The Adventures of Shellgirl

Things I Love this Summer!

2011-07-21T11:26:00.000-07:00

10 Things I absolutely Love so far this summer:

1. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2--these movies never disappoint!

2. Sonic's Blazin' BBQ Burger--OMG!!!! I am addicted to these things! They are the most flavorful burgers I've ever had from a fast food place!

3. Basil--my basil plants still seem to be thriving. I haven't cooked a lot with them yet, but I love to rub my hands on the leaves; my hands smell like basil for hours afterward!

4. The Doug/Kodi Wedding Experience--last weekend we went to the coolest wedding ever held in a pasture! Wish I'd taken my camera!

5. True Blood--I love my vampire fix!

6. Saving Sarah--I have always loved Fergie! And I love this series about how she's reclaiming her life!

7. Extreme Makeover Weight Loss Edition--I like weight loss shows. Especially ones that are so honest and inspiring!

8. My Big Comfy Bed--really I haven't stopped loving my bed from the very beginning! It's not quite a year old. I LOVE how well I sleep in it!

9. Getting together with friends and family--this weekend I'm heading to San Marcos and hanging out with my boys. We may head into Austin to see some shows, or drive to a remote honky tonk and dance our boots off!

10. Warped Tour Weekend--it was a really fun experience this year!

What are some of your favorites so far this summer?

Adventures in Growing Things

2011-07-07T14:43:00.000-07:00

One of the goals I have had for several years has been to actually start a vegetable garden. This would seem easy enough for a girl who has lived in the country my entire life, but I have not actually tried very hard to grow a garden prior to this year.

One of the reasons that I have put it off, quite honestly, is the dog situation. No matter how I go about growing things, the current dogs in the yard like to take over and use the growing area as their campground!

Case in point. This year I actually planted vegetables in the large syrup tub containers that D has left over from feeding our cows. I filled 8 of them with dirt and potting mix and planted tomatoes, bell peppers, tabasco and habanero pepper plants. (The hot peppers were given to me by a friend of my husband, which is what actually drove me to do this). I had the container garden going for about a week when the dogs started showing signs of interest in them. It didn't take long before I came home to one of the containers being completely dug out by one of the dogs!

Since that day, the dogs have left this particular area alone--with the occasional sniff or dig around the bottom of the container. I always chase them away with threats of beatings, which don't work because they know I'm not going to beat them. I have been able to enjoy cherry tomatoes and bell peppers from my own plants! I don't have a single idea of what to do with the hot peppers.

This Saturday, I got brave once again and purchased herbs to plant in the many pots that I inherited from my mother-in-law. I planted basil, lavender, rosemary, thyme and oregano. I also bought two more tomato plants to replant the emptied syrup tub. These plants really made me happy and I thought I might actually get away with them. NO!!! When I got home yesterday evening, I found that the dogs had dumped out my lavendar, completely dumped out and rolled all over the thyme, and completely destroyed the rosemary.

I promptly captured the main suspected culprit dog, one that I hope has another home VERY SOON, and put her in the trailer. I am hopeful that this will give my poor plants a reprieve, but since I wasn't home at the time, I can't really be 100% sure that the dog I suspect is the actual culprit! Time will tell.

I replanted the lavender plant and hope that it will recover from being attacked. I will let you know how this goes!

In other news, I am going to start a separate blog for my financial services business. More on that later...

2011-06-29T12:05:00.000-07:00

In the Line to Get In

Weird Hair of the Day

The "Line Up" Wall

Less than Jake!

hellogoodbye

Summertime! Our Trip to Warped Tour 2011

2011-06-29T11:49:00.000-07:00

Every kid grows up dreaming about endless summers, going to the beach, going to amusement parks, and it seems like the summer will never end! Well... that's never gone away for me!

I just got back from our annual pilgrimage to Warped Tour! This was our sixth annual trip, and it has become one of our favorite summer vacation things to do. We like to attend the Dallas show because of the following: the great opportunity to stay with Kay N Dale (Dale cooks the best breakfasts!), Joe's Crabshack, real bathrooms at the venue, and (prior to this year) we can bring in our own water.

This year's Warped Tour was a little different. First of all, we made it to our destination with out taking any wrong exits! Somehow or another we ended up on the opposite side of the Amphitheater, but that was only a minor issue. Our presale tickets were supposed to get us in an hour early, but that didn't happen--not sure if it was just us, but I did see others in the line with the presale tix as well.

The entrance security was only allowing people to bring in one bottle of water, which is stupid! But I was allowed to come in with two bottles in my bag and one in my hand--mainly because I hassled the poor guy about us standing in line so long!

The day went pretty much as it does every year--lots of music, new bands to listen to, tons of merch to peruse, and the always fun weird-hair photos! I only took one this year; I guess I'm getting immune.

Favorites for me personally were: Less Than Jake, Larry and His Flask, hellogoodbye, Unwritten Law, Lucero and MC Lars. The kids really enjoyed the stage show put on by Foxy Shazam. I thought it was silly! I bought 5 cd's, a tshirt, and a Warped dvd that turned out to be a blue ray (ughhh).

I am going to post pics so you can see what I'm talking about!

The day ended with the traditional trip to Joe's. This year I had the Carribean Feast, which was delicious! I just didn't want to fight with the crab legs for whatever reason. Which means I must go again soon because I'm still hungry for BBQ Dungeoness Crablegs.

Then we went back to Kay N Dales, took much-needed showers, and went to bed to dream about Warped Vacations past, present, and future!

Confessions and Other Things...

2011-06-20T14:07:00.001-07:00

I haven't blogged in months! Wow, I can't believe it was September when I last wrote a post on here.

Much has happened since September! I have achieved a few little goals, made a lot of big goals, eaten many great meals, and even had a few adventures. I have discovered a lot about myself in the process.

I'm on a path of self-realization. Not exactly like Sarah Ferguson on her new reality show on OWN, but kind of like that too. I just don't have the handsome ex-husband who's putting me up in an extra house til I get my life back together! And... I don't get to talk directly to Dr. Phil or Suze Orman or Oprah. But boy if I could, I could sure fill a great hour of television!

So that's all for now. I promise to try and be more diligent about posting on here.

Apricot Dijon Pork Chops

2010-09-18T20:01:00.000-07:00

I have been making these incredible pork chops for a couple of years. The recipe is from Leanne Ely's Saving Dinner the Low-Carb Way, and it has been a family favorite since the first time I made them!

Here's the recipe... make them this week and let me know what you think!

2 Tablespoons butter
4 pork chops, 1/2 inch thick
salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup apricot spreadable fruit
4 sliced green onions
1/8 cup dijon mustard
1 tablespoon cider vinegar

In a skillet, melt 1 TSP butter over med-high heat, add pork chops, salt and pepper to taste, then saute' for about 4 mins on each side or until cooked through. Remove pork chops from pan and keep warm. Now add the remaining TSP of butter, the jam, onion, mustard and vinegar to pan. Bring to a boil, then lower heat and simmer for 3-4 mins, covered. Add chops back into the sauce and heat through thorougly. Serve with sauce on top of chops.

I made these tonight with au gratin potatoes and green beans.

Enjoy! And be sure to check out Leanne Ely's SavingDinner.com. She is part of the FlyLady team and she has some terrific ways to help you in the kitchen!

Your Identity

2010-09-15T08:13:00.000-07:00

I'm listening to and studying a book that was recommended in Success Magazine called Mojo, How to Get it, How to Keep it, How to Get it Back if You Lose it , by Marshall Goldsmith.

The part I'm on right now deals with your identity, Who do you think you are? It has some great things to think about. I want to share more with you about this book, but it'll have to come after I've listened to the chapter again so I can organize my thoughts better!

Check out the book... if you like that kind of stuff.

Autumn Winds

2010-09-14T07:39:00.000-07:00

So much has happened since my last post!

James graduated from high school, got enrolled at TSTC in Waco, and has started his college career.

Our Caldwell property was sold, the move to Grapeland is mostly completed, and I am in the process of finding places for all of our stuff! Decluttering has become a favorite pasttime! I am working on getting my office in order, which means lots of paper clutter has got to go. 15 mins at a time, I'm working on it when I can. Inch by inch is supposed to be a cinch, but it would be more fun to have that Sabrina the Witch nose-twitch thing! I'll get it all done in due time.

I have a new puppy! His name is Gary... Burnett's Stylish Gary Pride. He is a Treeing Walker hound pup that Darell and I bought at a benefit auction. Why? Because if you can't beat em, join em. And he's super cute too.

I have been working on getting all of our customers on a mail merge document for our Property & Casualty business. Small business skills are growing, and I'm ready to get out and prospect once I get this latest project wrapped up.

I'm eager to make a change in my business and finances, so I'm looking for ways to generate new customers and new business. I'd love any suggestions and/or referrals.

Fall is in the air! It's a beautiful scent in East Texas... you can actually smell the difference in the trees. I will post some pictures for your enjoyment by the end of the week.

What's Happening in Shellworld?

2010-05-30T20:37:00.000-07:00

Wow! It's been almost exactly six months since my last post. I didn't even recognize my last post until I re-read the entire thing!

A lot has happened since January 3rd. I have a new job, a new business, an almost-graduated son, a contract on our house in Caldwell, and a ton of insite into my life that I cannot possibly explain in one post. Youngest son has been the biggest rebel to get to this point of almost-graduating! Suffice it to say that his graduation and stepping into adulthood has not been an easy row to hoe.

My new job and business is in financial services. I went to work in an insurance office that offered me flexibility, the opportunity to make my own money, and a great opportunity to help others learn to manage their finances. I'm very excited about it and ready to get the ball rolling!

The sale of the house and land has been unusually challenging. D balked on signing the contract for weeks, even when told he was crazy for not taking the offer. But he finally decided that he could commit, and now we are about 60 days away from leaving this place that has been such a strain on my faith and my marriage.

I have been reading a lot, searching for answers to all of life's questions. I have read several books that suggest meditation, and I am seriously considering how to begin this practice. Any ideas?!

The latest book, Eat Pray Love, has me dreaming of travel. I haven't had an actual adventure in ages! If you've read the book, let me know. I am so eager to discuss it with someone who's read it. I loved the premise and could only dream of having the freedom to make such a journey to find myself.

It also re-affirmed my desire to share my thoughts on life; to write and become a writer. I don't know any better way to begin than to re-commit to my blog right here! I'm so envious of the lives of all of the people who've taken some aspect of their lives and parlayed them into a best-selling book. Even the guy who writes about the random belligerance of his dad, SHITMYDADSAYS, is on a book tour! Who'd a thunk that?!

I'd enjoy your thoughts on the matter.

Love, Shell

It's 2010 People!!

2010-01-03T13:31:00.001-08:00

I don't know why I didn't realize that a decade was ending. I wasn't even paying attention, I guess, but when I heard a dj on the radio say that our decade was ending, it kind of freaked me out!

What happened in the last decade? I can honestly say that for my part, a lot of mind blowing shit went down! And I still can't believe that it all happened and I have lived to tell about it. That's an accomplishment in itself!

So do you want to hear about what all happened in my life in the last 10 years?! Well, if you don't, then close out now and check in with me again tomorrow.

In 1999, I was working at a bank as an Assistant Vice President of Consumer Lending for First American Bank. I was living in a tiny two bedroom house that belonged to the ranch where my husband was raised. I became a member of a couple of great internet email groups; one about weight loss and one that I actually started about getting out of debt. I even started following Flylady that year. If you don't know what the hell I'm talking about, well just follow along!

In 2000, I continued doing what I was doing; being a mom, working at the Bank, searching for something that would make me happy in the life I'd chosen. This was the year I joined Mary Kay and began to learn about dreaming huge dreams, selling women makeup and opportunities, and all that entailed. I wish I could go back now and talk to that girl who was so full of herself! Man was I cocky (yes, I still am). Did it occur to me in that year that I was coming upon some of the biggest challenges of my life? Naw... life just doesn't work that way.

In 2001, I decided that I'd had enough of working in the Bank and that I could make my dreams come true as a Mary Kay director if I didn't have to work full-time for a paycheck. So I did what any otherwise sensible woman would do; quit my secure job with the title and corner office and started working toward my directorship. Trouble was, I didn't have nearly enough customers, let too many people tell me what to do and ended up doing all the wrong things and ruining my MK business. Dammit! All of that didn't happen in 2001, but I had the wrong foundation for a successful business, didn't have the confidence, customer base, or persistence to do what it took, and ended up in greater debt, in trouble with my husband, and without my cushy job.

In 2002, I started working part-time for one of my old customers who had a masonry supply business. He and his wife were great to me at the Bank, and I worked pretty well for them. I had to be at work at 7am and work til 5 on the days that I worked. It wasn't hard, but it wasn't at all what I was used to. It made my MK business suffer because I didn't get my lazy ass started on-time and couldn't consistently book appointments. Then D lost his job at the Ranch. I had 90 days to move the past 15 years of accumulated stuff to our little rent house in Caldwell. Actually it was bigger than the house we were living in at the time. Not any nicer, really, but at least it's ours. The move was a bitch. And the guy I was working for decided to sell the company to a couple of really nice, completely clueless guys.

In 2003, having moved to a new town but not actually knowing anyone, I was a mess. I tried to go to church in Caldwell, but never made any friends there and eventually gave up. I was still working part-time at the masonry supply place, trying to help my kids transition to their new lives, and dealing with a husband who had a complete nervous breakdown but refused to get any help. I quit working for the masonry place in June to try once again to get my MK business working, but it didn't get any better. By the fall I had gotten a new job as a banker for Bank One at their new location in College Station. The steady paycheck and good insurance was a relief. For a while I was happy.

In 2004, I got the great idea that I should transfer to a location in Round Rock. It was offered to me by the District mgr, a nice guy who really believed in my work. I had to buy a new car in order to drive the 4000+ miles/month that was my new commute. I gave everything I had to the new position, still not making a lot of money, but I really loved the location, the coworkers, the customers, and even the drive. Then D's parents got sick.

In 2005, it became apparent that D's stepdad needed to be put in a nursing home. He didn't want to go and it was a struggle for a few months, one that D never recovered from. The ordeal ended up completely exhausting D's mom, who got really sick in the late spring. We had gone from separating for a few weeks early in the spring to deciding to try and make our marriage work. We found some land in East Texas that we fell in love with. By the summer we'd bought the Grapeland place, then D's mom got really sick. Then there were the hurricanes. Then I had to come back closer to home because D had to stay with his mom on the weekends. She had lung cancer it was going to beat her. So I had to transfer back to College Station. Things didn't look very good.

In Feb 2006, we lost D's mom. I still miss her dearly. I had pushed D to go thru with building our house at the new place. It was Chisum's senior year in high school. I thought once D's mom was gone, he'd be ready to move on to the new life we'd planned. So when I found a bank that was hiring for a new manager, I jumped at the chance to interview. They didn't want me to be the manager, but felt I would be great at the asst manager position. It ended up being a bad decision on my part. In the course of the summer, I went through their extensive training, started working for them while living first in a travel trailer, then secretly in my unfinished home, then finally moving in just in time to get J registered for school over there. But D wouldn't move. He became a nightmare. The pressures of losing his mom and dealing with contractors were too much. He hated the homebuilder, put off the barn builder until the guy finally ran off with our $5000 deposit, and blamed every single wrong move on me. So I quit the bank job and came back home.

In late 2006, December to be exact, I started working for Farm Bureau. Mentally devastated by the past few years of changing jobs, changing plans, losing loved ones and trying to fix the living ones, I went to work on a business that I came to love but never fully figured out.

06,07, 08 and 09 were a continuation of all of the above. We lost D's stepdad. D got beat up badly by one of our neighbors over a property line. He wavered back and forth between telling everyone we were leaving and refusing to make a move. He doubted every decision he made. I doubted my love for him. I made terrible errors in judgement. He made more bad moves. We have been stuck in this cycle for longer than I can remember.

Sounds awful, doesn't it! But I have to say that I made some incredible friends along the way. I still have pretty much the same goals as I had when the decade began: lose weight, get out of debt, get control of my life, be successful in business. There have been many challenges and the outcome is still not clear.

This past year I found some wonderful new inspiration. Pioneer Woman. Jen Yates of Cakewrecks. Popcandy friends galore. Twitter friends like MadWhiteWoman and Melissa Francis. Real life friends like Lisa, Paula, Tricia, Carla, Kristen, Deenda, Amie; and then the life-long friends like my sister Caryl, Mom, Kevin and his new wife Jessie. And of course my boys, who have made this decade fun, joyful, and adventurous!

So the last decade was a decade of learning. College of Hard Knocks. 1001 ways Not to do the right thing. 2010 is the chance to turn all of that experience into the life and I want it to be! I'm excited for the new adventure!

And as a final note for today, I'm going to blog about my adventures along the way. Let's get it started!

It

2010-01-03T13:31:00.000-08:00

Pardon Our Dust

2009-10-22T11:57:00.000-07:00

The Adventures of Shellgirl is getting a makeover courtesy of Starlite Web Designs! Please pardon our dust while renovations are being made. Thank you for your patience!

The SWD Team

Back on the Fitness Wagon...

2009-09-28T20:50:00.000-07:00

This weekend I started working out again. Why in the Hell did I stop working out in July when I'd just gotten a little progress going? Because it was freaking hot here in Texas and I got busy living and then lost my stupid job and got all freaked out! That's my story and I'm stickin to it.

I'm one of those gals that gains weight when I smell food, let alone eat any! I try hard not to over-eat, but the little extras that sneak into my diet tend to get me into trouble.

Which is why I had to stop eating desserts at work and start working out again. I mean, I work with a 30 something and a 20 something at the catering company. The first gal is about a size 6, about to have a tummy tuck and a boob job, and is marrying our boss around the first of the year. I can't say how I feel about that, because while I wouldn't want to marry the guy, I'm jealous of the quick fix she's about to get--who wouldn't be!!

The younger gal is actually about my size, which is about a 14-ish size, when I behave myself. I do not want to get any bigger, and really have been saying that I want to lose about 50 pounds for the past 5 years or so.

So I started working out again. My legs are sore, my left foot and shin hurt, and I feel like an old woman when I get up outta my chair. But this will only last for a few days and I'll get back to that "feeling better about myself" zone, and when the scale starts going down again, I'll be motivated to continue!

That's my story and I'm stickin to it!

Getting on with Life

2009-09-20T18:51:00.000-07:00

It's been over a month since I blogged, but I think things have evened out, and I'm ready to get on with my life! Not that I haven't been living for the past 45 days, I just haven't been doing much more than the bare minimums. This is how it's been going...

I worked for Walmart for all of about 3 weeks before I couldn't stand it anymore. I'm not cut out to wear the blue and khaki! I did my best in the toy department, but I came home from each workday in tears, with throbbing feet from standing and walking for hours without a break. I picked up toys and was paid $7.50 an hour for doing it. Actually, the stocking, merchandising, and even the customer service part of it was not so bad. It was the lack of staffing that made the job impossible. And I will forever view the employees of Walmart with more respect now that I know what they go through for their meager paychecks.

Currently, I'm working for a catering company in Bryan named Buppy's. He is one of the top caterers in our area, and with great reason. I am working in the office in inside sales. It's extremely challenging and busy in the office--there's so much to learn and the phone rings almost constantly. I think things are going well, I just look forward to a Saturday off.

In other news, I have contemplated all of the things in my life that haven't been working, and I've come to the following decisions: I am going to follow the advice of Mary Hunt's Debtproof Living, and am using her website, www.debtproofliving.com, to get control of my finances. I am using Flylady.net to get control of my household, and Breakthrough Fitness and JillianMichaels.com to get control of my fitness and physical health. Taking advantage of the internet to help get a handle on what's not working in my life right now gives me enough structure to avoid misery, and enough encouragement to find a path through this trying time in my life.

Getting back into blogging is a way to help me stay focused on these goals as well as to work through what my next steps will be. I'm not exactly excited, but I'm not giving up either! I have too much to offer in my life to let this current setback keep me down and out. I hope you'll join me for the journey!

A New Week, A New Me, Kind of

2009-08-10T18:41:00.000-07:00

Monday mornings. They usually consist of me trying to get over my weekend so that I can show up to work and handle whatever the weekend brought for my customers. Since I have been relieved of that particular duty, it's now time to begin a new Monday routine.

Except, of course, those customers who have relied on me for the past 3 years don't realize that I'm no longer their agent yet, so two of them called my cell this morning. It was like someone kicked me in the gut all over again. Twice.

Please don't get the idea that this is the only job I've ever had. This is just the first time that I was not prepared with an explanation of where I went--more money, better opportunities, different location... no this time, I have nothing to say other than, "they let me go". "I was fired for not having enough life production".

Even my husband doesn't completely believe that this was the real reason I was let go. It doesn't seem to make sense. But all I can say is that this was the reason I was given.

I have a phone interview in the morning with a company that specializes in financing. My years as a lender and a banker will hopefully give me a good chance of getting the job. Right now, I just want to have somewhere to belong; and something to say when the next round of customers call.

In a few years, when this is all buried in my memory banks, I hope that I will look back at this time in my life and see that it was for the best. I know that I learned a lot working for this company that let me go. I also learned that I am responsible for paying attention to the Life Laws that Dr. Phil introduced many years ago:

You either Get it or You don't--when the old tales of agents being fired for not meeting their goals were told, I should've realized that they were a warning, not of how it used to be, but of how it could always be.

You create your own experience--if I'd have been self-preserving enough to see that the service work of the office just needed to go undone until I'd met my goals... regardless of who was out or what was screaming "Urgent", I might still have my job.

People do what Works--I did the service work, filled in for the secretaries, put myself last... because this has always worked for me in the past. Look what it got me!

You cannot change what you do not Acknowledge--I knew that I was floundering in my life sales. I knew that I wasn't making money doing the service work. I was too afraid of hurting my managers' feelings or the secretaries' feelings to stand up for myself and say what needed to be said. I just held it in, and it ended up drowning me.

Life Rewards Action--I could've stayed at that office til I got the work done--and did whatever it took to get the life apps I needed to stay on target. I could've done a lot of things differently. Now it's time to learn from these mistakes and move on.

There is no reality--only perception--I thought that as long as I was a good person, nothing would happen to me. Being good wasn't enough for the Company. My perception of a comfort zone or being safe has been shattered forever. It CAN happen to me--it can happen to anyone.

Life is managed; it is not Cured--Time to get my butt in gear and manage the things that matter. It's a constant process, a journey that requires movement in order to survive.

We teach People how to Treat Us--this one is so simple. I let those who could take advantage of my good nature and willingness to help, because I thought they'd protect me if the time came. Those same folks had no power! And now I don't have a job.

There is Power in Forgiveness--time to forgive and move on

You have to Name it before you can Claim it--I am going to have a successful life and career. Not with that Company. But I will. And when I have reached that place where I can, I will teach others to be strong and claim their own power too. We all have it, you know!

Gotta run.

Gut Shot, and other things...

2009-08-08T17:14:00.000-07:00

Wow, I haven't been able to blog for awhile now. I'm so sorry that I wasn't paying attention!

Actually, I've been busy with work, being a mom, and trying to live thru the heatwave which has settled into Texas for what seems like forever.

Thursday morning, I lost my job. No warning, no warning signs--other than the white Dodge truck parked in front of the office when I got there. I didn't realize that it was our DM.

I was fired due to not meeting the company standards for life insurance sales.

Thursday I cried, bawled actually, almost all day. I immediately went to my mom's house and got online to start applying for jobs. I have a phone interview on Monday.

My husband has taken it remarkably well. It may have something to do with the fact that almost 7 years ago, he was the one who was fired from a job that he absolutely loved. So he gets it. Now I just have to replace my income before the inevitable fights over money start up again.

I felt like I'd been shot in the gut, which is a miserable place to be shot, apparently. A shot in the gut won't kill immediately; it's a slow bleeding process that is messy and I'd imagine hurts like Hell. It reminds me over and over again everytime I feel it--how my customers will wonder what I did wrong, how my name has been tarnished, how I wish I'd done a million different things differently on Thursday morning--and in the past 3 years.

But I'm not actually bleeding. I will heal from this--stronger,smarter, and more alert. I will fight to avoid becoming too cynical or negative about this. I am moving on.

In the meantime, I will urge you all to consider the following:

Life is uncertain. Life Insurance is really very important! Especially if you have a family that you love.

Don't get cocky or comfortable and think that you can't be replaced or eliminated. I thought I was immune because I went out of my way to work very hard to service not only my customers but everyone else's. Big mistake!!

And finally, if you don't do anything else this weekend or next week, PLEASE go see Julie and Julia!! It was the best movie I've ever seen, and for the entire movie, I was able to forget my own troubles and fall in love with the characters!! Made me want to learn to cook like Julia Childs; well maybe not that, but I will get her cookbook as soon as I have a reliable income!!

Kiss your kids.

Running in the Rain

2009-07-01T12:26:00.000-07:00

I haven't said anything on here about my goal to become a runner. But it is in fact a goal that I've been working on for over a month, so I might as well mention it on here for prosperity's sake... and accountability!

I started this crazy goal back in May, when it was getting hot in Texas, but not unbearable. For the past month and a half, I've been getting up in the mornings, at least 3 times a week, and training to be a runner.

This past week, it's been over 100 degrees every single day! I was so miserable that I began to wonder if I'd ever be able to run farther than a half mile! But low and behold, sweet Cheryl from Lions Club said her sweet prayer for rain at last week's meeting, and it was answered yesterday!

This morning I ran in the rain. It was great! I didn't melt! Can you believe it? And I ran farther during each interval than I think I've ran in years. I was still fat, slow, and sweatty, but the rain made it feel so much better!

I love to run in the rain!

Listening to the Rhythm

2009-06-29T11:23:00.000-07:00

I am not one to listen very closely. I try really hard to listen when someone is talking to me; especially if she is trying to figure something out, get something corrected, or explain what she needs. But honestly, I don't think that I have been listening well at all.

Next week, I have decided to take an entire week of vacation. Now that I have committed to actually doing this by asking permission from my manager and having it printed on the monthly work calendar, I realized that my soul has been asking for a vacation for some time now.

The rhythm of life changes so quickly, doesn't it? I can be coasting along just fine, keeping the wolf from the door, and not really listening to anything my body, soul or spirit is saying to me.

Hug your child. Forgive your husband. Appreciate your body. Get up off your ass and clean this house. How many of these things do you think I really respond to? Truthfully, not any! I want to be a better person, wife, sister, daughter, mother, insurance agent, friend, and human being, but in order to do that, I have to begin with myself. How can we listen to someone else when our own voice is not being heard?

So I am going to focus this next couple of weeks, while getting ready for a week off and then actually being on vacation for that week, to listen to my spirit. Listen to my inner voice--even when it's bitching. Listen, and truly hear what is being said. I think that will make all the difference in the world!

Poinsettia Update

2009-06-26T13:30:00.000-07:00

Well, today is June 26th, 2009. I don't know exactly when we got our poinsettias for Christmas last year, but Christmas Day was over six months ago officially. I took this picture of my poinsettia today. It has a lot of new leaves coming out and still has colored leaves at the top. I have never been successful with keeping plants alive, but this one really wants to see another Christmas!! How much longer will it last? Place your bets and we'll have a contest!

Stomping Grapes at Texas Reds Fest!

2009-06-24T14:59:00.000-07:00

This past weekend's adventure involved attending the 3rd Annual Texas Reds Festival in Bryan Tx, my hometown. Saturday, my sister-in-law Jessie and I entered the Grapestomp competition. The teams of two each had one minute to stomp as much juice as possible out of the grapes in your bucket, while the other team member kept the pipe running from the bucket clean with a pipe cleaner. Here are some pics of the big day!

Jessie making a face... maybe due to the stickiness of our feet!

My Turn stomping...

Jessie's a great stomper!

We had a great time! We actually won our heat, the 5 o'clock hour, and placed second overall! It was some sticky, hot, slimy fun!!

An Experimental Adventure

2009-06-12T12:47:00.001-07:00

Originally uploaded by sgburnett67

Today is June 12th. I think that my poinsettia is officially 6 months old! I took the pic last month; it still looks basically the same. There are some shoots growing out on some of the empty stems and some small green leaves coming out on them. How long will it last? We're gonna find out!

Trip to San Marcos

2009-06-02T13:57:00.000-07:00

It's hard to believe that my weekend came and went so quickly. I made it to CB's apartment right at about 9 pm. I thought we'd agreed that we were going to go to River Road Ice House, so I was surprised that he was wearing shorts and a tshirt when I arrived.

He confessed that he didn't have any jeans that fit right now, so he didn't want to go to a club. So, we went to a popular restaurant there, Pluckers, instead. Luckily, they had a live band, so I still got my live music fix!

We got home from there around 12, and CB proceeded to show me all of the funny stuff he'd found on the internet since I saw him last. Then we watched Paul Blart-Mall Cop, then a Todd Snyder dvd, then poor old mom called Calf Rope and went to bed. At 2:30 in the morning!

Saturday I awoke at 7, only to decide that I really needed a little more sleep. I got out of bed about 9. CB slept till 11, then he immediately wanted to take me and show me the Devil's Backbone. He drove me out to see it, which was really cool. I have seen it before, but it was still fun to see it and hear his stories of introducing many of his friends to the area.

Afterwards, we went to Gruene to eat lunch at the Gristmill, shopped a little there in town, and then went to Cavenders to get him a pair of properly fitting jeans.

I headed home around 5:30, leaving him with a new pair of Wranglers and enough money and groceries to make it a week or two. It's alway a little depressing to leave your oldest child back to his own life.

Heading to the Hills

2009-05-28T12:39:00.000-07:00

Have you ever gone somewhere and felt like part of your heart yearns to be there even though it's not home? That's how I feel about the Hill Country.

When CB decided to go to school at Texas State, the biggest part of my heart was sad that my boy was growing up and moving away from home, but a little part of my heart was celebrating the opportunities to head to the hill country as often as I can!

I'm headed to stay with him on Friday night, then hang out all day Saturday. We're going to go out and listen to music, get in some sightseeing, do some grocery shopping for his apartment, and most definitely get in some water!

Check in next week to see some pics of some of the most beautiful scenery in Texas!

Road Trip--the Girls' Weekend in the Woodlands

2009-05-27T14:45:00.000-07:00

Last year around Christmas time, my mom, sister, sister-in-law, neice and I went on a shopping trip to the outlet mall in Cypress and then to the Woodlands. My sister's got a sweet deal to get rooms at the Marriott in the Woodlands, so that's where we stayed. On this particular trip, we made a pact that we would HAVE to continue this as a tradition because we had so much fun!

Our second trip was planned for last weekend because it was fairly close to my birthday.

I picked my sister up at her bakery, http://www.sweetmemoriescafe.blogspot.com

Sister got to drive once we picked up Mom. I didn't mind because I have to drive all the time and that way I could twitter and read email, which really aggravated them! I had to put my phone away when we went inside somewhere!

These were some of our stops:

This REALLY Cool westerny store in Montgomery...

Fajita Jacks at Lake Conroe; Margaritas and Fajitas!

Then we went to the Woodlands Mall where we all had pedicures and shopped and had a great time. Fave stops: Anthropologie, Starbucks, Macy's, and of course the Nail Salon where we had our pedi's.

Here's us getting our toesies painted:

My post from yesterday was the cherry on top! We had dinner at Pappadeaux, one of my all-time favorites! I wish every weekend was Girls' Weekend! Sorry you couldn't come, Jessie and Jess--don't miss next time!

Girls' Weekend

2009-05-26T12:20:00.001-07:00

We ate at Pappadeaux in the Woodlands. Great food and fun! Ryan was our waiter, and we really gave him a hard time, so I asked him if he'd take his picture with us. Prom was apparently going on as we ate, so we had a great fashion show for the girls and guys that were attending. Then when we got to the hotel, the Prom was actually at the Hotel! Fantastic!

Mom, Caryl, Ryan and me

Adventures with my Sister!

2009-05-21T13:37:00.001-07:00

shelly and caryl2
Originally uploaded by sgburnett67
This pic is from an adventure we took to New Braunfels back in January or February. CB had blown out a tire and couldn't get the spare out from under the truck, so he called me at 2:30 in the morning to ask how to do it! Luckily for him, I had already planned to go to visit him, so he had to find a ride to his apartment, then I picked him up that morning to go back and fix the tire. My mom, sister, and nephew went with me (actually we went in my mom's truck, so technically I went with her).

We had a great lunch at the Gristmill in Gruene (pronounced Green). Then CB dragged us down the road to a path that led to the river. Mom took some pics of us by the water. It was great fun.

My lil sister owns a bakery, Sweet Memories Bakery, in Bryan where I grew up. The funnest part about that is that she didn't cook OR bake before she decided to purchase a bakery. Nowadays, she is constantly surprising us with her mad baking skills! The bakery has a blog, so one day I'll have to figure out how to link it to this post so you can see some of her work.

This weekend, we're headed to the Woodlands to have a pajama party! Fun will ensue, and I'll be sure to share the evidence here! />

My Family

2009-05-19T12:37:00.000-07:00

I started this blog because I love reading about other folks, their families, and their lives. It's fun and reminds me of my love for a good story and how small the world can be sometimes!

I have two children, both boys, ages 21 and 17. My oldest son, College Boy, plays guitar, goes to college at Texas State in San Marcos, and is working this summer at the funnest place in the world, Schlitterbahn!!! My baby son, Jr. Boy, also plays guitar, is a junior in high school for two more weeks, and has braces. He is working at Subway right now, but that may change soon, so don't hold me to that! They will be CB and JB from here on out!

I am married and have been for over half my life. My husband is a rancher and cowboy by trade. That means that he works cattle for other people as well as our own. We are not always happily married, but that's a story for another time. I just wanted you to know that when I said I'm a married single mother, it means that I am married but that I raised my kids pretty much by myself without much support from a spouse. I haven't got a good name for him yet, maybe later!

I grew up about 26 miles from where I presently live in the lovely little town of Bryan, TX. Graduated from Bryan High in 1984 and went to college at the Big School, TAMU, for a couple of years. Most of my family still lives right there in Bryan. My mom is a dental mgmt consultant, my sister owns a bakery, and my brother is a mechanic. My dad lives a little outside of town where he trains racehorses.

I'll share a lot about my family. I love them all, especially my sons! It's an incredible adventure raising a family. Come along for the ride!

Monday Monday

2009-05-18T14:46:00.000-07:00

In eleven minutes, this working day will be done. In light of the way my Monday started, the end of the day will hopefully be blissfully uneventful!

Suffice it to say that my youngest son learned a valuable automobile lesson--involving the thermometer on the instrument panel. We do not ignore the thermometer, thinking that it is an electrical problem. If a thermometer says an automobile is overheating, we must take notice! If you have yet to learn this important lesson, please take my word for it! Figure out where the temp gauge is on your vehicle and look at it daily! And ALWAYS ask someone to take a look at your vehicle if the temp gauge shows that your vehicle is running hot!

Because I have a little brother who is a mechanic, I hopefully pre-diagnosed that the truck needs a new water pump and that there is no further damage. Please pray that this is true! Brother will come to town tomorrow afternoon and take a look himself. Meanwhile, youngest son will be in the ranks of the pedestrians!

Now it's about time to go take a walk in the park and then home to domestic duties! Tomorrow if I'm brave and can figure it out, I'll post some pics I took with my Blackberry yesterday during a drive in the country.

Thank Goodness Monday's are only once a week!

Fridays

2009-05-15T08:15:00.000-07:00

Fridays are always an adventure for me. I like to dress casual, eat out for lunch, and try to find something fun to do in the evening to relax and get ready for the weekend.

Fridays are a transition from working mom to mom working...time to go from salesperson to manual laborer. I really don't mind doing laundry, turning on some loud music , cleaning my house, and attempting to get some of the junk out of my garage every weekend. But Friday is not the time for that! It's go out to the movies, or margaritas on the porch, dancin' in the living room time.

Yeah, I love Fridays!

The Tale of Hanging Horse

2009-05-14T13:24:00.001-07:00

shelly 003
Originally uploaded by sgburnett67

My neighbors built a really pretty entrance to their property and hung this great Welcome Sign above their gate. Well, this morning as I was driving to work, I was highly amused to see the Hanging Horse! Poor guy, hopefully he'll be back upright in a day or two.

For now, he's hangin' by his heels, spinnin' in the wind... YeeHaw!

A New Adventure

2009-05-14T12:17:00.000-07:00

Whew! I finally took a leap of faith and started my blog! I know, I know, most people have been blogging for quite a while, but I'm not too technically savvy, and although I feel like I have a lot to share with the world, I wasn't quite sure how to begin.

So this is Aventure No. 1! Hurray for me!

A little about me... I'm a married single mother of two wonderful boys, who are currently 21 and 17. Do I look old enough to have a college student and a Junior in High School? I don't think so, but they're really mine!

I live in the country and have horses, dogs, and lots of wildlife surrounding my little house. I want to share some of my life with you... so let's enjoy this adventure together!