Cleaning the Attic

While I was home in Texas earlier this week. Mama, J, and I worked on cleaning out and organizing the attic. Holy crap was there a lot of old and neat things to be rediscovered. I found my old soccer jersey, old toys, baby clothes, etc. It was very fun to go back and see how little I used to be or what the fashion was back in the 80s. J doesn't understand holding on to old items. His mom doesn't have all their old baby clothes and toys...so it is very hard for him to understand why we keep what we do. I mean really what is the point to having all my old birthday cards, valentine's day cards, and any cards in general, but it was nice to see my grandparents and great grandparents signatures again. It was nice to see all the old Fisher Price toys, the farm, the picnic set, the school house, and the record player.....I hope someday I will have a little one to play with them also. I also can't wait to use some of the precious pink rosebud outfits on a little girl....or lord help the kids if I only have boys.

Charlie, aka Booger Butt

Today on Day 14, I am thankful for Charlie. Char Char or Booger butt or Boogs as we call him, is an Old English Sheep Dog with 2 blue eyes. Charlie came as a package deal with j. J rescued Charlie a year before we started dating. Poor Charlie was a stud dog in a puppy mill. He was bred a lot (due to the 2 blue eyes) and badly abused. How someone could hurt a dog is beyond me.

Charlie had a very rough first part of his life, now I can say, he is the most spoiled and lazy dog. Charlie and I have had our ups and downs. Due to being a rescue, he takes a while to warm up to people. He is very skiddish, and losing control of his bladder when scared. When they first moved him with me, I was not very happy because Charlie was forever peeing on my new not even yet fully paid for carpet. You can't scold him or he pees more. Eventually, he got used to his new house and to me. He listens to me, most of the time. He was not supposed to sleep on the bed, however you wake up in the middle of the night and have a furry guy at the base of the bed. He loves going for walks/runs with me in the park. He is such a lovable guy and thinks his 70 pounds makes him a lap dog.

Lately, Charlie has become somewhat of a Diva....he refuses to go outside to the bathroom because it is cold outside or raining. He runs and hides under the table. We hope that he will finally go out when he really really has to. I love him and all his hair.

Day 13

Today I am thankful for my new family. We celebrated the Blair family Christmas yesterday. It was a wonderful afternoon filled with yummy food, lots of presents, and lots of laughs. I made my fabulous mexicorn dip which I have kind of become known for in St. Louis. I was able to use one of my new chip and dip trays that we got for our wedding. Then came time for presents. We will not have Peyton on Christmas so we brought all of his presents to MawMaws....holy crap that kid made out like a bandit. He received a tent and fishing gear from my Mama, his Grand C and Grand P, sleeping bag, lanturn, Xbox games, and model car from us, more model cars, a remote control car, a Cardnials world series sweatshirt and more from everyone else.

J and I decided to exchange presents as well...and he did good this year. He bought me a tennis racket and tennis balls....yes we have decided to take tennis lessons in 2012. A good couple activity that is healthy and I can hit balls at his head! I also got a portible XM radio for the car and a new game to play with friends and family. J got his beloved coffee grinder. I will say, one of my favorite presents was an ornament Ellen (J's sisters) made us. She took a glass ornament and filled it with cut strips from our wedding invitation. Very neat!

I am blessed to be a part of another loving family.

Day 11

I was supposed to do this entry yesterday, but I didn't have a chance. Yesterday, I was thankful for my Mama! Yesterday was her birthday, so I had wanted to dedicate yesterday to her. So I will do so belated. I know, most everyone will say that they have the best mother....I hate to break it to everyone because mine is super best! She is just a giving woman who puts everyone else's needs before her own. She is a super prim and proper southern belle....who loves going to rock concerts. She is even too wild in music taste for my sister and me sometimes. She is always there to listen, give advice (even when not asked), and love. She loves her friends and family unconditionally.....

Day 10

Yay! Finally in the double digits! I am doubling up today because I am doubly thankful. Today I am also thankful for great customer service. Being a person in sales, I know all too well how good customer service can make all the difference. On the flip side poor customer service can be detrimental.

I have been covering the Kansas City area for almost 5 years now. I have been staying at the same Holiday Inn Express for 4.5 years. This year was a little rough however. With job #2 of 2011 (remember, i am on job #3 for 2011) I only made it to KC two times. This greatly saddened the staff of the Holiday Inn Express in Independence. They were so happy when I called 2 weeks ago to book my room (I have my own contracted personal rate!). Yesterday when I arrived, everyone came out to greet me. Stuff like that goes a long way with someone who lives a lot of their life in hotels. They are the same staff that when I had my major knee surgery left a huge get well care basket in my room when my mom drove me here for work.

I am loyal, they are loyal to me and make my time away from home entertaining and bearable.

Day 9

At this rate, when I am done with my 30 days of thanks it will be time to be thankful all over again. For Day 9, I am thankful for feel good kid movies. Sunday afternoon, J and I took Peyton to see the Muppet movie. I think I was the most excited in the bunch. I am not sure if Peyton even knows much about the Muppets, but he did like the movie. I loled...literally. I cried, happy tears during the singing of Rainbow Connection. Yes, I am a sap....however, I think it just reminded me of a simple time when you play pretend and could be whatever you wanted to be when you grew up. I miss that innocence I once had.

Growing up, I watched the Muppet show every afternoon. I don't remember a ton about the show and at the time didn't care who the celebrity host was (Who the heck was Bob Hope!) that day. I just remember the laughs and smiles the muppets gave me. And I told my mom the other day, when I think of the Muppet show, I also associate it with Guiding Light. Guiding Light was a soap opera that came on after the Muppets Show that my mother watched. I was supposed to go to my room to nap, but sometimes I got to watch with her.....what a combo the muppets and guiding light.

I am so happy the Muppets have made a come back. I'd love to see if the old shows are available on Netflix or something.

Day 8

Today I am thankful for being one credit card closer to debt free. The husband and I were doing very good in getting all the balances of credit cards and have a an emergency savings fund in case something happened...which it did in August. Losing your job is rough on the finances, especially when you are the main bread winner as I am. I was not given a severence package as I had not been with the company long enough....panic really set it. Missouri's unemployment is not a percentage of your income but a mere $320 a week. This amount was lowered for me as I make too much working 8 hours a week at Ann Taylor....so it was usually my Ann money and about 290 from the government. We had just put the remaining balance of the honeymoon on a credit card to earn miles, but was to be immediately paid off with a commission check. Well after losing my job, we were not able to do that. And with some other wedding expenses we added more to those balances. Luckily, I had saved well enough to not have to put many survival bills on the credit card. And this morning, I paid off the lower of the 2 bills! I love seeing a zero balance. My goal for 2012 is to be free of credit cards and rebuild my savings. I just need to stop shopping when I am stressed

Day 7

Today I am thankful for crockpots. Yes, that is right...the crockpot. I have 2 of these bad boys and I don't go very often without using one of them for cooking our dinner. I don't know, there is just something wonderful about putting something in the crockpot in the morning and coming home and having a meal cooked when you are ready to eat it. Today I threw in frozen chicken breasts and covered them with salsa. The chicken gets so tender that you can shred it and put in in tortillas for soft tacos or over rice or just plain. I made this barley and corn casserole the other night (a weight watchers recipe) and we are going to eat that with the chicken. J is very good and even liked the barley casserole. I could hardly believe it. The crockpot helps me stay eating healthy because if it is a long day, I don't have to figure out what to cook and then snack the whole time I am fixing dinner. God bless the Crockpot!

Day 6

Today I am thankful for free wi fi at the Richmond Heights public library. For a girl that has worked from home since March of 2007....I am not very disciplined. I have discovered that I'd rather do ANY house hold chore except work when I am there. And there are times that I am able to focus, but today was just not one of them. I discovered free wi fi at the public library late 2008...I just hated going up to Panera and having to buy food and worrying if they'd kick me off for being up their occupying a seat for way too long. Why I never thought to use the library before is beyond me. I am able to have a cute little table in the back, free internet, and my nalgene bottle of water. I put on my headphones and plug in pandora and I am good to go. I really have had a hard time getting motivated to do work...so back to the presentation I go.

Day 5

Today I am thankful for my knee. My right knee and I have had a love hate relationship for the last 4 years. I have had 3 major surgeries on it since October of 2008, with the last one being very serious. My orthopedic surgeon sawed my tibia and moved the bone out and over and repositioned it with 2 metal screws. This surgery left me non weight baring for over 2 months, another month regaining weight, another month learning to re walk, and 6 more months in physical therapy. I am now 1.5 years out of surgery and I am doing things again that I never thought I would. Don't get me wrong, I definitely have my good and bad days and I can not wear heels as long as I used to, but I still can.

My doctor told me I shouldn't run again...well, I don't really want to listen to him. I know that I can never do marathons, but I would love to do a 5k. I have started doing the couch to 5k program in hopes of running one for St. Patrick's day. I am only on week 2, but my knee is allowing me to do this and hopefully I will continue being able to build up running time. I am giving myself enought time to repeat weeks if need be. In the end, if my knee hurts to much I will let up, but telling me I can't do something sparks me into making me more determined to succeed.

Day 4

On my fourth day of thanks, I am thankful for my DVR. Sure it is an object and can break and be replaced but it allows me to watch numerous shows without commerical interuption. I finally retired my original Tivo earlier this year and after 8 years together, I think I even shed a tear. I do miss the bloup bloup bloup sound when I fast forward, but I have come to love my replacement dvr just as much. Now I can record 2 shows at the same time and have numerous hours of stored shows, so I never have to watch live TV, if I do not want to. I am catching up on the first 5 seasons of One Tree Hill, thank you Soap Network! I also have discovered many other shows on Bravo that I need to watch. I think I watch more shows now then ever before in the same amount of time. I can pause the football game and never miss a moment. What did we do before the Tivo? Oh yes, tape shows on a VCR...which I still have one. As J says I must be the only person in America that still has a VCR.

Day 3

Today I am thankful for my good friend Kevin. It is unusually warm today in St. Louis, so I decided to start my sunday with a run/walk in Forest Park with the dog. Charlie loves the park....it is his complete bathroom and I pooped him out running. I think my knee would have let me run a little longer, but Charlie was done. So as we make our way back to the car, I realize as I unclip my keys from his leash, that yes, the house key and boat key were there...but my car keys somehow were no longer on the key ring. The problem now lies in that I have a tired dog who won't move and no keys to drive us home. I start looking on the ground around Charlies initial deposit. I even went through the trash to see if they had fallen in with his poop. No such luck. There are leaves everywhere and my keys could be anywhere. Luckily, I use my phone for pandora when I run, so I called J. My fabulous husband is of no help because he is grounded to the house for another 20 days. This would all be somewhat amusing, but pretty much this weekend last year, I lost the car keys through a hole in my hoodie pocket running with Charlie at Forest park. Ironically I thought about that just as we were driving to the park. I am sure I jinxed myself.

I called Kevin and he saved the day by coming to get me and Charlie. He drove us home and then me back to pick up the car with my spare keys. Mind you, this cost me $500 last year and crossing my fingers J's friend who works for Toyota will save me some dollars on this one. So thank you Kevin. This is us at the Springsteen concert Oct 2009.

Day 2

Today I am thankful for my husband. We have been married for a few days over a month now and I still love him. Even though I came home from my training in New York to find that he had not made the bed. This I see will always be a fight with us, not ending anytime in the near future. I mean, hell, I have been gone for 6 days and would never know if he had made the bed or not, but seriously.....make the damn bed up the one day I come home. I digress though. We have been together 2 years and he really does bring out the best in me. I am a much calmer person with way less anxiety. We are diffinitely different, but I think that is what makes us work. He really is my best friend and I just love that he is my HUSBAND!

30 days of Thanks

So I am hopping on the 30 days of Thanks a little late....per usual. I have also been awful about blogging and hope this little challenge will keep me on track.

Day 1

I am thankful for my job. After losing my job 2 months before my wedding, I am happy to have a new one. One that let me start after my honeymoon. One, that is very laid back and one that has a lot of potential for growth. I am now the territory manager for Sartorius, covering MO, KS, OK, AR, and southern IL. A hell of a lot less travel than my 22 states and part of Canada previous job. My new husband likes this fact almost as much as the paycheck I am getting, The product line is nothing hot and sexy (I mean every lab needs scales and balances and water filtration systems), it is stuff that every lab needs. I just now need to come up with an interesting way to make them buy from me. I am finishing up my week of training in Long Island, NY tomorrow and hope to be the top sales rep at the end of next year! Wish me luck.

We Really Don't Paddle

Last weekend was our annual girls float trip. For some it was the 15th year, for me it was my 5th. The float was originally designated the Danger girls for the girls soccer team...last year it was renamed the Fun Girls float trip. This year we celebrated Kim's 40th and my pre-bachelorette. The girls had a doubled sided coozie made for us.

We start our weekend off at a local bar in steelville, mo after setting up tents. Beers are so cheap in small towns. I think my 4 beers and dinner tab was $14.....LOVE it. We head back, I watch people gather firewood and start a fire. We continue drinking until bedtime. However, this year, as I was getting ready to return to camp after a bathroom stop....my "soon to be Mrs. Blair" trucker hat attracted the attention of a group of boys. I say boys here and not me because they looked 12...said they were 21 and followed me back to camp. The night took an interesting turn over a good game of Name that tune....we find out later the so called 21 year olds are really 19. I am the baby in the group and still feel very old.

Nothing beats going to bed drunk and stumbling out of a tent drunk the next morning....

memorable quotes to follow

All work and some play

I am in Salt Lake City, Utah for work. I had a vendor show yesterday and another one again tomorrow. I tried to make some appointments with some potential customers for today and no dice. So, I did lots of emails and conference calls in the morning and then drove the 30 miles to Park City for the afternoon. I never take advantage of exploring the cities I visit and had been told by another vendor, that if I had time, I must go see Park City. I am so glad for once, I actually listened.

Historic Main Street is just as cute as a button, home to various shops and restaurants. I happen to pick Cafe Terigo to have a bite to eat at. It is nice that all the restaurants had their menus posted outside. My first requirement was a patio, the weather was just too nice to not dine al fresco, then I looked for something to jump out at me off the menu. Everything on the lunch menu sounded fantabulous, but I chose a chicken pesto sandwich with cheese and roasted red peppers on a foccocia bread that just about melted in my mouth. Good thing my wedding dress needs to be taken in already.

I really enjoyed Park City....must go back....the outlets around weren't too shabby either :)

Making the Cut

I have promised myself I will do better about blogging. Not that anyone reads my blog or even knows about it. I have had a few rough days as of late.....all dealing with guest lists. We just wanted a small wedding, 100 people. So there are rules and regulations and books written about mathematical probabilities for the correct number of guests to invite, so that you hit your magic number of actual attendees (ours being 100). The fiance was able to invite 60 and I had 2 lists. One list of the 60 I would think would possible make the trek and come to St. Louis for the wedding. The other list is a bunch of my parents friends that we were going to invite to my shower in Texas, but didn't think at all that they would travel. Funny, we now have 4 of those couples booking flights and finding bed and breakfasts to make a long weekend out of my wedding.....oh Daddy, we may have to add a few more tables!

Where those couples I didn't expect to come, made me feel so special. I have been struggling with some issues on people I totally 100% would not miss my wedding. As of today, a once very close friend of mine and I are having issues and as much as it pains me, will not be invited anymore. I am not writing for a sad, woe is me, drama story.....just a reality check that people come and go and those truly special people will always make a place in their heart for you and support you no matter the reason.

So instead of focusing on the negative, I have decided to cherish the amazing people I call friends.

This is my bff Robin....through thick and thin we have faced everything together for the past 12 years.

Jen married one of my best boys from college, she is smart, beautiful, and driven. She is a great listener and always knows the right things to say to put me in the right direction.

Then there is Jay....what can I say...he is my best friend and fiance. He makes me laugh and smile.....and basically balances me out.

I know that some people are brought into our lives for certain reasons. Maybe they are here to say and maybe they serve a purpose and move on.....I am happy to say I have some keepers!

I kinda like this place

For someone that covers 22 states, I am always happy to return to St. Louis....until now. I really think I could live in the Denver/Boulder area. Today started out in the low 60s and was in the upper 80s this afternoon. Having lunch outside without sitting in a pool of your own sweat is fabulous. I love that people are active here and there are hiking trails all around...not that I partook in one. I would own a bike too. I just told J my keen idea of moving to Denver and he said no way......hmmm....I could totally get transferred :) It has pretty much been decided that I would spend my old age in the StL, and I was actually becoming ok with the idea, until now.

I had lunch with an old friend from StL today and just hearing about how people are more friendly here and meeting fun people to do stuff with is easy. St. Louis is hard. It was hard being the outsider from Texas. I didn't get the "Where'd you do to school?" joke....I answered University of Arkansas and was quickly excused from the conversation. I finally feel that the StL is home yet I havent changed my Texas plates or Texas driver's license. However, after this week, I could very easily pack up the house and go if J says we can. Something to really think about

Damn the Nationwide Pass

I am typing this blog while lying in my hotel bed. You see I can not raise my arms up to type sitting at the desk. I have this rule in hotel rooms, No Working from Bed....however, I had to make a slight exception to the rule tonight. As I was driving from Aurora to Boulder today for work, I just so happened to see a Bally's a few blocks from my hotel. Hot dog, I say to myself! I don't fly with my Bally's member card, but by golly they sure can look it up for you. I figure, I pay for the nation wide pass, I might as well use it. I found that there was a body sculpting class this evening, and so now I can't lift my arms. Why do we brides torture ourselves so????? But I tell you, I'm gonna have guns at my wedding :)

First Bridezilla moment

I had my first bride-zilla moment today. A few weeks ago I drug the fiance to Dillards to start our registry. I had already narrowed the china down to 3 sets, so he would not be pacing back and forth while i stared aimlessly at all the different designs. (I mean hello, I will be serving formal dinners on this china for the rest of my life.) We picked the china and low and behold, the stemware too. My mama got onto our registry to see what we had picked and informed my our stemware was not on there. So last week, in between meetings and putting together a oh so important power point presentation, I tried to call said Dillards and let the phone ring 40 times in 3 different departments, with no answer, EVER. So this morning, I was over by the galleria and I proceeded to have the nice man add said stemware to my registry. Would you believe it was discontinued. Now, why didn't the first nice lady call me when said stemware was no longer available to this beautiful bride??? Good question. So strike one. I then proceed to bring our back up stemware to have added.....wow, again discontinued. Strike two. At this point, I am an hour into my Dillards session and have had it. The manager had been called out to the floor. I mean, seriously people....take the damn stemware off display once it is discontinued or at least make a mark on it so brides don't fall in love and dream of all the dinner guest who would drink wine out of said goblet. I sure did freak out in the china section today and cried out of frustration as I rode the escalator down.