Sha and Michelle

Finish the...

2010-01-04T18:36:00.006-05:00

1. My ex is . . still a good friend.
2. I should learn to . . .accept that I can't always be perfect.
3. I love . . . my dogs.
4. People would say that I am . . . a workaholic.
5. I don't understand . . . why my relationships with guys always have to be so complicated.
6. When I wake up in the morning . . .I take the pups out to pee before I do.
7. I lost . . .several movies in the move to TX.
8. Life is . . .hard.
9. My past taught me . . .you can't depend on a 50-50 relationship.
10. I get annoyed . . . when people rush me.
11. Parties are . . no-existent in my life...need to change that (oh Ethan!!)
12. I wish . . .I had my doggie kennel.
13. Dogs and cats . . .are the bestest friends a person can ask for.
14. My childhood . . .was good. little sheltered. LOL.
15. Tomorrow . . is my day to sleep in! I don't have to be at work til 5 pm. Hurray!!
16. I have a low tolerance for . . .people with Attitudes.
17. If I had $10 million dollars . . I'd pay off my debt and open my dream kennel.
18. I'm terrified of . . n/a
19. I've come to realize . . .I am a great person the way I am and if a man don't see that he needs to take a hike.
20. I am listening to . . .computer monitors buzzing.
21. I talk . . .to Alyssa every day. Love her!
22. My best friend(s) . . . Aylssa. David. Michelle T. Michelle G. and Debbie!!
23. My first kiss . . . was with Dylan...
24. Love is . . .real.
25. Marriage is . . .something I know nothing about... yet. LOL.
26. Somewhere, someone is ...thinking about me ( I love you Mommy!)
27. I'll always be . . .a dog lover.
28. The last time I cried was . . .a few weeks ago.
29. My cell phone is . . .permanently within sight. LOL.
30. Before I go to bed . . I set my alarm clock for an UN-Godly hour.
31. My middle name . . . Shannon Marie
32. Right now, I am thinking . . . it's nice to be off work already.
33. Yesterday I . . . worked 13 hours. Hurray for shoes that don't kill my feet!!!
34. Tonight I will be . . .watching movies and cleaning the Guinea Pig cage.
35. I really want to . . .open a dog kennel (Woot!)
36. The person most likely to re-post this is . . . dunno
37. The person least likely to re-post this is . . dunno
38. My relationship with my grandparents . . .fine...live in a different state.
39. My most treasured possession is . . .not a possession. My Dogs.
40. My favorite pictures . . .are of my dogs.
41. I sing . . .badly.
42. If I were a crayon . . . (weird question) Brown.
43. Someday I want to travel to . . .Montana (rolling dog ranch).
44. I am wearing . . . big black hoop earrings. my hair in a bun with a blue and gold barrette...blue jeans and a gray jacket.
45. My favorite class(es) . . . were English and Art.
46. My favorite language is . . .good ole' American Grammar...English, sorta. LOL.
47. It hurts . . . when people play mind games
49. My profile picture is . . my dogs.
50. Someone who is always the happiest to see me...my dogs.

New Years Resolutions 2010: THIS YEAR WILL BE GREAT!!!

2010-01-02T02:08:00.011-05:00

I think I did really good on my New Years Resolutions for 2009.

I had a lot of fun making my Resolutions for 2010...

I used my Aunt Marti's Method. I only make Resolutions I feel I can meet. Still challenging Resolutions...but not Pipe Dreams (like lose 100 pounds) LOL. I'm a perfectionist. If I made goals that were too hard and didn't meet them I'd be upset with myself. I really feel good about last year's Goals and this Year's!!

So, Here they Are:

1. Continue to pay off CREDIT CARDS. I did good last year, I paid off my 3 baby ones. This year I hope to pay off a few more (cross your fingers for me). My Apartment is a whole lot cheaper than my House in VA...I can put a bit more money on my cards to keep out of the RED. I just need to keep my Motivation!!

2. Try hard not to put anything more on the Credit Cards; only VET BILLS and Car Stuff! (Emergencies only!) I've been really good with this. I eat out less and when I do go out I try to order cheaper items... and I never put it on the Card. Woot! Last year (2009) I had to put a little over $1000 on the Cards for the Car... the Vet was mostly out of pocket...I think Lily's Cremation was the only thing I put on my card...

3. Have More Fun!!! Enjoy Life!!!
***What is Wrong With Me!! I'm in my 20's and I act like I'm 40!!! Ick!!! More nights baking at midnight!!! More Movie Marathons! and this Year I will go to the club with Ethan and see him Pole Dance - at least once!! Heck yeah!! LOL. <3>

4. Spend more time playing with my Pups and Guinea Pigs! I love my babies and I try to give them the best money can buy. But I need to be home more...sigh...hard to do when I work 70 hours a week. But, this year I WILL find a place to take the pups to have fun! I need to find a *Brusters* hangout in Texas!!!

5. Buy A Car or find another Job I can walk to! Michelle and I have been doing awesome sharing a car. I have one job I can walk to, but the other job is too far. When Michelle graduates she will either need to find a job she can get to on the bus line or walk to... Or I will have to quit my job and find one closer I can get to... Or I can try to finance a car again...we will see how it goes...

6. Try to Stress Less; Panic Less. This I'm sure is WISHFUL THINKING...but what the Heck... I'm young, I'm not a manager anymore, My jobs are easy, I'm making ends meet... currently all the babies are healthy...I have Much to be thankful for. I will try to breath this year.

7. Continue to try to Eat at Home!!! I'm amazed at how well Michelle and I have been doing with this!!! I lost 20 pounds this year without trying!! (Of course with all those discounted cookies, cakes, and pies at HEB I'm sure I just put those pounds right back on this week...Oh Well. Like Marti says: EAT IT WHILE YOU CAN!! It's a lot easier for me to EAT AT HOME with my friend Mr. Dishwasher!!! xoxo How did I ever live without you!!!

8. Get Internet hooked up at the Apartment!?!? This One is a Fingernail Nibbler...ugh. If I get the Internet in my apartment then Hurray!!! I'll have my computer back!!! But if I continue to use the business center...I'll save $35 a month... Ick! What to do...

9. Try to go HEB Green!!! Buy Green Bags this Year!!! I am not super environment friendly. And I'm not going to try to be this year (sorry)...But I figure I can save the world from excess Plastic Bags when I go grocery shopping...I have a million Tot Bags I don't use anyway...

10. Condense Clutter at the Apartment. Throw Out what I don't Wear or Use!! I moved from a big 2 bedroom house with a walk-up attic and a shed in VA...to a 700 sq. ft. apartment in TX...I have no idea how I even got my stuff to fit in the Apartment!!! I still have 4 boxes of stuff left to unpack and Alyssa says she'll help me (hurray for friends!). But, I think there are a few things here and there around the apartment that could happily meet the garbage man...

11. Save Money by Savings Account (baby steps). I used to have a savings account in VA that took out $25 a month. I almost always put it back in my checking account. Now I have a "keep the change program" and I still use that money instead of letting it build up...sigh...SO: For the Year 2010!! My GOAL is too Leave my SAVINGS ACCOUNT ALONE!!! LOL...I'm going to Try to forget any MONEY is going in there. Then January 1, 2011...I'll see how much I saved! It'll be fun!!

So, What do you think? Can I Meet My Resolutions???

xoxo

-Sha

Reflection on New Years Resolutions 2009

2010-01-02T01:50:00.007-05:00

1. PAY OFF CREDIT CARDS. Obviously, I wasn't able to pay off all 10 of my credit cards in one year. But I did make a dent. I paid off three and I feel like I'm doing good. Michelle and I try hard not to use the cards for unnecessary things and we try to eat at home now and with the help of my DISHWASHER it's not hard to do! LOL. The only things that have gone on my cards this year were Vet and Car. (hurray!!!)

2. Buy a CAR. My Mom actually bought me a car back in June. But it got wrecked 4 days later. Not my fault. I used the insurance money to get an Apartment here in Texas. Michelle and I still share a car but it's working out.

3. Work on Training the Pups. This did not happen. Since moving to the apartment Madelyne has gotten Loose twice. Little Bear once. and Lily once...Maddy and Little Bear came when called...Lily did not but we caught her. LOL...so glad Rhiley hasn't gotten loose!!!

4. ONLY USE CREDIT CARDS if I HAVE To; VET BILLS ONLY!!! Yay!!! I did good with this!!! I said vet bills Only...but the car needed $1000 worth of work, didn't have that kind of money on me..went on the card.

5. If it's possible: Start Saving Money for TX. Um. We moved to Texas all right. Without saving the Money. My Mom paid for the move. Howdy.

6. RELAX. BREATH. NO BREAK-DOWNS This Year.My financial problems will work themselves out. They always do. Remember to Live Life this year. My Troubles are going to go away. I WILL SUCCEED! :) Oh Hell. Totally Failed. I had a lot of breakdowns...LOL.

Questionaire

2009-12-15T01:41:00.007-05:00

• Copy and paste the following questionnaire with your answers (1-2 words only please).

Where is your cell phone? right beside me
Your hair? Red, long (in a bun)
Your mother? The best person in the world!!!
Your father? Absent.
Your favorite food? Italian
Your dream last night? Nightmare...about losing my garnet ring
Your favorite drink? Sweet Tea
Your dream/goal? Kennel owner
What room are you in? Business Center. Need to get the Internet at my apartment
Your hobby? don't really have one...I like to have movie marthon's at home. does that count???
Your fear? n/a
Where do you want to be in 6 years? at age 29/30... married, hopefully. with kids.
Where were you last night? my apt. making cookies with Alyssa at midnight. Fun!!!
Something you aren't? I'm not a lier.
Muffins? Banana Nut
Wish list item? have my internet back on in the apt...and a second car.
Where did you grow up? Virginia.
Last thing you did? Blinked.
What are you wearing? Jeans and gray jacket
Your TV? I have 3 of them. Couldn't live without my movies.
Your pets? 3 dogs. 2 guinea pigs.
Friends? Many and I love them all!
Your life? busy...working.
Your mood? tired. worn out. and I can't believe it cost $182 at the vet for my guinea pigs!!!
Missing someone? my Mommy. Always miss my Mommy.
Vehicle? 1994 marron station wagon. The Pup Mobile.
Something your not wearing? a watch. I hate watches, I break them.
Your favorite store? Ross!!!
Your favorite color? Brown
When was the last time you laughed? second ago.
Last time you cried? Wednesday.
Your best friend? a few, the besties!!!
One place that I go to over and over? WORK.
One person who emails me regularly? HAWK.
Favorite place to eat? Melting Pot.

Snow Patrol: Set Fire to the Third Bar

2009-12-01T01:59:00.003-05:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SCmBl4y1ilg&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GOO4So0wv1Y

the version featuring Martha Wainwright

I find the map and draw a straight line
Over rivers, farms, and state lines
The distance from A to where you'd 'B'
It's only finger-lengths that I see
I touch the place where I'd find your face
My fingers in creases of distant dark places
I hang my coat up in the first bar
There is no peace that I've felt so far
The laughter penetrates my silence
As drunken men find flaws in science
Their words mostly noises
Ghosts with just voices
Your words in my memory
Are like music to me
I'm miles from where you are,
I lay down on the cold ground
I pray that something picks me up
And sets me down in your warm arms
After I have travelled so far
We'd set the fire to the third bar
We'd share each other like an island
Until exhausted,
close our eyelids
And dreaming pick up from
The last place we left off
Your soft skin is weeping
A joy you can't keep it
I'm miles from where you are,
I lay down on the cold ground
And I pray that something picks me up
and sets me down in your warm arms
I'm miles from where you are,
I lay down on the cold ground
I pray that something picks me up
and sets me down in your warm arms

Rhiley

2009-11-09T17:57:00.002-05:00

Today is Rhiley's B-day. She's 6 years old.

Next Week (Nov. 16th) she is having Surgery. She has bladder stones. No Fun.

Michelle is gonna take off school to stay with her while she heals...

2009-11-09T17:12:00.003-05:00

The nest of young eagles hung on every word as the Master Eagle described his exploits. This was an important day for the eaglets. They were preparing for their first solo flight from the nest. It was the confidence builder many of them needed to fulfill their destiny.
"How far can I travel?" asked one of the eaglets.
"How far can you see?" responded the Master Eagle.
"How high can I fly?" quizzed the young eaglet.
"How far can you stretch your wings?" asked the old eagle.
"How long can I fly?" the eaglet persisted.
"How far is the horizon?" the mentor rebounded.
"How much should I dream?" asked the eaglet.
"How much can you dream?" smiled the older, wiser eagle.
"How much can I achieve?" the young eagle continued.
"How much can you believe?" the old eagle challenged.
Frustrated by the banter, the young eagle demanded, "Why don't you answer my questions?"
"I did."
"Yes. But you answered them with questions."
"I answered them the best I could."
"But you're the Master Eagle. You're supposed to know everything. If you can't answer these questions, who can?"
"You." The old wise eagle reassured.
"Me? How?" the young eagle was confused.
"No one can tell you how high to fly or how much to dream. It's different for each eagle. Only God and you know how far you'll go. No one on this earth knows your potential or what's in your heart. You alone will answer that. The only thing that limits you is the edge of your imagination."
The young eagle puzzled by this asked, "What should I do?"
"Look to the horizon, spread your wings, and fly."

Copyright 2001, Tom Reilly

Tom Reilly wrote this beautiful short story in The Power of Attitude.

My Daughters

2009-10-01T18:38:00.004-04:00

Now Three...

2009-09-02T20:18:00.006-04:00

Lily died August 24th around 6:30pm from heart failure.

We received her ashes yesterday in a brown urn; along with her paw print.

Our Baby was 8 years and 10 months old.

R.I.P Lily.

We miss you.

2009-06-28T01:27:00.002-04:00

I'm back to working my famous doubles. A different manager has started taking over making the schedule so I begged for my doubles back...I'm so excited!!!

Now I have a set availiabilty and I'm on the 2nd job search!!!

Wish me Luck!!

-Sha

Seal-y Annie or Silly Annie??? Definitely Silly Me!!

2009-06-19T00:33:00.009-04:00

These pictures are from about a week and a half ago.

I love playing with my baby cousin - and I love being Ornery in general, LOL.

Annie just started Rockin' the Sugar-tail pony this month - ain't she a cutey??

xoxo.

Laguna Gloria

2009-06-17T00:49:00.039-04:00

Mel and I visited the "Laguna Gloria" on Tuesday, June 9, 2009.
(last week - yes, I know I'm late posting it!!).

"Laguna Gloria" is the former home of Clara Driscoll and site of a 1916 Italianate-style villa on the shores of Lake Austin in Austin, Texas. It was the original home of the Austin Museum of Art and still houses some of its collections. Today it is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

Before the influx of white settlers, Native Americans visited the site for its nearby spring (today underwater). The land that includes the property was originally owned by Stephen F. Austin, who in 1832 (seven years before Austin was founded) wrote that he wished to build a home there. This never came to pass.

In 1914 the property was purchased by Hal Sevier, editor of the Austin American, with his new wife Clara Driscoll. They completed their villa two years later, inspired by a honeymoon visit to Lake Como in Italy. Clara, an avid gardener, spent many years planting native and foreign plants around the site and designing the terraced gardens that remain to this day. In 1943 Driscoll donated the homesite to be used as a city museum.

In 1961, the site was converted to the Laguna Gloria Art Museum and became an important part of the Austin arts scene. Soon after, the museum began offering art classes, and in 1983, a 5,300-square-foot (490 m2) facility was built specifically for the growing art school.
In 1992, the institution changed its name to the Austin Museum of Art, and four years later, moved its primary exhibition space to 823 Congress Avenue, in the heart of downtown Austin. Laguna Gloria remained the site of The Art School, and in 2003, the Driscoll Villa was renovated and again became an exhibition space, focusing on local and regional artists.

The site is immediately adjacent to Mayfield Park, also on the National Register of Historic Places.

-pamphlet-

Tuesday was my one day off last week so Mel wanted to do something FUN! with me. So, she researched what art museums were nearby. Mel decided "Laguna Gloria" wasn't too far away and that we could make a short day-trip of it.

Fountain at the entrance of the "Laguna Gloria"

*It's of a little boy holding a fish*

(TOO CUTE!!)

A Native American statuary.
I can't remember the name...pretty though.

There were a few pieces of art inside the house...

* And also some photographs of how the house looked during the time Ms. Driscoll occupied it. (really neat!!)

This is the FRONT of the house .

(the "Entrance" to the museum is actually the back of the house!!)

The Front of the house over-looks Lake Austin!!

A fountain in the front of the house

Me standing in-front of the view from the House - Lake Austin is behind me.

There are stairs leading down to trails that circle the lake...

Lake Austin...view from the house.

Some of the statuary on the side of the house...

pretty flowers

Little critters...

This little guy was sooooo cute!! He got sooo close to me

(I think he wanted treats!)

The Love Temple, Ms. Driscoll had it made for her and her husband...

Me: we're right near the lake...there was a pier to the right of me - a guy had just caught a fish!!!

Mel and I had a really good time. It was really hot though...definitely should go when it's cooler out!! LOL.

Once we were done exploring - we went home, had smoothies, then hit the pool!! We try to stay cool in our family!!!

My NEW "Used" Car

2009-06-17T00:33:00.009-04:00

My Momma works with a newspaper company in Virginia. She's been with the company since I was a 1 year old.

Anyway, they have company cars and when the cars hit a certain mileage the company sells the cars at a low price.

Well, Michelle and I have been down one car for a while now, so my Mom decided to make a bid on one of the company cars up for sale.

She got the CAR!! They accepted her offer and my Mom drove the car down to us!! - she got here on Sunday!!!!

My Mom will be spending the week with us - celebrating birthdays!! Mel, Michelle, and I all have birthdays in the same week - the 18th (Mel), 21st (Michelle), and 25th (Me!!).
**Mom has to go back home on June 21st, though.

We got the title of the car put in my name today!!

Here's a picture of my car :

(it's a 2003 Ford Station Wagon - good for Pups!!)

Cheez-it

2009-06-10T22:59:00.002-04:00

How Old Do I Have to Be Before I'm Allowed to Eat These??

Annie's hands!!

2009-06-01T23:38:00.006-04:00

You might have to be in my family to truly understand and appreciate this Posting.

I have been watching/playing with this cutie alot lately and one of my favorite things she does is "fold her hands" (like in the below pictures).

Why I find it so adorable --> is because her Momma (my aunt Mel) - does this -ALOT. I just think it is too cute!!!

Monkey see!! Monkey do!!

Amy's Ice Creams!!!

2009-06-01T22:59:00.018-04:00

"Amy's Ice Creams" is kinda similar to Coldstones (I think they have Coldstones here in TX - but I'm not sure. Coldstones was one of my favorite places to get Ice Cream in VA).

Anyways...

Amy's is a little hole in the wall ice cream shop in the Arboretum.

It is very popular and is very small.

Basically you go in one door - order - and go out the other door. It doesn't have much seating room. But the ice cream is delicious and the crew that works there are really fun and nice.

Mel, Annie, and I beat the girl scouts to Amy's and decided to go ahead and get in line.

**We warned the guys working that a herd of 10 year olds' were headed there way!!! They were happy about the warning!! LOL.

Mel was giving Annie a bottle so I took some of the pictures (usually Mel has the camera!!).

I love the decor, it's very fun and bright!!!

When the guys working saw the camera they decided to preform!!

**One guy tossed my ice cream across the room and the other guy - Missed it!!!

It got all over the counter. LOL.

Later when the Girl Scouts were there. The guys tried again (switching places: The guy who originally threw it did the catching and vice versa.)

This time they caught it!! And it was a farther toss!!

P.S.

I got the Belgian chocolate with coconut "crushed" in.

Mel got "Death by Chocolate"

Jamie got Chocolate with cookie dough "crushed" in.

***Can anyone tell we are a chocolate family???

Austin's landmark marble cow scupltures!!! in the Arboretum!!

2009-06-01T22:40:00.008-04:00

When Mel, James, and Jamie lived in Austin before (back when Jamie was 2!!!) Mel worked near the Arboretum. She would take her lunch break by the Pond at the Arboretum - never knowing that this little Cow Sculpture Area Existed!!!

Well now we do!!! And boy did we have a good time!! The Girl Scouts had soooo much fun climbing on the cows (oh to be 10 years old again!! just for a few minutes!!)

I had a great time putting Annie on the Cows!!!

Ride 'Em Cowgirl!!!

(Look how happy she is!!!)

The Black Cow was the Easiest one to climb up on, according to the girls!!

I thought the white one was the prettiest.

I think Annie agreed!!!

SUNDAY FUN!!! At the Arboretum!!!

2009-06-01T21:42:00.009-04:00

Jamie had her "girl scout meeting" at the Arboretum.

**something fun to do since they will only meet once a month in the summer!!

**They played on the cow sculptures for a little while.

**Then they wrote letters to the Brownies who are about to become Juniors (bridging)

**They did some other activities, but Mel, Annie, and I headed UP! to the Barnes and Nobles while they had the bulk of their meeting. They are Juniors after all and don't need or want "parents" hanging out the whole time. LOL.

Mel and I (with Annie) had a good time browsing Barnes and Nobles' journal section and of course the kid area.

**I saw a journal with a gorgeous cover on it by the fantasy artist, Josephine Wall. (Beautiful!!!)

Then we met the girl scouts at Amy's Ice Cream Shop for some yummy dessert!!!

San Antonio SeaWorld (Saturday)

2009-05-31T20:14:00.010-04:00

I went to SeaWorld with the family yesterday and we had a great time!!

We got our picture taken by the fountain - put my copy in my wallet.

We saw dolphins and sharks in their habitats!!

We saw 4 shows!!

- the Beluga Whale show - "Viva"
- the ski show - "Cool Vibrations"
- the Sea Lion show - (sooo funny) -"Capers??"
- the Shamu show - "Believe" (the one at 8pm - love all the cool light effects on a night show).

We had lunch at the park - we did the "all you can eat" special at the picnic area. (Port-of-Call)
**you have to be a season pass holder to do this - it was yummy and I loved the music that was playing. It was all the stuff I listened to in high school - sooo fun!!!
(Blink182, Madonna, Christina Agularia, Smash Mouth, etc.).

Michelle and I rode the "Steel Eel" rollercoaster. We almost didn't get to go because they had a temporary shut-down. I think it got stuck or something. But they fixed the problem pretty fast so we got too!! Michelle and I liked the roller coaster.
**We wished the bar was lower though - Michelle and I popped up out of our seats a little higher than we would have liked!!
**And a handlebar to hold-on to would have been nice. LOL. It wasn't too scary, I'm just used to having one.

We also spent a lot of time in the Lost Lagoon Waterpark!!
**We started out in the Lil' Gators Lagoon - basically for the babies.
It was soooo hot, I was getting overheated. I was like - let me under the mushroom - after about 2 minutes I was feeling great!!
** We did the lazy river called "Castaway Crusin' - without a tube. They only have a few tubes and they were all occupied!! So we floated without the tube. It was fun. We took turns staying out with Annie - if we'd been able to get a tube we coulda taken her with us!!
**Wave Wash Pool!!! I love the wave pool!! Michelle and Jamie went in whenever the waves stopped. Me: I was out there the whole time, waves and all - 6ft left side (lol)!! Mel and Annie were in the little Oasis area at the very front of the wavepool - away from the waves - getting their feet a little wet!!!

We had lots of liquids!!! Sprite, Lemonade, (UNsweet Tea!!) and Frosted Lemonade!!! Not the hottest day of the year by far - but definitely not cool either!!!

We have Fun Passes so hopefully we go a lot this summer - pray for cooler weather (I know wishful thinking!!!).

San Antonio - The McNay

2009-05-27T06:04:00.014-04:00

I went with a friend to San Antonio for the day on Sunday. We had a great time.

We went to a mexican restaurant for lunch and my friend got me to try Menudo and cow tongue . Different. It tastes good - but it's one of those things you don't want to think about when you're eating it!!! My friend refused to tell me what it was until after I tried it. LOL.

We went to the McNay Art Museum and it was absolutely awesome!!

I love art museums. I was happy to recognize a lot of the artists. And was thrilled that they had a John Sloan painting - he is one of my favorite artists - but I'd never gotten to see his work in person before.

I also got to see a piece by Takashi Murakami - a Japanese artist I did a project on in my Senior of High School. it was the first time I've ever seen one of his pieces in person too.

And of course I owww-ed and ahhh-ed over Renoir and Degas. I adore Renoir and Degas!! They have t-shirts in the McNay gift shop with prints of Renoir and Degas artwork. I want one!!!

We tried to go by the "Japanese and Sunkin' Gardens" but the area was too busy - some concert. Have to do that another day (along with the the San Antonio Zoo!!!).

We had a great time hanging out with my friend's folks. They were very nice and I loved their dogs!!! and Birds!! We had a cook-out for dinner and the dogs loved the rib bones. LOL.

Hope to do it again soon.

This Saturday my family and I are going to SEAWORLD in San Antonio -woot woot!!!!
I'm excited. I've only been to Seaworld once before - my 15th birthday. We are planning on getting Fun Passes so hopefully we will be able to go alot this summer. I love shows and I can't wait to check out the 2 rollercoasters. I don't remember doing the coasters when I was 15. I think it was too hot we tried to stay in the shade or AC!!!

"Girl With A Pearl Earring" A Novel By Tracy Chevalier

2009-05-22T22:49:00.010-04:00

"Girl with a Pearl Earring" is a 1999 historical novel written by Tracy Chevalier. It takes place in Delft, Holland and was inspired by Vermeer's painting Girl with a Pearl Earring. It fictionalizes the circumstances under which the painting was created.

Plot summary ( from Wikipedia)

Sixteen-year-old Griet lives with her family in a poorer quarter of Delft in 1664. Her father has just suffered a blinding accident and the family's precarious economic situation forces Griet's parents to find her employment as a maid in the painter Vermeer's house.

At the Vermeer house, Griet settles into the family's schedule. She makes friends with the Vermeers' oldest daughter but suffers sabotage and mouthing off from another. She also becomes friendly with Tanneke, the other house servant, but is careful to remain modest and unobtrusive for fear of making Tanneke jealous. These fears later prove to be justified.

During this time, she begins to be courted by Pieter, the local butcher's son. Griet's situation as a maid casts a thin veil of doubt on her respectability and she finds that she has to be both more forward and more careful with Pieter and others than she otherwise would. This is largely because of the bad reputation that maids have for sleeping with their employers. It is not revealed how much of this reputation is earned. The book depicts rumors of employers demanding sexual favors from maids but does not directly show any specific cases. A line, often repeated is, "A maid comes free," implied to mean that maids are more accessible than prostitutes.

Also during this time, the area in which Griet's family lives is struck with plague, and her younger sister Agnes dies. Also during Griet's months with the Vermeers, her younger brother starts having problems with his apprenticeship, being singled out for mistreatment for supposedly accepting romantic advances from his master's wife.

In Vermeer's studio, Griet is exposed to ideas entirely absent from her quiet, modest life. She is fascinated by Vermeer's paintings and his treatment of light. In one scene, Vermeer asks Griet to look at the clouds, and she realizes that even though everyone always talks of clouds as white, they are really a mix of several colors, and a painter must use several different shades of paint so that they will look real. It is implied that Vermeer finds Griet's ability to understand concepts like these unusual.

Gradually, Griet's relationship with Vermeer changes. She is told to run errands and perform tasks for him, such as paintmaking and subbing in for sick models, while keeping them secret from the rest of the house. In particular, Vermeer's sensitive wife would assume that Griet is acting improperly or even having an affair with Vermeer. In contrast, Vermeer's pragmatic mother-in-law recognizes Griet's presence as a steadying and catalyzing force in Vermeer's career.

Griet is warned by Vermeer's friend Dr. van Leeuwenhoek not to get too close to Vermeer because Vermeer is far more interested in paintings than he is in people. Griet realizes that this is true and remains cautious.

the same time, Vermeer's wealthy but licentious patron, Van Ruijven, notices Griet and her beauty and begins to pressure Vermeer to paint them sitting together. Griet and Vermeer are reluctant to acquiesce, due to Griet's strict modesty and a scandal surrounding the last girl who had been painted with van Ruijven. Eventually, Vermeer compromises and begins a painting of Griet by herself, to be sold to van Ruijven. However, he tells her to wear his wife Catharina's pearl earrings. When Catharina discovers this, Griet is forced to leave. Griet at first runs toward the center of town, but then she thinks, "Only thieves and children run." She changes her mind and walks steadily.

Ten years later, long after Griet has married Pieter and settled into life as a mother and butcher's wife, she is called back to the house. Vermeer is dead, and his will has been read. Griet assumes that Vermeer's widow wishes to settle the household's unpaid fifteen-guilder bill with the butcher shop. Pieter laughs and says that he didn't mind losing the fifteen guilders because they bought him Griet as a wife.

At the Vermeer house, Griet learns that even though Vermeer had made no effort to see or speak to her, he had remained very fond of the painting. In addition, Vermeer's will had included a request that Griet receive the two pearl earrings. However, Griet realizes that she could no more wear pearl earrings as a butcher's wife than she could as a maid. She then pawns the earrings and gives most of the money to her husband, claiming that Vermeer's widow had given her the coins to settle a debt with the butcher shop. The book closes on the line, "A maid came free."

***A friend of mine suggested I read this book. I wasn't expecting to get past the first 10 pages without being extremely bored - but was quickly captivated by the story. It's definitely not one of my usual reads - but it was interesting in a quiet way...I really liked it!! :)

I would recommend this book to anyone who loves art!

Half Price on Books and Disney!!!

2009-05-20T01:03:00.007-04:00

I got a text message from a friend today letting me know that one of the "Borders" here in Austin is closing it's doors and that everything in the store is half off or 70% off.

Needless to say Michelle and I had to go visit the store before it was gone (last day is May24th)!

We went and Michelle found 3 books. Very good price!

And I FOUND A DISNEY STORE!!!!

When we were living in VA we had 2 Disney Stores near our house - until they both got closed down (about 2 years ago??).

I am absolutely thrilled to have found a Disney store here in Austin. Michelle and I spent a lot of time browsing in there - I especially adore the snowglobes!!!

One of the Joys of Moving to a New State? Getting Totally LOST and Turned Around!! LOL

2009-05-19T17:34:00.005-04:00

I woke up this morning and went to work - only to discover I AM OFF TODAY!!!
***I'd misread my schedule (dumb Sha).

So - I called Michelle on my cell phone and said:
"GREAT NEWS I'M OFF (Better NEWS - I'm AWAKE) What do you want to do today?"

She decided she wanted to take the Dogs to the Park.

So we went home so we could change clothes, grab the dogs - and MOST IMPORTANTLY - Print out instructions to the PARK!!

While we were at home I also did some BILLS (yucky) and took inventory on PET MEDS that I need to buy. I discovered I needed all Flea Medication and Rhiley and Maddy only have one month left of Heartworm Medication.

I told Michelle we needed to stop by the Vet to pick up Flea Meds. I'll get the Heartworm pills with my next paycheck.

So - we grabbed the dogs - unfortunately not all the dogs - just our 4. It's too difficult to walk with all six - so Nick and Goldie stayed home.

We went to the vet office first and all the babies got weighed.

Lily loved being inside and laying on the cold tile floor!! She was looking at me with her big "doe" eyes saying "Let's stay here all day!!"

$231 dollars later (each dog got a 5 months supply of flea medication) we hopped back in the car and were off to the park!

We got off at the exit we needed - and then we were sunk - we drove and we drove and we drove.

And we did not see Barton Springs Rd.

However we did see Zilker Park.

Which wasn't the park we were planning to go to - BUT IT WAS A PARK!!

We stopped the car, unloaded the dogs and hit the trail!! And quickly realized that gravel and rocks are not fun to hike on - where is a DIRT trail when you need one?

We reversed course and hung out near the picnic areas (shade!!!) and near the drink stand and pool area.

We got a lemonade from the stand and got 2 doggie cups of water!!
(It was cool today - but not THAT cool!)

Then we decided it was time to go.

We hopped in the car again - this time with the windows up and the AC blasting!

And quickly realized we didn't know how to get back on the interstate from where we were...

We got LOST near the Capitol, but Michelle eventually realized where we were on Lamar and was able to get us back to the interstate.

It was a FUN adventure and now we are home. The pups are worn-out and happy sleeping in the backyard. I am a little sunburned and am happily sipping on a smoothie Mel and Michelle just made us.

Life is Good.

As Marti would say - you never know what your gonna do when you wake up in the Morning!!!!

P.S. sorry no pictures - we packed the camera, but accidentally left it in the car!!

Thursday Was Grooming Day _ Naked Pups!!!

2009-05-17T19:09:00.014-04:00

I couldn't sleep Wednesday night so I stayed up all night, and Thursday Morning I woke Michelle up at 8:30am to start grooming the dogs. It took us 5 hours to shave 4 of the dogs and brush out 2.

Madelyne was very happy about getting brushed out!!!

(look at all that gray!! She's 4 years old - she's not supposed to have all that gray hair!!)

Lily liked getting brushed out too - but she's not sure about the camera.

When we first started on Nick we were planning on leaving 1/2 an inch of hair - but then we decided to take it all off.

Nick is one naked Golden Retriever!!!

When we weren't shaving them down they went into the crates so they weren't underfoot. Nick didn't like it too much he wanted to be where all the action was!!

I love my Little Bear - fluffy or naked he is sooooo adorable!!!

We have 5 crates - and they decided to all go into the same one!!!

(shakes head)

Thirsty Puppies!!

Goldie's turn!!!

Michelle worked really hard!!

All Done!!! Rhiley was the last one!!

Goldie all done - look at that color difference!

I love Lily's head tilt!!!

Pretty Girl!!!

Jamie's Horsey Party!!! (2)

2009-05-14T06:22:00.012-04:00

I promised to put pictures up of the horses as soon as I was able to!! And I did!!!

Meet the Pretty Horseys:

This is: Faith

I love her coloring - and I adore this saddle!!!

This is: Mirage

I think "Mirage" is the prettiest name for a horse!!

And with the costumes and rope lead this picture looks right out of a fairy tale!!!

Jamie's favorite of the horses was:

Jess-a-belle (Jessie)

- Jamie likes Black horses -

P.S. Jessie and Mirage are both Pregnant!!!

Michelle got her hair cut - SHORT!!!

2009-05-14T06:11:00.006-04:00

Michelle had been sporting a really cute "curly" (and light brown) look the past few weeks, but the curls have started to grow out.

So, Tuesday she decided to cut her hair - VERY SHORT!!!

I think the new cut looks really cute on her - but it's gonna take a while for me to get used to it. I don't think she has had it this short since 2nd grade!!

What do you think? Cute!?!?

Jamie's B-day Presents

2009-05-13T15:43:00.012-04:00

Saturday, we had the party at the park. After the party we came home and Jamie opened PRESENTS!!!

Michelle holding Annie, Jamie and Sha (me!)

(Mel took our Picture: Jamie's 10 years old - Annie is 6months old)

Jamie likes Pink!!

(I think those shorts and flip-flops are SO CUTE!!)

Webkinz

Jam is really into Webkinz - I'd never heard of them before: they are a stuffed animal that come with a code you use to get online to play computer games. The stuffed animal is your character in the game. Different.

Michelle and I got Jamie two Webkinz for her Birthday :

an Irish Setter and a Blue Whale

I love latch-hook!!

Michelle and I used to do latch-hook all the time with Mel when we were younger. Mel told me Jamie has tried them before. So when we saw the "Pony" one we had to get it!!

We had gone to the store a few weeks ago and seen some blue capris (her Easter Capris)!

So when we went shopping for Birthday clothes I was like -

"We gotta get the HOT PINK Capris!!"

They were a hit!! (Of course!!)

Mel found a Musical Birthday Card - Jamie was Jammin'!!

"Rock Around the Clock"

And her favorite part of opening all those goodies???

Making Tissue Paper fly!!!

Shall We Kiss? (French movie)

2009-05-13T01:20:00.005-04:00

Shall We Kiss?

Opened March 27, 2009 Runtime:1 hr. 42 min.
NR
Wry, observant and touching, Shall We Kiss? is a very contemporary meditation on the myriad implications of a simple kiss. When Gabriel and Emilie meet by chance, he offers her a ride, and they spend the evening talking, laughing and getting along famously. At the end of the night, Emilie declines Gabriel’s offer of “a kiss without consequences”. Emilie admonishes him that the kiss could have unexpected consequences, and tells him a story, unfolding in flashbacks, about the impossibility of indulging your desires without affecting someone else’s life.

*Note: Film is presented in French with English subtitles.

Cast: Virginie Ledoyen, Emmanuel Mouret, Julie Gayet, Michaël Cohen, Stefano Accorsi
Director: Emmanuel Mouret
Genres: Romantic Comedy, Comedy

I saw this movie (Shall We Kiss) tonight with some friends and my sister. We did not realize that it was gonna be subtitled until like five minutes before it started!! LOL.

It was quite an entertaining film - I was laughing and blushing so BAD!!!

Good movie - not one I will buy though - I'm not big on subtitled films - I am glad that the dialogue was slow enough that I could keep up with the subtitles. Sometimes the words go too fast to read!!!

I miss My West Tower Friends and Being a Manager!!!

2009-05-12T00:22:00.017-04:00

My Friend, Sarah, took these pictures and had them on her myspace. They are from my Going Away Party (March 4, 2009).

Me and my going away cake.

This picture was taken a second before Christian put icing on my NOSE!!

Me and Sarah!!

Nicole, Christian, Horace, and Me!!

My Girls!!!
Puliti, Christian, and Sarah!!

Me with My Girls!!!

I miss West Tower and I miss my friends. I miss being a Manager.

One of the Managers at the theater I am at now just put in her two weeks notice.

I know that a manager from another theater is coming in soon...I don't know if there will be a management opening available at my theater. I hope so, and if so -I hope I get it.

I'll keep my fingers crossed!!!

Jamie's Horsey Party

2009-05-09T23:53:00.003-04:00

My cousin Jamie turned 10 this past Wednesday. We just celebrated her double digit with a party today (Saturday).

We had the party at a park not too far from here and there were a bunch of girls. I think 8 in all. Jamie wanted a horse for the party. She got 3!!! Mirage, Jessie (Jess-a-belle), and Faith.

A family friend brought the 3 horses to the park so that all the girls could take turns riding. Michelle even got a turn - she loved it. It's been a while since she has ridden. She truly enjoys riding.

I love horses every bit as much as she does - but I like my feet on the ground. The horses sense this - I've had too many close calls with being thrown off - and have actually been thrown into a ditch. I am happy on the ground and content with petting their noses.

The kids loved feeding the horses carrots.

It was a very fun afternoon and I really wish I could put pictures up, but Mel's computer is being ornery and isn't letting us upload them. Hopefully the boys will get it figured out and I can add the pictures later.

Have a good night!

Domestic, Me????

2009-05-06T16:55:00.004-04:00

I did some cleaning today.

Scrubbed the bathroom top to bottom.

Cooked a salmon/pasta dish (turned out good)

I helped Michelle "burn" pizza (oops! smoke detector).

Unloaded the dishwasher, then did some dishes (I love you dishwasher!!!).

Feed the pups and guineas' and gathered all the "pup" blankets in the backyard.

Took out the trash.

Did laundry.

Now I get to go to work!!!

Yay!!!

Reminisce

2009-05-05T04:40:00.007-04:00

LOL. Have you ever gone back over your old blog entries???

I have been reading my old blog entries for the last hour and have been laughing soooo hard!!!

Wow!!! I miss my old house and having the Pups indoors. I had soooo much silly, fun blog material!!!

I really need to type on my blog. I haven't posted anything "personal" in a while...

*****

On the that note:

I have made some friends here in Austin and have been hanging out with them regularly.

For the Most part I have been able to have my full-time hours at the Theater.

I am still looking for a second job.

I found a dog organization I want to volunteer with. I need to mail in the paperwork - hopefully I can start volunteering soon.

I need to get the car looked at - probably Thursday. The starter is acting stupid...I'm sure that will be expensive!!

***********

Movie NOTE:

Today was my day off. So I vegged. I watched three movies today:

"Quest for Camelot"

"Anastasia"

"Wolverine Origin"

I watched the first two during the day while I was playing/babysitting Annie.

And then at night, Michelle and I went to the theater and watched X-men's "Wolverine Origin". It was my second time seeing it. I love Gambit!!!

Yay! I got Tagged!! Thanks Shawna!!

2009-05-05T02:21:00.014-04:00

#1 What is your current obsession?

Good Obsession? my dogs and dogs in general.

Bad Obsession? I think I have become addicted to Texting and Checking this blogger, FaceBook, Myspace, and my email!!!

#2 Who was the last person you hugged?
Baby Annie - she's gonna be 6 months old this week!!!

She's four months old in this picture!!

#3 What’s your favorite dinner?
hmmm. It changes - but lately Mexican. I love Fajitas.

#4 What was the last movie you saw in the Theatres?
Michelle and I went to see "Wolverine" tonight. Really good - definitely buying.

#5 What was the last thing you bought? (to wear)
These cute blue P.J.s

#6 What is your most challenging goal right now?
Paying off my debt and finding a second job.

#7 What is your weirdest obsession?
ummm -not so much an obsession - but unconscious habit: lately I've been snapping my fingers when I'm trying to remember something.

#8 Why did you start a blog?
My aunt had one that she has been writing in for the last 3? years...thought it would be a good way to keep in touch. Now I live with her and it's a way for my Mom to keep up with what we are doing.

#9 What's your blog about (give me the 2-3 sentence elevator pitch)
Michelle and my day-to-day activities and a lot about our dogs.

#10 Which blogs are you obsessed with at the moment?
My favorite blogs are Elizabeth's (guide dog raiser), Shawna's (sewing, cooking, and her kids) and Anna's (books)

#11 What is your dream job? (realistic or unrealistic)

Opening and running my own dog kennel. It would have dog adoption on one side and dog boarding/day-care on the other.

#12 If you could change professions or careers, what would you like to try?
I'd open my kennel.

#13 Who is your favorite designer at the moment?
I'm not really a designer person, I like what I like - I love the store: Ross. I love the slightly fancy "pattern" shirts.

above: an example of pretty Ross shirt

#14 What are you listening to right now?
It's pretty quiet in the house...the computer keys and the A.C. running.

#15 What is your favorite weather?

I love fall. Cold enough for long sleeves, but you don't need a jacket. The leaves changing colors and the wind blowing...

#16 Say something to the person who tagged you.
Shawna you have the cutest kids!!! They are darling!! And your blog is so FUN!!

I love checking it and seeing what you and your girls are up too!!

#17 Tea or Coffee?
Sweet Tea.
I swear the restaurants here in Texas are weird, where-ever I go here the places only have unsweet tea - you have to add the sugar yourself - which I hate because the sugar doesn't blend well when the drink is cold...I know I'm spoiled!!!

#18 What did you want to become as a child?
I wanted to be an art teacher from the age of 7 - up until my senior year of high school. Then I wasn't sure what I wanted to do. I was 19 when I decided I wanted to open my own kennel. That's my dream now.

#19 If you could go anywhere in the world for the next hour, where would you go?To VA. I want to check on my friend, Michelle. She's been in the hospital for the past 3 weeks waiting on a certain baby to decide if he is ready to be born yet!!

#20 Who do you want to meet in person?
Steve Smith and Alayne Marker. The co-founders of the "Rolling Dog Ranch" in Montana

And I'd like to meet my future husband - can someone deliver that man to my doorstep please!

#21 What's your favorite brand of jeans?
I love jeans!!! I don't have a particular favorite brand, but I do love "Flare" Jeans and I like it when they are a little faded and worn...

#22 One thing that you would snitch out of someone's closet, with no regrets.
hmmm - most of Marti's closet!!! (oh wait I already did that!!) I love to steal her "Bahamas" flowery shirts - they are so pretty!!!

#23 What designer piece of clothing would you most like to own?

I wish I could wear "Hot Topic" clothes - I love Tripp jeans...

P.S. Yes, I know I have a split personality when it comes to clothes. Yes, I did just say Ross, flare jeans, Tripp Jeans, and flowery shirts all in the same survey. LOL. I'm Art-sey!!

Tag time: Mel, Elizabeth, Anna, and Hawk!!!

Paw Match

2009-04-29T02:02:00.003-04:00

Michelle and I found a dog organization here in TX we want to start volunteering with.

It is called "Paw Match". www.pawmatch.org

I have been thinking of volunteering with dogs for a while now.

Michelle and I were out today grabbing Guinea Pig food when we passed by an adoption site - it turns out they are at this site every day!

Once we had the critter food I asked Michelle if we could stop to talk to the adoption counselor for a minute so that I could ask him about volunteering.

We ended up staying for an hour - helping the counselor walk dogs, crate them, and taking down the site for the day.

It was alot of fun. The adoption counselor gave me the organization's business card so that I could get the volunteer application information.

I'm going to fill it out tomorrow, and hopefully Michelle and I can help out again on Thursday.

I am really excited about this!!!

Universe _ Savage Garden

2009-04-28T04:43:00.008-04:00

my favorite Savage Garden song is "Universe"...may be a little bit vivid. I love it!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EDAVPK_-XZw

"Universe"

Well I want to take you as I find you

Imagine our clothes are on the floor

Feel my caress so soft and gentle

So delicate you cry for more

But you know baby

You know baby does it right

And you know baby does it right

[chorus:]

Universe inside of your heart

You gotta let me know so you can be free baby

You wanted it so much, and now that it's over

You don't know what you want

Put time in a capsule

Two minds consensual

Entwined to perfection

If we could...

Cuddle up close

Lay on my chest now

Listen my heart beat's coming down

If you get tired you close your

eyes now

When you wake up I won't be found

'Cause I know baby

I know you're the nervous kind

With so much going on in your mind

[chorus]

But let me tell you that, this time,

I'm gonna make you mine

(I won't let you go)

'Cause I know, this time

I'm gonna make sure I look out

for me

'Cause you know baby

Well you know baby does it right

And you know baby does it right

You will only end up lost in loneliness

And wake up with the words already

on your lips

So I'll let you go, baby

So I'll let you go...

[chorus]

Savage Garden _ To the Moon and Back

2009-04-28T04:26:00.004-04:00

My "song" (I'm smiling).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Pmstkrg5fI

Lyrics:

She's taking time making up the reasons
To justify all the hurt inside
Guess she knows from the smiles and the look in their eyes
Everyone's got a theory about the bitter one
They're saying, "Mama never loved her much"
And, "Daddy never keeps in touch
That's why she shies away from human affection"
But somewhere in a private place
She packs her bags for outer space
And now she's waiting for the right kind of pilot to come
And she'll say to him
She's sayin

Chorus
I would fly to the moon and back if you'll be...
If you'll be my baby
I've got a ticket for a world where we belong
So would you be my baby?

She can't remember a time when she felt needed
If love was red then she was color blind
All her friends, well they've been trialed for treason
And crimes that were never defined
She's saying, "Love is like a barren place,
And reaching out for human faith
It's like a journey I just don't have a map for"
So baby's gonna take a dive and
Push the shift to overdrive
Send a signal that she's hanging
All her hopes on the stars
What a pleasant dream
She's saying

Chorus
I would fly to the moon and back if you'll be...If you'll be my baby
I've got a ticket for a world where we belong
So would you be my baby?

Hold on, hold on ...

Mama never loved her much
And, Daddy never keeps in touch
That's why she shies away from human affection
But somewhere in a private place
She packs her bags for outer space
And now she's waiting for the right kind of pilot to come
And she'll say to him
She's saying

Chorus(2x)
I would fly to the moon and back if you'll be...
If you'll be my baby
I've got a ticket for a world where we belong
So would you be my baby?

I would fly to the moon and back if you'll be...
If you'll be my baby
I've got a ticket for a world where we belong
So would you be my baby?
yeaaaah ...

Taylor Swift - Love Story

2009-04-27T12:08:00.005-04:00

Found another song I absolutely Love!!!! "Love Story" sung by Taylor Swift.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z4xmxb9K8RI&feature=PlayList&p=12E43D243BEF14F2&playnext=1&playnext_from=PL&index=1

Lyrics:

We were both young when I first saw you
I close my eyes
And the flashback starts
I'm standing there
On a balcony in summer air

See the lights
See the party, the ball gowns
I see you make your way through the crowd
And say hello, little did I know

That you were Romeo, you were throwing pebbles
And my daddy said stay away from Juliet
And I was crying on the staircase
Begging you please don't go, and I said

Romeo take me somewhere we can be alone
I'll be waiting all there's left to do is run
You'll be the prince and I'll be the princess
It's a love story baby just say yes

So I sneak out to the garden to see you
We keep quiet 'cause we're dead if they knew
So close your eyes
Escape this town for a little while

'Cause you were Romeo, I was a scarlet letter
And my daddy said stay away from Juliet
But you were everything to me
I was begging you please don't go and I said

Romeo take me somewhere we can be alone
I'll be waiting all there's left to do is run
You'll be the prince and I'll be the princess
It's a love story baby just say yes

Romeo save me, they try to tell me how to feel
This love is difficult, but it's real
Don't be afraid, we'll make it out of this mess
It's a love story baby just say yes
Oh oh

I got tired of waiting
Wondering if you were ever coming around
My faith in you is fading
When I met you on the outskirts of town, and I said

Romeo save me I've been feeling so alone
I keep waiting for you but you never come
Is this in my head? I don't know what to think
He knelt to the ground and pulled out a ring

And said, marry me Juliet
You'll never have to be alone
I love you and that's all I really know
I talked to your dad, go pick out a white dress
It's a love story baby just say yes

Oh, oh, oh, oh
'Cause we were both young when I first saw you...

Fall Colors in Spring - I love it!!!

2009-04-26T02:34:00.006-04:00

Me and Annie in our pretty "Fall" colors. I want to inherit this baby outfit whenever I have a little one.

Isn't Annie cute chewing on her Dolly? I bet she gets a tooth pretty soon!!

Michelle's Tattoos

2009-04-26T02:30:00.003-04:00

Jumping out of the heart: Madelyne and Rhiley

Bandit has the butterfly landing on his nose.

close up of tattoos

Elvis - I Got Lucky

2009-04-20T16:25:00.005-04:00

I am a huge Elvis Presley fan. I have over 15 of his movies.

I even inherited the records.

I love him!!!!

My current favorite Elvis song is: "I Got Lucky" from the Elvis movie Kid Galahad.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-q9XfEcYKJI&feature=related

^^^ song (looks like it'd have to be copied and pasted)

MEN

2009-04-20T05:07:00.003-04:00

MEN ARE COMPLEX.

MEN THINK WOMEN ARE, BUT THEY ARE AS WELL.

- Sha

End of Post

Miley Cyrus/ Hannah Montana

2009-04-15T14:06:00.008-04:00

I'm not a huge Hannah Montana/ Miley Cyrus fan - but I do like her.

My sister and I went to see the new "Hannah Montana the Movie" yesterday and I really liked two of the songs:

"Butterfly Fly Away" and "The Climb".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p9t3gvoTZIQ <--Butterfly Fly Away

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NG2zyeVRcbs <-- The Climb

Cute in Blue!!!

2009-04-13T00:42:00.011-04:00

Pictures of my cousin Annie and Me!!!

Me in my NEW pajamas and Annie in her pretty blue dress!

I have morning hair

(or should I say Afternoon hair - I dunno I had just woken up)

My hair is getting long though - It takes forever!!

*********************

Below: is a Belly Button Shot of Annie!!!

(you'll probably need to click on the picture to see it)

hehehe

She's just the Cutest BABY! Jamie looked just like her at this Age!!

Family Easter Photos!!

2009-04-13T00:32:00.009-04:00

We took pictures right before we went to one of the Easter Services' at Mel's church on Thursday night.

Family Easter Tradition!!

2009-04-13T00:24:00.017-04:00

Every year on Easter morning my family makes Bunny Pancakes using chocolate chips!A very Yummy tradition!

Doggie Morning

2009-04-11T00:20:00.003-04:00

We took Rhiley and Lily to get their heartworm tests today (both came back with negative results - yay!).

I gave Little Bear a bath in the new pool Melanie bought; and Michelle and I clipped all the pups nails.

I also had time to watch "Big Red". I love that movie - Irish Setters are so beautiful!!!

***Then I had to got to work! yuck!

Wish I could work with Doggies!!!

Pictures of Pretty Annie in the Dress I got Her!!!

2009-04-10T01:20:00.015-04:00

I was babysitting Annie and I decided to take photos of her in the dress I got her the day before to show her Mommy.

Doesn't she look Beaut-i-mous in Her New Dress???

She's still too little to sit up by herself so I had her propped up on the Sofa.

Little Boo just turned 5 months Old!!!

"I'm ready for my Close-up"

She's so cute!!!

^
"What are you doing with that camera?"

Kind of a Weird face (LOL) but you can see the dress really well!

Incognito!

Annie blends in really well with her Quilt in her new dress!

Showing off her Belly!!!

Silly Girl!

In her Jumpy Swing!!!
HI!!!

^
Snarky Baby!!!

My Tattoos! And my Ideas for future Tattoos!!!

2009-04-07T22:12:00.013-04:00

I took a Tattoo questionnaire a few days ago that I had found on my friend's "myspace" page.

So - I though it I'd put the photos up of them!!

This photo above, is the tattoo I got when I was 19 years old. It is on my Left Calf.
It cost $180 and it is of my dogs Bandit (a beagle mix) and Rhiley (a dachshund-spaniel mix).

Simple explanation of the heart is that I LOVE MY PUPS!!!

This photo above, is the tattoo I got when I was 21 years old (almost 22!). It is on my Right Calf.
It cost $200 and it is of my dog Little Bear (a very chubby Pomeranian!).

Little Bear is in a moon because I am a Cancer - the ruling "Planet" for Cancers is the moon - only the moon is not a planet (I don't get it either).

It was also a play on words. I don't know if anyone here recalls the kid book, Little Bear (An I Can Read Book) written by Elsa Holmelund Minarik???
Well, I loved this book as a kid - in the book Little Bear takes a trip to the "Moon" - since we named our Pom, Little Bear I felt having him tattooed in a moon was a cute idea.

Holmelund Minarik" style="margin-bottom: 15px;">

The next tattoo I want to get will be of Lily (beagle mix). I want to get her face tattooed in a Calla lily petal.

Lily is actually named for Stargazer Lilies (which are Michelle's favorite) - but I like Calla Lilies better!

My tattoo of Madelyne will definitely have to do with her name...When I first saw Maddy I was thinking wow - she sits so prissy with her paws together - she's a little lady, but she acts like a little puppy! She needed a prissy name.

My aunt had had a lab and had named her "Penelope". I wanted my lab mix to have a strong prissy name like "Penelope" since she sat so Prissy! So I sat looking at her and her dark black fur - and I started thinking of the color Yellow - and how good Yellow looks with black - THEN IT HIT ME! I was picturing a Yellow Hat in my mind! The kid book, Madeline written by Ludwig Bemelmans!

I'm pretty sure I want to have a tattoo of my Madelyne with her prissy paws together and a lopsided "Madeline hat" on her head - because even though my Madelyne has a prissy sit - she's not very graceful!!!

First Letter in Your Last Name Game!! ( T )

2009-04-05T01:44:00.006-04:00

Rules:

IT'S HARDER THAN IT LOOKS! ERASE MY ANSWERS, ENTER YOURS, TAG 10 PEOPLE INCLUDING THE ONE THAT TAGGED YOU.

USE THE 1ST LETTER OF YOUR LAST NAME TO ANSWER EACH OF THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS.

THEY HAVE TO BE REAL PLACES, NAMES, THINGS.. NOTHING MADE UP!

TRY TO USE DIFFERENT ANSWERS IF THE PERSON IN FRONT OF YOU HAD THE SAME 1ST INITIAL.

YOU CAN'T USE YOUR NAME FOR THE BOY/GIRL NAME QUESTION.

Have Fun!!

1. What is your last name: Thompson
2. A drink: Tomato Juice (yum!)
3. A Boys Name : Travis
4. A girls name: Tory
5 An Occupation: Truck Driver
6. A Color: Teal
7. Something you wear: Tennis Shoes / Tank-top
8. Something you do: Talk (a lot)
9. A Food: Tortillas! - does Taco Bell count as a food, LOL! (I know Taco does!)
10. Something found in the bathroom: Toilet
12. A Reason for being late: Traffic!
13. Something you shout: Time to come in Pups!!! ( I hope that counts!)

Injured

2009-04-04T01:08:00.006-04:00

I got a little injured tonight while ushering.

my foot got caught on a seat and I went down.

I banged my thigh (there will be a BIG Bruise there tomorrow) on the seat cup holders on my way down.

And my face (by my eye) and my neck/chin area got scrapped on the seats in front of me as I tried to catch myself.

Joy.

P.S. It stings!!!

Tattoo Questionaire!

2009-04-03T01:32:00.009-04:00

1. Have you ever cried during a tattoo?
No - but Michelle came close to crying with the one on the top/middle of her back!

2. When did you get your first tattoo?
ummm...I was 19 years old (August 2005) when I got the first one.
I was 21 years old with the second one (May 2008)- I was almost 22!!

3. What was your first tattoo?
First:
A big heart with Rhiley and Bandit inside it - it's on my left outside calf. $180

Second:
Little Bear laying in a half moon with 2 stars over his head - it's on my right calf. $200.

4. Which tattoo is closest to your heart?
I love them both equally - they are of my babies!!

5. Do you have a matching tattoo with someone?
No - they don't match, but Michelle and I are getting tattoos of our dogs.

Mine (so far) are of : Rhiley, Bandit, and Little Bear. - I still need Lily and Madelyne.

Hers (so far) are of: Rhiley, Bandit, and Madelyne. - She still needs to get Lily and Little Bear. (she also has a little butterfly tattoo)

6. Do you have a tattoo that someone messed up?
Thank goodness NO!! - But, since we moved I do have to find a new tattoo artist. Little worried about that!!

7. Do you have any one's name tattooed on you?
No names - Michelle has Bandit's name in a banner though (does that count?) :)

8. What was the most painful tattoo you received?
Michelle will say the one on the top/middle of her back with Madelyne and Rhiley coming out of a heart.

Mine weren't bad. It just feels like a really bad sunburn!

9. How many tattoos do you have?
I have two and Michelle has 3 - but the butterfly compliments her Bandit tattoo!

10. Do you plan on being heavily or moderately tattooed?
Moderately tattooed!

11. Do you have a tattoo that you constantly have to explain?
No, people know they are of my dogs - I just have to tell them their names. Of course I usually explain them to people for fun (like why it's a moon, etc.)!

12. Have you ever gotten an infection from a tattoo?
No, Michelle's was slower at healing than mine but no infections - "Absolute Art" is a great tattoo place!

13. What is the longest session you've ever sat straight?
It took about 45 minutes to an hour for each of the tattoos (excluding the butterfly - that was quick 'cause it's tiny - that probably took 15 minutes??).

Michelle and I get them done together though.
1.We get an idea for the tattoo.
2.We pose the dogs/ or look through previous photos of them,
3. We go to Kinkos' to "blow-up" the pictures
4. Then, We go to the tattoo shop - explain the idea and give the artist the photos so that he can draw the design, and make a print of it to put on the body (he'll do this later - not with us standing there!)
5. We discuss price and make an appointment to get the tattoo done - usually for the next week.

14. What is the biggest tattoo that you have and how long did it take?
Mine are the same size - a little smaller than my hand.
Michelle's is the one on the top/middle of her back - probably the size of my hand.

16. Do you regret having gotten any of your tattoo(s)?
Nope - I love my tattoos!!!

17. Would you consider ever getting any of your tattoos removed?
No - Some of my friends talk about covering theirs up with something different - but I love my tattoos!!

18. What are you going to get for your next tattoo?
I want to get Lily and Madelyne done. I have the idea planned for each of them - I don't know where I want to put them (as in on my body, yet).

I know what Michelle wants to do with Lily's, but I don't know what she's decided to do with Little Bear's yet.

19. Do you think members of the opposite sex with a lot of tattoos can be hot?
Yes, but it depends on the tattoo and how extreme!
I can appreciate sleeve tattoos if they are in good taste - but when they come up on the neck and it looks like a weird tattoo turtleneck - that's a NO!!
And No popping eye skulls or pictures of girls with big hooters!

20. Are you unfortunate enough to have an armband tattoo?
I don't like my arms enough to get an armband tattoo - I do what to get an anklet tattoo eventually though!

21. How many people have tattooed you?
I've had one tattoo artist (and I have to find a new one!!!)
- Josh Brown at Absolute Art Tattoos! He is awesome!

Josh did my 2 and he did 2 of Michelle's. The Butterfly was done at K & B Tattooing.

The guy at K&B did a good job with the butterfly, but they seemed to be higher in price...
they wanted $300 for the tattoo I got of "Rhiley and Bandit in a heart", which I got done for $180 at Absolute Art

- it's a really complicated story, but it was actually K&B who told us about Absolute Art!!!

22. Does anyone have your name tattooed on their body?
No, and I think that's kind of weird actually...

Fun Day!!!

2009-04-02T21:36:00.008-04:00

I finally got around to Reading:

Sherrilyn Kenyon's: Dream Warrior.

I had bought it when it first came out while we were in VA, but because we were in the process of moving I didn't have time to read it. I found it on Michelle's bookshelf yesterday and started reading it!! It was really good - But, I miss the ones in the beginning of the Dark-Hunter series' - there are more demons now and more bloody fights - less romance MUSH... oh well (I'll keep my fingers crossed for a mushy one)!!!

I also got to play with the pups for about an hour today.
It was nice outside today when I got home... I gave them there dinner and some treats. It's nice to know that Little Bear still prefers his Mommy (me) to treats - you'd never know looking at his chubby self, but given the option between chewing on a treat or getting loving from him Mommy - he always chooses Me!!!

I <3>Strawberry Cobbler James made yesterday!

Yummy!!!

And now I am watching movies :
I just finished the Elvis movie: Fun in Acapulco!!!

I had started before work yesterday.

And now I am watching Since You Went Away! :)
I love sappy movies!!

It's been a good day!!!

Movie Marathon!!

2009-03-31T02:09:00.013-04:00

I was just thinking I wasn't watching a lot of TV and wouldn't you know it - I have a TV marathon!!!

LOL. I had off Sunday and Monday (today) so I was given babysitting duty.

Annie is only four months old so she can't do a whole lot yet - she's working on rolling over but she can't crawl yet or sit up by herself - so we parked it right in front of the TV the last two days, me on the floor and her on a blanket with toys right beside me.

I like to do everything with the TV on - we played with toys and had lunch, watched the pups out the window, and read American Girl "Julie" all with the TV on in the background - oh and we watched the TV too!

I have the first season of "7th Heaven" on DVD so I watched several episodes while I was babysitting and later I watched the first 4 episodes again with Melanie - she was so excited I had them - Mel went through a whole box of tissues while we watched 7th Heaven!

Jamie, Michelle and I also watched Misty (It's a pony movie from the 60s - my sister and I always rented it on VHS in VA - when we were at Barnes and Nobles Sunday we saw it and Mel bought it for Jamie!! Jamie loves horses!

I <3 my cousins!!!

I also watched Fiddler on the Roof today - it's such a great musical!!! I like Chava (the third daughter) the best!!! Isn't that a cute name - Chava?? I also like the nickname for her Chaveleh.

So yeah, I had an awesome Movie Marathon - my idea of a great time!!!

I hope everyone had a great weekend, too!!! :)

I watched Sense and Sensibility today:

2009-03-27T14:41:00.010-04:00

Sonnet VII

By Hartley Coleridge

Is love a fancy, or a feeling? No.
It is immortal as immaculate Truth,
'Tis not a blossom shed as soon as youth,
Drops from the stem of life--for it will grow,
In barren regions, where no waters flow,
Nor rays of promise cheats the pensive gloom.
A darkling fire, faint hovering o'er a tomb,
That but itself and darkness nought doth show,
It is my love's being yet it cannot die,
Nor will it change, though all be changed beside;
Though fairest beauty be no longer fair,
Though vows be false, and faith itself deny,
Though sharp enjoyment be a suicide,
And hope a spectre in a ruin bare.

Michelle Got A Job!!!

2009-03-25T14:47:00.008-04:00

I finally got a job. It is at Petco. I will be a Grooming Assistant. It is about 3 blocks from Sha's job so I can walk if I have to. I was a bather at PetSmart last year and I loved it, but they moved me to cashier so I am really looking forward to being a grooming assistant now. I am so excited.

Michelle

The Apron

2009-03-24T23:45:00.006-04:00

I won a contest that one of my "blog friends" was having http://www.shawnahenry.blogspot.com/ the prize was a bracelet and an apron she had made.

My aunt took pictures of us all trying the apron on, she was wearing the bracelet - she took a picture of the bracelet but for some reason the picture didn't send to my email - have to try it again another day - anyway, here we are modeling the cute apron Shawna made:

Me (Sha) in the Apron.

Michelle in the Apron

(picture taken last night when we were making Pigs in a Blanket...yum!)

Jamie modeling the Apron

(picture taken today right before we left for Jamie's Square dancing class.)

Thanks again Shawna for the neat apron and bracelet!!!

The Deele (Babyface): Two Occasions

2009-03-22T05:34:00.011-04:00

I love Delilah's radio show - when I lived in Richmond, VA I'd try to listen to it occasionally on Lite 98. One of the first things I did when I got here in Austin, TX was to look up what station she has her show on here...It's Majic 95.5.

Two nights ago a lady called on the air wanting Delilah to pick out a "mushy gushy love song" for her and her husband of 35 years. She and her husband have never had a "love song" - they do have a song "I can see clearly now" by Johnny Nash - which has to do with the fact that when they were on their first wedding anniversary it was pouring down raining while they were driving for 10 hours- and "I Can See Clearly Now" was playing. But the couple did not have a "mushy gushy love song"

This is what Delilah picked out for them (I love it!!!):

The Deele (Babyface) : Two Occasions

A summer love is beautiful
But it's not enough
To satisfy emotions
That are shared between us
A winter love is cozy
But I need so much more
It just intensifies my wants
To have a love that endures

'Cause every time I close my eyes
I think of you
And no matter what the season nears
I still love you
With all my heart
And I wanna be with you
Wherever you are

I only think of you on two occasions
That's day and night
I'd go for broke if I could be with you
Only you can make it right

An autumn love is special
At this time of the year
But when the leaves are gone
Does that love disappear
I never underestimate the new love of spring
But I'm glad to say in my heart
I know my love's lasting

'Cause every time I close my eyes
I think of you
And no matter what the season nears
I still love you
With all my heart
And I wanna be with you
Wherever you are

[HOOK 2 times]

'Cause every time I close my eyes
I think of you
And no matter what the season nears
I still love you
With all my heart
And I wanna be with you
Wherever you are

[HOOK 2 times]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CyaF3sX8dTs

Sha and Closing Concession

2009-03-21T02:14:00.003-04:00

I transferred with the theater chain I work with - but I went in as floor - not manager which means I have to do Box, Usher, Door - and Concession (I HATE CONCESSION). And what I hate most about being a floor employee is cleaning concession when we close. Well today was my first closing shift (and I had to work concession today). It was time to close, and I hear my co-shift leader telling the staff to LEAVE. I looked around at the huge mess and asked the Manager standing next to me, "They're Leaving?"
And she said, "Yes, Isn't it great! This theater has a cleaning crew that comes in and cleans the concession for us! The theater I worked at before, the staff would be there until 1 or 2 in the morning cleaning!"
I starred at her. "The theaters I've worked at the employees always had to clean the concession too!!!Wow - this is Great!"
So - I never have to clean a concession stand again!!! Hurray!! I've been dreading it since I found out I was going in as a floor employee - so that's been like over a month!!! Hurray!

AG Store: We had an Author in Our Mist

2009-03-18T01:04:00.006-04:00

The Day we went to the AG store (March 14th) was also the day that, Mary Casanova, the author of Chrissa, was there autographing her books for everyone. Jamie got her picture taken with the author.

me grabbing a "Chrissa" book for Jamie.

Jamie (making a weird face) and me displaying our purchases for Mel.
(I got the collection of Julie's stories, and I also got Samantha's DVD)

Jamie and the author, Mary Casanova. Right after the Jamie's book got autographed.

American Girl Store Dallas, TX part 1

2009-03-18T00:13:00.012-04:00

Okay, so it's been a few days but I finally got a chance for my Aunt Mel to show me how to use her pictures.

This is the Front of the store:

The downstairs has all the historical girls in their display cases and all the books.
They also have an area downstairs devoted to styling doll hair.

And upstairs, they have "now-a-day" girls (which doesn't interest me as much - I like stories about our "past" history). And also upstairs is...

The American Girl Bistro!!!

Here we are waiting to order. (Mel is taking the photo).

And Here I am goofing with Annie. (Her expression totally says, "Do you expect me to eat that without teeth???")

This is Kirsten (she's wearing Samantha's party dress) She's sitting in a little chair that hangs on the table!!! And she has her very own menu!!!

P.S. All the other dolls are in the bottom of the stroller or on our laps.

These are napkin holder/doll bracelet/cookie cutter!! A souvenir from the AG Bistro! Each one has a different word on it and your supposed to go around in a circle at your table and tell a story using your word (me: "Skip. I'll use it as a cookie cutter!").
P.S. we got 4 stars total.

There are five things on the appetizer menu. We got four things and split them:

pizza (really good)

gourmet pretzel with a cheese dip and a honey mustard dip

Veggies (with a ranch dip and a green goddess dip)

Fondue: sour dough bread with a cheese dip

And we did the same thing with the Main Course:

Chicken with mixed veggies

Chicken tenders with Mac and Cheese & Fruit

Salmon and curly french fries

Bistro Burger and curly french fries

Everything tasted great!!! And then we explored downstairs!!!!

My First Day at an Austin Theater

2009-03-17T02:18:00.004-04:00


	So, I just completed my first day working at an Austin Regal Theater. It's a lot like VA theaters- but also kind of different. The stock room is upstairs and it has an elevator to the 2nd floor. There are murals on the walls and big lone stars all over the theater. They call the walk though attendant a "Monitor", and the door stand a "tear box". It's definitely bigger and busier than WT; but today didn't feel as busy as a VCC day. The Concessionists' counts their each individual area themselves instead of one person counting the whole stand!! They don't use the letter system - they have a paper in each auditorium they mark on! The break room/ clock in room is upstairs. They have 4 female restrooms and 4 men restrooms!!! All and all it was a fun day. I'll tell you more later. good night

So, I just completed my first day working at an Austin Regal Theater.

It's a lot like VA theaters- but also kind of different.

The stock room is upstairs and it has an elevator to the 2nd floor. There are murals on the walls and big lone stars all over the theater.

They call the walk though attendant a "Monitor", and the door stand a "tear box".

It's definitely bigger and busier than WT; but today didn't feel as busy as a VCC day.

The Concessionists' counts their each individual area themselves instead of one person counting the whole stand!!

They don't use the letter system - they have a paper in each auditorium they mark on!

The break room/ clock in room is upstairs.

They have 4 female restrooms and 4 men restrooms!!!

All and all it was a fun day. I'll tell you more later.

good night

Jobs

2009-03-16T23:38:00.005-04:00

Sha started work today and I put 2 applications out. One at Ulta and the other at David's Bridal. When I got home I got a call from Sally's Beauty Supply (who I applied for online) and I have an interview with them tomorrow, 3/17 at 1:30pm, yeah!!!!

I also got the car inspected today and it passed.

American Girl excitment!!!

2009-03-14T00:16:00.005-04:00

Michelle and I grew up with American Girl dolls. I think I was 9 when I got my first doll Kirsten for Christmas.

When Jamie was 6 I gave all our dolls to her to borrow and to play with!!! We have 8 dolls total (all of the girls except Julie and of course "the best friends"). At the time "Kit" was the last girl!!!

Anyway, tomorrow we are going to Dallas to go to the American Girl Store!!! I think I am more excited than Jamie!!! When we lived in VA the closest AG store was in NY. Not exactly close.

Dallas is 3 hours from Austin. So, not too bad.

It's going to be a lot of fun. Need to remember to bring the camera!!!

Updates to follow. Have a good night!

Upack/ first few days

2009-03-11T22:47:00.008-04:00

The Upack arrived today. Everything in the Upack is now OUT!!! We unloaded it all into the garage and into the house. Now we just have to move everything that's in the house into our bedroom (the goal for tomorrow).

The guineas are so happy to have their BIG house back (they have been in the little mice cage for almost 2 weeks). They are running all around!!!!

The dogs are adjusting to being outside okay. They aren't thrilled about it (but neither am I). Lily got a chunk bitten out of her shoulder (nasty) but since then everyone has been behaving BETTER.

I love having a wireless router on the computer - we had bought one for our home in VA but it never worked. It's so convenient!

We just got our BIG TV in the bedroom an hour ago and we have CABLE here!!! yay! Michelle has been watch Animal Planet eyes glued to the screen (Michelle rarely watches TV). I think I'm gonna have to fight her to get it back!!!

All for now - I'm tired!

This Providence

2009-03-09T16:24:00.004-04:00

So one of the reasons Michelle and I left early is because I wanted to see the band "This Providence" play at a club here in Austin called Emos on March 8th (yesterday). Well, we made it here (as in Austin) in time, but I didn't buy the tickets online (I think thats kind of weird) ahead of time. So, we got to the club a little early hoping to buy them at the door. Well, there was already a large line waiting to get inside - most had tickets in hand, already. We got in line - they called sold out about ten minutes after openning the door (sigh). We didn't get to see them play.

But, we did have a good night regardless. Michelle, Mel, and Charlies made "Sour Cream Enchiladas" from a recipe Mel got from a friend of hers. Michelle added some spices and made it really tasty. Yum, Yum, Yum!!!

After the kids went to bed I introduced Mel to my favorite tv show - Baywatch! She thought it was "different". She liked the second episode better than the first. But it really isn't her thing. Oh well - I enjoyed it!

WE MADE IT!!!!

2009-03-07T17:24:00.002-05:00

we made it to austin with no car problems and in 33 hours with breaks for dogs, stretching, bathroom, and food. we didn't stop to rest except for once in north carolina for about 2 hours. we got in around six in the morning.

Road Trip

2009-03-04T23:53:00.007-05:00

So our goal is to leave sometime tomorrow. We need to take all the stuff we are not taking to TX to the Goodwill store. We need to sweep and mop the rooms again and scrub the kitchen and bathroom down. MOST importantly we need to Re-shampoo the carpets and pack the car. And then we will be on the road - hopefully by 7pm... that's the plan.

Oh - and I need to go by Walmart and buy a few disposable cameras...I like the digital camera but those re-chargeable batteries suck!

LET IT SNOW, LET IT SNOW, LET IT SNOW!!!

2009-03-01T23:39:00.002-05:00

I love snow!!

I've been praying it would snow before I left for TX - my wish was granted!!!

Yay! West Tower actually closed early because of the snow, we closed the doors at 8:10pm!!! Horace, Christian and Matt made a snowman in front of the box office and the whole matinee staff had a snowball fight, LOL. So much fun.

Larry, a co-manager, gave me a ride home so my Mom didn't have to come out in storm, my Aunt went into work for the overtime so she couldn't pick me up.

The snow knocked down a big branch in my back yard - the dogs love the snow - Little Bear decided it would make a good snack and started to eat it, LOL.

I need to find my camera!!!

Upack

2009-02-28T00:23:00.007-05:00

I hurt! My sister and I moved all our stuff into the Upack - it took 8 hours - most of it was in the garage so it wasn't too far to move it...I hit myself in the face twice (once with a box and once on furniture) - so if i have bruises you know where they came from, lol. Right now it looks red where I smacked into the furniture.

It was the couch- we have it standing on its side and Michelle and I were tying it off, we were trying to switch places and I did a turn...smacked right into the couch foot. Ouch!

We have NO beds in the house now. We're going to try sleeping on the floor so we can be with the dogs and the guineas' but if it's too uncomfortable we'll go to our Mom's.

I am exhausted.

Last Work Days

2009-02-26T23:26:00.004-05:00

My last day at PetSmart is going to be Tuesday, March 3rd - it was supposed to be March 5th but they scheduled me off for some reason.

My last day at the theater here in VA is going to be March 4th. I get off at 8pm, but I'm going to hang out a little later that night to watch the begining of America's Next Top Model. It's me and Nicole's tradition to watch it together.
:) It's Special.

Cockatiel

2009-02-24T23:28:00.005-05:00

My sister works at a different Petsmart than me.

When she got to work today the employees found a Cockatiel in a box outside. Someone had dropped it off at the door and left.

Unfortunately, both her store and my store could not take him. We don't sell Cockateils at our locations anymore and both stores were full up (no empty cages).

So, my sister told her store we could take him! Our aunt in TX said heck no!

Luckily one of the girl's at my store said she'd take him. We were able to get a cage half price (35 dollars) and we bought some litter and food.

So it all worked out - I was really upset - we have 6 babies right now - expensive enough - and I'm about to not have my second job and move cross country!

This Providence

2009-02-24T00:57:00.016-05:00

I had a good day today. I called the GM at Gateway 16, which is the theater I'm trying to transfer to in Austin, TX.

I got to talk to the GM and he said he could transfer me as a floor employee since I am nervous about being in charge of a large theater. Then, if I'm comfortable- and I do well - he'll promote me to associate manager in the Summer. Which is good.

****************************************************

Now, about the title of my post. Has anyone heard of "This Providence"? I had not, until tonight. Me and my co-manager were working/talking in the office when we got a phone call. It was a band - they wanted to exchange a CD for movie passes, the other manager took the call and said yes. So, when the band showed up, she was called downstairs to ring up the tickets.

The band left 2 (identical) CDs - the CDs have 4 songs on them each. And the CDs were wrapped professional - so it's definitely not a high school band, LOL.

I went online and looked the band up and they are actually on tour right now with a band called Ludo (who I have never heard of either, LOL). This Providence played at "The Canal Club" last night and they are working their way south (NC, SC, FL, AR, LA, TX) on tour.

They are going to be playing at "Emo's" on March 8th in Austin, TX.

I think that is sooo funny, since I will on my way to TX.

Anyway, I listened to the CD.

My co-manager took one of the CDs', and she let me have the extra one. I liked the band a lot. My aunt and I put the CD in her car CD-player on the way home - she liked them too.

CD info:

This Providence
The Bright Lights EP

1. Waste Myself
2. My Beautiful Rescue (Renovated)
3. Hopeless
4. Sand In Your Shoes (Acoustic)

************I REALLY LIKED "Sand in Your Shoes" !!!!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/This_Providence

Going through the Attic

2009-02-22T23:19:00.004-05:00

Mom, Michelle and I have been going through the attic tonight. Them more than me. We found all our stuffed toys - the dogs believe that the toys are for them -NOT!!

We are making a give away pile and a keep pile. Once the car is fixed we will take the give away pile to the Good Will store.

Moving Update/ Girls Night Out

2009-02-20T23:43:00.010-05:00

We reserved the Upack and it will be deliver on February 25 and picked up on March 2nd to then be transported to TX. That gives us a week to pack it tight.

We had gotten the car looked at on February 18th and all that needed to be fixed was an oil leak. I paid to have it fixed and it was. Today, we noticed a funny noise coming from the back left tire. We took it back to the shop and they said it will cost roughly $450- to fix. I don't remember what the thing is called that is broken, but it has to do with the breaking system. They ordered the part and I'll be taking the car up there on Monday to get worked on. Sigh.

We also had a little fun today. We visited with Michelle's best friend Aleesha and her 7 month old son Luke around noon. And then I hung out with two of my friends while Michelle visited with our Mom.

My friends and I had an early going away party for me at The Melting Pot. It's my favorite restaurant and it was so much fun!

Sha's 25 Random Things

2009-02-17T23:22:00.013-05:00

My aunt had this game on her blog - it wasn't easy:

1. I love my dogs more than anyone could ever believe. I once moved for my dog, Rhiley.

2. My favorite color is brown.

3. My house (now) has lime green carpets.

4. I am moving to Texas in less than three weeks!!!

5. I want to open my own doggie daycare one day.

6. My favorite animal sanctuary is Rolling Dog Ranch in Montana.

7. My best friend in the world is David Littlestar.

8. I have lived in Richmond, VA my whole life.

9. I am absolutely terrified of change...OH MY GOD (need a paper bag).

10. I have been with Regal for over 5 years.

11. My first car's name was Tomato Soup. I liked the name from a book - it's what one of the main character's called his truck.

12. My favorite book series is Sherrilyn Kenyon's Dark-hunters.

13. I want to have twins: If I ever had twin girls I'd want to name them Avery and Audrey or Shawni and Shane.

(Wouldn't that be so evil to do: Shawni, Shane, and Sha? (I do like the names a lot though - and it serves as Paypack to my family - I have a Marti, Melanie, Michelle and a Mom!!!)

14. I am one of the luckiest girls I know - Marti will understand this one!

15. I hate having to wear a uniform to work.

16. I love my tattoos (I have 2) and am sad that I am going to need to find a new tattoo artist.

17. My favorite dessert is Krispy Kreme Donuts.

18. My favorite restaurant is The Melting Pot.

19. I have been to London, England.

20. My sister gave me the nickname Sha when I was 7.

21. I don't usually go to bed before 2am.

22. If I ever had a boy I'd want to name him Reeve.
I fell in love with that name when I was 13 years old and watched Face On A Milk Carton on TV.

23. I love YouTube!!! Not the crazy videos people make - but when people put TV shows or movies on there...

24. Baywatch is my favorite TV show.

25. I hate the smell of Popcorn.

lots to do, too little time

2009-02-15T19:45:00.006-05:00

We still need to:

finalize the sale for the van, Upack trailer, hitch and dolly, job transfers.

clean the attic

pack our clothes, suitcases,entertainment bag, last few boxes in the house

load the upack trailer and van

change addresses for everything

get vet files from the vets

turn off utilites

make sure the oil was drained

give dogs a bath and clip nails (if we can find clippers)

buy 2 new blinds

and all within the next two and a half weeks

Buying a VAN???

2009-02-13T23:28:00.003-05:00

We were looking into renting a van for the ride to Texas since we don't think our car can make the trip there.

But it's a lot of money to rent a van for a week, and a lot of the companies don't rent to anyone under age 25 - and they won't let us tow our car behind it...

So - since we really need another vehicle anyway - and all of the above factors.

We are going to try to finance a van.

We looked at several vans today and decided on one. the place was about to close though, and the owner was out sick so we are going back on Monday to do the paperwork...

wish us luck!

THE HOUSE IS ALMOST EMPTY

2009-02-11T23:46:00.003-05:00

We have been working hard to get everything out of the house so that the cleaners can come in and clean all the walls and ceilings.

We only have our beds, one dresser and maybe 5 boxes left in the house (excluding the attic). We did it all in 2 days, because we thought they were coming on Monday, Feb 9th.

Well it turns out they aren't coming until Monday, Feb 16th.

I'm screaming.

P.S. my friend, Michelle who is having a baby found out today that it is going to be a little boy - which is what she was hoping for. Awesome!!

MOVING

2009-02-10T01:22:00.011-05:00

I haven't been on the computer in a while.

it seems my oil heat furnace decided to blow - causing a kickback. which means all the soot kicked back into my house. the walls and ceilings and all of my stuff is covered in soot.

or i should say WAS covered in soot.

we - meaning my mom, aunt, my sister, and I have been cleaning everything and packing it into the garage so that a company can come and clean the house.

my aunt (who lives in VA) has been asking for a sign to see if we should move to texas now or wait.

this was the sign.

Since we had to pack everything for the cleaners, why not do the move NOW?

So, we are moving to TEXAS in a month.

we (Michelle and I) will be staying with my aunt who lives in TX - the dogs will be outside with the cousin dogs - Nick and Goldie.

my mom and aunt Marti will be joining us later.

Which doesn't change anything in the blog world.

Just wanted to let everyone know!!

Soot

2009-02-05T22:49:00.003-05:00

Soot is the reason my golden dog looks black.

Michelle and I must really have been sick this week to not notice that all our oil heat vents have been spitting out black soot.

The whole house is now covered with it!

We called our landlord today and hopefully he'll be able to get someone to come over and look at the furnace tomorrow.

I can't believe we didn't realize it sooner.

I'll be scrubbing everything tomorrow.

We started a little bit tonight - but I had to go to work.

I personally don't see the point in scrubbing everything down until we have the furnace looked at...I'll just have to scrub the walls again...

Oh well, send my furnace good vibes!!!

When did 2 Black Dogs Become 3???

2009-02-04T20:42:00.008-05:00

I have been sick all week and been working doubles though-out my horrible cold.

I got off early yesterday (4:30 pm) and came staight home. I was asleep by 6:30pm.

Well, I just got home today about 30 minutes ago... (I got off at 8pm) and I have a third black dog!!!

I said VERY loudly to my sister - when did Little Bear get sooo dirty???

And she said: he's been dirty for the past few days - you didn't notice?

(I give her a look)and say : NO!!!

So, I have the bath water running now and in a few minutes my my black dog count will be 2 again.

P.S. The reason Michelle didn't give him a bath is because she has a deep cut on her hand. We're trying not to get it wet so it will heal.

SICK

2009-01-31T23:18:00.006-05:00

I AM SICK!!!

And I am crazy.

I was scheduled to work 9am-5:30

But. They needed someone to close.

So - being sick as all hell

I said I would close

I worked 9am-9:45pm. with one 30 minute break.

I knew that if I had sat down for any 15s I would want to go HOME.

So - a smart person would go to sleep.

I have to work 18 hours tomorrow.

ONE Word.

LOVELY.

What Kind Of Blogger Are You?

2009-01-31T01:35:00.005-05:00

ESFJ - The Socializers

The social and opinionated type. They are especially attuned to the feelings of themselves and others. They tend to be very aware of the values of their peer-group and tend to see things as either right or wrong, good or bad. They tend to be traditional and value their friends and family the most.

The Socializers are down-to-earth, practical people and very keen on making sure everyone is alright. This quality makes them enjoy social work places. Since they enjoy being and keeping things neat and tidy, they often also enjoy working in such environments.

http://www.typealyzer.com

***Sounds like me!!! :)

DOG Facts

2009-01-30T03:40:00.019-05:00

Rhiley
About the name: The girl's name Riley \r(i)-ley\, also used as boy's name Riley, is pronounced RY-lee. It is of Irish and Gaelic origin, and its meaning is "courageous". Variant of O'Reilly. Lately adopted for girls and boys.

Riley has 6 variant forms: Reilley, Reilly, Rilee, Rileigh, Rylee and Ryley.

(OF COURSE MY VERSION IS UNIQUE) hehehe.

I debated naming her Rhiley or Violet. Rhiley won - but I did get her a violet harness.

One word to describe her: independent.

She has a mind of her own and does what she wants when she wants. She's a lot like me! LOL.

Memory/ Story of How I Got Her : When I first got her.

Rhiley was my very first dog. My boyfriend (at the time) and I had been looking for the "right" dog for a few weeks and my sister had been helping us look. My bf and I couldn't agree on a dog. So - my sister asked me what I was looking for. I said she has to be 35 pounds or under because our apartment has rules on weight and I like dachshunds.

So, I was at school (I was a senior in high school -I moved out two weeks before my junior year ended) and my sister and my bf were looking at dogs at the shelter.

Michelle spotted Rhiley's tag and it said "dachshund mix" and she looked down and saw my baby girl.

She and my bf were waiting in the student parking lot when I got out of class - they said You Have Got to See This Dog.

We walked to the last room in the shelter and in the third kennel on the right was my baby.

I hadn't even looked at her for one full minute when I told them she's the one.

Name the Shelter gave Dog: Soda Pop.

**********************************************

Bandit

About the name: Bandit.

Gender: Male
Origin:German
Meaning: The German name Bandit means - outlaw, robber

I named him Bandit because he had a blue-mottled patch on his back that looked like a bandanna and he wore a red bandanna.

When Michelle and I were little we knew a dog named Bandit who wore a red bandanna - - his name was Bandit. It just felt right...I dunno.

One word to describe him: quiet.

He only yelped when another dog was in his face. He never barked - he was a quiet Beagle mix who loved "looking" outside.

He loved sitting in front of our patio window at the apartment and in the utility door that led to the backyard. He didn't really care about being outside - just looking at the outdoors.

Memory/ Story of When You First got Him: Michelle and I had been to 3 PetSmarts'. We were about to give up looking at dogs for the day when I saw him in a little "pin" inside the store. He had his head on his paws and had a light pink collar on. I thought he was a girl. And was like - I want to call her Emily -then I found out he was a BOY.

I was really worried about adopting Bandit, because he was 9 years old. I didn't want to get him and then have him die right away...

We had him just shy of 3 years when we had to put him to sleep.

Our baby...

Name the Shelter Gave the Dog: Murphy

********************************************************

Little Bear

About the name:

LITTLE: Old English surname often bestowed on someone who was of short or petite stature.

BEAR: The boy's name Bear \bear\ is a variant of Bernard (Old French, Old German), and the meaning of Bear is "strong, brave bear".

Michelle named Little Bear. She said because he looked like one - all fluffy!

One word to describe the puppy: Misbehaves/ Ornery!

As my family says - "Little Bear Wants to be an Only Child" - I think he'd miss all his siblings if he were though!

Memory/Story of When We Got Him: We were Not LOOKING for a DOG!!

My Friend, David was visiting me from TX and Michelle and I were taking him to all of our favorite places - so we went to the shelter and Michelle saw Little Bear and fell in love.

We asked our Land-Lord and she said okay - but Little Bear had a hold on him so we had to wait until the other family had decided if they were going to get him - it was a day or so. The family decided not to get him and the shelter called us to let us know. So we came in early that same day and brought Rhiley and Bandit with us - they wanted to make sure Little Bear would get along with them.

We went in the shelter and an "old" couple came in at the same time as us - it turns out they were on the list behind US to see Little Bear.

I held my breath as Michelle introduced Little Bear to Rhiley and Bandit.

It went well and the shelter said we could pick him up in a few days...

We saw him for the first time on June 24th and I picked him up and took him home on June 27th.

Name Given to him at the Shelter: Mattie

******************************************************

Madelyne

About the name: The girl's name Madeline \m(a)-deli-ne, mad(e)-line\ is pronounced MAD-a-linn. It is of Hebrew origin, and its meaning is "woman from Magdala". Variant of Madeleine, which is the French version. Place name: Magdala was a town on the Sea of Galilee, the home of Saint Mary Magdalen, whom Jesus healed and who was present at his crucifixion. Literary: Ludwig Bemelmann's children's books had a French schoolgirl character wearing a wide-brimmed hat named Madeline.

I named Madelyne! We had her in the car and I looked at her in the backseat and she was sitting with her two front paws together and I said "look at that prissy girl!"

My Aunt Marti's lab was named Penelope - so I started thinking of fancy - prissy names. I thought of the children's book "Madeline".

And started calling her "Madeline" - when my sister saw her she wanted to call her Onyx - I said no - it's too cliche - so she said Madelyn.

We compromised and did the spelling with a "Y" instead of an "I".

Madelyne. pronounced: mad (e) line. But she gets called Maddy most of the time!

One word to describe the puppy: LOVER

She will kiss anyone to death!

Memory/ Story of How We got Her: Madelyne was running loose around our neighborhood with another dog. My aunt was going to pick me up at my house and we were going to eat lunch, but when she was leaving her house she spotted these two dogs running loose.

Our county has leash laws so dogs aren't supposed to be loose. We have a few dogs roaming loose in our houses that don't follow the rules - these dogs were not any we'd seen before.

My aunt picked me up and I went after them. I went for the one without the collar first (Madelyne) got her and put her in the car - I never caught the one with a collar.

We put signs up and got a call 4 days later. The owners took her home. They called us six days later and asked if we would like to keep her. Madelyne missed Michelle and the owners couldn't keep going after her every time she jumped the fence - the owners had a little baby.

Previous Owner called her: Roxie

******************************************

Lily

About the name: The girl's name Lily \l(i)-ly\ is pronounced LIL-ee. It is of Latin origin. Flower name: the lily is a symbol of innocence and purity as well as beauty.

Lily was Michelle's pick. Michelle's favorite flower is the Star-gazer Lily.

One word to describe the her: PET (me).

She would love to be costantly petted. If you stop she'll push your hand until you start again.

Memory of when we got her: We'd gone to the shelter just to look around and play with the dogs a month before Bandit had to be put to sleep and seen her. We already have the maximum our land-lord would let us have so we weren't thinking of adopting. We thought she was sweet. And we played with her for about 20 minutes that day.

A month later we had to put Bandit to sleep. Michelle and I were sooo sad. Michelle wanted to get another dog right away. I said okay. And we decided to adopt another senior in honor of Bandit. Michelle and I looked at a few dogs - but I was really set on Lily. I liked her alot and felt getting another senior beagle was appropriate.

So - we adopted Lily two weeks after we had to put Bandit to sleep - a month and a half after first seeing her. She was 7 years old. :) :(

Name given to Lily at the Shelter: Shelly.

I really liked this name, but it's what I call Michelle - can't have two Shelly's!!

Pete's Dragon "Candle On the Water"

2009-01-30T03:20:00.005-05:00

Ever since one of my "Blog" Friends' mentioned "Passamaquoddy" a few weeks ago I've been thinking about Pete's Dragon (on and off).

Pete's Dragon was one of my favorite movies when I was little - I had such a crush on PETE!

And I was soooooo scared of his "evil" family.

I have the movie taped by my Grandma around here somewhere... Either at my house or in TX with my cousin - I'm not sure. Probably here (It's harder to spot taped movies).

Anyway, I decided to put the lyrics and a link on here to one of my favorite songs on the movie.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sYgLsAIOS-8

"Candle on the Water"

I'll be your candle on the water
My love for you will always burn
I know you're lost and drifting
But the clouds are lifting
Don't give up you'll have somewhere to turn

I'll be your candle on the water
'Till ev'ry wave is warm and bright
My soul is there beside you
Let this candle guide you
Soon you'll see a golden stream of light

A cold and friendless tide has found you
Don't let the stormy darkness pull you down
I'll paint a ray of hope around you
Circling in the airLighted by a prayer

I'll be your candle on the water
This flame inside of me will grow
Keep holding on you'll make it
Here's my hand so take it
Look for me reaching out to show
As sure as rivers flow
I'll never let you go
I'll never let you go
I'll never let you go...

Letters From Home. John Michael Montgomery.

2009-01-30T02:48:00.005-05:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P951n1kQDQU

My Dearest son, it's almost June
I hope this letter catches up with you
And finds you well It's been dry
But they're callin' for rain
And everything's the same old same
In Johnsonville
Your stubborn old daddy
Ain't said too much
But I'm sure you know

He sends his love And she goes on...
In a letter from home

I hold it up and show my buddies
Like we ain't scared
And our boots ain't muddy
And they all laugh
Like there's something funny
'Bout the way I talk
When I say, "Mamma sends her best, ya'll"

I fold it up and put it in my shirt
Pick up my gun and get back to work
And it keeps me drivin' on
Waitin' on letters from home

My dearest love, it's almost dawn
I've been lyin' here all night long
Wonderin' where you might be
I saw your mamma
And I showed her the ring
Man on the television
Said something
So I couldn't sleep
But I'll be alright,
I'm just missin' you
And this is me kissin' you
X's and O's in a letter from home

I hold it up and show my buddies
Like we ain't scared
And our boots ain't muddy
And they all laugh
'Cause she calls me honey,
But they take it hard
'Cause I don't read the good parts

I fold it up and put it in my shirt
Pick up my gun and get back to work
And it keeps me drivin' on
Waitin' on letters from home

Dear son, I know I ain't written
I'm Sittin' here tonight alone in the kitchen
It occurs to me I might not have said it
So I'll say it now...
"Son, You make me proud"

I hold it up and show my buddies
Like we ain't scared
And our boots ain't muddy
But no one laughs
'Cause there's ain't nothin' funny
When a soldier cries
And I just wipe my eyes

I fold it up and put it in my shirt
Pick up my gun and get back to work
And it keeps me drivin' on
Waitin' on letters from home

The Beaches of Cheyenne - Garth Brooks

2009-01-30T02:25:00.007-05:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eAt1W0_U_8s

The Beaches of Cheyenne

They packed up all his buckles
And shipped his saddle to his dad
And by the way the house looked
She must have took it bad.
The workers come on Monday
To fix the door and patch the wall.
They say she just went crazy
The night she got the call.

He was up in Wyoming
And drew a bull no man could ride.
He promised her he'd turn out
Well it turned out that he lied.
And all the dreams that they'd been livin'
In the California sand
Died right there beside him in Cheyenne.

(chorus)
They say she just went crazy
Screamin' out his name
She ran out into the ocean
And to this day they claim
That if you go down by the water
You'll see her footprints in the sand
'Cause every night she walks them beaches of Cheyenne.

They never found her body
Just her diary by the bed
It told about the fight they had
And the words that she had said.
When he told her he was ridin'
She said "then I don't give a damn
If you never come back from Cheyenne."

They say she just went crazy
Screamin' out his name
She ran out into the ocean
And to this day they claim
That if you go down by the water
You'll see her footprints in the sand
'Cause every night she walks them beaches of Cheyenne.

Nobody can explain it
Some say she's still alive
They even claim they've seen her
On the shoreline late at night.
'Cause if you go down by the water
You'll see her footprints in the sand
'Cause every night she walks them beaches of Cheyenne.

Yes, every night she walks them beaches of Cheyenne.

Last Kiss. Pearl Jam.

2009-01-30T02:09:00.004-05:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J_sEtNrYlC4&feature=related

Oh where, oh where, can my baby be?
The Lord took her away from me
She's gone to heaven, so I've got to be good
So I can see my baby when I leave this world

We were out on a date in my daddy's car
We hadn't driven very far
There in the road, straight ahead
A car was stalled, the engine was dead

I couldn't stop, so I swerved to the right
I'll never forget the sound that nightThe screamin' tires, the bustin' glass
The painful scream that I heard last

Oh where, oh where, can my baby be?
The Lord took her away from me
She's gone to heaven, so I've got to be good
So I can see my baby when I leave this world

When I woke up the rain was pourin' down
There were people standing all around
Something warm rollin' through my eyes
But somehow I found my baby that night
I lift her head, she looked at me and said,
"Hold me darling, for a little while"
I held her close, I kissed her our last kiss
I found the love that I knew I would miss.

Well now she's gone
even though I hold her tight
I lost my love, my life, that night

.Oh where, oh where, can my baby be?
The Lord took her away from me
She's gone to heaven, so I've got to be good
So I can see my love when I leave this world

Ooooo....
Ahhhh....

David Ball: Riding With Private Malone: Album - Amigo

2009-01-30T02:00:00.009-05:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q0gX-bipodU

I was just out of the service thumbing through the classifieds
When an ad that said:"Old Chevy" somehow caught my eye
The lady didn't know the year,or even if it ran
But I had that thousand dollars in my hand

It was way back in the corner of this old ramshackle barn
Thirty years of dust and dirt on that green army tarp
When I pulled the cover off,it took away my breath
What she called a Chevy was a sixty six Corvette

I felt a little guilty as I counted out the bills
But what a thrill I got when I sat behind the wheel
I opened up the glove box and that's when I found the note
The date was nineteen-sixty six and this is what it wrote:

He said,"My name is Private Andrew Malone"
"If you're reading this,then I didn't make it home"
"But for every dream that shattered,another one comes true"
"This car was once a dream of mine,now it belongs to you"
"And though you may take her and make her your own"
"You'll always be riding with Private Malone"

Well it didn't take me long at all,I had her running good
I love to hear those horses thunder underneath her hood
I had her shining lika a diamond and I'd put the rag top down
All the pretty girls would stop and stare as I drove her through town

The buttons on the radio didn't seem to work quite right
But it picked up that oldie show,especially late at night
I'd get the feeling sometimes,if I turned real quick I'd see
A soldier riding shotgun in the seat right next to me

It was a young man named Private Andrew Malone
Who fought for his country and never made it home
But for every dream that's shattered,another one comes true
This car was once a dream of his,back when it was new
He told me to take her and make her my own
And I was proud to be riding with Private Malone

One night it was raining hard,I took the curve too fast
I still dont remember much about that fiery crash
Someone said they thought they saw a soldier pull me out
They didn't get his name, but I know without a doubt

It was a young man named Private Andrew Malone
Who fought for his country and never made it home
But for every dream that's shattered,another one comes true
This car was once a dream of his,back when it was new
I know I wouldn't be here if he hadn't tagged along
That night I was riding with Private Malone
Oh,thank God,I was riding with Private Malone

TAXES!!!

2009-01-30T00:29:00.002-05:00

All my W-2's are in, hurray!

Hopefully, my Mom and I will get started on my taxes this Saturday.

Hello Rebate! (please rebate, please rebate).

Finding money/hours

2009-01-27T23:23:00.004-05:00

One of the managers at PetSmart asked me if I would like to work the night shift this thursday coming up - I'm already working 9am-2pm.

That means I'll be working 9am-9:30pm

Yay HOURS!!!

I can pay bills!

wahoo!

Little Bear in COLOR!!!

2009-01-26T02:20:00.004-05:00

MOVIES

2009-01-23T00:04:00.018-05:00

My Friend, Sarah just returned the set of movies I lent her. SO it's time to pick out the next set!

Earlier today, I was talking to my Aunt Melanie on the phone about what books my sister and I liked best when we were 10 years old (our cousin, Jamie, is turning ten in a few months).

And that made me think of one of my FAVORITE SERIES OF ALL TIME!!

The Sweet Valley series (Kids, Twins, High, Senior Year, and College).
***To be fair I didn't really read a lot of the Senior Year or College series. (I never got over the author, Francine Pascal breaking up Elizabeth and Todd). That was just wrong!!!

Anyway, (following my crazy thought process).

The Sweet Valley series main characters are twins.

I love twins!

My sister and I have all the Mary-Kate and Ashley movies. (We lent the younger movies - like when the twins were 6 years old to 12 years old - to our cousin Jamie).

Again - I'm getting kind-of off topic - or on topic - it's confusing how my mind works.

Ahhhhh: I was thinking Sweet Valley BOOKS, Sweet valley high MOVIES (or to be correct TV series made into a season one DVD set) - Mary-Kate and Ashley movies - TWINS - what other movies DO I OWN that have twins in them - Parent Trap with Lindsay Lohan - Parent Trap with HALEY MILLS.

*****And that's when I decided that the next few movies I lend Sarah will have HALEY MILLS in them (Haley Mills does not have a twin, but she played twins in Parent Trap).

SO - the line up to be borrowed by Sarah will be:

Summer Magic

Pollyanna

The Parent Trap 1 & The Parent Trap 2

(it's a 2 in 1 DVD)

The Moon-Spinners

The Trouble With Angels

So that is 6 movies (I have the DVD set of Parent Trap 1 &2) it's a 2 in 1. (I also have the VHS Parent Trap 1).

That should keep Sarah busy for a while. She is going to kill me. LOL.

***My two favorite Hayley Mills movies are "Moon Spinners" and "Summer Magic" if you were wondering.

P.S. Mel - has Jamie seen any Hayley Mills movies?

Professional Photos: Lily and Sha

2009-01-22T01:43:00.006-05:00

I posted on Dec. 23, 2008 about getting professional photos taken in October '08.

Above are a few photos of Lily and Me - aren't we adorable??

Hotel For Dogs!!!

2009-01-21T23:52:00.009-05:00

I have been waiting for this movie to come to theaters for months!

If some of you reading did not know - it is my dream to open my own doggie daycare and adoption kennel.

Anyway, I say the poster for hotel for dogs several months ago and have been waiting on pins and needles for it to come out. We have had lots of promotional stuff for the movie at my theater - and we ended up not getting the movie!

Luckily, we are allowed to see free movies at other theaters in the area that are the same chain - so tonight my sister, mom and I went to see it at my "old" theater. (I transferred theaters when I became a manager).

The movie was really cute! Somewhat unrealistic, but definitely fun - and a MUST BUY!!

Plans for Friday - Maybe a Washer?

2009-01-20T22:05:00.003-05:00

My friend, Michelle who's daughter Rachel just had a birthday is moving into a new home in a few days. So, I told her that I could help her pack on Friday (my day off).

Good News: The new place has a washer and dryer already - so my friend said that if it's okay with her dad, I could have her washer.

Those who read my blog know that my washer broke down a while ago.

So, if everything goes okay - I could have a washer in a few days (yay!)

FUN SATURDAY

2009-01-19T01:31:00.016-05:00

I was originally supposed to work from 9am-5pm at PetSmart on Saturday. But when I went in to work at the movie theater on Wednesday - I saw that my GM had posted a "manager meeting" sign on the door - for THAT Saturday. The manager meeting would be from 10:30am until 12pm - right in the middle of my PetSmart shift.

I called my sister right away and asked her what her schedule was for Saturday - Michelle told me she was off - I told her she now had an 8 hour shift. LOL.

So, Shelly (my nickname for Michelle) worked my 9-5 shift on Saturday.

I woke up at 9:30am on Saturday, hopped in the shower - and was getting dressed when I reached for my phone to remind my ride (my aunt Marti) that she needed to pick my up in 10 minutes when I noticed I had a text message.

I clicked the message - it was from my GM: "At the doctor's with my daughter. meeting canceled".

I called my ride to tell her not to pick me up.

I would have been really irritated by the cancellation if I hadn't had other "Fun" plans to do on Saturday - Such as a 7 year old's Birthday party.

Since I was off on Saturday (except for the meeting) I had called my friend Debbie on Thursday to let her know I could now attend her "Granddaughter" Rachel's Party (it started at 2pm).

The party was nothing crazy- thank goodness. 6 adults and 3 kids total at the party. Rachel loved the gifts I got her- and so did the adults at the party!! All the Moms' were looking at the books I'd found - excited to get them for their kids. It made me laugh -I don't have children of my own -so who would have guessed I'd get such a good find?

The party was about 2 hours long and then Rachel left with her "Other" grandma (not Debbie) to have a sleepover with one of her younger family members.

That left me, Debbie, and Rachel's Mom - her name is Michelle (like my sister) at the house.

So what wild and crazy thing did we 3 ladies do with no guys or kids in the house?

.....
....
...

That's right! We played Monopoly!

P.S. I lost- Debbie won. LOL.

Job Opening?

2009-01-17T12:21:00.008-05:00

Michelle said that there is supposed to be a full-time position opening at "her" PetSmart.

I hope she gets it. It's been a difficult few months.

Cross your fingers.

Little Bear's Home!!

2009-01-15T15:32:00.008-05:00

We dropped Little Bear off at the vet at 7:30am.

They called us around 12pm to let us know he was doing good and that he was done with surgery.

We picked him up at 3pm and got the medicine he needs to take the next few days. He puked on the counter at the vet office. They had just said he may be still feeling the effects of the anesthesia and may not keep food down - as they were saying it he just opened his mouth and a lot of clear stuff came out - and a few pieces of carrots from yesterday's meal. It was a little gross.

We're home now and he's been peeing like crazy.

I gave him some soft food (he's happy, he likes to eat!) and now I'm watching him walk around the house. He's acting like he didn't have surgery at all (minus the puking and peeing).

I'm glad everything went okay. :)

I love my boo boo!!

Went to the vet

2009-01-13T22:26:00.004-05:00

Michelle and I took Little Bear to get another oral surgery estimate:

First vet: exam ($29.00) + surgery estimate ($427.00) = $456.00

Second vet: exam ($53.00)+ surgery estimate ($393.00) = $446.00

So, not a big difference. I had to pay for both exams. Little Bear is scheduled to have his oral surgery on Thursday, Jan.15 at 7:30am at the second vet's office (it's closer to home) - they said I should be able to pick him up after surgery between 3pm-6pm. So, right before I go to work (Michelle will be home all day). I have off Friday with him.