Overloaded

Does anyone know how hard it is to push a grocery cart at Sam's that has 64 bottles of Ozarka and a 55lb bag of dog food???

I don't know what's worse...sweating while pushing the cart around...or that the check out lady made me lift them up AGAIN to scan them. Good grief.

As a newer member of Sam's Club, I'm still testing the waters. Sure...I can get a great price on dog food and water, but I fail to understand how ANYONE would need 12 cans of cream of chicken soup or a 10 lb tub of mayo. Maybe when I have a house full of kids this will make more sense. Because who has room to store all that?? It's a frustrating dilemma. And I still had to stop at Kroger on the way home because I didn't need 3 lbs of spinach leaves and 5 lbs of shredded cheddar.

Hm. That's really all I had to say.

Bike ride #3 in the morning...I hear it's going to be fuh-reezing!

Chicken Nuggets +French Fries = Love

You can tell by my dinner tonight that Seth is obviously at school. Salad. Cereal. Popcorn. A totally nutritious meal of greatness! I relish in these evenings I don't have to cook. As much as I enjoy whipping up various entrees en la cocina de Anderle....it's nice to kick back, relax, and be lazy with my bowl of cereal and the Bachelor!

Since I haven't really commented on the show thus far, I decided to highlight my thoughts as I watch tonight's episode. And since nobody is here to steal the computer from me, this works out quite nicely!

Molly's Date:

-Another tank top and scarf ensemble. Molly...really? If this is the new style, this is going to take awhile to get used to. I'm just getting used to long-sleeves and scarves!

-I don't quite know if Molly is sincere. She's got that look...

-Very sneaky of Jason to schedule an overnight camping date. I can't wait to see Shannon lose it!!! And ABC, was the tent-moaning really necessary? I threw up a little in my mouth.

-She'll be a dark horse, but she's not the right match for Jason. In my opinion. Cute girl though!

Group Date:

-OMG ANOTHER SCARF. I'm telling ya, this is the YEAR of the scarf!

-Stories (excuse me...soaps) are the ultimate cheese. Did anyone else think the guy actor was kinda unattractive?? And who is Lulu??

-Could Shannon have attacked Jason's lips any faster? I bet she puts that on her myspace page.

-When is DD coming back?

-Nicely done with the strategic placement of the General Hospital commercial.

-I'm afraid Lauren is a closet-psycho. Well, second to Shannon at least. Could she be more obnoxious?

-An inkling of me feels sorry for Megan. Oh wait...no, not anymore. Man up girl!

-Yikes Naomi. You're going home soon!

-I pray Shannon is never ever ever my hygenist!

-Yikes...spoke too soon about Naomi. And yes, Lauren, you are an idiot.

Two on One, Tag Team Date:

-Initial prediction...bye bye Nikki. OR both girls.

-Nikki - WE GET IT! You don't like to be unprepared.

-Stephanie is a ballet teacher? Oh that makes me love her more! A real-live ballerina!

-Ah! I am loving this! It's almost like So You Think You Can Dance! A true dance-off.

-Explain to me how every single girl on this show feels "chemistry". I mean, really. Isn't there ever a girl who comes on and says "eh...not so much." Ok, maybe it did happen on one season but it is funny how every girl has an instant "connection" with Jason!

-YEA STEPHANIE!!!!!!!!!!!!

-What's with all these girls talking about how pretty they are? Did they really mean to apply for True Beauty??

Rose Ceremony:

-First of all, Ty is going to be so embarassed one day when he sees his dad making out with all these girls on national TV

-I feel sorry for Lauren's students. She is a big ol' bad word. She is completely lost in her own little world...

-WHAT IS SHANNON WEARING?? A knitted mumu??

-I'm still rooting for Jillian, Melissa, and Stephanie

And in the MOST DRAMATIC ROSE CEREMONY EVER...the roses go to:

Molly
Stephanie
Naomi
Melissa
Jillian

Ohhhhweee this is getting good, folks!

The Year of the Scarf, Starbucks, and The Bach

Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.

Psalm 139:23-24

If you remember, I just recently had a post that contained this verse. God is funny because I feel like this verse has been "following" me around. Hmm...maybe I should listen! I got it in an email today, heard it on the radio the other day, and obviously blogged about it too. Does this ever happen to anyone else???

Anyway. I knew today was going to be fabulous because it was...you guessed it...my free Starbucks day! The Kroger Starbucks by our house is great because after buying a certain number of drinks (I don't know the magic number), you qualify for a free one. I had a feeling this morning was my golden ticket and boy was I right. It's like winning the lottery or something! And since I can only go once a week, I think I am fully justified in going tomorrow morning too...because today did not count. Am I right, ladies??

Um. Now I cannot remember what I really planned to write about. I'm sure it was good though. Maybe this is the "anxious thoughts" parts. My mind is going a million miles a minute and I already forgot what I was on here for anyway. :)

OH RIGHT...scarves! If you haven't noticed, scarves are a BIG deal this year. In fact, I received 2 for Christmas and I must admit my initial thoughts were, "Oh great, I can never pull these off."

But I so did.

If you follow Big Mama's or Angie's blog you might have seen their great debate on the scarf and how it must be tied. After thinking about it with intense scrutiny and taking many notes...I have mastered this skill.

Now, I'm probably the only person you know who takes pictures of themselves at work. And I truly truly hope nobody was walking down the hallway as I was doing this. But here is an example. And if you feel that I could be a scarf model, please submit pictures to your agent:

Do I rock at scarves or what??

I'm just sad it's warming up outside. Although that sure didn't stop Melissa on The Bachelor from wearing one with her tank top. Maybe I should invest in some classy, colorful, and light-weight ones to use for the spring and summer.

And speaking of The Bachelor, I really do have some thoughts. I've just yet to post them. And I'll tell you they start and end with "Will somebody out there please marry Stephanie, and soon, because we know Jason isn't going to pick her!!"

More later.

someecards.com

This is the funniest website! Now granted, it may not always be the most appropriate. And yeah, I probably shouldn't be sharing it with all of you...but regardless, these e-cards can really brighten my day. And hey, they give you something to laugh about!



I find myself saying "so true!" after reading each one!

Happy Wednesday!

Let Freedom Ring

I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone - for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.

1 Timothy 2:1-2

Today is a memorable day. Inauguration Day 2009 will be one to make the history books. Our children won't believe we were alive when our country elected our first black president! Do we all agree with the decision our country has made? Maybe yes. Maybe no. However, God commands us to pray for our leaders and those in authority. To get down on our knees, opinions aside, and pray fervently over them.

But the best part is that Jesus is our true king! He guides the president and he guides us. This is all part of His plan and He will ultimately take care of us and our country.

I want men everywhere to lift up holy hands in prayer, without anger or disputing.

1 Timothy 2:8


Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.

Romans 13:1

May God bless America and President Obama today!

p.s. I know it's probably a mistake that Seth & I never received our invitation to the Inauguration Ball? Very weird. I had pulled out my old prom dress and everything.

A Weekend of Randomness

You'll be thrilled to know I finally pulled out the ol' bike this weekend. Finally. It was a little embarassing because I had yet to take off all my numbers/stickers from the MS150 LAST year. Pathetic proof I haven't touched the thing since April.

But it is that time of year again so Erika and I, along with the APC team, rode 20ish miles around The Woodlands on Saturday morning...if anything, to make sure we still remembered how to ride a bike.

Luckily we did.

And it was really an eye-opening experience for me. I've been sheltered out here in Spring Trails. Who knew there was so much of this bubble I hadn't seen?? Did you know The Woodlands High has a 9th grade campus? And that there was another Wal-Mart back there?? Or that Seth and I could've totally afforded a home in Carlton Woods had we known it existed? :) We could've been neighbors with famous people!

But anyway, it was good to finally get out on the road and to remind myself that I stilllllll got it! And Erika did a fabulous job as well...this is her first year riding and I hope I don't scare her away.

Seth and I also had a very overdue, much-deserved (in my opinion) date night at Landry's. YUM. It seems like we go every few months and are both stubborn enough to always order the same thing. The Snapper Hemmingway is to DIE for! But it's worth it. We had a budget discussion awhile back and brainstormed different things to cut back on. But it was unanimous that we could still go to Landry's and (of course) still purchase Blue Bell ice cream.

I don't care what kind of recession we're in folks. I don't care how poor I might be. I will still buy Blue Bell. Because to eat any other brand is just plain wrong.

Things have finally slowed down a bit at work so I am very glad to get my free time back! It seems like life never quite slows down though...so we have a busy week and then will be heading out of town Saturday morning. Bike ride #2 on Sunday morning.

I want a vacation.

Psalm 139

I love the following passage and happened to stumble across it today. It is David's meditation on God's omnipresence and omniscience...and speaks to the all-encompassing love God has for us...


O LORD, you have searched me
and you know me.

You know when I sit and when I rise;
you perceive my thoughts from afar.

You discern my going out and my lying down;
you are familiar with all my ways.


Before a word is on my tongue
you know it completely, O LORD.

You hem me in—behind and before;
you have laid your hand upon me.

Such knowledge is too wonderful for me,
too lofty for me to attain.

Where can I go from your Spirit?
Where can I flee from your presence?

If I go up to the heavens, you are there;
if I make my bed in the depths, you are there.


If I rise on the wings of the dawn,
if I settle on the far side of the sea,

even there your hand will guide me,
your right hand will hold me fast.


If I say, "Surely the darkness will hide me
and the light become night around me,"

even the darkness will not be dark to you;
the night will shine like the day,
for darkness is as light to you.

For you created my inmost being;
you knit me together in my mother's womb.


I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made;
your works are wonderful, I know that full well.

My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place.
When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body.


All the days ordained for me
were written in your book
before one of them came to be.

How precious to me are your thoughts, O God!
How vast is the sum of them!

Were I to count them,
they would outnumber the grains of sand.
When I awake,
I am still with you.

If only you would slay the wicked, O God!
Away from me, you bloodthirsty men!

They speak of you with evil intent;
your adversaries misuse your name.

Do I not hate those who hate you, O LORD,
and abhor those who rise up against you?

I have nothing but hatred for them;
I count them my enemies.

Search me, O God, and know my heart;
test me and know my anxious thoughts.

See if there is any offensive way in me,
and lead me in the way everlasting.

-Psalm 139

Dream Come True

Jack. is. Back.

Wow.

What a FANTASTIC 2 night, 4 hour, season premiere! This really is one of the BEST shows on TV!

(I know I said that about Eli Stone too so let me clarify...Eli Stone wins best moral-wise. 24 wins best overall)

As if Jack coming back wasn't good enough, the producers threw in Tony Almeida AND Bill Buchanan (one of my favorites!!) And yeah, Chloe was around there somewhere.

Clearly, Agent Renee Walker will be Jack's love interest. She has to be! It must have been love at first sight for him when he asked her how far he could go to get an answer from Gabriel Schechter And she said "do whatever it takes".

Can you hear his heart palpitations???
Oh, and it gets better. I did a little research to see who else might be joining us this season...

Karen Hayes. Kim Bauer (BOO HISS). Morris! Martha Logan?? Aaron Pierce! Nina Myers!

Ah, gotcha. Kidding about that last one. But how great is this going to be? And really it should be...they haven't had 2 years off for nothing, ya know!

There is never a greater amount of excitement in our home than when 24 is on. So You Think You Can Dance is a close second. It seems that every 5 minutes we turn to each other with "oh my gosh" expressions or someone (usually me) is yelling "OH SHOOT!"

Who doesn't love action-packed TV drama full of shooting, terrorists, nerve gas, nerdy computer geeks, an agent that could smash both Chuck Norris and McGuyver in 3 seconds, romance, national crisis, mole after mole infiltrating CTU (and now apparently the FBI...what kind of security checks do they run??), more shooting, more terrorists, scandal in the White House, and MORE!

Ah. Can't wait. I didn't even watch The Bachelor...because yes, this was more important.

Stay tuned, folks, stay tuned...

They Call Him Juan Pablo...

Everytime Seth has a break from work, he must grow a beard. I think it's a man thing. He never gets very far on the weekends, but boy did his testosterone have time to roar over the Christmas break.

Granted, a little stubble is fine. But I draw the line when he either starts to resemble a mountain man or a homeless one.

We took some pictures to document his growth:

Now, prepare yourself for this nasty one. I wouldn't wish this on anyone. And I refused to stop calling him Juan Pablo until he shaved it offcompletely!

YUCK

I also felt like I should take a picture of my thoughts on his facial hair. Since he got 2 pictures on the blog after all...

My thoughts exactly.

Thank goodness for people like Mr. Remington, Mr. Norelco, and Mr Bic!

Anderles Strike a Pose

We are so lucky to be friends with a professional photographer! Brittany (click on her name to check our her awesome work!) is a high school friend of Seth's. I happened to meet her at church in College Station and to make a long story short...she is the one to thank for bringing our little family together!

We are forever grateful to you, Brittany, and are so blessed to have you in our lives!

For those interested (and you should be), she works out of Austin and has tons of examples of her work on her blog. She is also photographing my sister's wedding in June! So I thought it only fair to give her a shout out here on my blog...give the girl a little more publicity...introduce her to the masses!

Over Thanksgiving we had a mini-photoshoot. Mostly to attempt a successful Christmas card picture with the dogs. But since the camera was out...and her subjects were looking good...we decided to have some fun!

Our "reindogs". Unfortunately the kids didn't love their antlers as much as I'd hoped they would.
Clearly, this is our glamour shot.

Best friends!

No, this isn't our house

This picture makes me laugh! I don't think we'll be models anytime soon...

Sweet Maggie Girl!

Tucker D...T-Money...Tuck-a-luck...Tucker-de-ducker

(Yeah, we get bored. Let's hope we don't play around with our kids names like that. Or else Jake-eroony is in trouble!)

One happy family

Brittany, thank you for your hard work and beautiful pictures! You did a fabulous job!

Witty Spousal Banter

Over email today:

Seth: My pectorals are kinda sore today after the ultimate gym pull up bar work out last night

Mary: uh I could barely get out of bed this morning after my push ups.

Seth: You mean your push up? You added an "s" like you did more than one…

Mary: I did at least 3!!!


We. are. pathetic.

I can't wait to see how sore I am after my bike ride in a couple weeks!!!

Busted by the Bloody Gums

I was BUSTED this morning at my dentist appointment.

First, let me say that my appts take so much longer than Seths. And I think I finally figured out why.

It's because they spend a good 30 - 45 minutes scraping plaque, other sorts of build up, and stains off the back of my teeth.

Hm. I'm sorry folks...but you had to know.

So I'm cringing in the oh-so-uncomfortable dentist chair while things are whirring and whizzing, nervously anticipating what I've come to call "the bad flosser speech".

Do I floss? Absolutely not. It is weird. It hurts. It takes way too much time.

And sure enough...

Hygenist: So...do you floss?
Mary: NOPE! I hate it
Hygenist: Well, you really should. Because your gums are really swollen. And you are about to bleed out on us.
Mary: Well, it just takes too long. I DO brush my teeth 3 times a day though!
Hygenist: Are you using the prescription toothpaste we gave you?
Mary: Hmm...yes, sometimes.
Hygenist: Let me give you this pamphlet on the benefits of flossing. You don't want to lose all your teeth now do you?

and then...

Dentist: Ah ha! We have a non-flosser on our hands here.
Mary: I'm SORRY. I DON'T LIKE TO FLOSS AND YOU CAN'T DO ANYTHING ABOUT IT.
Dentist: Your gums are bleeding all over the place. Still. You have all 4's and you need 2's (or something like that)
Mary: It just takes too long
Dentist: Why don't you floss with your husband? It'd be a good activity to do together. And you could encourage each other! It'd be fun!

Flossing - a marriage building activity??

Bless their hearts.

Perhaps this should be my New Year's Resolution a week late. Then again, perhaps not. Bloody gums never really killed anyone...right??

Useless Thoughts...by Mary

I was really craving some of these last night as we watched the Tostitos Fiesta Bowl! Except substitute cherry salsa for that fake queso there.

Oh the powers of advertising.

About every 20 minutes, I'd think, "Hey, I'm going to eat some chips & salsa!"

Then I'd sadly sit back down after I remembered we were out of chips.

The logical side of you is asking, "Well, why didn't you go buy some??"

Well, because that breaks the after-work rules. Unless an otherwise previous engagement is scheduled, you put on your pjs immediately after arriving home from work and stay in the rest of the evening.

Unless of course your husband offers to take you to Marble Slab. That is an exception to the rule.

So we sat chipless, and cheered for Texas the one time of the year we can. Actually, there are two times. Bowl games and when they play Texas Tech.

By the time I realized The Bachelor was on, it was too late to steal the big TV and too late to use the other one since it doesn't have a DVR. I really think it's time for ABC to break the streak of re-using Bachelor/ette characters. And really, does Jason REALLY want to go through this whole process again? On national TV? Is he thinking straight? Does he REMEMBER all the trash that sometimes ends up on the show?

I'm just sayin'. Maybe he should join a singles group at church up in Seattle. Or register on eharmony. Or heck, he might even find better options at a nightclub or bar (doubtful, but).

Can you take your 3 year old to a nightclub?

In other news, who saw that Jerry O'Connell and Rebecca Romijn recently had their twin daughters? And did you check out those names?? I'm really ticked off because they stole MY baby names!

Dolly Rebecca Rose and Charlie Tamara Tulip!

Jerks.

I guess I'll just have to go with my second choice, Beverly Francine Chrysanthemum instead.

Has a nice ring to it, eh?!

Working Hard? Or Hardly Working?

A couple weeks ago we created our "2009 goals". And when I say "we" I mean "me". I just have to get the nod from Seth.

One of his conditions was NO painting! Oh, silly boy.

I decided to get a jumpstart on my first painting project (don't we LOVE crossing things off the list!) yesterday. I'd had the color picked out since our last painting escapade but was waiting for my arms to fully heal before I picked up the brush again.

We have 2 art niches...one in the dining room...and one leading into our bedroom. Relatively small job. And thank the Lord above because nobody really told me that using cranberry...in no matter how big or small the area...would be a pain in the arse.

(Paula, I KNOW you told me so...but I thought surely you were exaggerating.)

This is after 2 coats and some touch up...unfortunately after looking at some of these pictures I think a 3rd coat might be in order...

I need some REALLY tall to fit in here. My only idea is sticks/reeds. Or maybe I can just rig up some sort of picture. Help?

It's hard to give a perfectionist a paintbrush because then it's hard to take it away. I stayed up until midnight touching things up and now I'm wondering if I shouldn't get out the green and yellow paint today too...

Seth and I also have the age-old tradition of eating on our fine china for New Year's Day*. We both grew up eating special meals on New Year's so yesterday was no exception. Kyle, Jessie, and Karla joined us for turkey, mashed potatoes, beer bread, black eyed peas (would you believe stores were actually sold out of these earlier this week?), and corn...YUM.

*I more or less created this "tradition" since when the heck else can you use it??

We cannot wait to see what 2009 has in store. We have been blessed with great friends and family and were lucky to ring in the new year with several of them! Our New Year's Eve involved making play-dough, breathing fire, and many other things you don't want to know about. I'm sure our neighbors greatly appreciate us.

Have a great Friday!