Not Me! Monday

Not Me! Monday was created by: http://www.mycharmingkids.net/ - Chronicles the life of a mother with four children under three! It's a hilarious way to humble ourselves!

Not Me! Monday begins with the fact I did NOT make coffee this morning without coffee in my filter. When I went to pour me a stifling hot cup of coffee it most certainly was not just water and old coffee particles.

I did NOT make Geoff, Tony and Nick watch "Sex and the City" Saturday night. No... why do they need to learn the ins and outs of women?

I did NOT turn my white clothing pink by washing it with a bright red USC sweatshirt. That's why there's a cold water cycle, right?

I did not yell and scream at the television while watching the Golden Globes Awards. Then I most certainly did not explain to Nick in a heated voice about the passion of an actress winning an award... and then recite my Oscar speech.

I did NOT sit on the front of the fireplace somehow and singe a hole in the side of my thigh from the heat.

I did not giggle out loud as Nick explained to his parents in a singing voice with hand gestures how Baptists sing and sing and sing the same thing over and over with their hands raised up in the air. God doesn't really strike with lightning... does He?!!

Finding A Church Home

I have a serious thought for this blog, but first let's catch up. I just went shopping for a birthday dress, Kacie's wedding and my real birthday dinner. So I got a BCBG dress for 75% off! You just cannot beat that type of luck. I am going to look pretty good. I just received an invite to Lance's birthday next Saturday. I hope Nick and I can get from the wedding to their house in the same night. It's been a low key weekend with a lot of chilling out and business. Now we are at Nick's parents about to have dinner. 

We went to Prairie Creek Baptist in Plano today. It is becoming quite difficult for me to find a church home. Yesterday I looked up what each church was talking about and chose Prairie because I like 2 Peter. It's so hard to figure it out. Andrea and I can to Watermark a lot, but it's such a production and thousands of people fill the stands. I don't feel a personal connection. Nick and I have gone to two Catholic churches. It is very formal and I feel as if I am in the Bible instead of studying it. It is very foreign" to me. I want to find a place where there is true comfort and I enjoy the pastor. I would also like to get involved with young adults to grow and learn. My church in Tyler was amazing, but I also sometimes wonder if I went more for socialization instead of the teaching? It is such an important part of life to me. I grew up in such a wonderful church and was involved in two other churches besides mine so it is my foundation. I guess only God knows!!!

Oh... and tonight is the Golden Globes! Yes... here we goooooo!!!  

Only Julie Ramblings

Who can resist "Only Julie" stories?

I'm sitting in my office working away when a very large cockroach glides across the floor. I am appalled because I have never seen a cockroach in an office!!! At my news station in Abilene the janitors told me there were rats in the attic, but I hate cockroaches more than rats. I suddenly had a call from a client come in so here I am sitting on top of my desk talking business to the client! I wanted to tell him all about my problem, but felt like it might be unprofessional. I ran downstairs to tell them to kill it and they laughed at me. I thought about it for a minute, but killing a living thing might not be in God's book. Does He entertain roaches? So this thing roams around and around... we lose him... and then Staci comes in ready for the kill. She chases him, but fails to kill him... So he runs into my boss' office. By this time you have three women shrieking and running from a huge two inch creature!!! We lost him... and minutes later I hear my boss scream as the thing is right by her foot!!! Finally one of the guys from downstairs come to the rescue. He catches it in an envelope and takes it outside. He didn't kill it!!! I find it hilarious three grown women are basically standing on their desks running away from it. I was literally shaking. I hate bugs. Hate. Hate. Hate. One time in sixth grade Chandra sprayed her hair with Raid instead of hairspray at my house as we got ready for a wedding... and I did the same thing a few weeks later on the first day of school! All because of bugs.

Now... today is a special day. I have four birthdays to remember today! One of them is my "child," D'Layna Nicole Smith. She is the daughter of my cousin, Sara. Layna turns nine today making me feel very, very old. She has been very special to me since the day she was born. She is my little Mini-Me. We have a very special connection and I treat her as my own child. When she was three I taught her to call me "Princess Aunt Julie." The little girl has been put through a lot as her grandparents, my "godparents," Donna and Bill have custody of her and she is slowly reconnecting with her real dad. Sara is on the right track now married with two kids, but it would be too hard to take D'Layna out of her environment now! She is full of wisdom beyond her years, loves cheerleading, church, basketball and tumbling! She hates boys... give it two more years... and she is in the attitude stage of telling you what to do! I remember I used to talk to her like an equal when I would visit West Texas and ask about her day... I remember she was about five and she finally gave me this long explanation of her day. I knew then she was growing up. The entire Roberts family of cousins has always been like brothers and sisters to both my Dad (He lived with them for a summer) and for me. Dad lost his favorite cousin, Lori Ann, Donna's daughter out of three other girls, to a car accident... The weirdest thing to all of us is that D'Layna looks almost just like Lori... even weirder... D'Layna's mother, Sara, was adopted... yet we all look alike... Now that's God! I taught D'Layna at a young age about taking pictures and she knows when Aunt Julie is around you take pictures... and you steal her gum...










Okay... tonight is the OU vs. Florida game. I have been informed I will be cooking for the boys and Sarah! Here we go!!!...

Celebrate Me

I often wonder what I can write about because like many others that blog I do not have pictures of my children eating spinach or tales that will change the lives of my readers. I just write to write because I am a writer. And, maybe, I have an interesting life? I've been trying to get out of the rut of basically doing the same thing every day and absorbing each day to the fullest. In the past year I have taken many more invitations and actually gone out to have fun. Last weekend at Kacie's bachelorette party I realized it was "okay" to have fun! I think for so long I felt guilty for enjoying life because I had so much taken away when Mom passed and I thought it was disrespectful to truly live after such heartache... but, now I realize you have to live again and you have to take the journey to your own happiness... So I know I don't always go out and dance and take all my invitations, but I have learned to flex my social and intellectual muscles in so many ways. I like that.

The other night Geoff, Nick and I were flipping the channels from the UT game to whatever else was on... No, Geoff is not my second boyfriend, but he is Nick's roommate so it often feels like I date the entire household! Now, Geoff is a big ole scary dude... He is 6'4 and weighs like 260 or 300... Like a wrestler... and he has tattoos! But, he is a huge teddy bear and he absolutely loves history and Edgar Allen Poe... so we turn on the History Channel and there is a thing about Revelations. I have a hard time with that book because it is so confusing. The whole show was about the end times and disaster. It scared me to the core, but it was also so intriguing. I told the boys I wasn't sure if I believed that part of the Bible... but, it's a part of the Bible so I should... It's just so written in code and confusing to me. It talks about swords coming out of the Lord's mouth and seven heads and creatures covered in eyes. Needless to say we were all in total silence in awe watching this show!

I'm perturbed because I went to the gym last night to find it infested with people. I guess everyone is trying to lose weight as a resolution. I got on two broken machines before I finally found a treadmill. I was so flustered that I left after only fifteen minutes! I swear... the gyms need to make every television work in coordination with my earpieces and my machines should be free!!! It makes me want a cookie!!!

Oh yeah... so my birthday is in two weeks. I'm trying to figure out a plan. Do I want to get all of the groups together for a night out or do I want to just get a small group for dinner and a night out? I go crazy on invites so I need to be careful! I have Kacie's wedding on the 17th which is a Saturday... then my birthday is on a Monday so I am trying to figure out a neat place for Nick to take me. I want my family to come visit probably that next weekend so that leaves Friday! Hmmm... I like Birthday Month!!! It's my entire month to celebrate me!!!

Now... to celebrate me... it's time for lunch.

Kacie's Bachelorette Party

It's back to work. Not quite sure it feels like a real work day as the rain is pelting upon the sidewalk and we are all nestled inside the office. Slowly but surely. I began the day by making coffee in my new coffeepot. I love it! Much better than spending money each day on coffee!!!



We celebrated Kacie's bachelorette party this weekend. There were sixteen gals. We began the night at the Magnolia Hotel in downtown Dallas. Andrea worked all day to set everything up with all of the food and martini mixtures. She did such a wonderful job!

Jana, Kacie, Jules

WWW Women - Raelyn, Kathryn, Andrea, Anna, Kacie, Julie

We hung out, ate, drank martinis and played games. There was a mixture of girls there - her old cheerleader friends from Tech, her church friends and her high school friends so that was really neat. I made some new friends, too!

Julie, Kathryn, Kacie - In the limo

Then the limo came to get us and took us to Ghost Bar. Well... okay... we had Kacie's seventeen year old sister with us so despite having a table and everything set up at the Bar... we did not get in due to lack of age! No problem... we didn't want to leave her so we went to Liar's Den.

Old College Pals - Kacie, Shyloh, Andrea, Julie, Jana

It was a lot of fun. We were all dancing and singing despite people staring at us. It was so neat because no one cared. We were having too much fun to care! I let loose and had a good time.

Andrea and I dancing - She loves to dance!

The other Julie, Kathryn and I decided to leave around midnight because dancing until 2 AM is just not in my cards! I know I sound boring, but we had partied since 5 PM so it was time to get home and sleep! The limo came to get us and we enjoyed having it all to ourselves on the ride back! We all had a great time celebrating Kacie!!!

I had a leisurely Sunday and got a lot of rest to hit the work week. I just found out tonight is the Fiesta Bowl so I called Nick and told him I am coming over. I know he hates football right now, but you can't miss such a big game! Since when do I watch so much football?!!

12-2

I think the world may have ended. My boyfriend thinks there is no tomorrow. Nope, Tech lost to Ole Miss today in the Cotton Bowl. He has given up all hope in sports. One thing I just might never understand about men... it totally ruins their day. I remember when the LADY STEERS basketball team lost a huge game and I was PLAYING... yes, then I was sad. One time I got my three point shot blocked clear thrown in my face. Tears for hours. I thought the world was over. I taped over that game so in reality history is erased! So we end the season 12-2. Hey, I think that is amazing. I went undefeated as a Packers cheerleader in fifth grade. That's the last time I remember being undefeated. But, alas, not many teams have that same fate. The Red Raiders were so wonderful this year and I am glad to have instilled some school pride. I had a good time watching them play all year. Needless to say... I took Nick some ice cream to nurse his wounds. Maybe if this lasts I will never have to watch sports again? Naah...

Kacie's bachelorette party is Saturday night. Limos, martinis, laughter... what a night! I'm excited. Not too excited I have to wear a cold cocktail dress though! Jana flew in from Phoenix, Shyloh flew in from Lubbock - yaaaay!!! I have been in nine weddings and attended ... ummm... 1,000?... BUT... I have never been to a bachelorette party!!! Why? I think because when I was a reporter I was working! Funny FYI...

So I guess the world didn't end because the bachelorette party is still on.

I still say GUNS UP. There will be bad games and better teams, but no one can defeat your faith.

2009

It's officially 2009. I just cannot believe it. My whole world is going to the Cotton Bowl today, but I am stuck at work... bored... All my friends from high school, my sorority sisters, my crowd... all tailgating for the game!!! Wait, why is the rest of the world on a normal corporate schedule and I am not?!

Justin, Stefan & Donna

We rang in 2009 at Nick's house. There were about 25 people there. It was a lot of fun. We all just hung out and enjoyed life. I like to watch Dick Clark, but I don't understand why he has teeny boppers perform then throws in some Lionel Richie. Maybe I should have just watched Kathy Griffin and Anderson Cooper! I don't have the best photos because I'm sure Ashton's camera has those, but I was able to snag a few. I'll steal the best from the other folks later. At a minute before midnight being me I was trying to set up my timer for a group photo, but Nick was yelling at me because he thinks I am insane with my pictures... so at about 20 seconds I gave up and stood by him! I didn't want to ring in the year with a "bang!"


We all counted down and for a split second I was nostalgic about the past year and just remembering all of it. Each year is almost a triumph to get through for everyone because the world never stops spinning.

Shanna

Ashton, Julie, Nick
My sorority sister, Keilly

Everyone makes fun of Nick's stupid Guns Up... so he had to do it.

Blake & his new girlfriend

I pray 2009 is a good year. I'm almost afraid to face it because a new slate means anything can happen. There are some things I would really like to change in my life, but it takes so much to change things within yourself. I don't have a set resolution as I said before, but I would like to just make some things happen that would enhance my life both professionally and personally. Hey, I already "cooked" queso last night... that starts the beginning of my cooking "resolution"!!!

Well, Nick and I both have a lot of friends in from out of town for the game. Kacie's bachelorette party is this weekend and I get to see Jana! We are getting a limo and jetting around downtown and staying in a historic hotel. She'll love it! I'm excited to enter the first weekend of 2009! Cheers!!!