it's on like donkey kong

Oh, yeah, I went there.

But for good cause!

My amazingly cool moma is going with me and the husband to see

Mr. Tyrone Wells and his lovely wife Elina

play a concert together at Fitzgerald's!!

I never would have imagined begging my mom to go

see a concert with me in high school...change is in the air.

Check oot their new album, Different As Can Be, cause it seriously rocks!

Weenie Words Of Wisdom

I just love these emails I get everyday
from a work colleague.
This is her little pooch that she dresses up
and pairs the photos with meaningful sayings.
They are just too cute!
If you try so hard to be something you're not,

you will end up losing who you really are.

!sherry wallace

"Oh what a tangled web we weave.

When first we practice to deceive"

~Sir Walter Scott

Lovely Street Find

I have been called out for "dumpster diving" on more than one occasion.

Thankfully this beauty was sittin' pretty right on the side of the street

but make no doubt...I would have gone..eeerrr "diving" for it if need be.

Aren't the side shelves perfect?

I can't want to add a little bit of my own personality into it.

I'll post the finished product!

My Night in Photos

On Tuesdays the husband has a computer class until 11 pm

so I got to help my sister babysit her little ones!

A 100 sports balls thrown and 30 mosquito bites later...

we had a blast!

I got to play around with the different photo color options

on my phone.  Not to shabby if I do say so myself.

A whole lotta thinkin' going on.

Baseball is a thought provoking sport.

My favoirite quotes of the night were:

Luke Peter: NATE! I'm not Thomas (the train).  I'm Lukie!

Luke Peter: Davy, Davy Crockett, Davy, Davy, basball, all the way.

Lennon's Birthday

John Lennon would have been 70 yesterday.

Hats-off to one of my favorite bands of all time!

The Who poster on the door is great.

Sometimes I feel like this...

Segovia Sunday

Almost everyday, the mister passes this art gallery in the galleria on his way to lunch.

Their art is somewhat affordable and absolutely beautiful.

The paintings are from all over the world (Israel, France, Italy, etc.)

and you even have a choice in the media used in the pictures.

One of our favorites used gunpowder to vary the textures.

The host of the gallery was so pleasant and made us feel right at home.

Sometimes it is easy for art galleries to put off a "snooty" vibe

but we both enjoyed the experience.

If we ever wanted to invest in a piece of fine art, I would certainly want to come here!

Vintage Bugs!

Charlie and I had a rockin' weekend

filled with many random and exciting happenings.

We very "productively" found an extra long shower curtain liner

at the lovely HomeGoods...it's actually super difficult to find an '84 inch long liner.

GGGOOO HomeGoods!

The advise about hanging any type of curtain

from several of the design blogs I read is, "hang 'em high".

Apparently this helps make the room feel bigger.

Of course then you run into the issue of finding window treatments or 'misteatments' long enough.

I had a hard time convincing Charlie of the merits of having a bigger feeling bathroom

but we'll just see how it goes.

Then we purchased our faux wood 2 inch blinds from Home Depot...

and said "hasta la vista" to our worn out mini-blinds.

Our bedroom windows got a good scrub-down and boy were they

filthy!  I never knew how dirty windows could get.

But now they "shine like the top of the chrysler building" as my Mama would say.

We had several Home Depot gift cards won from our old apartment complex

and they covered most of the costs! SCORE!

However, it is yet to be seen if these blinds are a blessing or a curse.

They are quite challenging to install.

Then on one of our Home Depot runs

(we had to make several trips to have the cut a little more off

each set of blinds to size them to our massive bedroom widow...)

we stumbled across this Vintage Volkswagen expo in the Sam's parking lot.

It looked like they had been there all day long and I was so

jazzed to have stumbled upon them.

I loved the unusual licence plates and car names!

My favorite name I saw was "Buggsy"

This 'ol timer had a great story to go along with him.

It's owner said he found the car in someones garage

and it had been parked for 20 years.

Rats had gotten into the engine and they even found a few

skeletons...eeewww!

Everything on the exterior is original

....plates, paint, hardware...

There were also about 8 vintage European stickers

on the rear window but my wimpy phone camera didn't pick 'em  up.

This was another one of our favorites....check out her wheels!

If you're wondering what the thing sticking out of the passenger window is...

it's the AC.  The window is cracked a little and the outside air is sucked through the gray thing

and recycled back into the car...one has to wonder, why not just crack your window?

Also notice the clouds;

we didn't get to spend too much time perusing the

old cars before a mini thunderstorm hit.

But we thoroughly enjoyed the time we got to spend and the people we

were lucky to meet.

There were definitely some characters at the show;

the above car sticker says it all!

Late Night Swim

Last night I was taking in the evening air while visiting on the phone. 

I made a couple of laps around the

Marlborough Square

community

and got the urge to go for a late night swim.  

So I hopped the fence took of my shoes and sweater and dove right in…shirt, shorts and all.  

I savored the “just cool enough to enjoy” water for one of the last times

this year before the Houston-ish fall weather starts. 

{we heart it}

Then I realized I had never taken off my bathing suit top and bottom

from when I had laid out earlier that day

...I didn't really need to jump in with all my clothes on...sigh.

So I jumped back over the fence and ran on tip toes back to the house.

As I rounded the corner I near knocked down the very nice man

walking his two schnauzers.

The poor dude had this utterly petrified look on his face

and started trying to reign in his pooches who promptly started barking

their heads off at me.

I threw out a quick apology on the fly and tried to run into our

house so he couldn't see where I came from.

So embarrasin'

You just gotta laugh...

{we heart it}

Early Risers

It takes some dedicated guys to get up at 4:30 in the morning

to shoot birds.

It also takes a grandmother's love to wake up early

and give the men breakfast before their excursion.

GO MAIRZY!

This was Trip and Nate's first trip out dove hunting.

I hear they had a great hunt and Nate is ready to wack a few!

If you look closely, Nate lost his first tooth too!

Ahoy Natey!

Here are some pictures from Nate's actual birthday day.

Poor big guy had a fever but still kept smiling!

We spent some snuggle n\time on the couch to help him feel better.

Uncle Charlie helped assemble the Star Wars creature from Mere and Buddy.

Well, at least Lukie-of-Pookieness got to enjoy Nate's presents.

Taste and See dinner at STM

We had a great weekend filled with friends and fun!

Me and the beautiful Kristina

We all went out dancing & etc. after the dinner

Some smokin' ladies if I do say so myself!

Sprained Thumb

After a series of unfortunate events

I finally went to the ER quick care to see what was

up with my super swollen and bruised hand.

Thank goodness it isn't broken just a sprain.

But it sure looks ugly.

Toby and the Flying Squirrel

So my dad has been catching these for years...and dropping them off

at the nursing home across the bayou...

Only recently has he taken on a furry side-kick in

squirrel reconnaissance...

And wait for it...

wait for it, wait for it...

GO, GO, GO, DIVE, DIVE, DIVE

Probably one of the funniest things I've ever seen...

and I didn't even get a chance to capture the

maltipoo/squirrel squabble

"Oh, oh, I know he's still in there...let me at 'em!"

Children's Literature

Ya'll know how much I love books and any place with lots of them.  Well, I found this great list of 100 Children's Novels from the School Library Journal's poll and had fun going through reminiscing about all my favorite stories.  The ones I have read are in bold.

#1 Charlotte's Web by E.B. White

#2 A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle

#3 Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone by J.K. Rowling

#4 The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis

#5 From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E. L. Konigsburg

#6 Holes by Louis Sachar

#7 The Giver by Lois Lowry

#8 The Secret Garden by Frances Hodgson Burnett

#9 Anne of Green Gables by L.M. Montgomery

#10 The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster

#11 The Westing Game by Ellen Raskin

#12 The Hobbit by J.R.R. Tolkien

#13 Bridge to Terabithia by Katherine Paterson

#14 Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban by J.K. Rowling

#15 Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo

#16 Harriet the Spy by Louise Fitzhugh

#17 Maniac Magee by Jerry Spinelli

#18 Matilda by Roald Dahl

#19 Charlie and the Chocolate Factory by Roald Dahl

#20 Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt

#21 Percy Jackson and the Olympians: The Lightning Thief by Rick Riodan

#22 The Tale of Despereaux: Being the Story of a Mouse, a Princess, Some Soup, and a Spool of Thread by Kate DiCamillo

#23 Little House in the Big Woods by Laura Ingalls Wilder

#24 Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows by J.K. Rowling

#25 Little Women by Louisa May Alcott

#26 Hatchet by Gary Paulsen

#27 A Little Princess by Francis Hodgson Burnett

#28 Winnie-the Pooh by A.A. Milne

#29 Alice's Adventures in Wonderland /Alice Through the Looking Glass by Lewis Carroll

#30 The Dark is Rising by Susan Cooper

#31 Half Magic by Edward Eager

#32 Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH by Robert C. O'Brien

#33 James and the Giant Peach by Roald Dahl

#34 Watsons Go to Birmingham, 1963 by Christopher Paul Curtis

#35 Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire by JK Rowling

#36 Are You There, God? It's Me, Margaret by Judy Blume

#37 Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred Taylor

#38 Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix by J.K. Rowling

#39 When You Reach Me by Rebecca Stead

#40 The Wonderful Wizard of Oz by L. Frank Baum

#41 The Witch of Blackbird Pond by Elizabeth George Speare

#42 Little House on the Prairie by Laura Ingalls Wilder

#43 Ramona the Pest by Beverly Cleary

#44 Tales of a Fourth Grade Nothing by Judy Blume

#45 The Golden Compass by Philip Pullman

#46 Where the Red Fern Grows by Wilson Rawls

#47 Bud, Not Buddy by Christopher Paul Curtis

#48 The Penderwicks: A Summer Tale of Four Sisters, Two Rabbits and a Very Interesting Boy by Jeanne Birdsall

#49 Frindle by Andrew Clements

#50 Island of the Blue Dolphins by Scott O'Dell

#51 The Saturdays by Elizabeth Enright

#52 The Invention of Hugo Cabret by Brian Selznick

#53 Wind in the Willows by Kenneth Grahame

#54 The BFG by Roald Dahl

#55 The Great Gilly Hopkins by Katherine Paterson

#56 Number the Stars by Lois Lowry

#57 Ramona Quimby, Age 8 by Beverly Cleary

#58 The Wolves of Willoughby Chase by Joan Aiken

#59 Inkheart by Cornelia Funke

#60 The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle by Avi

#61 Stargirl by Jerry Spinelli

#62 The Secret of the Old Clock (The Nancy Drew mysteries) by Caroline Keene

#63 Gone-Away Lake by Elizabeth Enright

#64 A Long Way from Chicago by Richard Peck

#65 Ballet Shoes by Noah Streatfeild

#66 Henry Huggins by Beverly Cleary

#67 Jeremy Thatcher, Dragon Hatcher by Bruce Coville

#68 Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech

#69 The Mysterious Benedict Society by Trenton Lee Stewart

#70 Betsy Tacy by Maud Hart Lovelace

#71 A Series of Unfortunate Events: The Bad Beginning by Lemony Snicket

#72 My Father's Dragon by Ruth Stiles Gannett

#73 My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George

#74 The Borrowers by Mary Norton

#75 Love That Dog by Sharon Creech

#76 Out of the Dust by Karen Hesse

#77 City of Ember by Jeanne DuPrau

#78 Johnny Tremain by Esther Forbes

#79 All-of-a-Kind Family by Sydney Taylor

#80 The Graveyard Book by Neil Gaiman

#81 Where the Mountain Meets the Moon by Grace Lin

#82 The Book of Three by Lloyd Alexander

#83 The Thief by Megan Whalen Turner

#84 Little White Horse by Elizabeth Goudge

#85 On the Banks of Plum Creek by Laura Ingalls Wilder

#86 Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets by J.K. Rowling

#87 The View from Saturday by E. L. Konigsburg

#88 The High King by Lloyd Alexander

#89 Ramona and her Father by Beverly Cleary

#90 Sarah, Plain and Tall by Patricia MacLachlan

#91 Sideways Stories from Wayside School by Louis Sachar

#92 Ella Enchanted by Gail Carson Levine

#93 Caddie Woodlawn by C. R. Brink

#94 Swallows and Amazons by Arthur Ransome

#95 Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lindgren

#96 The Witches by Roald Dahl

#97: The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo

#98 Children of Green Knowe by L.M. Boston

#99 The Indian in the Cupboard by Lynne Reid Banks

#100 The Egypt Game by Zilpha Keatley Snyder

I was surprised The Outsiders was not included on this list.  I also read my fair share of Goosebumps books one summer.  In fact I read so many of them that my dad had me start reading the Great Illustrated Classics because he was afraid my brain was melting away from all the garbage I was taking in.

Don't even try to not laugh...

yes, I know. Double negative.

I can totally relate to the last one on the right!

I feel like the painting will never end!

'Accept something that you cannot change...

                                                       ...and you will feel better.'

"Eep" Happens

Husband and I were our way back home from C.S. last night.

I was watching the pretty sunset over Aggieland in my side mirror

when I heard what sounded like something metal hitting concrete.

The trailer we were towing had come off the hitch.

Our lovely empty trailer was swinging from one side to the other

and jerking the car along with it.

Charlie made sure I had my seatbelt on and told me to hang on.

We weren't sure what was going to happen next.

After a few long seconds of the jerking back and forth business

we were able to pull over and stop.

Another car pulled up right behind us and our guardian angel

got out of his grey Honda Pilot.

He and his daughter had seen the whole thing and had gotten into the middle

of the road with their hazard lights on so no one could try and pass us.

They offered to give us a ride to a near by Wal-Mart so we would get another hitch, etc.

There wasn't too much damage to the 'ol Jeep Commander

and considering what could have happened it was relatively nothing.

Charlie was bummed his Jeep is now an "Eep"

but that can be easily fixed.

It's amazing the safety chains did the trick in keeping

the trailer attached to the car.

Charlie's dad and sister-in-law arrived shortly there after

and helped get us on our way.

All in all we were incredibly blessed no other cars

were involved and the damage wasn't worse for our vehicle.

Our "First Responder" team was wonderful and helped sooth our frazzled nerves.

Charlie did an amazing job maintaining control of the car under what seemed like

uncontrollable circumstances.

That's not to say we weren't both shaken up and I had a glass of wine

once we arrived back home safely.

I wanted to take a quick moment to list off all blessings I am grateful for:

- 'run-away' trailer/hitch didn't hit any other cars

- trailer and car didn't roll over

- considerate and fast acting/thinking people

- we were within walking distance of a Wal-Mart

- the furniture we wanted wasn't in stock at the store in College Station

so we didn't have the extra weight of a super loaded down trailer

We were beyond lucky, we were blessed!