for a very expensive wedding dress, which was WAY cheap... so I went to look at it. This is my first time up close and personal with a wedding dress. First of all, they are HEAVY. I can not believe I'd have to drag that around... I mean this thing weighed at LEAST 15 pounds. It was gorgeous, it really was and I see all those commercials and other people's pictures of the girl in her pretty white dress... all long and flowing and I start thinking yeah-- but my wedding is outside and in a BBQ restaurant and I just don't see how I can drag one of these things around. So I don't know- the more I looked at it and the more I touched it, the more I decided that a traditional dress is NOT for me. It's really not.

So, on top of getting married at a BBQ restaurant, having no bridesmaids or groomsmen, picking the person to stand up with me to be my bestest buddy from childhood- Mike, hereby referred to as my "Man of Honor", having a wedding cake decorated like a cow... no groomscake- apple cobbler instead... and now here I go with the dress... it's just as untraditional as I could get. All I can say about the dress is, I am going the bridesmaid route because they are lighter and there's more variety and they are cheaper and the dress is not going to be white. I can almost guarantee you it won't be... I will be the most untraditional bride ever- and people will talk - and I do worry about it, but what can I do, really? I want to be happy and comfortable- so I need to do this.

I knew in my heart I did, but when I actually saw a real dress yesterday, it became crystal clear to me. So.... stay tuned for the big day. I hope the ambulances are standing by!

Ka

Sleep

Sleep, precious sleep. I wish I could remember what it was.

Life is in general pretty fast paced, especially in a big city. I'm a working dog- mom, I cook and clean and then do other things like try to watch my tv programs, read my books, get the Save the Dates all filled out. Conrad does too. We are busy people- sleep is hard enough to come by.

Sunday night the tire died and we were outside in the rain fixing it. Afterwards, I was just keyed up- too keyed up to sleep and then the DOG. We have a neighbor who has a puppy. This thing has barked for a month solid. Lately it has been so bad. I barely got any sleep on Sunday night... then last night it was worse. It started barking at 3:11 AM. I finally asked Conrad to please call the police or something. Well once again, the rights of the working stiffs are ignored and the rights of the bad people are protected!

The sherriff's department said they couldn't do anything about it until the decibel level reached a certain mark- we could file a complaint with our worthless HOA and also go petition some judge- well I WORK. Neither of us has time to take off work to see if some judge can issue these people a ticket. SURELY the neighbors can HEAR their dog. Anyway- I am beyond tired. I got back to sleep somewhere around 5- and up at 6. Second night in a row. I believe we may be taking a trip over to these lovely people's house tonight. I can't go one more night like this. I'm absolutely exhausted and Conrad is too. HE has to drive to College Station today and I don't like him being on the road like that when he's so tired.

I have been trying to stay extra busy this morning at work to keep from falling asleep. I also need to grocery shop today and go try on this wedding dress I saw on Craigslist. I also don't feel well, yadda yadda- this has already been the week from heck! I didn't even get around to telling you about the rain that came from Dallas yesterday and hit Houston. It rained so hard it took me two hours to get home last night- Conrad longer than that.

I look and feel like dog poo.

Ka

Pancakes

Finally had pancakes this weekend- but not the kind you eat, the kind you drive!

I had been waiting for my tires to die. The ones I was waiting for, were bought in March of 2006. So not a bad run.... but I had been watching them and waiting... and finally this weekend the better of the two, in terms of the shape they were in, went to heaven. I know I should have taken them in when I saw a few months ago they were looking a little worn, but I wanted to spend my $244.46 a better way- I figured I would do it next payday, then the next, then the next, etc.... got paid today, tire died last night.

I really had been watching the right front tire, it was the left that went to heaven yesterday. Of COURSE though we had to wait for the Cowboys to finish getting their butts kicked before we changed it... and then of course, it started raining while we were out there. But the spare was on, no problem... and I went to Discount Tire this morning.

I have three suggestions for Discount Tire. I will list them out in "OU Sooner" speak.

1) PLEASE OPEN AT 7. Most people have to work by 8- if you would please open by 7, we could at least be in line and getting service before 8. I was 1.5 hours late this morning!!!! Almost all service shops open at 7- because they know that normally people work and can't just drop their car off after they roll out of bed at 10. I was in the parking lot at 6:30 this morning- and I wasn't alone. Two other people were there. By 8, there were 8 of us. HELLO!

2) If you see that one of the tires I did NOT have replaced is a little low on air, PLEASE FILL IT UP. Air is free. You rotated the tires.... the tires have been in your hands- did you notice the back one was low? Probably. How can you already be lazy at 8 in the morning???!!! Been drinking, huh? But yes, thank you, no problem- I will fill it up myself, on my way home, in 97 degree weather with my hard earned $.75- I LOVE coming home with dirty hands!!!!

C) I don't want the tire warranty. NORMALLY you ask me. This morning you did not, so I assumed I didn't get it until I looked at my paper and saw you added it without permission. Now I have to go at lunch to the one over here by work and get my $28 back. It's just $28 - not a huge deal- but you looked up from your desk and saw I was a girl with pretty red lipstick and decided the little woman just wouldn't know any better. Well the little woman DOES know better- I also know the last set of tires I bought from you lasted a loooooooooong time... I don't need your stinking Tire Hazard Warranty... so today you're taking it off.

Not to mention there are a list of conditions on said warranty as long as my arm. I understand this warranty is no longer valid if: I drive on the tires. I put more than 25 miles on them. If I drive them on a paved, city road. The warranty is null and void the minute I leave your parking lot. You will not cover the tires if I eat donuts in the vehicle. I understand this warranty does not apply if I in any way GLANCE or LOOK at the tires.

I mean WHAT exactly is the "WARRANTY" for????? No- I don't want it. I want it OFF and I want my $28 back. This $28 will pay for half the postage on wedding invitations....

Happy Monday to you all~

Oh- but here's the good news and makes all of this worth it. LSU LOST. YES! You needed to lose. You needed too. You were getting too big for your Cajun britches. GOOD GOOD GOOD! This is the BEST DAY. If I were in Baton Rouge today, I would run up and down the streets filled with JOY.

GEAUX TIGERS. NOT!

Karyn

Registering

Registering is such a problem for me.

At first, I felt like registering was tacky. Are you supposed to assume or demand that people buy you presents? Just because *I* decided to get married, now YOU have to shop for me? Then I went to a few baby showers and weddings where people did not register... and I spent hours wandering the aisles debating on what to get... does she already have a baby blanket, has some bought her a diaper genie... do you think one of them came into the marriage with a toaster oven... I can't remember if they drink- would wine glasses be good?

So now I am on board with registering... but then here comes Conrad and myself. Before we met, we each had our own houses. When I moved to Houston it was RIDICULOUS... we had three couches, four bedroom sets, two toaster ovens, two microwaves, three sets of pans, two coffeemakers, the list goes on.... so what do two people who have a lot of what they need register for?

So I logged on to Target.com and Bed Bath and Beyond to see what it was I needed. LET ME TELL YOU

I need: a 10 piece PINK silicone baking set, I absolutely desparately need this ceraminc platter shaped like a football, if I do not have the Dallas Cowboys chip and dip set I am going to DIE. Target has the cutest little pumpkin pie server set. I make a LOT of pumpkin pies this time of year- why should Conrad have to continue eating them out of the metal pan they are made in? ESPECIALLY if I could make the pie in that cute little pink silicone deal. I was not aware that I wanted to make Belgium waffles, but I saw this little do-dad that flips over and you get the most perfect waffles EVER. I have a burning desire to make waffles every weekend! There is the cutest little chip and dip set that PLUGS IN so your queso and artichoke dips never get cold. I could just cry. How have I lived without all these things? Where is my Christmas list???!!!

Anyway (calmer) this is what I discovered by going on to Target and the BBB websites. Conrad is just as bad about the Lowe's registry. I mean REALLY how have we gotten by without a 50lb sack of fertilizer and a hummingbird feeder? The conditions we are forced to live in....

*sigh* So.... I guess it's not so tacky anymore. If I don't TELL you that I can't live without the Fagor 4-cup commerical egg poacher, how are you supposed to know???

Karyn

Vegas

Is starting to look really good to me. The guest list just slipped into the "ridiculous" category. I should have gotten married when I was younger and knew less people. Of course, with the people I had to choose from before Conrad, I would now be divorced. But that's totally ok- this would have been a second wedding and no one goes to those... so we would be on easy street... or maybe on a Hawaiian beach getting married.

Last night we drove to The Woodlands to go to Chuy's. Chuy's is a delightful mexican restaurant that just about everything on the menu sets your mouth on fire. In addition to salsa, they also give you this jalapeno ranch dipping sauce which makes my heart just sing. I was in hog heaven and it was well worth the 20 minute drive. Normally we stick to our 5 mile radius if we're going to dinner, but last night we just decided to be adventerous and really go for it. We are SO old....

Anyway, on the way back, Michael Jackson's "Man in the Mirror" came on the radio. I said well since you are so ON BOARD for singing at the wedding. I'll sing this to you- come on sing with me... he wouldn't! I was singing... "I'm looking at the man in the mirror, oh yeah, I'm asking him to make a change... and no message could have been any clearer..." and he was just looking at me. I finally said, "Conrad sing with me! S'hamon! S'hamon!".... isn't that like Michael Jackson language for "Come on?" Yeah- well Conrad did neither. He would not sing with me.

Instead he changed my channel and we listened to the delightful sounds of Metal Church, Metallica and Vampire Mooose.... all the way home. I was especially pleased to hear a song entitled, "Goat Keepers Whore" as we turned into the neighborhood. He appeared to know all the words to that one.

I am NOT letting him near the song selection for the wedding.

K

Wedding Update

I think we are now going with this cake....

SORRY MOM!

Contemplating

HOW BOUT THEM COWBOYS???????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Today is a day for contemplation. It actually started yesterday.

The first thing that got me to thinking is I was looking over our wedding list. I'm sorry, our completely out of control, ginormous, gargantuan wedding list. Oh, it's not that bad, you say? REALLY- cause right now, it's 273 people and that does not include a few more people I know will be added here at a later date. By the time this deal is finished, I think we'll be at 300. I don't, however, expect them all to attend. Some won't bring their kids and some won't come at all- or like my Uncle Kelly will probably be in Iraq, so only a few people from that family will come, yadda yadda. I think we'll end up with a solid 150. I digress... I was working on the list yesterday, filling in addresses and I realized that there were giant gapping holes in my list- and all of those holes represent people Conrad is in charge of getting address for. Hmmm.... how ODD. Hopefully today, he will present me with a few of these addresses and I can start filling in the holes.

The second thing that got me to thinking was some sad news I learned yesterday. I was talking to a friend I used to work with and found out a lady I used to work with has passed away. It was a very sad thing to learn. Now I wasn't best friends with her, we weren't buds or anything- but I remember sharing a few meals and we all worked really hard together on fishing tournaments. If I think about her, I can remember walking into a itty bitty hotel in the middle of Nowhere New York and seeing her in the lobby area ironing everyone's shirts. She always had a friendly word and really was just a sweetheart. I had a few rushed lunches with her in the back of the sponsor tent on a few Saturday's in the five years I knew her... and I stood with her on the banks of many rivers during EARLY AM launches, watching her help her husband organize the anglers and sponsors going out on the boats... I am thinking about her today and about her husband- who also worked on the tour that I knew pretty well. He was always good to me too and this is the THIRD tragedy in his life. First his wife died, then their adult son and now his second wife... both wives to cancer. It makes me jut want to run out at lunch and donate some money- or hold a car wash or do SOMETHING to make sure that everyone knows she lived and she was alive and people loved her and she mattered. I am very sad today.

Karyn

Where's the Beans!?

Do you know what the most essential ingredient is for green bean casserole? YES- you ARE smarter than a fifth grader!!!! Green Beans... and uh, we didn't have any. So you can imagine how difficult it was for me to pull off the green bean casserole last night. So difficult I was not able to do it. SO SAD... it's on the grocery list for next week!

Well. I forgot to mention the most exciting news of this weekend!!!

I took Blanca into Strawberry Dog this weekend for her hair appointment. She LOVES that place. She nearly breaks the leash to get in to see and kiss Ms. Diane. They adore her there- they say she is the most well behaved schnauzer and also that she is beautiful. DUH!

Anyway, THEY BOARD!!! It's not well advertised, but they do! They have dog runs in the back and she will get to go outside four times a day and also for $6 more, they will let her out once a day for like 30 minutes to do whatever she wants. They play ball or run or just sit there - whatever she wants to do. They also have staff in the building 24 hours a day!!! That is almost unheard of. No place I know in Dallas or Houston has that and it makes me feel so much better. Miss Daisy's is $30 a night, Tomball Pet Resort is $25 a night with extra for playtime and Strawberry Dog where she is already known and loved, is $13 a night with the $6 extra for playtime. GOOD GRACIOUS! SIGN ME UP- so I went ahead and signed her up. I shaved off hours of errand time on Saturday- I was prepared to visit kennels all day and find a good place for her. I am excited and Ms. Diane and her people are excited. It was a good day!

It was such a good day- I had time to run and order the wedding cake. Would you like to see it? It will be this cake shown below, but the scrolling will be in Maroon (for our Texas A&M themed wedding) and the intials of course, will be K and C.

Things are just moving right along! Conrad's mom called last night with some great decorating ideas... which I will pass on to my decorators. :)

She is also going to make my garter- a Texas A&M one, she has some cake serving sets left over from when Conrad's grandmother was a caterer- she is having them engraved with our wedding date, which is AWESOME. I had been looking at some, but had not yet decided on one and now I don't have to worry! She is also handling the unity candle. I am sending over the verse today. Some people do poems or sayings. I thought a Biblical verse would be great... so here it is - "Philippians - Chapter 2:2 Make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose."
I think that's a VERY nice and uplifting verse and it really does reflect Conrad and I. I think it's perfect.

That's all to report today!

Karyn

Cardio FREE

I have been waiting for YEARS for someone to PROVE ME RIGHT when I always said, I don't like cardio and it is not necessary. The day has come. WOO HOO.

There's a new book on the market called Cardio Free by Jim Karas- he is a big trainer for Oprah and celebs. I heard him on the radio the other day. He says that people got fatter about the time the treadmill craze hit in the 80's. Why? Because they are burning up their lean muscle- you burn more calories when you have more muscle and when you cardio all the time, the muscle is eaten. In high school, I took weight lifting and it was the buffest I've ever been in my life. I've had many arguments with people when I tell them cardio doesn't do much for me other than put me in a really rotten mood. FINALLY someone who understands me! This weekend I went to Academy and got myself some weights and also bought the book. The exercises he proposes get your heartrate up just like you were on a treadmill. I LOVE it- I will alternate this with my Turbo Sculpt, which I tried and also love. After doing these exercises, I can barely walk. Wedding dress HERE I COME!

My good friend from OU commented last week and asked me if my rooting for UT was just meanness... I don't know. Maybe. I have so many friends and family who like so many different teams. I can't hardly speak without offending someone. It just so happens my two least favorite teams are OU and LSU. LSU I actually have a burning hatred for, OU I just... well, they annoy me. They are pretty much always winning. LET SOMEONE ELSE HAVE A CHANCE!!! This advice comes to late, since they beat Texas on Texas/OU weekend. I was sad.

Conrad warmed my heart today. We were at lunch, on the way to the gunrange and I asked if he wanted to watch a movie tonight. I have Breach from Netflix and I actually bought Knocked Up. We have both- so I asked and he said sure - he said " Cowboys play tomorrow night... so we can watch a movie. I'm not sure when the Texans play but I'm NOT REALLY INTERESTED in them." Oh I love that man! I'm not really interested in them either. Our hearts still belong to the Dallas Cowboys. I always knew mine did, but I had a bad feeling that seven years in Houston had turned our dear boy against us, but alas, it has not. He still loves his home city... why he turned his back on it and moved away... *sigh * I'll never know... but, he still has love for the 'Boys. Brought a tear to my glass eye. I love Dallas too- with all my heart - I miss it very much- but I love Conrad more. Now we have to get to the bottom of who HE loved more to move here. AAAHHH HA HA HA HA am I going to get in trouble for THAT one!

(whispering) ... I think he moved here for work.

P.S. Shooting the gun got gunpowder all over my engagement ring! I had this crazy urge the whole time I was there to say "bag the hands"... too much CSI, I think.

Anyway- I want to get Breach out of here so I can get some new Netflix movies in ... I watched Something New last night while he watched football- I wouldn't really recommend that movie. Not so great.... so we'll probably watch Breach tonight. I am making ham, green bean casserole and deviled eggs... nothing like a nice Southern dinner, watching Yankees on the tube.

Ka

BIIIIIIIIIIZZZZZZZZZY

We are busy, busy, busy. This weekend will be another wild one.

Blanca has GOT to get groomed. She has an appointment tomorrow morning at Strawberry Dog. They just love her there- they say she is the most well behaved schnauzer they have, which if you know any schnauzers, you know isn't saying much. But she is going early in the morning. While she is there, I am going to go visit several boarding places in the area. We have less than a month before we leave for Hawaii and I really want to find her a nice place. I keep telling her she is going on doggie vacation and I want that to be true. I want her to make some friends and be happy and comfortable while we're gone- so I am keeping the Wednesday morning interview appointment with Miss Daisy's too. Conrad said he feels like he is putting his child into private school with all the interviewing and visiting of places. He is SO funny. He cares more than he lets on. I should know by the way those two kiss each other and fawn all over each other and the way he tucks her into bed every night... he cares very much what kind of "school" he puts his baby in.

Then I need to go to Academy to pick up some new dumbells- cause I DO have a dress to fit into- April 26th! Then I need to grocery shop- this week I read that we don't get enough fiber and it's a weight loss miracle- so I am going to get some fruits, whole wheat bread and some all brad cereal- that alone has almost 20 grams of fiber and the amount you're supposed to have is 25-35 grams a day. Most people get 7. BAD PEOPLE!

Let's see... oh yes, Conrad has informed me that tomorrow is the single most important day for college football so he will do the yard and be in charge of laundry while I'm out running around- Texas/OU this weekend, I think... and if so, then GO HORNS!!!!!

Also picked out two wedding cakes. I'm going to the bakery as well to find prices and order one of them. Then my October duties for the wedding will be COMPLETE!!!
Nothing left to do 'til November.

Um, then Sunday we are going to go shoot my engagement gun at the range. I have already TOLD him that I can shoot with one arm behind my back, blindfolded. Runs in my blood, dadgumit! But whatever- we're going on Sunday. I AM now thinking about getting my concealed license because a terrible thing happened to one of my sister's friends a few weeks ago. If you live in Dallas, you know about the 19 year old UNT student who was abducted in Denton, killed and burned and left in Carrollton... she worked wtih my sister at Red Bull and as a result, had to be out at very late hours, after events.... You just NEVER know when there will be a crazy person out there. For a full week after Bonnie called me, I didn't want to go outside by myself after dark. No gym, no library... but now that it will be getting dark at 5 here pretty soon, it wouldn't hurt to have a shiny new friend in my glovebox and a license in my purse. I would probably feel better and Conrad would be so proud. We could have our concealed licenses framed with our marriage license.
But back to the girl- her name was Melanie, from a good family, and I am sure they are devastated- thoughts and prayers for them would be appreciated.

Anyway- that's it... just seems like a busy weekend.
It should settle down, sometime in May.

Ka

Women!

I am extremely baffled by females and I am well aware that I am one. I understand hormones, I understand mood swings where you KNOW you are being irrational but are helpless to stop it. I understand every single thing being right and good with your world and STILL having an overwhelming need to sit on the couch and blubber for an hour. I have watched a movies with kids and dogs and gotten so choked up I haven't been able to speak. I don't understand WHY any of these things happen, but I have been through them all and I understand that they DO happen. Men don't understand this... and I have tried a few times to explain it to Conrad. No comprende...

Listen, I am under no illusion that anyone but me, Conrad and the mothers involved really care to hear every detail about this wedding. Conrad really doesn't. On some things he has opinions and on some things I present him five options and we pick from there. He does not care to troll through 125 cakes looking for the perfect one. If I give him an option of three, we're good to go. NO ONE becomes more hated than a self centered bride. You can quickly get a bad reputation. So I have not done any wedding stuff at work and I don't talk about it and I don't bother my friends. I may occasionally post here if something is funny or sad or I am upset, but for the most part, I am back to normal life, until maybe a week before. I am SO not like the bridezillas we see on TV.

But I do have a dear friend who has been so excited about the wedding. She has wanted to hear just about every detail... and suddenly yesterday she told me she is not coming. I just don't know what to think. I'm not sure if this is some attack of hormones or if I did something to upset her. It did sort of hurt my feelings, as bridezilla as that may seem, but mostly I am just baffled. The wedding is seven months away, so maybe things will change... and there will be lots of people I want there that will have things come up. I am certainly ok with that and I understand... but in this situation, I am wondering and I am worried and bothered by it. I am going to chalk it up, for now to just, well- all that stuff I wrote about in the first paragraph... I'm sure I've done and said things that made people wonder if I was getting all my vitamins, but this just feels very personal... it made me sad.

I will be honest and say it did bother me. I did go home and wonder and I still feel kind of bad today. I would never let one person not being there put a damper on the day, although she is like on my top ten of people I want there- I am so excited to be able to see most of my family and friends all at one time... but this did put a damper on it for a day or two and I'm left wondering if this is going to happen to me too... Should I call the doctor and start chewing estrogen pills to guarantee I won't flip out one day? I don't know... I do take multi-vitamins and and I try to stay hydrated ... I don't know... women are a mystery.

I feel bad for my brothers, my dad, Conrad, my uncles, every male friend I have. I assure you we don't mean to be weird, we just sometimes are. Now- I am going to go have myself a good cry. No, no- nothing is wrong.......

K

Overprotective Parent

I am starting to re-think Miss Daisy's Dog Camp for Blanca.

I keep thinking about those two acres where the dogs just roam free. What if one of them digs and then she and a whole bunch of them get out? Are their fences reinforced with that concrete to keep them from getting out? I mean, I know this is a facility that has insurance and probably has to think of these things... but she's not THEIR dog. She's OUR dog and if something happens, we'll just be devastated.

Then there is the issue of the no kennels. I LOVE that- but we all have bad days. What if one of the other dogs steals a pillow B is laying on and she gets upset... will she get into a fight? I just want her to be safe and happy while we're gone. The truth is, she is NEVER happy when she is away from her daddy. *sigh* We are TERRIBLE parents for going away and leaving her, and enjoying our time in Hawaii. Awful, awful... I already feel so guilty.

She is in desparate need of a haircut- so Saturday she is going to Strawberry Dog for a grooming treatment - or as we call it- doggie spa. While she is there, I am going to visit a few kennels around the area... and then later next week, I will drop her off at Miss Daisy's during the week and let her have her interview during the week.... let her try it out.

There are so many decisions! We only want what is best for our children...

Ka

Bullets and BBQ

Wedding venue is BOOKED.

April 26, 2008 at County Line BBQ in Houston, Texas. Be there!

We went last night, took pics and ate dinner... paid the deposit and left. Easy breezy... the manager concerns me a bit because he was pretty distracted, but I have been dealing with someone else on the phone, so I'm going to call him back today and confirm. Then it all should be fine. Now all just fun stuff from here on out!

Conrad has purchased me an "engagement gun" of sorts. If you know the Hopkins clan, they are GUN LOVERS- and so are the Abercrombie's and the Doran's.... so I come by it honest, I guess. Anyway- Conrad thinks I need something I can handle, so I now am a proud co-owner of a brand new Smith & Wesson 38 special... this one has a laser too... I guess for easy "girl shooting". The thing is, PLEASE, I can shoot a fly off a mosquito. It's in my blood. Conrad said fine, we are going to try out that theory. He is going to bring some "big stuff" to the range next weekend, whatever that is, and put me to the test. Fine. It's not a problem. Shooting, drinking, fighting-all in my blood and heritage. I say bring it on... I say give me your biggest gun and I'll shot the target with one eye closed, holding a beer. Problem is, I think they frown on drinking and shooting at the gun range. Kind of sad, I'd say my ancestors did some of their best shooting while drinking. *sigh* HE DOESN'T UNDERSTAND ME! (kidding.... )

and of course next weekend Blanca also has her big interview at Miss Daisy's Dog Camp. We are VERY excited about that. I hope she does well. I think later this week I'll have her hair done, so she can look her best. Most people are dazzled by Blanca's beauty and tend to overlook her actual personality.

Blanca's Mom,
Karyn