Ten Things Thursday!

Another round of Ten Things RandomPantsICan'tKeepOneThoughtForMoreThanTwoMinutes Thursday!!!!!

1. Holy Toledo Batman. So much has happened the last week! It has been CRAYYYYYzy up in here. First, work sucks big green donkey dick. Seriously. I'm so tired of super out of control American male ego. So tired. Why can't we all just get along?! Mmmmkay? OK.

Really, overtime is the bomb.com. Just sayin'.
Well, at least it is on my bank account.

Fo' real.

2. Did I tell y'all that we stained our deck a few weeks ago? Well, if I did, you're just going to hear about it again. Deal with it. BTW, I'm feeling saucy today because I've gotten about no sleep for 4 days. Don't know why, my mind just won't shut the fuck up.

Here's the pretty color!

It's like a dark red. It makes the deck look damn near brand new! It was kind of a pain in the ass to put on. You know......about 126 degrees, sun burning through your skin, sweat pouring, not enough beer in the world to make your life better, the usual. But we got it done in about 2 days. So at least we didn't have to prolong the torture for like a week or something. I surely would have died.

Only bad part.....since our yard is about 47% dirt, and the Wonder Dog chooses only that 47% to walk in, there is always dirty puppy paw prints on the deck and they stick out like Ryan Reynolds in a room full of.....well.....anyone. Eh, what'er'ya goin' to do. Definitely NOT repaint it a lighter color. That's for damn sure.

Oh, and I thought that was our one and only 'summer project' and I was so happy it only took 48 hours and we got it done first thing..........until..........Ryan pipes up the millisecond we finish staining and says, "I think we should paint the house this summer."

What.The.F*#%@^$!!!!!

So yes, the next summer project is in the works (actually Ryan's done all the work so far, thank you Baby Jesus), but I'll keep you updated!

3.  My garden is going cray-cray! I've picked 4-5 zucchini's so far and they have been ginormous!

Yes, that is a zucchini. On steroids. Seriously the size of my thigh. Which is pretty huge.

I also picked my first tomato!

So cute!
I've picked some cherry tomatoes too, and I've got cucumbers blooming and oh my holy Hell, I've got more dill than I know what to do with! Like, do I dry it? Do I hang it upside down? And do I hang the whole damn bush? Or do I just do the heads? And what do I do after it's dried? Crumble it up? So many questions.
Here's a little pic of my garden:

Cucs on the left, carrots front and center, and toms in the back. Oh and yes, that's a frosty beverage on the bottom right.

4.  So last weekend I needed to get away. Y'all know it was my dad's 2nd anniversary of his death last Friday. Thank y'all by the way for all your comments, thoughts, and prayers. It's definitely rough, but each year is getting better. And I know I need to let go of the mourning, but it just takes time.

Anyway, so I needed to get away. Just me, a full cooler and my lawn chair. I wanted to think. To relax. And to just BE. So I headed to a secluded cabin in the middle of southern Kansas. And when I say cabin, I really mean a freakin' mansion. Well, not a mansion, but damn nice. It's a hunting 'cabin' so no one lives there but for the two weeks of deer season in December.

I got there Friday afternoon, i took a few hours off work (since it takes a few hours to get there) and got there in plenty of time to enjoy some sunshine and watch the sun set.

Nothing but wide open spaces!
I brought my Kindle with me but I really just sat there and looked. I just looked at the hills and the trees and watched the wind blow through the grass. And I thought. About a lot of things.

It.Was.Amazing.

It completely rejuvenated me, energized me, and just made me in the best mood. I planned on only staying Friday night, but then Saturday rolled around and the sun was shining and I couldn't leave. So I stayed Saturday night too, heading back on Sunday.

It was just so nice to be by myself ya know? I just needed ME time.

5.  I've ran twice this week. Woopy!!!!!
I'm proud of myself.
I have plans to run at least one more time on Friday, and maybe again on Sat. I think I've finally gotten my running grove back!!!
Oh and on Tuesday, I got up at 5:15 to run. That's in the AM. Yes. I am clearly mental.
And you know it's still dark out at that time, and last summer, with my incident with scary white Cujo on mile 1.shitmypants, I decided I needed some sort of light. Well, low and behold my mom's boyfriend thought the same thing and he got me this super fancy head lamp thingy!!!

I know. Pretty. Don't hate.

But you see it on top there? The thing that looks like one of those LED mini flashlights on its side? That's the head lamp. It's LED and SUPERDUPER bright! I'm a badass. I know.

Wanna know who else thinks it's badass? That would be the husband. He has already commandeered it for hunting season.
Men.

6.  Speaking of my mother and her boyfriend Hardy......There are no words for this:

Just no words at all.
Mom in her new camo shorts that Hardy bought her.
Jesus.Christ.
This woman birthed me.
We have the same DNA.
Lord help me.
(PS Ryan: This is what you get to look forward to when I'm old and senile! Are you excited yet?!)

Oh, and if that wasn't enough he bought her overalls......cutoff overalls:

Oh and a new purse.
Which Colt is wearing in the last picture.
But the cutoff overalls are the real story.

I officially have 'that' mother. Who has slowly but surely turned into a redneck.
(BTW Mom: If Hardy sends me your ridiculous pictures, you KNOW they're going on the internet where everyone can see. I just can't hold this epic shit back.)

7.  Ok, back to the running thing. So I think it's challenge time. I said I wanted to start running 3 times a week and doing my sit-ups/push-ups/squats thing 3 times a week too, and well, it's just not happening. So I need some motivation.

Ummmmmmm, what do I want as a reward..........
New Toms????

A new outfit????

That's cute huh?!
The Toms would actually go really good with that.

I just don't know!
I'll think of something, and the challenge will probably last four weeks or something.
I'll keep you updated.

8.  UGHHHHH people keep coming in my office during my break and interrupting me! Stop! Don't you know I'm trying to BLOG!

9.  One week from Sat. I will be doing this:

I'm SOOOOOOO excited I could pee my pants!!!!
But I won't. Because I'm at work. And that'd be awkward.

10. This weekend is a big family reunion, where I get to meet shitloads of my mom's cousins and crap. The last time I remember meeting them all, I was about 10, I guess. And the only thing I remember is that all the girl cousins not only looked exactly the same, but they ALL sounded the same too.

That's the way it is with my mom and her sisters. Every freaking one of them looks alike, a few of them could be twins.

And if I heard one of them in the other room, I'd think it was my mother, only to find out it'd be one of my Aunts.
Weird family genes.
My mom left me with my Aunt one time when I was about a year old I think, left me for like a long weekend or a week or something. My Aunt said I was the best baby all week. Then when my mom came back to pick me up, I looked at her, then my Aunt, then my mom again and just started bawling! I finally figured out she left me! But the whole week I just thought my  Aunt was my mom. Maybe that's why I'm the way I am. Mother: You traumatized me.

But the reunion should be fun. I get to see my grandma, which never happens now that she lives in Arizona. And one of my cousins just had a baby girl and I get to meet that little preciousness! We now have 3 out of the 4 great grandchildren that have the middle name James, after my grandpa. He sure made an impression to us grandkids!

Well, breaks over. Need to get back to the depths of Hell.

Cheers Lovies!!!

WTnoFreakingWay! Captain Jack come hitha!!

My wildest dream has come true!!! Well, one of my wildest.

Yes, yes, yesterday my life changed forever in a ICan'tBelieveIt'sNotButter moment!

Mr. Johhny is a single man, ladies!!!

Swooooonnnnnnn!

So yummy.

I love you too Johnny, I love you too.

Bet this brightened your day just a smidgen, huh?

You're welcome.

What I miss most in life.

Today is a very special day.

It's a sad day.

But a happy one too, because it allows me to remember all the great memories.

Today is the day, two years ago, that my dad lost his battle with cancer.

He was an amazing man. Amazing.

Kind, gentle, smart, funny, ornery!!, compassionate, caring, and on and on.

He never took life seriously. Ever. He was always playing some joke, or laughing, or devising some new mischief to torment my mother or us kids.

He was great.

He was an Angel. In the sense that he showed up in my (and my mom's) life, in the middle of turmoil, and stuck by our sides till we made it through. He was there to bless our lives with his wisdom and kindness. And just when the turmoil had subsided, the Lord took him back to help other people.

I don't think......no, I KNOW I would not be the person I am today, if it weren't for him. He made me a better person. A kinder, more generous person. That appreciates life and all that it gives us.

I miss him so much it hurts.

All those pics he was pretty sick in. They were all taken, probably, in the last year of his life. Especially the last one, where just 20 days after that picture was taken at his 51st birthday party, he passed.

Here's what I wrote LAST YEAR about him. If you haven't read it before, it's a long one, but a good one. If you have read it, and want to re-read that long ass novel, then more power to you! I just re-read it myself and it made me cry all over again. But I think I really did a good job on describing how much he impacted my life. Everyone's lives, really.

I appreciated all your comments last year, and I'm sure all your comments this year will leave me with the same amazingly warm and loved feeling that last years did. Thank you all for the best support a chick could have!

Miss you Mike. You are gone but never forgotten.

WTF Wednesday.....but in a GREAT way!!!!!

It's official.

Yup.

 Ladies and Gents, it has happened. Finally.

I am at the lowest weight I've ever been in 10 years. 10 YEARS!!!!

I stepped on the little flat chested Goddess today and she sang my praise and flashed a beautiful:

**142.5!!!!!**

Holy toledo Batman!!!

142.5.

Wowsers.

I just couldn't believe it. I had to step off and step back on again. Sure as shit, it said the same number.

PRAISE THE WEIGHLOSS GODS!!!!

Seriously, I knew I was getting thinner, because my normally tight ass pants were a little loose. But I haven't weighed myself in like weeks. I just didn't care. Well, I cared a little, but I didn't want the scale to control my whole day. So I just never stepped foot on it. Then this morning I was getting ready and I noticed I could kinda see my ab muscles.

WHA?!?!?!
Where did those little boogers come from?!?!

I mean it's just a 2-pack, on the very top of my tummy, but still. I damn near fainted on the tiled floor. Then I actually jumped up and down like a toddler that's been given a 3 dip ice cream cone, laced with crack,of course.

So I stepped on the scale and screamed like a crazed lunatic. Wyatt thought I went off my rocker. He promptly went and hid under the bed.

To tell you the truth, I haven't even been trying really. OK, I know that sounds bad. Because, believe you me, I've struggled just the same as all y'all with the weigh loss thang. But what I mean is I didn't stress about it. I made a decision that it's possible that I have been eating too much. I mean, I've tried every diet under the damn sun, from Slim-notsoFast to protein shakes to eating high protein/low carb to eating 6 meals a day......everything. Nothing really seemed to stick.

Then it hit me. I noticed I was eating all freaking day! WTF? (See, there's my WTF Wednesday moment for Miss Drazzypants!) I mean really, what in the farts is wrong with me if I think snacking all damn day on 'good' foods still won't make me fat. Or at least not fat, but not thin-er.  If I'm getting 2000 a day and not losing weight, clearly I need to drop the calories. Sometimes my ditziness just amazes me. Seriously.

Ok, to get to the point. I decided that I'm eating to much, which I just explained above in way too much detail, so I just took it down a notch. I eat 3 small meals a day. I stop when I'm full. Usually a banana for breakfast, mixed with a little of the crackjuice. Yes, yes, the Mt. Dew addiction has come back. Temporarily of course. Then for lunch is a small salad, or a sandwich. Then dinner is some sort of protein, like a chicken breast, or a hamburger, or tonight we're having salmon and I'm grilling some zucchini. That's it! No chips, or cookies, or ice cream, or crap in between meals or after meals. I mean, I've had an ice cream sammy here and there, but not every damn day, like I was.

I haven't limited myself from anything. I ordered a huge steak and french fries the other night and ate about 3 ounces of the steak and about 2 fries. And I was STUFFED! Ryan was like, 'That's it? That's all you're eating?!' And I was like yup. I even ate a little more than I really wanted too, because I had that 'I want to puke all over this booth right now to feel better' moment after I was finished.

But you know what else I've noticed lately? I can't eat fast food anymore. The other morning, I was like, Mmmmmmmm sausage, egg and cheese biscuit from Braums......YESSSSS! I thought, 'I've been good, I can splurge.' Not.The.Best.Idea. Pretty sure I felt like a pound of grease had solidified in my stomach. I couldn't eat anything all day because I was terrified I'd blow chucks. I can still have a few fries here and there, and maybe a hamburger, but something like that grease-biscuit, with a side of greasy tator tots, is NOT ever going to happen again.

So that's it. I know it sounds so easy.......just eat less. But it is. You know, half the time when I think I'm getting hungry I chug my full water bottle and wait 15 minutes. And I'm not hungry anymore. I think all those times when I thought I was hungry I was actually thirsty! Who knew!

Now it's time to think about maintenance. Christ on a crutch. How the farts do you do that?!

I also think it's time to hit the weights. Some of this flab needs to be fab. Fo' realz. I'm thinking about just doing 50 sit-ups, 50 push-ups, and 50 squats 3 times a week and see where that gets me. It's simple, not structured. Easy peezy lemon squeezy.

So anyway. That's my news! I'm at a weight that I'm super duper happy with! Finally. That only took about 7 years. Meh.

Now the challenge is keeping it from going back up! And working on my muscle definition. That's going to be fun.

Gotta run Cupcakes!!!

Cheers!

They see me roooollllin'..........

.............and they haAAtin'.
(Now you got that song in your head, huh? You're welcome.)

The search is over folks.

The 'perfect' vehicular has been found.

Yes, yes. Yours truly and her fine husband (someone got a little upset when I said, 'Look at the new care I bought' on FB last weekend. So I'm paying my dues now) purchased a BRAND NEW CAR on Saturday!

WOOP WOOP!!!!!

BIG PIMPIN' NOW!!!!!! Watch out.

Feast your eyes upon our lovely: We need to come up with a name for her!

2012 Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo 4x4

Fancy Schmancy!
She so purdy!!!!!!!

White on the outside, tan leather interior on the inside. Bluetooth, satellite radio, reverse camera, all the fun bells and whistles that come with the radio. I already uploaded all my music via jump drive (cause it's cool like that and you can plug in jump drives) and have been jammin' out to he most badass stereo system evah!

Only kind of crap thing is that the guy that sold us the car, uploaded all his music on there. Like literally 700 files. And it's music I don't even like. So I've been having to go through and deleting them all. Like, WTF dude? Who asked you to do that?! If it was like 10 songs, meh, ok, but SEVEN HUNDY?!?! CRIPES!!!

I'm going to politely tell him he should ask before doing that when I go pick up my tag tonight.

Other than that, it's a smooooooth operator ride, and I freaking am in love!!!!

Never thought I'd own a brand new car, but Saturday we made it happen Capt'in.

Are you a little jealy? Ya, I would be too. It's fine. Don't hate.

Sooooo, what should I name her?!?!

Ten Things Thursday

Another round of the triple T's for your reading pleasure!

1.  Me and TJMaxx are besties. Yup. No lie. I just heart that store so hard. I was getting tired of wearing the same ol' shit every day at work, so I decided to liven up my wardrobe a little.

Feast your eyes upon my recent purchases:

Cutey patooty huh?!
And it was sooo comfy. Bonus!

2.  It's garden season!!!! Woop woop!!! I planted lettuce, spinach, basil, cilantro, cucumbers, carrots, tomatoes, jalapenos, anaheim peppers, radishes, dill, green onions and zucchini. So far I've lost the lettuce, spinach, cilantro, and basil. I planted them in pots, and when we went on vacay for memorial weekend, sadly they succumbed to the heat. boo.

But I still have everything else and it's going superb, I tell you. Superb!!
Here's a zucchini I pulled out the other day:

Sucker was the size of a football! And ohhhhh so delish! I cooked it right up with a little EVOO, garlic and onions. Yummytown!!

I also had some luck this year with my little peach tree:

Peaches for EVERYONE!!!!
Actually I took them to work and most of my staff hoarded them. So really, only 3 people got some. Damn selfish if you ask me. JK.

3.  I ran the other night!!!! Yeppers. Official Color Run Training has commenced!!!
It wasn't a glorious run. 'Stellar' was not the word of the day. First 2 miles were fantastic. Lungs were working like a normal person, legs weren't tired at all. Both miles were run in 9:54, so that's good. Last mile was a whole other story! Didn't help matters that it was uphill most of the way. Stupid. But I cranked through, walking every so often, but walking fast, then picking it back up at a pretty fast run. I suppose if I would have just slowed down to a jog, it would have been better, oh well. I finally made the 3 miles in 31:00 exactly. Not bad, not bad at all.

I'm thinking of trying to run 3 times a week. In the mornings, if I don't have to work too much overtime. That will give me a nice leg up to running The Color Run on June 30th. I can't wait!!! It's going to be soooo much fun! And I get to run it with friends! Granted, my friend Lindsey is a badass and can run 3 miles in like 27 minutes, while I will probably be a full mile behind her panting away and about to pass out. but it'll still be fun!

4.  I thought this was completely appropriate for what's been going on the last few weeks at work:

Fo'realz.

5.  Tuesday night I had the best.night.ever. Ryan was in Kansas City at some work thing, so it was just me and puppy. And my plans for the evening included sitting on my fat pooper, beer in hand, book in the other hand. Soaking up the sunset on the deck. It.Was.Bliss.

I may have gone a little overboard, because I ended up staying up till like midnight and read halfway through this cheesey romance novel. I was so tired yesterday I could have crawled under my desk and died.

But so worth it.

Puppy thought so too. He was enjoying deck-time just as much as me:

For you Miss Cat!!

6.  I saw this the other day. While letting my brain turn to mush on the little Interest of Pin site.

Made me think of you Draz!!

7.  Oh and this one too, made me giggle a little.

Speaking of the little 8 legged bastards. I'll have you know I was carrying up the laundry from the basement the other day and right as I put my foot up on the step I looked down and a flesh eating monsterspider tried to make his move. I didn't shriek like a banshee, I didn't throw the laundry all over God's creation, I calmly set down the basket and went for a tissue and smooshed the bastard.

I was so amazed at myself I nearly fainted.
I may becoming a stealth spider killing superhero. Maybe.

8.  I don't know what I'm going to do with myself this weekend. Last weekend we stained our deck. So that project's over with. There's been rumors spreading through our house that someone wants to paint the outside of the house. And that someone is not me or Wyatt. I'm hoping it's just all a glorified lie. Actually I'm praying that it is.

Maybe I'll clean.
Maybe I'll sit on the deck and soak up the sun.
Maybe I'll take a nap.
Ohhhhhhhhhh, take a nap. Yes, yes, that's definitely going to happen.

9.  Meet my new nephew!!!

Trenton Lee Bailey! (I hope I spelled that right.lol.)
Is he not the cutest little lovebug ever!!??!?!?!

I have yet to meet him, because he lives in the great state of Colorado. But hopefully this August I'll be making a trip out to cuddle and snuggle and just soak him up!!!

10. Ok, I'm off to work. Nothing more in LauraBelle Land to discuss. So I will leave you with this:

Cheers!!!

WTF Wednesday!

OMG, I so need this.

- Soooooooo, Miley Cyrus is engaged. What the ever loving hell is all that about?! Damn, girl is 19! NINETEEN!!! You know what I was doing at 19? Possibly touring every frat house at KSU and maaaaaaybe consuming more beers than I care to admit. (Shhh, don't tell anyone.) Oh, and going to class every day. Of course.

Engaged!!!! WTF?!?!

To this guy:

It's bad enough that he's just about as drop dead gorgeous as my little Mr. Reynolds, but he has a hotty boom body brother too.

Ughhhhhh, the tragedy of another biting the dust!!!!!!

- It's official. Work sucks purple alligator balls. Do alligators have balls? Anyway. It sucks. Last week was the happiest of my life; the general manager, whom I really think is the bees knees, came in and said, 'Laura, I'm going to move you out from your current boss and put you under my supervision. YIPEEEEE!!! Life is good, life is great! Praise Mr. GM!!!!!!! So excited! But now, my old boss is involved in my department more than he has been in the last year! WHHHYYYYYYY?!?!?! WTF is going on?!?!?!

Sometimes I just want to shank people. With a light-saber. In the ass.

- There is not enough Mt. Dew in the world this morning to make me feel like I truly can exist in the normal realm of this planet. Seriously. Why oh why do I feel the need to stay up reading until the weeeeeee hours of the morning?! On a work night?! WTF is wrong with me. GO TO BED! LIKE NORMAL PEOPLE! AT NORMAL TIMES!

But the book was good. That's a plus.
And the beer flowed. Obviously.

- It's only Wednesday. WTF. Can it be Friday please? Pretty please? With sugar on top?
Seriously, this week is dragging. Soooooo slllloooooowwwwwwwww. The weekend is never going to get here. Ever.

Ok, I have to toodle on. Work calls. Ugggghhhhh.
Why can't I be filthy rich? And just lay on a beach all day? With a mai tai. And read. And frolic in the water every so often. With my biggest concern being how my next mai tai is going to appear without me lifting a pretty little finger. Why?

Cheers!!!