I Used to Blog? Part II

Today I started to miss blogging and thought I would take a quick second and try to update. Things have been sort of crazy my way, and not exactly in a good way. But, God is good and everything is OK.

The run of bad luck began at the Jimmy Buffett concert. The concert itself was AMAZING. Jimmy did all my favorites and he did a cover of "Southern Cross" by Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young which is one of my favorite songs EVER. Seeing Jimmy Buffett has been a long time wish of mine and he did not disappoint at all! After the concert my precious Mustang (which I bought brand new only last year) got hit by another vehicle.


Long story short, the people that hit me are saying that they did NOT hit me and their insurance denied my claim. I'm having to pay a deductible to get my Pony Princess fixed. Not fun, but it's OK.

Next gets worse, we got robbed. Our home was broken into w/ no signs of forced entry. I was REALLY upset over the jewelry I had stolen. Not only because of the monetary value of what I had stolen (and the fact that our renters insurance was only paying us $1000 for what we lost), but most of all because of the sentimental value. This ring is really unique (it's about 10 karats, amethyst set in yellow gold with diamond side stones) and it has a lot of meaning for me. My great Aunt got this ring in the 60s or 70s (she doesn't remember exactly when or where) with her husband, who passed away in the 80s, and gave it to me as a gift for my 21st birthday. It's VERY special to me. We did a police report and long story short I ended up using some vacation time and going to every pawn shop in town. My ring was found at a pawn shop and we were reunited w/ our jewelry. The theft occured on Cinco de Mayo when we went out for Mexican for dinner and a maintenance person was in our apartment fixing a water leak unattended. There is a warrant out for his arrest but so far the police have not been able to locate him. He no longer works at our apartments so we are back to feeling safe. Losing the safe feeling we had in our home was also really stressful, but things are better now.


The loss of the ring was super hard for me and I spent A LOT of time reflecting on this verse before it was recovered.

Matthew 6: 19-21 “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, 20 but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.

It was about a week before a pawn shop called me saying they had my ring and by that point I'd given up on ever seeing it again. The family the owns the pawn shop were some of the nicest people I've ever met. It was a couple that is in their 70s and their old mother was also at the store, at 103 years old! Precious family.

Next my Mom took a fall from her horse. She's OK now-thank God. We were very blessed that she wasn't injured more than she was. I had to use some family sick leave and stay w/ her in the hospital and at her house for a few days. The most important thing is that she is OK. While she was on the mend we were able to go to the movies and see the new Pirates of the Caribbean movie and that was A LOT of fun!! It's a fun movie and I loved Penelope in it.

I'm super relieved that these events are over and that everything turned out OK! It's been a stressful few weeks, but everything is alright. Stuff like this makes you think about what is really important in life and what's just "stuff"...like your car or your jewelry.

I'm super excited about the weekend!! I'm looking forward to spending some time outside. I just LOVE summer. I also have a second date. More posts to come soon! I've missed you all!

XOXO
Gamecock Queen

I used to blog?

I don't know what's gotten into me. I never seem to have anything to say on here anymore. I figured I'd get on today because I was thinking about blogging after having lunch w/ a blog friend. Well, I guess she's not just a blog friend anymore, but a real life friend I met through blogging :-).

Anyways, moving right along...Baltimore was AMAZING!! I am seriously in LOVE with Birdland (BTW it's called that because both pro ball teams, baseball and football, are BIRDS-the Orioles and the Ravens). I have not been this in love with somewhere since I went to Las Vegas in 2009. In fact, I've had wanderlust and I've wanted to move ever since I came back.

This is me in the Inner Harbor area of Baltimore.


This was right after eating at one of my favorite restaurants, The Cheesecake Factory. My mouth waters just thinking about it :-). We got the Red Velvet Cheesecake- let me quote Rachel Zoe "I die".

I'm in countdown mode to Jimmy Buffett! I see him Thursday night in Charlotte and I can't wait. Of course, I went to look for my grass skirt (the one I've been holding onto since Halloween 2002 in case I ever needed it) and it's still sitting at my Mom's from 9 years ago. FAIL.

In dating news {you ladies always seem to want to hear about that :-)} boyfriend and I broke up. I'm OK though!! I really haven't been very sad about it at all. We only dated for 3 months. Since this isn't just soley about ME I'll keep the story vague and cryptic and just say that I think I caught him being dishonest with me and that is what caused the split. After some of the things I've learned with guys dishonesty is a deal breaker every time. Might I add that he kept my waffle maker and refuses to return it. I wasn't very happy about that. Ahem, NEXT!

The only other thing I have to post about is Emily Giffin. HOW did I not discover her books before now? I bought Something Blue in the ATL airport on the way to Baltimore and read it very quickly. I loved it!! I'm reading Something Borrowed now and I can't put it down. I am absolutely planning on seeing the movie when it comes out!! I know a lot of people thought that we wouldn't like Darcy when she was the main character in Something Blue, but I guess since I read them backwards my perception is skewed. I like Darcy a lot. I tend to be sort of loud (at times) and bubbly so maybe that's why.


Hope every one is having a good week!!
XOXO
Gamecock Queen

Lost Long Blogger!

Oh MY Goodness!! Ever have those NEVER ending days at work?? I think every day this WEEK had to be like that! Today especially. I'm trying to get some reports completed and signed and it's taking a lifetime. I tell you what, work can drive you around the bend.

Anyways, enough about work. I'm obviously suffering from a case of Spring Fever.

I decided to be good to myself and got tickets for myself and boyfriend to see Jimmy Buffett in April. I've wanted to see a Jimmy Buffett concert for a long long time. Last spring he was on CMT sometimes where they had videoed a concert and I was just salivating to go. I'm very excited!!
While I was buying tickets I went ahead and got a plane ticket to visit friends I've been meaning to see for forever now. Seriously, I have not seen these very close friends in 3 or 4 years. The guy is my #1 guy friend from way back and the girl is another close friend. I was the maid of honor in her wedding (I included a pic...yall know I am a professional bridesmaid by now!).
I will be visiting them in Baltimore and I'm beyond excited about it. I have a feeling I am going to LOVE Charm City. Of course, I don't know if I'll ever love anywhere the way I love Las Vegas, but still I think I'm going to love it there. I don't know about yall, but I usually end up traveling alone and I actually really enjoy it!! I find it relaxing and it always makes me feel like a grown up. Of course, then I remember I graduated college in 2007 which means I've been a grown up for a while now, but sometimes I forget. :-)
This weekend my StepDad (former) is supposed to stop by my place on his way back to the upstate from a trip to the beach. Of course, this is a man w/ ZERO planning skills so I am NOT considering this set in stone. But, hopefully he'll stop by and then he and boyfriend will get to meet!! This will be the first person in my family that will meet boyfriend.

TGIF!!
XOXO
Gamecock Queen

Better Than Expected

I am very pleased to report that meeting boyfriend's little boy went better than expected!! Thank you for your words of wisdom, ladies! I'm ALL smiles about it. He is a PRECIOUS little boy. I just knew he would be, and he is!

Saturday we ended up going to Chuck E Cheese with boyfriend's kid and the little boy of one of our good friends (who I ADORE-seriously, he was holding onto me like a little spider monkey). The two boys played well together and I felt like the first meeting went really well overall. Sunday we all went to church together and then made a bon fire and roasted marshemellows. Little boys have A LOT of energy!! OH my! I am OK w/ it though...I understand that boyfriend and his kid are a package deal.I think they are a pretty awesome package :-)

I also met Little Boy's Mom and her fiance. Nervous? YES! SO nervous I didn't want to get out of the car! I didn't let on, but believe me, it was a nerve wracking situation. I'm not sure exactly WHY it made me nervous...I mean, I've been on stage, in a bikini no less, in front of hundreds of pple (former pageant girl), I've been skydiving...WHY I was nervous to meet her I have no idea, but I was. I was woman enough to get out of the car and shake her hand and say "nice to meet you". She was very nice and the meeting was pretty brief. Totally understandable that she would want to meet me, I mean, I'm spending time around her child. I'm just glad that's out of the way now!

Random but, I've been seeing EASTER candy in the stores now and that makes me SO excited! Does anyone else just LOVE Easter?

XOXO

TGIF

This weekend is going to be BIG for me. This weekend I'm meeting my new boyfriend's four year old boy for the first time! Yes, I said new boyfriend, as in we are facebook official! Go ahead and laugh, but you know FBO is what makes something "real" these days LOL. We've been dating for about two months, and he's a good Dad so his kid is a huge part of his life...naturally, I'm nervous!

New boyfriend is one in a million :-). This Valentine's Day was the best Valentine's Day I've ever had. He surprises me, is always nice to me, and he is SO thoughtful. He does things w/out asking...for example, when he found out A and I were moving, he wanted to help us. He did it w/out being asked, or nagged, or complaining. I think they say you meet the WRONG pple so you can appreciate it when someone good comes along, and that is def the case with me!

I as I said, I have some anxiety about meeting the kid! Several of my friends are Mommies, and all their kids like me so I hope that bodes well. I'm trying to be prepared in case he doesn't like sharing his Daddy time w/ someone and shows out! I would never ever want to take his Dad's attention away from him - ever- I just don't know if he will understand that since he's a child. Growing up I was always jealous when my Mom had a date around. I am trying not to expect too much, but hopefully he'll like me.

I know a lot of you bloggers are Mommies so I thought I'd share this b/c it made me laugh. One of my girlfriends, who has a PRECIOUS little boy, and I were emailing at work one day. I told her I'd be meeting new boyfriend's son and that I'm nervous about it going well. She wrote me back the funniest email:

"Yeah I bet you are nervous! Don't be though. Children sense fear! Lol! Little boys love to play outside, sports, fast cars, guns, anything that makes a lot of noise or annoys pple…basically, they are just small men!!! Little boys love you!! Seriously, don't be nervous for real. It'll be just fine. Let me know how it goes!"

I think some of my nervousness stems from me REALLY liking this guy and also b/c I think I might have some bad karma due my way. I'm a Christian, so I DON'T REALLY believe in karma, but I do think what goes around comes around. I was TERRIBLE to my Mom's boyfriends growing up! Plus, I don't know a lot about kids seeing as though I don't have one.

I pretty much couldn't stand my former Step Dad for about the first 3 years he and my Mom were married. Now I consider him a dear friend and I treasure having him as a part of my life. Besides my precious Granddaddy (who has always spoiled me rotten), my Step Dad is the closet thing I have to a father. That's special to me.

It's amazing to me how he could be nice to me even though I was a first rate BRAT, and I'm not even his. He didn't have to, and still doesn't have to, treat me the way he does. I can draw some parallels here to salvation if you follow my train of thought...I'm probably not explaining myself well...but you can get my drift. We have a Heavenly Father that loves us although by human nature we don't deserve it.

I genuinely feel bad that I was such a huge brat growing up. Now that I'm in my Step Dad's shoes...golly geez..it's intimidating to meet the child of someone you care about!

One of my girlfriends is a Mom and a Step Mom and she suggested bringing a toy with me when I meet him. I made her come with me to Target and pick the toy out since her son is 5. I got a monster truck that drives on it's own (battery operated, I guess?) and it has the dinosour from Toy Story (I think his name is Rex?) on it. The dinosaur is removable or can ride on the truck.


Hope yall have a good weekend!!
XOXO
Gamecock Queen

Ch-Ch-Changes!!

Sorry I've been MIA from the blogging world! This weekend A and I moved into a new apartment. What a HUGE difference nice new carpet, counters, and cabinets make! We are pleased as punch. The view out of our glass door is nice too! Although New Years has passed and most people are underway w/ their New Years resolutions, I've decided to start making some changes, NOW.

The biggest change I'm making is w/ Trinket. When I got Trinket almost three wonderful years ago I became single shortly after adopting her. I lived alone then (A and I lived together in college, then I lived alone, then she ended up moving back) and I have always SPOILED her ROTTEN. I didn't really care about any bad behavior because it was just the two of us. I am ASHAMED to admit to you how bratty she has gotten, but I try to always be open on my blog. My little Trink is a BIG ole brat! She has "accidents" on the floor frequently (and she's been vetted recently, not a medical problem), barks aggressively at company, and is mean to the cat.

Since A's boyfriend had to go out and purchase a steam cleaner just to clean the carpet in our old apartment I've decided I've got to step up the potty training. Again, shame on me! I've had this dog for almost three years and she's still not 100% on potty training. A told me soon she's going to call Cesar Milan or the It's Me or the Dog TV show! I've started keeping T in the bathroom (w/ plenty of food, water, beds, toys, etc) while I'm at work and making her go to the potty outside and ONLY outside. I quit using pee pads at all because they seemed to confuse her.

The other big change I'm making, which is def for the positive, is that I'm trying to be cleaner and more organized at home. Since I work, try and go to the gym a few times a week, and go out with friends, I do NOT make enough time for cleaning and organizing. That's going to change, esp since we have a nice new place!!

I was reading one of my regular blog reads and I found out about Fly Lady. How did I not know about her?? Her website is SO fab!!

Just look at this that I found from her:

Kitchen Tips:
Let's talk about the kitchen for a while. If the kitchen is clean, the rest of the house stays clean, too. In other words, As the kitchen goes, so goes the rest of the house. Consider this: broken windows in a city. If a broken window is left unrepaired, the neighborhood goes down the drain. Crime rates go up and other building fall apart, but if these windows are fixed immediately, the neighborhood is not affected. Or shall we say infected. A dirty kitchen infects the remaining rooms. Strive to keep the kitchen tidy.

-Empty dishwasher first thing upon entering the kitchen.
(This way you always have a place for dirty dishes.)
-Always keep the sink spotless and shining.
(If the sink is clean you are less likely to put a dirty dish in it.)
-Use a clean dish cloth and dish rag every day.
-Get in the habit of drying your sink after every use (with the clean dish towel).
-Fill sink with hot soapy water when you start to cook. (This helps to clean as you go.) My Granny taught me this. If you don't, the dishes pile up! Swish them good and put them in the dishwasher. The counter stays clear and when you are through cooking all you have to do is load the dishwasher with the china.
-Throw trash and recyclables away as you empty the container.
-Shut the cabinet doors.
-Keep a can of Comet, bottle of Windex, and cleaning towels handy
(for the little spritz that keeps things shiny)
-Make table clearing everyone's job. Have each person take their own plate to the kitchen. They rake their scraps into the compost bin and put their plate into the dishwasher. This is something else children can do!

SO, here's to changes for the positive!! A more disciplined dog that I don't have to feel bad about and a cleaner home!!

XOXO
Gamecock Queen

Weekly Blog...

Don't you just love a salon visit? I got my hair cut by my FAB hair stylist at lunch and it totally brightened up my Tuesday. I was feeling sort of blah so I needed a pick me up!!

Last night's Bachelor did not dissapoint!! Ashley S got voted off on the two-on-one date w/ Brad. I liked Ashley S more than Ashley H, she's so cute and perky!! I think her hair is GREAT. I mean, not a hair out of place, shiny, smooth....she has gorgeous hair!! After not receiving a rose she was BAWLING!! Like I said last week, I don't know that I can understand crying over someone like that when you don't even know them very well. She was crying like I used to cry over that loser I dated off and on for a long time...anyways. Ashley H gets on my nerves a little bit. I say since she's also a dentist and is agrressive that she's the perfect match for the dentist I was seeing for abt 2 months in the fall. He was not aggressive and I am NEVER aggressive w/ guys, as a personal rule, hence part of the no-go between us. She's his perfect match LOL.
Emily is still my favorite. I think she's just the nicest girl and she's sooo pretty!! After seeing her tan in last night's episode I really feel like I need to work on my TAN! My heart goes out to her because of her background..and she just seems so kind hearted and genuine. Is it just me or is Brad a little bit awkward? I felt like he seems sort of awkward when he talks to her. Something about it turns me off a little bit.
This is random, but I just finished reading The Help and I really liked it!! It's a little bit slow going at first (or at least it was for me, but I have ADD). My grandma was reading this and I borrowed it from her when she finished. I'm really looking forward to seeing the movie when it comes out in August! If you are looking for something good to read I'd recommend it!! I think my next read might be Water for Elephants. Generally speaking I am NOT a fan of the circus because I think the animals look sad (and possibly mistreated) and you know I'm a HUGE animal person, but I think I may give it a try anyways. Let me know if any of yall have read it.


XOXO
Gamecock Queen