Happy 5th Birthday, Madeline.

My niece, Madeline (Matt's sister's daughter) is 5 years old today.

FIVE.

That means she starts Kindergarten in the fall.

I keep telling her to stop growing & be a baby forever, but she doesn't seem to be listening to me. I told her older sister the same thing, but she's still growing (8 years old in May).

This girl LOVES chocolate! When she was 2 years old (I think. Wendy, correct me if I'm wrong), she learned where Grandmother (Matt's mom) kept the chocolate (in a bowl or jar on the kitchen counter) & would pull over a chair or stool & climb on top of the counter to get to it.

She also LOVES to play dress-up. From dresses to costumes...whatever! She also loves to wear hair things (headbands, bows, etc) & skirts, making her a total girly-girl, which I love!

Her birthday party is today, but we have a lot going on at work, plus I'm sick, so neither Matt or I could drive to NW Arkansas for big day. We feel awful about it.

But, we know she's having a FABULOUS time & I know her mom will post lots of pictures on her blog tonight (ahem, Wendy!).

Happy 5th Birthday, Madeline.

We love you!!!

If One More Person Tells Me They Are Pregnant....

...I am going to scream.

Really, REALLY loud.

And, I totally HATE feeling this way, I do, but I can't help it.

I hate that when I tell a friend of mine that I am happy for them (which I truly AM happy for them, I promise), that at the same time I am so jealous, I could just cry. I really, really could.

Why not me?

Why not me?

WHY NOT ME?

Does anybody know?

Because I feel like it's a big secret....something everyone knows, but me.

I want nothing more than to be a mom. And, if I don't make my husband a father, then I have failed.

Failed at giving him the one thing I want so much to give him.

You should see him with our nieces & nephew. He's wonderful with them. WON-DER-FUL.

Anyway, tomorrow, I'll probably regret saying all of this. Because I don't want my friends who are pregnant (and, you know who you are) to think that I'm not happy for them, because I am.

You girls are going to make great mom's & your babies are some of the luckiest babies in the world. And, I can't wait to meet them.

So, please don't think for a second that I'm not completely thrilled for you.

Because I am.

But, just know that I'm also a little sad, too.

My Weekend, Just a Few Days Late.

Friday night, Matt, my sister, her husband & I went to see Brad Paisley in concert! He was AWESOME. Saturday night, we celebrated my step dad's birthday at a local catfish restaurant. Here are some pictures of both events!

Well, At Least He Has His Priorities in Order.

If you don't know by now, I love country music.

Rascal Flatts, Kenny Chesney, Brad Paisley, Keith Urban....just to name a few. (Coincidentally, we're going to see Brad Paisley tomorrow night!).

Anyway, my sister called me Tuesday & said she heard on the radio that a big country concert announcement would be made on Thursday (today).

We were crossing our fingers that it was either Rascal Flatts or Kenny Chesney. (Even though we've seen both like 4 times!).

A friend of mine, who works in radio, gave me a website to go to that usually lists concert tour dates before they're officially announced.

And.

KENNY CHESNEY IS COMING TO ARKANSAS ON MAY 16th!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I immediately called my sister & we made plans to go & take Jackson (my nephew) & Riley (my niece) with us. This will be Sissy's first concert EVER. We said we should make her a "Riley loves Kenny" t-shirt!

I'm sure many of you will remember Jackson's first concert. It was also Kenny, back in 2007. Jack was SO EXCITED!!! However, he fell asleep half way through!

When my sister picked Jack up from school yesterday, she told him about the concert & he told her HE DIDN'T WANT TO GO!!

What?

She called me after he said that & I asked her to ask him why. He said he'd already seen Kenny & fell asleep in the middle of it. Holly told him he might be upset when he sees us going to the concert without him.

Jackson asked, "Do they have popcorn?".

My sister asked, "Will who have popcorn?".

"Kenny Chesney".

My sister told him yes, there would be popcorn at the concert.

"Oh! Okay. I'll go to the concert!".

Jack & me: May 2007

New Designs Added to My Website.

Check out my designs website!

I just added some personalized to-go mugs that I made for Matt's aunt & cousins for Christmas, plus a name frame I made for Kim's son, Bowden.

(Kim, you haven't seen it yet...tell me what you think!).

While you're on my website, browse around & let me know if you'd like to place an order. Or, if you have any questions, send me an e-mail or leave me a comment.

i.am.so.tired.

Why am I so tired, you ask?

I'll tell you.

Because I have worked EVERY SINGLE DAY THIS YEAR!

Granted, we're only in Day Eight of 2009...

New Year's Day was my 1st day back at work after my vacation. I also worked the next day (Friday).

Then, it was the weekend...and, I was looking forward to having Saturday & Sunday off.

Well.

We have an "on-call" system at work & this past weekend was my turn to be the producer "on-call". But, the chances that I'd have to work BOTH days were slim to none.

Or, so I thought.

Turns out, our weekend producer (who's really our 10pm producer, but volunteered to work weekends while our normal weekend producer is on maternity leave) woke up Saturday with strep throat. You can't work with strep throat...because you feel like ass & you're contagious.

So.

I had to work Saturday.

And, Sunday.

All day.

Yes, I will eventually get time off for working both days, but because of the producer on maternity leave, our schedules are NUTS & my only choices were Monday, Tuesday or Friday.

Except for the fact that "strep throat" producer also called in sick Monday AND Tuesday. (And, I call her "strep throat" producer in the most loving of terms...I know she couldn't help it!).

Which meant that I had to work Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday. After working last Thursday, Friday, Saturday & Sunday.

OMIGAWD.

Around 2:30 this afternoon, I realized I was totally, completely & utterly DRAINED of any energy. My head was spinning, my vision was blurry...and, I thought what's wrong with me?

Oh, wait.

THIS WAS MY EIGHTH DAY IN A ROW OF WORK.

Duh.

A very stressful 8 days for that matter...several of those days, I was pulling double-duty because a few other people also came down with strep throat & called in sick.

But, don't worry...I sprayed Lysol EVERYWHERE in the newsroom...on computers, phones, chairs, TV's...anywhere & everywhere.

So, I'm crossing my fingers that I don't get sick BECAUSE...

I AM OFF WORK TOMORROW!!!!!

But, don't get all excited for me & think I have a 3-day weekend.

I don't.

I have to work Sunday for our weekend Assignment Manager...and then work my normal job (producing our 5pm newscast) Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday & Friday.

But, I do have to say that I am thankful I have a job in this economy...a job I LOVE for that matter, so I don't have much to complain about.

Except that I'm exhausted.

So, goodnight.

A Post About 2008.

Now that 2008's officially over, I can officially sit back & reflect on the year that was.

There were many high's & low's...plenty of fun times & not so fun times.

One thing's for sure: many, many memories were made over the last 12 months.

I put together a list of the highlights, both good & bad. I had fun looking back over my blog & reading past posts...I hope you enjoy reminiscing with me too.

Let's get the bad stuff out of the way first, shall we?

Part of life is death & unfortunately, I suffered 2 great losses this year.

The first: My second miscarriage in February; and the second was the brutal murder of my friend, Anne in October.

Now, to the really good.

In April, I found out I would get to meet Kim in August. We had our first phone conversation in May. But, finally meeting her in person in August was THE BEST!!!!

Throughout the Spring, many home improvement projects were completed: We replaced our fence, tore up & re-did our flower bed & even replaced our kitchen sink.

In May, Matt & I celebrated our 6 year wedding anniversary, as well as our 10 year dating anniversary in June.

I turned the big 3-0 in July.

Also in July, Matt ran his first 5k race.

In August, we found the cause of all my 3-month long stomachache: a burst appendix that walled itself off & attached itself to my colon.

Turns out that that surgery led to my Crohn's Disease diagnosis.

Matt & I went on lots of fun trips including Columbia, South Carolina, & Dallas, Texas, both in November...as well as Branson, Missouri in August.

My sister, niece & nephew also made several trips to Tyler, Texas to see my aunt, uncle & cousins (March, July & October).

And, last but not least, besides Kim, I also got to meet 2 other bloggy friends: Chris & Laura.

I couldn't even try to guess what's going to happen in 2009, but I can't wait for all of it to unfold.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!