Back when I lived in Tulsa and dating hubs long distance, I used to go to the liquor store after work and buy myself a bottle of white zinfandel. (Yes, in Oklahoma, you can only buy wine and liquor in a LIQUOR STORE. And, they’re even closed on Sundays….. I KNOW. And can we talk about my lack of wine taste and knowledge? Let’s just say, moving out West has done WONDERS for my taste buds.)

No, I didn’t buy a bottle every night, but the nights I was feeling lonely and my room mate was at her boyfriend’s for the 4th night in a row, I’d pour myself a glass of pink courage, open up my spiral notebook and place my heart down on paper.

He was my inspiration. (or the wine might have had something to do with it too.) Either or, looking back on this time reminds me of a life less complicated. I wrote down my thoughts on PAPER, spiraled notebook paper to be exact. No computers, no Iphone, nothing fancy. Just a pen and some thoughts was all that was needed.

I was cleaning out our ottoman the other day, (due to the lack of order and the 358 crumbs that had fallen through the main crack over the past 5 years) and ran across my wedding present to hubs. It was a black, leather-bound album with a handful of poems I had written about him that first year. (Wasn’t that THE BEST PRESENT EVER?)

Now, I can tell you, neither one of us have pulled it out and fawned over it since I gave it to him, but every once in awhile I enjoy going back in time and reminding myself of how it all began when life was less complicated and a bottle of pink, cheap wine was all it took for me to cement my heart to enjoy for years to come.

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So, I started writing over at Style Lush this past week. I’ll be writing every Friday, so come on over and check it out.

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What a difference a day (or two) can make.

The beginning of this week was in no shape or form ideal for me. For a few random reasons, but for the most part it was my attitude towards these issues.

Once I came out of my funk, I decided to move forward and onward in some areas of my life and am finding my efforts to be quite rewarded. Wow, taking a leap, no matter how small, can really make a difference. (how odd?)

Clearly my recent viewpoint was somewhat altered due to the lack of sleep I was getting by Hola waking so early. Now, he is “sleeping in” till somewhere btwn 6-7am only now we are dealing with a very dry cough that keeps all of our focus.

One of the things I chose to do for myself is join a book club. An online book club, in fact! Who would ever think I would join a book club? What I consider reading is a Nicholas Sparks book once a year or so. I blame having small children (JUST A TAD) and the rest of it based on not having the hardcore desire to spend my free time reading. I’ve been a tv girl most of my life and I enjoy keeping it that way. By joining the club, I am expanding on myself in areas that aren’t especially easy for me. It has taken me a little work to read through our first book, but I LIKE IT. I like going to bed a little earlier every night and catching up with a world unlike mine.

Also, hitting the gym first thing this morning has really made for a productive day. The mail pile, the small, accumulating medical bills? All taken care of. Spending an extra 15 minutes at nap time straightening up? Totally made a difference. Washing rugs that haven’t been touched in months? Done.

Now, this does not mean I’ll have something minute to complain about tomorrow, but overall, I’m liking the view from over here.

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Hubs is taking me out tonight for my birthday dinner.

Thought I would have my hairdresser “do my face” for the special occasion.

I own an ipod.

For 5 years, in fact.

When I lived in LA, I worked for the Cartoon Network. My crazy-ass boss gave me one for my birthday. (How freaking cool is that?)  It was pink to boot!

Hubs uploaded a trillion songs and began using it more than I did, but since it was pink, he decided he needed to look into buying one for himself.

Ever since then, there has been not ONE song uploaded to that puppy.

Which means,

I have never purchased, nor uploaded ONE itune to my ipod EVER.

The concept is great, of course, but it truly does not fit into my life.

(I STILL BUY CD’s PEOPLE!!)

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Reasons why I am not an Ipod uber-user:

1) I spend all day with my kids. Therefore, I am not able to plug in and drift off into song when one child might be screaming he’s stuck in a tight spot or under something heavy.

2) When I go to the gym I usually take some sort of class. Pilates, Yoga, or Piloga. If I don’t, I do take my headphones, but I use them to plug into the bike to watch something distracting on TV.

3) While driving in my car, I truly enjoy listening to the radio. When hubs is in the car, we do use the ipod, but only for longer trips, etc.

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Honestly, I have no idea what I have done with my charger. Hell, I really don’t know where my ipod is at the moment. I WISH I was into more. Hell, I have spent most of my life post-college working in the internet/production world. You would think technology would be coming out of my eyeballs.

I guess it used to. Just not anymore.

Maybe when it really matters to me, I’ll find it and make my first purchase.

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Little did I know, the moment I hit publish on my post below, The Standard Hotel sent me an email stating the following:

“Here is a credit of 300.00 dollars that you were charge during your stay. Attached is a copy of the folio that shows the credit has been processed to your account. If you have any questions please feel free to ask. Thank you and have a good day.”

It must have been all that serious talk I shoved down his pie-hole regarding emailing me photos of the damage and sending me the sink since I was technically paying for it.

Or, it was the “come to Jesus” conversation I had with his assistant stating the fact that we, the 4, 30-something ladies staying in his hotel, were probably the LEAST likely to do any damage to his hotel over some of the Pop Tart type folk we saw perusing the lobby.

Please. Hair dye and ink are not two things we need to bring to the party to have a good time. Plus, we wouldn’t even travel with something like that in fear of some spillage on our clothes. Duh!

Anywho, my $300 issue has now been resolved. Case closed. Phew.

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The weekend before last, I had the fabulous opportunity to head down to LA for a weekend getaway with some fantastic ladies. Each one represents a period of my life and I was so thrilled I got to share my time away from home with each one of them.

Starting on the left, we have miss caroline. I have known her since I was 6 years old. She is my oldest and dearest friend. She took me in, the new girl in school, and never let me go. We’ve shared school days, college years, (oh my, was that a drunken haze. cards anyone?) the real world together (and maybe dated a few of the same guys? we were like 12. or 17.) It’s been an amazing journey, along with its embarrassing moments, but I’d rather have no one else to gab with along the way.

In the middle, we have miss sarah. Sarah and I grew up in Oklahoma together as well, but we went to different schools. We did cross paths in Sunday school. We were confirmed together. (Go Episcopalians!) Her uncle was our teacher and used to bring us muffins and donuts. I do recall us being at the same party in high school and she told me she liked my boots. And, with that, or somewhere in there, we began our friendship. And I am sure this is due to living in a small town, but we also dated a couple of the same guys. (It just happens, ok?) She’s a keeper, for sure.

Next to me, is miss marci. (aka lvgurl) Marci and I met over 10 years ago when I moved out to CA. She must of been the first girlfriend I met here. (And, no, we did not date any of the same dudes.) Her boyfriend/husband was best friends with hubs in high school. And with that connection, we’ve never looked back. Halfway through our time in CA together, she and her hubs moved out to Vegas. It was a sad day when they moved away, but she made my bachelorette party (and FIRST time to Vegas EVER) weekend, one I will NEVER forget. See?

I’m the one in the middle with a TIARA on. I was asked in the ladies room if I had just won a pageant. Awesome.

And I even got my very own lap dance with TWO dudes in fluorescent banana hammocks. Can’t you just feel the grease on your hands? Wait, where was I? I got distracted for some reason. (I know, CAN YOU BELIEVE THAT. memories. la la la lllall lala)

Point is, these girls, these AMAZING girls have been there for me, MY WHOLE LIFE. And to that, I can never thank them enough. Here’s to many more getaways celebrating true friendship.

Oh, and if your ever in the LA area and need a place to stay, I would suggest the Standard hotel. There, you can have an A/C unit that says something like this:

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nothing deep or anything.

Just thought I would write some things down, cause that seems to be what everybody else is doing. And, since I was once a follower back in the high school days (fun times!), I guess I’ll do some reflecting too, just for that girl’s sake.

Hmm, let’s see. Around this time last year, I was heading in to the final stretches of pregnancy with Hola. (Well, I was 25 weeks, but I was already feeling quite stretched.) It is a major kick to go back and read what I was thinking/feeling during those times. (what a wonderfully naive mother-of-one I was who complained about being bored and having nothing to do. ohhh, sigh.) (major eye-roll to that chippy.)

As I am typing this, Rt is sitting here spelling words on Curious George and Hola is standing, holding onto the couch, growling at me. Man, what a difference a year makes.

I feel lucky in many ways regarding 2008. (Cause 2007 sucked major donkey balls.)

Nobody in my family passed away this year. (NOTHING is worse. Absolutely nothing.)

I had a wonderfully non-eventful pregnancy, (SO GRATEFUL) unlike the year before.

I had another beautiful baby boy. (Who I can’t get ENOUGH OF, EVER.)

My oldest son started preschool. (I’m SO PROUD of my little boy. He’s a good egg.)

He also was potty trained, transferred to a big boy bed, AND gave up his paci, accidentally, 10 days after his brother was born. (Big year for the little guy!)

Hubs and I were able to get away for 5 days to NYC to spend some quality time together.(ahhhhhhh. so. needed.)

I went to Seattle  w/o kids to see my OU Sooners play football (Go Sooners!!) and met new blogging friends.

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I think the biggest change that took place over this past year was me.

I have changed. I am Refreshed. Renewed. (I have gotten more sleep.) I have become someone I had hoped I would be. I am a mother of two children who can handle so much more than I thought I ever could. (Clearly, I should become a juggler.) I am more stable now with two children than I was with one. (It’s a balance thing.) I am more at peace with my family of four. (I have lost most brain power.)

I am happy. I am calm.

I am thankful.

Here’s to 2009.

e

my blogging anniversary, that is.

2 years baby!

Here is my very first post. What a newbie I was! ha.

How many things have taken place since I began this little sucker?

Many.

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I had another kid. (making a total of 2. BOYS)

I miscarried prior to that.

I gained two nieces. One from each side of our family.

I lost two grandparents. Both mine.

I’ve been to NYC, San Diego, Seattle, Las Vegas, Tahoe, San Francisco, Santa Cruz, Oregon and Oklahoma. (many, many times)

Hubs left one job after 7 years and started another one in an entirely different field.

My fabulous playgroup that originally had 6 kids (5 boys, 1 girl) now has 11. (8 boys, 3 girls)

I am sure there is plenty more, but in these past two years I have lost most of my brain power. I blame my darling children. And maybe my husband.

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What has taken place in your life since you’ve started your blog?

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