Random I know...

Does anyone else ever wonder what your "blog" friends voices sound like? I have "blog" friends from all over - Arkansas, NYC, LA, Seattle, Maine etc - I just wonder what everyone sounds like...like I said...Random.

Top 2 Tuesday....dates

It is Top 2 Tuesday again....this week it is...

Top 2 Dates

1. I am a very sentimental person. I can't help it. I love to remember the past and I love the little things in life. When someone remembers something I have said and brings it up later it just melts my heart. Point in case- this date happened the weekend before last. As one can see in my blog I have a list of 101 things to do in 1001 days. One of them was visit a lighthouse. I had mentioned this to B a long time ago. There is a lighthouse about 70 miles from where we live and I said next time we are in that area I wanted to stop by and see it. Well we never did that. Instead, while I went out to San Diego to visit him we were hiking and looking at the ocean and just happened to come across a light house. I wanted to cry. I just find the little things in life to be so wonderful and for him to have remembered just melted my heart. Like I said, not over the top, just thoughtful. Just the way I like it.

2. Our Coffee dates. I love them. In college B and I would meet up at Starbucks and just catch up with one another and how life was going. Now, we don't do coffee as much together, but I love when we take a moment get a cup and just talk. Like I said, I am sentimental :)

Fill in the blank...

1. One fashion trend I really regret is those babydoll tshirts back in the early 90s. THe ones with like a sunflower in the middle of your chest!

2. The one thing that always completes any outfit is earrings and lipstick/gloss. My grandmother always told me- a lady with holes in her ears and no earrings and a lady without lipstick is a lady that doesn't want to be noticed. While I don't always agree, I see her point :)

3. I would describe my personal style as somewhat preppy and somewhat classic. Like I don't wear pink and green but I also don't wear super trendy. I like dresses, cardigans and classic staples in jewel tones.

4. My fashion muse is I don't really have one...hmm

5. If I could own one designer piece of clothing it would be classic Manolo pumps and the mary janes.

6. I would love to raid the wardrobe of Lynn Wyatt- if you are in Houston you know who she is. Yes she is an older socialite but wow amazing fashion...and I love Tinsley's wardrobe! She always looks so cute and put together.

7. Today I am wearing a dress and a cardigan with cute little sandals. Told you I loved dresses!

Pep talk

One of my friends is going through a horrible break up- actually you could say that she was the "other woman" but she never knew she was. She sent her boyfriend of 6 months a text message one evening and his girlfriend responded. She thought they were exclusive- they had that conversation. He told my friend that he didn't know who to choose...what a jerk.

So I formulated a pep talk for her - It is strange how a year can change everything. My life is nothing like it was last year. I am in such a different place- I am in an incredibly loving relationship that I wouldn't trade for anything.

Here is what I said to her:

Do not talk to him. Whenever I wanted to talk to the ex and did it was worse - when I finally said no. I got better - not right away- but better and I rose above all the drama and everything else.

In the end - it didn't matter why he did what he did. I always wanted answers and the thing is the answers would not have made everything else ok. It wouldn't have helped.

It mattered that I was hurt and I needed to feel better.

Here is the thing - you gotta go cold turkey- no weaning. Just say f off, goodbye, good riddance. And it is not easy – you of all people know that last year it was not easy for me.

The day my ex and I broke up last year was one of the best days of my life. I didn't know it then, but I know it now. I know how miserable I was and how much more I deserved.

1 year without him. 1 year and look how much better it is.

The feeling that I got when it was all over was I am better than that. It is very rare that I will say that I am a better person than someone else, but I am better than him. I am a better, nicer, smarter and overall a better human being than him. And to be honest...you are better than your ex.

Here is why - There is only one reason that I will say I am better than the ex and you are better than your ex. Because neither you nor I would ever do that to someone. Ever.

It has been an incredible journey. I learned so much about myself. Mostly though- I know I lost me. I love myself. I love that I laugh all the time, I love that I am honest with myself about everything. I love that even though I can whine, complain and be kinda cranky at times, that I am true to me. I don't worry about how I affect others because I know that I bring a good person to the table- so I cannot affect them negatively.

THAT is what I want for you. Of course I want you to fall in love (and you will). I want you to at some point be in a wonderful caring relationship like I am, but truly what I want for you is the power to be yourself again. To stand up for yourself and demand someone to be just as great as you are to them to you. Because honestly- I didn't know that I could demand that- I didn't know it existed.

Top 2 Tuesday

Top 2 things you want to do before you die

1. Live in Europe

2. Backpack- a serious backpacking trip in Europe, Asia, Australia - somewhere at least 3 weeks with my husband...disclaimer- I suppose getting married should be here so that at some point I would have a husband to do this with..HA! I love adventure and I hope whomever my husband to be is- he loves it more than I do so that I can truly enjoy new things!

48, 63 and 69

I haven't uploaded the pictures yet...but I just came back from La Jolla.

B and I had a wonderful time. I truly have such an incredibly amazing boyfriend. I hope everyone is as lucky as I am.

We had a wonderful and romantic weekend. We saw a lighthouse, went hiking, had great wine, great food and truly I love every second I am with him. From laughing about our BRIGHT RED convertible, to watching the waves crash, to watching the sunset, sleeping in, walking around town- I am so lucky.

It was a wonderful romantic getaway.

RL friends

I have a RL friend that follows me now...HI C!!! ;) I hope you and baby C are doing well in Vegas! :)

I've been busy...

So I was out of pocket the past 2 days because.....

I BOUGHT A CAR!!!

Now it needs a Longhorn emblem and I'm good to go! ;)

Top 2 Tuesday (or Monday in this case!)

It is that time of the week again...Top 2 Tuesday!!!

Top 2 Dream Houses!

1. I'd love to live in Italy!

2. I'd love to live in Paris!

What are yours?

Manners

Janice is having a giveaway...go check it out! :) You are welcome!

Fill in the Blank Friday

Lauren has another ....

1. My favorite book growing up was...... Heidi and The Giving Tree...true classics.

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2. The funniest book I've ever read was.....I have no idea. I loved the Shopoholic series and thought they were funny :)

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3. The one book that has truly changed my life is .... The Secret. It isn't that I truly believe in everything the book says - what I do believe in is this - if you are a happy person you will surround yourself with happy people. The whole you get what you put out in the universe I do actually believe in.

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4. If you're looking for a real "tear jerker" you should probably read.....A Walk to Remember

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5. If I could meet any author living or dead I would want to meet Mark Twain and Harper Lee. They wrote about books that truly changed people. Forward thinkers.

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6. The next book on my "to read" list is the Oprah unofficial biography- the Kitty Kelley one - it was at the used bookstore ALREADY and therefore I just HAD to get it. It was $4...you tell me you wouldn't be interested ;)

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7. If I was snowed into remote cabin in the woods and could only choose three books to bring with me I'd bring... Eat, Pray, Love, Mansfield Park and Huckleberry Finn

Cinco de Mayo fun

While this blog is mostly for fun and for my 101 in 1001 list - I slowly see that it has also become a way for me to remember my life. It is fun to look back and see and remember good times (and bad!).

Cinco de Mayo was so much fun last night - mostly because of B. (of course)

The day started off kinda scary actually! I was at his place because I had 2 meetings by his house yesterday. So as I was blow drying my hair Roxy started barking...so I turned off the blowdryer and told her to hush. Then I heard the front gate slam closed. I thought to myself "thats weird" but figured someone was leaving a flyer at the door or something. Then I started blowdrying my hair again. Rox then went crazy. So I turned off the blowdryer and heard the next door neighbors house alarm going off. Then I heard someone yell "oh shit" and THEN the scary part- they went running on the roof of B's place to escape! So I have a very overactive imagination- so I called B and he told me to call the cops (why I called him first I don't know) but anyway it took the cops 34 minutes to arrive...I'm glad no one got in!

Needless to say it was a crazy morning.

I met B and one of his co-workers for lunch and I was still shaking...my hair didn't get done and I went makeupless...thank god I have good skin! ;)

Then I went to my meeting and met B back up at his place after work. He hugged me and we chatted and we watched the rest of the Lovely Bones (scary but great book!) It was fun. I wasn't feeling particularly in the mood to put makeup on and get all fancied up so I said "does my face need any make up?" and he said "your face is always beautiful" or something like that...you have to know that B isn't really a word kinda person so I think whenever I hear him say things like that it makes my heart melt. Yes...it is that easy to make my day.

Then we met up with friends for Mexican food and too many margaritas.

B and I got there early so we enjoyed a margarita on the patio and just chatted (about lovely things like the new law in Arizona...always a great drinking topic ha!) and truly I just feel so fabulous when we are together. We drank and ate dinner with his friends (I mean I guess they are my friends too but they were his friends first) ;) Overall a fantastic night...

I so wish he wasn't out of town now...I'll start missing him in a few days! ;)

La Jolla, California

La Jolla:

Have any of you been?

B is going to be there for work soon and I will be joining him at the end of the trip for a few days...while I am sure he will have things planned (he's been there countless times before) any ideas would be great!

We are staying here

...a girl could get used to this kind of life ;) (just kidding!) But I will say I am very excited about this little getaway...it will fulfill #45 on my list!

Top 2 Tuesday

It is Top 2 Tuesday over at Taylor's again....

Top 2 Things You Splurge On

1. Wine...I know this makes me sound snobby and like an alcoholic but I enjoy a really good glass/bottle of wine. It is the way B and I unwind from a week.

2. Make up - I can't help it - I could spend hours/days in Sephora. Granted I am not allowed to because of this but one day I will be back! It is so stupid but for some reason I don't think drugstore makeup is as good as Sephora makeup- and I know that is wrong! :)

Fantastic Weekend

This weekend included lots of my favorites!


Saturday B and I headed to meet some friends at the Texas Exes Crawfish boil...crawfish and Texas Exes all in one...could it be any better?



Then we headed to the Racepark to make bets on the Derby - I was a big $6 winner! :)


Afterwards we all went for great seafood and then to watch the fight..where I promptly fell asleep.




Sunday brought gorgeous sun and B playing in his garage- and me sitting in a chair hoping his SUV doesn't fall on him while he put the lift he got for his birthday on it.


Then we headed to our favorite wine bar to sip chardonnay and talk....

then sushi date...

wrapped up with sangria at Muldoons!

All in all a fabulous weekend!