Dinner to go

Lately, we have gotten dinner to go at a few area restaurants. Chili's one night, Demos tonight, etc. I just have to say that I think I like this to go thing. It is so much less stressful than lugging the kids into a restaurant and hoping they don't get antsy. Also, we have noticed that the food is a lot better than take out used to be. Just a thought...but next time you want to eat out but don't care about the atmosphere...try bringing it home.

Lola and her 'seeps'

Lola has gotten the short end of the stick. Bless her heart. (By the way, I guess I should say that she drew the short straw, due to this entry's subject matter.)

I have a baby book for Miles that is jam-packed with information about her first two years of life. Every little word, when she spent the night here or there, vacation info, etc. Poor Lo-Lo came into the picture shortly before we moved, and as of now, one year later, I have yet to find her baby book. No one seems to have a clue where it was packed. Disappeared. As in *poof* gone. Unfortunately, I have not done a good job of writing down info elsewhere. Which means that I don't have those special little blips of info noted anywhere.

Back to the point, Lola loves drinking out of other people's beverages. With a straw. While exclaiming, "seeps!!" in a high pitched voice. It delights her to no end. "SEEPS!!" like she is chugging the most delectable drink in the world. Then again, maybe she is. After all, she is usually sipping on some Coca-Cola.

Forgot to update you on Leslie's

Next week you will be able to see my line in Leslie's Shoppe, I swear! It has been hard to connect, but thanks to my friend and fellow Artsy Mama, MJ, Leslie and I finally talked again. She is moving to a new location at The Avenue. That should be good for business, I'd say!

Junior League show

Today I had a show in Murfreesboro. I did ok; I did not do nearly as well as the same show last year. Hmmmmm. Better luck next year! BUT I did sell some jewelry to some friends last night unexpectedly, so that was nice.

Next chances to get some of my stuff are the Nashville Craft Mafia show December 2nd at the Factory and the Farmer's Market on Dec 1st, 15th and 22nd.

NFG show

Casey and I went to a fashion show last week. We had a good time, as we always do. I also got to try out a new restaurant called Bricktops. It was nice and Phillip and I will have to go back sometime. The show started late and Casey and I were just about to bail when they finally lowered the lights. The highlight was when a super tall model leaned over and blew a kiss to the crowd in the opposite direction...totally mooning Casey and me.

Less than one week 'til turkey/Chi-O dinner

I don't really eat the turkey, but still, it is only one week until Thanksgiving! Yay! I love holidays so much even though I am not a fan of the traditional foods.

Last night was the Chi-O alum dinner. We met at La Siesta (how appropriate?!?!) and had a great time. Jeana Leyhew Campbell, Julie Young Clark and I reminisced. I can't wait to hear where we'll be next time and to remind a few more people that they need to attend.

Doodle Bops, schmoodle bops

Do you know who the Doodle Bops are, on Disney channel? I hate them. The red-headed one gives me the creeps and they all just weird me out. I just hate the show more than almost anything. I would rather be stuck in an elevator with Barney than watch a Doodle Bops marathon. And THAT'S saying something. Have you ever noticed that they have puffy, fake fingers? Why? Why do they need fake hands on their human bodies?

Homecoming

MTSU Homecoming was today. We took the kids to the parade and to tailgate in Walnut Grove. It was nice to see people that I hadn't seen since like 1998! How funny that sounds now. But really, there were some people that I had not seen since the Sigma Chi house days in 98 or so. Wow. It was so strange to see people and how they have aged/grown up!

There are a few that I didn't get to see who I wish had been there...Bob, Alex, Reed. I never see them anymore! It was great to see Mickey and his kids. Pruder was there, too, and Brook. I just wish everybody from back in the day would all come!

More later...

Selling

I forgot to mention that I am now selling Avon again. You can call me or place your own order at www.youravon.com/dustybrown! You can choose free delivery or delivery direct to your house for $3.

One more note on Halloween

I almost forgot...

On Halloween night, Miles was Cinderella and Lola was half a ladybug...she wouldn't wear the actual ladybug part, just the red shirt and black pants. She WAS Snow White, but right before they left my parents to go trick or treating, Lola decided to splash herself real good in the bird fountain and got soaked, so my mom had to go back in and put the other costume on her. Miles was not Aerial because she got a little tear on her sleeve seam at Mother's Day Out and I didn't get a chance to repair it. She was happy being Cinderella.

On Halloween morning, though, she was Aerial and Lola was Snow White as we trick or treated at the retirement home. It went really well. It was sad, because there were a lot of completely incapacitated people there, but Miles never once asked me what was wrong with anyone or anything. The kids loved it. Lola was a total mess and I could hardly keep up with her. She kept going back to the same old people and getting more candy. They loved her dimples.

November already?

Wow! I am so excited about the upcoming holidays! Thanksgiving is just a few weeks away, and I can hardly believe it. This year truly has flown by.

So what are we, like eight weeks from Christmas, now? I have quite a bit of my shopping done but still need to work on finishing up my list. I keep an excel spreadsheet, because I'm a dork like that. I have a lot of people to buy for!

I have asked Phillip for a small Ipod this year. I might change my mind but I think I would like one. I have an idea on his main gift but I am still not sure. He is terrible at giving suggestions. UGH!!!!!

Anyway, what's really strange is that Halloween was JUST yesterday, and already I have switched modes to Christmas. Speaking of Halloween, though, we went to two great parties. One was at Fri's house and the others at Julie's. Both were great opportunities to get a break from parenthood LOL.

20/20: Hindsight might be telling him he shouldn't have worn a banana hammock

So we're watching 20/20, and there is a psycho guy on here. He's accused of murdering his wife; he looks totally guilty and talks all creepy.

Anyway, to top it all off, they keep showing video clips from their wedding and honeymoon, specifically clips of him dancing. He dances like Peewee Herman meets Erkel meets little kid. It is terrible.

Why is this important, you ask? Because they just showed a clip of him dancing in a banana hammock.

Halloween celebration at Mother's Day Out...

She was so proud of that costume.

Check out her bracelet!

You'd think it was real pearls.

Bad blogger

I have been such a bad blogger lately. Things just get hectic with kids and the changing of the seasons and such.

I have eight shows between now and Christmas and it is likely to kill me, but at least I'll have some cash in my fanny pack. LOL. Speaking of fanny packs, have I told you how much I hate using one, though I'd hate losing a bunch of cash even more?

Miles gets to wear her costume to Mother's Day Out Tuesday, where she will trick or treat around the building and enjoy a pizza lunch. How sweet is that???? She is going to be Aerial and Lola will be either Snow White or a ladybug, depending on the weather. The ladybug costume is really warm, so it has to stay cold for that one. Miles wore the ladybug for her second Halloween. Miles has been a flower, a ladybug, a bumble bee (I sense a pattern those first three years LOL) and now Aerial. Lola was (sadly) nothing last year. She slept through it all. I was so worn out from my surgery that I just didn't have time to think about a 5 month old's costume. I am sad about that but I'll make it up to her with two costumes this year! One good thing about having two girls...they can share clothes/costumes.

My, how they grow up so quickly...

I normally hate commercials...

Saturday night, while bored, I decided to do something that I had meant to do for a while. I took a few minutes to go to a talent agency website in Nashville and submit an application for each of my children. I uploaded pictures and waited to see if they were accepted.

On Sunday night, I received an email saying that both had been accepted and that I would be contacted in the event of a possible job. Tonight, as I got ready for bed, I checked the caller ID. I don't know why; I was home almost all day! Anyway, there was the name of the agency staring back at me.

I hurriedly checked my messages. There was one from them! Expecting them to simply be checking in, welcoming me or such, I listened anxiously. Imagine my disappointment when I heard the lady say that they wanted Lola to come in at 4:30 for a St. Thomas Hospital commercial. How I missed the call is beyond me, I was at home! Grrrrrrr! It was short notice BUT I had only registered them the day or two before.

From now on, I will be watching that phone like a hawk. LOL.

Six years

So tomorrow is my sixth anniversary. Sometimes it seems so strange that so much time has passed. I have a hard time remembering how detached I really am from college life and irresponsible living.I guess it sort of reminds me of Green Day's lyric, "I hope you had the time of your life." I did. And I am sooo thankful for that. I learned so much in that time frame. Yeah, I learned some super hard notions. I also just learned a lot about people. Looking back, I can't help but praise the LORD that I didn't fall victim to a serial killer or something. Then again, I had the greatest group of friends to watch out for me.

• I learned that no matter how much you think you love somebody, they might be gay. ;) BUT that you can love them just the same because they are worth soooo much more to you than what you wanted them to be in college.
• I learned that no matter what you learn in psychology, people will amaze you with their abilities to be psycho while hiding it (not talking about the same person here!)....and how to screen their calls.
• I learned that Krystal chili pups minus the weiner are NOT something you should eat if you have had a little too much poison...cause they burn coming back up.
• I learned that people have no clue who is really pro-choice vs. pro-life, much less people knowing themselves where they'd stand if in those shoes. (Friends go through a lot with each other and know each others' secrets.)
• I learned to never say never.
• I learned that you can't let a psycho b-word to come between you and friends over your husband. (I stupidly let myself feel weird around mutual friends who make it a point now to ask why the heck I acted like they wouldn't want me around anymore just because I found an awesome boyfriend/future husband.)
• I learned that you should always check and make sure that the friend's car that you are driving doesn't have expired tags.
• I learned that money isn't everything, the hard way. My parents' had some bad business deals/investments that left me a little less spoiled and it was hard. But I made it...
• I learned to never trust a DIVA to protect me from an impending tornado. LOL CASEY!
• I learned that the guys that make the biggest deal of themselves are really the guys who are up to their eyeballs in debt paying for everyone's drinks.
• I learned that Natch taste as good as anything after the first few.
• I learned not to report your car stolen until you are SURE it was stolen.
• I learned that friends do not replace family.

One time for the Lo-Leo, Just ride it, girl.

Lola loves to dance. LOVES to. If you can classify head bobbing and dropping it like it's hot as dancing...

Just give her some tunes and she's a supa-dupa-fly girl. Who remembers the original Missy Elliot CD from college?? And the ol' Ford Probe?? I DO!! LOL.

God sometimes I miss those days.

Ok, so....

I started on a thyroid medication on Thursday. Ashamed as I am to admit, I had gained 25 pounds in a very short time span (just a few months!!). I recently found out that I had a low thyroid. Ok, I just want you to know that in the first two days of the thyroid pill, I lost 7 pounds and gained a ton of energy. Woo Hoo!!!!

Dexter

My new favorite show is Dexter on Showtime. It is soooo good.

Exhaustion, part deux

As of last night, I felt like I was doing a lot better. Much less exhaustion and more energy. Then came today. I was wrong. I straight up thought I might fall right out in the floor of Lowes today because I found it so hard to keep my head up. What's up with that??

So on Saturday, I met up with Kirby and Joyce. Their kids are super cute, and it was nice to hold them, though little Don cried for me. :(

None the less, the weekend flew by much too quickly and now I am already anxious for another one. Poor Phil has been sick with some degree of a cold and headaches.