Deadlines

I have deadlines. That may stress some people out. But for me, it actually removed a lot of the stress I was feeling about the wedding.

Thanks to my fantastic wedding coordinator, I have a list of EXACTLY what I need to do. And a date of when I should have it done by (or at least mostly done).

Direction. With a defined timeline.

This is what I needed. I still feel incredibly daunted by the sheer amount of stuff I need to accomplish while working a full-time job, but I feel way more prepared to handle it all, and get it all done.

And I can already feel my blood pressure getting a little lower. Because I have deadlines. Crazy I know. But it's true.

Month 3 Day 30

On this final day of this third month of daily photos, I thought I'd leave you with a video, rather than a photo. (It was taken with my new camera, so I'm counting it.)

Cooper gets rather excited whenever we feed him, as would be expected of a dog. But what I find especially funny about Cooper is that he jumps, or almost leaps, into the air with excitement whenever he's about to get food.

Month 3 Day 29

I have my high school reunion next month. And I bought these shoes special just for the event. I just may be more excited to wear these shoes. Or at least less nervous.

Month 3 Day 28

Since summer is winding down, this is probably the last watermelon we'll buy. Sad. But then that means football season and baseball playoffs. Whoop!

Hump Day Humor: 8 Miles Wide

Twitter friend @kitchentablewar showed me this video last week and since then I haven't been able to get enough of it. I have been walking around for a week singing, "My vagina is 8 miles wide. Absolutely everyone can come inside." Crazy, I know. But so fun.

UPDATE: May, possibly, probably not safe for work.

ANSWER - Tuesday Trivia: Definitions

What are you afraid of if you suffer from iatrophobia?

Doctors, or going to the doctor.

Month 3 Day 27

I was in Bed Bath & Beyond tonight when I came across this:


Any idea what it is?



It's supposed to be Reveille, Texas A&M's mascot. As an Aggie, this slightly offends me (okay, more than slightly, but I'm trying to be nice. Am I really supposed to buy this just because it says A&M on it?), as it looks NOTHING like our beloved Reveille, the first lady of Aggieland.

Tuesday Trivia: Definitions

Tuesday Trivia is a weekly post of interesting trivia questions. Leave a comment with your answer, or guess, and come back tomorrow to see if you were right. Happy guessing!

<><><>

What are you afraid of if you suffer from iatrophobia?

Month 3 Day 26

Holy crap. The gnocchi I prepped yesterday for dinner tonight was delicious. I didn't have all the vegetables the blog post mentioned so I used what I had on hand. *drool*

Just a Little Stress

I had my annual physical last week. And I heard something from the doctor that I've never heard before in my life.

"I'm concerned about your high blood pressure."

I'm sorry, what? I thought I heard you say my blood pressure's high.

"I'm not going to put you on medication yet, but I want you back here in 3 months. If it's not where it should be by then, I will have to put you on medication and diagnose you with hypertension."

Shit.

As I listened to him list the possible causes (diet, not enough exercise, aging), I couldn't help but think that it couldn't be any of those.

I exercise every day. Something. Every day. It may only be taking Cooper for a long walk, but I am doing something every day. And I'm certainly doing more exercise than I was just a few years ago.

Same with diet. Even at my heaviest, I never had high blood pressure before. And I'm eating considerably better now.

And aging. Well even he had to dismiss that cause.

So I asked, "Could stress be a possible cause?" Turns out, it could.

Ding ding ding. Bob, I think we have a winner.

What could possibly be stressing me? Let me count the ways.

• House
• Wedding
• Dog
• Work
• Money (but when is this not a stressor?)
• And I'm sure there are other little, tiny things that I'm forgetting

All this means of course is that I'm not dealing with the stress in the best way. Great. One more thing to add to the stress list.

Month 3 Day 25

Thanks to Julie & Julia last night, the cooking bug has reawakened in me. I made herb gnocchi for the first time tonight. I'd tell you how it ended up except I don't know. This was just the prep for tomorrow night. DF wanted to have drumsticks for dinner tonight so I made these potatoes to go with it. They were delicious, though DF wasn't a fan of the strong taste of the gruyere so I may use a different cheese the next time I make them. I also made a corn chowder to take for lunch this week. Cooking bug, it's back.

Month 3 Day 24

DF and I went to see Julie & Julia tonight (fantastic movie btw. Now I want to buy Julia Child's cookbook and try my hand at some French cooking. Though I would probably skip boning a duck.) After we got home, I grabbed a beer and laid down on the floor in our bedroom to watch me some Food Network. (Cause, you know, I didn't get enough of food during the movie.) Then, Cooper climbed on top of me to start humping my hip.

Month 3 Day 23

About three weeks ago or so, Cooper was given this toy as a present. This is it now. Stuffing and squeakers ripped out of both ends. But he still loves to play with it.

Month 3 Day 22

This goofy grin is a direct result of ordering THE dress. You know. It's white. It's what I'll be wearing as I say the vows to bind my life with DF's. As it turns out, there was really no decision that needed to be made. I had already made it.

Month 3 Day 21

Every August, I like to eat somewhere for Restaurant Week. It's a win-win. I get to try a new, really nice restaurant I wouldn't otherwise try and the North Texas Food Bank gets part of the proceeds.

This year we went to Abacus. I had every attention of posting pics of all the courses. Only I completely forgot until after we finished dessert. So this is the only picture from dinner tonight. But, it was delicious.

Hump Day Humor: Assume the Position

This is hilarious. What else did she expect when she got in that position?



From Cary.

ANSWER - Tuesday Trivia: Sports

What sports great won more Most Valuable Player awards than any other player in any major professional sport in North America?

Wayne Gretzky, who won the National Hockey League's Hart Award - given annually to the MVP - nine times.

Congratulations to Mochaface friend Moto62 for being the first one to get the answer!

Month 3 Day 20

This is the way I have to position my head to avoid Cooper licking my mouth, which is what he was trying to do just seconds before I took this picture. I love his expression. He's all like "Wha? I didn't do anything."

Tuesday Trivia: Sports

Tuesday Trivia is a weekly post of interesting trivia. Leave a comment with your answer, or guess, and come back tomorrow to see if you were right. Happy guessing!

<><><>

What sports great won more Most Valuable Player awards than any other player in any major professional sport in North America?

Month 3 Day 19

Cooper's got a tattoo. I've heard something about breeders tattooing their dogs so they can identify and know what litter they came from if they ever got lost or stolen. But you would think that would include a serial number. All Cooper's got is this eye with a line through it.

Month 3 Day 18

These are what my friend Michele calls crack noodles. Because they are so good you can't stop eating them. And I must say, she's not wrong.

Month 3 Day 17

Today was the first day since we set the date and location that I had a chance to go dress shopping. But sorry. I'm not posting pictures from that (although I will say that I found two fabulous, gorgeous dresses and I have no clue how I'm going to choose between them). Besides, all the pictures from shopping are on my mom's camera.

We did go to a baby shower for a family friend and played the Guess the Baby Food game. I only got about half right. I can't decide if that's good or not.

Month 3 Day 16

My sister and mom came over tonight to work on invitations and save the dates. Cooper of course was trying to get involved. And tomorrow, we're dress shopping! (FINALLY!!!)

Month 3 Day 15

A couple months ago, I mentioned several bloggers that I like a little (read: a lot) more than most. Not that I have favorites. Ok I do. Well, Shauna at is it 5 o'clock yet has written a book called Heaping Spoonful. I haven't had the pleasure to read it yet, but she was in Plano tonight at Legacy Books doing a book read. Naturally, I HAD to go. I really had no other option.

I was a little nervous beforehand. I mean what do you say to someone you kinda know but you don't KNOW? But y'all, she walked right up and gave me a big hug. She talked about her blog and her book and dropped a few mentions of vagina, midget porn and ballsack. Then she signed my book, and we talked blogs, Twitter and writing as a cathartic release.

Shauna and I

Also, tonight my friend Michele arrived in Dallas from Boston for a long weekend. She brought us the best cupcakes ever. S'mores, her signature cupcake. We ate one giant one in the bar.

S'mores cupcakes minus one

All gone

Michele and I

Dream a Little Dream

When I stress, it affects my dreams. So it doesn't surprise me to have dreams, or nightmares, about the wedding. I was a little shocked that I had the first one so soon, just days after getting engaged.

I guess I was already really stressed. Anyway.

There have been several dreams now. All pretty funny looking back on them from the perspective of consciousness. But while I was in them, I might has well been facing Freddy Krueger for the terror and anxiety I was feeling.

1. In one dream, DF wasn't wearing a tux and instead was wearing a linen shirt and linen pants that I've seen at several beach weddings. I was wearing a monstrosity of a dress and had forgotten to take the curlers out of my hair.
2. In another dream, I went to get my hair done and the girl butchered it. All different lengths and really choppy. My bangs weren't even at all. And they were about an inch and a half above my eyebrows at the longest point.
3. At a third dream wedding, only 10 people showed up. And DF and I didn't know a single one of them.
4. And the last one I can remember, my sister was the bride at my wedding instead of me. And no one would listen when I would try to tell them that it was my wedding.

All of the dreams have been so vivid that for a brief time after I wake up, I'm not entirely sure they weren't real.

Luckily, I don't have one every night. At least not yet. The closer we get to it, the more often I'll probably have them.

Month 3 Day 14

It's football time, y'all! WHOOP!

Hump Day Humor: Crazy Girlfriend Emails

Remember that web site from last week, Emails from Crazy People? Well I found this video on there yesterday. It is sad to think somewhere there is a girl who was such a dolt as to think her boyfriend was ignoring her when really she just forgot he was in Europe for two weeks.

A little long. But hilarious. And totally worth it.

ANSWER - Tuesday Trivia: Animals

How many ants - and other insects - can a giant anteater eat in a day?

As many as 30,000 thanks to its sticky two-foot-long tongue that flicks in and out up to 150 times a minute.

(So many jokes. Can. Barely. Contain. Myself.)

Month 3 Day 13

I bought this lamp at Ikea. And LOVE it! I don't think DF really cares for it. But he doesn't hate it enough to demand it's removal. Which means love according to my dictionary. At least I'm pretty sure that's why he proposed. He said something along the lines of, "Well it'd be more a hassle to get rid of ya than to keep ya, so let's get married." That's love folks.

Tuesday Trivia: Animals

Tuesday Trivia is a weekly post of interesting trivia questions. Leave a comment with your answer, or guess, and come back tomorrow to see if you were right. Happy guessing!

<><><>

How many ants - and other insects - can a giant anteater eat in a day?

Month 3 Day 12

My newest pair of shoes. I bought them a few weeks ago on Piperlime.com. Not nearly as great an experience as I've had with Zappos.com - but then it's really very hard to beat their customer service. Seriously. I'm spoiled for life. Alas, Zappos didn't have them.

Month 3 Day 11

This has been Cooper all night. While DF and I were in Lubbock for his brother's graduation, we left Cooper at my parents'. Where he probably spent the whole weekend trying to play with their dog Zoe.

Month 3 Day 10

DF and his nephew. Doesn't he look mighty handsome holding that baby? I think so.

Month 3 Day 9

This is what I found Cooper chewing on this morning. So now it's not just my shoes but also my books. This dog is going to be a handful.

Month 3 Day 8

This is a regular sight in our house in the morning. I'm always up before DF. So when I get up, he takes over the whole bed.

P.S. I'm headed out of town this weekend for DF's brother's graduation. I may or may not get pics up every day. Depends on if I can sign onto the Internets. Either way, I'll get pics up from those days that I'm gone.

Book Review: The Devil in the White City

The Devil in the White City by Erik Lawson

Two stories in one book. Both take place in Chicago leading up to and during the World's Fair in 1893. And that's pretty much where the similarities end.

One story revolves around the planning, building, operating of the Fair itself. The second focuses on a handsome, charming sociopath, who charms, seduces and kills an unknown number of women (and possibly some men) not too far from the Fair. He actually takes advantage of the Fair and the numerous amount of people it brought to his door.

Some may argue that the stories are disjointed. They're certainly not related other than by time and location. But they provide relief for each other. When the Fair story starts to become stagnant, boring and too much fact and architecture details, the author switches to the murder mayhem. And vica versa for when the murder story becomes too dark and creepy.

What makes this book so great is the ability of the author to insert suspense and intrigue into the story. And I don't mean just the murder part. He creates cliff hangers and weaves suspense into the dry facts of building the Fair. There's also lots of interesting tidbits like how Shredded Wheat and Pabst Blue Ribbon, among many others, got their start at the Fair.

This book is a fantastic read. If you like dark and twisty. If you like history. This is a great book.

Month 3 Day 7

DF playing on his new toy, Frank his iPhone. Several nights now I've come home and instead of on his computer, he's playing on his iPhone.

Hump Day Humor: No Pets Clause

I stumbled upon this great site called Emails From Crazy People, thanks to DF, that features, well, I think the title sums it up pretty clearly. Some of it is real. Some fake. But all hilarious.

Well there was this one exchange that is hands down one of the best, funniest exchanges. Ever.


Click here to read the entire thing. Trust me. Click it.

ANSWER - Tuesday Trivia: Literature

What parts of newt, frog, bat and dog are mixed into the witches' brew in Shakespeare's Macbeth?

As the Bard wrote it: "Eye of newt, and toe of frog./ Wool of bat and tongue of dog."

Month 3 Day 6

The paintings I bought for the living room. I love love LOVE them!

Tuesday Trivia: Literature

Tuesday Trivia is a weekly post of interesting trivia questions. Leave a comment with your answer, or guess, and come back tomorrow to see if you were right. Happy guessing!

<><><>

What parts of newt, frog, bat and dog are mixed into the witches' brew in Shakespeare's Macbeth?

Month 3 Day 5

Ok, so this picture I didn't take today but I had to show it to give some context.

We bought this house. It's an older house in great shape but in need of some updating. As well as just decorative choices to make it more ours than the previous owners. First up was the living/formal dining room.

We were getting ready to start painting in there soon when I looked at the light fixture in the dining room (see above). It was not going to work with what I had planned for the space. So during a trip to Lowe's I found this one.


So much better. And it was the last one. I mean I had to get a guy take it down from the display because there were no more. I really am so pleased with it.

Month 3 Day 4

We decided to take Cooper to a dog park today. We couldn't decide whether or not he should be in the big dog portion of the park or not. Ultimately we decided that since he's right on that dividing edge (and there were some really big dogs in there) to take him to the small dog section.

He made a couple friends, one in particular.





He had so much fun that he was falling asleep in the car on the way home. We'll definitely be taking him back as often as we can.

Month 3 Day 3

We had our housewarming party tonight.

Cooper insisted on taking a bath because there would be guests coming over.

This is the most awesome housewarming gift ever. It's Harry Potter Clue. My favorite board game combined with Harry Potter. It's a lot of fun. And a little more complicated than traditional clue, but I think it raises the excitement in the game.