With the Holidays

I love the holiday season. It is definitely here in full blast. I was at Wal-Mart last night and saw aisles for all of the standard Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas fare--it's just a matter of time before New Year's and Valentine's make their appearance!

I think the holidays are such an important time for me since they mean gathering with family and enjoying each other. This year is definitely going to be an adjustment for me. Not only do I have Pookie, but I have Pookie's family in OKC, which is not my family in Hot Springs. We've tossed around ideas of where to spend T-giving and what about X-Mas. We've wondered what other family members might be doing. My family has almost decided--we are serious holiday planners!

The Dodson family Thansgiving will take place in Hot Springs at Zana's house. She's already called to let me know my RSVP is needed for her to plan her table place settings and dinner quantities. The Hays family will be gathering in Fort Smith for Christmas this year--although we've all gotten so big and spread out that I'm sure there will be more than a few cousins and aunts/uncles who cannot attend for one reason or another. There will also be a Dodson family Christmas in Hot Springs--details for that one are still a little fuzzy.

What will Mr. and Mrs. Pookie be doing for the holidays? There are so many new factors to consider. Before it was easy because it was all about me and maximizing my time with my family while I had loads of time off from school (and gas money provided by my parents, if need be). This year with the wedding/honeymoon my vacation time is tight and money for traveling even tighter. And then there's Pookie's family. Are they doing a big T-giving and X-mas? His parents will actually be here for the holiday this year--last year we did Christmas after they arrived and we got back from our trip to Hot Springs. Will extended family be coming into OKC? It's easier for us to get together with his side since OKC is a center-of-operations for the family. My family's command center is in either Fort Smith or Hot Springs, Arkansas, depending how you look at it. Both are far enough away that they require planning and communication.

What's the perfect equation?

f(Happy Pookies)=TRUE/FALSE:
Hot Springs ((Halloween + Christmas)^Christmas Eve in Fort Smith) x OKC (Thanksgiving + Christmas^2 days later)= x

Does x=Happy Pookies? How will we ever decide?

Halloween is Almost Here!

I am really looking forward to Halloween this year. It's the first time in several years that I'm going to be able to go home for the holiday--and it will be Pookie's first time to experience Halloween with my family. We always have a fun time. Mom makes chili, invites over bunches of friends, and we decorate pumpkin-shaped sugar cookies and carve pumpkins. It's a lot of fun.

Holidays are definitely more fun with little kids in the family. I love being Aunt Lizzy! Miss J, Boo, and B definitely make the holidays a lot more fun--we get to see them all dressed up in the costumes and go with them trick-or-treating.

I love dressing up, too. Last year was my first Halloween with Pookie. It was a Thursday night, and I wanted to make it special. I went shopping and bought myself a wig and him a mustache and mask. I'm not so sure Pookie knew what to do with me--but he played along which is exactly what I needed him to do!

This year I'm not sure what to dress up as--any ideas?

Watercolor Giveaway!

Sitting Pretty Studio is giving away FREE art! Visit her site and enter to win a free watercolor portrait of a child or infant. While you're there, check out all of her other great work!!



Susannah (the artist) has been doing commissioned watercolor portraits for many years. What I love about her work is that she really puts herself into whatever she does. If you are lucky enough to win, you won't be disappointed!! You can link to the website using the button to the right or by clicking here!

B-I-X-B-Y

I got up this morning and worked out!! I can't believe it. My alarm went off at 5:00, 5:15, 5:30, and then 5:45, and I was still in bed. And then I was up and out the door!! I am looking forward to 3 more weeks of encouraging work outs!

Thursday I will be seeing a friend I haven't seen in quite some time. Devi has been living in Australia, and she's here for a while. Amazing how everything changes so fast. Seems like just yesterday I was a freshman at JBU and connecting with Devi over our mutual affection for Audrey Hepburn. Memories!

Pleasant Sunday

This morning Pookie and I woke up and made pancakes. We originally wanted waffles but long-story-short... the pancakes turned out great! We finished up the movie we had started last night--we never seem to finish a movie in one sitting anymore.

Afterward, we went for a walk down by Lake Hefner. It's a gorgeous day today (although Pookie says it's too windy for his taste), and we had a great time just strolling along and holding hands.

I feel very fat. I have not COMPLETELY destroyed the 4.5 months of hard work... but almost. It's amazing how quickly you can lose it!! I am hoping to get back on track over the next 3 weeks. I'll be traveling which can either be a blessing or a curse. Sometimes I have a great time when traveling since I can get up in the mornings and workout and have nothing better to do in the evenings but do some more working out. Other times, I just give up. I come home from the bank and sprawl out on my hotel room bed and don't move except to flip channels in between Law & Order episodes. It can be pretty sad.

I could really use all of the prayers and encouragement I can get over these next coupe of weeks. Not just with the exercise/diet thing but with being away from Pookie for such a long stretch. It's hard.

I have almost finished packing... better get back to it!

Me & Pookie on a recent trip to Hot Springs. sigh!

any wonder why I miss him?? he's so cute and wonderful.

Home Alone

Clint has class tonight. There are almost too many things I "should" do with my time. Not enough that I want to do, though. I met a friend for dinner tonight. Good conversation. It's amazing to me--every girl has the same thoughts/concerns/insecurities/dreams/hopes/etc. It must be something that is ingrained in us... It's also very weird because I am now one of the "others". I'm a married woman, but I can remember what it was like to be a young, professional, single woman in Oklahoma City. It wasn't laughs-a-minute, that's for sure.

Being single can be really hard. Especially as time seems to be ticking away and one by one your lose another friend to the dark side. I am very happy I have Pookie and our life together. I had been waiting for him for what felt like a lifetime. Looking back on it now, I am happy for what I was able to experience in my single years but feel blessed that I now have a relationship.

To all my single friends out there: I know. I can remember. And it's worth the wait.

Tired of It All

We had our final garage sale this weekend. All in all we did very well for ourselves--earning some extra cash and getting rid of lots of clutter around the apartment! Now I can't wait for life to be normal.

But it's never normal, is it? We always seem to be searching for a normal groove for our lives--but the world has another agenda. And it keeps on hitting us with more curve balls and out-right unfair plays.

So I've had a crappy morning. I'm upset at the world and taking it out on everyone else--how unfair is that to them?

Moving Blues

These past few days have been so stressful! But we are finally, officially out of the old apartment. I feel like the mom in The Incredibles when she calls Mr. Incredible to announce they are officially moved into their home after three years--she finally unpacked the last box. That's probably going to be us! --and that totally sounds like a phonecall I'd make to Pookie, too.

Pookie ordered a shoe organizer for me last night. I can't wait for it to get here! Now I just hope it fits on the back of my closet :)
Over-the-Door, 36-Shoe Organizer