Conversations with a Conservative

This is going to seem so lame, but I’m sitting on the couch watching Rick Springfield sing “Jesse’s Girl” (LOVE it) while finally getting around to typing up my last blog post for the year.  I put it off all day! I was actually at a beautiful wedding earlier with my hubby, but we left a little early because I was again suffering from a sinus headache/migraine (not sure which).  Anyway, I’m feeling a bit better now and I wanted to get in my last blog post of the year real quick.  I’m in CST so it is only 11 PM here even though the ball is about to drop in NYC.  This has been a good year for me.  Blogging has been weird for me this year.  I quit for a while.  I got a new look.  Then I ran out of things to say (shocking I know).  Finally, I have a list of things to write about and I can’t seem to find the time and energy to just sit down and right them!  Maybe this next year. I have also grown a lot internally, and I feel so blessed f...

I realize most of you may not be near as excited as I am, but having grown up in the Church of Christ, surrounded by acapella music, a music competition that features it just completely wins over my heart.  You can’t fake it when there are no instruments to cover it up! I loved some of the competitors last year, but this year is really bringing the talent.  They are all so amazing.  Here are just a few of my faves so far: (P.S. It is on Mondays and Wednesdays on NBC if you want to check it out) This is my season favorite so far – it is AWESOME: I also really enjoyed this one: A super talented group with a jazzy feel, but their harmonies are amazing: Only my favorite song of the year I think: And finally, The Backbeats – they are pretty great too! You should really check out the show – I just can’t wait for the new episodes each week.  It is seriously that good (in my opinion anyway).

To the man in the car next to me anyway, as I tried to sing Christmas carols while drooling on myself.  I continued on my journey today in getting my teeth fixed (longtime readers may remember that I found out I had some issues about a year ago).  I still haven’t gotten any crowns, but I finally got all of the fillings taken care of cause by wonderful habit of clenching my teeth while sleeping.  I have worn off so much enamel.  I really am embarrassed!  But hey, since I have no pride, I will share that I had to get 5 fillings today.  Luckily I’m done, but my face hurts.  My mouth was propped open for an hour and a half, and it is till numb!  Thankfully it is wearing off now. Anyway, so much has happened since I last wrote!  My husband has found an office space and is preparing to officially open his own practice.  I’m so excited for him, and I can’t wait to see what God has planned for him and us.  We also ended up getting to go...

I hit my two-year blogging mark back in September, and I didn’t even really think about it.  This second year has been pretty crazy and I haven’t really paid as much attention to ye ‘ol blog.  My life has been a crazy mess of emotions lately.  I have plenty to blog about, but I didn’t want this to be a dumping ground so I took to private journaling on my computer.  It was therapeutic.  I have had some pretty low “lows” lately, but I have had some great highs as well.  One I do want to share is that my hubby passed the bar!!!! I’m sure my one reader that is left doesn’t even care about that, but I’m so proud of him.  It is and has been very evident to me for a while that this law is what God is calling him to do.  I love him and respect him for being diligent and following God’s plan. Anyway, I wish I could write more, but I need to hit the hay.  I hope to get back to regularly blogging, but this slothfulness that has come over me lately m...

I don’t think I need to remind you that I firmly believe in voting and exercising that right, but just in case: I hope it is a little nicer weather where you are on this fine election day, but if not, don’t let that stop you!  Luckily, I voted early so all I have to do is anxiously await the results.  Happy Election Day!!!

So I’m back this week with Show Us Your Life .  Last week was nurseries/kids rooms, and I don’t have any yet.  I also don’t have any thoughts or ideas for those rooms yet.  I guess that shows you how close to having kids we are.  Someday, but not quite today I guess. I also missed offices, but I’ll do a catch up post later.  I have to say that my picture today is pretty uninspiring.  I have this problem of taking pictures and then not downloading them to my computer.  Basically, this is one picture of the guest room and you can’t see all of it, but you’ll get the point. I wanted something light and relaxing in here.  I went with the brown and blue because I have liked that trend in colors, but I keep waffling on whether or not I want to add a pop of color in there.  I’m thinking maybe an orangey red, but I’m not sure.  For now here it is: So that’s it for this week.  I really should take more and better pictures to add to t...

First of all, I didn’t mean to take a blogging break.  I just feel like I have so much to do at home and blogging takes a back seat :(  Anyway, I think I may have run over a squirrel on my way home for lunch.  I didn’t mean to, but they dart out in front of your car all the time.  Honestly, it is probably a miracle I haven’t done it before now. Well, sorry poor little squirrel. R.I.P.

69 days. 1656 hours. 99,360 minutes.  5,961,600 seconds. (Picture from www.foxnews.com ) That’s how long the 33 Chilean miners were stuck underground.  Honestly, my mind can’t even comprehend that.  I know when faced with such an extreme situation, the human body and mind can amaze you.  However, I think I would have gone crazy.  Just thinking about it makes my head go claustrophobic, and you can bet I would be having panic attacks. I’m not sure you could watch the rescues without being moved (unless you have no heart).  I had heard the story some but hadn’t paid much attention until the last couple of days, but I became enthralled.  Being an engineer (well in-training)  the mechanics and the technology are enough to amaze me.  But watching the reunions made me smile and cry all at the same time.  I almost felt bad watching those first few precious moments between a husband and wife or father and child, but it was such pure joy ...

Well, I made it to Friday again – I guess we all did.   Okay, so it isn’t actually Friday yet, but I’m hopeful we’ll make it to tomorrow.  Since Kelly already posted the Show Us Your Life for the week, I figured that was an easy post for me to do.  I kind of just had a disagreement with the hubby so I’m not feeling too cheery at the moment.  Sorry if that is too honest, but this is me.  I know I need to humble myself before Jesus and patch up this between my husband, but I guess my pride is just too big right now.  Pride – that is a problem I have but a post for another day.  OK – so onto my “dining room” My real dining room has been converted into an office nook, so now our dining room is just our eat-in-kitchen dining area.  Here is what I first painted it as: So remember how I used to have a crazy colored kitchen?  Well, this was the yellow that really made me start questioning my decision.  I mean it photographs well becau...

By it, I mean the changes and frustrations of the new healthcare bill.  My employer actually is its own insurer, and recently wanted to create a new preventive wellness program for us employees.  Basically, we were going to get $400 a year to use on various preventive procedures (one of them being adult vaccinations).  However, for some reasons pertaining to the new healthcare law, they couldn't start this program.  I think it had something to with the fact that there was a cap or something.  I'm not actually sure.  Anyway, I'm going out of the country in a little over a month, and I was going to get some recommended vaccinations, but I found out today from my doctor that two would cost $300 and I still need anti-malaria pills on top of that (and insurance won't cover those either).  Maybe it is just me, but that seems a little steep seeing as how I still have to pay my copay to see my doc.  I could go to the health center, but let's just say that...

So I missed last week’s “Living Room” post so I’ll have to catch up on that one later, but I do have pictures of my Master Bedroom for the house tour.  Kelly over at Kelly’s Korner has started up the “Show Us Your Life” series again so I decided to participate this time around because it seemed like a lot of fun. Here is the main shot: We live in a 1300 SF Ranch style home from the 1950’s so we don’t have a huge master suite.  I love our room though.  I like Americana type decor – something you would find in an old farmhouse.  I love quilts and rich, warm colors.  I love the color palette.  The bottom half is actually chair railing and (vertical and horizontal) to give an appearance of molding and paneling from a craftsman style house. I made the curtains and the Texas flag art, and my mom made our quilt for us for our second anniversary.  I also got the mirror above our bed from a swap meet and painted it to match the room better. Thi...

So my cicadian rhythm must be off.  For the last few days I have been waking up at exactly 3:00 AM and it has got to stop!  I don't fall asleep very easily in the first place so waking up in the middle of the night really sucks up sleep time for me.  Any ideas on how to change this?  This weird sleep pattern is really affecting my productivity during the day.  I just want to sleep through the night again!

Do you watch Parenthood ?  If so, last week you heard this word?  Christina (one of the moms) described it as what she does by looking into the future and imagining the worse possible scenario.  I think I do this.  I always called it worse-case-scenario planning, or just “planning” to not sound crazy, but doesn’t Catastraphisation have a better ring to it? I always think in my mind all of the different things that could possibly happen and solutions to all of the problems.  It may be a sickness, but it gives me peace of mind.  Some examples, I always looking into the parking situation before I go somewhere new to make sure I have cash if needed.  I never check bags anymore because I assume the airlines will lose them, and I usually pack my favorite items when going on vacation.  I think about what a citizen might say when I’m call them back at work to make sure I have an answer for any angle.  I would have made a great boy scout!  Ac...

Do you love accessories?  I love necklaces, but bracelets seem to annoy me.  Bags are my fourth love (God, Husband, Family, purses), and lately I have been eyeing the scarf.  I bought one last winter from Coldwater Creek that I had so much fun trying to style. It is loooooooooooooooong, and bright, and soft.  It is made out of the softest knit, and I just want to swim in it sometimes.  Here is a picture (mine is a bit brighter): I recently just purchased three more in green, orange, and blue because they were marked down to $6.99 with a 25% mark down.  Then I got an additional 20% off and free shipping!  I can’t wait to wear them.  While choosing which colors I wanted to purchase, I saw a link that said “Six ways to tie a Scarf.” I was intrigued and clicked through to find this: This is only the first way – but you should check them all out here . Some of the ways are fairly well-known, but I love the added flair of 2 on a classic ...

In 1787, on this day, September 17, our forefathers signed the Constitution.  I don’t care what your politics are, but this is a day ALL Americans should celebrate.  (Photo from: department.monm.edu) For your reading pleasure, here is the Preamble of the Constitution: We the people of the United States, in order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America. (Taken from here .) If you want your own free pocket copy of the constitution, go here: http://www.askheritage.org/premium.aspx?utm_source=PocketConstGoogleText&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=PocketConst If you want to learn more about Constitution Day celebrations, go here: http://constitutioncenter.org/ncc_progs_constitution_day.aspx I hope you’ll take a few minutes tod...

Not like that… I just actually have a lot I want to blog about and no time.  Work and life have been so busy I haven’t even talked to my family much in the last week (which is odd).  I used my free time tonight to catch up with my parents after I got home from my Bible study.  Anyway, just wanted to pop in and say “hi.”  I hope everyone is doing well! 

I have so many thoughts in my head about this day, but I don’t know the right way to get them out.  I know that this day forever changed the world in ways I do not yet understand.  This was a pivotal moment in life, and I pray that God always be my strength so that I can stand for Him.  I don’t care what anyone says, this was a religious act and it is a religious war.  I will not forget, will you? (Photo from: http://www.stcharleslibrary.org/blog/good2know/2009/09/ )

Is anyone sick of thinking about Fall yet?  I hope not.  I hate to rush time, but I need a break from the heat down here.  We have had one all this week so far due to Tropical Hermine, and last night we even got to have a tornado scare!  Therefore, I’m ready for the pleasant crisp days of Fall.  Today I’m going to share just a few of my favorites from an unlikely place – at least to most of you.  I only ever started looking at this store because my mom shops there, but I realized they have beautiful handbags and fun accessories.  I have even seen a change in their clothes and I see so many more items geared to a younger demographic.  Have you guessed the place yet? COLDWATER CREEK – seriously, check out some of these new items in their fall line.  First up, Jackets: How about some cardigans and sweater coats: Here are a few more items I love: a cute sweater dress, romantic top, leggings, and a great work ski...