Last day. Breathe in, Breathe out.

The weather this weekend was amazing. And we tried to take full advantage.

We went to dinner Friday (jenny and jeff made it safely in town) at damgoode and then hung out at our house and drank some beverages. Yum. I got my non-bridesmaid bridesmaid dress from jenny and it fits perfectly – no alterations needed. I shall post a picture of myself in it if I get permission from the bride. She and Jeff are on their way back from Talladega today and will stop once again in the Rock.

Saturday was spent recovering and relaxing and watching movies – The Holiday and The Illusionist - both of which were ‘just okay’ in my book. I think Edward Norton is a fantastic actor and is selected for great roles, but he kind of gives me the skeazy sleazies.

Sunday we took the dogs out to the country (I came home with FIVE ticks on my body. FIVE. Shudder.) and we played TENNIS. TENNIS. I have never had a formal lesson in my life and I don’t know all the rules or how to keep score really but I love it. It is swiftly becoming my new obsession. We’ll see how long it lasts. Karl & I bought cheap racquets from the Wal-Mart(s) and headed to Reservoir Park. I have to say we aren’t terrible! I’m even sporting some really HOT sports bra tan lines/red shoulders. I must remember to buy sunscreen so I don’t fry in Florida. (The prospect of purchasing and smelling sunscreen just got me real excited. Bouncing. Around. In. Chair.)

update: just kidding

on the keg. it's not gonna make it here. but the party will.

is this how reporters feel when they stand corrected?

COMH: WAR on DIRT

So the older I get the more I realize life is about the war on dirt. And, in my case, the war on dog hair. Dirt/germs/grime/bugs in our homes, in our offices, on our bodies. Sigh. humans versus nature and all that crap. Mop, Mop, Mop All Day Long, Mop, Mop, Mop While I Sing This Song.

That being said, this week, in my best Vana White impression, my COMH is dedicated to our cordless, hardwood cleaning, swivel-ey, Electrolux (and I say our but Karl probably uses it way more than I do. And I say probably but I mean he uses it everyday and I use it like once a month). We have zero carpet in our home which I adore BUT dust and dog hair accumulate (ok FINE - people hair too. I can’t help it that I have thick, sheddy hair). I mean, seriously, how do you people keep your houses clean? Seriously. I cried last week b/c I spent so much time cleaning one little, teeny area of our house and I was all satisfied and then I found IT – a stray Roxy hair in my clean space. Sigh. I need cleaning fairies.

Eh. Life is too short to worry about cleaning all that much and, besides, the weekend excites me! Jenny and Jeff are on their way w/ a keg. Of BEER. HAHA. So we just might have a “keg party”. And, if you’re lucky, I might put a big X on your hand (and/or various other objects drawn, of course, in permanent sharpie), give you a free cup, and force you to do a keg stand. Then you can puke in my back yard and I will give you a garden hose to clean yourself up. Not really. Unless you wanna.

Not Complaing Just Observing!

This is not a complaint blog, just an observation blog.

Observation A: When someone is eating something, do we really need to comment on it? Case in point: This morning I went to Starbucks - something I have NEVER done in my year plus of working here; not one time. They opened a new Starbucks on Broadway (that makes six! in Little Rock I think – we are moving on up!) and I had some time and I have recently become addicted to tall caramel frappaccinos, so I decided to go. I ordered my drink and got some banana bread…. Yum, right? I get to work and have literally just taken my first bite when my coworker walks over to inspect my meal and observes “wow that’s a nice fattening breakfast.” Now I’m sure she didn’t mean anything by it and I still enjoyed every last bite/sip (and slurped my whipped cream extra loud when I finished my FAT drink!) but COME ON! Why do people do that? If I want to digest 3,000 calories with breakfast you better BACK OFF!! I’m sure I mentioned this before but Susan and I when we worked together at Arkansas Business would eat the most random breakfasts (to the horror of our coworkers) like left over lasagnas, mashed potatoes, pizza, etc. It may look gross or fattening to you but do you really have to say it out loud? FILTER, people.

Observation B: Speaking of calories, my “fat jeans” are getting loose once again. SO THERE. I can have all the Starbucks I want! ;) I will also be joining a workout challenge at my gym. More on this later. It’s hardcore.

Observation C: This one is really more of a question. WHAT THE HECK IS PRIVIT?!?!? And who is allergic to it? I’m serious. What is it? If I never hear the word privit again I will not be sad. PRIVIT. PRIVIT. PRIVIT. Aparentely it’s “really bad” this time of year. WHAT IS IT? (OKAY fine this one counts as more of a complaint.)

Observation D: This observation is not intended to be mean in any way, shape, or form. I’m just quite curious about it. I will try not to be specific to the person… no one reading this would know the family anyway but I mean no ill harm by the observation. ANYWAY, someone I know has a child that is a freshman in high school here in town. This particular person has pretty regular conversations with her child’s teachers – different, class-specific teachers about his homework and/or performance in school. So I guess my observation/question is, is this really necessary? (Teacher friends!?!?! What do you think!?). At what age/point does your child need you to stop interfering with homework and course selection and, well, school? I asked my mom about it a few weeks ago and she said my parents were involved with the school (dances and required p/t conferences) but never felt the need to interfere with classes or class selection. I’m sure to a certain extent it is child specific – if your child is getting in trouble all the time, I can see interfering. However, I read an article last week about parents calling their kids college professors on their behalf! I mean, really? Don’t you want to teach your child to be independent? I don’t know, I’m not a parent or a teacher. I’m sure it is easier said than done. Just OBSERVING. And taking notes on fostering independence for my future babies perhaps.

Observation E: WOW! I have time to eat and blog at lunch instead of working straight through! Hope you enjoy my loony bin ramblings. Pictures and COMH tomorrow. Three blogs in three days. Can you handle it? I feel like I am emerging from some underwater, unhappy place. And you get to hear all about it! Cross my little heart.

ready, ready, ready ready to run

My brain is fried so you are getting a random, listy blog - to-doish of all that is going on right now!

1. Wrapping up the job. I will be done this week – possibly coming in next Monday and Tuesday to finalize some stuff. Which sucks but no biggie.
2. There is a lot I will miss about this job! I have learned A SHIT TON. Yep, shit ton. Sorry, inappropriate! But I really have learned quite a bit that I hope to retain.
3. Um… I need to take my dogs to the vet so they can get shot.
4. I need to get passports for myself and karl for Puerto Vallarta (yes I had to look up the spelling.)
5. I need to start the invites for Jenny and Jeff’s engagement par-tay. A date is officially set: June 9. Tulsa, OK.
6. Oh and her bachelorette – officially same weekend as homecoming. Friday night.
7. I am drinking a delish Red Machine Nakey Juice and eating melba toasts. SUPERFOOD!
8. I need to lose 10 pounds and get an insta-tan before next week when I go to Florida. Hmmmmm… I think not.
9. Working out is going well! Working out will go even better when I start at Arkansas Business as I will be able to walk to the gym during lunch if I feel like it!
10. I am blogging b/c I was getting annoyed at other bloggers for not updating and then realized I HAVEN’T EITHER! So here I am! Not really annoyed so much as things are winding down here at work and I have time to click on through!
11. I need to fill my car up. With Gas. Gas here yesterday $2.81 I believe.
12. It rained all morning. Rain, Rain, Go Away. Come back later tonight when I am sleepy.
13. Su & Seth are coming over for dinner and computer ordering TONIGHT! I can’t wait to see her belly. She is in the HOME STRETCH. I’m going to feed little Settler Griffin Mulhearn some of my delish mashed potatoes. Start spoiling him early. Yum.
14. Home Stretch. That is my new favorite phrase. Not sure where it came from.
15. I need new screen doors.
16. I need a new bed.
17. I need to paint my kitchen.
18. I need to deep clean my bathroom.
19. I need to blog more.
20. I need to remember to dvr ANTM tonight!
21. Oh and my birthday is next week.

22. Is my favorite number.

That is all. Goodbye. Happy lunches.

Weekend Pics

pics of the weekend filled with fun, friends, and family. f.

above karl and kelly (his sister kristen's little girl) on the salt lake news (at the kiddo museum!) i love those green screens. the green screen of weather. also, a few pics of tyler operating heavy machinery.... or a crank crane picking up foam blocks.... same thing!

monday morning strikes again

weekend updates later tonight. i had a good one and karl is back safely from vegas and salt lake city. i will have pictures from my weekend and his week shortly.

i'm in to the home stretch of my current job. time is ticking by very, very slowly. if you are bored at work and need something to do, please feel free to email me as i am wrapping things up around here and would be more than happy to respond. this morning i had some hand-written to-do listS! on my desk from my boss complete with underlines and exclamation points and scribbles. even with all that, it's not clear and/or are things that are in progress or completed. i feel very much like the girl from the devil wears prada. except, in my case, the devil wears ratty sweatshirts that don't quite cover the tummy.

Well! Now that everything is out in the open about my leaving and taking another job, I am inclined to BLOG AT WORK! Shhh! I guess they could fire me! I wouldn’t mind *(yes I would), but time seems to be going very slowly since I informed them I was leaving. I don’t think they are too happy but they did absolutely nothing to try and keep me around. I have some post-conference stuff to work on and tomorrow I am working our USGBC Arkansas booth at the Arkansas Earth Day Festival. It will be my last USGBC activity (well, non volunteer I guess!) I really don’t even want to come in at all next week. Not one little bit. What if I just didn’t? Sigh. I will, I will. I'm going to miss working with my usgbc arkansas chapter clients very, very much. i am quite upset about it actually. i enjoy their cause and working with them very, very much. very, very. that group makes me questions EVERYTHING about my decision! ugh. ugh. ugh. if only i could have them all for my own!

so, on a happier note, i found this awesome site, www.onegoodbumblebee.com, and ordered these vintage owl patches that i have pictured above. i don't know exactly what i am going to do with them yet, but I do know I could not live without them. check this site out - there are vintage holly hobbie necklaces! you might not be able to resist!

ok guys. pay attention.

the conference was amazing. amazing. amazing. i even got a few job offers at the event! haha. for real though i am very proud of myself! there were no major glitches! amazing. my ankles are nice and swollen from being on my feet and working looooooooooooooooooooooooong hours. i wish i could tell you more but i just got home. (and back to free internet access. i didn't think i needed a mac book but i didn't take it with me and i'm pretty sure i can't be seperated from it for that long ever EVER again.) i am absolutely exhasted. three days in a row of getting up at 5 a.m. and working straight thru until like 10 p.m. on Monday and Tuesday and then driving back today from NWA after tearing everything down is taxing. i am so exhasted that i am having trouble sleeping. does that even make sense?

speaking of jobs, it is now official and i can announce. this conference was kind of my grand finale at my current company. (OUT WITH A BANG!) i will be leaving them the first week of May to take a position at - guess where - arkansas business! (my old company, different job!) hahahah. surprise! (clicking my ruby red slippers together; i miss the old abpg crew).

karl is currently attending a huge conference (in vegas!!) for work and then he is on to salt lake city to visit his sister and her family for a few days. i will be taking a break between jobs to see my lovely meredith hampton frampton moore in vero beach, florida!

it's 10 p.m. and i haven't even unpacked one bag from my car yet. and you can't make me!

COMH

or an advertisement for naked juice. whatever. mmmmmmmmmmm delish. breakfast, lunch, or dinner... stock my fridge please. kiwi strawberry energy is my favorite. have a good weekend. we are off to oaklawn on saturday for the arkansas derby!

more cowbell

i have been a bit MIA lately due to an upcoming conference in Rogers (next week!!!). I am to the stressed, nervous, but still feeling like it is all coming together part! i am tired, i am cranky, and i don't want to think about who is in charge of the vendor nametags anymore, or if our national booth will get to the office on time so we can display it at the event, or if our speakers are flying into the wrong airport *because there is more than one in the state of Arkansas despite what some think* or the color of the speaker and sponsor ribbons, or if i have enough volunteers coordinated to help me with a variety of things, or if the yogurt we are serving is low fat or fat free (yup, discussions about yogurt my friends! ahhh what a glorious job!)

let's see what else is new in the hills household?

my photographer (wedding) emailed me to say that our pics are on theknot.com! Here is the link ... they are pretty much the same ones that were featured in the knot magazine we were in a few months ago er... some time ago. i can't remember. anyway, i love it how theknot.com makes everything sound so GLAM. do you guys remember the dance floor where we danced just steps away from the enclosed wine garden? ;) looking back hair/veil, photography, and floral decisions = happy bride. i know it's a bit superficial but whatever. good husband decision went with them so i'm allowed to indulge in details sometimes! i wish we could have sent them our happy little orange and pink square invites.

what else?

trying to set the hills summer schedule/calendar so if you need to request a weekend with either kat or karl the form should be available soon. for now, please leave your requests in the comments.

Easter in St Louis. I felt like I was in fast forward.

kristy's house is absolutely gorgeous - i'm in love with her colors. two shades of green in the kitchen people - how could you not love that?!?!!? we had such a great time at her housewarming. why is it called a housewarming anyway? whatever, it was freezing in STL!

those two middle girls? isabel and wendy? yep, they are both going to be big sisters this fall. that's right - jenny&jake are pregnant and expecting in october, bridget&brian are pregnant and expecting in november!

top pics featuring maxie man and his ladies!!! maxwell is approaching the fifty pound mark at which time we will all have a fabulous PARTY!!

COMH: volume eight is great

my home is too scary to show you even one little corner. this is my face as i look around the corners. yucko. i suck at housekeeping.

easter dinner here i come - ham and cheeeeeeeeesey potatoes. jesus loves aunt jayne's cheesey potatoes.

STD: homecoming 07

The University of Tulsa Alumni Association is pleased to announce dates for Homecoming 2007. Come home to Tulsa October 11 – 13 for fun and friends!

Please mark your calendars - you wouldn't want to miss a good time LIKE THIS! (see above)

TOOOOnder & LightNIN'

so last night i was in bed with my lap top writing a blog entry about the storm that was raging outside my open windows (nothing like a good storm and open windows!). karl & i had been sitting on the front lawn watching the lightning until it started torrentially downpouring! we unplugged our tv and outlets b/c there was a TON of lightning so i was bragging on the wireless and the laptop & we were semi-hoping for a power outage. until the power actually went out and i lost my internet connection. then i was pissed. (not too bad really i just like to complain).

then it became a strange and restless night at the hills house. arlo FREAKS out when the power blinks back on b/c our house makes this weird beeping noise and he NO likey. he starts shaking and panting and climbing on my lap like the 80 pound lap dog he is not. roxy, our protector dog, wouldn't leave the open windows alone and kept woofing (woofing = not quite a bark) at the neighbors (who were out in DROVES checking out the storm). there were like 4 kajillion sirens (aparently there were lots of fires around town). then at like four we woke up to roxy barking and growling (she rarely barks or woofs) like an insane dog at some scary man on our street. we debated on whether or not to call the cops. (he left; we didn't) then karl starts dreaming about catching and shooting woodpeckers - dreaming restlessley and gibberishly - (we really do have a woodpecker that pecks on our metal spinney thing every morning and karl has been trying to shoot it with a bbgun. yea, i live in arkansas, so what?) then the woodpecker really DOES start pecking and the birds start chirping like crazy (remember those open windows?? AHAHAH!!!) b/c it is an absolutely gorgeous morning in our beautiful city.

HAPPY WEDNESDAY!! i guess sometimes these nights just happen! our power made it back on sometime in the early morning.

off to dial in - conference call at noon!

shotguns and weddings 2007

the boys went to play with shotguns and ride four wheelers at the deer camp and audra and i attended a wedding for serena, a girl from the old office! she looked stunning and we wish her and her new hubby the best! (above pic - some of the ladies of AB). audra & i left the reception and headed to the gloria household for some delicious margaritas.

not much else to say about the weekend or the impending week. i would rather go to the dentist, eye doctor, girly doctor, & any other physician or health professional than go to work tomorrow. i am crabby. very, very, very crabby!