These are a few of my favorite things

[Edited: Next time I make 3 typos in one hastily written sentence, will someone please tell me?]

1. NOT Christmas shopping. I have picked up a few things here and there over the past few weeks and everything else I have leisurely ordered online. Lovin' it.

2. Paper Back Swap. I know I've said this before, but I love giving my books a new home. Recently I've been thinking about why I love it so much and I figured it out. I just love having a stack of books ready to go out the door. I always wrap them in a brown paper bag, hand address them, then imagine how happy the person is going to be for a moment when they open their mailbox.

3. Butter and brown sugar. Together, preferably baked. As in acorn squash or sweet potato casserole. YUM! I am eating sweet potato casserole, right now, straight out of the pan.

Coming into the 21st Century. Slowly.

No more annoying T9 bullshit for me!

and in other news...

My phone totally died, locked itself, and the #3 won't work so I can't unlock it. So, the tech guy at Verizon tried everything he could think of but no luck. So..no phone number transfer and I can't even unlock my phone to do it manually. I didn't realize how heavily I relied on it. I started to program numbers in from memory and realized that I only know like 3 phone numbers. So, if you don't hear from me for months, that's why!

Or you could call me or send me a text message!

Actually this is just a pathetic plea for phone calls.

One time I read the saddest secret EVER on Post Secret. It said something like...

"I got the new iPhone and it still doesn't ring anymore than my old phone."

Check out Natalie's soapbox about how owning cool stuff doesn't make you cool. Love it! Girl after my own heart (as my mom would say)

And I'm rambling and this all ties together somehow.

To Whom It May Concern

Pam has Megan

Gene has Linda

Sarah has Irma

Jimmy has Bob

Warren has Benji

Megan has Gabe

Joe has Melissa

Kelsey has Jimmy

Benji has Warren

Erika has Kelsey

Melissa has Pam

Gabe has Joanne

Bob has Joe

Joanne has Erika

Linda has Sarah

Irma has Gene

THIS IS WRITTEN IN STONE, DAMMIT!!!
Happy Holidays! (hehe)

January

Two years ago and last year

Two years ago...
I hate to even open this can of worms. If you were there and a part of it, I'm sorry for even bringing it up. If you weren't there, thank your lucky stars!

It's hard to believe, now, how much it consumed every inch of me. Looking back it seems a bit silly. I'm not trying to downplay it (because, jesus christ, that was a lot of money down the drain) but I also can look back on it and see that there were so many things that I could have done to make it less stressful.

I think I can honestly see it with enough detachment to realistically assess what I took away from it and I have to say that this is the NUMBER ONE thing: STOP TALKING!
Do not let every word that comes out of your mouth be about the thing that is causing so much trouble.

I think that the thing I was most relieved about when it was all over was that I didn't have to talk about it to every single person in my life. Every time I saw my mom and dad, every conversation I had with Jimmy, every conversation with my in-laws, everyday, over and over again. Every detail was re-hashed, every conversation dissected, every dollar scrutinized, every scab ripped open over and over again. It was all so ugly and hurtful and most of the time it was absolutely pointless.

I hope I remember this experience when there comes a time in my life where I have to deal with a really difficult thing that everyone wants to talk to you about. I know there is value in talking. I love to talk. I like to get other peoples' perspective and I really like to hash out a problem with the view point of 2 or 3 people. But it's a fine line. A razor thin one where one side is good 'ol talk therapy and the other is this mind numbing inability to do anything but talk about it. Sometimes I think I would still be just talking about it if my dad hadn't said, "It's done. It's over. We can't save it. Walk away, baby" I would still be on that sinking boat and I'd have probably been on it by myself.

Ok, enough of that.

Last year...

Definitely doing the Winter Solstice Party again.

(Warren, wouldn't it be cool if the Caddy was done in time to do cookies in the church parking lot again??)

December..back to the blog anniversary

Two years ago and last year

I think that first one is pretty funny and lame. Apparently I like comparing where I was and where I am.

So, an update on that situation..he and his girlfriend are having a baby. I think sometime this summer. She's super sick with morning sickness and he is totally thrilled to be at this point in his life. They didn't plan it but are very happy about it.
I am really happy for him too. I always knew he would be a great dad.

It's strange to me that our lives are so far apart, literally and figuratively.
It's NOT one of those situations where you think about, "What if..." for the rest of your life. Our relationship ran it's course over a long period of time. We broke up without any ill feelings toward one another and continued to be friends.

It's seems like hundreds of years ago that I was that person. (It was only 6 years) I had absolutely no idea that I would be where I am today. I think I am still reeling from how quickly and dramatically my life changed over such a short period of time.

Ok, enough of that! I'm about to go "too much info" for my reading public. Hehehe.

And about that second one...Geez, I bitch a lot! I still feel the same way but I am pretty happy to say that I am taking baby steps toward a little balance.

Add to my list...

My dad gave me a two page list of "Must See Movies". So on Sunday night I rented 5 movies from the list. I've watched 3 so far and plan on watching the other 2 tonight and tomorrow. So...What's your favorite movie? Top 5? Add to my list!

Olivia's Birthweek

Bike Demolition Derby/Gladiators

Birthday playdate

JuJu sleeping on the floor...at the bowling alley

More bike demo derby

Lemon Meringue Birthday Pie

Annual Birthday measurement inside the closet door

She Did It!

Here she is, all sassy!

I took pictures while it was happening but I didn't have my own camera so I'm waiting for them to be emailed to me.

She was so brave!

2 years

My two year blogging anniversary is coming up! Oh my gosh two years!! That is insane!

I had a big long post about all the things that are different now but it was a little lengthy so I thought I'd start now and drag it out over the next 10 days or so. I've had some complaints about my lack of blogging (sorry Jen) so here goes!

Lets start at the beginning shall we...

Here we are November 2006...

http://sarahbelladressedinyellow.blogspot.com/2006/11/holidays-families-and-homicidal.html

I am ashamed to say that absolutely nothing has changed because here are my same feelings in 2007...

http://sarahbelladressedinyellow.blogspot.com/2007/11/thanksgiving-and-thanksgiving-2.html

And here is another thing that's coming up...
http://sarahbelladressedinyellow.blogspot.com/2007/11/olivias-last-day-to-be-3.html

Olivia is going to turn 5 on Thursday! She laid out her birthday plans for me a few weeks ago. Birthday snack at school on Thursday. She would like strawberries, cool whip and cupcakes.

Birthday dinner with Big Grandma, Little Grandpa, Daddy, JuJu, Kordon and Morgan, Kyla and Moira that night since mama will be at school.

Then on Friday she would like to have pizza with Little Grandma, Big Grandpa, Warren, Megan, Daddy, Mama, Joe, Kelsey and Chance.

Then on Saturday she wants a playdate with her 3 favorite friends from school.

Sheesh! I don't know where she got the idea that birthdays were celebrated for a week and that you should milk it as long as possible. I would NEVER do that. I wouldn't start every sentence with, "But it's my birthday!", for a week before. NEVER!
hehehe

Oh...and she is getting her ears pierced for her big 5 year old birthday! Tomorrow, actually! EEK! I think I'm more nervous than she is!

More tomorrow!