Hello, Blog

I know I'm in and out and in and out of blogging. But I shall not give up.

The past two months have been busy. Let me explain:

• Took the bar exam
• Started a new job
• Went to Canada
• Went to Utah
• Had LASIK eye surgery
• Planned a dinner for 180 people

I think that's it. I mean, aside from the day to day stuff.

I hope to take the time to blog about most of these events. Actually, some I've already blogged about- like the bar exam.

And some things I won't mention much about- like my job- just because I'd like to keep this blog FUN!

So I guess that leaves two trips and an eye surgery to blog about! (no one wants to read about a dinner planning!)

More to come! Life is good!


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I think what I want to blog about a bit now is- for the lack of better phrasing- "the kind of mom I am"

It hit me at the park tonight, that there are types of "moms"

What sparked this thought? Well, P was nibbling on the swing. And I didn't stop her.

I thought for a second, "I should be really worried about germs right now!"

Then I thought, "Well, she's not sucking on dirt or something people walk on"

So I just made faces with her and giggled, and thought about how I wasn't a "hygiene mom".

And I think here's the kind of "mom" I am. More to be discovered, I'm sure as P gets older. But here's what I got so far:

• I'm not a germ-a-phobe mom.
• I must play with P for an hour after work. I'm a mom that plays.
• I'm a tv-nuetral mom. Not one of those moms who avoids children and tv in the same room until they're 2 or whatever. But P had yet to watch anything on TV.
• I am not a organic all-natural mom. I am a go-with-the-flow mom. Do your best and don't guilt-trip over the rest.
• I am not a social mom. This is really apparent from P's school. I don't like to sit and mom-chat. I think I've rubbed some class-moms the wrong way because of this. But... sorry. I'd rather get my girl home and play with her than chat diaper brands with you. 
• I am a selectively-selfish mom. I don't mind some folks holding and loving on my girl. But there are some people that I just want to say, "Please don't ever touch her. Just admire from afar." It's not consistent at all though. So... I think this trait is still in development.

I think that's all for now. Kind of funny to me though. I used to be a social butterfly. But now I just don't care as much. Well, c'est la vie!


I think that's all I have right now.

Thoughts from last night...

I went to RS last night and had a great time. I've had a crappy week that extends to apt. problems, school problems, and car problems. So it was amazing to have some good ole fun. It got me thinking about things as I drove home from dropping off some friends from the activity. I thought about my little San Marcos Ward. The quirks, the struggles, and the strengths.

Then I remembered my mission. I remembered that one of the great things about serving a mission is that you get to see how many wards function and work... and how some don't. I remembered that one thing that makes a ward work is when everyone knows everyone. And what doesn't work is when people are clueless about each other. "Thomas? Who's that? I'm in X auxiliary organization so I don't know (or care) about them."

I took a moment to be sure that I try to know and care about the people I go to church with.

After this thought.... I thought about my little town. I thought about San Marcos. As I crossed over the San Marcos River, on the Old Bastrop Highway Bridge, all I could think is that "This is where my heart is."

Sorry to be such a cheese. But I really do love where I live. I love my life. I can't wait to be finished with law school and be back here for good.

Anyway. Just thoughts that I had last night. Things that I want to remember.

Back In My Own Bed

I look awful in this picture. But after being displaced and studying a lot for law school, I wanted to say how GRATEFUL I am to be back in my little apartment, sleeping in my own bed.

Although, I am grateful that Kristen let me borrow hers last night.

The living room is still a work in progress. But my bedroom is back to normal. I'm just burning some candles to get rid of the water smell.

Yay!

Farewell to Wallace

Do you remember this post?

Well, as of this morning, the guard frog has passed on to frog heaven.

I had a hair appointment scheduled for 9 am this morning and OF COURSE I was running late. I zoomed out of the garage, down the driveway and to Hair Fitness. When I returned I saw a bloody, big, dead Wallace on my driveway. Here's the gruesome proof:

I sat in the driveway for a few minutes trying to decide what to do. You see, I'm not very good around blood. Or dead things. In undergrad I took an anatomy class and passed out the first day of class when they rolled out the lady cadaver. I get dizzy just thinking about that.

Well, I finally decided to just park, go inside, and call Russ to come clean it up. I was completely nauseated and dry heaved even though I hadn't eaten yet. Lucky for Russ the missionaries had called and left a message, so I quickly I returned their call and asked for their help. They needed me to print up a baptismal program so I didn't feel bad asking them for help. I mean they had to come get the program anyway. So Russ was spared from cleaning up the frog (Russ also informed me that he would not have come home for this. So I guess it was really just lucky for me.)

Now- a moment to reflect on what this did to my relationship with the missionaries. On my mission we occasionally had a bizarre request from someone on how to help. Often we would just laugh about it, help the person out and move on. Well, I am now one of 'those people'. One of those people who made a crazy request of the missionaries. But I'll be honest. I truly needed their help.

Back to the story. The missionaries came over and I had the bleach, a bag, and a scrubby for them to clean up the crime scene. Like I said, it was bloody. I tried to be nice and talk with them while they cleaned up the frog but I kept dry heaving and getting dizzy. I think in the end it made me even crazier.

But thanks missionaries.

Goodbye Wallace.

Oh- and I did get to my hair appointment on time. So... at least Wallace's death was not entirely in vain.

Pre-Thanksgiving Events

I forgot to post about our pre-Thanksgiving events:

Shopping for herbs at Whole Foods:

Russ's work Christmas party. Yes, his work had their Christmas party BEFORE Thanksgiving! But it was fun. And it's one less thing to do in the busy Holiday season. And it was at Dave & Busters so it was a lot of fun, as you can see:

Unfortunately I only have pictures that I took of Russ, but I did have fun too!

Russ won 500 tickets on 'Deal or No Deal'. He risked it all and won it all.

We ended up with about 2,000 tickets and game them to a little girl so she could get a Dora Lamp. 

We also spent a lot of time getting the house ready for all the visitors. This picture of Russ watering the trees was one of those rare cleaning moments where I was happy cleaning. Isn't he cute?

We also found last year's wishbone while we were cleaning. I'm a little embarrassed that it took us a year to find it. Even more so that we haven't done anything with it still. It is still on my counter.

Lastly, this is a picture of a foggy morning in my backyard. We often get low clouds at our house in the morning. I love it. It makes me want to go looking for Mr. Darcy on the misty moors.

And this is what led up to a spectacular thanksgiving! I think the best I've ever had.

Gratitude-Day 5

Remember how I was going to list something I was grateful for, for ten days prior to thanksgiving? I was on day 4 last. There are 5 days until thanksgiving. For all those arts & crafts majors out there- that means I am one day short. So it is now the Ten Nine Days of Gratitude. But I'll name two today to make up for the lost day.

First:

I am thankful for my neighbors, and that I live in a neighborhood. I often lament urban sprawl and the suburbs. But I grew up in a really great neighborhood. A neighborhood that was safe for kids to run around in and a neighborhood where kids actually ran around. Every Sunday we would play 'night games'. On Christmas we had neighbors come in and out all day well-wishing and just having fun. I remember countless moments of calling our neighbors, the Dukes, for everything and anything (eggs, sugar, a pan, etc.).

When I grew up, got married, moved to Texas, and bought a house I thought, "that's it, I'll never have another neighborhood like that again!" Well, I was right... at first. I never saw my neighbors. I didn't know who they were. But at Christmas time we brought cookies around to all of our neighbors. And then last year we did it again. And last year, our neighbors reciprocated by bringing us cookies. We know our neighbors. We are building that love and relationship I remember from when I was a kid. Why, just yesterday I saw my next door neighbor using a hedge cutter and I asked him if we could borrow it. Without hesitation he said, "sure." It took me back to memories of my childhood neighborhood and made me happy.

A neighborhood is really what you make of it. I am thankful that we've made our neighborhood a place of love!

Second:


Now, this is a weird one. I am often a HUGE fan of the state of Texas. And let there be no doubt- I still am. But today I am also grateful for my Utah childhood. Yup, I said it. I found a reason to like Utah. I am grateful for the foundations I learned growing up there. For the opportunity to know what it's like to be part of the majority in the religious area. I am thankful for the great leaders and good examples I had who taught me to be better. I am thankful because now when things don't go perfectly and there are problems, I can look back to my childhood and separate the gospel for the culture- the personality from the principle. So when I get frustrated with how Relief Society is going, or I feel weird asking people to stand and sing in sacrament meeting, etc. I know that it's going to be okay! That my way of doing things is not the only way of doing things. And that is alright.

Until tomorrow....

Guard Frog

Don't try to break down my front door or my Guard frog will jump on you!

Feel threatened... Please.

Grow food grow

The garden is starting to look really good. We should have some
tomatoes soon. Too bad I don't like them. I'm excited for the squash;
that bush is doing awesome.

-Russ

Grow, grow, grow

PLANTED!

Tomatoes, corn, watermelon, peas, squash zucchini, cucumbers, Jalapeno peppers, and carrots.

A Walk in the Neighborhood

There is a cute hill about half a mile from our house and I drive by it every day. Every time I drive by it, I want to walk to it. Today Russ and I did, and it was everything I hoped for.

After a sword fight on top of the hill (I won), looking at fossilized sea shells, and kicking what we suspect to be the chimney of the hobbit that lives in the hill, I slid down the hill and we walked home.

But the adventure wasn't over yet. We found this...



There was no further evidence, and we suspect the turkey vultures have already eaten breakfast. Gross....

-Chow

Spooky

There's a cold front blowing in tonight it might get down to the 40's.
That's about as cold as it gets here. We're starting to get ready for
Halloween. It think it's Chow's St. Patricks Day.

Freshly Showered

It rained buckets today. A good old fashioned Texas rain storm, a
gully washer if you will. My poor gnome nearly drowned. Partly becase
of the rain and partly because of the poor drainage in my front yard.

Laundry day

Last week it was air boats and hurricanes. This week it's just plain
old laundry. No excitement here.

Fire!

The neighborhood kids set the field across the street on fire. I also
went to a piano bar tonight. Oh the fun.

Attacked by ants

This morning I jumped out of bed to the sound of fire trucks. I looked
out the window, saw flames, and started running for the door. I threw
on some clothes that I'd left on the love sac and they got me. My
clothes were full of fire ants. Now I've got a bunch of puss filled
bites all over me and the fire was a controlled burn. I spent the
ballance of the morning murdering millions of ants.

Welcome to the hotel...

That's right you too could sleep on a blow up bed. We have a real
guest bed but tonight we have extra guests so we blew this up.

The neighborhood

We went on a walk tonight. The picture is one of the 6 new homes that
have popped up in our back yard during the last month (our house is
above the car). While we were out the power went out. So we spent most
of the night talking to our neighbors. It only took 8 months and power
outage.

Iphone Blogging Begins

I just got an iPhone and seeing as I will have a camera with me
everywhere I go I'm going to show you something that I see each day.
So for starters... This is our house.