the road trip chronicles are coming to a close

Well I've got a whole bunch of pictures for you that I haven't gotten a chance to upload yet. So here they are, in no certain order. I tried to put them in chronological order, but blogger kept sticking them in random places and I don't have the energy to fight anymore.

This is Jers swimming in my cousin's pool in Fort Worth, TX.

Woo hoo!!! Welcome home, where people are at least semi-normal!

I looked at this and just thought, "Well crap." I almost didn't make it to a gas station because I was in BFE, Kansas and the exits with actual stuff at them were like 25-30 miles apart. I was cheering my car on the whole time. When I filled up, I put 15.9 gallons of gas in my car. My tank only holds 16 gallons...Note to self, fill up at about 1/4 tank.

This is Winnie the Schnauzer floating around my aunt and uncle's pool like a princess. It was hysterical. She got on it all by herself when I floated by.

Since you guys don't know my Grandma Ruby I will use a visual to tell her story. The picture pretty much sums it up. She labels everything, so I just thought it was cute. Then my aunt told me that there is a "big boy" dish and a "little boy" dish because the little boy's bites are sliced smaller for their smaller mouths. This is my grandma in a nutshell. Everyone in my family grew up thinking that watermelon came seedless and pre-sliced.

This would be a Dairy Queen Crunch Cone Blizzard; a.k.a. the best dessert known to mankind. They only serve them in Lyons, KS and I have no clue exactly what it is. Crunchy peanut butter things, sprinkles, nuts, and other delectable mysteries.

If my previous story didn't tip you off about Rube, then this one will help fill in the blanks. I love, love, love pumpkin pie!! Except I don't like the crust with it. I eat the crust on other pies, but it just seems to ruin pumpkin. So I usually just use my spoon or fork to scrape the pie off the crust. Usually works really well. Anywho, Grammie always makes me a separate one in a mini-casserole dish so I can have just the pumpkin and not have to deal with the crust :)

This yard and tree are some of my first and best memories. There used to be rope swings on the tree and bunches of kids in the grass. It was quiet this time around, although Jers did enjoy it.

This, my dears, is the bell tower. We call it such because at Christmas they decorate it in red lights and make it into a bell shape. You can always see it as you drive into town. Gotta love the Lyons water tower...

Haha, yay! Amish buggy! I've always wanted to see one in real life. I tried not to slow down and gawk, but I so wanted to see. I only slowed down a little!

Tid bit windy...my car was all over the road.

Welcome to Kansas everyone. Enjoy your stay, but don't stay long.

I was so excited as I watched my temperature gauge go down. It was the bet thing ever!!

Jers is being princess of the car. She has to sit with her paw on the console so she looks like a person.

The Oklahoma hills! It actually is really pretty through most of the state. And I was born in Tulsa, so duh it rocks. We lived in a place called "Broken Arrow". Dad always called it "Busted Stick" and it freaking cracked me up.

Anyway, that's all I have for now. I still have to drive back to Houston later, but only from the Dallas area and it won't take me long! Ready to be home......

xoxo

gerry saves the day

Holy crap, there's internet in Lyons, KS. Thank you Gerry (whoever you are...) for having an unsecured network. You are my hero.

Driving was pretty uneventful today. Pretty sure I'm in traction from sitting that long. And good news, I only almost committed murder about 812 times. This has got to be a record for me. Mostly because for about the last hour and a half there was no one on the same road as me. This drastically cuts down on the number of morons I encounter. Don't even get me started.

Oh, creepy. I saw this sign on the way into town that said "Save the human babies." Uh...ok. I mean, I totally get the whole pro-life non-abortion thing, but save the human babies? Really? As opposed to what? The zebra babies?

I stopped at a rest stop today to stretch and let Jers pee. I always park waaaaaay down at the end so I can just let her out of the car and not have to screw with a leash. So I'm like half a mile from all the other cars and Jers is wandering around sniffing junk. Then out of nowhere comes this pack of children. Ok, it was only three, but they were travelling in a mini-herd. It was a boy and two girls. Maybe 7, 4, and 3. So they just waltz up to me and start chatting me up about Jers. Which it totally cool. Kids rock. But the whole time I'm wondering where in the hell their parents are and why these children are wandering alone at the far end of the parking lot. At a rest stop for Mary's sake. Do you know what kind of things happen at rest stops??

Anyway, they're petting Jers and telling me all about where they're from and where they're going. They all but gave me their address and very specific directions to their house. And still I wonder where the grown-up's are. So about 10 minutes after we struck up a conversation, these two ladies come walking down the sidewalk. They just kind of smiled vacantly at me and told the kids to come on. If I was a not nice person (which I'm totally not) I could have had those kids in my car and halfway through Oklahoma by the time dumb and dumber realized they were gone. For crying out loud. I don't advocate child leashes, but for people that clearly brain damaged, it might be something to consider.

I was going to do a Spoonful, but I'm really kind of worn out. Stupid people make me tired. So I'm going to fire up "Design Star" on my computer and wait for TJ to call and tuck me in. Sleep tight everyone! And pray that Gerry doesn't secure his network anytime soon.

xoxo

sugary ruffles

Ok, please refrain from saying that my husband is hot. I mean, I know he is and I'm proud of it, but if he ever reads this, he'll be hell to deal with when he sees all that. That's all I'll ever hear about...

Tomorrow I'm off to Kansas. Lets hope it's really a driving mood day because it's an 8 hour drive. But I have yet to figure out how to post pictures to my blog using my BB. I'll try to figure it out, but I might be MIA for awhile. Unless I can steal a neighbor's wireless or something. Well, I guess I could still post things even if I can't figure out the pictures.

Here's a cool website for everyone: http://www.listography.com/. If you look underneath the sign-in window, there's a pane where you can look at their fill-in journals. Kati has one and it's so neat. I love scrapbooks and the like, but I am just completely horrible at them. Cutting, sticking stickers, writing pretty...mostly everything you need to be good at to have a cute scrapbook. So these books are the same idea, but it's your life in lists. So it asks you to list things from your life; i.e. favorite games, people you've lived with, people you love the most, etc. So it's a cute little book of your life in nice, easy lists. It's a cool idea too. Anyway, just thought you might enjoy it.

I have a Spoonful now. My word is "ruffle". I saw some cute little ruffled butt underwear at Target today, so that's what created the ruffle Spoonful.

Venni Caprice Ruffle Neck Layering Dress from Venni Caprice, Romantic Flower Wrap Top from Lirola, Jr Ruffles Mini Pillow Pair from Miss Mosh, and Dogwood Ruffle Bag from Sweetgum Handbags.

As we all know by now, I have a thing for dresses. I love that you can wear this one multiple ways. You can build your own too! It's super cute and versatile.

And how cute is that top?? I love the fabric! It's so flowy and pretty. Romantic is the perfect way to describe it. It would be gorgeous for work with some black pants. Yum!

I adore the mini ruffle pillows! They would be just right for some chairs or to pile on your bed. And gray is totally my color too. Plus they look so soft and cushy!

And a bag. Must have a bag. I love the color and the style of this one. Kati just said it looks like something I would own. It definitely is. I had a suede bag like that before and it rocked. It lasted freaking forever and was super easy to spot clean. I love how the side on this one is ruched with buttons. Darling.

I hope everyone has a good evening and night!

xoxo

road trip: day 1

Well, I made the 4 hour drive to the Dallas area today. It went really quick. I guess today was a driving mood day. I took some pictures for ya'll. I was telling hubby about my pictures and he made fun of me because I turned around to take one of them. I think he's scared that I'm going to turn all our future road trips into a big picture fest. He's probably right to be scared. I told him to shut up cause I was having fun.

I'm at my friend Kati's house. Gawd...gorgeous. I'm so jealous! And it is so Kati. She's awesome at decorating and even used orange in her dining room. I love orange!

Holy crap there's a Spam commercial on TV right now. I didn't even know they had Spam commercials.

Angela has requested more details about "you know who". I think I know who "you know who" is...kidding. What do you want to know?? I'll take questions :)

So, this is the one I turned around to take. I was flying down a back road and I happened to look to the left, where a horse was standing on the front porch of this house. It's kind of hard to see, but that's totally what's happening. I don't know why I'm so amused by this, but I am. Enough to flip a U-turn, take the picture, and flip another U-turn.

This is a picture of the big white statue guy that we always pass. It's Sam Houston. I don't know if anyone who's not from Texas even knows who that is, but it's kind of a thing on our trips to Kansas to point out statue dude.

Ok, so this is my Dairy Queen Blizzard. They shut down all the Dairy Queens that are by my house, so when I stopped to get gas and there was a Dairy Queen at the same exit...well, I got one. Clearly. It had Snickers in it.

These would be my chocolate donuts. I so told you I was getting some. Did I get them at the same exit at which I got my Blizzard? Yep. Is that really bad? Yep. Did I still eat them both? Absolutely. Calories don't count when you're in the car. Duh. My husband begs to differ. He was just like, "Holy hell you have got to stay away from that stuff!" I can't. Impossible.

The clouds were pretty. And I was in a good mood because I had been watching the temperature thingy on my rear view mirror drop steadily. I'm only 4 hours north of Houston, but it's so much nicer here! There's like zero humidity. When I left this afternoon, it was 103. When I arrived in Dallas a little under 4 hours later, it was 88. I find myself strangely eager to continue north...

This is my view during the majority of the drive. Where she gets the energy to stand on my console and balance the entire time, I do not know. She likes to scope out the road though. Whenever we pass cows (which is quite often) she almost kills herself in her hurry to get back into the back seat to look at them as they go by.

So, those are today's pics. I'm sleepy now. But I have to wait for husband-o-mine to call. Hopefully that will be soon.

xoxo

road trip sweetness

Well, I'm off on my road trip adventure tomorrow afternoon! I'm headed up to Dallas to visit a friend and her husband, then off to Kansas, then back through Dallas to stay with my cousin and visit family there. I really hope I'm in a driving mood tomorrow. Sometimes I could drive forever and just sing to the radio and sometimes I just want to be out of the car. Fingers crossed that it's the former for this trip...

I'm still trying to figure out how to upload pictures from my BB to blogger. I'll get it at some point. I'll be sure to take interesting pictures and have good stories to tell. I'll definitely take a picture of the vast bleakness that is Kansas. Love visiting everyone there...but I would be terminally depressed if I lived there. Not near enough trees and green. Lots of crops as far as the eye can see.

Anyway, in honor of my road trip, my Spoonful word tonight is *gasp* "road trip". Shocking, I know. Totally didn't even see that one coming. Don't pretend like you did.

The line-up: Classic Airstream RV Trailer Necklace from Charm Star, Which Way Today from LJ Design & Photo, Weekend Bag by Retrofied, and Atlas Bangle Bracelet from So It's Gray.

First of all, how cool is that charm??? I love those trailers. They're so cute. I always thought they looked like eggs. A friend from college had an uncle who lived in one on his parent's property. We called it "The Egg". As in, "Does the A/C work in The Egg this week?" I have never seen a charm of that before and it just stinking rocks.

There were a whole lot of photos and prints that came up when I searched road trip, but I fell in love with this one right away. I love those old signs with all the wooden arrows. And it has Route 66 on it, which I really wanted. I've always wanted to drive Route 66. It's on my list of things to do before I die. But the photograph is gorgeous and I love how it captures the whole mood.

I. Adore. This. Bag. I want one soooo bad! It's huge. I could actually fit more than my toothbrush in it! And it's so darn cute. I love the fabric. Gray is my fave. Now, there is actually a Road Trip Bag in this shop as well, buuuut this one is the same bag with zipper upgrades. I love zippers. So technically it's still the Road Trip Bag, only on steroids. I will have this bag. Too bad it won't be in time for this road trip.

These atlas bracelets are so darling. I can't wear big bangles like that because they make my arm look like a freaking twig. I hate it cause they're so cute, but it's just one of those things. Anyway, I can totally see myself wearing this on the road and walking into a gas station to buy a nice, healthy snack (ok, chocolate frosted donuts...) with my sunglasses on top of my head. I would love so incredibly road trip experienced. Which I really am, I guess. But then people would know, you know?

I'm aware that I think about really strange things sometimes. Atlas bangles send me into a whole scenario. By the way, my weekend bag is in the back of my car in full view of anyone walking by. That way if they don't see my bangle, they'll still know. Mmmm...chocolate donuts. I am so getting some of those tomorrow. It's like a road trip staple. My husband doesn't even ask anymore. He just comes out bearing donuts. Good man. Took awhile to train him to do that though, so be patient with them girls. They get it eventually.

Now I'm thinking about donuts and that makes me think of breakfast. Which in turn makes me think of cereal. And now I want cereal. So I'm going to get some Corn Pops and then I'm going to bed. I have a lot of packing and other little things to take care of before I leave tomorrow.

Next time I talk to you, it will be from the road!

xoxo

as long as it's after noon

Well, it's almost time for my monthly battle with CVS. Last month it was pretty painless, but I figure that can't possibly happen twice in a row. I'm not that lucky. I'm probably on some kind of watch list behind the counter. Like the ones at the airport for Osama Bin Ladin. That would be so awesome. It's a new life goal for me. Be on the CVS watch list. I'd strike fear into every employee's heart. Oh the pure, unadulterated joy of it all.

I had a sweet girl order one of my items and request a custom one! I'm so excited. I love doing custom items. I'm trying to get everything done before I leave next weekend. I'm also mailing a sample to the owner of a blog so that she can feature my items and do a giveaway. I'm pumped about that. She's been ever so patient with me as I was a horrible person and took forever and a half to email her back.

Well, the road trip is coming. Next weekend Jers and I are off for our big adventure. We're leaving Thursday to hit Dallas and stay with my friend. Then Sunday we'll cruise on up to good old Lyons, Kansas. Try to find that on a map. I'll probably spend a little over a week there and then head back through Dallas on the way home to stay with my cousin. Whew.

Unless I can bootleg a neighbor's wireless Internet connection (which I'm not even fully sure exists in Lyons...), I'll be MIA for awhile. I will, however, be taking pictures and making notes of entertaining things to tell everyone when I get back. Travelling never fails to bring out the crazy, sarcastic bitch in me. It should be fun.

Oh and while I'm thinking about it, I got the sweetest award from Michele over at By Your Side. It's the International Bloggers Community Award. There's a master list you get to be on if you get chosen! Too cool. At some point, I will be a good sport and play too. I just wanted to be sure to thank her for it though! So, thanks a ton Michele!

I had lunch with my Stacy yesterday. Always good, good times. Her in-laws had Miss K. That means we got to consume alcoholic beverages. You look like a really bad mother and aunt if you're drinking at 2pm with a 2-year-old in your booth. Not that it looks really great to be sucking down a Long Island Iced Tea at 2pm anyway, but hey. Like Stace says, "As long as it's after noon..."

Mmmmm...Long Island Iced Tea.

Anyway, we went to Marshall's afterwards and I got me some kickass Steve Madden sunglasses for $10. That's what I'm talking about. I could spend the rest of my whole life in Marshall's and/or Ross. There's just so much to see. And shit is so cheap! God I love cheap. Did I ever tell you that I got 7 pairs of jeans at Ross the other day for $100? I can't remember if I did or not. It was thrilling. And I'll have you all know that I did, in fact, need new jeans. I dropped a pant size and was sick of walking around yanking my jeans up with every step. I looked like an idiot. Anyway, back to the shopping experience. When the madness is over, the trip to the register is in slow motion with the "Chariots of Fire" theme song playing in the background.

I really need to stop using my blog to avoid all the things I should be doing. Gotta wash my sheets and vacuum and do some staining. Hopefully I will have enough time to get on later and do a Spoonful. Fingers crossed.

xoxo