Slumber Parties

My age is starting to show. I am an old woman.

My best friend, Chandra is coming in town this weekend to get all of her bridesmaids together. She decided it'd be neat if we all stayed together. At first she had us two hotel rooms... then she decided since our friend, Hayley just bought a house it would be fun to all stay there. This is where my age hits.

Chandra and I have been having sleepovers since we were in kindergarten. Some of the girls there including Hayley and Sarah have had slumber parties with us since middle school. We all sprawled on the floor in our sleeping bags, stayed up half the night laughing... and hit the day with full force in the morning. We're accustomed to the slumber party time. In high school even my group thought it was so cool to all get together for slumber parties every weekend. But, the first thing that came out of my mouth when Chandra said we would all stay at Hayley's?... "Well, are there going to be enough beds?!"

So she goes into the rundown of this bed and that bed... oh, and two air mattresses. Me: "Oh, I will NOT sleep on an air mattress. I won't sleep well and I'll be tired the next day." Okay... yes, I do camp and yes, I do sleep in random places when I just have to... but, the point is not that I am high maintenance... the point... I am old.

I don't remember at what age it wasn't cool to sleep on the floor next to my best friends. I don't remember when I didn't get a good night's sleep. I do remember camping last year on the ground on top of rocks. I didn't feel so great the next day. I remember in college a few times when we'd all get together and sprawl across the house... usually in pull out beds.

Even our idea of a good time is getting old... Chandra and Hayley were some of the wildest and fun college ladies around... now, we want to have a glass of wine and share a little laughter before bed. I really do love that part of us. I was always old in spirit somehow... I think it was my mother's influence! I enjoy a nice night out at the bar when I really plan for it, but I'd much rather be cuddled up at home with a good movie.

So this weekend we will all come together for our best friend in celebration of her upcoming nuptials. We will probably tell stories of those slumber parties back in the 80s when we would toilet paper Lance Brock's house... and we may stay up a little too late and be forced to put some sort of creme under our eyes to fight the darkness... It will probably be one of the best times of our lives. I just know I better not be sleeping on a deflating air mattress.

Old days slumber parties with Hayley, Sarah & Chandra --

Chandra, Sarah and I in the middle - 6th Grade Slumber Party at Ava Martin's

Hayley, Sarah, Me and Chandra - 7th Grade Birthday Slumber Party
Me, Sarah and the girls - Slumber Party 1998Chandra, Me - 5th Grade Slumber Party

Sarah, Me - High School Slumber Party at Lauren Fraser's

Sarah, Chandra, Me - Slumber Party 1999

Iron Crosses

The weekend flew by as it was stuffed with so much activity.

Friday not too much exciting... we went to Matt's and hung out with Ashton and Donna because they came in town for a concert. Nick had been in Ruidoso all week and he brought me back the most beautiful iron cross. He said, "You love Jesus so I figured you'd love this." Yes, so romantic... right... It is handmade by an Indian, he said... I hung it on my cross wall and I just stare at its beauty. It is so heavy, so pure and so lovely.

Saturday Anna, Kathryn, Andrea and I layed out all day. It felt great. Then Saturday night was Matt's birthday bash. It was a really fun time. There was a small group of us that went to Nick's and just hung out in the backyard enjoying life. It seems simple, but we had a total blast. Those are the most fun times of my life just sitting back and enjoying good friends.


Andrea and I wanted to try the 5 PM church service at Watermark... and we also slept in way too late... so Sunday we layed out all day yet again then attended church. I really enjoyed going at that time. Usually Watermark is so huge that you feel like an ant. This time it was much more intimate. The sermon was on marriage so I didn't really fit it, but I did learn a few things about relationships in general.

Football truly began this weekend so Nick's life revolved around the television. I'm sure I'll get into some games, but it still doesn't feel like football season to me quite yet. It was back to the grind today at work. I had an audition this week to host an Internet show that will be filmed at night. We shall see how it goes. Auditions come and go... Barbara Walters says we are always auditioning.

Kacie's Engagement Celebration

Last night we celebrated Kacie Rowland's engagement at Kona Grill. There were so many of us there - such a blast. I met Kacie years ago in college when she cheered with Jana. I had no idea we'd all be friends today. Last night it was mainly old Tech cheerleaders and Kacie's new round of pals from her church. It was so fun to meet and greet new people. It's funny because we have been out of school four years, but we somehow still have that Tech spirit. Or maybe it is just growing for me... in college I was a little too obsessed with sorority life... Kacie is getting married the exact same place as Chandra... Delaney Vineyards... a day before my birthday in January... and she bought her dress the same place as Chandra! Crazy! She was so thrilled and shined with excitement as she told us her engagement story. It made me just smile to see someone so filled with love and happiness.



I've had a long week and I'm so ready for the weekend. This was the first week I busted out my blazers. My mind wants to think it is Fall. Kristen and Matt broke up this week so it's been a bit weird. Weird because I got them together and weird because it was somehow comforting to know there was always another girl with all the boys when we hung out. I think it's for the best, but it also puts me in a weird position as a friend to both of them. I don't enjoy break-ups.

I ate way too much last night. I think I have a food hangover.

Labor Day Luxury

I just watched the new 90210. I'm not excited about it. I'm going to rip the head off of my Donna and Brenda doll now.

Labor Day weekend was amazzzzzing. I wanted to bask in every moment.

It started with Nick's Dad's retirement party. I didn't get to stay long, but I got to meet his grandmother and hang out with all of the family. Later that night I went to dinner with my friends from high school. It was wonderful to see all of them. We all live here, but we don't get to hang out a lot. Brittany and Lance came from Aledo, too! It is just a blessing to be surrounded by old, wonderful friends.

Tara, Me, Hayley, Lauren, Brittany

Nick and I headed to Houston Friday afternoon. We stayed with our good friends, Tony and Katie. I just loooove Katie. She has the best English accent and I know I must annoy her asking a million questions about England. Everything is such a different world over there from the fashion to the food to the music. I had no idea it was so different! She amazes me. So Friday night I got to meet all of the childhood friends at the Libby's wedding rehearsal. She has eight brothers and sisters so I am sure I got them all mixed up, but it was great to meet everyone. We met all of the Houston crew up at Gingerbread Man in Rice Village after it. I was so sleepy so I wasn't much fun. Emily and Erik met us up there so that was so wonderful to see Emily! We all left pretty early as everyone was quite sleepy from a long day.

Anna, Me, Jillian

Emily

Nick was really excited about college football starting so Tony and him got up at dawn to watch the whole day of sports. Katie and I weren't as thrilled so we decided to lay out all day! My gosh, Justin even took his radio in the wedding tucked in his jacket pocket so he could listen to A&M football right after it! The wedding was beautiful. It was very non traditional, but elegant and I enjoyed the readings. Nick's entire family was there so that was so much fun. We danced to crazy songs... Nick hates the way I dance... I like it! His mother and I talked forever - I just love her! It was just a really grand night.

Nick's childhood friend, JennaMr. & Mrs. Jim Gray

Nick's Mom, Dianne

Before we left I met Wendy for brunch and she surprised me by bringing Elizabeth! I was so excited as I haven't seen Elizabeth in about three years! It was so much fun to catch up with them. Wendy and I talk all of the time, but just being in person she is just extraordinary. Elizabeth won an Emmy last year and she finds out if she is nominated again in the next two weeks!


When we got back late Sunday we went over to Matt's and hung out. I actually fell asleep on the couch... that's how tired I was... loved the company, but I couldn't stay up much longer!

I thought Monday would be a day of doing nothing... but I was wrong. Andrea woke me up and told me it was lake day! The sunshine wasn't as bright, but I cannot pass up a lake day! The weather was very choppy, but we enjoyed time with a few other people and their boats!

Nick is gone all week to Ruidoso. I am so glad he gets to enjoy some time. He is always so insane about work... he needs time where he is forced to do nothing. Two of my best friends got engaged this weekend ... Kami & Kacie... adding to the list of weddings! I love weddings! We have five planned this fall alone! Oh my!!!

The weather is now fading away from my sunshine. I think it'll be okay. As long as I don't have to watch 90210 every day. I'm still not over it.

Where Are They Now?

Another one bites the dust.

Or another one lets go of the rope that has been dragging them through the mud for years.

This is the world of media.

I thought of this blog after my good friend

, Darcy left news to pursue teaching broadcasting. It just seems that as the years go by and we grow up the media divas and kings of our world are weeded out. My philosophy has always been that if you aren’t going to CNN or Dallas then it just isn’t worth the sacrifice.

I loved being on television. I loved the feeling when someone recognizes you or asks you questions about the news. While all of this sounds wonderful… I don’t remember three years of my life. I seriously revolved my world around work. I didn’t have holidays or family time or a normal life. It wasn’t just about work. It was about sacrificing at work. I was thrown everywhere, we were never good enough, you got the lead story one day and the next day everything could fall through and you were just a horrible reporter for that fact. I was paid in pennies and often came home crying after a day filled with emotion.

The thing is… I often forget the bad. I had a blast meeting neat people and writing amazing stories. I loved every part of it. I loved my co-workers; I had fun at work. I loved the spotlight.

It seems as we run further away from our graduation date we jump off the wagon. Out of the twelve I graduated with in my RaiderNet News class… there is one still in news. There are two in radio. One is in modeling. My first job was at KTAB in Abilene. Some of them have stayed strong jumping up the ladder. They are now in Phoenix, Kansas, Oklahoma City and Austin. I wanted to stay in Texas. I didn’t want to sacrifice mileage. Then off to CBS 19 in Tyler. We had some go to Denver, two to Austin, one to Tuscon, one to Florida. CBS is a training ground for serious reporters. I learned so much that even watching the Dallas news I laugh because we could have done better on some of their stories. It all sounds pretty good, but I also saw so many burn out and leave…

Missy is the most dedicated anchorwoman I had ever seen. I would even get annoyed that she cared so much about the news. She is now reporting in Dallas and says that it is very hard to chase murders all day. It is hard on the psyche to endure such tough things. Mechelle gave up two years of her life away from her husband and three children for news. The station chewed her up. One of the best anchors I ever saw, Mrs. Braid Sharp got out to do PR because it was just a better life. Wendy got tired of it and is now one of the leading Pharmaceutical reps in Houston. Kimberly got her own MTV-ish show in Dallas. The list goes on and on.

I’m not saying I would never go back to it. If I had the chance if I ever moved back to We
st Texas to anchor… I would do it. I would enjoy the life if I was given an adequate paycheck and respect from my elders as well. I was never the reporter who wanted to pursue the hard stories and that is where we differ. I cannot be Katie Couric because I do not have the mind to change my values for the media world. I cannot foresee having a family and an outside life when I am at work until 7 pm every day. Family is above everything else in the material world. For four years I stuck that in the back of my mind because I wanted to be my version of famous.

Darcy got the chance to move closer to her boyfriend. She got the chance to double her salary. She was devastated at the thought of leaving her dream. She hated leaving the friends she had made among each of her storylines. But, life had to happen.

I have no idea what the future holds. I will always have a strong root in journalism. I could get back on television tomorrow and have it all back. It’s all up to God. For now I will sit back and cheer the other fish on…. They are all so very special to me and I enjoy watching them jump up each rung of that ladder filled with sharks.

KTAB - KRBC Reporters 2004: Tawnya Bach - Reporting in Kansas; Shane McAuliffe - Reporting in College Station; Lisa Acquafredda - PR in Phoenix; Linda Mares - Reporting in Oklahoma City

Melissa Newton - We reported together in college; one of my best friends; She is now reporting in Dallas

KTAB - KTXS Reporters: Harvey Mireles - PR in San Antonio; Missy Newton - Reporting in Dallas; Damon Lane - Meteorologist in Seattle; Anita Blanton - Reporting in Richmond, VA

CBS 19: Keri Bellacosa - Reporting in Austin; Tyler Wing - Reporting in Tucson; Michele Reese - Anchoring in Tyler; Mechelle Jordan - Plans to be unveiled in September

CBS 19 Reporters - Mechelle, Julie and Lynne Sullivant; She is for the time being still in Tyler

Lynne and I with Rebecca Robinson - Becca was just crowned Miss Texas 2008!

Vickie Pierre - Reporting in Jacksonville, Florida

CBS 19; Mitchell Patton - Now focusing on music career; Annalisa Petralia - Reporting in Austin

KETK - KLTV Reporters; Noelquis Rodriquez - taking a few months off in her home state of Miami; Tracy Watler - Reporting in Tulsa

KRBC Reporters; Kyna Grigsby - Anchoring in Abilene, Meredith, Tawnya & Linda

Wendy Walker - One of my best friends from KRBC - Now a big pharmaceutical representative in Houston

Suleika Acosta - One of my college buddies - Now reporting in Tuscon

Shelby Hogue Ziemenski & I clowning around at RaiderNet News - Shelby is now a teacher in the Metroplex

Lisa and Elizabeth at KRBC - Elizabeth is now producing at the CW in Houston

Darcy Deupree - Teaching broadcasting in Ft. Worth; Morgan Ash - Starring on the jewelery channel in Houston

KTAB; Trey Marak - Radio Personality in Dallas; Ashley White - Figuring out what do next

Shavonne Herndon - We met at KTAB; She is now at CBS 19 in Tyler following my footsteps!

KTAB - Jessica Boyd; Now producing in Tyler at KLTV

Fran Adkins - After anchoring for over 25 years Fran is now happily retired

CBS 19; Clay Falls - Finishing up his contract and still climbing that ladder

Allison McFarland - Producing in Tulsa


KTAB - KRBC; Angela Taylor - Anchoring in Abilene; Sonya Van Oordt - Meteorologist in South Carolina; Craig Carnesi - Meteorologist in South Carolina; Victor Sotelo - Reporting in Abilene; Rob Mooring - Teaching; Chris Faulkner - Ministry; Brandon Rector - Meteorologist on the East Coast

A Dallas Cowboys, NCAA & Sambuca Weekend

I had such a wonderful weekend filled with blessings.

The world seems to want to hear about the Dallas Cowboys party. Hold your horsies.

Friday night I put myself through the sheer torture of being a good girlfriend. I went over to Matt's where the boys were having a NCAA 09 tournament. Kristen, Lanna and I chilled upstairs and made homemade pizza. When it got to the point Kristen and I were falling asleep on the couch I knew it was time to go home! The best part of my night was laying by Nick on the bed just talking about life. Those are the true moments from God.

Saturday I layed out all day in the wonderful sunshine. I played two games of beach volleyball with some people at the pool... I served the winning volley... I rock. Then it was time to get dressed for my big party. I bought a new BCBG dress for a wedding next weekend and a cocktail dress for the party so I might be begging on the streets soon. Matt decided not to go with Kristen so at first Nick wasn't going to go. I was really hurt because I wanted it to be a big night for us all to get dressed up and meet neat people. I cried and cried... until all my make up was gone... I had to redo it... Being the sweetheart that Nick can be he got all dressed up and even got a taxi so he didn't have to drive and come downtown to meet me! It was open bar and free food... The party was thrown by Michael Goolsby who was a Cowboy... he is starting a new business venture - it was at the W Hotel downtown. Security was everywhere and they were really crazy about their guest list. The food made me laugh first. It was "ritzy" food... I thought it was horrible! It was all different cheeses, olives, weird meats... I felt sorry for Nick because he couldn't figure out what some of the food was even. I did like the goat cheese. Open bar with the top notch alcohols was truly wonderful... Grey Goose vodka makes me happy. I sound like a lush, but it is very smooth.




We watched the partygoers stroll in. The ones that make me laugh are the big ole football players wearing sunglasses in a dark room. They were all very, very friendly. The guest list included some of the biggest stars like Romo and Owens.... but, they didn't come... I couldn't tell the difference in all of them, but there were some I had seen on "Hard Knocks," the HBO Dallas Cowboys show. I met a lot of them, but they didn't act like superstars or anything; everyone was just having a good time enjoying one another.

Nick, Kristen and I stood on the balcony and just talked and enjoyed the air. It was so peaceful and such a great night. I am glad we went. My idea of a fun night would truly be just standing on a balcony in a t-shirt sipping a glass of wine with wonderful people... but, it was a lot of fun to be all dressed up with lots of security, top notch food and drinks and interesting people.

After another day of basking in the sun getting skin cancer... tonight my photog buddy from Tyler, Mike came in town. He took me to this really nice restaurant in Addison called Sambuca. It was such wonderful cuisine! I had the crab stuffed salmon with asparagus. We had a great talk... mainly about the life of news. I forget a lot of time why I got out and I remember the wonderful times, but I forget that for four years I had no social life except on weekends and that I was a slave to my trade. I do miss the exciting parts of it, but I forget all of the unethical happenings behind the scenes. It was interesting to hear his perspective on news and see where everyone has gone and how we are changing and many of us jumping out of news because we want lives. If we want to be on CNN... that's a different story... but, being a reporter defined me for way too long. I want to be happy and happiness is not found in handcuffs.


Now it is time for bed and we look towards a new week. Thank God for these blessings. I sat by the pool reading my Bible learning all that God wants in my life and trying to remember I need to always put His words in my life... I told Nick it was "God's quilting" - He's always quilting my life day by day.

Dallas Cowboys Part-ay

I get to attend a Dallas Cowboys event tomorrow night!

Now... in my reporting days I interviewed Bill Bates, Jay Novacek & Roger Staubach. It doesn't really excite me because they are all just people, but it is going to be a blast to get all dressed up for a Cowboys party!

Kristen called last night and said she needed a few people to attend with her since her friend's company is sponsoring the party at the "W" Hotel. She said we could bring Nick and Matt, get all dressed up, have free drinks and just enjoy a good ole time. It's not a lot of the big star athletes... I do believe Tony Romo is included though. Nick is a huge Cowboys fan and he knows all of them so that is great for him.

My childhood sweetheart, Jordan, has more money than life can imagine and he has a box at the games. He gets to go hang out with them a lot during practice and such. I'm not that into sports, but it's always fun to get a glimpse into their exciting little world. I mean, tonight I get to watch my boyfriend and his friends play NCAA 09 all night.... yeehaw.

Maybe Jessica Simpson will give me the number of her agent.