5 Days!!!

If you have ask what happens in 5 days, then you are not from the South.  I am counting down the days until ARKANSAS FOOTBALL starts!!!  I cannot wait!!


The people of south would say Fall is our favorite season and that is because it is college football season.  I know people in the north do not quite understand our football craziness, but they don’t know what they are missing out on.  Michael and I lived in Chicago for awhile and one day I was asked by a co-worker why Southern States get so crazy about College football.  Let me explain for those who just don’t understand.


When we talk about Southern College Football, we are talking about the SEC.  South Eastern Conference.  The SEC is the strongest and best conference.  It is made up of 9 states and 12 schools. 


West Division:
Arkansas – University of Arkansas, Razorbacks
Mississippi – Ole Miss, Rebels/Bears & Mississippi State, Bulldogs
Louisiana – LSU, Tigers
Alabama – Alabama, Crimson Tide & Auburn, Tigers


East Division:
Georgia – University of Georgia, Bulldogs
Florida – University of Florida, Gators
South Carolina – University of South Carolina, Gamecocks
Kentucky – University of Kentucky, Wildcats
Tennessee – Vanderbilt, Commodores & University of Tennessee, Volunteers


So, again why are we college football crazy?  Most football craziness in other states comes in the form of the NFL games.  Well, in our 9 SEC states, only 4 of them currently have NFL football teams.  If you take out the Tennessee Titans, who moved to Tennessee in 1997, then 3 of the 9 had teams.  What does that mean for the south?  We love sports and since the majority of our states do not have NFL teams, we have to back our college teams. 


We, the SEC, will always cheer for any other SEC school unless they are playing your team.  This is probably why, since 1998 when the BCS Championship Game was created, the SEC has won 7 National Championship games and the next closest division is the Big 12 with 2 wins.  We have the best players and the best teams, and we continue to show why we are the greatest conference.  The fans are the best.  The ladies are the hottest and we definitely take tailgating to the next level.  If you have never been to an SEC tailgate then you are missing out.  The girls wear their cutest outfits that will match their school colors perfectly.  Their makeup will be prefect and the hair will be done.  The food will be perfect, the men will be grilling and the ladies will handle setup and cleanup and of course the socializing with all the guests and other random drop bys.  We welcome anyone and everyone to stop in and grab a bite to eat.  People might say we go over the top, but I call it normal.

5 DAYS AND COUNTING……WPS!!!!   

Hurricane Irene’s Weekend Damper

It is all over the news, Irene is going to hit the east coast.  The plan was for a little vacation in NYC this weekend.  It is really sad, and I am pretty bummed about not going to NYC.  Michael and I sat back and really looked at the storm and a few other factors including Michael needing to be somewhere next Tuesday for work, and decided to postpone our little trip.  We made this decision yesterday.  I was really upset about not seeing friends this weekend.  I have been looking forward to it for weeks. 

We decided it would not be a fun trip if it was storming the whole time.  We also decided it was kind of silly to go into a possibly dangerous situation.  I am sure it will be nothing or not as bad as they are predicting, but I thought if I knew a tornado was in the town next to us, would I drive there?  No.  Michael has been in a hurricane before, and at one point said it could be fun.  I think Michael realized he could get stuck there and since he has to be somewhere Tuesday morning for work, it became more clear.  I could work from anywhere, so I didn’t worry about work.  I woke up yesterday morning with horrible pain in my ear.  I went to the doctor and was told I have an ear infection.  How old am I?  The doctor told me it was probably a good thing I wasn’t going to be flying today, as my eardrum might have burst.  That would not have been a fun flight.  I am on medicine for it, but I guess Irene is a blessing in disguise. 

We will go to NYC in a few more weeks, which is okay, but it is sad at the same time.  I will get re-excited in due time. I am hoping our friends will still love us visiting in a few more weeks.   

Gabby–Happy Hump Day!

Gabby had a little photo session yesterday.  She is such a good little model.  Our friends' little girl is going back to “school” and at this school they have a wall of pets.  It is such a cute idea.  All the kids get to bring in a picture of their pet and place it on the wall.  Well, Stella doesn’t have a pet that lives at her house, but she does have Gabby.  I am pretty sure Stella’s first words went something like Daddy, Mommy, Gabby.  She loves Gabby and kisses her and hugs her all the time.  They are best friends.  Gabby is Stella’s best friend and I have decided Gabby will love her a lot more when she throws a ball further than a foot.  Since technically Stella doesn’t have her own pet, Rachel asked me if they could put Gabby up there.  I, of course, said yes. Stella loves Gabby so much and will be walking around school now saying Gabby Gabby Gabby.  She even grabs my phone and talks to Gabby or the picture of Gabby on my phone.


I wanted Stella to have a good clear picture of Gabby for her wall.  I have tons of Gabby pictures but a lot of them have me or Michael in them.  Photo Session time.  I had Gabby sit and get pictures.  Gabby will stay in one position for a long time if I tell her to stay, so it was quick and easy.  I got two good choices for Stella.  Hopefully she enjoy Gabby’s company at school. 

Late last night, Michael and I gave Gabby her Kong.  We always put peanut butter and a bone in it for her.  She gets all the peanut butter out fast and then works on getting the bone out.  This could take hours, so it is great when we are wanting to relax.  I took this video of Gabby last night trying to get her bone out.  I think she is pretty smart, trying different ways to get the bone out.

N Y C

Who needs a vacation?  Michael and I do!!  Well, I worked on a surprise for Michael a few weeks ago.  Michael has been working long hours for probably the last month and a half.  I know I travel a lot for work, but working long hours is like a tease.  I would see him a few hours a night and typically he was exhausted from work and just wanted to veg out.  Since, I work from the house, I am almost always dying to get out of the house come 5:00.  Even if it is a trip to the gym or a walk around the block, I must get out of the house! I occasionally have a freak out of GET ME OUT OF HERE!!!  We both are hitting that point.  I kept thinking we have Hawaii coming up in a few months, we don’t need to go anywhere, but then it hit me.  We have to get away from Arkansas.  Michael and I typically take 3 vacations a year.  Yes, I know that sounds like a lot, but most of the time 1 or 2 of those are long weekend trips. 

So, I wanted to surprise Michael with a trip out of the state.  I started looking at quick trips to the beach or mountains.  Nothing was jumping out at me.  Then I started thinking we should go to Chicago.  Oh how I miss it during the summers and I miss my boutiques.  Then I got the brilliant idea to go visit Michael’s best friend and my good friend in NYC.  Yes that would be PERRRRRFECT!  I started texting Zack and Peggy with two possible weekend choices.  From there, I had to get Michael off work.  Funny thing is that I don’t have his boss’s phone number or email address.  I was going to have to use my sales skills and find out.  Michael actually has two bosses that would have to be informed.  I contacted the wife of Michael’s friend who also works at his company.  Thank goodness, she was able to get me the information.  I contacted them and they said yes!  So, I jumped on it.  Flights were booked, with miles, and the ideas started!  I was thinking I would wait and pack for Michael and tell him the morning we left.  I thought it would be amazing to see his face.  Well, my mom reminded me I have a dog.  Boo Gabby!  I have to make arrangements for her to go to my parent’s house for the weekend.  Michael is sure to wonder why I am taking the dog to their house.  Instead, I made a plan to let him in on my surprise. 

I first made a cute card that said SURPRISE!  I went to the store and bought the biggest red apple I could find, and since none were big I bought three.  I hate fruit so he is sure to catch onto my plan.  Lastly, I placed a taxi cab globe my friend Peggy got me from NYC and it says NYC.  When Michael read the SURPRISE on the card, he looked scared, I think he thought I was trying to tell him we were preggers.  NO WAY!!!  Michael come on Taxi Cab APPLES!!!  Really!  Anyway he opened the card and read it and looked at me and said REALLY, WHEN?  I told him everything was done, flights booked, work knows, and we are staying with Zack.  He couldn’t believe it.  He just kept saying I haven’t seen Zack since Christmas.  I knew going to NYC would be exciting, but Michael was beyond excited!  Michael needs the break from work and so do I.  I can’t wait to leave Arkansas and relax, party, and go SHOPPING!!!!  I know this is really a trip for Michael, but with the terrible shopping here I can’t wait to get my new fall wardrobe.  We get to see good friends and have good food!  I couldn’t ask for a better mini vaca. 

Happy Monday, Ya’ll!

This was a good weekend to relax before the next few weeks start.  I am very excited Michael and I have 3-4 day work weeks in a row.  Michael this weekend was go go go.  He couldn’t stand to sit for 5 minutes.  Friday night his monthly poker night, and I love to hate that day.  On Friday, I went to see a brand new super cute baby boy with my friend Rachel.  We took them dinner and coo’d at the baby.  Then we rented a girly movie and relaxed.  Why do I hate poker night?  Well, really I love the time I get at the house or time I get to go out and do something girly, but it is a late night normally (late night = good poker/ win money night) and Gabby and I hate sleeping without Michael.  Gabby barks at every little noise thinking he is home, which scares me every single time.  One would think I would get use to it waking me up, but my heart just goes crazy. 

Saturday, Michael ditched me to go play golf with his buddies.  It was supposed to be a short golf day and I was okay with that because my brother was in town.  YAY!!  He came all the way up from Fort Smith to be a GREAT brother and fix my broken ice dispenser in my fridge.  And yes, he fixed it!!!  Love him for that.  As his payment, I treated him to HammonTrees, which is fantastic, for lunch.  I wish my brother lived in Fayetteville, and we could hang out more often, even though he would probably hate hanging with me all the time.  Saturday night became date night for Michael and I.  He came home from a long day of golf and apologized as soon as he through the front door.  He thought it was going to be a 9-hole golf game but the people he went with wanted 18-holes.  That goes from a few hours to all day really fast.  He told me we could go get sushi and a movie.  He knew I could never be mad at him, especially when good sushi is involved.  Plus I got to pick the movie.  Payback!  Just joking.  He took me to see a movie I have been dying to see…The Help.  I read the book for book club, but then missed the book club meeting where they went to go see the movie.  Girls, take your men to see the movie.  Michael liked it.  Plus the movie theater was full, and it wasn’t just girls.  Great book and great movie. 

Sunday, was housekeeping day.  We mowed and took care of household chores.  It was an all day process.  I made dinner Sunday night for us and the neighbors.  The boys play wiffle ball and the girls talked.  Then…Michael’s cousin, Lindsey, came over.  She has been in South Africa ALL summer.  Boy have I missed that girl!!!  She told us all about her trip and filled us in on her starting grad school and all the important stuff.  We decided to go to Braum’s and get ice cream.  I forget about Braum’s all the time.  I need to remember their ice cream next time I am craving something cold.  It was so great to visit with her.  I am so glad she is home!  Well, off to do some work!  Happy Monday!   

Agility Training

I am thinking about getting Gabby an agility training kit.  She needs something new to learn and I have been trying to think of new useful tricks to teach her.  So, I was telling my best friend, Veronica, this last night and she suggested getting Gabby an agility training kit off amazon.  I think it is a great idea. 

What exactly comes in an agility kit?  Well, in the ones I am looking into, they have a tunnel, weave poles, and a high jump.  They have some with a few more items, but I am thinking a simple kit to start would be fun.  We have a fairly big backyard, and we would have plenty of space to setup the course and still enjoy the backyard. 

Everyday Michael and Gabby go into the backyard and play Frisbee.  She can catch them in the air, and watching her is so fun.  We clap and cheer her on, which makes her want to catch them even more.  I need to get a video of her catching the frisbee, because I swear she uses her front legs to grab the frisbee and raise it to her mouth.  So, I know if we have this agility course she will get excited to do things to make us happy.  She is such a people pleaser.  I just need to decide which kit I want to buy and get it here!  Below is a sample picture of a kit, I found on Google.  

Hypochondriac

My Mom would totally call me one of these.  I am the worst sick person ever.  I hate being sick and boy would I let her know.  If I don’t get enough sleep I feel sick.  Seriously!  I feel sick until I shower and eat.  In the morning, if I shower and dry my hair before I eat I could lose my dinner.  I get to hot and I blame it on my little frame.  Me and my healthy self…well we are not that healthy.  I have high cholesterol.  Yes, I do.  I have been trying to eat healthy, but eating healthy requires grocery shopping smart and I am bad at getting healthy food.  Healthy food just doesn’t taste as good as the unhealthy stuff.  Anyway.  Why am I a hypochondriac this week?

Sunday, I was being a good little wife and cooking lunch.  I pulled out my cutting board and my other cutting board fell out with it and dropped right on my foot.  It hurt! I finished cooking and didn’t think twice about it.  Then Michael and I went for a swim and my foot was a little swollen and discolored.  Oh well right.  I could walk just fine.  We went for a walk the next night and I thought halfway through I might kill over from the throbbing in my foot.  So, we cut it short and went home.  Then yesterday, my poor baby wanted to play sooooo bad.  I mean could you have said no to this face.

I couldn’t and took her outside to play frisbee.  Her favorite! We usually jump a lot during frisbee play, because it wears her out faster.  Well, Gabby accidentally jumped on my hurt foot.  I officially thought I was going to die.  I couldn’t breath and immediately went inside with my cute concerned dog following behind me.  I couldn’t put weight on my foot and it was swelling and it hurt so bad I was trying not to throw up.  Gross I know.  Poor Gabby wouldn’t come near me out of fear of my pain.  I thought, it has to be broken.  I called my mom and told her, and she thinks I am silly and doesn’t assist me in thinking it is broken.  I called Michael who told me to go to the doctor.  NO!  My thought is that it is the middle of my foot on top, they can’t do anything for me if it is broken.  So, I just lay in misery until I took Gabby to the neighbors to get some entertainment.  It is a very pretty color today with a few marks that look like they would fit Gabby’s claws.

It isn’t broken, and walking today around the house isn’t painful.  Thank goodness.  Just a bad bruise.  But more reasons why I don’t jump to go to the doctor every time I have an ache or pain…it usually is worse in my head.  Yes, therefore my mother can call me a hypochondriac and it is probably a good thing she never let me stay home from school unless I had a fever or was throwing up.   

I hate Snakes

I hate snakes.  I don’t like to find them in my yard and when I do find them in the yard, I expect for them to die.  If you are an animal lover I am sorry, snakes are my one and only creature I hate with a passion.  I don’t even mind most spiders (as long as they are little and not a black widow).  This summer Michael and I have found several snakes and one black widow.  It gives me the chills just thinking about this.  I don’t know what kinds of snakes are bad or good, nor do I really take time when I see one in my yard.  I usually turn running and screaming. 

So, last night I was being a really good wife and helping Michael mow the lawn.  I mow and he uses the weedeater and when he is done then he comes and takes over.  Well, it took longer for him to weedeat last night, and I had started our backyard.  I usually don’t even finish the front before he is done.  A deal is a deal, so I continued with the backyard and I went right over/past the snake twice and didn’t even see him.  I should add by the time I started the backyard it was dark.  As Michael weedeated next to the fence he saw it move.  It was black with an orange stripe and it was 3 feet long.  Yucky yucky yucky!!!  Of course, Michael wants to save the snake while I am screaming kill it kill it.  He told me it wasn’t harmful, and I kept saying how do you know.  I don’t want it to get Gabby…OR ME!  Even with my objections, Michael took the snake and got it into a bucket and took him to the woods.

I will never mow EVER again.  Unless it is daylight outside and our grass isn’t 6 inches in a few places.  Going to go buy some Snake-Away today! 

This is one of the first snakes Michael saved.This is the snake we found last night…

Best Trick EVER

Michael says this is the best trick we ever taught Gabby.  Now, don't ask me how we taught her it, because I really don't know.  We give her baths regularly and we always placed a towel in our hallway.  We would tap the floor and we would get her down low and then dry her off.  We would always say dry off, and one day she started to do it herself.  She does it at the pool and after bath time.  I can't get her to do it when she is dry, but she will do it wet every time.  This video is from this morning at my Mom's house.  It is raining and wet outside.

Call Me Old Fashioned

So, as I have mentioned before it is HOT here!  I have long hair and I love my long hair.  I would never cut it.  Okay, that’s a lie I would cut it but I love it long and so does Michael.  He tells me if I cut it then that’s bait and switch…haha.  He also says this about my hair color. 

I spend the majority of my summers with my hair up.  It is hot and as a lady with my hair down I glisten more.  Yes, glisten.  Ladies of the south do not sweat we glisten.  I am not good at doing my hair.  In fact, I stink at doing my hair.  I have long, thin, straight hair.  Unless I let it air dry and I have a nappy wave in my hair.  That style is so not cute except when I am on the beach, and then it is fun.  So, how do I normally do my hair?  Pigtail braids or a bun.  Sometimes I get fancy and do my old school “princess leia” look.  Not the name I would have picked, see below, but someone nicknamed it that in school. 

Did I mention I stink at doing my own hair?  People always try and tell me how easy doing their own hair is and I laugh because I am a fool when it comes to my own.  My cousin, my hairdresser/friend, and even a few friends always tell me how easy and fun my hair is to play with, and I just let them.  I will let anyone play with my hair.  You want to do my hair, go ahead and style away.  I watch very eagerly when people do my hair and then I will try it later.  It will end in failure each and every time.

With that, I have been trying new things.  First, I love doing my hair wet in the summer.  It keeps me cooler.  The pigtail braids are perfect for wet hair and easy, hence why I do it a lot. A friend told me that some say braids are old fashioned (even though she likes them).  Well I must be super old fashioned because I love them in the summer.  Here are a couple NEW ways I am doing my hair this summer.  Please note I do these on my own and take my own pictures.  Please excuse the random bobby pins that happen to be sticking out.  The pictures pointed those out and I pushed them back into hiding. 

This style I wore to a party for Michael’s work.

I did this one for fun one day when it was blazing outside and I was bored.

Weekend Project

Michael told me a should explain my “take care of your pets” rant from yesterday.  Our neighbor has been leaving their dog (that is an inside/outside dog) out during the day the last two days and he has very limited shady spots.  I hear him barking and growling all day.  I would go bring him to my house, he has gotten out in the past and ended up at our house, but he is aggressive and tried to bite Gabby once.  Anyway, on to better things.

This last weekend I went to my parents house.  We are working and planning a bridal shower.  So, I went shopping with mom and worked on a few projects for the party.  We made all the Pom-Poms for the party.  I also worked on some initials for the party.  I thought it would be cute to have their new initials.  I went to Michael’s and found some letters and paint.  I used the colors for their wedding.  I think it turned out really cute.  It was a great weekend to get stuff done.  Since Michael and several friends went to Kansas City for Warrior Dash, the wives got together for a dinner and movie night.  One of our friends had a precious baby boy about two months ago and so we hung out at there house.  It was great. Dinner. Movie. Baby Time. Perfect.  The boys had fun, too.  Michael enjoyed the 5k obstacle course and a weekend with the boys.  

Welcome to August!!

It is hot here!  Where my parents live, I am pretty sure, they have had 30 days of 100 degrees or more.  I looked at the weather forecast this morning and it is going to be HOT HOT HOT for the next 7 days.  We need to mow the lawn but I am worried it will just burn up afterwards.  I am even more concerned about animals.  Dogs, cats, and even wildlife. 

I hope if you have an animal and they are an outside animal, make sure they have tons of water and shade.  It is too warm for them.  I worry every time Gabby goes outside and wants to play.  She gets so hot so fast and then I bring her in and she lays on the air vents.  My dog still has energy that she needs to burn, so we have to be creative.  We have taken her to Michael’s Mom’s house to swim several times.  Gabby loves walks and really wants to go everyday.  So, what do I do to keep her cool?  Before we walk, I take the water hose and spray her down.  When we get home I will actually turn the air down so that it kicks on, and I remind Gabby where the air vent is in the room we are in.  If you have an outdoor dog, bring them into the house or garage during the hottest parts of the day.  Provide them we a fan in the garage and keep the garage door cracked a little to allow the heat to circulate, of course I would recommend you are careful and make sure the door isn’t cracked enough for the doggie to crawl under.   

WATER WATER WATER.  Dogs and cats need this to keep cool!!!  I have noticed on two occasions, driving to my parents house, a mama deer and her baby drinking from a water feature at a local business.  Even the wildlife are having problems finding water.  Get something for the wildlife, this includes the birds.  A bird bath would be amazing for those creatures.  I think bird baths are ugly and gross, but next time you are outside take a note on how few birds you see out.  Lets keep our sweet animals safe while we endure our heat wave.