Sleeping Beauty. Or Something Like That.

An Open Letter to SoapNet.

Dear SoapNet,

Why, oh why, did you people decide to switch "Days Of Our Lives" with "The Young & The Restless"?

I just want to know who came up with this bright idea? And, I want to know who approved this idea?

Because you know what?

It stinks.

I know it took me a full year to realize that your channel was included in my Dish Network package, but once I did, I was hooked.

You were airing "Days Of Our Lives" at 10pm. Which was perfect because I usually get in bed at 10pm or a little after.

I'd get all settled in my comfortable bed, with whatever book I was currently reading & watch Days.

It was like one of my favorite parts of the day.

It was also the only hour of the day when Matt & Maisy wouldn't bother me.

Everything was right in my little piece of the world.

And, then 3 weeks ago, it all changed.

I found out that Days & Y & R were "trading places".

Days now comes on at 6pm. I get off work at 5:30, but most days I don't get home until 6:20, maybe 6:30. And, I'm like the only person in the world without a DVR.

Which means I now have to wait til 11pm to watch the 1st half of the show.

Do you know how hard it is for me to stay awake until 11pm?

Hard.

I mean, don't get me wrong, I like Y & R, but I liked it better when it came on at 11pm because if I fell asleep watching it, it was okay. I don't keep up with it like I do with Days.

To show my displeasure, I tried boycotting your network, but that only lasted about 5 minutes. Because let's face it, I had to know if Sami was going to kill EJ with the poisonous lipstick.

So, now I'm walking around with dark circles under my eyes because I'm being forced to stay up past 11pm to watch my favorite show.

Am I a loyal fan or what?

I deserve a prize.

Maybe one day you could put Days back where it belongs & make my world right again.

Your tired, but still devoted fan,
Robin

The Power of TV Commercials.

Like most parents, my sister's trying to teach my 5 year old nephew the value of money.

Just because he sees a toy he wants, doesn't mean he's going to get it.

Toys cost money.

The other day, I guess he asked my sister for something & my sister, hoping to use this as another lesson in money, told him that she didn't have enough cash to buy the toy right then.

But, instead of telling him no, she suggested that they talk about ways that maybe he could earn the rest of the money.

I don't know how that conversation ended, but a few days later my sister said Jackson came to her with HIS OWN suggestion.

Jackson: "Mom, do you still some money?"

Holly: not quite sure where this was going... "Um, well, I'll never turn down money."

Jackson: "Well, you can call Country Wide Home Loans & they'll give you the cash you need."

Wow.

The power of television.

Join The Party.

Those of you who know me, know that scrapbooking is more than just a hobby to me.

I've actually won several awards for my scrapbooks, including Best in Show.

Today, I was visiting Jenny's blog & found out about a party that I want to be a part of & you're invited.

Here's all you have to do.

Just stop by Joyous Creations for an awesome scrapbooking blog party.

All you have to do is put the invitation button in the sidebar on your blog, like mine, write a post inviting other bloggers before the party & sign Mister Linky on the day of the party.

That's on May 19th.

You could win lots of fabulous prizes.

So, please stop by, sign up & enjoy.

A "Friendly" Game of Poker.

Here's a story I think you might find a little funny.

On Friday night, Matt's sister, Wendy & her husband, Jim came into town for the family reunion & spent the night with us. My niece's spent the night with Matt's mom.

Anyway, we decided to take advantage of the "no kids" night & played some poker.

It took a few hands for Wendy & me to really get the hang of the game, but once we did, everything was going along swimmingly.

Until.

I had a really good hand, so I put in a pretty hefty bet.

Well, SOMEone thought he would pull one over on me & decided to switch our hands while I was folding a load of clothes in the laundry room.

Apparently, though, I didn't actually pay that much attention to the cards I had because when I sat back down, I picked them up & never realized they weren't the same ones.

I think I had a Jack & a 4. Well, the next card Matt flipped over was a Jack. So, I had a pair.

I put in an even heftier bet.

I should have known something was up when Matt, Wendy & Jim kind of laughed when I placed an even higher bet.

We went around the table again, each person raising, calling or folding.

The next card Matt turned over was a 4.

That gave me TWO PAIRS.

So, I bet even more.

Again, we go around the table, each of us raising or calling.

And, I should mention by this time, there was a whole lot money on the table (granted, it was poker chips, not real money).

We showed our cards & would you believe that I WON!!

A freaking butt-load of chips!

I was so excited.

And, it was at that point that Jim admitted to switching our hands when I was folding the clothes. He saw me put down a big bet at the beginning of the round, so when I got up, he decided to take my cards.

But, the joke was on him because his original hand ended up being the winning hand!

Ha.

Here's me after that winning hand.

Do you see all my chips?

Me & Jim playing.

This was like the 2nd or 3rd round because I sucked on this one.

I didn't have as much money here, but I won it all back.

Matt made us all wear "poker" hats while we played.

(Wendy: I promise I had a picture of you, Jim & me, but I accidentally erased it tonight & I left my camera at work, so I can't get it back til tomorrow.)

In the end, Jim was the champion.

But, I would like the record to show that I came in 2nd place.

Matt was 3rd & Wendy was 4th.

Poor Matt, he kept dealing himself horrible hands.

He folded almost every time.

Way More Than Just a Family Reunion

Wow. What a busy weekend.

It started on Thursday afternoon, when Matt's grandparents flew in from East Tennessee for a family reunion. We haven't seen them in over a year.

I cleaned my house from top to bottom on Thursday because Matt's sister, Wendy & her husband were spending the night with us on Friday.

Her girls stayed with Matt's mom, along with Matt's grandparents.

Anyway, after dinner at Matt's mom house Friday night, Matt, Wendy, Jim & I came back over to our house & played poker for about 3 hours.

Stay tuned for a funny story, complete with pictures, about our poker game.

So, on Saturday, we all got up & drove about 40 minutes to our reunion location. We ate, visited, watched the kids play & took some family photos.

Isn't that what family reunions are for?

And, with any family reunion, especially this family, there are bound to be some, um, rather interesting stories that come out of it.

The building where the reunion was held is right next to a cemetery. Matt's maternal grandparents, as well as his dad are all buried there.

While Matt's aunt was laying flowers on the grave markers, we noticed one headstone was broken.

Apparently, somebody lost control on the road & drove through the fence & hit a couple of headstones, knocking them off.

So, Matt, Jim & Richard (Matt's cousins boyfriend) decided to restore peace to the deceased & tried to put the headstone back onto the concrete base.

They're not quite sure how to move it, but Richard tries to at least get an idea of how heavy this thing is.

"OK, on 3. 1, 2, 3...& GO!"

Slowly, but surely, the boys move it back to the concrete base.

And, here's a picture of us. Just some of the family.

(From left to right: Me, Matt, Wendy, Jim, Madeline, Betty Jo, Suzanne & Grandmother)

Why Didn't You People Tell Me About This?

I didn't think it was possible to love something so small, so much.

And, I'm very upset that NOBODY told me about this, before now.

Maybe you thought I already had one, because let's face it, who doesn't?

Nonetheless, I have been introduced to the world of the iPod Shuffle.

Matt's been trying to talk me into getting one for a while now, but I already had an MP3 player to use at the gym. And, in my car, I had Satellite Radio & CD's.

What more could a girl want?

I'll tell you.

A little bitty green metallic iPod Shuffle.

I finally asked Matt to buy me one a few weeks ago.

That night, I downloaded a lot of songs & then took it with me to the gym the next day.

OK, it's WAY more comfortable than my stupid MP3 Player because I can attach it anywhere...my shirt, my shorts...wherever.

With my MP3 player, I had to wear it on my arm, like an armband.

But, what really made me fall totally head over heels in love with my new friend is the fact that I can listen to it in my new car.

Matt bought me the little connection cord thingy for my Shuffle. All I have to do is plug it in & listen to my favorite songs...without interruption!

People, I tell you, it's a love like no other.

I can't imagine my life without my little Shuffle.

This Will Never Happen Again in 1 Million Years, So Let Me Enjoy It.

Please let the record show that I beat Matt at Checkers for the first time.

FINALLY.

This boy is a freaking awesome Checkers player. We really don't play that often, but when we do, he ALWAYS wins.

I try to plan out my strategy, concentrate on my moves, but he outsmarts me EVERY TIME.

Until the other night.

I BEAT HIM.

I won.

(And, NO, he didn't let me win).

So, now I must enjoy this feeling.

Why?

Because I'm sure it will never happen again.

I'm Gonna Do It, You Can't Stop Me...Unless You Tell Me It Hurts Really Bad.

You might be wondering what this post is about.

Well, kids...pull up a chair, sit back & relax.

I'll tell you.

It all started on June 29th, 2003. Matt & I were involved in a horrible roll-over car accident. A girl was going too fast, lost control of her car & hit us in the back left side of our Jeep Cherokee.

We rolled FOUR times. Thankfully, a big tree stopped us or we would have rolled some more.

I don't remember the ACTUAL wreck. Matt does, though. He remembers counting the number of times we rolled. As long as I live, I will never know the torture he went through during what I'm sure what felt like a lifetime, but probably only lasted a few seconds.

Maybe that's why his injuries were minor. He escaped with a deep cut on his left arm.

To make a long story short (which someday I'll tell you more about it), the impact of the accident crushed both of my legs. I was in the hospital for 8 days, 3 & 1/2 of those in ICU.

The day after the wreck, I had surgery on my legs. I couldn't walk for 10 weeks. Matt & I "moved" into my mom's house, so she could take care of me while Matt was at work. (We lived in a 2nd story apartment at the time). My mom had to help give me a sponge bath every day & every other day, she would put me in my wheelchair & take me out on her back deck & wash my hair. I couldn't really do anything but lay in bed & read or watch TV.

(In a future post, I'll tell you about how wonderful Matt was to me during all of this. It'll probably make you cry).

I went through months of physical therapy & slowly began using my legs again. I "graduated" to a walker, then crutches, then a cane. I've also had numerous surgeries & I'm not done yet.

Eventually, I'll have a total knee replacement on my left leg.

To symbolize how far I've come since that day, I've decided to get a tattoo.

I know, it's probably not that big of a deal. I know millions of people have one. But, to me, this tattoo will hold special meaning.

I want a small purple butterfly on my lower back, on the right side. I want it be just above my panty line. That way people can see it when I'm wearing a bathing suit.

Why a purple butterfly?

Purple's my favorite color & a butterfly symbolizes freedom. And, that's how I feel.

Free.

My only fear is that it's going to hurt. Really bad.

I'm NOT a fan of pain.

Matt says it won't hurt anymore than what I've already gone through. (He knows. He has a tattoo on his arm).

So, if you're reading this & you have a tattoo or you know someone who does, please tell me it doesn't hurt. But, if does hurt, then don't be afraid to LIE to me.

Thanks, Internet...I know I can count on you!

What Happens When a Member of the Family Isn't Happy about the New Piece of Furniture

OK, I wish the pictures could tell this story, but I think I should give you some background.

My grandmother passed away in January & my dad let my sister & me pick a few items from her house that we wanted.

One of the items Matt & I picked was her Grandfather Clock. We always liked it, but what makes it extra special is that an "H" in engraved on the pendulum.

"H" is for my grandmother's last name & of course, my maiden name.

Now, that you're up to speed, I must tell you that Maisy DOES.NOT, I repeat, DOES.NOT. do well with change.

She's perfect with little children & other dogs, but bring a new piece of furniture in the house & you'd think the world was ending.

She puts those ears back as far as they'll go & bark & bark & bark. But, once she realizes it's not going anywhere, she starts to accept it & then she acts like it's not even there.

Unfortunately, we're not to that point yet with the new clock.

Sure, it looks innocent to you & me...but, to a Beagle named Maisy, it's her worst enemy.

I Have One Word For You...

HURMPH!!!

Well, internet, it hasn't been the best week of my life.

To be honest, I haven't really felt that good (I'll spare you the details), but nonetheless, it's kept me from really doing any kind of housework.

I did the occasional load of laundry, but that's about it.

However, I'm feeling better today, thank you.

But, now, I have this HUGE to do list & I'm not sure how to get it all finished.

Right now, I'm at the local library, taking advantage of the wireless internet.

Yes, my dear blogging friends, when I post on here, I'm doing it via DIAL UP!

I know, I can hear the gasps from here! Believe me.

It's hard to believe that we closed our brand new house, 3 YEARS AGO TODAY & we still don't have wireless internet in our neighborhood.

Anyway, so here I am, trying to cross a few things off of my list, like checking out my next book club book.

Speaking of my book club, do you guys have any good suggestions for us to read?

I started the club about 2 years ago, for all the women in my newsroom. We try to meet every 8 weeks or so at various places.

Mostly, we just sit around drinking & gossiping.

I mean, what's a book club without alcohol & secrets?

Seriously.

OK, now I'm getting off track. I must finish my business here, so that I can go to the grocery store & then go home & clean my house.

Wow.

What a Saturday.

Meanwhile, my husband's at the horse races with his friend, Greg. I could have gone with them, but I didn't want to.

So, there.

Oh, please head over Jenny's blog & tell her you're thinking about her. She's not feeling good.

*****

P.S. Don't forget to leave me some good book club suggestions. You guys rock!

The Winning Jersey & A Night at the Ballpark!

"Take me out to the ball game...take me out to the crowd!"

Matt, me & our friends Greg, Laurie & their daughter, Lindsey had a wonderful time at the Inuagural Game at our BRAND NEW BALLPARK!

The new park is freaking awesome & it's right in the middle of downtown, so it ALMOST feels like a big time stadium.

I say ALMOST because it's not Wrigley Field in Chicago or Camden Yards in Baltimore.

I would know, I've been to both...as well as Busch Stadium in St. Louis (the old one, not the new one).

We're going to Rangers Ballpark in Arlington in September.

As Matt's wife, it's like a requirement that I like baseball!

Anyway, here are some pictures from last night.

Matt & me at the game.

The winning jersey was his Cubs jersey, that has his last name on the back. The field as the game started. The field at night.
Duh.

Me & Lindsey.

Matt, Greg & Brett.

(Our chief meteorologist at our station)

A Conversation In Our Bedroom

Ok, so Matt is a HUGE baseball fan.

He LOVES the Chicago Cubs.

He owns about 17 jerseys from his favorite football & baseball teams.

Well, this week is the home opener for our state's minor league baseball team. It's a special one because it's happening at the brand new ballpark.

So, last night, we were laying in bed & talking about the game.

Me: "I'm really excited about the game! I can't wait to see the new ballpark."

Matt: "Yeah, me too!"

Me: "I think we need to dress kind of warm because the temperature's supposed to get down to 55 or 60 degrees."

Matt: "OK." (thinks for a second) "What am I going to wear?"

Me: "What do you mean?"

Matt: "Well, I mean I have to choose which of my jerseys to wear."

Me: (laughter)

Matt: "What? It's a big deal...I mean, I have to pick just the right one."

Me: (seriously kidding him) "Well, why don't you bring 4 of them to work with you tomorrow & get people to help you decide?"

Matt: (thinks for a second) "You know, that's not a bad idea. Thanks, sweetie."

Uh, yeah, no problem.

A Girl & Her Cowboy Boots

The Easter Bunny brought Riley some pink cowboy boots on Sunday.

These aren't the best pictures, but I just had to share them with you.

In them, my mom is giving Riley a piece of chocolate.

The Power to Stop Time. Or At Least Slow It Down.

It's already April...in the year 2007.

OK, not a big shock.

But, people, seriously, January, February & March have already passed by. And, it's ALMOST the MIDDLE of April.

Am I the only one who feels like time is just flying by?

And, I don't just mean 2007 is flying by...I mean TIME, in general.

My oldest niece will be SIX YEARS OLD in May. I remember the day she was born & from then to now feels like it was last week.

BUT, IT'S BEEN SIX YEARS.

And, my nephew starts kindergarten in the fall. How did he get so big? It's like I blinked & he grew up.

Where did the time go?

Can anyone tell me?

Sometimes I wish I had the power to stop time, or at least slow it down.

Especially when my 2 year old niece, Riley, sings "The Wheels on the Bus" & "Itsy Bitsy Spider". She can do the hand movements too & it's the cutest thing ever.

Or, when my nephew scores FOUR goals in his soccer game. Or does his little dance when he beats me at wrestling.

I mean, what's it going to be like when Matt & I have our own children? As hard as I might try, I won't be able to stop them from growing up.

****

Are Matt & I taking "time" out to really enjoy each other & our marriage?

I mean, I think so.

We go on trips every year, just the 2 of us. We cook dinner together, we exercise together, we work together. We talk to each other ALL THE TIME. We support each other in our ventures.

It's easy, though, in this busy life, to take him & my feelings for him for granted. Sometimes I wonder if I tell him enough that I love him.

*****

Am I being a good daughter & sister?

Do I spend enough "time" with my mom & dad?

Do I tell them I love them, enough?

*****

All these things that I just want to make sure I'm doing enough of & getting the most enjoyment out of.

Do you have the answer?

Happy Easter!

Can you believe it's already Easter? Wow.

My 5 year old nephew, Jackson, has been more inquisitive this year, asking my sister questions about Jesus' death.

Like when He died, why & what it means for all of us.
Yesterday, we went to an egg hunt in my sister's neighborhood, but Riley was NOT interested in hunting eggs...she wanted to slide.
Matt & I are doing Easter lunch with his mom at her friend, Bill's house & then, we're going to my mom's for dinner. I'll try to post pictures later.

Happy Easter, Internet!

Kinda Funny & Hopefully NOT Offensive.

OK, here's another example of how I stick my foot in my mouth.

This happened several years ago (like 1999, maybe 2000), but it's a story that will still be told 25 years from now.

So, you guys know I work in the news business. I'm the 5pm News Producer for the local NBC affiliate in Arkansas.

Every morning, we have an editorial meeting to discuss the stories for the day & assign them to reporters.

Well, one morning around Christmas time, we were sitting around the table, pitching holiday related stories.

After some discussion, I remembered that Hanukkah started the next day at sundown.

So, I spoke up.

Me: "Hey. Hanukkah starts tomorrow. Why don't we try to talk to some....some....uh, uh, oh, uh, Hanukkan's?"

Everyone in the room turned & looked at me for what seemed like FOREVER.

Then, finally, someone spoke.

Girl: "Um, do you mean Jewish people?".

Me: "YES! Thank you! That's the word I was looking for. Jewish."

Girl #2: "You couldn't think of the word Jewish, so you said 'Hanukkan's'?".

Me: "Well, I didn't mean anything by it. I just couldn't think of the word."

And, it's true...I really couldn't.

I was actually very shy when I first started in the business & back then, it took A LOT for me to get up the nerve to speak OUT.LOUD. in a meeting.

When I opened my mouth to pitch my idea, all eyes were on me & I kind of freaked out.

Fast-forward to today & that story is told OVER & OVER AGAIN. To anyone. All the time.

I can't live it down.

Not a single holiday goes by without someone working the "Hanukkan's" into our morning meeting conversations.

At least now we can all laugh about it.

I think.

Order #3 Complete!

Here's the 2nd frame I did for my friend, Melissa.

She's giving it to her niece for Easter.

The 1st one I did was for her niece, Rowan.

I think this one turned out really cute.

Go to my designs website to see my other creations.

We Got Them!

My sister, Jackson, Matt & I got our tickets to the Kenny Chesney concert today!

Sweet.

The concert was almost sold out & our tickets cost a freaking butt-load, but who cares?

We get to see Kenny Chesney!

(Obviously, I chose the concert over the Jermain Taylor fight. I think I'd regret it if I didn't get to see Jackson's face when Kenny comes on stage).

And, Kenny, if you're reading this: I love you & I can't wait to see you!

Daylight Saving Time -- Again. (You'll Want to Read This Post)

You know how this year was the 1st year that Daylight Saving Time happened 3 weeks early.

Right?

Right.

Well, there was this big issue that computers might not know to Spring Forward so early in the year, so people were having to manually go in & change the time.

Right?

Right.

I guess that all got worked out because I didn't hear about any MAJOR problems (being in the news business, believe me, I would have heard).

Anyway, Matt & I have these really cool alarm clocks in our bedroom that reset themselves...like if the power goes out or you have to unplug it for some reason.

They're also programmed to Spring Forward or Fall Back.

However, 3 weeks ago, they didn't skip an hour like they were supposed to.

For the first time, I actually had to manually do it.

Because I bought the clocks 3 years ago, they weren't programmed for this earlier Spring Forward date.

Matt, being the smart one that he is, told me we needed to be mindful that the clocks might switch over on the original date, which was April 1st.

(I'm sure you can see where this is going...)

Saturday night, I didn't get to bed til 1am, so I set my alarm for 9:45am & went it went off, I got up.

After using the restroom & brushing my teeth, I went to get Maisy up.

I should have known something was wrong when I had to WAKE HER UP. Usually, she pops right up & starts wagging her tail.

I went through my weekend morning routine...letting Maisy outside, turning the oven on for my Cinnamon rolls & going outside to get the paper.

As I was walking back in from getting the paper, Matt's work cell phone was ringing. I didn't get to it in time, but as I was clicking back to the main screen, I noticed the clock on it said "9:10".

I thought to myself, "It's not 9:10...It's 10:10."

And, then it dawned on me.

I looked at the calendar & sure enough, it said April 1st was Daylight Saving Time.

Our bedroom clocks DID Spring Forward an hour, just like they were originally programmed to do.

So, I really got up at 8:45am.

I know some of you are like, "Boo-hoo. 8:45am. I got up at 6! You shouldn't be complaining."

OK, maybe you're right...but, you see, I don't have kids yet, so I can sleep late. And, I cherish my weekend mornings when I can lay in bed til I feel like getting up.

Granted, I do try to get up by 10:00am because Maisy wants out & I like to use that time to do laundry or check my e-mail without Matt getting in my way.

Because if you think I SLEEP LATE, you haven't met my husband yet.

Unless he has softball practice or a game, he sleeps til NOON!!

Take that, you 6:00am'ers.