9.15.2009

My Sister~ The Ex-Blogger



I think I've mentioned this before... long before I had a blog my sister, Jennifer, had a blog. She is so funny and witty. I've begged her to start blogging again but she doesn't think she has the time.

Although Jennifer and I work in completely different industries (Jennifer in the shopping mall industry and I'm in the photo industry), she travels for work as much as I do. We travel so much, we've discussed becoming consultants for the travel industry. Trust me, they need us. :)

Speaking of work, yesterday was my 11 year anniversary with my company. They had a huge party for me with lots of cake. Just kidding... they didn't do anything and they probably didn't even know it was my hire date. Ha!

I decided to share a funny blog post Jennifer wrote 3 years ago about work travel. Enjoy...


Jennifer wrote:


I haven't blogged in awhile for two reasons: one is I've been traveling so much with my job that I have no time, the second is I have no life to blog about now that all I do is travel. Well, I finally have something to blog about, and it has to do with my travels.

My job recently changed in March, and I've been traveling about once a week. I mostly travel to locations where we have properties: Detroit, Milwaukee, Tampa, Phili, Chicago, New York. Throw a Vegas & Canada trip in there, too, and that's been my life for the last 3 months. Sounds fun, right?

Sometimes it is; sometimes it is not. Here is a story of when it is not fun...On this occasion, I'm trying to get to Detroit on Sunday evening, so Ill be bright & fresh for Monday morning - Great idea, right? This is the story of my journey to the Motor City.


June 18th and 19th, 2006


One Continental ticket from San Antonio to Detroit.......... $1,100


Four hour delay from San Antonio & some bad airport nachos............ $13.59


A fat glass of wine in first class (San Antonio to Houston)......... free


Learning the plane you just got off of has mechanical problems............ I'm feelin' dangerous!


Getting on another plane at midnight only to get right off for more mechanical problems........... equals free hotel room and change of flight


Sharing a cab with new plane friend to a dive hotel while you pass a dozen nice hotels.............. $30


Checking in the dive hotel with the manager missing a button on his shirt & showing chest hair................. lucky me


New plane friend finding bed bugs & warning me.............. I was so tired, I almost didn't care


Finding small, black curly hairs in my bed..................... no extra charge


Loosing my own button and flashing hotel attendant on the way out................ no extra charge for him


Hearing about my cab driver holding a pistol to a New Orleans evacuees' head because he wouldn't pay the cab fare......... $25 plus tip


Large coffee to make up for 2 hours of horrible sleep................. $2.50


Dealing with perky campers (and their extra large duffel bags) and camp counselors in Northwest ticket line............... I'm about to loose it & stick my blackberry up the counselor's ass


Another 2 hour delay for mechanical reasons.............................. this is not meant to be


Arriving in Detroit exactly 21 hours after my journey began............ A true Continental experience


Leaving Detroit 3 hours after I arrive..................... Priceless


9.13.2009

Thank You, Thank You, Thank You

I recently won a giveaway hosted by my friend, Danielle, The Design Girl. I won these super, cute felt blueberry and banana pancakes. Danielle asked me, "What are you going to do with fake , felt pancakes? I was surprised you entered this giveaway." I'm not sure what I'm going to do with the felt pancakes. I just love them! Have you ever seen anything this cute? I guess I'll save them for my future daughter (I dream of adopting).



I partcipated in Monograms and Manicures "Preppy Fall Swap." My partner was Jennifer from Virginia Monologes. I arrived home from Northern CA on Saturday morning at 1:00 AM. YIKES... I was exhausted! My Preppy Fall Swap package was waiting at my front door. What a nice way to come home! Thank you so much Jennifer, I love everything!

Monogrammed Party Coasters



A Cute Photo Album, Treats, a Fall Sachet, and a fall cocktail recipe~ Thanks, Jennifer!



My sweet friend and prayer partner, Gigi, sent me a surprise! Thank you, Mrs. Midnight Macaroons. I LOVE it~ a dessert cookbook (I'm looking forward to baking the orange brownies this fall), a girly bookmark, a cute set of recipe cards, and a lovely vintage hanky. Thank you SO much, Gigi.



Have I mentioned how much I LOVE this blogger community? Y'all are the best!

9.11.2009

Travel Etiquette~ Airplane Seat Invasion and Man Hair



I had a flight Tuesday on the lovely Southwest, which means open seating and misery for a frequent flyer. I boarded the plane and found a lovely, isolated window seat. A small lady took the aisle seat, perfect! I had my fingers crossed that nobody would take the middle seat. Well, no such luck. A very large man, about 6'5", decided to sit in the middle seat. I wondered if he chose our middle seat because we were both smaller and he figured he could invade my seat.

Invade my seat is exactly what he did. He fell asleep with his arm hanging over the arm rest and into my seat. I almost removed the Vera Bradley tape measure from my purse to see how much of his hairy arm was in my personal space. I decided not to use the tape measure; I thought we would have an awkward situation if he woke up and I was measuring his arm.

I used my best judgment and determined that his arm was about 3 inches over the arm rest into my seat. Not only was his arm 3 inches in my seat, his arm hair was about 1 inch long, which made it a total of 4 inches. The worst part is his arm hair kept touching me! GROSS.

Speaking of arm hair, I dated a guy once and on our first date, he asked me what I didn’t like about guys. I replied, “Do you mean personality traits or physical appearance?” He said, “Either.” Well, there are many things I don’t like but clearly I’m not going to tell him. I was having a good time and I wanted a second date. So I replied, “Umm… hairy men.”

Two months later I was at his house. We had been outside all day at the Geaux Tigers Game (LSU). He changed his shirt and when I saw his back I said, “Oh my gosh, what happened to you?” His back was full of giant, red whelps. He said, “Well, you told me you don’t like hairy men. I have a little back hair. So I had my back waxed, which I’ve never done and I had a bad reaction.” I felt bad but what kind of question is that for a first date.

I am SO glad I’m a girl. Doesn’t all that man hair look hot? And nasty? And itchy? The moral of the story… don’t invade your neighbor's airplane seat and if you do wax your arms.

9.08.2009

California Adventure & Disneyland


After our fun Girl's Night last Friday night, we started Saturday morning at California Adventure. CA Adventure is next to Disneyland. There's not much at CA Adventure except a fabulous roller coaster! Danielle and I rode the Paradise Pier roller coaster 3 times. I'm pretty sure Danielle and I could have stood in line all day for the roller coaster but we didn't. Maybe next time. It's nice to have a friend that LOVES roller coasters as much as I do. I don't know what happened but as soon as many of my friends reached their late 20's and early 30's, they couldn't handle the roller coasters. What a bust!




After CA Adventure, we headed to Disneyland! I can't believe I got this balloon photo.



Click to Enlarge







The day was SOOO fun! I can't wait to go back. Thanks Danielle, Kate, and Jessica for showing me around L.A. and Disney. Angela, I hope you can join us at Disney next time.

P.S. Do y'all love roller coasters? How about shady carnival rides? I LOVE them. I could ride all day!

9.07.2009

Girl's Night

Friday night we had a Girl's Night in L.A. I had SO much fun. I finally got to meet Anglea from Sweet Tea Diaries. Just as I had imagined, she is so sweet! I just wanted to wrap her up and bring her home.

Getting ready at Danielle's House



Meet everyone at Villa Blanca for dinner

Having dinner and taking tons of photos



After dinner we walked to Crumbs for a cupcake. I was hoping to see a celeb but no luck.









Great pic of Kate~ We told Kate this should be her profile picture.



Angela and Me


Danielle posing with the Christmas lights

9.02.2009

From IAH to SAT

I have no idea why the Houston Airport is coded IAH.



I’ve had a few questions about my transition to San Antonio from Houston. I.LOVE.IT. I was nervous about leaving the 4th largest city in the U.S. and moving to the 7th largest U.S. city. So dramatic, I know but I love me some big city and action! Also, I was nervous about making a major life change, alone.



On the morning of June 27 when I left my old, vintage, beautiful apartment for the last time, I cried. That morning my friends, Lindsay and John, stopped by to say goodbye and bring breakfast. After the moving truck was loaded, I did final walk through the apartment. Jarrett (the brother), Lindsay, John, and the movers were outside. As I walked through the empty rooms, I was emotional. I thought about all the events that had happened in my life while I had lived there. Unfortunately, the majority of the big events that came to mind were negative. From a broken relationship that was extremely difficult to disappearing friendships, there were some hard times in that apartment. I remembered the night I learned that Yu Mei, the little girl that I fell in love with in China, was adopted and thought I was coming to get her. When Yu Mei realized it wasn’t me, she sobbed. I remembered the time I learned something very bad about a person I loved and cared for. That afternoon I sat on the edge of my bathtub and cried for an hour. There were some happy times but the events that stood out most in mind were negative. I didn’t realize how much of an impact the events had on me, until I walked through the empty rooms.




At 8:00 PM, after the un-loaders left my new home in SA (what a long day), Jarrett and I sat in the living room around the world’s biggest mess. Okay, not the biggest mess in the world but my biggest mess. I cannot function in a mess. Moving boxes were everywhere and my body hurt. I had never felt so emotionally and physically exhausted. As I was debating if I should take a shower or just go to bed I thought, “I’m not going back to Houston. This is my new home.” A huge sense of relief and peace came over me. My feelings that night were definitely a surprise to me. For the record, I took a shower. My brother told me I HAD to take a shower; guess I smelled bad. :)


Yu Mei and Me~ China October 2006



After living in SA for a couple of weeks I had my first out of town business trip. It was about 4 hours from SA, so I drove. On the way home I drove through Austin, TX. I passed the sign for the road to Houston, the road I had taken so many times. Again, I was so relieved I wasn’t going to Houston and I was headed to SA.

I knew I would like SA but I didn’t know I would love it. I think the people are friendlier. I LOVE my church… I don’t feel like an outcast because I’m single; I don’t want to miss a service. Two weeks ago our guest song leader was Michael W. Smith. Love it! There are so many great places in SA. As a tourist or visitor I saw the same things, there is so much more to SA. Each weekend there are so many events and activities, I cannot possibly do it all. Since I've moved, I was contacted by the SA airport to do some visual work (my side job).

My BFF, Tiffany, said the peace and relief that I’ve felt since moving and the additional work I’ve obtained is God confirming my decision. When I told people in Houston that I was moving a few said, “Oh this is good for you.” “You’ll love it.” Here’s a good one, “You should live by your parents.” Ha Ha… I’m the most independent girl I’ve ever met. My all time favorite is, “Jill, YOU need a change.” Oh really… what’s the biggest change you’ve ever made in your life by yourself? Going from panties to a thong? Sorry, I try not to get catty on my blog. Seriously, we (including me) must remember not give opinions or advice unless it’s something you’ve actually done yourself. It’s easy to give advice about change when you’ve never had to make big changes alone (I don't mean graduating from college and picking a place to live) or everything you hoped and prayed for eventually happened.

Anyway, much to my surprise and the people closest to me, I really love San Antonio.

9.01.2009

Thank You

Look what I got in the mail today… the apron I won from Polka Dots and Protein Bars and Hems and Hers. Isn't it cute? Y’all, she made it! I’m always impressed and amazed when someone can sew. Thank you so much Hems and Hers! I love it!

If you’re looking for a custom made skirt, dress, apron, etc… check out Hems and Hers. She will help you pick out a fabric and the perfect style. Next, she’ll sew it up and send it your way!




I’m on my way to L.A (typing in a word doc, post on blog later). This plane does not have Wi-Fi but my last flight to CA did! When all airplanes have Wi-Fi, it will be one of the best days of my life!

I’m going to meet up with the L.A. girls on Friday night and Saturday. I brought 5 dresses and 7 pairs of shoes. I really thought my suitcase was going to exceed to the 50 pound weight limit. Luckily, the suitcase weighed in at 45 pounds. However, it just occurred to me I didn’t leave room in the suitcase for shopping. Oh well, its better that way.