It's All Fun and Games Until Somebody's Blood Sugar Gets Low

Saying I'm ready for summer to be over would be a severe understatement, especially when I fumbled my way through the darkness into my car before 6:00 am on Saturday morning and it was already 85 degrees outside.

  Reiterated: That's way too hot considering the sun wasn't even up yet!!!! Holy mother of Mary Theresa, can the first cold front of autumn head this way, ASAP?!?!?

Now that I'm done whining, I can tell you about the best time I ever had before a race; not that an event with exclusive intentions of walking would be considered a "race", if you're one of those serious racer people, but I figured since the title of the event was "Heart WALK",  the idea of not running a mere 5k distance could be excused, especially since my NICU people were trying to stick together as a group. (I'll be accepting my run-on sentence queen award after this post.)

With a DJ next to our THR booth blaring line dances and oldschool hip-hop, I couldn't keep myself off the dance floor, aka, the relatively small area of parking lot in front of the tent speakers with 20 other like-minded participants who couldn't help but to "get jiggy with it" at 7:30 am.

Check out those sweet dance moves.....

Add in the factors of free breakfast, a new bright t-shirt, other favors (like the flip book photo booth, click here to see how ours turned out), and Danny Gokey (remember him, from American Idol?) performing a mini concert under the opposing tent, and this night shift girl was totally awake and ready to party! Patrick even sacrificed sleeping in to support the cause with us (and be twinkies with me), which made me extra happy.

Eventually the fun came to an end and it was time for the "race" to begin. Sounds dramatic, I know, but seriously. The sun had no intentions of being shy, making it's full appearance and blazing down upon us like we were bugs under a magnifying glass. There was so many people crammed together within the limits of the road that air flow was completely stagnant and we were moving forward at the pace I'd imagine sedated zombies migrating back to their graves. It. Was. Miserable.

  Feeling like death was upon me, I realized I accidentally took the larger dose of my metformin that morning (oops) and only having a small pastry for breakfast before dancing around like a maniac probably wasn't helping the cause. Knowing that I'm a terrible person for even considering bailing the actual race, I was afraid if I didn't I'd be crossing the finish line on a stretcher. Luckily, looking like an ant in an ant pile made for an easy escape without being noticed, to save embarrassment.

 The nice cool air conditioned DART perked me right back up, and our trio was back to being crazy (and probably annoying the people around us) in no time flat.

 Super excited about Gabriel's arrival, we stopped by the hospital to steal him away for a few minutes and congratulate Ale and Zack on their precious little boy.

 And even though Ale gave me some cookies to hold up my blood sugar, we were in desperate need for some real food. Bobby got off work early and came to join us for some Urban Crust, because we're always in the mood for pizza!

 It's no surprise that I was ready to crash early.........like 2:00 pm early. But then again, I had worked the night before, so I think I held up pretty well!

P.S. I heard after the race, several people needed medical attention for IV's and such. I'm thinking I made the right decision!!!!
P.P.S. Does this count as my first even "Did Not Finish"????

Another One Bites the Dust

A couple of weekends ago Patrick had a doubled day of fantasy football draft duties, so I scheduled a girl's day with me Madre. We managed eating breakfast at my favorite burrito joint, thrifting with Memma (who LOVES to wear crazy glasses) and Vickie, lunch at Ninfa's, pedicures and wine at the spa (thanks mom!), catching up with Bridgette and her family, taking Lucie to her new adoptive home, and pit-stopping for froyo, all before the dinner with Patrick's family (sans Patrick, who was still going strong with the boys).

Patrick said his goodbye's to Lucie that morning while reminding me a dozen times of all the things I needed to tell her new mom (so cute), and although she'll be missed, she's now in a much more functional home for a cat. 

Needless to say, we were both exhausted and hit the sack early like a couple of old folks; we had a big day of relaxation ahead of us and needed to be prepared!

After touring the progress on my parent's new house, I made my famous chicken salad (per popular demand), and since my dad is the only person in the world who hates it, my mom made him a special batch (since it was his birthday celebration).

It was a beautiful day to drink a beer in the shade and not work on my tan. 

Everyone had a snarky comment about how well I'm reflecting the sun these days. Even the camera seemed to be a wise ass about it. I thought pale protected skin was the new "in" look now days?....?.....

You may not know this about my mom, but she can make a mean bowl of homemade icecream. 

This recipe has less ingredients that you have fingers on one hand (unless something bad happened to a few of your fingers) and tastes exactly like a Wendy's frosty!

Who doesn't appreciate a pot belly full of ice cream while they're hanging out in their bathing suit?!?

With all the satisfied noises we were making, a little beggar became intrigued...... 

And of course, got her way......

Just like that, another weekend bit the dust.

Do you care about being "tan"? Does your family ever make homemade icecream? What's your favorite flavor/topping?

Whale Farts, And Such

I'm taking a time out from my hardcore crafting spree to share something funny that happened the other day. 

Scene set: It's 7am and the alarm clock has just been snoozed. Patrick and I are half cuddling, half asleep. Everyone knows morning gas is completely innocent, and so at this time of day it usually sounds like a couple of whales are having a lively conversation with each other in our bedroom. Not to break routine, I rip a pretty impressive contribution to the cause.

Patrick:  Hmmmm? As he reaches with his free arm and places it on my hip. Hmmm?

Me: .....

Patrick: What? He barely mumbles through sleepy, lazy lips, and shakes me a little with the hand he has on my hip, to get my attention.

Me: ............

Patrick: Did you said something?

Me: No......

Patrick: I thought you said, "Babe". 

Me: I just farted really big, maybe that's what you heard. 

Patrick: ........Taking a minute to process exactly what that meant......

Me: I farted and you thought I was talking to you!!! You must have been REALLY sleepy!

Us: Both awake now, we giggle at the ridiculousness of the transaction, then cuddle a little closer, because feeling comfortable enough to be gross with each other is really just another form of intimacy. 

And while we're on the subject of whales, here's a little something I painted for the studio. 

 People who have never been to The House of Blues may not appreciate the highly imaginary but simplistic style of art it represents, like one of the doctors at work who totally thinks I'm a werid-o after seeing this, but I love the way it turned out. 

This is the kind of stuff that's in my head. 

Some people have asked me why the little black birds have umbrellas. They are flame retardant umbrellas so they can fly safely under the fire, of course. Come on people, use your noggins!

Make Someone Smile Today

The thing about people is, they can never all agree on something. But most of the time, that's okay. Being an individual comes with a unique thought process, and the thing I enjoy about social media is being able to see lot's of different thought processes on any given subject. Sometimes it can open my mind to a new way of thinking, or sometimes it can just make me giggle, like the conversation below. 

 And since we're giggling: 

After trying to convince me I needed to buy a particular sweater (IN AUGUST!) because it was "really cute", "all the girls are buying it for back to school", and "it would lay over my boobs good", the same girl in this boutique that wouldn't stop talking to me asked how old I was. "What?!? You don't look a day older than 21.....Well, just between you and me, today you are 21."

Girl, you're a little craycray.....but okay.....sure. 

It reminded me of an incident a few weeks ago, when I tried to buy spray paint and got carded. Getting carded for alcohol is one thing, but spray paint brings it to a whole new level of flattering! And all cases like that need to be documented, for I know one day, the chances of it happening will be ancient history. 

Although I really am okay with my developing age spots and the fact that I only have 14 more months of being in my 20's, I can't deny that I love people lying to me about looking younger. Cheers, to those who make it a point to say something to someone just to get them smiling. 

MAKE SOMEONE SMILE TODAY. 

I've Never Felt More White (Project Pretty Week: Who Knows)

(Project pretty is a personal commitment to share my weekly journey of keeping my non-New-Year's-Resolution: staying fit to improve quality of life while inspiring others to do the same. Let's all jump on the endorphin wagon!)

When I decided to try Zumba for the very first time, I totally wasn't expecting to pass out, which is what almost happened. To be honest, I've always been a little skeptical about how good of a workout Zumba could actually be, but since I love to dance and was looking for something fun to kick start my re-introduction to the gym after recovering from all my stupid injuries and medication induced ickiness, I was willing to give it a shot. 

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I loved the music. Grooving to new school and old school Hip Hop, Pop, and Latino music was right up my ally. In-between the disguised squats and lunges, it felt a lot like being at the club, but with water instead of alcohol, minus the constant obstacle of shooing away strange men trying to grind on me, and without the fear of having a hangover the next day. Of course, a normal person would be dancing in synchrony with their instructor (their very talented African American instructor who knows how to shake her ass like she's on a Ludacris music video and move her feet to the Moroccan beat like Saleena), but I was doing good to shake my hips and try to look like I was following the moves all while not tripping over my two left feet or spraining a knee. I seriously have never felt more "white" in my entire life. 

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"Don't over think it," she said, "Let your body move naturally to the beat."

This IS how my body wants to move to the beat, I thought to myself, awkwardly and a tinsy bit off rhythm......like Mary Kathrine Gallagher. Geez, Napoleon Dynamite could probably show me up!

Towards the end of class I started to feel really sleepy. Things only went downhill from there. Small black and brown spots began vandalizing my vision, growing bigger and bigger. I kept trying to blink them away, but around the time I could no longer see a single thing, I became distracted by the fact that my hearing was disappearing. Voices were still vaguely audible, but oddly distant, traveling to me in slow motion through some sort of metal tunnel. My brain felt so full. I stayed strong up until this point, careful not to make a scene or worry anyone, but my body couldn't stand upright a single second longer, so I plopped myself onto the floor and pretended to stretch.

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After recovering my senses, I walked to the car and took two bites out of a snack bar I found in the console, only to realize it expired 14 months ago, (Ew! Note to self: clean out pantry), then headed home for a real meal. And to think, I was worried I wouldn't get a legit workout! In all reality, this was my first real workout since being on Metformin and I'm almost positive I was experiencing a blood sugar issue, but Zumba really was a fun way to burn some fat. I'll definitely be returning, but with substantially more to eat next time. 

Have you ever fainted?

ME? Tongue Tied???

When I discovered Blue October was having a mini concert at Barnes & Nobles to promote their new album "Sway", I HAD to go, so I headed to Dallas after work to buy a CD, reserving the lucky 57th seat out of only 60 available.

With still a few hours before the concert started, I attempted to take nap, but my excitement paired with the beautiful sunshine blaring through the car windows proved counteractive, so I killed time by browsing North Park Mall, eating cheap Tom Thumb sushi, reading as much of Into the Wild as I could without paying for it, and trading tattoo stories and favorite concert experiences with surrounding music enthusiasts.

Abandoning my bed with less than minimal sleep in a 48 hour period due to my unconventional work schedule was worth every minute of sacrificed sleep, which I proved by being the only person with a seat who actually stood for the 6 song set (show some enthusiasm, people).

Justin Furstenfeld (a southern Texas native, who resides and recently married in one of my favorite parts of Hill Country) sang his ass off, hiding behind nothing but a smile. "It feels good to have something happy to write about. You can't smile when you're singing about turmoil," he exclaimed after the opening song. I've always admired his brutal honesty and uncensored lyrics, feeling connected to them in some way. Dark or light, I enjoy listening to the unapologetic style no mater what kind of mood I'm in. 

I found myself fighting back tears when he sang Fear, his newest self proclaimed favorite, with such sincerity and truth that it really touched my heart relating to my struggles from this past year.

He goes on to explain how he put his wife through hell and back in the beginning of their relationship and Bleed Out, is that story told through her eyes. (My ol' trusty camera pulled through for me once again.)

 You probably have a preverbial filing cabinet  of cleverly loaded compliments you plan to unload on the plate of any given one of our idols, happen you ever get the chance to meet them. So did I. Did. 

But as Justin was autographing my CD, all I blurted out was, "My husband wanted me to tell you 'Hi.'" I felt like I needed to fulfil Patrick's wish since he was missing out on all the fun.

"Hi, Husband," he replied, smiling again.

Feeling like I needed to describe my fanship a little better I continued. "He's been listening to y'all ever since you used to play at Treff's in Waco." What? I have a blog pretty much about me, I talk about me a lot, I think about me all the time, yet when I'm present with the opputunity to meet one of my favorite bands all I can do is talk about my husband? Have I been BRAINWASHED.....HYPNOTIZED?

"Wow; that's awesome."

I finally managed to gather my thoughts enough to tell the rest of the band how oustanding their performance was, receiving grateful feedback and seemingly surpised reactions. 

And now Patrick already likes for me to retell him the story of how I told Justin he said "Hi". 

Who is your favorite band of all time?

Lampshade Mobile Tutorial

I love a whimsical mobile, and making them from scratch not only allows space for customization based on room themes and colors, but also can be very cost effective!

A while back, I made a butterfly mobile in purple's and grey's using the skeleton of a lamp shade. And recently, I've been at it again, making my friend Ale the closest thing she can get to having a "chandelier" in her little boy's room. Without any further adieu, here's how it's done:

Supplies:

Old lamp shade (You can find them really cheap at garage sales, thrift shops, and antique malls. I've never paid more than $1-3 for any of mine. Just make sure there is an actual metal frame to work with. Sometimes you'll find the material is actually holding the bars together, and that's okay because we're going to wrap the metal in this tutorial.)

Hot glue gun

Sissors

1/2-1 yard of material to your liking
Scrapbook paper
Glue stick
Fishing line

Beads (optional)

Decoration for outside of frame (optional)

It's demolition time. Destroy the shade material however you please; strip it down to the metal. 

This particular frame had solid connections, but the shade I used to do the little boy mobile I featured didn't. In that case, I  secured the frame back together with masking tape. 

Rip or cut your material into 1 inch wide strips (if the strips are too wide, it will be more difficult to smoothly wrap the material around the metal frame). 

Wrap and hot glue, wrap and hot glue. Keep it tight. 

Keep going until the entire lamp shade frame is covered to your liking. 

Next, pick out your favorite scrap book paper (Hobby Lobby sales the books of it for 50% off every other week).

Decide what shape you'd like hanging from your mobile (in this case, a butterfly), find a silhouette picture of it on the internet, print it off, cut it out, and use it as your template for tracing. (If you're one of those fancy people, you can just use your  Cricut to complete this tedious part.)

Trace as many butterflies as your little heart desires (actually, however many you'd like hanging from the mobile x2) on the backside of the scrap book paper.

Cut them all out. (I used 2 different sizes, and a few different colors.)

Cut several pieces of fishing line, varying in lengths.

Coat the back side of two butterflies with your glue stick (I like the purple colored kind because it's pretty and so I can tell I did a good job.).

Put a dot of hot glue in the center of one butterfly

Position the fishing line down the center of one glue covered butterfly, then cover with the other prepared butterfly. Now you have a double sided pretty butterfly on a string! Repeat this step all the way down the fishing line, spacing the butterflies out in various places.

For the beaded fishing lines, I used the tiny jewelry making crimping beads and a pair of needle nose pliers to hold the decorative beads in place. 

Tie the decorated fishing line onto the material covered lamp shade in various places around the top.  

And for those of you that like clutter as much as I do, you can add a little extra cuteness by gluing/sewing/tying on some cloth flowers or in the boy version's case, some manly metal accents. 

Suspend this beauty from the ceiling or put it on any kind of lamp base (with the light bulb to be safe), and it's ready to entertain some wondering baby eyes!!