Etsy Love

I've ordered several things from Etsy. I love handmade, non-commercial art. I love having things that few others have. Here are a few of my favorites on Etsy now. There's no time like needing to decorate a new house to buy a few prints, right?!

from the wheatfield:



from Spread the Love:

from retrostilleto:

Lent & Shopping

Growing up in a Baptist church, we didn't acknowledge Lent. It just isn't practiced. I think the first time I heard about it was in college. I worked for my mom, and her Hispanic employees asked me what I planned to give up for Lent. I was challenged. Although I still didn't know exactly what Lent was, I did understand the premise of sacrifice. I knew that if it was important to these girls that I needed to do it. I'm pretty sure I gave up chocolate. H.A.R.D., also known as sacrifice.

It's been about ten years since I first started practicing Lent. And I've learned so much more about it. Now, I work at an Episcopal school where we have weekly chapel. Truth be told, I didn't enjoy chapel the first few months. It was so different than my "normal." But now, I really like it; I even look forward to it. I love certain prayers. I love the Apostles' Creed (and get a little giddy each time it's said). I love Eucharist. I love the thought that each person participating in that service on Thursdays is saying the exact same prayer. And now it's time for Lent.

A month ago, I thought I'd give up Diet Coke for Lent. I seriously had a problem. That was resolved ahead of time. I thought I might do it anyway; it'd be easy. But since Lent involves preparation for Easter, including through self-denial, I figured I should do something that will benefit me. Guess what I picked? The thing that takes up WAY to much time in my life:

That's right. I won't be on facebook for 46 days. I even deleted the app from my iPhone to avoid  temptation. Day one hasn't been super-challenging in the disconnection aspect (although I have been shopping all day). But when I get onto my computer, it's automatic for me to type "fa", hit the down arrow once and arrive at facebook. (I had a conversation with some of my students about this. We all seemed to think it's a little strange to sit down at a computer and stare at facebook without any recollection of going to the site.)

So, if you need me, you can email me or call me or text me or comment here.

(Oh, I have one caveat. I plan to go onto my account and disable my wall on my upcoming birthday. It's a whole other issue, but I don't care for 200 "friends" to wish me a good day. With that many posts, the important wishes get lost. If you are my friend and want to offer birthday wishes, text me or call me. Or send a great gift.)

Today I went shopping with my mom and mother-in-law. We shopped until we dropped. Almost literally for me. I don't always wear appropriate footwear, so my little feet were tired. My mother-in-law is able to shop at Dallas Market Center--where retailers buy their merchandise. Guess what I picked out? Christmas stuff! I have absolutely NO MORE ROOM for Christmas decorations, but I'll worry about that in a few months when it's shipped.

After Market, we lunched (very late) at Taverna. Oh, it was so YUMMY. We each ordered something different and shared. I had little pasta "pillows" filled with Gorgonzola cheese and pears topped with a cream sauce, arugula and walnuts. The two other dishes were penne with tomatoes and basil and butternut squash tortellini with fried sage. They were all amazing. We splurged with dessert and coffee, and then headed for a little more shopping at Sur la Table and Pottery Barn. In order to balance the Christmas decorations bought earlier in the day, I practiced self-control and purchased only one thing. We've been talking about it for almost 1.5 years of marriage, every time we have a watery salad, so I finally bought a salad spinner. But not just any salad spinner, I found a collaspible salad spinner.

I'm thinking functional and easy to store. Husby will love this combo. Unlike our new Christmas decorations. He just doesn't understand cute, non-functional items. Luckily he has me, both cute and functional. Now, I can make even better salads. And have an even cuter house at Christmas.

Faves: Stocking Stuffer Ideas

I'm so proud of myself. Already, I've bought over half of the Christmas presents we'll give. Woo hoo! I've done lots of online shopping, which has been super nice, especially when free shipping is an offer. Here are a few of my favorite things, and things that would be great stocking stuffers.

Did you know that Texas is a producer of olive oil? It's pretty new, but I was able to taste some at Mistletoe & Magic--a holiday market with specialty boutiques. Oh. my. goodness. Texas Olive Ranch makes amazing olive oil. I was a little hesitant to try it, since they pride themselves on their oils being so good that no bread is needed for tasting. I wasn't keen on the idea of drinking olive oil. But once I did, I could have kept going. We had some great "cocktails"--oils mixed with balsamic vinegars. Oh, come on! Though we only had sips of each cocktail, I could have downed it!

One of my favorites was orange Rio Orange Olive Oil mixed with Orange & White Orange Infused White Balsamic Vinegar. I came home with the Arbequina Variety EVOO and Figalicious Fig Infused Dark Balsamic Vinegar. I can't wait to use it on a salad. Each bottle is $10. You can order online at Texas Olive Ranch, or in select stores (a list is found on their website).

Next up: Coconut Body Butter from The Body Shop. 

This stuff is fabulous. I bought a tub last year while honeymooning in San Francisco. Our hotel was next to excellent shopping. Unfortunately, Husby isn't the shopping type, so I only visited this one store. I hadn't been to The Body Shop previously, but the smell wafting from the store intigued us both. This cream is excellent. It's made from coconut oil, which is a solid, so it's super thick. I love it! They have tons of different scents: lemon, olive, grapefruit, almond. They're on sale now for $14 per tub, regulary $20. At either price, it's worth it.

Last year, Husby got Origins Skin Diver Active Charcoal Body Wash in his stocking. And then I started using it and discovered how fabulous it is!

It's a natural body wash that smells like rosemary and spearmint. I love it. Although $19.50 and pricier than drugstore body wash, it lasts for a long, long time. And it just smells so good!

Fingers crossed, I'll have my Christmas shopping done next week when I'm off for Thanksgiving. Then, I'll be able to wrap and be-ribbon the gifts to go under the tree.

Weekend Update

Today has been a day of rest at our home. Other than brewing coffee and making muffins, we've done almost nothing. Which is nice considering our busy day yesterday. Husby and I went Christmas shopping--and eating--with his family. A day of Pottery Barn, Williams-Sonoma, Banana Republic, and World Market, sprinkled with meals at Grand Lux Cafe and Maggiano's, sounds perfect to me. However, Husby does not enjoy a day spent at stores. Luckily, he did enjoy Angry Birds and Cut the Rope on my iPhone, when The Container Store just didn't do it for him. We're quite different in that respect. I could spend hours in The Container Store, dreaming of my next organization project.

As I type this, our bellies are full from yummy Banana Crumb Muffins. Although I've claimed not to bake in my Things I Don't Do list, I am a pretty decent muffin maker. I was quite happy with this mornings result: 

I'll share the recipe later this week.

This morning, I finished The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. It is such a fabulous read! This book has been on my book list for about a year. I finally snagged it at a local used bookstore. It's written in letters, and I couldn't wait to finish one letter so that I could move to the next. Guernsey is a Channel Island (English Channel) that was occupied by the Germans during World War II. The book is set just after World War II ends; each character tells stories about the Occupation, but more importantly, their relationships with each other during this time. Now, I badly want to visit Guernsey. I want to smell the sea air and walk along the beach. I fear that I might be disappointed when the reality of the characters as part of fiction sets in. I'd love to walk along the beach with Juliet and Kit, or share tea and raspberry pie with Amelia. Although a quick trip to Guernsey isn't an option, I do think that a re-read is imminent. Here are a couple of quotes that made me fall in love with the book even more:

"I wonder how the book got to Guernsey?

Perhaps there is some secret sort of

homing instinct in books that brings

them to their perfect reader.

~Juliet

"Reading good books ruins you

for enjoying bad ones.

~Isola



Next up on the docket? A game of domino's with Husby. Then I plan to be somewhat productive. My goal to purge our home of 100 items by Thanksgiving requires some action on my part. (Read about that here.) I need to gather 10 items per day to make it a little less overwhelming. I have my eye on a few things that will make an exit.

A (sort of) Quick Update

Mercy. Time is flying! I've been so, so busy at work that I don't have much free time, even at home. Things like cleaning house, cooking and doing laundry somehow trump blogging. Dang it. In the next two weeks, my 45 seniors will submit over 100 college applications. That's a lot. And it's not all.

Also on the docket: having my wisdom teeth removed this Thursday. Ugh. I've had horrible headaches the past few months, and we seem to think that this could be a cause, so we're starting with the obvious. I'd love prayers for a smooth procedure and quick healing. (See above: 45 seniors submitting 100 college applications by November 1. I have to be back at work next Monday.) My oral surgeon seems hopeful that things will go well. I'm hopeful that he knows what he's talking about. And do you know that the I.V. scares me more than the procedure? Ha! Oh, and I learned today that if you're a newlywed, and you keep a doctor's appointment a secret, co-workers think there's a baby involved.

Over the weekend, Husby and I celebrated a year of marriage. On day 364, I learned that he doesn't like Cheez-it's. On day 365, I learned that he's allergic to tissues, which is why he uses handkerchiefs. I'm most sad that he doesn't appreciate a Cheez-it. Poor thing.We went to the Big City [Dallas] to celebrate. Thanks to Hotwire, we had a pretty nice hotel room for the price of a Motel 6 (or Hotel 6 as Husby calls it). I'm for sure doing that again! I love a good deal. I'll share more about our trip later.

I was so, so happy last night when I read my September issue of Real Simple Magazine. Yes, I'm behind. (See above: 45 seniors/100 applications. They're my life.) I must say that just seeing the magazine peek out of the top of the mailbox makes me grin. But this had a Bed Bath & Beyond coupon in it! I swear I used to get 1-2 per week, but I've waited for about 7 weeks and didn't get a single one. I needed it to use with gift cards we received for our wedding to buy this:

It's the InStyler--a rotating hot iron. I can't use a regular straight iron because it singes my hair; I'm hopeful that this will do the trick. My hairstylist used one on me a couple of hair cuts ago, and I loved it. I can't wait to use it tomorrow.

Oh! Guess who I saw today at school... the prince of Saudi Arabia. Isn't that cool?! He was in town for some medical procedure (so goes the rumor). I thought that was pretty dang cool! That probably won't happen again. :)

And one last thing...today we celebrated a birthday at our house. We have a six year old. I just can't believe how time flies!

Crickett, at six years old, you are:

Able to tear the squeaker out of a new toy in less than 30 minutes.

Eating way too much. We actually switched your treats today so lower your daily calorie intake.

 I'm sure you'll be so happy about that over the next few days.

Waking me up at about 4am to get into our bed. (I have to lift you up since you're so short.)

Picking up your empty water cup and throwing it across the floor when you want more.

That sign language just isn't working.

Completely against any physical affection between me and your dad unless you're in the middle.

Okay, I just couldn't resist. Y'all have a great week. I'll be back more consistently at some point.

Spin Pin Review: Curly Hair

In June, my life was changed by the Spin Pin. You can read about that here. Here is THE Spin Pin:

I have naturally curly hair, so during the summer, I wear it curly almost everyday. (Otherwise, it curls on its own after I step into humidity or begin to sweat, which doesn't take long in 107 degrees.) So, I was curious to know if I'd have the same results with curly hair.

And I did!

Doesn't that look fab?! (Not me, my hair!)

Again, I have a gagillion layers, so I had to use a few extra bobby pins to tuck away the little stray pieces caused by the curly, shorter layers. But the 'do really stayed in place. FOR THE WHOLE DAY! It made me so happy!

I love the Spin Pin! They're definitely worth the $5 price tag.

Even after my fabulous Spin Pin review in June, the Goody peeps still don't know who I am. :)

I bought my own Spin Pins, did my own hair and took the pictures (in the mirror) all on my own.

Friday Fives: I Want It!

I just discovered CSN Stores this summer. I've found tons of stuff that I'd love to have. And they have such good prices! Here are five things that I have my eye on. Maybe, just maybe, I'll win the gift card over at Just Me and My Life. Here's hoping!

I've had my eye on this rug, and finally decided that it's a must buy. I just love the colors in it!

Oh, and this French oven! I received a set of Le Cruset bowls as a wedding gift. I LOVE them! I do wish I had a fabulous French oven. This red one is my favorite color today. Tomorrow, that will most certainly change. It could be turquoise or yellow. Or even the purple French oven.

Okay. I AM NOT PREGNANT. But I am a planner. Just like I contacted a photographer before we were even engaged, I've also LOOKED at baby furniture. I just know what I want. And I super love this crib. It's not the typical, traditional cherry tone wood. Not that there's anything wrong with that, but it's not me. I intend to spend a little cash on a crib, and then I really want to do everything else (dresser as a changing table, other baby things that I don't know about, etc) DIY. I'm not a matchy-match person, so I surely don't want a full set of furniture. Again, it's pretty; just not me.



I really wanted the Cuisinart Griddler when we registered for our showers, but we didn't receive it. That's okay. But I am thinking that since I STILL WANT IT, it'd be a good buy. Right? I totally agree. Since we don't have a grill outside, it's a grill to use inside. Then you can flip the plates and use it as a griddle.

Grill + griddle = Griddler. Those Cuisinart peeps are so clever!

Okay. I do love Christmas. I always said that I wanted Christmas dishes and not China. I'll take these, please. Spode-like, but not Spode prices. 

Some Stuff I'd Like to Share

1. I don't foresee any posts in the near future that will not be in bullet-point or numbered format. That happens when my life is busy. Writing cohesive sentences is the first thing to go. Also, a consistent handwriting. I just wrote a list for one of my students. It started with a cute print and ended with a crazy cursive. If you analyze handwriting, I don't think I want to know what this means. Unless it's good; then you can share.

2.  I'd really like for the retail world to know this truth: if I try on a garment that's too short for work, I cannot simply wear tights underneath. It's still too short. My knees will not suddenly become higher with black tights underneath, thereby making it legal. Don't even suggest it. If it were an option, trust me, I'd offer it as the solution. After all, I do love tights with dresses and skirts. It's pretty much my winter uniform.

3.  One more truth for the retail world: I do not have "weekend" clothes. Sure, I did at one point--before I had a job that requires me to look nice five days a week. On the weekends, I like to stay in my pajamas for as long as possible. Sometimes, I want to change out of one set into another and head back to bed. If I do change clothes for things like running errands, I'm fine wearing a sports skirt (in the summer) and fleece pants (in the winter). I can still look cute. I am not more productive if I change into jeans. I promise. And if I really need to dress up, I can wear the things that I wear all week. Sure, there are those times when we have to attend a wedding, or something of the like, but I already have outfits for those things. All that to say: change your sales tactic with me.

4.  I can barely walk today. I attended Body Pump, a low-weight high-rep workout, on Monday, and Body Vive, a cardio workout with balls and bands and such, this morning. I've never done so many squats. My quads hurt so bad that I have to let gravity do its job when I go to the ladies' room. Eventually, I sit down, but not without much resistance.

5.  The above puts me in a bit of a quandary. I'm supposed to drink LOTS OF WATER to help with the soreness. Only if I drink that much water, I have to use the bathroom. And then I'm reminded of how sore I really am.

6.  I actually like being moderately sore from workouts. I can feel the results of my work.

7.  For dinner tonight, I'm making either Reuben sandwiches or this spaghetti with fresh tomatoes.

8.  If we do have Reuben's, we purchased chips last night for the side dish. (Difficult, right?) I'm super excited to try these:

9.  Chips are quite possibly my favorite snack food. Although, Dr. Pepper and Little Debbie Fudge Rounds are way up on that list! I rarely indulge, but after doing 23587 squats in the past two days, and more tomorrow, I feel okay with a serving of Tangy Carolina BBQ Lays.

10.  My OCD prevents me from stopping a list at 9. This calms the anxiousness.

Weekend Update

For those of you who know me in real life, you know that me and WalMart do not get along. I've had some crazy experiences at the WalMart that equate to oh-my-gosh-I-can't-shop-there-ever-again. Just a peek into my WalMart experiences: almost being run over by a motorized cart DRIVEN BY A KID and witnessing ANOTHER KID open a container of French onion dip, get a little taste, and return it to the refrigerated shelf. Perhaps I should chalk that up to bad parenting, but my brain automatically files it under REASONS I CAN'T SHOP AT WALMART.

I do have one confession, though, albeit personal. I really like this one brand of underwear at WalMart. Sure, other places like have good underwear, but spending $6 per pair of skivies just doesn't settle well with me. Especially when these are just as comfy. Which means, on Saturday I made the biannual trek to WalMart. (Wait, does biannual mean every other year or twice a year? Because I meant twice a year. Those things always confuse me.) And my experience was POSITIVE. I even called one of my BFF's to let her know.

The lamenting over what in the world I'd wear on vacation is somewhat solved, thanks to WalMart. I know, crazy, right? Now, you should know that I am quite a frugal shopper. I super love me some clearance racks at any store, especially Target. I get very excited when someone compliments the $6 dress a found at Ross or the $3 shirt at JCPenney. I feel it necessary to clarify that I do not mind at all shopping at less-expensive stores; I'm a frugal gal. But considering my aversion to setting foot in WalMart more than twice a year, much less spending enough time to shop for clothes, I was shocked. I actually found two pair of cute-ish shorts. (Remember, I don't usually wear shorts--or pants--because of my love for dresses and skirts.) And the kicker was a really cute $9 dress. When I pulled it out of the bag to show Husby, he even thought it was cute. I know that it'll be worn at some point on our vacay; I'll make sure to point it out in the appropriate pictures. Maybe, just maybe, I'll be able to visit WalMart a little more often!

Onto the next subject involving what in the world to wear on vacation: shoes. Although I plan to take my tennis shoes so that my husband doesn't file for divorce when we return citing bad choice of footwear for walking 12 miles per day while on vacation, I did find these canvas cuties at Target. (Sorry, I can't find a bigger picture.)

I did have a crisis-of-fashion-faith on Saturday. I must admit, I am not a big fan of Crocs. They're just not cute. They're a case of comfort winning over fashion. By a landslide. Imagine my surprise when I almost bought a pair. I tried them on, and y'all, those things are COMFORTABLE! I hesitated because I could hear the voices of fashion-reason in my head (who sound like a few select friends) who laughed at my inclination toward Crocs. I put them back on the Shoe Carnival shelf and walked out of the store, texting those small voices in my head. Evidently, they're okay with the wearing of a Croc while on vacation. Today, I'm heading back to the Carnival to buy these cute-ish Crocs.

And, yes, I feel like I've succumbed to putting fashion on the back burner for the sake of comfort. But JUST THIS ONCE. It will prevent Husby from filing for divorce when we return. I promise, there are no elastic waistbands in the future. Those will be reserved for the nursing home. Updated to add that pregnancy will also require some type of flexible waistband. Elastic, if you will.

On Sunday, we cheered on Espana in the World Cup. My sister-in-law is from Spain, so we really wanted Spain to win (after the U.S. was out, of course). And they did! Viva Espana! Because soccer is so much less physical than American football (except for kicking people in the chest and not getting a red card), I've decided that if we have boys, we're going to get really excited about soccer and never watch American football. That way, they'll want to play soccer and avoid getting concussions when they're 12.

I'm off to start a busy week at work. Hope you have a great Monday!

P.S. Husby did admit that he promotes comfort for me in hopes of the Wrangler jean shorts making a return. Confession is good for the soul. Unfortunately, it's not always good for fashion.

(Unsolicited) Spin Pin Review

When I saw the commercial for Spin Pins, I was so intrigued. They take the place of TWENTY bobby pins. Always a sucker for good marketing, I thought I might like to try them, but doubted their ability to hold my hair in place. I have very fine, thick hair that's cut into a gillion layers. (Otherwise, it's so weighted down on top and so frizzy at the bottom, that I look like my hairstyle is a triangle. Nice, huh?) And most often, during the summer, I wear it curly. I didn't think it'd work on curly hair.

Soon after my inclination to try them, one of my BFF's shared her wonderment of the Spin Pin on facebook. After a reply from me about the curly hair issue, we received assurance from a friend of hers that they DO work on curly hair. I was sold. But the next time I was in Target, the were sold out.

Today, Husby and I made a quick trip to Target after lunch. Though they weren't originally on the list, they made their way into my stack of things to buy. As soon as we got home, I decided to give them a try. I was amazed at HOW WELL THEY WORK! Look at the results:

I'm so excited to have these. They make a messy-cute bun. I think they'll be a great option to the classic ponytail-on-a-bad-hair-day. They are so simple. It just a ponytail, twisted around into a bun with a spin pin in the top and bottom. Just "screw" them into the hair. Goody (the maker of Spin Pin), has the how-to's on their site. Along with other products that I just might have to try!

Even Husby liked the look. He said it's cute. Which means I'll wear my hair like this until he mentions that he loves my hair curly and half-up. Then I'll pull up the Goody website and do the half-up 'do with the Spin Pin.

I plan on wearing curly hair tomorrow, just to see if they really will work. I'll keep you posted.

P.S. I did try using the Spin Pin with a bun on the side of my head, but the layers in my hair are too short to sweep all the way to the opposite side of my head. I'll have to let them grow out just a bit and try it again.

The Weekend Wrap-up

This has been quite a productive weekend, and I'm so glad for it! For the first time since September, you can see the entire dining room floor. Now, I'm not normally that messy, but throw in wedding showers and merging two households, and you have a lot of stuff. Good stuff, mostly, but stuff nonetheless.

On Friday after work, my mother-in-law and I made a trip to Mistletoe & Magic, aka Heaven in November. Our local convention center is decked out with Christmas decorations and houses hundreds of vendors selling their goods: jewelry, clothes, food, home decor. It's just wonderful.

I restricted myself to just a few purchases. I think my absolute fave store is Turquoise Haven. I bought a super duper cute necklace that has a slab of turquoise. It's fa-bu-lous. I wanted about 14 other things in their booth, but didn't think it wise to spend $873 without the approval of Husby. Restraint. I used it.

(Even though I thought about buying a couple of pieces for him to give me for Christmas. But I did that in August, and I'd like something more for Christmas than jewelry I bought for him to give me.)

(Did I mention that they have a shop at First Monday in Canton? Maybe I could transfer funds from the grocery budget to the miscellaneous budget. At least I'd be well-accessorized while eating our budget-friendly meals!)

Another great stop was The Gypsy Wagon. Y'all, they have super cute stuff! It was so cute that we couldn't see all of their booth because so many people loved their things. Luckily, they have a shop in Dallas--a shop that I plan to visit very soon!

We ran into Husby's cousin who made the best food find: frozen toffee by Susie's South Forty. Oh. my. goodness. I sampled about ten of her pieces, then four more while I bought a box. Normally I'm not that impressed by non-chocolate candy, but this was terrific.

Probably the cutest food find was from Lindale Candy Company. Their homemade candy canes were about an inch in diameter and 7-9 inches tall. But my all-time favorite was the candy cane bowls. Oh, too cute!

Mistletoe & Magic was a blast! Followed by lunch and a bit of Christmas shopping with a friend on Saturday, I had a nice step into the crazy Christmas shopping season.

Then the real work began. Husby and I planned from the day we packed the first box that we'd have an ultimate garage sale. Well, that changed when we decided we just wanted the stuff out of our house! We loaded about ten trash bags of clothes and the same amount of boxes filled with kitchen things, and an assortment of electronics and headed to Goodwill. We couldn't bear the thought of having it take up room in our house until after the holidays.

With that space cleared, we were able to store wedding gifts that will be used once we have a house with more than three kitchen cabinets. Then I was able to clear out the rest of the stuff in the dining room while he vaccumed the entire house. And it's not a small house.

I feel like our house is on it's way to being a home. Finally.

Now, if I could only find time to finish writing thank you notes; I'd be totally caught up and ready to decorate for Christmas.

Well, after I finish the four loads of laundry downstairs.

Monday, Monday

It sure was a Monday, today. Not so much at work; that was productive. But over my lunch break, I ran errands. Let's review the happenings...

I really need another pair of jeans to take on the honeymoon. I don't really like jeans or pants. During the winter, I wear skirts with tights. And I feel super cute. But walking around a major city might not be comfy while wearing tights with cute shoes. (I did promise J that I would take comfortable shoes. I sort of have a reputation of wearing shoes that cause blisters. All for the sake of a cute outfit.) So, I have this one type of jean that I found a couple of years ago, and I love them about as much as I can love jeans. For some reason, Tommy Hilfiger decided to change the make-up of his American Freedom jeans. And they don't fit the same. And I don't have time to do the whole try-on-72-pair-of-jeans-until-you-find-the-best-fit thing. I needed a standby, but it didn't happen. That was a super-quick, non-productive stop that now has me worried about how I'll ever have enough pants to take on the honeymoon.

Right now, I'm sort of fanatical about clean hands. I cannot get sick until November. And everything is going around our school. Everything. I considered Lysol-ing every student that came into our office today. Then I thought about wiping myself down with Clorox wipes. Instead, I decided that I needed antibacterial lotion so that I moisturize whilst killing germs. A trip to the mall was added to the lunch-errand list.

I walked into the mall through JCPenney. Now, I've bought about four things from JCP in the past six years, but I thought I'd try on two pair of pants I saw in the aisle display. As is usually the case, they were too long, and since there was detailing on the cuff, it wouldn't be worth getting altered. I walked out of the dressing room to three employees, carrying my two pair of pants. (Numbers are important at this point.) I looked around and didn't see the rack to hang the rejections, so I laid them on the counter in front of the three employees. At which point one of them looks at me and says, "Ma'am, can't you hang those on that rack over there?" Seeing as how I never saw a rack, I certainly thought she was mistaken in asking me to do this. My response: "I'm sorry. What?" Her: "There's a rack over there, can you hang them on it?" This is where my assertive-nature shined through, and I explained that with three people, surely they could handle hanging two pair of pants on a rack. I mean, I was the ONLY customer in the fitting room. I didn't leave the clothes wadded in the fitting room. I hung them nicely on the hanger and took them out for the employees. Who are paid to put things on a rack.

Okay, enough of that.

After my stop to stock-up on hand sanitizer and antibacterial cleaners (which, by the way, if you disagree with the use of these, please realize I'm the bride in a wedding in 19 days--I can't get sick), I stopped at Chick-fil-a for a quick lunch-to-go (yes, I know I'm a bride in 19 days, but it's a corset back AND I've lost two surprise pounds). This is when I realized that the mall, on a weekday, is full of interesting people. The group behind me was quite odd. Three people: a mom in a motorized wheelchair, her grown son of about 40, and an extra lady that could have been on a date with the grown son. Whose mom ordered his lunch while he went to the arcade. The extra lady had never been to Chick-fil-a. And had never seen waffle fries. What?! So strange.

And one last thing...if there's one thing Tyler is known for, it's the plethora of red-light runners. It's so bad. Today, a driver behind me honked when I stopped at a red light. Not green or yellow, folks. Red.

It's been a day full of stories. I'm headed to flag football. Either to play on the faculty team or chase the kids down with a can of Lysol. I know which one would be more productive. And maybe it will stop the spread of germs!

Something New

My wedding dress is ordered. I feel more like a real bride. It's not the wedding dress I thought I'd have, but it's the perfect dress for me. Like many brides, it happened to be the first dress I tried on. It was between three dresses. I eliminated one because I didn't like it in pictures, and since I'll wear it at a day documented by pictures, I felt this reason was quite fair. The next dress was eliminated because it was only available in two sizes too big. Which left me with one dress. And it was my favorite from the very beginning. Yea!

I also ordered a big, pouffy veil that I love. In fact, I loved wearing two veils at the same time so that it'd be super-pouffy. At one point, the owner of the shop pointed to a picture from the '90's and jokingly said that they could add a piece to make it stand up even more. I asked her not to tempt me. If there's one thing I love, it's pouffy, Texas hair, and now, pouffy veils. At every visit to my hairdresser, I stress the importance of my hair being very voluminous. She says it is already; I say I want more. She says okay, and I leave happy.

Now I need jewelry and shoes, and I'll be set to walk down the aisle. I'm thinking some pearls, which I love, love, love. And I want some unexpected shoes. Maybe red. Or green. Or some with a bow. Ooh, this should be fun!