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

Tagged... again

I was tagged, so here you go:

10 years ago:
I was a freshman at Texas A&M University (whoop!) 10 years ago! I can't believe it was really that long ago. The spring semester of my freshman year is when I met those who would be and are still among my best friends. These friendships are what made my college years what they were - seriously some of the best days of my life. I have the best memories with these friends of living together, going to football games, studying at Sweet Eugene's, going on small weekend trips, laughing so hard, devising our next prank on Pat's house, staying up until 3am just talking. We were (and are) there for each other to celebrate with and to cry with. I LOVED those days!

Things on my to-do list today:
Finish the field layout for a big event I'm planning in a few weeks
Prepare the agenda for a meeting with my committee this afternoon
Organize/clean my desk
Meet my friend at the gym to work out
Make dinner and eat it
Do my taxes
Put away my clean clothes
(ugh... Mondays are so boring!)

What would I do if I was suddenly became a Billionaire?
This is hard for me to imagine. I know I would give a large chunk to my friend who is moving to Madagascar, Africa to do some mission work. I would buy a house, invest some, quit my job and travel a bunch (and I would pay for friends to travel with me). I would give to my church and other ministries - especially international ministries that deal with human trafficking.

Three of my bad habits:
1. Clenching my jaw
2. Letting my room get messy when I'm busy
3. Forgetting to get my oil changed (the oil man yelled at me yesterday for this)

Five jobs I have had:
1. Event Planner
2. Product Development Director
3. Office Manager
4. Administrator
5. Nanny

Five things people don't know about me:
1. I have come to really enjoy time with myself - Saturday mornings are my favorite.
2. When I was little I was called Annie - some of my family still calls me this.
3. I am an "actor" in kid's videos that are sold to churches around the world. I've been recognized in strange places which is really creepy. And, no, you will never see these videos.
4. I have become really good at saying 'no' and not feeling bad about it - SO freeing. I used to say yes to everything... and them complain about how busy I was or how much I hated doing what I agreed to do.
5. I have been in 19 weddings (i know) and had a friend that began writing a script entitled "Always a Bridesmaid, Never a Bride" that was loosely based on this part of my life. When "27 Dresses" came out, he stopped writing it indefinitely.

Now I'll tag 5 people: Allie, Alissa, Courtney W, Julie, Shawna

I'm so freaking smart...

But not as smart as Cathi. She was 6 seconds faster than me. dang.

In 2m 36s

Click here to Play

Can you beat me?

These Are A Few of My Favorite Things 1

These are a few of my favorite things right now... in no particular order. If I was rich and had a tv show, I would give these to you. But I'm not.

1. NARS lipgloss in Greek Holiday - PERFECT color

2. These flowers my sister got me for my birthday - they're gracing my kitchen table

3. Trader Joe's Goat Cheese Pizza - YUMMY! I crave this all the time.

4. Aveida Hand Relief

5. The iphone - even though I don't have one... yet.

I Do NOT!

Okay... I do NOT look like Winnie Cooper...




And I do NOT look like Tina Fey...



And if anyone tells me that again, I will hit them.

Things that Never Fail to Make Me Smile

(I got the idea for this post on someone else's blog... I just can't remember who it was. So, if it was you, you're more than welcome to take the credit.)

Here are just 34 things that never fail to make me smile (in random order):

1. My nephew, Luke.
2. Joel McHale on The Soup
3. Watching Natalie perform
4. A surprise letter in the mail.
5. When a friend gets pregnant/has a baby, gets engaged/gets married
6. Watching someone discover something new, especially about themselves
7. The Office
8. Crabby old ladies at the Trader Joe's (a whole foods market for you not on the west coast) by my house.
9. Sweet old men at the Trader Joe's by my house.
10. Figuring out clues from Lost
11. A kiss on the forehead.
12. When someone decides to let down their guard with me.
13. When someone lets me be vulnerable with them even though I'm scared.
14. When I feel pride for who I have become... and am still learning to be.
15. The love I feel for my friends and family.
16. The love I feel from my friends and family.
17. When I'm told I'm funny.
18. When someone falls and is not hurt (even if it's me).
19. When I hear a parent tell their child "I'm so proud of you."
20. Sunny days
21. Falling asleep to rain
22. Finishing a good book
23. A long, quiet morning (with coffee)
24. When I sense God's very real presence
25. When I hear a good song that reminds me of my childhood... like, "I Wanna Dance With Somebody"
26. When I hear a stupid song that reminds me of my childhood... like, "Tonight I Celebrate My Love" (did my mom know that we were memorizing the words w/o knowing the meaning???)
27. When I was a nanny and a child would correct me by reminding me of a lesson I had just taught them.
28. When I'm carded
29. Dreaming of my future
30. When my house is clean (even though I hate the process)
31. When I wake up and remember it's Saturday and I don't have to get up and go to work
32. Going to the beach
33. Stewie and Peter on The Family Guy
34. Alan's puns

What makes you smile?

Instructions

I promise I will be updating soon.

In the meantime, please go to my sister's blog to see how stinkin cute my nephew is.