HAPPY 1ST BIRTHDAY LUKE!!

Happy Birthday, Luke! I can't believe that you are already a year old. I hope your day is so special. I wish I could look into your big brown eyes everyday and tell you how loved you are by me (I'll settle for the computer cameras though!) I pray daily that you know and believe your loved and valued by many, most importantly your Heavenly Father; and I pray that that belief will allow you to experience so much joy, growth and security throughout your life. We are going to have SO much fun on our visits to see each other (I can't wait for our one-on-one times where we build forts, jump on the bed and load up on sugar... but we won't tell mommy). I love you so much... I think I'm the proudest aunt that exists! Can't wait to see you soon!!


Just 6 weeks old!


One of my favorite things in the world!


Another one of my favorite things in the world!


Look how smart you are!


And how BIG you are!

I LOVE YOU!

Don't Have a Cow!

I read this post from my friend Courtney's blog and it reminded me of a conversation I had with a friend recently. My friend is a vegetarian for "moral reasons." (FYI - the intent of this post is to entertain you; I will not give my opinion on the beef-making process.)

I was telling my friend that some of my favorite memories were at my Granddad's ranch. There was so much space (about 100 acres): the forest area was beautiful, the ponds were fun to look for water moccasins, riding around on 4-wheelers was fun with my siblings (Billy used to scare the s%!* out of me on those), walking to the edge of the property to see if we could find prancing deer, peeing my pants because I couldn't make it all the way back to the house and I was too embarrassed to go in front of my brothers, climbing trees, accidentally stepping in "cow patties," my grandma's attempt at singing to wake us up, going on the tractor with my granddad to feed the cows at 5:30am- it was all great fun. Being sensitive to my friend's feelings, I left out the fact that we loved to go fishing and that my uncle taught us how to shoot rifles and shotguns out there.

So my friend asks, "did you ride horses?" Ummmm... the thing is, my grandad didn't have horses; he raised cows - the very thing she is VEHEMENTLY against! How do I say this? Oh well, no matter what, she will be offended. "Actually he didn't really have horses." Please don't ask! Please don't ask!
"Oh. But you had cows?"
Crap... "Ya! They just kind of hung out all day. I even got to watch one give birth," I say to try to steer the conversation.
"What did he do with the cows?" She's no dummy... she knows where this is going. I just gotta say it.
I nervously answered, "My granddad took really good care of the cows throughout their entire life. He fed them good food, let them graze his grass all day, let them just lie around and "moo." Then when it was time for them to move on, he would sell them so that they could make really good beef and stuff because they were taken care of so well."
With small tears in her eyes she replies, "Andrea, you don't have to skirt around it. Just say, 'My granddad fattened up cows so he could make money as they were sent off to the slaughterhouse to die for no purpose but feed people things they think they need."
"Well, geez... if that's how you want to think about it..."

Dear Spider

Dear spider,

I think it is amazing that you know how to build a beautiful, nearly invisible web; and it amazes me that this web is meant to capture those insects dumb enough to fly or crawl into it so that you can enjoy torturing them as you wrap them in a tight woven blanket, keep them sitting there, helpless, for all the insect world to point at and say, "look at that idiot... walked right into it." Then you devour it... I'm not judging - this actually makes me respect you... fear you, even.

I'm not sure if you've figured this out yet, but when a human walks through it, we don't get stuck. Now, maybe you enjoy watching us flail about as we struggle to get your invisible, sticky "strings" off of us while still making sure you are not on us, but I'm sure it pisses you off that we have ruined your beautifully designed architecture and quite possibly, your meal. I messed up your design last night as I was walking to my door and this morning as I was leaving. I know; I see that you tried to move it to a different place so I wouldn't mess it up again, but remember that it is invisible to the naked human eye. So, I have a suggestion so that we both win. Could you weave this up a few feet in front of it?

Thanks and enjoy my front porch!
Andrea

My Rolling Eyes

A few posts ago, I made a list of things that never fail to make me smile. Here is a list of 22 things that never fail to make my eyes roll:

1. Cheesy pick up lines
2. When someone tells me how I should/shouldn't feel
3. When someone says "we need to get you married."
4. When someone learns I live in Orange county and asks, "do you know any of the real housewives of Orange County?"
5. When someone learns I'm from Texas and they say something that they think sounds "redneck" in a stupid Texas accent.
6. When vocalists talk in their songs (ahem... Fergie)
7. Kanye West

8. Arrogance (see #7)

9. When girl's say "I'm a princess!"

10. When someone talks to me like I'm 12.

11. Local news
12. Dirty jokes
13. People who insist on one-upping anyone and everyone.
14. When Randy says, "so, yo dawg, yo dawg. listen up. listen up..." on American Idol
15. When a co-worker throws someone else under the bus to avoid taking responsibility for something not getting done.
16. When I go running and people try to scare me as they drive by.
17. When I go running and I smile and say "hi" to the runner/walker I'm passing and they look away.
18. When someone interrupts and says "Sorry to interrupt, but..." I'd rather you say "I'm going to interrupt."
19. My dad's "3-legged Pig" joke. Seriously... don't ask him to tell it in front of me.
20. When people use God as an excuse to not make a decision (there's a lot more to this one that I'm not going to get into).
21. When girls say "I've always been better friends with guys. I just don't like girls," as though it's a strength.
22. When something is in my eye