The best laid plans...

Got some "bad" news yesterday that Matt may be in Tifton even longer than the already even longer than we ever anticipated. I use the word "bad" loosely, because I am able to easily put it into perspective. It could be way worse, but just because it could be worse doesn't mean it's also not disappointing to know that, once again, things aren't going to pan out like we'd hoped. There's a chance he could be home, at least more than he is now, in September, but I've definitely learned to expect the worst and pray for the best!

Since I heard this news yesterday, I've been trying to focus on all of the amazing blessings we have in our lives, and there are plenty. I know so many people around me suffering losses, disease (cancer SUCKS!!!!!!), etc, that it's very easy to put it into perspective. We have our health, two careers, financial stability, amazing family and friends, a home, food to eat and most importantly, each other. So, we might have to put our kitchen renovation and a few other plans on hold... how amazing is it that we can AFFORD a kitchen renovation when there's absolutely nothing wrong (except ugly) with our kitchen as is?

See, the power of positive thinking... I feel better already.

Thoughts for a Thursday...

• My baby high has worn off, and although I still want one sooooome day (maybe sooner than later... or maybe not... guess you'll just have to wait and see), at the moment I'm feeling a little like how the heck could I do that when I can barely manage my own life! ;)
• Life is busybusybusy, as usual. I suppose I wouldn't have it any other way.
• I was in Florida Monday through Wednesday morning for work and got to squeeze in a night with my Gram. I honestly have the COOLEST grandma in the world. Seriously. It's no contest, so no one else should bother entering their grandmothers in the World's Coolest Grandma Competition (except Amy and Alyse since she's their Gram too). :) I can talk to that woman about ANYTHING. She is amazing.
• We're going to my 10 Year High School Reunion this weekend. In one sense, it feels like that was forever ago... in another, it feels like yesterday. With the advent of social media, I feel like HS reunions are going to be much smaller, but I'm looking forward to catching up with some of these people in person, and not just via facebook!
• We're well into the master bedroom makeover, thanks to Capella! I can't wait to get it done and show you guys what she put together... I think it's going to be amazing! Nothing has really been done yet (as far as actually putting it together). We're just gathering all the pieces and getting ready to paint, but it should be done (with the exception of the dresser) by the end of the month.
• We got a great, solid wood writing desk on Craig's List for $75 and Matt sanded it down and stained it last weekend. He's so handy. It needs a couple coats of poly (but he bought gloss and I don't want it that shiny, so he needs to exchange that), new knobs and a minor drawer repair, and it's going to look like a million bucks!
• I am officially a pullup machine. Like, I can just get up on the bar and do them with no assistance. I did 15 last night during our warm up (not all at once) but was able to string four together without stopping. When I say pullups, they are pullups but they are kipping pullups, not strict pullups, so while you're expending the same amount of energy to get your chin up over the bar, you're using your momentum from the kip motion to help you. In the words of Ali G, "Booyahkasha!"
• I don't look like I'm a pullup machine. I've definitely gained strength and maybe slimmed down a bit from Cross Fit, but with my schedule being as it is, getting injured, life in general, I have not been able to attend as many classes as I'd like (only 2 in the last 2.5 weeks), and I'm definitely not eating as healthy as I could be. I am not eating unhealthy, but I'm also no longer trying to eat Paleo M-F like I was before, and I have my moments (like having a sandwich and Lays potato chips for dinner a week or two ago... VERY unlike me). It's the 80/20 rule - 80% of fitness is your diet. And, I like food. A lot of that food is healthy, but not all of it... like chips (and salsa and guac... both of which are Paleo... chips, not so much). The good news is I don't have any work travel scheduled as of now, and although I'd love to be skinnier, if I can enjoy my life and look like I do now, I am okay with that. :)
• My little sister is 21. I still cannot believe she is 100% legal. Crazy!
• That's it for now... I hope everyone has a great weekend! I'm hoping to hit the beach on Saturday before the reunion bash and, and I can't wait!

Baby Fever

My co-worker, Bryan, and his wife, Katherine, (aka: our friends) had their little baby boy, John Thomas, on Tuesday. I went to see them in the hospital during lunch today, and I'm in love. He is soooooooo tiny and sweet. He was 3 weeks early, 5 lbs 11.9 oz and 20" at birth and is now 5.5 lbs, but he's healthy! And, I want one. In fact, he's so dang cute, that they can just make me a baby. ;) I'm experiencing a baby high right now. It's like my crack. I got my fix, but I don't know how long it's going to last. Thankfully, I've got three more (local) girlfriends due in July and August, plus three good friends (not local) due between October and December, and another "niece/nephew" (technically, Matt's first cousin) due in early December! Hopefully, that will tide me over until we jump on the baby-making bandwagon. Until then, we'll just practice a lot. ;)

I don't get it.

Can someone please explain Justin Beiber to me? I don't understand why he's so famous. He's like 11, sings like a girl/clearly hasn't gone through puberty, but teen/tween girls love him? I completely get pop culture crushes... I had huge ones on NKOTB, Devon Sawa, Leo DiCaprio, etc. but they were at least older and more mature than me. I get a 7 or 8 year old crushing on Justin Beiber, but not these older girls. So, what am I missing?

Just call me Grace

Matt and I went mountain biking on Saturday morning. It was my first time mountain biking, unless you count the random trails and jumps we used to build to ride our Huffy White Heats over when I was... oh... 9.


This picture pretty much sums up how I felt. It was fun, tiring and I felt a little out of control at times. I enjoyed going up hill, but going down hill was a bit scary. It was fine so long as I was on a smooth trail, but the second trail we did was very well ridden, which leads to a lot of large roots and rocks jutting up from the ground. I hit my pedal on those roots and rocks... a lot. That was annoying, because it often knocked me off balance. Well, it became very annoying when I did so for the last time. I sort of fell (not full on fall, just kind of slid off the bike to the left and caught myself), and my pedal must have spun backwards just as my right foot slipped off and BAM! It didn't hurt, so imagine my surprise when I looked down and saw a lovely, gaping wound. I'll spare you the details, but below is what it looked like after it was stitched up. I went to an Urgent Care Center first, but they sent me to the ER because it was too bad for them to handle. Lucky for me, I was fast tracked in the ER, my doctor went to UF, there was a TV in the room so I watched gymnastics, and I was in and out in an hour and a half. AMAZING! I sent Matt home to shower and eat, and then he was going to come back and sit with me (no point in both of us being sweaty, smelly and muddy) but I got seen so quickly, he got out of a hospital visit. Lucky him and lucky me. Seventeen stitches, a tetanus shot and an antibiotic later, it looked like this... that'll leave a mark!

What happens in Vegas...

...ends up on my blog! :)

I had a fantastic time in Vegas with old and new friends, alike. It's hard to explain to people that I meet other pageant fans in the interwebs, and we become friends and hang out. I guess it's kind of like all of the people that have found friendship over blogs. Only, these friendships are made over pageant messageboards and then facebook. I'd met many of the people I hung out with in Vegas, and others I felt like I'd met even when I hadn't. I got really into following the national pageants when one of my best friends, Melissa Witek, was Miss Florida USA 2005. I found national messageboards when she was competing, and at first I never posted, but once someone made one too many false comments about her (she was a favorite to win and finished 4th runner up), I posted and signed my name and left my e-mail address so that those people could contact me with any questions. From then forward, I kept following the big pageants and kept posting as "Kristin" until I learned how to make a heart in html and became "Kristin ♥". Now I actually moderate a pageant messageboard along with some other very rad folks, two of whom were my roomies in Vegas!

Because we're all big pageant fans (and especially some of the people that go to Miss America and Miss USA every year), we know a lot of the insiders. The last time I was at Miss USA, I met the reigning Misses Universe, Teen USA, and Puerto Rico, as well as Paula Shugart, the President of the Miss Universe Organization. This time I met Shanna Moakler (former Miss USA/Travis Barker's ex-wife/reality tv star/Playboy Bunny... quite a resume), Kim Pressler (former Miss USA), Crystle Stewart (Miss USA 2008 - saw her crowned live), Miss Universe 2009 Stefania Fernandez, Miss Teen USA 2009 Stormi Henley, a bunch of current and former state titleholders and directors, Natalie Morales from the Today Show, and... I think that's it. It's funny, because on a normal street, no one would know who these people are. But, put a bunch of pageant fans in a room, and it's a completely different story!

Other than pageant stuff, I hung out at the pool, did a little gambling (ended up even), and went out. One of my good high school friends was randomly in town, so he and his buddies met us (pageant folks) out at Blush in the Wynn. It was hilarious because it was a bunch of girls and gay men, so everyone was interested in them! haha

The pageant itself was great, but I was pretty sad that my girl, Miss Oklahoma USA Morgan Woolard, didn't take home the crown. First runner up is certainly nothing to sneeze at though! She was absolutely amazing and has an incredibly bright future ahead of her.

And, now for just a few of the many pictures I took... I got several pictures with Miss USA 2008 because I was at her table at Blush, but let's just say she was having a bit of a wardrobe malfunction, so I won't be posting them. :)

Miss Teen USA - Stormi Henley

Miss Universe - Stefania Fernandez

Craig, Jorge & their favorite Florida girls (Allison on the L was Miss FL America and Melissa on the right was Miss FL USA and I'm just their friend) :)

TNBoy and me (that's his name on the MBs)

The ladies of Pageant Central! I was honestly surrounded by girls that were 5'10" and up all weekend. I'm a measely 5'3" on a good day! L-R: Elin, Siobhan (MissMerlin), me, and Meredith (RockyGirl)

Elin, me and Angela at True Beauty Rocks

John! Purple and green 4-eva! We were good buddies in HS. Look for him on the PGA tour soon.

Sio!

The boys... loved by all! haha

Miss USA opening number in dress rehearsal

Natalie Morales and Curtis Stone (the hosts) in dress rehearsal

I give it a 10! Morgan in dress rehearsal.

Roomies! Elin came all the way from Sweden for the pageant! That's dedication!

John, Elin, Travis and me post pageant

My lovely FL ladies - Melissa and Allison

Natalie Morales! She was SO nice. Talked with her for a long time at the after party.

GORGEOUS Morgan Woolard, Miss OK USA and 1st RU to Miss USA 2010!

me, Elin and Morgan

Cheering when Morgan made it into the top 5! Still can't believe I was on TV... I'm a nerd.

The new Miss USA, Rima Fakih, and the reigning Miss Universe and Miss Teen USA

Three seconds of fame...

I've been MIA because last week was crazy busy and I was in Vegas Friday through Monday for the Miss USA pageant. And, I have proof.



It's a bit blurry and I don't know why it's cutting off part of the video, but that's me around second 34 in the coral dress looking like a geek! Love me some Morgan Woolard, Miss Oklahoma USA 2010 and 1st RU to Miss USA! She's a doll. Will post more later about my celebrity (and pageant celebrity) encounters. It was a great weekend!

Really?

Please read this review from Target.com and let me know if something just jumps out to you as being off...

Women's Mossimo (R) Petrova Gladiator Sandals - Cognac
I bought these in black back in the spring and they are my favorite shoes. The heel is very high (5+ inches in size 11) but I can walk in them pretty well and I have been waiting to see them in other colors. I'm a guy but I get tons of compliments whenever I wear them out and about. People are shocked that they weren't from a high end department store. Thanks Target for bringing these to us in another color!!

Tee hee hee. I am so immature.

My husband, the comedian

On our Derby trip, we kept a list of funny quotes that were said. Now, I don't know where said list is, but most of them came from Matt and I do remember a few.

We also decided to keep track of the license plates we saw. We got really excited when we'd see a sort of obscure (at least for the southeast) plate like New Mexico or Utah. In fact, I think we spotted around 35 states plus two Canadian provinces. One of the cars we saw had an Ontario tag and a Gator tag surround. They were my favorite, and we let them know by giving them a hearty Gator chomp as we drove by, much to Matt Marden's dismay.

As we were license plate spotting, Jenn and I tried to name all the great lakes. We were in the back seat and apparently the boys did not hear us (we did succesfully name all five when we put our heads together). So, we asked the boys, and they got two or three.
Matt O: "Man, I'd really suck at Cash Cab if I was by myself."
I thought that was hilarious. Not, "Man, I really suck at trivia..." or, "Man, I have a bad memory..." no, instead a Cash Cab reference.

Fast forward to that night. We're back at the hotel. There's a Waffle House up the street. The Matts decide they are going to pay homage.
Me: "You're not really going to the Waffle House now, are you?"
Matt O: "We have to. It's our destiny."
Um, what!? Jenn and I died.

Fast forward to the next day. Jenn and I are standing in the drizzling rain, waiting for a port-o-let (we thought it would be quicker than waiting in the real bathroom line... probably a mistake). I didn't feel like putting my poncho on, so I had it over my head and was sort of holding it around me like a nun's habit. Drunk woman comes out of the bathroom, and starts talking to us. Then out of the blue, this...
Drunk Woman: "By the way, you look like KKK with that thing on like that."
Uhhhh, okay? You'd just have had to be there... Jenn and I both looked at each other and said, "Save that!"

Can't remember if this was on the way there or back, but as we were passing through Nashville, I was trying to explain to them where Vandy's campus is and what the area is like. I was explaining that it's sort of a main street (as in main street for a small town not a major street) like in Gainesville or Athens, but much bigger and with more national chain stores.
Matt M: "You can't really compare Gainesville (U of Florida) and Athens (U of Georgia)." (For the record, he's a huge UGA fan.)
Me: "You're right. One of them has a lot more championships." Booyah!

May the horse be with you.

OH.EM.GEE y'all. Even with all of the rain, the Kentucky Derby was an absolute BLAST. I can only imagine how much fun it would be with beautiful weather. It's just such a spectacle, and I really love watching horse racing (and the betting). It's so fun to cheer on your horse(s). Thankfully, there were no injuries or anything, because that I can't take.

It was GORGEOUS when we got there on Friday, and we were so wishing the weather would stay that way. Unfortunately, that was not in the cards but the rain stopped at opportune times, like when we were arriving at the track and for the actual Derby race. The sun did not even come close to coming out all day except right when they started bringing the Derby horses out of the paddock. Apparently, God loves the Kentucky Derby. ;)

We bet on races 7-11 and won twice, putting us up a whopping $33! I don't know what made me like Super Saver before the race, but I decided on Thursday that he was one of my horses and bet him across the board. We had several other Derby bets, one of them being a trifecta box with horses 4, 10 and 11. Well, the top three were 4, 2 and 10 so we were SO CLOSE to a $2200 win on our $2 trifecta box. Betting is a lot easier in hindsight. ;) Without further adieu, let's get to the real fun... pictures!

Calvin Borel on #4 Super Saver on the left of the picture.

#4 to the lead for the win!

On the way home, we had to go through (and around because roads were closed) Nashville, and here is some of the flooding we saw...

My thoughts and prayers are with all those affected. It's unbelievable what water can do.