I've never taken Halloween too seriously. I know some people get caught up in thinking it's a celebration of evil and spirits and stuff...but to me, it was always just an excuse to dress up and get a ton of candy that I didn't need. Now, however, Halloween is somewhat of a sad holiday...not because of the holiday itself, but that it reminds me just how much cancer sucks. Like, really sucks.
Let me explain. Growing up, my friend's mother used to throw these awesome Halloween parties. It wasn't your usual bob for apples and costume contest kind of party. And no, we weren't 7 and 8 year-olds...we were 17 and 18 year-olds. When we drove up, the clown from IT directed us where to park. Walking up to the house, there was a myriad of zombies and ghosts dragging us away from the door. Once inside we had snacks and did some usual chatting. Next, it was time for the scavenger hunt. This was especially fun being that their house was supposedly on an old Indian grave site and just down the street was a large, old cemetery. As the winning group ran back to the house for their prize, we were doused with water from water hose coming out of a second story window...and every team was a "winner". We ended the night by gathering in a completely dark living room, with exception of the glow from a few candles, for ghost stories. She told the best ghost stories in the world. They were obviously made up, but there was just enough reality mixed in that I would even start to question myself. They gave us all chills and the slightest noise from the staircase would make us jump.
I really miss those Halloween parties, but I miss Mrs. Sturdevant even more. Mrs. Sturdevant was taken from this world after battling cancer for a very long time. She wasn't just a good story-teller...she was our algebra teacher, our counselor, the cheer coach (not me of course), and our friend. I'm so glad that she is in heaven now, pain-free, but I know a lot of people on earth that hurt because of her absence.
I know that we all know or have known people with cancer, but it never gets easier to hear that diagnosis. Young or old...it just feels so wrong. Cancer doesn't discriminate. I guess I shouldn't say that Halloween necessarily makes me sad, it just makes think. It makes me think about those I have lost to cancer, and those whom I pray for to battle and prevail over the cancer they're fighting.
So today, I raise my Tootsie Pop and mini Snickers to those we have lost, we rejoice in your freedom from pain, and those who are fighting...may you kick cancer's butt. Amen.
This weekend is one of my favorite all year long...homecoming at Oklahoma State!!
Now, homecoming is a big deal to everyone at OSU...there are events every day that week on campus, the fountain is turned orange...there's just a festive spirit all week long. But no one gets as amped up for homecoming more than those in Greek life. Winning the sweepstakes (points earned through various homecoming competitions) means bragging rights for the entire year. Yes, there are other Greek competitions throughout the year...but this is the big one! We started in late August/early September (committee heads start planning from the end of last year's homecoming) and when we weren't in class or studying...we were at the frat house pomping.
Spending time at a frat house, sounds like fun...but swiping squares of tissue paper through a 5 gallon bucket of glue and stuffing it in chicken wire isn't exaclty glamorous. It did, however, provide ample opportunity to get to know your sisters, especially the ones you didn't get to see a lot. So, that was a plus.
This is an example of a house dec if you're not familiar. For scale, that is a 3-story frat house behind this thing and all of the color you see are those little squares of tissue paper...now you see why we start so early!
Walk-arounds are on Friday night (tonight) and that is when all of the house decorations have to be finished, ready for public viewing. The streets are shut down, bands are playing in parking lots, lots of vendors selling food, and everyone getting in the spirit for the football game on Saturday. The thing is, the weather is always perfect until the night before walk-arounds...last night. It never fails, a cold front and/or rain moves in making the assembly of the house dec MISERABLE! I remember my freshman year I was upside down under a tent at 3 a.m. in my ski jacket plastering a massive replica of the Lincoln Memorial. Those who make it to class on Friday look like they've just been through basic training, you look a little rough...but it's so worth it. When you go to walkarounds and see the whole thing put together and working (there's a lot of engineering, welding, and moving pieces that go into it) it's just awesome!
A few years ago when I was cleaning out some of my things to take to Goodwill, I found a pair of tennis shoes with pomps (tissue) glued to the bottom. Whoops!
I'm sorry I can't be in Stillwater this weekend, but I'll be there in spirit for sure! Go Kappa Delta, and GO POKES!!!!
(all images from various sites on Google)
I'm not sure if it's just where I am in my life that my attention is particularly peaked or if it's something else, but life has really been unfair to a lot of good women and couples that I am close to lately. I think when we (girls) are younger, we just assume that one day we'll get married and then have kids when we're ready. Unfortunately for some women I'm close to, the finding the right guy was a cinch, but the having children part has been exceedingly difficult.
I suppose what frustrates me is that I see girls in high school (or younger) and women with addictions that seem to be excellent baby hosts, but these women who would make amazing mothers and couples that have the means to provide a great life for any child are either unable to conceive or have trouble carrying to term. It's just not fair.
I am a Christian and I do believe that God has a plan for everything, but this one is just difficult for me. Maybe the experience of a miscarriage provides an opportunity to witness, perhaps there's a child in a foster home that God has specifically picked to be adopted, or possibly the mother's health might be compromised by a pregnancy but she doesn't know it , and of course there are biological reasons for miscarriages... All of these scenarios are equally possible, but until God's plan is revealed, I'm not sure the hurt for these women is any easier to handle. I suppose that's why it's called faith.
I'm sorry if this is a "Debbie Downer" moment, but this is just how I'm feeling today. However, I found out yesterday that one of my friends (after two, early term, miscarriages) is carrying a beautiful baby girl and is almost half-way through her pregnancy..and I couldn't be happier for her and her husband.
On a funny note, not having ever thought getting pregnant might be difficult or take a while, my husband had decided that we should start trying now. I reminded him of Murphy's Law and that if we did, we would very likely be successful immediately and be "blessed" with triplet girls (probably his worst fear). He thought about it for a while and agreed that it was probably better to wait ; )
I know I did a favorite things post just a little while back, but I made this last night and I thought it was worth posting.
I love to cook and do my best to buy/make healthy meals for my husband and myself. The easiest way to control what's going in your food is to make it from scratch, which I've done a lot of in the past. While adjusting to our new lifestyle, however, I found myself at my most recent Wal-Mart trip getting some frozen food and quick prep items. One of the things I picked up was this jambalaya "kit" from Culinary Delights. I need to preface this with by saying that I'm picky about my cajun food. Not to mention the fact that there are very few not-from-scratch cajun or creole items that turn out well.
Truth be told, I hardly ever buy freezer meals...especially ones with chicken. The "chicken" in those things just weirds me out a little. Anyway, so I bought this sausage and shrimp kit and thought we'd give it a try...and have a frozen pizza waiting in the wings if it turned out bad. I didn't need the pizza, though! I prepared it according to the instructions, except (I can't ever leave a recipe alone) I added a can of petite diced tomatoes...I thought it needed the liquid and acidity...and it turned out great! I think the key was that each component was frozen separately and you added one in at a time instead of dumping a whole mess of stuff in at one time and let it simmer on its own.
I can't remember the cost exactly, but I think it was around $7-8 and it made three servings...which is cheaper than fast food. Of course, three servings around our house really means two. (I'd like to blame my husband, but I'd be lying) And it was only about 350 calories for the two servings!
So, there's my product plug for the week.
I stated in my "about me" description that my husband and I recently relocated, but I haven't really taken the time to expand on that. So here it is.
In mid-August, the president of my company paid a visit to our office with the HR director in tow. We knew the board of directors meeting wasn't coming up, or any other planning type meeting, so we knew the prospects of what they were there for wasn't good. We were asked to meet in our conference room where the president basically explained that our division was being closed. Throughout the afternoon, we were called in one by one to be told if we were being offered a transfer or simply getting a severance package. I, fortunately and unfortunately, was offered both. I was offered a transfer to our office in Houston, but if I chose not to accept it, I could take the severance.
Being that the industries my husband and I both work in are based in Houston, we always knew that this was a potential fate...we just didn't know that it would happen quite so soon in our careers. So what did we do? We prayed our butts off, that's what we did, and we asked everyone we knew to do the same. I think initially we were both praying for some big sign not to go...but every time we did, we got an even bigger affirmation that we needed to go. We both were given transfers into positions that we were more than happy with, raises, and not to mention that our house sold in three weeks. Okay God, we get it!
So, six weeks later we had both cars packed (in addition to half of a semi) heading to Texas. My head is still spinning a little bit, so I apologize to friends and family if I've been a little disconnected or distant. I still have to remember where I am when I wake up in the morning.
Anyway, we're slowly but surely getting acclimated to our new life. We're renting a house while we get a feel for the city and the different options, so I don't feel grounded quite yet. Of course the biggest adjustment for both of us has been the traffic. Quite simply, you can't be in a hurry to get anywhere. You just leave plenty ahead of time and hope there's not a wreck or some other catastrophe...and if there is, turn up the radio and get comfy because there's absolutely nothing you can do about it!
This is the sunrise I get to see from my office every morning. It's hard to see but it's all tree-tops, the downtown skyline, and the sun. Great way to start the day!
I once had a woman enquire about what I was currently reading or what I liked to read in general. At first, I thought she was just making small-talk, but then I remembered that she was a counselor and that her asking about my reading interests was really just a way of getting a feel for my personality and what really mattered to me. Later I thought, you know, that's really not a bad assessment tool. If you're going to take the time away from other things to read, you're going to read something you enjoy (the exception being for school purposes. I still hate Johnny Tremain).
I'm really not that big of a book reader. It's not that I don't like to read, there are just very few books that interest me quick enough...and quite frankly, I'd probably rather be playing with my dog, doing something outside, or cooking. When we were packing to move, however, I realized what a giant stack of magazines I had laying around and that's when I the light bulb went off that my mags are really a pretty good reflection of me. So what do I have on my coffee table?
Southern Living
This is one of two magazines that I actually have a subscription to. Being that my Dad is from Mississippi and I am from Oklahoma...I like to think I'm 75% Southern (no one really knows which region Oklahoma belongs in). I know to say "please" and "thank you" to everyone for everything. You always refer to someone older than you as Mr. or Mrs./Ms. (last name). If they insist on you using their first name, it's Ms. (first name). And of course, I know how to appropriately use "bless her heart".
To be honest, I just love the Southern way of life. It's laid back, heart felt, and full of amazing food! I suppose each magazine I get transports me to a porch somewhere with tall pine trees and a glass of SWEET iced tea thinking about what kind of roast and potatoes I'm going to fix on Sunday. (In the South, you have to ask for unsweetened tea...as it should be)
InStyle
This is the other magazine I have a subscription to. I am a girly girl in that I do love fashion, make-up, and just about anything feminine. I realize that there are other, more fashion-oriented, magazines (i.e. Harper's BAZAAR), but I feel like this one is the most realistic for me in terms of outfit ideas and make-up I would actually wear...and I don't really need Cosmo's 108 ways to excite my man.
The Economist
I know it's nerdy and probably sounds a bit pompous, but I really do like this magazine. I don't have a subscription, but I tend to pick it up in airports or bookstores. I like it because it has a lot of business related articles and for the most part, I don't detect an opinionated slant. Plus, most of the sections are very short. I feel like I can get a quick overview about what's going on in politics, the U.S., and the world without reading a 4-page story.
Various Fitness Magazines
I have a tendency to pick up fitness magazines while I'm in the checkout line at the grocery store. Guilty conscience about what's in my basket? Perhaps. I did, however, throw most of them out when we moved. This last summer I splurged and started working with a personal trainer once a week. Best money I've spent in a long time. I learned a lot about myself and my body, and being strong just feels great. I haven't hit the gym since we moved a couple of weeks ago, but the hubs and I have agreed to start next week. We'll see if that happens or not.
So I think that gives a pretty good synopses of what I've got going on in my head and life...what about you?
I've seen a few people post blogs about things or products they love, and I've found most of them to be either useful, humorous, or insightful. So it really got me to thinking, what are the things that have truly made my life better. I'm not sure that this is all of them, but this is a pretty good list.
1. Stick/Immersion Blender: This is a product that we didn't register for, but received as a wedding present. At first I thought, what am I going to do with this...but then I started using it to blend protein shakes (which are next to impossible to get completely smooth), break down whole tomatoes for sauces, and puree soups. Plus, this particular blender has a whisk attachment should you need to beat egg whites for a meringue or other high-speed whisking needs. It's one of those things that I never knew I needed until I had it...and now I recommend that every kitchen have one.
2. Kiehl's Olive Fruit Oil Deeply Repairative Hair Pak: I stumbled upon this beauty when I was in San Francisco and saw the Kiehl's store as I was walking through a neighborhood. I thought, hmmm, all of my magazines show celebrities with Kiehl's products...I should go see what all the hype is about. Prior to my trip, my hairdresser had mentioned that my hair was particularly dry so when I was in the store I asked about deep conditioning products. They gave me a ton of samples (any Kiehl's counter will, so don't be afraid to ask)...one being this olive oil hair pak. It's magic folks. After one application, my hair was silky and shiny without being oily. It is a little on the expensive side at $25 a jar, but considering how little is needed and how long it lasts (a jar lasts me a year) it's worth the investment. One word of advice though...if you use it in the shower, make sure you're standing on something non-slip...I almost landed my bony rear on the marble floor of a hotel shower.
3. MAC Lipglass in Underage: I don't remember how or why I started using this product, but I love it. It's a thick lip gloss that stays on for a very long time. This particular color is great alone or on top lipstick (with or without liner). I'm picky about how my lips feel and I've wasted a lot of money on crappy lip products...so just take my word for it.
4. www.mint.com: This isn't a tangible product, but that doesn't mean it's any less useful. This is a FREE website that makes managing your money a lot easier because it gives you a complete look at your finances as a whole...not just one account at a time. How it works is you enter every account you have regarding money; checking and savings accounts, 401k(s), mortgages, loans of any sort, and credit cards. One of the main features we use is the Budget page. All expenses are categorized (you can even edit the categories) so we can really tell where our money is going and how/if we need to adjust our spending habits. I realize that security of such accounts is a big concern, but mint doesn't cache the information, it simply pulls it straight from the various account websites each time you log in so your information is never stored.
5. Starbucks VIA: I'm not usually an instant coffee person, but when I went to China about a year and half ago...these little babies saved me. They are single serving packets and all that is needed is a cup and hot water (which most Chinese hotels had electric kettles in the rooms for tea). To be completely honest, the flavor is better than a lot of coffees that I could brew at home myself. I believe they come in flavors (vanilla, mocha, etc.) now as well. These are great to keep in your desk at work or use as a stocking stuffer for the coffee lover in your household.
I'm quite certain I have more "favorite" things, but this is the list I've come up with so far.
Have a wonderful Thursday everyone!
Look at me, I'm finally writing something!
I've had intentions of starting a blog for a while, but when we decided about a month and a half ago to pick up our lives and move for my job, I thought it was now the ideal time. I further had intentions to take lots of pictures to document the adventure that has been our move...but that didn't happen either. Everything has happened so quickly that my head really hasn't stopped spinning yet.
So, what's this going to be about...
Well, hopefully it will serve as a journal of sorts. A chronicle of my/our lives to look back on, and a way to communicate with friends and family that I either left or want to reconnect with. I say "my/our" not because I'm undecided about the condition of my marriage, it's pretty darn solid to be honest, but because it's really my personal blog that I will occasionally integrate family stuff into...it's not a "family" blog per se. Mostly, I imagine it will be filled with random posts regarding things that pop in my head during the day that I wish someone were around to tell.
Also, I apologize in advance for the shoddy blog layout and design. I'm green, but I will learn, and this blog will progress. Suggestions and comments are more than welcome!
