Advice??

Clearly, I’ve in a blogging slump the last 2 weeks! Lately I spend over 50% of my life in a car (my own or a rental), the airport, the airport runway, on an airplane, or at work! I haven’t had much to write about. However, there is one little project I’ve been working on... everyday flatware!!!

Since I’m in my 30’s and I only have 3 dinner forks, I have been researching flatware patterns. I think it’s time to have a grown up set and more than 3 dinner forks. Although, I have enjoyed telling people over the years that most of my friends registered by age 30 and I still have THREE dinner forks. Anyway, I’ve narrowed my search down to 2 patterns. I’m definitely leaning toward one pattern more than the other.

Since y'all have such great taste, I’d like to hear your opinions on the flatware. Even though I’ve narrowed my decision to 2 patterns, I’m posting 3. One of the 3 patterns has never been in the running. Which flatware pattern do you like the best? Can you guess which one I like the best? Which one do you think was never an option for me?

Here are a few clues to my style... Pictures of my dinnerware & my Grandmother's vintage Silverware that I love & borrow on occasion...

Option #1- Dover

Option #2- Sheraton

Option #3- Louisiana

New Find

I received a $20 gift certificate from the Vera Bradley store for my birthday. I was supposed to use it during my birthday month, October. Surprise, Surprise, I had no time in October to use the gift card.

Yesterday after church I ran into Vera B. and nicely asked the sales associate if I could use the gift card a day late. She let me! Yay!

Tons of new items have arrived at the Vera B. store since I was last in. I was happy and it was so hard to narrow my decision down. I picked up these super cute wine bottle labels. The package comes with 6 bottle labels and 6 gift tags. The Vera B. sales associate told me the labels are great if you're giving a bottle of wine as a gift. She also suggested using the labels on your wine bottles if you're hosting a dinner party, especially if you're serving cheap wine. Ha Ha... great idea!



I also picked up a cute clipboard to use while I decorate windows at the mall and airport. Speaking of windows, I just finished the Christmas windows at the airport. In addition to working on the windows 7 hours last week, I worked on the windows Saturday afternoon and didn't finish until Saturday night. I missed a Halloween party. I was kinda sad because I love costumes. Oh well, maybe next time.

Does anyone else love the new show Leave It To Lamas? Shayne is so funny; I want to be her IRL friend. ;)

Odds~n~Ends

Hi Y’all! I feel like I’ve been a bad blogger the last few days. I’m traveling on the East Coast this week and I'm overly busy. Today I worked for 12.5 hours. The only break I had was a quick trip to Radio Shack for CAT 5 cables. Boooo! I promise to catch up on your blogs soon!

Funny story- As I was boarding my Continental connection flight in Houston, I recognized the flight attendant and she recognized me. She said, “Hello Ms. San Antonio.” Nice! I travel way too much. :)

While visiting the East Coast, I stopped at a local grocery store to pick up some bottled water and diet coke for my hotel room. Also, I was hoping to find a nice salad, similar to the pre-made salads at Whole Foods. Unfortunately, this grocery store did not have pre-made salads that you’d want to purchase and actually eat! As I was heading to the beverage section, I passed something pink. Anything pink catches my eye. Check out what they were selling… Pickled Pink Eggs! GROSS and WHY?




Thank you to my friend, Jules at Chic and Pink for the Fall Surprise! Who doesn't love a surprise? It was so sweet and so thoughtful!

Ghouls Night Out~ I LOVE this and hung it within seconds of opening it.

Jules also sent a bunch of fall treats~ a candle, candy, kitchen soap, and a notepad! Sorry for the blurry photo.

Thank You, Jules!!!

Omaha~ Part 2

On Saturday my sis took me to Kimmel Orchard and Vineyard in Nebraska City. We finally got to pick our own apples and we had to take a hay ride to get to the apple orchard. It was fun! I don’t think Jenn and I have taken a hay ride together since we were kids.

After we picked apples, we did a wine tasting and shared a Cider Doughnut. I've read about bloggers picking apples and having Cider Doughnuts. I had never had a Cider Doughnut until Saturday; it was delicious!





Our Pickings


We decided to make an Apple Tart with some of our apples. We (kinda) made up the recipe. It turned out great.




Our Masterpiece

Daisy and me (without lipstick)~ the only dog I love! I have dreams about her. :)

Fall = Love

When my sister and brother-in-law announced they were moving to Omaha, NE for a year most people cringed and said, “WHY?” I wondered too if Omaha would be a fun experience.

Omaha has turned out to be such a great place. Who knew??? They have everything... shops, restaurants, and entertainment. Omaha has 4 seasons and most importantly they have a real FALL, complete with pretty trees, crisp weather, caramel apples, hay rides, pumpkin patches, and apple orchards. Ahh… the fall I’ve always dreamed of…

They decided to rent a loft style apartment in an old building located in the downtown area. They love it! I think it's a great choice.

The view from their windows. Check out those trees!

On Friday Jenn took me to Vala’s Pumpkin Patch. I was expecting a field of pumpkins and a cheesy gift shop. Oh noooo, this is Fall in the Midwest! It was beautiful! Vala’s Pumpkin Patch is the ultimate Fall Festival. Among many attractions they have a Haunted Farm House, a Pumpkin Creek Train Ride, and Candle Making. Vala’s even had a real Midwest Corn Maze!!! We had caramel apples and Kettle Corn! I felt like I was walking through scenic calendar pages of the Midwest.

I'm planning on writing another post about our 2nd day in the Midwest. It was also SO fun and quite the experience for a Texas girl. On Friday, we must have taken 150+ photos. I had to decipher...

It's Fall, Y'all... in Omaha, NE

I'm in Omaha, NE visiting my sister and brother-in-law. They have a real fall. I'm so excited. I've had no idea what I have been missing. More to come later. Happy Weekend!

I don’t usually blog about work...

Since I travel for work, on occasion I write about my travels but I don’t write about the actual job or what I do (often). I think talking about work is really boring. I have so much more to offer. Ha! How about the people that can’t stop complaining about work? Ugh! Anyway...

Today we went through another downsizing. I’ve known this day was coming since August. I survived. I’m the only person left in Texas. I’m beyond thankful but it was a bad day. I’m happy I still have a job but I'm so sad for my co-workers who no longer have a job.

At 11:30 AM a co-worker in my region called to tell me he had been “tapped” (tapped is what we call it). It was terrible. I knew the calls were starting, my hands were shaking; I couldn’t think straight. All of the sudden my knees starting shaking. I haven’t had shaky knees since the time I rode the Big Shot on the top of the Stratosphere in Las Vegas. For the record, the Big Shot is the scariest thing I’ve ever done and I’ll never do it again.



Layoff day is always tough. Tonight I feel beyond blessed. My prayers tonight will be prayers of thanksgiving.

The Gift~
In September I purchased my official 2009 “Layoff Present.” Each time we have a layoff, right before it actually happens, I buy myself a Layoff Present. I know it’s probably not the smartest thing I’ve ever done and I should be saving every penny during a layoff season. I’m 99.5% sure my Father does NOT read my blog or I would NEVER write about the “Layoff Present.” He would be mortified and I would be lectured. ;)

The Layoff Present has always brought me luck. If I actually lose my job I know it will be a while before I get to buy myself a treat, so I might as well have one last treat. Right? If I don’t lose my job the Layoff Present is a gift for my pain and suffering (and shaky knees).

The Layoff Present this year was a black leather Kate Spade bag. I love it! I would take a photo and post it but I’m exhausted. It’s really cute though. I also buy myself a birthday present each year and some years I buy myself a Christmas present. I used to buy myself a Valentine’s Day present but the Valentine’s Day present was replaced with the (oh so important) Layoff Present.

So girls, I encourage you to treat yourselves to "special gifts" every now and then, especially all the single girls. The best part is you know you’ll get exactly what you wanted.

Since I don't like to post without a photo (not sure if the Big Shot photo counts), here's a pic of me and two friends I met at my job. The best part about work is meeting friends I never would have met outside of this job. What if our paths had never crossed? It's so weird to think about that...