Pregnancy Dreaming...

I had my first pregnancy dream last night.  I always thought it was weird that up to this point I had never dreamed about being pregnant.  It seemed like I was reading everywhere that pregnancy dreams were very common, and all the blogs I was reading talked about how weird their dreams had been about pregnancy.  So I didn't put much thought into it, but still slightly wondered why I wasn't having any pregnancy dreams.  I guess it just took 20 weeks for my subconscious to set in an realize that I am actually pregnant.

I don't remember much but here's what I do remember:
I was pregnant with twins and at the hospital because it was my due date.  I kept wondering what it was going to feel like when I went into labor. I felt so normal and didn't think the twins were ready to break my water.  My tummy was as big as it is now (not that big), and I was really concerned that the twins just weren't ready yet.  So throughout this entire dream I remember all these obstacles happening (like falling really hard on my tummy), I didn't know if I was still pregnant or not and all I wanted to do was meet these sweet babies.

So weird... any of you have crazy pregnancy dreams?

Recent Pregnancy Mishaps...

I have ALWAYS been a neat eater.  I am not known for getting food on my clothes while I eat, nor am I known for having food smeared all over my face by the time I am done with eating ribs.  I usually only use two fingers (not an entire hand), which makes the mess a lot easier to clean up in the end. More recently over the past few weeks, I have found myself to be a clumsy eater.

For an example: One minute I have my food on my fork, it is heading for my mouth… the next minute I lose it! This is no joke people. I keep literally losing my food only to find it later smeared all over my shirt, or my sheets (yes, I was eating a tangerine popsicle in bed last night and lost a part of it, only to find it 10 minutes later melted all over my ivory sheets! Today, the culprit was blueberries. One minute it is on my fork, the next… well I STILL CAN’T FIND IT!  I am sure it is squished under my butt or inside my blouse or somewhere where only other people will notice but I will have no idea. This extended belly has caused me to lose things I drop very easily.

Next up, sugar. For some odd reason the past few times I have gone to the grocery store I keep thinking I am out of sugar.  I now have THREE LARGE BAGS of sugar in my pantry.  I have got to get a hold of this pregnancy brain before I completely lose it and buy out all the sugar in the entire grocery store! Apparently I am not alone. My pregnant neighbor did the same thing recently. (I tried to give her a bag and found out).  She’s lucky she caught herself at two bags…

Anyone need any sugar?

Confessions of a Pregnant Woman: Running While Pregnant

Writer's Note: I felt the need to write this post to reach out to other pregnant mothers and those who are TTC and let them know pregnancy does not always go as planned.  Also, I have really enjoyed reading other blogs and their experiences throughout pregnancy so I plan on documenting a few of mine throughout this pregnancy.  It is reassuring knowing you are not the only one going through certain situations and kind of fun to read what other pregnant women are experiencing.  So here it goes...

I remember when Andrew and I first started TTC (Trying to Conceive... just trying to help you all get caught up with the lingo if you are not already up to date with it! ;) ) I always imagined myself being pregnant. It was so exciting to imagine how this entire pregnancy would go (yes there were rainbows and unicorns in my daydreams as well).   I pictured a smooth and easy pregnancy, eating healthy the ENTIRE time, only gaining the appropriate weight in my belly, oh, and running marathons! Yes, that's right.  I planned on keeping up with my training (they say that you can stay in the same fitness state you were in before you were pregnant and it should be perfectly fine for the baby). I read article after article about pregnant women who ran marathons and/or kept up their running during pregnancy. I was so inspired and I just knew I would be THAT pregnant woman--healthy, fit and running marathons.  In my perfect pregnant fantasy world, pregnancy was going to be a breeze and I was going to glow.  After hearing all the horror stories about raging hormones and morning sickness from friends and reading about them on blogs, I remember telling Andrew I would never be like that. I would have the ideal pregnancy, and he would enjoy being around me 24/7. HA! Now that I am 17 week into this pregnancy, the reality of it all is that you don't have control over how your body will react.  The way you imagined it would be doesn't always go as planned.  I guess that is the body's way of preparing the mother to be flexible and ready for anything.

When we found out I was pregnant, this plan was still in full effect.  One week in, I had to completely alter my plan.  There was absolutely no way I could muster up the energy to get outside and run, nor did I have the time to. I was working a full-time unpaid internship teaching, working part-time for my dad in the afternoons, 2-3 times a week I had Junior League obligations in the evenings and on Wednesday nights bible study. Not to forget, I felt like I had been run over by a car and nauseous 24-7.  I felt like a walking zombie and was lucky if I could manage to get two runs in a week (which only happened on weekends).  Some weeks I couldn't even run once because of other weekend commitments and lack of motivation and energy.  Anyone who knows me knows that is not my normal self.  Before being pregnant I would have considered it a bad week if I didn't get a minimum of 5 runs during the week.  The weird thing was, I was perfectly okay with not running that much during my first trimester.  With all the other horror stories I heard about miscarriages during the first trimester and the link to overworking the body made the lack of interest in running alright for me.

Eating healthy pretty much went out of the window too.  All I wanted was red meat and carbs... oh LOTS of carbs.  I have pretty much been eating whatever I want and not really caring about it.

About a week ago I was sitting with my friend, Julie, at the movies waiting for the movie to start and she asked me "Doesn't it feel weird running while pregnant?" Without hesitation I responded "No, not really.  It just feels like I have a few extra pounds I'm carrying." The weird thing is, if she asked me that exact question less than a week later today, I would reply, "It ABSOLUTELY feels weird!".  I am not sure what changed within this past week but I do know something has.  Maybe Riley has grown quite a bit, maybe its the fact that I have run more this week than I did in the last five weeks combined.

Let me break it down for you...

First of all, my shirts are getting a lot more "snug" and almost not covering my belly.  I only have about three running shirts left that are long enough to make me feel comfortable enough to run outside and not have to worry about my bouncing belly showing.  Insecurity while running is definitely not a fun feeling.  I am still at this awkward point in my pregnancy where I just look chubby and not quite pregnant yet.  I know in the next few weeks it will change, but I would like for that to happen sooner than later.  My snug shirt shows my growing belly extended a little past my shorts and it is definitely not a motivating factor to go out and run in public and show it off.

The newest feeling I have experienced while running is Riley doing summersaults the entire time I am running. (I am not really sure if she is actually doing summersaults, but I can tell she is very active while I run.) I hope that she gets used to the bouncing rhythm and it will put her to sleep. (Wishful thinking I know). I am sure I will feel her more and more as she grows, so I suppose I better get used to the feeling.

Did I mention I am already feeling her pushing on my bladder?  I am 17 weeks and this girl sits right on it.  From the second I leave the house I feel like I have to go to the bathroom BAD!  I have made sure to go to the bathroom right before I leave the house to reassure myself that I do not actually have to go and that its just Riley pushing on my bladder.  The feeling does not let up the ENTIRE run.  Talk about uncomfortable.

The most important thing is that I listen to my body and not over do it.  I want to reassure you all that I am doing just that.  Now that I am finished with my internship and into my second trimester, I have a lot more time to take care of my health and have a lot more energy.  I have a feeling that I wont be able to keep running throughout the entire pregnancy, but I plan to try to run as long as Riley will let me. I never feel like I am putting her in danger while running and have been given the "okay" by my doctor to do so.  I am just running three miles at a time and do not plan to increase the distance at all during this pregnancy.

My hope is that my desire to keep running while pregnant will not only pay off for my health, but Riley's health and future, too. You know the only reason I run is so she will be an olympic runner one day right?

Why did the peacock cross the road?

...to "pea-slap" me.   That's right folks, I was smacked in the face with the aggressively flapping feathers of a peacock during my run this morning. To his defense, I blame it on my outfit I was wearing during my run.

(I think we matched.)

 Yes, we do have peacocks all over our neighborhood. No, I did not see it coming. Yes, I was taken by surprise. Yes, I did consider the alternative name for the term I just recently coined.  I decided that it would be incredibly inappropriate to call it a "{fill in the blank}-slap" even though it would make for a much more funny joke.  So get your minds out of the gutter people!

The peacock was trying to get from 'point A' (the top of the tree to the left of me), to 'point B' (the yard across the street to the right of me), and in the process must have not seen me. After all, that was one of the only two conclusions I could come to.  I was wearing peacock-camo after all. That or, as I mentioned earlier, the peacock must have thought I was one of his own kind.  I had one of those embarrassing moments where I freaked out flailing my arms and hands in many different directions all at once with a high squeal (I am sure only a few of you are familiar with this "squeal" ;)), and then realized how stupid I must have looked.  I quickly looked around to see if anyone noticed. Thank goodness there was no one around (unless the neighbors were staring at me through their windows laughing hysterically... which probably was the case).

Have any of you ever experienced one of those moments? (Not necessarily the 'pea-slap', but one of those moments where you act like a total fool and then wonder if anyone saw?) Please don't leave me hanging feeling foolish alone. Tell me about it...

Barnesyard Baffling Banter...

Yup! This blog got a new face-lift, and a new name (minus the baffling... I just decided to throw that one in there to baffle you).  I think I am having more fun changing the layout of this blog than blogging. (That is not true by any means.)  I have just had a bad case of writer's block. That and life took over and I haven't had very much time lately to sit down and write.  I do love to blog though, and you should make time to do the things you love, right?  So stay tuned... new blogs to come (I hope! ;)) Thanks for hanging in there and being patient with me.

CHANGE

It is true... it has been too long since I have written a blog post, yet again. I wish I was as committed as everyone else at keeping this blog up. I really do enjoy sharing my thoughts, experiences, and life on here, I just never have the time!  I know if I made it a part of my daily routine, I would be completely committed to this. 

I am a routine kind of girl. The second I am out of routine, I don't know what to do. I get in a funk and will not be able to get out of it until I get back into my usual daily routine. I know what works for me, and I know what doesn't.  Call me boring, but it is something about me that I don't want to change!

CHANGE.  Growing up, I loved CHANGE.  I think it was because I had such a stable family and lifestyle that whenever something small around me would change I became excited. My favorite thing would be to come home from camp (after a week) and my parents would rearrange the furniture. It was so exciting, it felt like a new house.

CHANGE. Today, I feel very different about change.  Too often, things are changing around me. Just when I get comfortable with or used to something, it changes. For the good or bad. Not that anything is wrong with change, it is just all happening quicker and quicker.  I want time to stand still just for a day... or a week.  I know I am not that old... but it seems the older I get, the quicker the days, weeks, months, years are flying.  SLOW DOWN!  How do I make it slow down?

Last Wednesday and Thursday, Andrew and I went to Austin for a business trip (I got to tag along for the first time!).  Driving through campus, I couldn't help but feel nostalgic about our college years... it felt like just yesterday when we were walking between the buildings to get to the next class. Then I got to thinking...  the freshman that started college the following fall after Andrew graduated (the year I was supposed to graduate) will be graduating this May.  4 YEARS AGO! Could it already have been  that long since we were in college? Okay I know, I took a victory lap and stayed another year... but still, that sure does not feel like four years ago. It feels like it was just a few days ago... just yesterday!  I can't believe our ten year high school reunion is coming up in less than two years.  HAS IT ALREADY BEEN eight years since highschool?  I want to go back and be a kid again with out any responsibilities (besides making my bed, brushing my teeth, helping out around the house and school). Now I have a mortgage, a job, no spring break... I could keep going but I wouldn't want to bore you anymore than I already have.  Yes, there are a lot of great things that have come with change as well:  An amazing husband who I love very dearly, a perfect house, many new family members including two beautiful nieces!  The problem is... they are growing too quick.

How do I make time slow down?

2012

HAPPY NEW YEAR TO ALL! 

I hope that this year brings everyone many blessings, love, and happiness! I have a great feeling about this year... its an even numbered year (which I am a big fan of), and a leap year!  I hope you all go into it with positive thoughts and challenging goals!

*~MUCH LOVE~*

~*~MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU AND YOUR FAMILY~*~

May the love, joy and peace of Christmas be yours and always.

Love, 

Lindsay & Andrew

2011 Came and Went

Where did this year go? Seriously, this year has flown! FLOWN I TELL YA! What happened... how is it already December? Anyone else feeling this way? I feel like I was at my family's ranch celebrating the new year 2011 just yesterday.  It baffles me that we will be doing that again in just another week.

Christmas is here! Usually I would say finally, because I am anxiously awaiting it. This year, I don't want it to be here yet... I want ONE MORE WEEK to relax and take in all the beautiful decorations and enjoy family and friends.  Do you think we could add another week to December? Any takers?  I'll make it happen, I just need three more takers, and I'll snap my fingers and we will get an extra week!  Just three more... (I figure one isn't enough, two could be but then might have a "secret extra week club" that no one else would know about so that wouldn't work, and three would be enough to spread the word).

Since I don't think I will find three takers, I better stop typing and get out there and take in as much Christmas cheer, family and friend camaraderie, and eggnog as I can!

I hope you all are finding time for all of this as well. Wishing you a peaceful and joyful Christmas week filled with love and family!

2 Weddings, 6 Days, One City--NEW ORLEANS...

Well, that about sums up my post, so there you have it.  ;) Andrew and I attended two weddings in New Orleans over the past two weekends, six days apart, and I was in both of them which meant getting there the day before for the rehearsal dinners as well. We drove to New Orleans for the first, and flew the second.  I HIGHLY recommend flying!!  6 hours vs. 3 (which includes getting to the airports and to the destinations)... I will take the latter ANY DAY!  Both weddings were so special, so beautiful in their own unique ways!  I feel so honored to have been a part of two of my best friends', who both happened to be sorority sisters from LSU, weddings!

I will admit, I am a little over New Orleans. If you don't live there, two weekends in a row will play a major toll on you!  Instead of writing yet another long post of our New Orleans experiences, below are some pictures from these beautiful weddings! ENJOY!

~CONGRATULATIONS TO KASEY AND JONATHAN WHITLEY~

~*~12-10-11~*~

Just before the rehearsal, Andrew and I stopped to grab a drink at a local sushi bar.

 Groomsmen + Groom

 Bridesmaids... look how freakishly tall I look compared to the other girls... in my defense, I am wearing freakishly tall heals!

 Ring bearer and one of the flower girls.

 Beautiful bride and her padre

 haha... this one makes me laugh. 

 Bride and Mother of the Bride

 Grandmother of the Bride and Bride

 Kasey, Lea, and Me

 BRIDESMAIDS!  

 Good looking Bride and Groom!

 Best Man with the Groom

 Groom's Sisters, Kristin and Jessica, and Best friend, Angie

 LOVED the name plates!

 Matron of Honor with the Bride-to-be!

 Couldn't help but take another shot!

 WHITLEY SISTERS!

 Something blue...

 Post Wedding

Quick Shot in Front of the Trolley!

 

 Kasey and Jonathan's First Dance

 Oh hey, there's Andrew and me!

 The Other Flower Girl... they were so precious!

 Brad, Kaki, Andrew and me

 Love you Kasey!

 Kasey with the flower girls!

 Just before the cake pull! (I GOT THE FLEUR DE LIS!)

 THETA LADIES! (Sorry Ash, Andrew isn't the best photographer)

 haha this was my idea for the guys to pick up the bride, but I couldn't get a good one with Kasey looking...

 MY FAVORITE ONE!

~*~12-16-11~*~

 Meg and Me!

 My handsome husband

 The next couple of shots are our few attempts for a Christmas photo... bear with me.

 YAY, we got to see Ann and Josh Courtney! <3 you guys

 Christmas Photo Attempt #2

 Meg with Precious Flower Girl, Hannah

 Meg and fiance, Kyle

 Christmas Picture Attempt #3

 Theta Ladies!

. 

 Meg, Ann and Me

2 beautiful weddings, 6 days...exhausted!

It's ALREADY/FINALLY December!

Confession: I always get a little bummed December 26th, because the holiday season has passed and I have to wait another entire year for it to return.  **The negatives of getting too excited about EVERYTHING ALL THE TIME** So as you can imagine, I am usually counting down the days for December to arrive in anticipation and excitement of the upcoming Holiday Season.


Reality: I cannot believe how quickly it arrived!  We have been so busy this year with training for marathons/half marathons, buying a house, moving, weddings... you name it, that the Holiday Season kind of creeped up on me this year.  


So with the Holiday Season in full swing, and due to my lack of being a committed and reliable blogger: I hereby vow to try to post more this Christmas Season with all of the exciting events coming up this month. Most importantly...


HAPPY HOLIDAYS! Don't forget the reason for the season! 


~Happy Birthday Month, Jesus~

A Little Taste of Autumn

What a bittersweet last few days we have had here in Texas.  We have been in a major drought which has caused everything to dry up and shrivel. (Including my skin: I have gone through a few bottles of lotion just this summer!)

A much deserved and well needed cold-front blew in on Sunday and has given us all a little bit of hope that the dog days of summer are FINALLY coming to an end.  I don't know about you, but I would be alright if I never saw the temperatures reach 100+ degrees again.  Unfortunately though, with the beautiful cold-front came a lot of wind; and with this terrible drought, trees and brush caught fire and quickly spread across central Texas and Magnolia.

Below is an article to give you an idea of the tragic magnitude of devastation these fires caused in Bastrop:
http://news.yahoo.com/texas-fires-kill-4-destroy-more-1-000-230345872.html

Below is an article to give you an idea of the devastation these fires caused in Magnolia:
http://www.voanews.com/english/news/usa/Worst-Fires-on-Record-Ravage-Texas-129366213.html

I feel for all of the families and animals that are suffering without a home right now, the firefighters that are putting their lives in danger to control these fires, and pray that we get some rain here soon!

BUT... since I don't like to talk about sad things for very long, I would like to talk about the positive things these past three days have brought me.

I <3 <3 <3 <3 FALL
Did I mention that it is my favorite season of the year, and I usually start preparing for it before it even starts? (i.e. NOW)  I am sure you are probably thinking, "BUT YOU DON'T EVEN GET TO SEE THE CHANGING OF THE LEAVES, COOLER WEATHER, ETC. ETC." and I would say, "But, I DO get to see the changing of the leaves (for like one day) and anything lower than 100 degrees gives me FALL hope!"

I am starting to get so excited. I love everything about AUTUMN! The weather, the food, the scents, football, etc., etc., etc.!

Below is a note I wrote on Facebook last year just before Autumn began. This year, the excitement of Autumn hit me two weeks earlier than it did last year.  I believe last year was a little more appropriate as it was the first day of Fall, but what's two weeks anyway?   I added 2011 comments to it in BOLD.

Top 20 Reasons Why I Love the Fall...

by Lindsay Barnes on Tuesday, September 21, 2010 at 2:58pm

Top 20+1 Things I Love a/b Fall in no particular order:

1. Pumpkin Spice Candles lit the entire time I am at home

2. My Anniversary--I can't believe it has almost been a year already! (Love you Andrew Barnes!)   ...NOW ALMOST TWO YEARS!

3. Changing of colors in leaves

4. First Cold Front

5. Leaving the window/doors open all day

6. Running outdoors enjoying the new scenery and listening to the leaves crunching as I step on them

7. Smell of pie or bread baking in the oven

8. The anticipation of the upcoming holiday season

9. Football

10. Cozying up by a warm fire

11. Bubble Baths, completely justified

12. Fall Festivals

13. 2 Words: Candy Corn

14. Hot Mulled Cider, Hot Chocolate and Starbuck's Chai Tea Lattes (WHICH I AM WAITING FOR THE FIRST REAL COLD FRONT TO HAVE AGAIN)

15. Fall Decorations

16. Extra Hour (Sleeping in!)

17. Cute Wooly Socks

18. Rosy Cheeks after being outside

19. Family Time

20. Soups and Stews

21. COMING HOME TO A HOME COOKED MEAL IN MY NEW SLOW-COOKER WITH SMELLS FILLING THE ENTIRE HOUSE 

(Can you tell its my favorite season!!??) One more day... What are some of your favorite things about Fall?

SO TELL ME: What are some of your favorite things about Fall?

A Change is Gonna Come...

Have you ever had a feeling that a lot of things in your life are going to change, but you just aren't sure when? Not sure what is going to happen, but you just know its coming... the anticipation, the thrill, and the excitement of the unknown are KILLING ME!

My mom pointed something out to me the other day about myself that I never really realized until that very moment:


I am a day-dreamer...


My mind IMMEDIATELY rewound to my childhood. I can recall sitting in class and putting my head down on the desk in between my folded arms and dreaming about all of the things that I loved! I would picture myself singing Memory center stage of the broadway, Cats, and all eyes and spotlight on me. I used to think it was so neat that I could make up my own dreams without actually falling asleep. These were my secrets, and no one would know but me.  I day-dreamed a lot!

I've always been told I am very easy to read... and I guess what I thought was a secret, was not so much.  I had been revealing these "secrets" my entire life with flying colors, and I did not even realize it.

How did she know my deepest secret?  I thought. AM I TALKING IN MY DAYDREAMS?  That couldn't be possible...

I love role-playing thoughts, plans, activities, and events that I really want to happen, over and over in my head. This is where my optimism gets the best of me, and I often let myself down when things do not work out the way I had imagined it.

I think that is why I am such an internet geek.  The day my mother pointed this realization out to me, she posted on Facebook:


The internet offers too many resources to fuel my daydreams.  

At this point in my life, I couldn't agree more.  The internet is as big or as little as you want it to be, and for me is the gateway to my fields of dreams.  I cannot get enough of it!

A few months ago, I recently discovered Pinterest.  If you haven't heard of it, you should look into it! Here is my page: http://pinterest.com/lindsayebarnes/ Not only is it a wonderful way to waste time, it is my perfect outlet for my daydreams; my picture perfect life that I always wanted to live.  One day, I will fulfill these dreams, and hopefully, I will be able to do it, conquering one "pin" at a time!

So much beautiful change has happened in my life over the past few weeks, and I think this is just the beginning. (Unless I am just being optimistic and daydreaming again.) I am trying not to get my hopes up, but one can only hope...

"It's been a long, a long time coming but I know
A change gon' come oh yes it will" ~Sam Cooke

"Her Name Was Lola"

"Her name was Lola, she was a showgirl
With yellow feathers in her hair and a dress cut down to there
She would merengue and do the cha-cha
And while she tried to be a star, Tony always tended bar
Across a crowded floor, they worked from 8 till 4
They were young and they had each other
Who could ask for more?


At the Copa (CO!), Copacabana (Copacabana)
The hottest spot north of Havana (here)
At the Copa (CO!), Copacabana
Music and passion were always the fashion
At the Copa....they fell in love"


Sorry, had to get those lyrics out of my head somehow as they have been stuck there since last weekend; and before that, they have been stuck there since my wedding day!  


...Let me take you back:


October 24, 2009 **aka My Wedding Day **
I was full of nerves and excitement and had NO IDEA how I was about to make it down the isle of 250 people without losing it and balling my eyes out!  Seriously, I am not a person that is known to cry all the time, but I will admit, when I see someone else cry, I completely LOSE IT!  I get so sad, or happy or I start feeling whatever they are feeling. It is a contagious bug that I catch on to very quickly!


My beautiful and sweet Maid-of-Honor (today, would be considered a Matron-of-Honor), my sister, had this crazy advice she whispered in my ear just before I walked down the isle of terror.  This was just before I was about to make eye-contact with all those beautiful faces that had made a huge impact on my life, and helped me get where I am today. If I had even caught a glimpse of the littlest tear in their eyes I would have completely lost every strength of eye muscles I had to contain the lake of tears that were about to pour down my cheeks.


LAUREN: Whenever you feel like you are about to cry, just start singing "HER NAME WAS LOLA, SHE WAS A SHOW GIRL!"
ME: WHAT? Lauren, I love you, but you are crazy.
LAUREN: I am serious, just try it!
ME:  Whatever... still think you are NUTS!


DUN ... DUN DUN DUN .... DUN, DUN DUN DUN! 




OH CRAP... its time.  Remember Lindsay, shoulders back, stand up tall, and do not walk but try to float! I feel a little foolish... am I floating? (anyone know that reference?)


I walked outside and saw my dad for the first time with me in my wedding dress.  He had a huge smile on his face, and I almost lost it.  My dad kissed me on the cheek and proceeded to tell me how beautiful I looked (At least that's what I think he said... I can barely remember... it sounded like he was on a echoing microphone).


DEEP BREATHES! One foot in front of the other, don't trip. You have this... 


Okay, I can't see... OH HEY there are the McDuff's! Oh dear, don't lose it! I know you are with me Ashton! I wish you were physically with me here today... Oh no loosing it... Don't do this Lindsay.


And so began the singing in the head with the biggest smile I could put on my face:

"Her name was Lola, she was a showgirl..."

SMILING and WAVING HELLO TO EVERYONE I COULDN'T SEE... 

oh crap what comes next... I DON'T KNOW ALL THE LYRICS... LAUREN NEVER TAUGHT ME ALL THE LYRICS!!

CHORUS!

"At the Copa (CO!), Copacabana (Copacabana)"

STILL SMILING BIG, and SINGING IN MY HEAD...
"The hottest spot north of Havana (here)
At the Copa (CO!), Copacabana
Music and passion were always the fashion
At the Copa....they fell in love"

WHEW~ MADE IT to the man of my dreams without shedding one tear... kinda.

THANK YOU LORD!

THANK YOU LAUREN!

THANK YOU ASHTON!

and THANK YOU BARRY MANILOW!

Everyone kept asking me how I managed to make it down the isle with out shedding ONE TEAR... and I have always told them: "Easy, I just sang HER NAME WAS LOLA! in my head!", and they would always tell me how crazy I was!

FLASH FORWARD TO August 6, 2011:

My sister and I proceeded to tell our new sister-in-law and all the bridesmaids this story last weekend, and they got a kick out of it! In fact, I would say that this song was the theme-song of the weekend.  Every time any of us were about to cry, we would just start singing "Copacabana" to each other and it would bring a HUGE smile on our faces. We would all chime in and start singing every time!

Such a fun and heart-warming song to sing!  Now the question is, how do I get it out of my head? SERIOUSLY? 

Teaching Myself Independence and Patience

Life on the ranch-front has been super busy, with wedding season in full force and the bee business, especially for my dad! He oversees three companies and has reached the point where he has to be two places at once 90% of the time. Amazingly, 90% of the time, he makes it work, too.  I do not know how he does it... his dedication and determination to do his best amazes me every day.  He is a wonderful role model and I am so proud that he is my dad.

Last Thursday, my dad was going to drive five hours out to a ranch in Central Texas, just north-west of San Antonio, to save a herd of dehydrated, starving cattle, longhorns and mustangs by rounding them up and driving them back to our homestead for a hopeful better life where they can be tended to more with our ranch-hand, Dave. On top of that, he had a list a mile long at the ranch that he needed to take care of before the wedding this weekend (not Greg and Laura's just yet... one more week!).  There just was not enough daylight to manage all of these things.  My husband, Andrew, was in FFA growing up and thought he could lend a hand and help round up the animals in Central Texas.  So, Andrew packed up and headed to the ranch Wednesday evening to go in my dad's spot and help out.  After a 4:30 am wake up call, and 15 hours later (5 hours out and back and 5 hours to round up these wild animals), he was too exhausted to drive home from the ranch, so he stayed another night out there.  This left me alone for two and a half days and definitely missing a sweet and hardworking husband.

I was pretty bummed because Saturday mornings are our long runs with our running group, and I have NEVER had the motivation or determination to go alone.  My dad always drives up into town at 5:00 am and Andrew always manages to roll out of bed, so that I have my guys with me to push me to work harder.  This was not the case this Saturday morning.  My 5:00 am alarm went off, and I made every excuse under the moon (the sun was not up yet) as to why I shouldn't run that morning.

A few being:

• Its not safe for a girl to go alone... even if its with a running group
• I'm way too tired and could sleep in as late as I want with no one waking me up (minus Mali, my cat every hour)
• This pillow is AMAZING
• 10 more minutes
• 15 more minutes
• 5 more minutes

Then, I had a long talk with myself that went a little something like this:

"You can do this.  Imagine how you will feel when you are done with this run. Not only will you have accomplished a great run, but you will have done it all on your own. Not because someone else is making you, not because you are so competitive and wont let your dad have more mileage in a week than you, but because you did it for yourself!" (Really cheesy, I know.)  This is how I really felt, I wanted to accomplish this run to show myself I could do it alone. So I got up...

It was probably one of the harder runs I have had in a long time.  The route was 13.68 miles and I did not have anyone to talk to. (Minus myself, which I seem to do a lot lately.)  I was a little scared in the beginning because there was lightening in the sky. "This is it, this is God's way of telling me, I shouldn't run and should be in bed under my covers on my amazingly comfortable pillow! I will have to turn around at the first water stop. I am sure everyone else will be doing this too for their own safety. Thanks for telling me God!"  This proceeded to, "Why isn't anyone turning around? Why are they still going? Maybe I will just tell them and they will turn around. Wrong way people... you are going the wrong way. Did I just really tell them or was that just in my head? Dang it! Now its too late, I am in it for the long run (no pun intended)." So rain proceeded to fall on my straight hair (I usually run with my hair curly so it doesn't tangle as bad) and I could just feel it starting to get tangled up in a ridiculously huge matte. Lo and behold, just over two hours and one exhausted body later... I managed to finish this miserably hard run of 13.68 miles. I did it all by myself and at an 8:50 min/mile pace.  I felt amazing and mentally I couldn't stop there.  I walked into the fitness center at my apartment complex, hopped on the treadmill and ran 1.32 miles so that I could say I ran 15 miles again this weekend. It felt amazing to know that I could accomplish something like that on my own!  

I was on cloud 9 until I walked into my apartment, moseyed on over to the bathroom and looked in the mirror.  I seriously should have taken a picture of what seemed to be a huge dread-lock on the back of my head all held together with a ponytail holder.  "No big deal", I thought.  "I have had some bad tangles before, and will have this mess out in 30 minutes."  I could barely get the ponytail holder out of my hair.  I hopped in the shower with an extra bottle of conditioner and a brush and had no luck. My legs were exhausted an I was getting frustrated so I packed up my conditioner and brush and headed over to the bathtub so that I could sit while working my magic on my hair.  I think I was completely out of magic dust. COMPLETELY! I was in tears because an hour later, I was practically where I started and convinced that I was going to have to chop all of my hair off.  I had no one to help me and I could not do this alone.  

I decided to hop back in the shower and do my normal daily washing duties and wait for Andrew to get home from the ranch. I decided we would either figure a way to get the matte untangled or make our way to a hair salon and chop my long golden locks that I have had for the past ten years right off my head and cry for the rest of my life.  

Here was my Facebook post:

‎15 miles completed and I am left with a huge matte of something that resembles hair! So sad and frustrating. Might end up with short hair by the end of the day... and lots of tears.

Thank the Lord for sweet friends who responded to my post with all kinds of advice and cheering comments. Some of which entailed avocado, olive oil and mayonnaise.  Five minutes later my phone rings.  

ME:"Hello"

TRACY: "Don't chop your hair off! It's going to be okay Lindsay"

Writers Note: Why is it whenever someone says the word "OKAY" I just lose it?? It usually consists of "Are you okay?" or "Its going to be okay".  It usually has to be a girl like Tracy or my mom, but once they ask if I'm okay or tell me its going to be okay I become a pathetic pool of tears.

I completely lost it, and started crying to poor Tracy who probably did not expect me to be such a basket case on the other end of the line. I told her I was about to go to the hair salon to cut it all off.

TRACY: "Lindsay I am just down the street do you want me to come over?"

ME: "YES! PLEASE!!!!!!"

Tracy probably thought I was being a little dramatic, which she admitted to later. She thought it was probably a little tangled in the back that I couldn't see, or it was just that time of the month and I needed a friend.  I don't blame her, I probably would have thought that, too. Let me tell you friends... this was no dramatic matter.  Regardless, she came running to my side and was there for me when I needed her. For that I am thankful and so blessed to have such an amazing friend. 

Okay so this story is WAAAAY longer than I had expected. If you are still reading, thanks for hanging in there.  I will try to sum it up in the next paragraph.

One trip to Walgreens for some Paul Mitchell detangling conditioner, 3 bottles of conditioner (2 of which were Herbal Essence), one bottle of Champagne for bellinis, 10 combs, one serious headache (from the pulling of the hair, not the champagne), mayonnaise everywhere, 10 towels, half a head of hair in my hands,  three and a half hours later and lots and lots of patience ... we got it untangled.  I am sure it is pretty damaged and really don't want to find out (I am not going to dry my hair for a while). I don't think Tracy or I will be eating mayonnaise for a while either after dousing my hair in it and smelling like pasta salad for three hours.

The funny thing is, I might go ahead and cut a lot of it off anyway because over the total course of four and a half hours, I managed to convince myself that it would be okay if I had short hair. Life would go on and it could be a fun new change. But, I had enough drama in my morning and decided a new haircut could wait for another day...

Officially Becoming a Houstonian -ite, -er

I bet you are thinking at this very moment, "Reality check Lindsay! You have lived in Houston more than half your life... you are definitely a Hostonian, -ite, -er!"  Right, right, but what most of you do not realize is that although I have lived in Houston (or the outskirts, Spring) most of my life, and more recently, lived in Houston over the past two years, I AM NEVER IN HOUSTON!  If I was in Houston, I did not have time to do anything Houston-ish to be considered a Houstonian. (OKAY I know that is the correct term, but I like Houstonite, and Houstoner, too. Houstonian sounds a lot like Custodian... and I don't know, it just doesn't flow well in my head). So Houstonian, -ite, -er is what I will call all you "Houstonians".  

Speaking of Houston, what a strange word.  I think I listed it at least 10 times in the last paragraph and as I was re-reading, it struck me: I live in a weird named city called Houston. I guess it is not that weird because we are so use to hearing it most of our lives... but once I started saying it ten times in a paragraph, it started feeling strange.  Maybe I am just in a strange mood. 

Okay, I am back. So let's talk about how I want to officially become a Houstonian, -ite, -er. (Doesn't feel so strange anymore, now I feel kind of stupid for even mentioning it.) 

#1: Find a group of friends that I can call up on a day in/day out basis and say, "HEY LET'S GO GRAB LUNCH!", or "WANT TO COME OVER AND HANG OUT?", or "LET'S GO SHOPPING!"
     -Now let me set this straight: I DO HAVE FRIENDS IN HOUSTON! I just need to be a better friend and call them up more and start hanging out more with them!! I miss you all you HOUSTONIANS, -ITES, -ERS!  So I am going to make this happen! Expect a phone call over the next few weeks!
     -Andrew and I have been so fortunate to have the ability to travel! AND BOY HAVE WE TRAVELED! Over the past six months we have been back and forth from Houston to Ft Worth to Austin to Baton Rouge to Tyler to New York to YOU NAME IT ....and back X10  Now that I am done with school and our schedules have slowed down A TON, we are ready to specify our title from "Texanites" to "Houstonites, -onian, -ers" <-different order but whatever...you get the point!

#2 Please in the comments section tell me your favorite thing to do in Houston! 
     -I want to do it too! Let me know if you want to come too!


#3 Get involved in some League/Alumni Groups.  
     -I have been wanting to join Junior League and get involved with my Kappa Alpha Theta Houston Alumni Group. I am going to make it happen!

So there you have it! Once I make these three things happen, I will officially consider myself a "Houstonian, -ite, -er"!  I would love your input on things to do in Houston if you have some time!

More Eventful Morning than Usual

After getting home from dinner with  my parents at Canyon Cafe (Andrew couldn't make it because of work) around 7:15, Andrew informed me that he wanted to be in bed by 8:00 pm so that he can get up at 4:00 am to run and do P90X!  After little consideration, I hesitantly agreed to go to bed at the same time and get up at the same time. Luckily, just before we closed our eyes, I was able to convince him to wake up around 5:00 am.  This usually means I set my alarms for 4:30 am, and 4:45 am, so that I can get my lazy, bleary-eyed,  exhausted body out of bed. (There is something just wrong about going to bed when it is still very light outside...something I will consider for future bedtimes.)

**WRITER'S NOTE** Andrew got me a new iHome for my birthday that works with Bluetooth. So every night before I go to bed, I set my alarms through my phone which Bluetooths it to my iHome.  This is very exciting to me... except I can't change the alarm on it for some reason (because I haven't taken the time to try) so every time it goes off it sounds like: (I wish I could write sounds better than this to give you a better understanding of its obnoxious sound) Baaaaa-Rink-da-dink-di-dink-dink-dink-dink-rink-da-dink-di-dink-di-dink-di-dink-dee-dink-dink-dink. (repeat x 1,000 ...or however many times it take you to turn off your alarm) P.S. In case any of you are interested in the new iHome dock: it just came out in May and has a dock for your iPad (if you have one). Also, like I said uses Bluetooth so I can play my iPod through my iPhone on the iHome while doing other things on it. And I can do conference calls on it through Bluetooth! It is pretty dang sweet! For those that are interested: http://www.ihomeaudio.com/

So, 4:30 alarm goes off: "Baaaaa-Rink-da-dink-di-dink-dink-dink-dink-rink-da-dink-di-dink-di-dink-di-dink-dee-dink-dink-dink", "Baaaaa-Rink-da-dink-di-dink-dink-dink-dink-rink-da-dink-di-dink-di-dink-di-dink-dee-dink-dink-dink" 

ME: ....WHERE IN THE HECK IS MY PHONE!?!? Kitty? Have you seen my phone?? 

"Baaaaa-Rink-da-dink-di-dink-dink-dink-dink-rink-da-dink-di-dink-di-dink-di-dink-dee-dink-dink-dink"

ME: Here it is! 

As I keep my eyes squeezed shut and feel the tip of my phone on the edge of my bed.  I start moving to grab it... 

"Baaaaa-Rink-da-dink-di-dink-dink-dink-dink-rink-da-dink-di-dink-di-dink-di-dink-dee-dink-dink-dink"

ME: OH MY GOSH ...TURN THIS THING OFF! (yes, it was this dramatic)

"Baaaaa-Rink-da-dink-di-dink-dink-dink-dink-rink-da-dink-di-dink-di-dink-di-dink-dee-dink-dink-dink"

ME: PHONE... ::perclump::

My phone fell right in the crack between my bed frame and my mattress.

ME: NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!! (yes, it was this dramatic)

"Baaaaa-Rink-da-dink-di-dink-dink-dink-dink-rink-da-dink-di-dink-di-dink-di-dink-dee-dink-dink-dink"

I tried and tried to get my phone out but my dang hands were just way too fat! 

"Baaaaa-Rink-da-dink-di-dink-dink-dink-dink-rink-da-dink-di-dink-di-dink-di-dink-dee-dink-dink-dink"

I started to bang on my bed frame like a frustrated monkey that couldn't communicate clearly. 

"Baaaaa-Rink-da-dink-di-dink-dink-dink-dink-rink-da-dink-di-dink-di-dink-di-dink-dee-dink-dink-dink"

WRITER'S NOTE: Poor, poor, Andrew who had to witness all of this chaos at 4:30 in the morning because he forgot to set HIS alarm for 4:00... or was it 5:00? I can't remember anymore... that dang alarm just would not stop going off.

I threw myself out of bed to get up to the dresser and turn off that OBNOXIOUS ALARM! "Baaaaa-Rink-da-dink-di-dink-dink-dink-dink-rink-da-dink-di-dink-di-dink-di-dink-dee-dink-dink-dink" (Sorry just had to throw that last one in there to make my point!)

So now it was 4:33 in the morning and we had a phone issue at hand. (A fat hand that is, very fat indeed)  Andrew made his way over to my side (as I am already out of bed groaning and annoyed) to try to fix the situation. His hand didn't fit either. But, he managed to push the phone over to the corner of the bed-frame that is much higher than the rest of the bed frame so that there was no way possible to reach or even touch it with our fat hands.  Out of frustration he, too, started banging the mattresses like a frustrated gorilla. (but I think his reason was more productive than mine... I'm pretty sure he was trying to shake the phone out by lifting up the mattress and dropping it to create a ruckus and vibrations. Thank goodness were are on the bottom floor.) 

WRITER'S NOTE: Seriously, who does this at 4:30 in the morning! Tell me there is one other person out there that has been in this situation... at 4:30 am, and I will prove myself sane. Anyone? ANYONE?

This was getting serious.  Andrew made his way to the closet and came out with a coat hanger.  By the time my second alarm went off at 4:45 we had a phone and a button to push on the phone to turn that obnoxious alarm off! What a relief! (Can you believe it took us 15 minutes??? We were tired okay?)

Andrew decided it was time to get up... I tried to go back to bed until 5:00 as a reward of getting my phone out...even though I wasn't the one that got it. For some reason I just couldn't go back to sleep...probably out of guilt.