Saturday, June 10, 2017

You got your license where?!

As I look at the calendar, I see that a week has passed that I have been married!
How does time pass so quickly without our knowing? It has been a crazy, but very happy week. I have officially sold my motorcycle. It was a sad event, but necessary. God gave me the ability to ride and enjoy it for a time, but He has now decided that I need to give it up. As I’m often reminded, I have 4 kids. I have to stick around to raise them right. And with everyone else being so stupid or reckless on the roads… So yeah.
That brings me to today’s blog post topic. I’m beginning to think that the sad joke about people around here getting their driver’s license from a Cracker Jacks box is actually true! Why, you ask? Because I can’t think of another way that so many idiots could possibly pass the DMV test! I’m starting to think that on their 16th birthday, Mom and Dad gave them a Cracker Jacks box and the prize inside was a license to operate a motor vehicle in Texas.
The number of people I come across, doing ridiculous things on a daily basis is staggering. Do they not teach you that a turn signal is to let people know that you are turning? That it is also a way to signal that you are attempting to change lanes? And that once you have completed such an action, you are to turn it off?! How about parking? There are lines. And those lines signify a space for one vehicle. Unless you are driving a tank of a truck, a vehicle towing a trailer, or otherwise significantly sized vehicle, you should always be within the lines provided. And if you are afraid you won’t be able to finagle your wide load out the door with someone parked next to you, park in the back half of the lot! I should not come out to find your tire in my spot. I should not have to squeeze myself into 3 inches of a door opening because you needed to leave a foot of space for your driver side. And did you know why people call one lane the “fast” lane while the other is the “slow” lane? Because those of you wanting to do 5-20 MPH UNDER the speed limit are to stay to the right. While those of us doing the actual posted limit or higher, stick to the left. Otherwise, you back up traffic behind you. And don’t you DARE jump into the fast lane when you were previously only doing 20 going up the entrance ramp to the highway in your 10-15 year old clunker. You know, and I know, that your car cannot get up to speed fast enough to handle being in front of me when I was doing 70 for the past how many miles?! So instead, I am forced to hit the brakes and get down to 40 in a hurry. Along with 4 cars behind me. Then you look behind you with half-closed eyes and smile. Don’t drive when you are high, you idiot! You can’t focus and everything slows down, in your reality. Not for the rest of us.
This is why I think people here get their license from somewhere other than a Department of Motor Vehicles. Or as the Texans say, Department of Public Safety. Doesn’t seem to promote much in the ways of safety. I mean, lets face it. They gave my deaf and partially blind ex-husband a license. He has Ushers Syndrome. A degenerative disease that causes full blindness. They told him to get glasses and he would pass. Didn’t check for peripheral or verify that he has night vision (which he has neither). But he has a license. And has wrecked so many cars it scares me.
It would seem this is another failed system. Another way the world is dangerous. Be safe out there! Definitely look twice for my fellow bikers. They are there.

Wednesday, June 7, 2017

Mr. and Mrs. We now are!

Our wedding went off splendidly. There were occasional hiccups, but they are the kind we can laugh at during and after the fact. Granted, I learned a thing or two. Like test the playlist BEFORE you are preparing to make your walk down the aisle…. But hey! We have something funny to reminisce about later.

The people who came, helped add to the memories that will last a lifetime. And as I go over some of the wedding pictures, I can’t help but smile as I realize that we did it.
I married the love of my life. And we are now moving forward to the next step in our lives. We are now able to make solid plans. To embark on the adventure that will last until the day we die. Nothing is better than that!

So a few things I want to share as advice for other brides. Always check the music before the day of your wedding. I made the mistake of updating the playlist the night before. I had added a second playlist that included the “special” songs. Entry, bridal march, first dance, father/daughter dance, etc. These were separate from the dance floor shuffle list. I wanted to make it easier for those who had to control those moments in the reception. Also, the venue didn’t have a firm handle of their audio equipment. So when it came to turning off the song or switching the song, there was a pause or the volume was way too high. There were also sounds of pulling the AUX cord out or plugging in. Not a pleasant way to flow. We had a good laugh though.
 
Keep it simple. If you are setting up the day of your wedding, do yourself a favor and make sure it is as simple as possible. You want more time to get ready than it takes to put everything out. I made chocolates to set out for the guests. Guess who forgot them in the fridge of our room? Talk about a waste of time, energy, and money.
Don't forget the little things. We forgot pens for the centerpieces and the guest book. We also had to send the guys out for bobby pins and the plastic dishes for left over food.
No matter how well you plan everything out, be prepared to miss something. There were a couple pictures I might have missed. I didn't get to dance much besides the First Dance and Father/Daughter Dance. I did dance with my younger brother who asked me to show him how to slow dance. That was a great moment that I wouldn't trade for anything in the world. Otherwise, I was too busy talking, taking pictures or dealing with baby. I didn't set aside a moment to dance again with my husband. Although in retrospect, that might have been a blessing to our guests. We are both "White and Nerdy" after all. Dancing is something we enjoy doing behind closed doors, but might look awkward in front of others.  
And lastly, remember that it is your day. No matter what another person says or does. This is the day to focus on the love you have for someone else. I almost lost sight of that the night before the wedding. My best friend, my Mother, and my fiancĂ© all brought that back into perspective for me. Our day was what we wanted it to be.  


Thursday, June 1, 2017

I'm ready to go for a drive!

I could totally go on a long road trip with no particular destination in mind. Wedding plans are driving me up the wall about now....
But let's check into reality now! I was sent something from Chatterbox (a division of House Party) to try out and talk about. I love being a part of Chatterbox! I get some pretty cool stuff every once in a while. This time it was a Kleenex go-anywhere pack.
As a mom, having tissues on hand everywhere I go is a must. Between random colds, allergies or when the waterworks start because someone isn't happy, I often have to reach for a tissue fast. Sadly, I  was always having to carry a box of them around. I have a mini van.
That box tended to roll from front to under seats, and sometimes went to the back. It was always a hassle trying to find it.
Enter the go-anywhere pack. It has 30 3-play tissues in it. They are also ultra soft. There are a couple things I love about these. They have a snap strap that can clip anywhere. Around the headrest rod is where I have mine.
They dispense easily from the pack. Just one hand gets what I needed. And finally, it protects my tissues. Keeps them from getting wet or dirty. Not like something dripping or falling into the box. They are slim, so they stay out of the way. 
Now I'm ready for anything the kiddos bring my way. What about you? Summer time is here. Time for those long trips and drives.Walmart has them here. Amazon has them in stock here.

Tuesday, May 30, 2017

How many days are left?!

Not enough! I'm cracking down to make sure I have each detail just right and complete. I think we did really well with the pillars and flowers.
We had the inspiration from my fiancés grandmother and mothers favorite flowers. So we knew we wanted to try for white roses and, if possible, blue carnations. I saw these at Wal-Mart once and wished I could've found them in fake flowers.
But we went with others to try to match it as best as possible. In the end, it came to be something beautiful and just as well.
I've also been working on the chocolates needed and trying my best to get them just right. 

In the midst of everything, I took Memorial Day to enjoy my family. It is so easy to get caught up in the craziness of planning and details. Especially when you are feeling like it is more of a chore than a joy. I took a step back to connect with my kiddos.
We talked about what Memorial Day is for. Why we celebrate it. My darling husband-to-be even grilled dinner.
We topped off the night with s'mores!
We made our funny faces, told goofy jokes, and added to the happy memories that will go on for the rest of our lives. I needed to remind myself that there is more than just working towards this Saturday. We have a life going on in between.