Lifelong Friends

There is something to be said for a lifelong friend.  My lifelong friend is Miss Erin Ree.

I've been feeling just "off" lately.  Stressed out, not happy, just generally not feeling right.  Then I got to spend ALL DAY Saturday with Erin.  Just me and her and nobody else.  It was the most fantastic day I have had in I can't tell you how long!  And since then, I am feeling so much better, its like I got to reboot!

Erin and I have known each other since a very young age, I can't say exactly how old, but I can't remember a time when she ever wasn't in my life.  We grew up on the same road, out in the sticks where there weren't a whole lot of kids to pick from to be friends with!  So who knows, maybe we turned out to be best friends by default - lack of any other options!  But I don't think that's the case, because if it was, when we finally moved out and got in to the real world we would have moved on from each other and we didn't.

We have been through it all together, boys, deaths, graduations, weddings & births (mine, hers are coming soon), we know all there is to know about each other.  When we are together there aren't any background stories that you have to give to tell a current story.  We don't have to give any kind of explanation for why our families are the way they are.   We are just honest and we understand each other.

We find the same stupid things hilarious and we understand why the other gets upset.  We have changed a lot from the little girls we used to be, but we are changing and growing the the same direction and I couldn't be happier about that!

I spent over 12 hours with Erin on Saturday.  I was so sad to see the day come to an end and I genuinely can't wait until we have the time to do it again! 

5 Things Friday - Stupid things people do to their cars

Top 5 Stupid Things People Do To Their Cars (in my opinion)

1.  Stick People Family Stickers

I notice that this seems to be the new cool thing to do for all the soccer moms out there.  I think they are ridiculous!

2.  Team Flags Hanging Out The Window

Gary has WVU ones... I hate them!

3.  "In Memory of Mom/Grandpa/whoever"

I have never understood these.  People get those stickers on their back windows dedicating the car to whoever passed away.  Unless you used your inheritance money to buy the car, this just makes absolutely no sense to me.

4.  Lifting Your Wipers Off of the Windshield
Whenever there is a chance of the windows icing up some people I know will go out in the parking lot and lift the wipers up off of the windshield to keep them from freezing to it.  I get it, it protects the wipers, makes them last longer and all that.  But really all it makes me want to do is go and smack them down!

5.  Sunshades

Along the same lines as lifting the wipers, I understand the purpose of them, but I still make fun every time I see a car with one.  My favorite are the ones that look like big sunglasses!

Heard Around the House #10

Me:    Lyla what would you like to have for dinner tonight?
Lyla:   2 Chicken
Me:    Ok, and what do you want to have with your 2 chicken?
Lyla:   (looking at me like how stupid are you) DIP!

Duh... I mean, what else do you have with chicken?!?!?!

I like to pretend I'm a photographer!

I like to pretend I'm a photographer and I'm cheap.  The result of these two thing is me dressing Lyla up, taking her to the park and doing our own 2 year pictures instead of going and paying for a professional to do it!  I took 37 pictures, these are the  best ones:

I think we have a couple that will work!  And I'm positive she had more fun than she would have at a studio!

Happy Mother's Day to the BEST Mom Ever!

The Best Mom Ever would be my mom in my opinion, just in case you weren't sure!

And just so everyone is aware, after a quick search I have realized that I don't have ANY pictures of just me and mom since Lyla was born.... this is officially the last one!  All pictures either have Lyla or Em in them!  hahaha

I love my mom dearly.  I would not say she is my best friend, she never wanted to be my best friend, she is my mom.  She always likes to tell me, "there are just some things a mom doesn't want to know" whenever I start to get carried away and share just a little bit too much information about something.  No, I wouldn't call her my best friend, but I do talk to her more than anyone else in my life.  We talk on the phone, text, email, whatever the form of contact may be at least once a day.  And on the rare days that it doesn't happen, I always feel a little off until I talk to her.

I have learned a lot from my mom over the years and she is still teaching me new things all the time.  She taught me not to take things too seriously, what seems like such a huge deal right now isn't going to matter a year from now.  She has taught me to be honest, there isn't any good that can come from telling lies.  The truth will always come out in the end.  She taught me to enjoy reading.  She taught me lots of basic things too, how to do laundry, how to drive, although she did forget to teach me how to cook... but I guess there is still time for that!

We are a lot alike when it comes to some things.  Her and I prefer to plan our outings around what, where and when we are going to eat.  If we are going out for a day of shopping, we decide where to go based on what restaurants are near which stores!  We both have a very warped sense of humor.  When I still lived at home we used to love to watch beauty pageants on tv and make fun of the dresses and hair and how they would answer different questions, we also get the same fun out of watching the Olympics! 

We are also quite different.  I have only heard my mom say swear words very few times in my life.  When she does, you know its bad.  I on the other hand talk like a sailor (I think I get that from my dad)!  I like to go out and be in crowds, she would much rather stay home.

She always had funny rules for us growing up, some examples:
You could only have a band aid if there was blood.  If you want one just for the feel better aspect, forget it!
When you are sick, you should eat eggs.  Don't know why, but that's what we do.
When we were learning to drive she would always say "Watch your speed....".  Yes mom, I'm watching it get faster, thanks for pointing it out... haha

My mom has set a pretty high standard for me to live up to as a mom, but I'm doing my best!  I just hope someday Lyla can have same the respect and love for me that I have for my mom!

5 Things Friday - Guilty Pleasures

I'm starting a new thing I'm going to call "5 Things Friday".  Basically a list of five things for any random topic of my choosing that week!  This week:

Guilty Pleasures

1.  Boy Bands
I love boy bands, the old ones like New Kids on The Block, not so old like Nsync and 98 Degrees, and the new ones like One Direction.  Love them!

2.  Cup O Noodles
I love a good cup of noodles.  I don't care that there is enough sodium in them to last you a week or that they cost like 30 cents each....  They are so yummy! 

3.  Books for Young Adults
You know, Twilight, Harry Potter and the like.  All the books written for people who are obviously younger than I am!  I love to read them because when I'm reading for pleasure I prefer to not have to think too hard!

4.  Chick Flicks/Romantic Comedies
I don't care how cheesy they are or the fact that you can figure out the entire plot of the movie in the first 5 minutes!  I enjoy them!

5.  Chips
I try really hard not to have any in the house because when I do, I have no control!  You know what they say, you can't eat just one!

You won't like me when I'm angry....

Some people say I have anger issues, some say a bad temper, some people just call me a bitch.  It is what it is I suppose.  My favorite is when Gary says I'm "Hulking Up"!  I think that's truly the best description!  When I'm happy everything is fine.  I'm nice, easy to get along with, just a sweet girl.  But when you don't treat me or someone I care about with the respect that they deserve, then I am not going to be happy about it and I'm not going to have a problem telling you about it.  I also refuse to be walked on, I'm too strong for that.

You may also see the Hulk appear if I get too hungry.... but that's a whole different subject entirely!