Where the Wind Comes Sweeping Down The Plains

Hmmm...6 month hiatus?  Yes.  But here I am!

In Oklahoma.

That's right.  My family made the journey home for good.  Living by my family has been heavenly.  My husband and I have had more alone time in the past four months than the whole time baby girl has been alive. 

Did I mention I'm a stay at home mom now?  You would think that I have an abundance of time to "work blog" but by the time nap time rolls around I'm trying to frantically fold clothes (by that I mean I am glued to HGTV or other quality daytime television like I Didn't Know I Was Pregnant) or vacuum while I have a few moments to myself.  I tell people you can judge the length of the nap by the cleanliness of the kitchen sink (or the amount of items checked off my To Do list i.e. the recorded DVR list).

My sweet baby turned one.  How much she has changed amazes me.  She delights me.  It has been an action packed year and I cannot wait for another one.

Prepare to hear about packing and moving yet again.  I haven't even had a chance to document the move from College Station to El Reno yet and am preparing to move from temporary housing to permanent as we blog!

I am still slowly losing my mind.  In the car this morning I attempted to turn up my radio volume for my and baby girl's listening delights.  As I was repeatedly hitting the + button, nothing was happening to the volume.  But I did, however, notice that my car increased speed.  It turns out that cruise control buttons do nothing for the radio.

I will try to hang on to what sanity is left until next time, when I bring you Adventures of a Mother Runner and Other Curious Events.

Cheers!

Boom Shakalaka

Here are a few tidbits/state of the Sanchez update:

Still watching Grey's all afternoon.

Still remembering that I am thankful for the job I've been provided that allows me to work from home and see my beautiful baby girl grow and learn so much every day.  Do you realize that the line between regular blogging and work blogging blurs completely because of this?  Am I working or blogging?  No one is sure.

Still staring in wonder at baby girl, who from this point forward shall be referred to as BG, as her big blue eyes stare back with complete trust and unconditional love (she is the best thing we have ever done).

Still trying to straighten my arms out without pain in my elbow pits because I'm so sore from doing the 30 day shred, even though that workout is so two years ago.  This in combination with running is brutal.  But in a good way.

Still photo-documenting BG's every move excessively.  Seriously.  It's quite excessive.  I have 1300 pictures stored on my iPhone.

Most importantly....I'm still wondering WHY my husband asked me how to spell "boom shakalaka."

PS - my amazing friends started an adoption blog and I really am still moved by their unfailing commitment to the Lord and his plan for their lives.

Cheers!

Small Town Girl

It's a good indication that I am what some might label as "small town" when the news of the opening of a  new Panera Bread in the B/CS area is the most exciting thing I've heard all week.  Feeble attempts to wake up this morning were made in the form of reading the news online, answering emails (yes, working.  shocking, I know) and even drinking coffee.  The venti CAS my coworker brought me this morning significantly improved the chances of both a great day and being fully awake by 11:00am (even though my work day starts at 7:00....).  but I was jolted from my semi coma and brought into reality at the wondrous mention of this glorious event.

(Those of you who do not frequent Starbucks often enough to know what a CAS is, I'll help you out.  Caramel Apple Spice.  Try it.  It, too, is glorious.  It's difficult to pinpoint which drink wins my heart the most, but this one has been in the top three for a number of years.)

In other disturbing news, I noticed that I wasted a total of almost 4 entire minutes on the commute home yesterday trying to decide on the thermostat setting of the AC in the car.  I interrupted my own nerdy thoughts once I realized that I only wanted it to be set on an even number or multiple of 3 or 5....NEVER a prime number.  And at that point the thought of my new daughter and loving husband next to me was all that kept me from veering off the road.

(The person who enters my vehicle and sets my thermostat on 67 degrees I WILL hunt down.)

I envision the perfect spring day, driving to Panera Bread with sweet little Mattie in the back seat (thermostat set on a nice round 70 or even 68).

Until next time!  Cheers!

Ask About the Free Pizza

So, on my way home from work yesterday, I saw a lemonade stand on the side of the road.  Well, I say on the way home from work, but I was actually on the way home from HEB.  The new and gloriously uncrowded HEB by my house.  I never thought I'd enjoy grocery shopping....my, my how the turn tables.  (Michael Scott quote, for those of you who aren't keeping up - you're welcome.)

So, I see this lemonade stand with a very large sign:  LEMONADE and MORE!  My husband and I were being drawn in with this advertising of a 9-year-old.  Then upon second glance, we see more to the sign:  Ask about the free pizza!  Way. to. go.  This kid has already figured out life.

I'm jealous.

'til next time!

My Morning so Far

This bright Thursday started with a much needed run and has, since then, turned into call fest 2011.  I fear that I put out that call me energy.  I have received 5 phone calls already this morning, even though I've been at my desk an average of only 50% of the time today.  Three of the phone calls were regarding an appointment tomorrow.........If I am putting out that call me energy, I need it to be changed from call me to call me*.  Two of the phone calls?  My husband saying "Rachel?  Can you hear me?  I can't hear you.  Our phones aren't working.  This was a test." 

The joys of working for the same organization as my partner in life.

*only between 11:00am and 12:00pm before I go to lunch

Get Crazy, Get Wild

Yesterday was day one of Half Marathon Training III.  i.e. week three.  Yes.  Wearing my "procrastinator" label with pride, I'm jumping right in at week three to finish a training plan just in time.  This, pared with haphazard planning, resulted in the accidental running of an extra half mile last night.  I hope the cosmos took note.  This equals points somewhere else, right?  Not only did I run a extra half mile, but was also on time/early to work today.  WIN!  Only time will tell if it's an actual win.  Don't worry, either the win or loss will be thoroughly documented through blogposts right here.

Since the latest addition to our family (no....not a child....but a puppy!) my schedule has become more routine.  And by routine, I mean we get up at about the same time every day, we eat on a regular basis, no wrecking of cars, purchasing of homes or moving of stuff....just ........normal things.  Finally!  And it's sooooo nice.  I feel like I'm playing house, but it's real life, apparently.

Snookie (newest addition.....she's a cute little Corgi.) has effectively learned to sit and walk on a leash.  And to run around like a crazy little dog while I sing the theme song to Jersey Shore.  It's heartwarming, really.  Almost as heartwarming as internet shopping.  Which I did a little of yesterday for my office.  I figured that working directly with undergraduates automatically licenses me to hang this on my wall:



Which is precisely what I went shopping for....

Cheers!  Until next time!

99 Problems.........But a Blogpost Ain't One

Please take note that this is the 100th blogpost on Life as Encountered by RC.  I've been encountering life and blogging for you, dear friends....and don't think it will ever end.  Nope.  Shan't.

Home ownership...........this would be one of my 99 problems.  The state of being a homeowner is bittersweet.  Far more sweet than bitter.  I shall not grow tired of trips to Lowe's, redecorating, painting (who are we kidding?  I never want to look at/smell paint again...) putting nails in the wall where ever I want to.......What I shall grow tired of is not being able to call my landlord to fix my garage door button.  I mean, I could call her, but it might be confusing.

I have major plans for the two spare bedrooms, too.  I can't help but envision my little family running around in my very own house.  Ahhhh it's sweet!

Endless training.....................................this would be one of the problems.  Need I say more?  Do you see that I'm work blogging?  Are you inferring why I'm work blogging?

I'm about to even plan a menu so as to avoid training and am looking forward to a trip to HEB....my my, how the turntables.  (HEB is a new post in itself.  There is a brand-spanking new one right by our house.  The cosmos is finally paying me back for some of the stuff it OWES me.  IT OWES ME, I tell you.

Furthermore, I'm picking out items from here and shopping online.  It sounds like its only a matter of days until I'm fired.....I know (THAT would be one of the 99 problems, to say the least).  I sound irresponsible.  But really....I'm getting everything done.  And in a timely manner. These activities I describe to you occur in between  work tasks.......

Ok, until next time.....I'll have something funny, I promise.  Maybe. 

 

Does Buying a Fridge = Real Adult?

Things get stressful when you buy a house, buy a car, trade jobs, and then also go on vacation in the middle of it all.  Just saying.

Perhaps that is part of the reason I have yet to tweeze my brow.  I feel like I need to tell people not to look too closely at my face until after February 5.  I also feel like I need to tell people not to be offended if I forget that I recently talked to them, texted them or facebooked them.  I can't even remember my own name some of the time.  Things are just flying by like crazy!  Literally.  It's quite windy this afternoon.

Until next time!  Maybe I'll have a vaca update.  And new tales of new home-ownership.

On To The Next One

I have been packing! Packing up things, my life, our memories! It's pretty symbolic, really. Here's to new beginnings!

I leave you with an old-school classic: Closing Time by Semisonic Cheers!

Closing time - time for you to go out, go out into the world.
Closing time - turn the lights up over every boy and every girl.
Closing time - one last call for alcohol, so finish your whiskey or beer.
Closing time - you don't have to go home but you can't stay here.

I know who I want to take me home.
I know who I want to take me home.
I know who I want to take me home.
Take me home...

Closing time - time for you to go back to the places you will be from.
Closing time - this room won't be open 'til your brothers or you sisters
come.
So gather up your jackets, and move it to the exits - I hope you have found
a
friend.
Closing time - every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end.

Yeah, I know who I want to take me home.
I know who I want to take me home.
I know who I want to take me home.
Take me home...

Closing time - time for you to go back to the places you will be from...

I know who I want to take me home.
I know who I want to take me home.
I know who I want to take me home.
Take me home...

Closing time - every new beginning comes from some other beginning's end...

Until next time!

The Em Dash

This morning I Wikipedia-d (pretty sure there is a verb that means “looked up something on Wikipedia”….what I’m not sure about is how to spell that verb, or even what exactly that verb would be….) Em dash, or m dash, m-rule, etc., which “often demarcates a parenthetical thought or some similar interpolation, and stumbled upon one of the best sentences I’ve read in a while. Wikipedia proceeded to give me a quote from Nicholas Baker’s The Mezzanine:

“At that age I once stabbed my best friend, Fred, with a pair of pinking shears in the base of the neck, enraged because he had been given the comprehensive sixty-four-crayon Crayola box — including the gold and silver crayons — and would not let me look closely at the box to see how Crayola had stabilized the built-in crayon sharpener under the tiers of crayons.”

Thank. you. Wikipedia. You make my life complete. Also, thanks to Meg McBlogger for this. You add entertainment to my work day.

Back to work......um.....yes. Work. Back to that.

Until next time!

Sometimes I get the phrase "Japanese Udon Noodle" stuck in my head

Powerful. Beautiful. Crazy. Random. Weird. Intense. All words I would use to describe human minds. Half the time I don't even know how to sort out everything that's going on in my head. Other times? I don't understand how blank my slate is up there. Freaking tabula rasa, back when it was unused in good old 1985. That may be due in large part to the fact that I'm pretty sure there were about 8 days in this day.

It's strange to me how my mind conjures up imagery and random things from the past during dreams. I mean, I remember thinking when I was a kid "what if dreams were real life, and real life was really our dream?" I was doomed from the beginning, you guys. (I'm mainly dreaming of Japanese Udon Noodles right now, though). Details that come up in my dreams are just strange, and I'm pretty sure there is underlying meaning there. I think I'm going to devote some Internet research time to dream meanings.

Only in dreams
We see what it means.
Reach out our hands.
Hold onto hers.
But when we wake
It's all been erased.
And so it seems
Only in dreams.

- Weezer

Short post, I know. But I'm a little ADD today. Adding more would be here and there. Until next time!

PS - It really bothers me when the blog post titles spill over onto the next line. I'll try to avoid that next time.

Additional PS - I don't have OCD.

If this list doesn't say SUCCESS, I don't know what does!

As of April 29, 2010, it is official: I successfully

1. Finished the Half Marathon. With my awesome running partner!




2. Finished the bag of chips left over from lunch.

3. Cleaned out my drawers in my bathroom in preparation for the big move to Houston.

4. Lounged on the couch for approximately 4 hours last night pondering what the heck I'll do job-wise once I arrive in Houston.

5. Lounged on the couch and ate sushi and drank wine while I pondered what the heck I'll do job-wise once I arrive in Houston.

6. Lounged on the couch and determined the best way to avoid getting a job again. Ever, after I move to Houston.

7. Determined the story line for my novel......while lounging on the couch.

8. Determined that I can never use the word lounged in another blog post. Ever. I met the quota by point number 5, but continued to overuse it after that. I'm almost there with "determined" but I'll stop myself.

9. Kept up with not only one, but TWO pair of sunglasses for over 4 weeks. I'm beating the cosmos.

10. Read approximately 500 blog posts while trying to avoid applying for jobs.

I'm off to............lay on the couch. Oh. Finish the work day first.

Until next time!

PS-I scored a cake at my going away party today that said "Damn the Man". Loved. it.