Gina Getting Married

My younger cousin Gina was married yesterday to her beau Chris in a beautiful wedding by the sea. She is leaving for Oklahoma soon to start her new life out there while he is in the Air Force and will certainly be missed!

My aunt, mother of the bride, looking stunning. And the back of my dad's head.

The groom and his crew waiting for his lady's arrival. And the back of my sister's head.

My cousin Lisa, the maid of honor, looking lovely.

Here comes the bride!

You may now kiss the bride!
Sidenote: I always wonder if that's awkward for the officiants. They are right in their space bubble.

Angelina and I-almost exactly 18 years between us to the day. January babies with freckles. Go fig.

Cousins!

Congratulations to Chris and Gina-we wish you your own happily ever after!

Cousins and Babies

Scott's family is very close-especially the cousins. Now being married into the clan I can actually call myself one and it is quite the title to carry. The cousins even have an annual Christmas party separate from the regular gathering of Christmas-it's quite exclusive.

One cousin in particular, Melisa, has grown up, had babies of her own, and moved back east. She was in town this weekend so some of the cousins were able to hang out with her for a long overdue chat, meet her newest baby, and introduce them to baby Mason.

Melisa, Baby B, and Scott

Such a happy baby.

The newbie parents!

Babies galore! Two babies=a lot of babies to me. And our attempt at a baby family photo. Third cousins?

Two generations of cousins.

Someone made a funny.

I married into an amazing family.

A Book Review

My mother-in-law is often my source for new reads and most recently she gave me one I could not put down.


The Glass Castle is a memoir that reads like fiction. The author, Jeannette Walls, opens the book with a story recounting her in a taxi, driving down Park Ave. in New York City, glancing out the window to see her mother digging through a dumpster. When the scene closes as she slinks into her seat, we are taken back to her childhood, growing up in a nomadic family running from the law, debtors, with a patriarch who keeps chasing his pie in the sky, the glass castle.

The book is shocking-as I said it reads like fiction. Though there is no doubt love in the home and family, yet the kids act as caretakers beginning at the age most are learning to tie their shoes and read, while living in unnecessary poverty. For example, Walls was boiling her own sausages at age three. The father is a gifted engineer, foiled by his alcoholism and gambling. The mother, an artist at heart that repels social norms, finds her muse in sleeping and laying on the couch all day while the kids scrounge for food in bins after school, or distract themselves with homework during lunch hour. Food was considered edible even if vermin had already claimed it.

Walls narrative of her life's story is poignant and tests the reader in how to view the family-do you sympathize or empathize? Neither her or her siblings call upon help when frustrations mount to a level where child protective services takes them away, following bouts of rage from their alcoholic father or incapable mother. Remarkably, the children display the American attitude of picking themselves up by their bootstraps and carrying on.

This book is a page turner and on the New York Times Bestseller List for good reason-because I highly recommend it.

A Hodge Podge of LIfe

For being fairly crafty with words, I occasionally struggle with putting some thoughts onto paper and this week, especially when the thoughts are not fully flushed out.

Writing can be cathartic for me, so I've decided just to list the odds and ends that we've been up to things I've been pondering for the past two weeks.

1. I have come to find out that I love "King of the Hill." I simply cannot get enough of it.
Scott likes to play the name-your-favorite-character game and you'd think he was asking me to choose between parents. Well, come to think of it, I am. Anyway, after much comparing, I usually settle on Bobby. Love that kid.

2. I cannot understand some of the decisions our government is making and very often consider what it would take to pack up and fall off the grid. I realize every established country has a government of some kind, but if there are any unincorporated areas of Fiji, I'd like to take a look. I have never taken an interest in politics beyond the local level until buying a home, and as much as I'd like to think candidates run with a true heart and change in mind, the cash suppliers ultimately fund their interests and the corruption begins and grows and they've lost sight of the very matters that ignited their passion. I realize there are probably some gems out there, but ultimately, it's not healthy to have government employees serving on councils and other levels of government from there on up. It's a little too incestuous for me.

3. Back to happy things. Scott and I bought a home brew kit and made a visit to our local home brew supply store and are going to get started on an English brown ale this weekend. Exciting! Hopefully we'll have it perfected by the time we want to do a housewarming party.

4. Our living room is almost complete! Walls are painted, curtains are being made, rug ordered, sent back as it clashed with curtains, new rug ordered. Now I just need to sell our tv stand and purchase some slip covers for our couches that Atticus has decided need grooming. I painted the hallway last weekend the same shade as the living room but it's not working for me. The lack of light makes it feel much darker so it's back to Lowe's. Btw, paint is crazy expensive. I'm a Valspar girl, but had a coupon for some Benjamin Moore pint-sized trial colors and when I looked at the gallon versions I was shocked-$50 bucks! Maybe it really embodies some amazing chemistry in the mix.

5. A vacation is in our very near future and I am stoked to have something like that to look forward to.

6. I had a great reunion with my former coworkers a few weekends ago. I really miss seeing these girls everyday, with country radio on in the background, dealing with the crazies known as stage moms.
And in honor of my gal-pal get together, I'll close with a very memorable quote from the 5:00 whistle from (now RIP) KZLA: "It's finally Friday, let the good times roll."--George Jones.

Thankful

You can have a one hell of a morning but enjoying a business woman's lunch special with your best friend can improve it significantly, seeing as they are pretty much always on your side.

Thanks for being my best girl Kerri.

Touch of Class

Touch of Class, I'm not sure how my husband got on your mailing list, but I'd certainly like to find out! His style has certainly changed since we registered.

"The Pirouette"

"Ballet"

"Majesty"

I have 20% discount codes if anyone wants them!

Craig's List Protocol

I stalk Craig's List religiously these days, trying to save on furniture that I don't need to be brand new-specifically a coffee table. There are tons on there, that have been left over from 1981 and just don't suit my style. And I somewhat lack the eye to see the pieces that might be gems with sanding, refinishing, and new staining. I also lack that time. Thus, I want something that might just need a good cleaning.

To this day, I've purchased our current sofa and loveseat set, purchased and sold our dining room table and chairs, and sold an RV parking framework that wasn't even mine. As I see it, there is a protocol during the purchase/sale process that must be followed. Most people I've communicated with are good about it, others could take note. I hope they are just first timers and will figure it out by perhaps Googling and this little post comes up :)

1. First to respond is first in line, understanding they can get there in a reasonable amount of time. Assuming you have a great item that might be highly sought after, simply explain to the inquirers about their place in line.

Ex: I found a coffee table I loved yesterday, emailed the guy, and was told someone else was coming to see it and he'd let me know if they declined. A few hours later, he still followed up to let me know it had been purchased-so thoughtful.

2. Don't be mad if you item doesn't sell right away. Sometimes you have to repost if you don't get any bites, and sometimes it just doesn't fit or isn't worth its value.

Ex: We went to see a coffee table in person yesterday and let's just say it did not match the pictures. Uneven wobbly legs, warped top, scratches---it wasn't worth the $55 they wanted. I politely let the seller that I was going to pass, and she was offended and wanted to know my reasons. Well lady, I wouldn't buy it for $20--the value was just not there. Move on, someone may want to put the elbow grease into making it theirs.

This post is coming from a place of frustration. I don't have a good conclusion. My issue is simply this-don't say something is available, rearrange your day to see it, and then reveal that the first person to inquire is already coming...when I was assuming I was that person. Lame.