what's your story?

Excerpt from our story-
"And then I saw him there, across the mall, standing in that cooking store wearing an apron with a big rooster on the front. "Isn't that Jeff?" I said. We had to get a closer look! With all our giggling and pointing, he noticed us. Sheepishly, we approached him. Before we knew it, we had talked a full hour (to his bosses dismay, luckily the store was dead.) about exes and the such. He explained about a double date he was supposed to attend in a few weeks, but had just broken up with his girlfriend. How funny, I had just broken up with my boyfriend. And before we left, he extended a invitation. "Don't be surprised if I give one of you a call to join me on the double date." He said as he turned on his heel and walked back over to the Calphalon cookwear. All the way home, my friend and I made guesses as to who he was going to call. Me? Secretly, I was hoping it would be me."

I love telling our story. I also love to hear stories about how other people met. Sunday is a slow blogging day anyway, so I have come up with another challenge for my fellow bloggers.

Please share your story of how you and your other half met.

Posting day, Sunday May 6th. Leave a comment with your blog address if you are participating.

"breaking up" with the B-ster.

An exchange of words in the wee hours this morning.

B: Mom, can I marry you when I am big?

E: Honey, you won't want to marry me when you are big. And besides, I'm already married.

B: You are?

E: Yeah, to daddy.

B: I want to marry you too.

E: You can't marry your mommy. It just doesn't work that way. You have to find another girl to marry.

B: But, I want to marry you, mom.

E: Ben, thats just not how it works. You don't want to be a part of that! Branch out, find another girl.

B: Yes, mom! I want to marry you!

E: Oh Ben. You are such a stubborn fool. I'm not the girl for you! I hate to break your heart, but it just doesn't work that way. I love you though, I will always love you.

B: Oh...can I marry daddy?

I did a naughty thing.

I know, it's socially looked down upon. I know better too, I would have scolded one of the boys for the exact same thing! But as an artist looking for inspiration everywhere, when I turned that page in that dentists waiting room copy of O magazine yesterday and spied a Dressbarn ad with the cutest B&W picture concept, I couldn't help myself. Being that the receptionist was busy on the phone, and there was only an old man with hearing aids on the other side of the room, I went for it. Small, perfectly timed rips until the whole page surrendered itself into my hands and was quickly folded and stuffed into my purse.

Sure, I felt guilty for a minute, but only until I rationalized the fact that it was a Dressbarn ad, and on the other side was another ad for cool whip. It's just an ad, nobody will miss it.
My name is Emily and --I am a recovering magazine ripper.
I still have pages that I have quietly torn from library magazines back when I was a teenager. Usually for design and style, and always folded quickly and stuffed into a pocket. I never rip more than one per periodical, now that would be rude!
I haven't ripped in ages, the need to talk myself out of it has become stronger in my ripe old age of 27. When there is a copy machine handy, that will suffice. Sometimes a pen to my hand as my canvas can be used. But yesterday in that dentist office, I just had to do it. The page was calling me.
I have been praised in the past for my creative ideas. I chalk it all up to my somewhat creative genius, and also magazine ripping. The pages, never organized. Do you think I am one of those people that keeps everything in their place? Not really, a page here, a page there. It's really quite inspiring! Cleaning out my closet I will run into an adorable idea that I ripped from a store copy of a archival JC Penney catalog (when I worked in the Men's dept.) involving a glass fishbowl, sand and candles. Or, while I rummage in the kids craft supplies, I find a article about a picture frame valance. Perfect for my big bedroom wall that just looms and begs to be decorated. It's like finding a memory. "Oh yeah, I was saving that idea for when I had my own house!" Brilliant!
So, next time you are at the library, or the dentist office and you see the evidence of a "ripper" don't be the disgruntled magazine viewer, instead bask in the glory that someone has found an idea worth ripping and that dull magazine you are reading might not be so bad after all.

Not so bad.

in the hot seat.

This year, we switched the boys dentist to a new one who my good friend Adrienne works for. It turned out to be great, the boys found a great deal of bravery in the fact that Adrienne was the one cleaning their teeth. They even can be quoted as using the word "Fun" to describe their experience.

Josh was so good. He was the first one in the chair and was so brave. He loved the fact that he got to watch Cars while Adrienne did her thing. The 360 X-ray machine was a hit, after this turn was up, he wanted another ride! Josh also totally loved the sunglasses that Adrienne quickly produced when Josh said the light was in his eyes. "That didn't hurt at all!" he said to Ben as the torch was being passed.

Ben did great, he didn't even flinch when it was his turn for the x-ray. He climbed up into the seat without any prodding, and opened his mouth so wide. Of course, he had to sport the sunglasses too, and entertained us with is nervous giggle the whole cleaning. The only part that he didn't really like was the fluoride trays, which I could tell was making him a little uneasy, but he powered through it.

100% A++ no cavities!

See??

Sometimes, boys are clean too.
but, it doesn't last long...

sugar-coated Tuesday.

Like Hansel and Gretel, we fattened ourselves up on sugar at one of the sweetest places I have ever stepped foot into. I felt like Veruka Salt from Willy Wonka sampling all of the tasty pastries and frosted goodies.

Watching the donuts make their way through the conveyor belt was interesting. Ben is mesmerized by all the pretty donuts. Which one should we choose?

We weren't shy, two donuts apiece...please! Rainbow sprinkles is a favorite.
Of course, we had to give the spinning seats a whirl.

We even got to hear about how donuts are made. How exciting!

We all left with full bellies and ruined appetites, but it was worth it.

things that make me happy

Top 4 reasons today Natalie is coming to the "Big D"! Yes, that's right, after my trip to Salt Lake, trip plans were made, and finalized today. I have two weeks to whip my cottage into shape for the big trip out. 48 hours of pure Texas fun. Of course there is a Texas BBQ meal mixed in there somewhere, and we will have to hit the mecca known in all the land as Hobby Lobby. Any good ideas?
Everybody loves an Italian boy, and today it is rightly so. Good reports all around at preschool this morning, Josh even won the "X marks the spot" game. Their studiousness astounds me. I hope they both continue to love learning and make straight A's because if they need help with their homework, I am limited in my knowledge past 6th grade math.
"Curtains and fountains of roses!" --Mary, from The Secret Garden.

No, they are not roses, but our little wild flower seed mixture that we half heatedly sprinkled in the flower bed in front of our house has boomed this year. It's like a little jungle in there, the blooms stretch halfway up our window, it's like its own privacy curtain. I love it.

(I love my camera, it took this picture of a flower in my garden... so amazing!)

I can finally get away with wearing white shoes. No, I am not a dedicated fashionista and wait until precisely after Memorial Day (which I think is the fashion police rule, right?) but I figure, if it's after Easter, It's permissible, and I shouldn't get a fashion violation. What do you think?

my minds eye spies...

a

future

flyboy.

this kid has caught the fever.

"I-wanna-be-a-pilot" syndrome.

Nicknamers

Jeff and I have always been so into nick names, not really for each other, but for other people that we interact with.

Example #1 "Hugh Hefner"

In our first home back in AZ, the only way we knew our across the street neighbor was by “Hugh Hefner”. This man stayed home all day long in his bathrobe. I would often look out our front window and see him smoking a cigar at 3:00 in the afternoon, sometimes, he was outside polishing his Ferrari, other times I caught him sweeping his roof (yeah, I know… who does that?) all the while, in his bathrobe. Therefore, he was pegged “Hef”. “Good ‘ol Hef.” We would always say.

Example #2 "Ireland"

Our new neighbors have a menagerie of nicknames. ( I haven't used that word since I read "The Glass Menagerie" in 10th grade!) “Ireland” (catty corner) got his name because when we first moved into our house, he had the greenest grass in the neighborhood. He would lovingly care for his grass every night with a kindly watering and trim. “Ireland’s looking a little dry over there!” Jeff said as he came home from work the other day. Tis true, “Ireland” has let his lawn go. Maybe Ireland is having a few drought issues.

Example #3 "Kate and Allie"

“Kate and Allie” live directly across from us. At first I thought they were two lesbians (as they both sport do rags all the live long day), and then I thought they were sisters, but now I realize it is a mother and daughter that live together. They have a slew of kids that constantly get trucked around in a big red van. Once, I even found “Kate and Allie’s” door ajar all day long without a sign of life inside the house. I got a little scared and called the cops who came out to investigate (guns drawn and everything!) . Nothing was found, just a fluke I guess, but no more than 5 minutes after the cops had left, here came “Kate and Allie” with a car full of groceries, oblivious to the scene which I had just witnessed peeking from my blinds. Oh “Kate and Allie", do be more careful!

Example #4 "The Russians"

“The Russians” live next door. I know they have rattled off their names to me before, but can I remember them? They have these thick “Russian” accents (even though I think they are Swedish, or even polish?.) when they speak sometimes I feel like I am watching a 007 movie. Their little daughter always flirts with Ben thought the knot holes in the fence, and the wife loves to garden in her skimpy nighties. I always take “The Russians” cookies for Christmas, and complement them on their flowers, because they really are nice people. They even helped us break into our house when we got locked inside. I really should find out their name, but after three years of calling them “The Russians” it would be hard to call them anything else.

Example #5 "The Others"

As huge fans of LOST, we are always thinking of a way that all the pieces of the puzzle fit together. "The Others" on lost, are a group of people that were living on the island before the main characters plane crashed there. They are mysterious, they are mean, and they are creepy. (I even had a night mare about the others!) Whenever Jeff and I spot someone who looks kind of creepy, or out of sorts, we refer to them as "One of the others" (best if it's said in a creepy voice.)

Do you have nicknames for particular people?

a royal movie night.

What a night! We ate, we gawked, we talked (and talked, and talked!) Marie Antoinette didn't disappoint.
My "Let Them Eat Cake!" cake, looked so pretty on it's silver platter. Our other royal refreshment consisted of...

Laura's decadent dark chocolate covered strawberries. What lucky girls!

And Kasia's chocolate cookies were out of this world. Seriously, I snuck one in my pocket.

Marie Antoinette was such a good movie, the costumes were amazing, and it was so much fun to see this fresh and avant garde version of this intriguing story.

And, did I say the costumes were amazing?!

The soundtrack, infused with 80's music, made for an interesting backdrop to this pastel colored window into history.

What a fun springtime flick.

The conversation was divine, and consisted of these interesting and thought provoking topics:

1. Politics

2. Vegetarianism

3. Step Aerobics

4. Miami

5. Family

6. Blogs (Kasia will join the bloggin' girls yet!)

7. interesting places in Dallas

8. husbands

9. birth stories

With so many topics to cover, we didn't wrap things up until 1:30. Thanks girls, movie night was a royal blast. Goodness-- chocolate, fashion, France, and girl talk all in one night? I'm on cloud 9.

"Let them eat cake!"

Tonight is the night of my Marie Antoinette movie party, and I have got a cake to make. It's going to be a "Let them eat cake!" cake, how fitting! Now, as I was standing in the baking isle last week, it took me a minute to decide what flavor of cake a Parisian like Marie Antoinette would prefer, and of course Red Velvet jumped right out at me.

I, of course, love red velvet cake too, and it does seem a little french, being invented in the south, (these southern women sure love French things, as do I) a natural choice. I'll let you know how it turns out. Only 4 out of the original 17 invited can make it tonight, I am totally bummed about that, guess I will just have to indulge in a second piece of cake.

My pal Hope posted her Self Portrait Challenge today (You can just say she's a busy mom) check it out here.

Oh yeah, and Amanda-- I found this great idea for a knitting project. I know that you were asking about interesting things that you could knit for stuff around the house. Why knit a teapot cozy, when you can knit one of these...

A tampon cozy. I find the banana especially hilarious. Like a tampon isn't conspicuous enough. If you see me leave my church meeting to head to the bathroom with my banana, you know it's that time of the month.

pop fly.

Thanks Grandma L. for the new baseballs and leather mitts.
The boys (all three of them)
had a great time playing a little catch.
It was the perfect activity before supper,

it worked up our appetite for some authentic Italian spaghetti.