Snack Attack

Mr. T packed the perfect snack for me this morning.

Mixed nuts
Strawberries
2 little oranges
Cheese stick
and Funyuns!

You know, these things...













And a love letter.
And he brings flowers to my office every Monday.
It makes everyone jealous.
Including myself.
Sometimes I'm jealous of myself.
Because I have it so stinkin' good!

So Tired...

I'm not sure when it happened.

I think it was sometime around 11:17 am.

That's when someone snuck into my office, took off my head and replaced it with a huge bowling ball.

And my swan-like neck isn't very good at supporting a bowling ball head substitute.

(insert yawn)

Maybe I'll lay my head down on my desk for just second dddddddddddddddddl;kjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjjw;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;eeeeeeeeeeeeewleeeeeeeeerjjjjjjjjjjjjjjj
jjjjjjjjjj'33333333300000000jfffffffffffffffffffffffeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

Woops.

That's what happens when your bowling ball head lands on your keyboard.

(insert yawn)

Make no bones about it (whatever that means)...I'm going to take a nap ASAP.

Puzzle

I purchased a puzzle at Wal-Mart the other day.
It's a 750 piece mind-boggler. 

Anyway, last night we saw the Hunger Games and then we came home and I went to bed around 10:00.
I woke up when Mr. T came to bed and saw it was after 1:00.

Me: "Are you alright?"
Mr. T:  "Yea."
Me: "What were you doing?"
Mr. T:  "I was...uh...helping you with something."
Me:  "Okay." (return to snooze-ville)

I woke up this morning at 6:00 and remembered that he said he was "helping me".  I thought perhaps he decided to spray the basement for spiders, but then realized that wouldn't have taken very long.  As soon as I walked downstairs, I saw what had so cleverly lured my husband away from bed.

The puzzle.

He stayed up until 1:00 in the morning working on it.

And focused on it during much of his lunch hour.

And probably won't be able to stop until it's finished!

Which is very helpful to me, because it's too hard to do by myself.
I mean, I could, but it would take a coon's age.

Add it to the list of things I love about being married...finally someone to help me with my puzzles!

Spring

Today is the first day of Spring.  The flowers are in bloom, birds are chirping and my heart is full.

My stomach, on the other hand, is not.
I'm thinking a little Mexican fast food might do the trick.  It's the official food of choice for the changing of seasons.

Happy Spring!

Weekend Review

This weekend was a wonderful, glorious, delicious time of "nothing at all".  Meaning, we had nothing scheduled, no projects to work on, not much food to prepare, not much of anything.

I felt so rested.

Saturday morning started with sleeping in and then walking down to a local bakery to get biscuits and gravy.
Then, nap #1.
Listen to NPR's Wait, Wait Don't Tell Me. (weekend tradition, if we can help it)
Nap #2.
Eat lunch.
Watch episodes of Psych, because we are currently addicted.
Another nap.
Read a little.
Munch on some food.
Watch Psych.
Eat.
Psych.
Go to bed.

We didn't have much to do on Sunday either.
I have a few pictures to share, but I have to figure out how to get them off my phone first.

I also have a few quotable quotes.

For example, as we're watching Psych...

Mr. T: "Hey, Emilio Estevez is guest staring."
Me:  "Honey, that's not Emilio Estevez."
Mr. T:  "Who is it?"
Me:  "That's Lou Diamond Phillips."

(note the difference)

Well, I guess I can kind of see the resemblance.
NOT!!!

Anyway, later on - joke time...
Mr. T:  "What do you call a fish with no eyes?"
Me:  "I don't know.  What?"
Mr. T:  "A FSSSHHHH.  Get it?  No 'I's'."

Me:  (trying not to be outdone)  "Well, what do you call a potato with LOTS of eyes?" 
(because potatoes have eyes, you see)
Mr. T:  "I don't know.  What?"
Me:  "A Piiiiiiee-tiiiiee-tiiiiee!  Get it?  There's lots of 'I's'."

And that's when it happened.
I made up a joke that is actually funny!!!
If you didn't laugh at it, it's probably because you're not reading it right.
Pie-tie-tie.
Come on, now.
That's funny.
And I made it up, spur of the moment.
Which is basically when I do my best work...most of the time.
Feel free to tell lots of people and let the joke start making its rounds.
I'm sure one day it will be a global phenomena.

Tidbits

1) Tomorrow we are having a "Day of Nothing"!

No work.
No working on the house.
No working on the yard.
No company.
No travel.
No nothing!

To be clear, I really enjoy all of the above things.  However, I tend to tip the scales slightly toward the introverted side and so I enjoy/need time to relax a little.  Furthermore, I feel like I've been busy since the 7th grade.  I'm ready for a break.  And tomorrow it happens!

2)  Sugar Fast - it's going very well!  I've cheated a couple times, but not much.  Truly.  Only three more weeks left and then I can have fruit and whatever else.  I'm nervous that I won't continue "scaling back".  Hopefully I can be more disciplined though.

3)  Working Out - also going well.  Mr. T still takes off like Speedy Gonzales and it still makes me roll my eyes, but we did find his running pants so he doesn't have to wear the spandex ones anymore.  That's a definite improvement.

Ta-ta for now.  Hope you have a lovely weekend!

Yours truly,
Mrs. Tidyman

A Motto

Gettin' Fit

Mr. T and I starting working out this week.  I used to work out a lot more.  I ran a 1/2 marathon last April, and then did some walking this summer, but that's basically it.  Needless to say, we are both out of shape. 

A couple weeks ago Jordanne emailed to see if we would like to do the Color Run.  Basically, it's a 5K where you pay money to run 3 miles, while people throw paint on you.  It's gonna be awesome!

So, like I said, we started working out to train for the Color Run. 

We're doing this program called Couch to 5K. 

We're on Day 2.

And we're already sore.

Today did go much better though.  This week's training includes running for a block, walking three blocks, repeating 4 times.  Easy enough, right? 

Except the day of our first workout, we overslept.  Then, we couldn't find Mr. T's workout pants, so he ended up wearing these spandex things that had to have been uncomfortable.  And it was cold outside and we didn't have warm things for our ears. 

But mostly the problem was that we had different definitions of the word "run".  I define it as a  "steady jog".  Mr. T defines it as "sprint".  So, we got to the "running" part and he took off in a dead sprint.  I intuitively looked over my shoulder because I figured the only reason you'd run that fast would be because a bear was chasing you.  Nope. No bear to be seen.  Then I thought, "Heck, maybe he stole something!"  Nope.  He just runs really fast. 

We did better today.  He slowed down and I sped up. 

I imagine we look something like this...

(plus or minus a few things) 

I've never really watched Rocky before.  The scene at the end of this where they splash around in the water and hug makes me think, "Guys like this movie???"

Anyway, truth be told, we probably look more like this...

(At least, this is more how we feel.) 

I'm headed to the store to buy some Icy Hot.

Until tomorrow,
Mrs. Tidyman

Weekend Dialogue

Mr. T:  "Did you clean the bathroom today?"
Me:  "Yes."
Mr. T:  "Did you clean the toilet?"
Me:  "Yes."
Mr. T:  "Inside and out."
Me:  "Yeah, I think it's pretty clean."
(Pause)
Mr. T:  "It's just that - the smell still smells."
Me:  "What smell?"
Mr. T:  "You know...smells kind of like urine.  Maybe the neighbor kids are peeing in the vent...I'm not sure. (We live in a duplex.)  I started smelling it about a week ago and every time I walk in the bathroom I think it REEKS.
Me:  "Why don't you walk around the bathroom and see if you can locate the smell.  I got a new candle the other day.  Maybe that's it."
Mr. T (walking back to our bedroom with candle in hand):  "Yep.  It's the candle!  Why would they make a candle that smells like urine!?"
Me:  "That candle smells like cookies.  That candle smells delicious!"
Mr. T:  "No.  It smells like urine.  Aw, man!  Now my hands smell like it!"
(Mr. T returns to bathroom and puts candle back on candle holder.  Washes hands.  Returns to bedroom.)
Me:  "You can throw it away."
Mr. T:  "It'll probably be fine."
(Mr. T walks back in bathroom.)
Mr. T:  "Nope."
(Then, THUNK!  Candle goes in the trash.  Hands get REwashed.  Problem solved.)
Me:  "Thanks for giving me something to blog about, honey."

Daylight Savings Time

I love Daylight Savings Time.  Losing an hour of sleep is a wonderful scapegoat for my irresponsibility.  Most of the time I don't have a good excuse for being a total ding-bat, but the day after we "spring forward" I have a built in reason for

...being late.

...not fixing my hair.

...drinking too much coffee.

...mismatching my clothes.

...saying things that don't make sense.

...and so on.

It's pure bliss!

Person I'm Talking To:  "Why are you wearing navy socks with your black pants?"

Me: "Daylight Savings Time."

Person I'm Talking To:  "I couldn't help but notice that you are 10 minutes late."

Me:  "Yea, Daylight Savings Time."

Person I'm Talking To:  "6 cups of coffee already.  Daylight Savings Time, right?"

Me:  "You got it!" (insert over exaggerated yawn)

Too bad it only comes once a year.

I have to conjure up excuses the other 364 days of the year and most people don't buy them.

"Spring Forward" is basically a free pass to do whatever you want and people are really compassionate  because they sympathize with the fact that you didn't get enough sleep.  Not only that, but you didn't get enough sleep and it's basically the government's fault because they invented Daylight Savings Time to begin with!  You are just a victim.

See why I love it?

Like Father, Like Dog-ter

This picture was taken about a week ago when Mr. T was still really sick.  He decided to curl up and take a nap on our little couch.  Annie was obviously having sympathy pains. 

Mr. T and Annie are two peas in a pod.  They have so much in common.

For example...

1)  They both love naps.
2)  They both love bacon.
3)  They both love me.
4)  They both love attention.
5)  They're both white.
The list goes on and on.

Here's Annie after her much needed trip to the groomer.  

Remember how she looked in this post?

Now it's like Spring has arisen in her heart.  The expression on her face is full of anticipation.

That's something Annie and I have in common. 

We are both ready for Spring!

Home

Home.

We've been working on our house since we got married last June.

People say you never really get done with a house, but I think we're really close.

So much time, energy and money have been invested in it and it will be really nice to invest in something else for a change.

I think it's important to make a house a "home"... 

Walking in the door and feeling like you can relax...seeing pictures of those you love...memories...reminders of God's hand upon your life...

A home that has an open door...one that is welcoming and hospitible...it all honors God.

I also think it's important to remember that our eartly dwellings are so temporary.

They will pass away.

Investing is your home is not the most imporatant thing in life.

That being said, our house did need a little/a ton of work.

Check out the photograph below of the outside of the house when Mr. T bought it, compared to what it pretty much looks like now.

Floor to ceiling, it's all been redone.

PS-I'm not a good photographer (yet!).  And just because you've seen these pictures does not mean you've "seen" the house.

PS-Nor does it exclude you from coming to pay us a visit.  Come and see it in person.  Come and see US!





Before and After

 

Here are some pictures of the main floor.

Enjoy the tour!




Living Room, Facing East

 

 

Closer Shot






Even Closer



  



Front Door, Facing South



Facing NorthWest
(The fact that I know these directions is a miracle.)





Dining Room, Facing North
(I still need to get something for the big blank space on the wall.)



Entering the Kitchen



Refrigerator Magnets
(Just because so many people were asking to see them.)



Daily Motto




Kitchen, Facing West





Opposite Wall in the Kitchen
(Complete with pink cabinet!)




Our OLD Stove
(This is where all the magic happens, Baby!)



That's it!

For now.

I'll send pics of the rest later.

We didn't take before and after pictures of the inside. 

But just to give you an idea, when we were dating, the house didn't even have sheetrock on the walls.

We've come so far!

Home.

I love my house...

...and the people in it.

(Yes, I'm referring to Annie as a "people".)

Hutch

This weekend, Mr. T and I went to visit my parents in Hutch.

We had a rip-roarin' time. And it all began with Mr. T's Aunt Beulah.  She's a hoot!  We went to lunch, heard her stories, ate sweet potato fries, and had a lovely visit with her.

Then Mom, Mr. T and I went to Smith's Market downtown.  It's the coolest thing in Hutch and I've NEVER BEEN THERE BEFORE!  How did I grow up in Hutch and never make it to Smith's Market?  I'm convinced my parents didn't tell me about it because they wanted me to move out of the house someday, and if I'd known about Smith's Market, I wouldn't have been so willing to leave.

It has all kinds of eye-catching stuff.  Great produce, aisles of candy, vintage toys, free coffee and much more!  We actually went to celebrate Mom's birthday, which is coming up soon.  We ended up going shopping, like we always do, and Mom bought ME a bunch of clothes. I think it bothers her if I run around naked or something. I kept telling her, "Thanks Mom for buying me all these clothes for YOUR birthday."

 

After Dad got off work, we went out to eat at this fancy schmancy restaurant by this new swanky coffee shop.  When did Hutch become so urban?  Oh, and we watched about a billion episodes of Cupcake Wars and Storage Wars until our eyes almost fell out of our heads. 

A little church, a little taco soup for lunch, a long nap, and we were on our way home, celebrating a lovely weekend.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY, MOM!!!

Sicker Than A Dog

Mr. T and Annie are playing rope in the picture below. 

Mr. T is sicker than a dog in this picture. 

Come to think of it, what does it mean to be "sicker than a dog"? 

What do sick dogs look like?

Dogs who are lethargic and lay around a lot?

In that case, Annie is sick all the time!

Case and point.

See how lethargic she looks in the picture below.

She's about ready to keel over!

Good ol' Annie...

Even on death's door, she's still able to pull off a perfect 1st position.

All those ballet classes really paid off.

Here's a picture of her playing with her rope.

As you can see, she is mostly just staring at it.

However, a brief analysis of her body language reveals her feet are facing forward,

meaning she is fully engaged in the thought of perhaps someday playing with her rope.

I'm pretty sure she decided to just lay down and take another nap.

Can you blame her?

She is sick, after all.

Poor Annie.

Maybe after a trip to the groomer she'll feel better.

The Antique Store

Meet Jordanne.

Although she is super busy and important, she made the trek all the way to small town Nebraska to see us.

We love Jordanne.

Sometimes we call her JB.

And sometimes we call her JO-BO.

And sometimes we call her Queen JEE-OHH-DIN.

I'm not sure why.

While she was here, we went to this cool Antique Store downtown.  It's one of those stores that goes on and on and on.  I've been before, but never have I noticed the crazy amount of random salt and pepper shakers they have.

Is that a Nebraska thing?

Here's how I rate the following:

Old People Faces = Ugliest

(and those creepy babies in the background certainly don't help)

Indians = Most Historical

Camel = Funniest

Severed Feet = Without A Doubt The Absolute Grossest Thing I Have Ever Seen And I Think I Might Gag At The Thought Of Putting This Anywhere Near A Place Where Food Is Being Consumed

 Toilets = 2nd Grossest

Cow = Cheesiest

Sweepers = Most Random

Cat and Dog = Most Vintage

Kids With Snowballs On Their Laps/Pregnant Leprechauns = Most "What Is That Supposed To Be?"

Fish = Best Display of Big Lips

Giraffes = Tie between Most Childlike and Most Over-sized

(those things could hold a ton of salt and pepper)



Lemons and Juicers = Jordanne's Favorite

Happy Dancing Roosters = My Favorite

We actually almost got locked in the Antique Store.  They started turning the lights off on us because they didn't realize we were in the basement.  It was extra creepy because they had all of those antique dolls down around and I'm pretty sure their eyes started blinking on their own, so we were outta there!  By the time we made it upstairs, all the lights were turned off and the doors were locked in such a way that you had to have a key to get out.  This one girl came out and we tried to explain to her what happened, but she looked at us like we had six heads and was probably thinking, "What are those girls doing here?  Can't they see we're closed?" And we were thinking, "Hello, we were already IN here and we just want to get OUT!"  Which is what we eventually did, after the 5 minute long stare down/explanation we had with the employee.

Same thing almost happened at JC Penny's the following day.

It was a full weekend.

Then Jordanne went back to her "normal" life in the city. A life that doesn't include salt and pepper shakers shaped like toilets.  Thanks again for coming, JB!