Sportin a new 'do'

I knew that I wanted to chop off my long hair. I didn't plan on it going this short. When I went to the salon yesterday she said that if I was willing to do 10 inches, I could make a donation to Locks of Love. Since in all likelihood, I will never have hair long enough to where I could cut off 10 inches and still have it look decent, I decided to go the extra couple inches and donate it. I probably will settle on a length an inch or two longer than this but my hair grows so fast and being pregnant might go even faster. It's still long enough to pull in a little ponytail, so all is good. Whatcha think?

CRV or Rogue?

Looks like we are moving forward with getting a new car!! We will test drive both of these on Friday and possibly get it that day as well! I think I'm leaning more towards the CR-V based on how it holds its value and the features it comes with. Kinda scary that it is all moving so fast but exciting as well! First experience with going through a lease. I'm optimistic about how it will go through!

Waiting Impatiently

Got a call last night. Made my day. Got my hopes up. Supposedly I'll have an answer tonight. Until then - just anxiously waiting. Praying. Hoping. Planning. Praying some more. Trusting that God provides. I'll post this evening or tomorrow when I know more. I couldn't fall asleep easily last night. A million thoughts kept running through my head about how this possibility could impact me/us. Praying I'm not disappointed. Tick Tock Tick Tock..... Pray with me please.

EARTHQUAKES IN DALLAS!! SERIOUSLY??

Two minor earthquakes shook the Dallas-Fort Worth area overnight, waking residents, setting off car alarms and spooking pets. But no major damage was reported.

The U.S. Geological Survey says a 2.5-magnitude earthquake centered in the Grand Prairie area was reported at 11:25 p.m. Thursday. A slightly stronger 3.0-magnitude quake centered in the Irving area occurred 36 minutes later.
Law enforcement agencies across northern Texas said they received some 911 calls from concerned residents but no reports of damage.
Irving police spokesman David Tull said his agency received about 25 calls around midnight from people inquiring about the vibrations, which set off car and building alarms.
Grand Prairie and Fort Worth officials also reported no damage. "We just learned about it on the news this morning,” said Dawn Atkins, a Grand Prairie emergency dispatcher.
USGS geophysicist Randy Baldwin said the quakes, which lasted only a few seconds, most likely felt "like a lightly loaded truck passing by, kind of a sharp jerk and then a rapid vibration."
Irving resident Christine Laughland said she was sleeping when the earthquake woke her up. She's from California and wasn't too shocked by the vibrations. But she couldn't say the same thing for her dogs.
“They were barking hysterically because it was their first one,” she said.
Randy Owens, a Starbucks employee in Grand Prairie, said he didn't feel it but that it was the buzz among his customers this morning. "Many were saying they were surprised they didn't feel anything," he said.
Reports of the quake also came from Dallas, Euless and Hurst and Fort Worth, Mr. Baldwin said. Aftershocks could last several days. There is also a possibility of more smaller quakes in the coming days that no one would likely feel.

By ARLINDA ARRIAGA / The Dallas Morning News

Kickin it up a notch

138 days. 19 weeks 5 days. 2 big holidays. I've been working on it - but need to step it up a notch or 2 or 3. I wish that healthy food was as cheap as unhealthy food. We do the Isagenix shakes for breakfast and eat sensibly calorie wise - but we aren't eating the kinds of things we would be eating if I had the money to go buy fresh fruit and veggies all the time from Central Market. Just need to stay focused and increase the exercise portion. I'm cutting out sodas - even diet ones as of tomorrow. Water, water, water....maybe some coffee and tea thrown in for variety. Maybe after the wedding I can drink coffee more regularly - but I don't to make my teeth any less white for the wedding.

Beautiful little Taylor has given me baby fever. 4 1/2 months till the wedding - then - who knows - maybe we will have a bundle of joy next year or the year after. I need to be a lot further along on my goals before that becomes a reality...but I really don't want to wait. What a paradox. The only common factor is me stepping up my pace to really escalate my weight loss as much as possible.

John is so funny - he wants to have an even number of kids - so it's either 2 or 4 - I'm shooting for 4. I absolutely cannot wait - though after Julie's struggles - maybe I'm not as sure as I thought I was on the whole doing it natural thing. Will need to do more research....

What a year of changes - some very bad - some very good. More good changes to come...

Whiny employees

I'm over it. I really am. You are adults. Please act accordingly.

No more lurking! :)

It's time to speak up faithful readers!! Show some love and leave some comments. I know you are out there!! :) I can see you!!

Rambling (Wo)man

Another week has flown by. This was a whirlwind of stuff at work mixed with resuming our pre-marital counseling mixed with making wedding plans and anticipting the arrival of my niece.

This weekend - we have a cake testing with a different bakery. Then I'm moved on to a candle party at some friends house - then I really want to try to load some of my cds into itunes and sell them back to cd warehouse.

I sold a couple items on eBay and re-listed the rest. Those items that sold I need to get ready to ship.

Maybe we can go back to the storage unit and look for more items to get rid of or sell.

I found the apartments that I want to move into. It's literally across the street from where John lives now but so much nicer. Plus - no power lines surrounding the complex - just a safety precaution.

John's boss is on vacation next week. I'm hoping that my little niece can hold off a few days so that John can make the trip with me. For one reason - he really really wants to go - and for a second reason - that's sure a long drive by myself....Worth it - yes!! but long just the same.

I'm tired. This morning I got up early to take my car to the dealership. I still haven't heard from them. I hope whatever it is that needs to be fixed won't be very expensive.

Dear eBay

Dear eBay

I know we have had our issues in the past. I'm willing to overlook that to see if we can salvage our relationship. I currently have 6 items listed to sell. Please help them to have higher selling prices than I imagined. Thank you.
Sincerely

Former eBay franchisee

Wise words from Lorelai...

"Rory, my heart. It is Saturday,
the day of rest."
"Sunday’s the day of rest."
"No, Saturday is the day of pre-rest."
"Pre-rest?"
"Yeah, so that way when you actually get to Sunday you’re rested enough to enjoy your rest."

- Lorelai, to Rory,
trying to stay in bed

Layers of me

LAYER ONE:
Name: Jennifer
Birth date: April 13
Birthplace: Iowa
Current Location: Irving, TX
Eye Color: Green
Hair Color: Dark Blonde
Height: 5′6''
Righty or Lefty: Righty
Zodiac Sign: Aries if you believe in this garbage

LAYER TWO:
Your heritage: I'm a mutt.
The shoes you wore today: Black sandles
Your weakness: Starbucks, decorating, chocolate, wedding stuff, baby stuff.
Your fears: Losing someone I love, not being successful.
Your perfect pizza: Canadian bacon and pineapple
Goal you’d like to achieve: Pay off debt, buy a house, a new car, have kids, travel to Europe

LAYER THREE:
Your most overused phrase on AIM: lol
Your first waking thoughts: 5 more minutes
Your best physical feature: Smile
What you miss the most: I miss the innocence of being a child.

LAYER FOUR:
Pepsi or Coke: Coke
McDonald’s or Burger King: McDonald's
Single or group dates: Both are fun
Adidas or Nike: Either
Lipton Ice Tea or Nestea: Lipton.
Chocolate or vanilla: Chocolate!
Cappuccino or coffee: Cappuccino

LAYER FIVE:
Smoke: No
Cuss: Not often
Sing: All the time.
Take a shower everyday: Yes!
Do you think you’ve been in love: Yep.
Want to go to college: Been there done that - had a BLAST!
Liked high school: It was alright, but not a memory I want to relive.
Want to get married: Yup - in 6 months!
Believe in yourself: Yes.
Get motion sickness: Sometimes.
Think you’re attractive: Sometimes.
Think you’re a health freak: I'm trying to be better.
Get along with your parent(s): My parents are awesome!!
Like thunderstorms: Love them!
Play an instrument: I used to be able to play the clarinet.

LAYER SIX:
In the past month…
Drank Alcohol: Yes
Smoked: No
Done a drug: No
Made out: Yup
Gone on a date: Yup
Gone to the mall: Yes
Eaten an entire box of Oreos: Eh, no.
Eaten sushi: No
Been on stage: No
Been dumped: No
Gone skating: No
Made homemade cookies: No
Gone skinny dipping: No
Dyed your hair: No - But I need to!!
Stolen anything: No

LAYER SEVEN:
Age you hope to be married: I will get married at age 31 :)
Numbers and Names of Children: TBD when I get preggers lol
Describe your Dream Wedding: As we are doing it - but me with a model figure!
How do you want to die: In my sleep a long time from now
Where you want to go to college: I went to Texas A&M - Class of 99!! WHOOP!!
What do you want to be when you grow up: Good question
What country would you most like to visit: Spain, Greece, Italy, France, Ireland

LAYER EIGHT:
Number of people I could trust with my life: 10
Number of CDs that I own: Too many
Number of piercing: Just ears. (2 in each)
Number of tattoos: 0
Number of times my name has appeared in the newspaper: hmm once?
Number of scars on my body: No idea.
Number of things in my past that I regret: Nothing. I am who I am because of my past.

To Do...

This week I have got to try to take some time off to get some things fixed. I have to get my dishwasher looked at so it will stop randomly filling up. I also need to get my car fixed. My poor little car has been benched for the week because I didn't have time to mess with having it towed and fixed last week. Luckily I get to drive John's dad's truck in the mean time - though my car is sitting there with a full tank of gas in it....unable to start - while the truck guzzles gas like there is no tomorrow.... Hopefully Houston will be fully functional this week!! Hopefully lots of people went to look at my place this weekend - and an offer will be pending this week!! I made a wedding to do list of just the things that I need to make - I need to get on the ball - less than 6 months to go!!!

New blog decor

I love changing things...testing new creative skills and finding new tools to improve upon the present. As much as I like this new design - I'll probably change it in a month or two also if not before... A girl has got to have variety!!!

In the Blink of an Eye...9/11/01

9/11 It seems like only yesterday that September 11th only had the meaning of the day after September 10th and day before September 12th. 7 years ago - that changed forever. I was getting ready for work when the first plane hit. Either I had a cd playing or it was silent. I think I was staying at my parents house because I was between living in my apt and living in my newly purchased under renovation condo. I think Jen and I officially moved in to the apt the week after 9/11. When I got in the car I had the radio on and it took me a few minutes into my 15 minute commute to determine what had happened. The radio djs were in shock and were talking but talking as if listeners had been tuning in all along. I got to work and tried to get on some internet site to figure out but there was so much traffic that cnn was full. We didn't have tvs, but tried to listen on the radio. I have family in DC. After they announced about the Pentagon - I called my aunt. My uncle was a former Capitol Hill Officer, and my cousin was an active Capitol Hill Officer. I thought one of my other cousins worked down in the same general area. My aunt and uncle had just gotten back in town the night before. He was at the Dentist and she was doing laundry. No TV/Radio on....When I called and asked how everyone was doing - she thought it was just an every day question...she was trying to figure out why I called...if maybe there was something wrong with Grandma. I explained that I had called because a plane just crashed into the Pentagon and wanted to make sure that everyone was safe. Her response was classic..."My Pentagon?" A few more details and she wanted to make sure the line was clear for her girls to call. She later told me it was good that I called because they were so upset when they called that she would not have been able to figure out what was going on. They were evacuating all the large cities. I just kept wondering if the planes they were trying to ground were taken hostage too and if they were planning on crashing them into each major city around the country. It was such a vulnerable feeling.


My parents were over in Hawaii on vacation. Because of the time difference - they were in bed. They ended up having to stay a few days longer in Hawaii because the planes were grounded. Now it may seem dreamy to have a forced extended vacation - but when something like this happens and your kids are freaking out and you are an ocean away...it's not too relaxing.


I went to a prayer meeting at my church that night. The next few days were so surreal. No planes in the sky. No one talked of anything else. I was glued to my TV. Trying to figure out who this Osama person was that they kept talking about. Astonished. Horrified. Devestated.


I remember feeling unsafe in my own country for the first time ever. Sure you feel a little iffy if you are in a bad neighborhood or see a scary movie - but this - was a living nightmare. What if they came back? How had they gotten here? Why? Where and how would they strike next? Is our water safe? Is the mail safe? Will we fly again?


As the years have gone by - I have met a few people who were directly impacted by 9/11. When I had my QuikDrop franchise - one of the fellow owners in NY had lost a brother and maybe a cousin (I can't remember). Her husband was one of the NYC cops...


I guess every generation has things that are forever transfixed in your mind. My parents generation had Kennedy, my grandparents generation had Pearl Harbor, - 9/11 is ours.


7 years later - have we really changed all that much? We've gone to war. We've done some good there. But do we really feel safer here? Not really. Is there imminent danger - probably not - but just as we all saw 7 years ago - things can change in the blink of an eye.


We need to make the most of the time we have here. The time with our loved ones.


We have not forgotten.
Though our stories are different - we are all the same - we are friends, we are family, we are Americans. We are human beings. We are all in this together.

Seriously!?!

There are times in life where there is only one word that seems appropriate.....

Twilight Zone

Ugh....Seriously? A little bit of reality would be good here, don' t you think? Sorry I can't elaborate....It's just bizarre!!

Psalm 23 Video

DIE WASPS DIE!!!

There is a monstrous wasp nest right outside the door on John's back porch. I believe I referenced this in my freak out session in a prior post. John sprayed it tonight....one got inside....hopefully the rest will wither away. Might need to retreat tomorrow. Yuk!! They need to just go away!!!