58 posts tagged “derek”

Two years ago, on this day and very close to this exact time, Derek and I had just finished up our usual date night at the Riverwalk: Chips, queso and Miller Lite @ Los Cabos, a walk along the Arkansas River, and a movie, The Da Vinci Code. We were on our way home from Jenks, he was playing Hurt's "Danse Russe" and I remember the way the song, the warm summer air and just being with him made me feel. That night, 2 years ago, we became official.

And I still get that feeling when it's just the two of us, in the same truck, listening to Hurt. Danse Russe was a big part in my falling in love with him. He uses music as a way of expressing himself. He used that song to express how I made him feel. I hear that song and I get that exact same giddy, happy feeling in my stomach all over again.

That song has since been replaced as the ultimate song to remind me of him and put a smile on my face when we're apart. Not too long ago, we were lounging around after the kids had gone to bed and listening to various music DVD's..he put in Blue October which can be depressing and annoying, but he made me stop before I replaced it. He said this song always made me think of him, but a lot of Blue October songs did so I figured I knew which one. It was one I had never heard before and I am still addicted to this song. And it's my song to him as well. If ever a song was meant to be for us, this is it.

I can't believe the scrawny, curly headed boy I thought was an asshole in high school, the boy I would tell to turn around if he even tried to say something to me..is the love of my life. I'll never forget when I saw him for the first time years later, but I we became best friends first. I'll always remember when we crossed the line from friends to more and we both knew we made the right choice.
When we were friends, we both stayed at Tony's house after a night of partying. I was cold and curled up next to him and we both fell asleep, but he slept on the floor while I slept on the couch. He slept right next to the couch, and we somehow held hands the entire night.
I used to tell everyone that the girl who ended up with Derek would be one lucky girl.

A baby girl, plenty of good times with a few bad, an engagement, and 2 year later..I'm the lucky girl :)

And you give me a quiet mind and I...
I love you
You give me a quiet mind and I...
I love you
Until the end

If I have a retail weakness, it's Target. I can shop anywhere in the world and not feel the overwhelming urge to buy, buy, buy! Clothes, shoes, baby stuff, kid stuff, bedding, furniture, decor, groceries, EVERY THING.
Tonight, I went in there to just browse. Nick was off to his dad's for the weekend so it was just me and Zo. Girls' night out shopping. I was just hoping to get some sandals and a pair of shorts for myself and Nick. I won't say how much I spent, but it was well over the idea I had in my head before I ever left the house. I'll probably take two of the shirts back because they fit weird, but I love me some bermuda shorts. I also bought a new bedding set for Zo..well, the beginning of a new bedding set.

I only bought the quilt, dust ruffle and a fitted sheet. I'm going to go back and get the rest but I'm staying away from the mobile and bumper pad because she's 6 months, we don't need it.

Note: I have a thing for ladybugs. I love them! Fun fact for the day, my first word was ladybug. But, it was also the name of our pet collie. That dog and I were best buds, and my parents had to constantly tell her to back off (she hung over me like I was her baby) so I picked up on her name.

I am back on LJ. If any of you are over there, let me know. I feel more comfortable over there, I've known the people on my friends list for a very long time (some 5+years) and I need a comfort zone. Add my username _thats_so_hot_ (I need a new one!)

I had today off. It's nice having 3 days off, working one, having another day to hang out with the kids! I went in to drop some stuff off for my boss, and she pulled me aside and said I got a raise! I've only been there coming on 2 months, so I'm surprised and happy about this. Needless to say, I really enjoy my job, even though my main role will be dying down this summer (retail slows down) and I'll be doing the normal retail grind.

I took the kids to the park Monday as a "surprise". Nick loves surprises so when he goes above and beyond to be well-behaved, I usually get him something or take him on a "surprise". So we went to our favorite park:

Oh my GAW, Nick is testing my patience this morning. Could be that he woke up at 6 A.M., yelling as he came bolting through the house "MAAAAAAAWM, it's storming, it's RAINING!" and woke up his sister with no hope of getting her to go back to sleep for at least an hour?! Or could it be that I just had to pick him up off the floor after he almost knocked Zoey over for messing up his blanket on the floor, which was immediately followed with a spanking and being put in his bed?! Now he's screaming "Mommy!" from his room, trying to play the sympathy card..which worked on me until I realized what he was doing.

He is the king of excuses lately, especially when it comes to being sent to his room or going to bed for the night. The other night, he came out in the living room saying first, he needed a bath. The second time his tummy hurt, he needed medicine (this comes from Zoey teething, getting medicine and lots of affection). The third time, there was a ghost in his room. A ghost..who was also in the bathroom earlier that day, supposedly. And while I'm laughing it off and fake-looking in the closet, under the bed, behind the dresser, I can't help but think "please don't start telling me you see dead people.." After that, he did go to bed. Probably worn out from conjuring up all the excuses in the world. And after that, I wanted to call my parents, especially my mom, and apologize for every single time I would sneak out of my room and hide in the den so I could watch Cheers, or every single time I would think up excuses to stay up at night.

He's a great kid, don't get me wrong. But let's be realistic, 3 is a tough age. Not a baby, not quite a big kid. He's just realizing he can decide for himself, he can speak up for himself and he's just running with it until he goes too far. I say, let the kid learn as he goes!

Yesterday, Zoey turned 6 months old. I can't believe she's already half a year old..! Still not crawling..well the correct way. She does this inchworm thing where she gets up on her hands and feet (not knees) and propels herself forward..in kind of an inchworm motion. Or she just rolls to her destination. We spread toys out all over the living room to try and motivate her. Oh, it motivates her to get to them alright, but nothing motivates her like our rug in front of the door. We buy her toys and all it takes to buy her happiness? A $35 rug from Pier1.
And she is SUCH a morning person. I am so NOT a morning person. Nick woke us up this morning and while I'm desperately clinging to my pillow, she's already laughing, .5 seconds after he comes tearing into our room. But he has that effect on her. Anything he does, is hilarious in her opinion. He can just look at her from across the room and she bursts into a fit of giggles! Or vice versa. She can get him laughing in no time..they're each other's biggest fans and I'm enjoying every last second of it because I know in just a matter of years, I'll be the ref in many, MANY screaming matches between the two.
And I can tell you right now she is not going to be one to back down. Funny how a parent can tell their child's personality from the get-go. My daughter..will be anything but a delicate flower. I don't think I'll ever have to worry about her standing up for herself.

I was going to write about our weekend but it's already Wednesday and it's not like we did anything too interesting! Derek's mom came and took Zoey Saturday night, we wanted to do something different so we went to the boys' house (not different) and then kidnapped Bpaul and headed to the Riverwalk. We met Derek's (former) boss at Dirty's Tavern and hung out somewhere new, and with a different crowd. Leave it to me to be in a completely different town and find the only 2 other people I went to high school with. But we had a lot of fun minus that a girl should never go to order a drink by herself. My butt was grabbed by a guy with a mullet, I had two guys came up to me and dance on me like Night @ the Roxbury..and really how was I supposed to react? I just stopped, put my hand on my hip and said "Hi..heading for outside, THANKS!" and kept going while I was laughing. It was really funny but it literally came out of nowhere! Then some crazy girl threw her cell phone twice and almost hit me both times! I won't even get into the other weird thing that happened :)

That poor, poor pelican..

Nick is full of toddler-isms lately, and I'm going to keep calling him a toddler until he's off to school in August :)

He loves to play with Zoey and entertain her. He'll get books and read to her while I work out, or immediately after breakfast, they watch Sesame Street together. He can hardly stand it when she's napping because he wants her there, with him. He *loves* his sister, and I just laugh because I know it's only lasting as long as she's this little..or until yesterday afternoon.

She rolls, all the time. And she rolled into him and just stopped and smiled. Instead of his usual, gentle and doting self, he goes "MO-OM, sister's touching me..she won't stop!!!"

And we made a quick trip to my work, only Nick with me since I get exhausted carrying around a carseat with a 15 lb baby in it and chasing a 3 year old around where ever we might be. I left Zo with my parents and took Nick to get some clothes. He's being sweet as can be, not arguing with me over a single thing. We even dare to venture into Wal Mart where he informs me he needs a snack..so we grab some animal crackers and Sprite and hit the road. Once we're in the car, I ask if I can have a drink, he tells me no. I ask for a cracker, he tells me no, again. I ask him why not, he tells me "Just drive!"

Speaking of driving, I almost got in a wreck today because someone ran a red light. So please, if you feel you need to run a red light, please don't. That SUV you see coming through a green light might be carrying the world's most precious children in it and you do NOT want to mess with the mom in that SUV if you caused any potential harm to her amazing children. (I made a mental note of the car and so help her if  I ever see her again. This town isn't THAT big..) and I really need to get to church because I had never cussed so much in under 10 seconds.
And who the hell turns LEFT at a RED light?!

Zoey sat up by herself multiple times yesterday! I help her get in a sitting position, of course, but she sits there by herself, no support! She is getting bigger every day. We're on the baby food thing, which is good and bad.  She does great on it, but she has to be in the PERFECT mood. She does what we call "The Model Pose" where she rolls onto her left side, pulls up her right leg and places her hand on her thigh all way smiling her biggest smile..the next Giselle Bundchen? She might be..

I actually went to Wal Mart again today..which is so rare. I did some grocery shopping and came across this shampoo and conditioner..

..I have bad months, even years.

I've been neglecting my Vox because I've nothing positive to talk about. I do, but I don't feel like it because the bad keeps me from focusing on the good. And the bad is killing me! Well, that's a bit over-dramatic..it's really just making me horribly unhealthy. I've gained weight either due to working in a medical office where pharmaceutical reps bring us cookies and candy every single day and our nurse brings chips and queso and other horribly addicting snack foods. Chips and queso..C'MON. That's like crack for me. It's best not having it with in miles..I can not help it :( That, and I'm sitting at my corner desk, sifting through charts, marking MRI's, bone scans, EEG's..with a package of thin mints a co-worker left for me. It's monotonous, and almost a procedure..tab the right MRI, take a bit of my cookie, tab the current bone scan..have another bite. MY JOB IS MAKING ME FAT.
But I love my job..because I get there at 7:25 every single morning..and I get to enjoy at least 30 minutes of total peace and quiet (and my coffee) because the only people there are me and the LPN. And she's so busy catching up on paperwork, I never hear anything besides the shuffling of her papers.

So it's the fact that the office I work in has too many tempting snacks therefore causing me to gain weight, then there's making sure both kids have someone to watch them daily..which is a huge stress factor. Then there's the stress of driving on Tulsa's streets. The city's streets are in dire need of attention and people are literally complaining about repairs being made in downtown. Like, are you kidding me? You want to almost bust a tire in pothole after pothole instead of dealing with a couple of months of detours?! Having a commute of an average of 40 minutes per day on shitty roads is anything but pleasant. And then I have these personal issues going on..I can't seem to balance anything, Zoey is in her "fussy" phase when I get home, which bothers me because I miss her all day, only to get her when she's the crankiest. She can't help it, it's that transition from play time to bed time. Nick is great, as always, but his fits are making it hard in the mornings. And Derek..let's just leave this one alone for now..

Add all of this up..and you get me being sick for 1 week+ (sickness still going strong..but my voice is finally back), HAIR LOSS..like how gross is that? I'm not losing like a couple of strands here and there..it's continual shedding and it has me worried sick (sicker?), outbursts of sobbing..Thursday night I was coming home from grocery shopping and in our parking lot, two kids walked out from between two cars and I almost hit them. It was really dark and they just walked right out in front of me..I had to slam on my brakes and my groceries went everywhere. I am so shaken up so of course you know their mom (who let's them walk in dark parking lots with out her going first?) is screaming at me. I'm in too much shock that THIS ALMOST HAPPENED, I can't even respond. These kids were the same size as Nick. I get in my front door, the phone rings, Derek is in the bedroom with Zoey, I have groceries all over my backseat, and my parents are on the phone wanting to know why I'm taking so long to call them back. I just broke down..it was just too much right then. It's not that I've gone back to work, it's everything BUT my job.  And I just feel so unhealthy and not as happy as I should be.

My friend Kara is Zoey's new sitter and hi, she's the best sitter, ever. She wouldn't accept money from Derek, had ordered pizza & diet coke so I had something to eat when I got home and even told me she wishes I would leave a list of chores she can help me with..!! We did pay her, but I was still floored by the amazingness of it all! Her son is SO cute! He's 6 months old and Zoey just loves him. I walked in our door to see them laying in the floor, holding hands :) So cute..they even babble back and forth together!

I think we might be in Dallas next weekend. We're going to OKC to see Lany and Jason, they want to go to Ikea and the closest is in Dallas..it's not for sure, but I hope we do something..

My hair..I wish it would dry a little bit quicker so I can get it blow dried and get lotioned up and hop into my snuggly bed! Only to wake up at 5 AM..

Sorry I've been a bad Vox friend lately. I really did read everyone's entries just now and instead of taking time to comment each and every one of you..

• I wish I was a bridesmaid in Nikki's wedding..that Coach bag made me say "GIMME!"
• Barbs is the best doodler, ever
• Rob's ex SUCKS.
• I hope Cole gets better, Melissa!
• Cute pics of the pets, E!

I've been holed up all weekend since I had some kind of cold/sinus thing going on.  I noticed it around lunch time Friday, came home and immediately took Thera-flu..disgusting. I had dinner with my parents and felt alright while we were out, but my mom offered to give me her unopened bottle of Thera-Flu so I drove out to her house to pick it up. Zoey was beyond ready for bed by the time we finally came home and stayed. I took my medicine, settled in on the couch and made it about 15 minutes into an episode of 24. I woke up to Derek asking if I was alive..he had tried calling 4 times and I even had the phone right by my head! I slept like a rock that night, and it helped so much. I felt pretty crappy yesterday morning, but I felt tons better last night. Despite the pouring, freezing rain..Derek and I ran out to get pizza and to go to the store. He bought some Blue Moon but it tasted so gross :( I had 7Up with oranges (so good) and we watched even more 24.
So we watched even more 24 today..we got in about 10 episodes this weekend. Hi, we have no lives. We're that extremely lame couple cracking Jack Bauer jokes and thinking we're actually being funny..
We need real lives.

IHOP commercials make me so hungry..

I haven't worked out in a week. Must work out a few times this week. Maybe I will feel better?

I've looked at daycares for the kids, but I'll just catch hell if I put them in one (from my future MIL). So she can watch them and when it starts to stress her out because she works too, then I'll say "I told you so.." and do what I want.

Yay, time to dry my hair..off to get not even 6 hours of sleep!!

Zoey is on her playmat on our living room floor and has managed to turn completely around..not roll over, but her head is now where her feet used to be..Busy baby. And man, I miss her when I'm working!
I was getting ready to leave for work yesterday and Derek was  cuddled up with her on the couch and she was just smiling at him..like she smiles at me when I wake up with her. Ugh, I was so so so envious!

But I like my new job, so far. I work from 730-430 (or later) M-F. I work for a neurologist in Tulsa, and she's extremely nice! She bought us lunch yesterday in honor of me working for her now. I basically do typical medical office work..get charts prepared, schedule new patients when I get their referral, confirm appointments, check patients in and out, and various other things. It's pretty busy and time goes by pretty quickly. And for the area, traffic is a breeze..which shocked me considering the office is in a building with in a mile of the two busiest hospitals in Tulsa. But if I drive through the neighborhood behind the building I work in, it's a 2 minute drive to where Derek works! And I get to wear scrubs..love wearing scrubs to work.

I tried baklava yesterday and now I have a huge craving for it. Any dessert with honey and I AM THERE! It was so so good. We had Jason's Deli for lunch yesterday and another girl got strawberry shortcake and it was by far the best, ever. Now I want some of that, A major downfall to working in a medical office? The pharmaceutical reps bringing in candy, cookies and other junk food DAILY. That and I am like 3 blocks from Utica Square..my favorite place to shop! Saks, Coach, Pottery Barn, White House|Black Market, Bath and Body Works, Pier 1..all like one minute away and me with a long lunch break. I have to remind myself I need to save money for a WEDDING.

Speaking of wedding..there's freezing rain falling right now so I canceled going to view a reception site today. That and I'm sick and not getting any better. So hopefully next weekend. Nikki had linked a few dresses for me and I think I'm going to call the store to see if they have this one. I love it! I need to do more browsing though.

And now that I have all my bridesmaids, I need to start looking at styles for their dresses. I want to pick a few styles that go together so they can pick the ones they want and no one will be too different from the other. Cortney is going to be a bridesmaid, we've been talking a lot lately and it's nice to have my friend back :)

Too bad laundry doesn't fold itself...byeeee

Who or what do you really love?

That opportunity I was talking about? It came through! And the stress that came with it did too, but it's manageable and I have a good friend who's going to help me get it all figured out. I'm off to start my first day back in the working world, full time..I think this will be really, really good.

Have a happy Valentine's! Mine started Feb. 5th, and I got my final present last night..a diamond "Circle of Love" necklace :) I like-a the diamonds! Derek gets his present tonight..but that stays between us..

Anyone want to become our new upstairs neighbors? Because, in about .5 seconds, I am going to alert the management office that since they can't really "do anything" about the ridiculous crack heads upstairs, I will do something myself and it will likely cost me 25 to life. Our neighbors are SO DAMN LOUD. I don't even know what it is they do up there, and I know it's normal to hear some noise but what are they constantly throwing on the floor that has a METAL sound to it? Or that continuous banging around that lasts 30 minutes to an hour 5-6 times a day? Are they killing people? Are they obese? I've only seen the woman, and I believe there are two other men up there. One time they were hammering on their floor for over an hour..our fan almost came tumbling down! They must be on crack..this goes on 24 hours a day.

I might have a pretty amazing opportunity coming up in the next couple of days..so please cross your fingers! The crappy thing is this opportunity is stressing me when it has such a great possibility to be a big help! But it's the fault of someone who needs to be put in her place. And if I have to do it, I'll be the "bad guy" once again. And after that whole "let's not be an asshole in 2008" resolution, I'm being as patient as I can. But I can make this work. I just have to wait and see what the verdict is then bust my ass to get where I need to be!

The wedding planning has slowed due to the fact that we don't know where we're getting hitched! We have over a year until the date, but you have to book things SO far in advance! The chapel we wanted allows no outside decorations, food, drinks..anything. To hell with that. I know these boys will be beside themselves if we don't have beer and I'm not having "appetizers" for food. I know who's catering my wedding, I know who's making my cake..and I know exactly the kind of atmosphere I want. So my grandpa has joined forces with me to help me find the ideal place. He said he'd pay for the entire thing if I got married on a golf course..I am not getting married on the 9th green, thank ya very much. But we are looking into having the reception at a local clubhouse and the groomsmen have vowed to love me forever if we do..It would be a gorgeous place, especially at sunset. But that leaves us with trying to find a place to GET MARRIED.
My grandpa has been doing some research and found a place called The Belvidere Mansion in a city just 10 minutes north of us. When he first gave me the link, I thought he wanted me to get married at the Will Rogers Memorial..I was like "Oh you have got to be kidding me.." but the mansion is nice! I'm not impressed with the outside, but the ballroom? GORGEOUS. And the south veranda would make for a nice outdoor ceremony!
He also came across Jarrett Farms but they are closing next month :(

I've got all my bridesmaids lined up :) I finally asked Cortney and Talbott on Saturday. Saturday night Talbott, her Derek, Jamee, Phillip, Lany, Jason, Helen, Brandon, and Ethan all came by to see us and say congratulations. Zoey got to stay up and visit for a bit, and she even slept through everyone! We had some pomegranate wine and Jason bought us Boulevard Wheat..hung out, talked about plans, and ideas. The boys locked themselves in the bathroom plotting the bachelor party so Lany declared she was dragging the girls to Dallas for mine :) I'm not gonna argue with her! It was fun to hang out with everyone and not feel like I was locked up inside on the weekends.
I took my ring in to get a new band put on, I should get it back the 25th..I feel naked with out it!

Off to do some wedding planning and researching. Look for a new wedding blog update in the next couple of days!

I need a break from something, and I don't know what it is. I get bored with routine, so maybe it's the routine we've settled in. Every week, same thing.

• Sunday - Wake up, watch crappy television while drinking coffee, we try to decide on what we want to do. Derek wants to golf, but decides it is too cold or windy. We go visit his parents, I get mad because we don't visit mine, we come home, Nick comes home, we have dinner, give the kids their baths and it's bed time.
• Monday - Nick wakes me up about 7 AM, Derek has work from 8 - 4, then school from 7-10. I take the kids to my parents to visit. We play inside or outside, depending on the weather. Come home around 4. Derek does homework, leaves for school. I make dinner, hang out with the kids, then bed time.
• Tuesday - Wake up with Nick, leave Zoey in our room with Derek. Help Nick with his morning bathroom routine, get him breakfast, get Zoey changed, bottle made..feed her. Kids play while I clean. Derek goes to school from 1-4. Make lunch, put Zoey down for nap. Let Nick watch Thomas and Curious George. Dinner, baths, bed.
• Wednesday - Derek leaves the house at 5 in the morning..works from 5:30 AM until 4 PM. Nick's morning routine, make breakfast, feed Zoey, let the kids play, have lunch with my mom, Nick goes to her house.  Derek comes home, we have dinner, go to pick up Nick, bed time.
• Thursday - Exactly like Tuesday but Derek has school from 1-7 and Nick sometimes goes to his dad's.
• Friday - Sleep in more than the previous days, feed Zoey, let her play on the floor, clean up, do laundry (which is a continuous effort all week), hang out with Derek when he stumbles out of bed, he goes to work either a mid or from 3-11. Maybe visit my parents, maybe stay in bum around. Spend extra time with Zoey, then bed time.
• Saturday - Same routine as Friday. Sometimes Zoey goes to a grandma's, sometimes she stays the night. I usually do more cleaning, organizing, sorting. Friends come over, Derek works a mid, gets home at 9.