WPS! Howl Yes - I do it like a BIG BEAR!

I am so sick and tired of hearing all the trash talk about college football in Arkansas.  I work at ASU - they write my paycheck every other week but that doesn't give me any right to talk badly about any other university in the state - regarding sports, academics, etc.  I see it all over Facebook, I hear it daily around campus along with on the radio.  It is completely uncalled for and makes most people look ridiculous.  I worked at UCA as a student worker and don't recall any type of talk regarding ASU or U of A in the office [we did talk trash about TECH but that was totally allowed].

I have tailgated at both Razorback, Bears, Wonderboys and Red Wolf football games.  Is there a difference, yes, there was for me.  It has been many years since I was around UCA or Arkansas Tech, I know that a lot has changed since I attended my last game on either campus, so I can't elaborate on those two campuses.  The area where I tailgate in Jonesboro is more kid friendly - there are adults drinking beverages, listening to music, and having a great time but it seems much more low key.  I don't tailgate in the Pines though which is where the fraternity and sororities hang out, I'm a bit too old for that scene.  When I have tailgated at a Razorback football games, I wouldn't want any child around.  Cranked up music, baggo, lots of beer, and even more stories that should not be heard by any child.  There are a lot of drunk people, I've seen more than one sorority girl throwing up out in the open.  One too many beers, I suppose.  Both tailgating experiences have been very fun and I always look forward to going back.... I can say this, being able to drive over to a game and after it's over drive back home in 30 minutes sure is nice!

I don't know why people believe that they have to the right to talk about businesses or other people that support another university in the state of Arkansas.... along with the Red Wolves.  Does it really matter to you?  Isn't that kind of like the Chick-fil-A thing -- doesn't a business have it's own right to support whomever they want.  Geez!  If I had a business I would support and promote whomever I wanted.  FYI - I have a framed piece of paper hanging on the wall in my office that says University of Central Arkansas - am I supporting another university too?

I'm honestly embarrassed by some of the things I hear.  The representatives of ASU [students, faculty, and staff] as they speak so unkindly of other schools in the state.  How enjoyable it is to see the Hogs lose, how it could always be worse - that you could go to UCA, how ASU could beat the Hogs but the Hogs are too scared to play them [which may or may not be true], etc. etc.

That is all I'm going to say for now, I'd prefer to keep my job.  I support all universities in the state - I enjoy tailgating and watching football but I don't grip and complain about everyone all the time.  Geez people, get happy in the pants you got mad in!

Happy Friday!  Let's go Bobcats!

[Hey ASU fans, don't get pissed it's high school football!]

Did You Know?

DID YOU KNOW....?

*That I love to make list?

*Cory and I became boyfriend and girlfriend on February 1, 2002.

*My dog's name is Hank Williams - his name will not change to Meadors after marriage.

*My initials will be ARM when I get married.  It could always be worse.

*I have to pee every hour when I drink 64 ounces of water a day.

*My favorite meal would be hot dogs, cheese dip, and veggies with ranch (Ranch DIPS Packet with sour cream)

*My great-grandparents built the house that I live in.

*I didn't know my roommate when I moved to UCA my freshman year of college.

*I had two basset hounds growing up, Speedy and Lightening.

*I collected Santa Clauses as a child - at one time I had every International Santa that Dillard's had out.  Pretty fancy, I know.  I remember when they were $5.00 each.

*I sweep or mop my floor every single day.

*I have an obsession with the shower curtain being closed.

*I have way too many points on my driving record [all from speeding tickets].  I'm waiting to hear from the State - please pray that they don't take my life away suspend my license.

*When I don't know what's going on or have a plan, I get grumpy.

*I never won Miss Lawrence County.  Tragic, I know.

*I'm not scared to put soap in Jersie's mouth if he says a bad word.  [Please note, since the last soap incident we have had not one single cuss word said around his Aunt Alyson]

*Cory gave me his senior ring the night before the Walnut Ridge and Hoxie football game our senior year.  I still have it.

*I'm friends with a Lynn Squirrel.

*I use to babysit Tiffany and one time I caught a Tupperware container on fire that was left in the oven.  She will never let me live that down.

*I wish I could work at Teleflora again with the same group I started with... but make more money.

*Oh ya, I'm marrying my bestest friend in less than a month!


FREAKY FRIDAY KIDS!   Have a good one!

Bible Talk

This morning I read a few bible verses to start my day - Who doesn't think reading the bible and then praying the entire time they take a bath is the perfect start to a morning?! Pretty perfect for me!

So I thought that you wonderful peoples would love to see a few that I read this morning to BRIGHTEN your Friday!


So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:10

If a man has recently married, he must not be sent to war or have any other duty laid on him. For one year he is to be free to stay at home and bring happiness to the wife he has married. Deuteronomy 24:5

But at the beginning of creation God made them male and female. For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh. So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate. Mark 10:6-9

Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?
Jesus replied: "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind. This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as yourself. All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments." Matthew 22:36-40

But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Romans 5:8

Have a great weekend! Beatles in the Ridge is this weekend in Walnut Ridge, that will have to be a whole other blog in itself.



Love you, God Bless!

Well Butter My.....Bread

Sunday night I decided to try to be a real wife.  Cory was coming to town - I had worked on wedding stuff, attended a wedding shower, got my hair did -- and then it was time for dinner.

So I cooked soup, which was yummy and perfect.  Then I got the bright idea that I was going to make some bread, I had some yeast packets, how hard could it really be?  [Please note I decided upon this at 5:00pm]

So here I go, I get out my big heavy duty KitchenAid Mixer and get to work.

This is yeast with water and sugar.  The recipe said to wait until it foamed.  So I did.  Yeast really freaks me out.  Why am I wanting to eat something that foams and grows.  Plus not to mention all the other places it can grow on/in a body.  Anyway... next step.

This mixer is fancy and worked really well on mixing up my dough!

 Real southern girl kneading her bread dough... I had no idea what I was doing.  I played with it like play-dough and called it good.

 Rise baby Rise.  By this time it is 5:30pm almost.  It was supposed to rise an hour to two....until it looked like it had risen enough.  I've never made bread before, how the heck am I supposed to know?  It said to cover with plastic but Cory's Mom always covers hers with a kitchen towel, so I did both.

So - the recipe said to pinch off dough and put it in a cupcake pan.  Probably won't do that again.  The bread was ok - not the best but not terrible.  It wasn't sweet enough for me.  Cory said it tasted like pizza dough.  I guess that was a compliment.  

I had extra dough so I decided to make a loaf - I thought that it would rise right on up to the size of a regular loaf.  I thought I was making magic bread.  I wasn't.  That's a flat bread. 


Bread wasn't that hard to make but I need to rework my recipe.  I'll keep you posted.  Since I'm not really needing to be eating bread (wedding dress is a month and seven days)  it maybe after the wedding.  That's what I'm supposed to do right.  Get skinny, get married, then eat and cook all the time?  Sounds like a plan to me!




Oh the joys of being a wifey... I'm really trying hard so that I will be a good one!

Where were you?

11 years ago - I was in the 11th grade.  I heard the news that a plane had crashed in New York City.  If my memory serves me right -- I was sitting in the library doing research for Journalism.  It was Charles Davidson and I - I'm sure we were pestering Ms. Davis if at all possible.  Why would any teacher allow Charles and I out of class to run around - we were probably watching Regis and Kathy with Ms. Davis instead of doing any sort of research.  Journalism was 2nd period.  Prime time for ol' Regis!  When we heard the news we immediately went to tell Miss Moore (Lisa Moore, not Darlene).  The Journalism class gathered what news we could and walked around the school delivering typed out information to the teachers.  The teachers were oblivious to what was going on and many were in complete shock when we handed them the typed up information.  Surprisingly enough, not everyone had a cell phone then and we especially didn't have Internet on our phones.  Internet was still a "pretty big deal" during those times.  Strange how different things are in 11 years.

I can remember thinking how awesome it was that I got out of class to walk around the school.  I can also remember that day after school I was on E, so I went to Farm Service to fill my car up (it typically cost $9.00 to fill that Mazda Miata up).  The lines were so long, like I had to wait by Big Star (at the time) in line.  No way I was going anywhere else though, I had a charge card for Farm Service [Thanks Dad].  I could not understand why people were panicking about getting gas when planes crashed and knocked down a couple of towers.  I thought that people in Walnut Ridge were overreacting just as they overreacted when Terry Wood would forecast some sort of winter precipitation.  Lord knows that I did not even come close to understand what was happening.  People died.  A lot of people died.

Funny how when something happens that big, that tragic - you always remember where you were, what you were doing, and who you were with.  Even though I didn't have the slightest idea what was really happening, why people were attacking us or why they would want to crash some planes into a building in New York City - I remember.  I still can't believe that it happened, that so many people were killed.  Innocent people going to work - just another day.  I just can't imagine.

Don't forget to include families and victims of 9/11 in your prayers not only today but always.

Avoiding the Zilla

Bridezilla - everyone knows what it is and everyone has dealt with one.  I'm constantly trying to avoid that title - even though, as we get closer to the big day I feel it creeping up behind me.  Hopefully will some some help, I can avoid that awful name all together.  If not, everyone will just have to deal with it or tell Stormy to knock me out.

I'm really trying to avoid stress even though it is absolutely impossible.  I have several girlfriends that are also getting married around the same time as I am.  We have weekly text to bitch discuss what all we need to do and what all we have gotten done.  My list is still very, very long.  Funny how brides who are getting married at the same time understand but as time goes on after you are married, you somehow all the stress is forgotten.  I'm pretty nontraditional when it comes to my taste.... I'm not matchy, matchy - I don't like being in the norm - and I sure don't want anything just like someone else.  So, our wedding is going to be a little different than a traditional wedding... it's hard for people to understand but it's who we are!

Why we do, what we do....


Photographer - Felicia Hausman is amazing.  Her pictures are wonderful, she is so personable, and she sees my vision.  I'm not traditional, I don't want traditional pictures.  I will have these pictures for the rest of my life to show my children (well...) and my children's children.  I want moments captured, details of that day that some people just don't see. Some photographers are cheaper or more expensive than others... at the end of the day, you pay for what you get. 

Food - I'm not having a caterer.  It was so expensive and seemed ridiculous.  So, with the help of loving friends and family, we are doing something different... something you don't see at most weddings.  Hopefully it will turn out exactly like I have it visioned in my head - southern and fabulous.

Cake - Most wedding cakes taste terrible.  If you know me, you know I buy my cakes from one person.  All my birthday cakes and cupcakes all come from her.  It's my MJCP and it's the perfect cake with perfect icing.  Anyway, I'm not having a big fancy expensive wedding cake.  I'm having a small cake and lots of cupcakes.  Why?  Because that's what I like! :)

Flowers - I love getting flowers.  I love the way flowers add softness and romance to a room.  We are getting married at 7pm in a church that will have no lights on.  Why do I need flowers when you can't see them?  So, candles it is.

The Theme - Cory and I are pretty country.  I'm a country girl who enjoys getting dressed up and looking pretty - Cory is the exact same.  [You should see him and Tyler getting ready sometimes, it is just as bad as girls - talking about their hair, their shirts, their boots!]  So, our wedding will be a mixture of both.  Let's hope we can intertwine that!

Thanks to everyone who has put up with me over the past few months.  Your opinions, patience, and help has been very appreciated.... but now, I just need your patience and help!  Time to get stuff checked off my list and get this party started!


Bridezilla, over and out!

Happy Thursday!  Thirsty Thursday!

Emptiness

As you all know - I'm getting married.  I'm getting married pretty darn soon, actually.  So the time had to come when my precious, wonderful roommate had to move out.  We had spent the last year together and made many memories along the way.  We had a heck of a year -- we started our roomie adventures with the attitudes that  we didn't want boyfriends, never wanted to be married, and the thoughts of children grossed us out.  Ok, well number three still stands.  Look at us now - back with our high school boyfriends, enjoying life and relationships.  If you would have told me this a year ago I probably would have laughed in your face.  Tiffany and I had some pretty good times throughout the year:  watching a lot of E!, having Christmas parties, dancing in the kitchen, backroads just because it's Thursday, eating junk food just because we were on diets, and me cleaning like a maniac and Tiffany thinking I was psycho way OCD.

Anywho, the Rooms has moved out and I'm left with an empty house.  Pretty sad actually, no couch, no love seat, no kitchen table, and nothing to put in my spare bedroom.  Well, ok, I have a couch in storage (movers would be helpful), I have a table on my porch (I need someone to repair it, any ideas?), and I have a TON of wedding junk stuff to put in my spare room.  So my house isn't so empty even though I will be living alone until October 20th.  Just a little over a month of me getting to do single girl stuff.....

• Pee with the bathroom door open.  You may can get by with that during marriage, I guess I will see.
• Not brush my teeth until noon on Saturdays just because I haven't seen or talked to anyone.
• Spend a morning alone, with hardly no clothes - cleaning, sweepings, and mopping the floors.  [Boys, girls do this but it isn't at all what you imagine - we have bad hair, no make-up, bad breath, and wearing baggy t-shirts and granny panties - not lingerie like in your fantasy.]
• Having cereal for dinner.  I'm pretty sure I'm supposed to have dinner on the table.
• Sleep in the middle of the bed.  I guess I'm going to have to share the bed and my pillows.

 Anyway, even though my house is pretty bare right now, I'm getting more and more excited of it being 'Our Home.'  I am ready for Cory to be there with me everyday (even if I don't get to pee with the door open)!!

Please feel free to help me add furniture and decorations to my home. 

Empty living room
I have plenty of room to workout now, maybe I should take advantage of this.

Tiffany's bedroom with only empty boxes.

I called her last night and told her to take the key back.  What if she needs a pair of shoes!