What the Smack is a Doppleganger?

Okay, so if you're a facebooker, and I don't know many people that aren't, besides my mister who is/has been vehemently opposed to the whole IDEA of facebook BUT I think is starting to fold, you know that some people have been posting this whole "doppleganger" thing (which, what the hay, where did that word come from, can we NOT just say "celebrity look alike"?  Doppleganger sounds like a show about little adorable kids made back in the 40s or 50s or whenever TV was invented ...) where you have to post a pic for your profile picture of someone famous that people have told you you look like.  And that, was officially the longest run-on sentence ever.  Anyways, moving right along.  SO, as a result of this idea on facebook, I have decided that I would do it on none other than, my blog.  The following are pictures of celebs I've been told I look like.  And secretly wish they were right. 

(Um, I wish.  I for real have a girl crush on her ... along w/ a few others)

(Maybe if I lost 60 lbs ... and never ate again ...)

And last, even though this was in my "I only eat protein and sugar free mints" phase of my life, so keep that in mind ...

Who do people say you look like?  I don't know about you, but ANY time someone tells me I look like a celebrity (well, not any time, if someone told me I looked like Rosie O' Donnell I'm pretty sure I'd punch them.  Right in the kisser.  Maybe a few times.) it makes my day. 

In other news, me and my mister are going to a "banquet" tonight.  Now correct me if I'm wrong but when you hear the word "banquet" you think fancy schmancy, do you not?  Well, upon asking my mister what the "attire" is for this evening he tells me business.  I'm sorry, BUSINESS?  What the business is BUSINESS!?!!  Banquet, to me, says dressy.  Plus, the men are all wearing suits.  I don't know about you ladies, but I HATE to be the one that's the over/under dressed one.  Nothing makes me more uncomfortable.  One thing I know is I'm not going to this thing in something I'd wear to an interview.  So friends, this has been a dilema.  I've consulted the ever fabulous Miss Kriss (who's blog I was a guest blogger on today, OH so very honored, go check her out!) back and forth between emails and between her, my mom and the pictures I found of the event last year online (score!) I think I've come up with an outfit for the evening.  A tunic/dress type top, opaque black tights and some crocodile black HIGH pumps ... with the right accessories of course, but I never know what those are going to be until the last minute.  I know, I know, this doesn't sound very banquet-y at all, but BELIEVE me when I say, if you saw pics of last year you'd completely agree.  The women were wearing black pants and cotton tops ... and the men in suits?  I am so confused I can't handle it.  I'm sorry, did you mean baquet or hoedown?  Rude, Kate, rude.  Anywho, I will post pics on Monday (if my mister will allow me to take them) as well as pics I hope to take on Saturday night we have couple date night with the Milams.  Mrs. Milam is just as camera-happy as I am so I think we can make. it. happen.  I hope you all have fantastic, SAFE (apparently the weather is stinky everywhere) weekends lovelies!!!

PS - I have the coolest job ever, that allows you to bring your dog from time to time (that somehow I always end up stealing from their owners).  Look what little visitor is currently sleeping in my office ...

He's my co-worker's sweet little boy Plott Hound.  They hunt hogs when they grow up.  Let's not talk about how much this worries/upsets me ... I'm just going to focus on kissing and hugging on the little guy all day.  The little guy's name is Vader, by the way.  Yes, as in Darth.  I'm watching him while he's at lunch (which I told him he could stay at lunch all day if he'd like) and don't worry, I definately gave the little guy my little Victoria's Secret Pink dog that I got the last time I bought a pair of sweats.  He needed a lovie to snuggle with.  I'm pretty sure he didn't mind ...

Insurpassable Joy During Undoubtable Pain ...

Disclaimer:  Serious post here.  Well at least most of it anyway.  I can't promise that there won't be a LITTLE sarcasm strewn throughout.  That's just silly.  I've been thinking a lot this week about the hurt and pain going on in the world with the horrors that we've all seen through images on the news regarding Haiti.  No one prepares you when you come out of college and the "life is all about me" mode for the fact that life and circumstances just sometimes, well flat out suck.  I don't know about you, but sometimes it makes me wonder why our loving holy omnipotent Father would allow terrible things like this to happen.  And a lot of the time, happen to really good people.  Sweet innocent babies never making it past their mother's womb, massive earthquakes hitting an already impoverished and needy country, pastors doing work for the Lord being struck by heart attacks or cancer.  But the Lord doesn't MAKE or cause these things happen.  He is waiting with open arms when they do.  They are a reflection of sin in a broken and bruised world.  A sin that the Lord has so much hatred for that He sent His one and only Son to rid us of it.  To wash us clean and white.  So that, in the midst of that sin and calamity striking our lives we have someone to run to.  To cling to.  To rest in.  Natalie Grant sings an amazing song called "Held".  Really, all her songs are amazing.  If you have the chance, listen to Held as well as "The Real Me".  She really sings straight to women's hearts.  The song speaks of heart breaking occurances that make you ask the question of "why" like I spoke of above.  The chorus is as follows:

This is what it means to be held

How it feels, when the sacred is torn from your life

And you survive

This is what it is to be loved and to know

That the promise was when everything fell

We'd be held

 

And that's what I cling to.  Anytime the world is hurting.  Anytime I, in my personal life am hurting.  Or anytime I have a loved one that is faced with a situation that is just too devastating to bear.  We weren't promised perfection.  Or even tomorrow.  But we were promised that we'd be held.  By our Maker.  By our Father.  Who knows every emotion that comes from these pains.  He lived a human life and hung on a cross, so that He could bear ALL our sin, that we would never have to.

 

At the SAME time I've been thinking about ...

 

 

 

(in case you didn't catch that ...) JOY (I know, complete opposite ends of the spectrum, huh?)  With this promise.  The promise of a better place after we leave this life.  The promise of being bought by the blood of our Lord.  The promise of being held in unspeakable circumstances.  Comes JOY.  Unspeakable joy.  And I'm not just talking about a "giddy, non-chalant, everything's perfect, Prozac kind-of-a joy"  I'm talking one that abounds even in the midst of the life-shakers that I spoke of above.  Psalm 40:16 says "Let all who seek you rejoice and be glad in You; let those who love Your salvation say continually, the Lord be magnified!"  I am guilty of letting other people's circumstances and misfortunes, saddening things going on in the world, and even things as stupid as frustrations at work, ROB me of my joy!  WHAT?!?  Why on EARTH would I allow such small things, like ahem, TRAFFIC ... or, ahem, rude people (can I get an amen here?), steal my joy away!  When His Word tells us "You turned my wailing into dancing; you removed my sackcloth (I'm going to translate this into today's lingo, flippin' ugly clothes and/or trash bag) and clothed me with joy" Psalm 30:11.  CLOTHED me with joy?  How awesome is that?  That trumps even a designer outfit from head to toe!  And yet I let daily irritants get in the way of this promise.  And that is why, on my work screensaver (that comes on far too often and I CAN'T MAKE IT STOP) I have changed the scrolled words to read "Choose Joy".  And I am making that my choice.  Every day.  So that hopefully, someone will see the joy in me and it will cause it to well up in others.  Hopefully that is what this has done today for you.  And speaking of joy, these are a few little things that remind me of my joy.  Have a JOYOUS day loves!!!

 

 

(OLD picture from an OLD camera phone ...)

 

The Much Anticipated LR Pics ...

So is it sad that I officially jacked these pictures off facebook?  My MOH IS a little busy you know, having a 7 1/2 month old and all.  Well, even if it is sad, I did it.  And I admitted it.  So that makes it all okay, right?  Now.  Let's talk about my trip to Little Rock with my MOH.  Let me just start out by saying that until this past year, I have PASSIONATELY hated Arkansas.  Not because I have anything wrong with the Razorbacks or the sterotypical backwoods character that is portrayed as Arkansas's main inhabitant.  Mainly the reason is two fold.  First, my best friend, since I was in 8th grade, got married and moved there a few weeks after she got back from her honeymoon.  Strike one for Arkansas taking away people I loved.  Second, two days after my mister and I got back from our honeymoon he had to take off for Arkansas for 5 weeks (home on weekends, don't cry for me Argentina) and from then on, every year, has to make a 2 month or so appearance (M-F, again I'm okay, I can handle it) and it always falls right SMACK in the middle of his birfday, our anniversary and then my birfday.  Strike two.  I'm not waiting for strike three, taking away two people is E-NOUGH, thank you very much Arkansas.  SO after my MOH moved back to Texas my mister took me on a little day trip to Arkansas after we were in Oklahoma for a friend's wedding in October.  Remember?  I talked about it here.  And let me tell you.  IT. WAS. BEAUTIFUL.  The leaves were showing off all their glory for fall, the colors were magical.  And then, I started to hate Arkansas a little less.  This past weekend pretty much helped me love it.  We stayed with Andrea's super sweet and incredibly hospitable friend Lindsey.  First off, I have to back track.  My sweet mister hooked Andrea and I up with plane tickets so we didn't have to drive 4 hours to get to Arkansas.  Which I'm sure would've been fun, but definately saved us a ton in gas and time as well.  Last week my mister just happened to be IN Arkansas for work and was coming home on the day we were flying out.  As soon as we landed and I turn on my phone, it rings and it's my mister.  He says "Did you guys just land?" and I'm thinking ... "Yes, and holy heck when did my husband become the plane whisperer?"  He then says "I'm looking at your plane.  I'm sitting on the runway about to take off for Dallas." to which I then get overly excited (much like a small toy-type dog) and frantically look out my window for his plane.  We chat back and forth about our locations on the plane and finally end up waving at each other back and forth through our plane windows.  Not that I could see his face mind you, but I could see his hand waving wildly back and forth.  It was pretty cool.  Oh technology.  I tell you.  It was neato torpedo.  So anyways, back to Friday night.  Friday night was wine and jammies night.  Wine and jammies and LOTS of yummy food night, to be exact.

(I don't know why this one's so fuzzy ...)

(Um, PS - this chickita had the cutest house I've ever seen.  Like I wanted to take pictures of it.  But didn't want her to be like "Um, Andrea, why is your crazy best friend taking pictures of my house?"  So I refrained.)

Then, on Saturday, my MOH and I went shopping.  And let me tell you, backwoods hillbilly people don't shop in stores like these.  No sir 'ree.  Boutique after boutique of adorable things.  I will just say it would be trouble if I lived there.  I got this ADORABLE little "K" tear drop necklace that I LOVE.  For $15!  At least they have hillbilly prices.  I'll take that any day.

This was the day I got my jumper.  I just can't say that word without picturing a diaper bulge and the smell of baby powder.  Anyways ... moving right along.  That night we went to the fantastic restaurant that was the maker of the Bang Bang Shrimp and Winter White Cosmo that I posted yesterday.  If you are ever in Little Rock, you must visit Bonefish.  AH-MAZING.  Here's a few pictures of all the girls at dinner (well, one's right before with sweet little Jackers WHOSE birfday is the same day as my MOH's, happy late birfday little Jackers!) ...

(Well hello black bra, aren't you nice to join us ...you too winter whites.)

(I took this pic.  Look at them photography skillz ...)

Not sure why I have chubby-cheek syndrome in all these pics.  Maybe cause I did some hard-core eating/snacking/munching/possibly storing food for the winter, all weekend ... I don't know, just a hunch ...

(And this is the "after party" at sweet Amanda's house.  There was a little dancin', a little stompin' on people's feet on accident, don't ask, and other such shenanagins goin' on.  It was a fun night with some FUN new friends.  Nice job ladies, you've successfully accomplished ridding me of my hatred for LR)

It was SUCH a fun weekend to celebrate my MOH, have fun with the girls and act silly.  I will tell you one thing.  I sure did miss that little mister of mine.  He's my favorite.

Happy "Middle-of-the-Week" Day my sweet friends!  Make it a good one!!!

Sneak Peek of iPhone Pics From LR ...

Since my MOH, STILL hasn't gotten me the pictures.  Ahem.  Kidding MOH, you  know it.  Like it's her fault I forgot my camera.  RIGHT.  SO here's a few of the pics I took at dinner on my iPhone ... they are terrible quality so please forgive.  At least ONE is one my MOH emailed me that her friend emailed her.  And OH is it cute ...

See?  Did I not tell you?  Look at that cake too.  It's lime green polka dots.  Lime green is to my MOH what teal is to me.  Super DE duper cute.  And tasty too.  Not that I tried it.  I don't eat unhealthy things like cake.  Is my nose growing?

Now, for the not as cute pics ... but still, pics.  And who doesn't like pics? 

And please, if you all think about it, say a prayer for this little boy ...

 (I tried to get a picture, but I think he thought I was trying to give him medicine or something, he HAD the ball that's next to him in his mouth ... at the same time as the toy that's currently in his mouth ... it was too cute, AND he skinned his nose ... doing what I have no idea ...)

Because he's got a cold.  Or something.  I'm not quite sure.  He is sneezing like he does whenever he gets over excited ... or mommy sprays Febreeze a little too close to him and it gets in his nose ... or mommy sprays perfume a little too close to him and it gets in his nose ... or mommy sprays (well you get the idea) and has a little honking/wheezing cough thing ... I think he's better, but of course, me and my psychotic over protection of my boy, I'm worried.  So if you would, pray for Koda bear and his sniffles, his mommy would GREATLY appreciate it.

 Oh and SHOUT OUT to my new followers.  I love returning from a weekend and seeing that I have some new friends in blog world.  I am in the process of hopping over and checking out all of your cute happenings!  Happy Tuesday ladies!!!

MIA Blogger (does it count as MIA if it's been less than 24 hours?) ...

Seriously.  It's been almost a full day.  And I am having minor twitches and random tics because I. haven't. blogged. today.  And want to know why?  Because the QUEEN of picture taking (Almost ... Okay, I'm being nice here, more like TO the point of being annoying.  Like my husband moans and groans as soon as he sees the camera coming out of the purse.  But when we're 82 and have ALL our memories we'll see who's moaning and groaning then!  Well we probably both will but that will be due to actual bodily aches and pains, not the literal pain in the rear that apparently is my bringing my camera E.V.E.R.Y.W.H.E.R.E.) FORGOT MY CAMERA (gasp) this past weekend.  We went out of town, for my MOH's bday, and I just flat forgot it.  And my phone charger.  Those are usually the FIRST things I pack!  Apparently I misplaced my brain last Thursday night whilst I was packing.  Hindsight is so 20/20.  Shoot I'm thinking it's more 20/15 with as frustrated as I was once I realized I left it.  SO my MOH took plenty of pictures, however, she is not as blog/facebook/computer-happy as I am and does not (gasp gasp) go STRAIGHT home and load all her pictures from the previous day STRAIGHT onto her computer.  So I have nothing to go with my "Celebrating My MOH's Bday in Little Rock With the Funnest Group of Girls EVER" post, thus I am going to have to wait.  So let's all throw a LITTLE shout out on here to my MOH to COME ON with your bad self and put your pictures on your computer.  Please MOH?  PUHLEASE?  You know I'm kidding ... sort of ... and I love you!

But I DO have one of my closest and dearest friends who's birfday was today (seriously this is the month o' birfdays)  Gin was my roommate for ONE year at Baylor, we shared the tiniest shoe-box of a room and had SO.MUCH.FUN every stinkin' night.  I'm convinced my abs were in better shape my sophmore year because of the amount of laughing me and that girl did.  And then she went off and became a nurse and left me for nursing school to learn how to deliver babies (Sheesh.  Jerk.)  But we are still the closest of friends.  HAPPY BIRFDAY GIN, I sure do LOVE YOU!!!


This was at Gin's bachelorette partay.  People used to think we were related in college.  I'll take that compliment any day!

Now back to the fact that I suck and forgot my camera, I will post a FEW pictures of what we did on Sunday night after we got back (and I got my hands back on my camera), since this is, like I said, the MONTH O' Birfdays.  We went to my Mamo's house to celebrate my daddy's bday!  He turned 57 (sorry daddy) and my uncle gave him the funniest present which, I hate to admit, took me about 5 minutes to get ... he taped a Lowe's gift card on a Heinz 57 bottle.  Get it?  He turned 57?  Well, I thought it was clever anyway.  We watched the game and had a YUMMERS dinner that ended with Sprinkles Cupcakes.  Anything is good whence ended with Sprinkles Cupcakes.  Here is a picture of the birfday boy, not looking at the camera for some reason ... not quite sure why ... I was the only camera taking pictures ... maybe he was trying to look "aloof" ... or "a goof" whatev ...

And me and my Silly.  The other boys were not so keen (hence the moans and groans when the camera comes out comment above) on taking pictures and the one we got of the whole fam was just HIDEOUS of muah so I will spare you the horror)

And yes, that's a jumper.  I got it in LR.  I will explain in my next post.  And no I'm not 2 years old.  I actually LOVE it, but was a LITTLE aprehensive about wearing anything that one, zips in the back, two, I feel like should have snaps in the crotch like a onezie and three, ... well makes it a little akward AND/OR time consuming to go to the ladies room ... definately not a "hold it til you mean it" kind of a outfit. 

Alright my sweet friends, that's all I've got until MY MOH SENDS ME THE PICS.  Kidding MOH.  Loves you.  But for now I must go because ...

There's a sad sort of clanging

From the clock in the hall

And the bells in the steeple, too

And up in the nursery

An absurd little bird

Is popping out to say coo-coo

(Coo-coo, coo-coo)

So long, farewell

Auf Wiedersehen, goodnight

I hate to go and leave this pretty sight

So long, farewell

Auf Wiedersehen, adieu

Adieu, adieu

To you and you and you ...

I don't know if that made anyone as happy as it did me, but I WILL be going to sleep singing it.  So long, farewell ...

Bestie's Birfday and a Funny Story ...

First off, HAPPY BIRFDAY TO MY MOH!  I love you more than you know my bestie.  Thanks for hanging out with me when I wasn't cool, when I thought that I was and now that I'm fine with the fact that I'm not.  Here are a few "old school" youth group pics of me and my MOH (sorry MOH) ... I THINK we were seniors in high school ...

See us?  Top 2 people from the right?  That's me and my MOH, Senior Year on a mission trip to NY!  At Tavern on the Green I might add, which is now closed.  WHO'S bright idea was THAT!?!?

That's us in the middle.  Again, in NY.  Actually this was the WEEK the twins were born.  My brother and I were in NY on a mission trip and missed it by a day!  Darnit.  And yes, that's me on the left in the middle.  Aren't our shorts AWESOME?  You know you want some ... you KNOW it.

And this is the day we found out P was a girl!  I went to the sonogram with them!  What a great MOH to include me!!!

This is at the shower I threw for P at my house ...

And last, us at my mom's house with little P (dressed as a lobster, oh so cute) ...

HAPPY HAPPY BIRFDAY MOH, I can't wait to CEL-E-BRATE!!!

Okay, next.  Funny (funny ha ha and funny thank goodness it ended up good) story.  Yesterday I went to get my eyebrows waxed.  I walk in and the sweet little Vietnamese lady tells me to go back to the room like I always do.  Nothing strange here.  I lay down on the bench that's covered with 15 different colored towels (this is a classy establishment you know, $7 for an eyebrow wax, you're gettin' class) and she starts evaluting my eyebrows.  She then proceeds to ask me if I want my lip done too?  And all the sudden I want to punch her.  This tiny little Asian girl (Seriously.  Tiny.  I could sneeze and blow her out the front door.) who is so soft spoken and sweet, I now want to punch her.  I have BLONDE hair.  BLONDE!  Does it LOOK like I need my lip waxed!??!  Wait ... no really, does it (starting to feel self conscious) ... ?  Why would you ask if I didn't need it done?  Surely not to make more money ... ?  Maybe I DO need my lip waxed ... ?  WHY DO I HAVE A HAIRY LIP.  I fight through all these thoughts and go ahead and just smile and politely say no and she continues on her way with the waxing of my eyebrows (Which, by the way, were SO overdue I felt like I was 16 again and getting them tamed for the first time.  Sick.  Which I'm sure these days kids today start at 12 ... or 6.  Ridiculous.  Did I really just say "kids today"?)  Right so getting on with it.  If you've ever had this done you know it takes about 5 minutes.  Well she does the first couple of rips, and let me tell you if you wait too long in between waxes the shock factor of the pain is a LITTLE surprising.  It took all of me not to yell "MOTHER OF ... " each time.  Especially on the bottom of the brows.  Yeesh.  Anyways, after she finishes the last one, she starts, what I can only assume is looking for the tweezers (Side Note:  I HATE when they tweeze.  If I wanted my eyebrows tweezed I would have saved myself the $7 and stayed home and pinched my eyebrow skin MYSELF while simultaneously making my eyes water and my nose want to sneeze; watch out little Vietnamese girl, grab onto something)  But then she leaves the room, says something in Vienamese and comes back with THE OWNER (panic, why is the owner necessary), who grabs the tweezers and starts to compliment me on everything I'm wearing while both of them are looking at my eyebrows a little critically, specifically my left one.  I'm now thinking "Oh Lord, she's ripped off my entire eyebrow.  I'm going to look like a ganster who shaves zig-zags in their eyebrow or one of those pluck-happy girls that leaves themselves with one or two hairs to pull off the whole brow.  GIVE ME A MIRROR I WANT TO SEE MY EYEBROW." (or lack thereof)  However, again, I fight my desire to scream and yell all these things and continue to sit there and be patient (All the while my hands are folded in my lap in a death grip like hold.)  They both, while all up in my grill looking at my eyebrows and speaking Vietnamese, continue to pluck away and smile as I sink deeper and deeper into my panic attack convinced I'm left-eyebrowless.  Low and behold, 10 minutes later than it should be, she hands me a mirror and what to my wandering eyebrows should appear?  My left eyebrow, STILL IN TACT!  Praise the Lord, she didn't rip it off!  I did, however, walk out checking it several times just to make sure they didn't pencil it in while I wasn't looking ... or, I guess ... feeling.  So that, is my funny waxing story.  Not too many times waxing stories are funny, but alas, this one was.  Well after I saw my left eyebrow still in place, that is.

Have a FANTASTIC weekend loves!  I hope it's as blessed as you make mine by caring about my silly little goings-ons!!!

Two Brothers and a Sister, All After Age 14 ...

Have I ever told you I have a twin brother and sister (well, not MY twin brother and sister, they are actually each others twins) that are 10 years old and a 14 year old brother?  No?  After the age of 14 my life exploded with siblings.  No seriously.  My step-mom, Kristen, who by, the way looks like Jennifer Anniston and has some of the best taste of anyone I've ever met.  Seriously, if we were to go out in public together, people might think I were HER step-mom.  She's a hottie.  Unfortunately she and my brother Will live in Chicago so we don't get to go out in public together anymore, but when we used to it was clear I was the step-child.  Due to my braces (with color-coordinated rubber bands, heck yes), chubbiness, rapper-esque style (yes, serious ... I actually shaved the underneath part of my hair ... you know, so you could see it when I put it in a pony tail?  Awesome.) and insanely frizzy and half curly half straight hair.  Anyways, back to Kristen, when I was 14 she gave birth to my little brother William (Will).  He was a blue-eyed blonde-haired little angel of a baby AND, for the record, I thought he was mine.  I was seriously so possessive of that little muffin.  I'm sure Kristen didn't mind it because every time I came over to my dad's house on the weekends I'd want to change his diapers, put him to bed, put on his clothes, get him out of bed in the morning, feed him ... pretty much do any and everything that she'd let me do.  It was like playing house, but with a real baby.  Which I was still totally into ... anyone else play Barbies until they were 14?  No?  Just me?  Embarassing.  But I also believed in Santa until I was 13.  Yes I just admitted that.  And If I have anything to say about it, my kids will too.  Oh, the days when children were filled with such innocence and naiveity.  Unfortunately, since it was 14 years ago, I don't have any sweet baby pictures of Will digitally but here are some of him within the past few years.  I wish I got to see him more, it seems like everytime I do he's twice the size he was when I saw him the last time.  I love you Willito.

2 years ago with Will and my dad at my brother and Silly's rehearsal dinner.

Last year, age 13.

This year at Christmas with two of my bros.  He's officially bigger than me.  I'm officially a munchkin.

Okay, now onto the twins.  I will never forget the morning my mom and step-dad told Clay and I they were expecting.  I was 18, a senior in high school, which would've made Clay a sophmore I think?  Or maybe a freshman?  I don't know, he was 15.  Clay and I were sitting at the breakfast table, both of us in the trance like state that is waking up in the morning when you're in high school.  Slurping our cereal (mainly Clay, he would always slurp each bite he took which made me want to steal his spoon and slap him with it it drove me so nuts) and staring off into the distance pretending to watch TV.  My mom walks up with Rich (my step-dad) and they put their arms around each other and say "Guys, we have something to tell you" ... Clay and I both look at them like you do when you're a teenager and your parents say anything that you think might possibly embarass you and await the news.  Then, "We're pregnant!" pops out of my mom's mouth and I'm pretty sure I dropped my spoon, and quite possibly my face, in my cereal bowl.  Clay and I just stared at them in a drunken-like stupor, jaws on the floor, eyes wide open and THEN my mom says "AND it's twins" ... I'm sorry, WHAT?  When did ... ?  How did ... ?  Nevermind, PLEASE, for the love of all things that are holy, don't answer either of those questions ... at which point I'm starting to think about the possible answers to those questions ... lalalalalalalalalalalalalala, GO AWAY!  This all (even the horror of those thoughts), however, resulted in the coolest thing EVER.  I got to watch my mom, my best friend, at age 18, go through pregnancy.  She was the cutest little 46 year old (sorry mom, hope you're okay that I just outed your age) pregnant woman you've ever seen.  I will never forget when we found out the sex of the babies.  My mom is my BEST friend, always has been, always will be, and we found out she was having one girl and one boy.  And I reverted back to age 5 and threw a miniature pouting fit.  I didn't want a GIRL.  My mom was MY best friend and she already HAD one girl.  That was all she needed!  And I didn't want to share her (really, 18?  REALLY?).  And I had 2 brothers at this point, I KNEW what to do with boys!  But then, when I went to a sonogram with my mom and we were watching the screen (still in my brat pouty mode ... did I mention I was 18? ... ridiculous Kate) and I saw this large black hole appear and then shut around one of the babies on the screen.  I asked the doctor what it was and he said "Oh that was your sister, she just yawned." and my eyes teared up, and that was it.  She had me wrapped around her finger (and still does, they both do for that matter) from that day on.  My mom also had the funniest cravings.  She was addicted to AMC.  I swear she watched black and white movies all day long, well mainly when she was put on bed rest.  And slurpies.  And Burger King burgers.  She sure did carry those babies 38 weeks and you can bet your patootie that she waddled her pregnant self to my high school graduation, at Texas Stadium (yes, I went to the hugest high school ever, 1600 in my graduating class), in the HEAT of summer in Texas, 1 month before the babies got here.  I have the greatest (and really hot also I might add) mom ever.  So here are some pictures of the twinkies.

They are probably 1 1/2 here (with my step-dad, awesome hair Richie) are they not the CUTEST!?!  Did I mention my sister has blue eyes and my brother has brown?

Oh and one of the perks of having a twin little brother and sister?  Built in flower girl & ring bearer.  This is my MOH dancing with my brother at our wedding ...

And my mom holding a sleepy little flower girl (see I told you she was hot, my mom I mean) ...

At their 10th birthday last July.

At my mom's birthday last June.

And there you have my after age 14 sibling explosion.  And my life is richly blessed because of it.  Thanks to my parents for making all these beautiful babies ... nope still not okay with that visual.  Ew, sick, ack, gag.  I love all 3 of you munchkins, sorry Will you'll always be a munchkin in my eyes.  Even if you are bigger than me.

Mama's Girl's (Plus Clay) Birthday Celebration ...

Yesterday was my Mama's birthday and last night we celebrated with her at Brio, a fantastic Italian restaurant in the new(ish), fun, outdoor shopping center in Allen.  She looks (and acts) friggin' amazing, and hilarious I might add, for her age.  My mom added a little surprise by inviting her two sisters, Aunt Norma Lou and JoAnn.  Did I mention she was turning 84?  Seriously.  Does this look like an 84 year old woman?  I think not ... I hope I have whatever jeans you've got Mama, and if not, I'm starting to shop at the same store you do and get me a pair of two of 'em.  I hope they're not designer.  I'm on a budget.

And she's wearing her little necklace I got her for Christmas.  It says "Blessed Mama", I had to have it when I saw it.  Isn't she the cutest?  But ya'll know, I've bragged about her before. 

Here is the table full of trouble ...

  I don't know what I was thinking.  Dangit Katie you're supposed to choose the NON fat face side of the table to sit on.  Not the fat jaw side!  Fool. Meanwhile, my cousin who's literally about to pop (front right) in a week looks half my size and is in THE actual fat seat (i.e. the spot in the picture in the very front of a row/seat/table, etc. when said picture is being taken from a slanted angle).  Always pick the right side Kate, ALWAYS.  Pay attention!  At least for picture taking purposes.  Otherwise, I was quite comfortable with myself for the rest of the evening. 

The Birthday Girl and her two sisters.

Me and my cousin Britney.  See THIS is where I was actually thinking.  I made someone sit on my bad side so good pictures would be snapped from across the table.

Here's the preggers (I know, where?) eating a WHOLE chicken!  Give her a break, she's eating for two.  It's completely normal for one person to eat a half a chicken (hmmmm, survey says no?) so it would be logical for someone preggo to eat a whole one ... right?  (still same survey?)  Did I mention she shared with her two-year-old daughter?  (still too much bird?)  I don't know, blame Brio, they put it on the menu.

This is Mama's face when she read the part in the card that my mom gave her after she opened quite a beachy-looking little outfit that said "I figured you could use this for your next, all exclusive (that's what my Mama calls it.  Instead of All IN-clusive.  It's a Mama-ism.  There are several.  And they are adorably hilarious), all expenses paid, round trip to Mexico (that they're probably taking in March) ... I'm thinkin' she was excited ... and maybe a little sassy ...

If you can't tell this is the "blowing out the candle" picture then you need a lot more 'splainin' about things in general ... and possibly a little professional help.

Giggle-fest 2010.

Let's try that again.  Mama with her two girls.

And now please hold for a silly Silly photo session ...

Two Sillies looking normal ...

Oh no, somebody must've put something in the chicken ...

We needed to make sure the wrapping paper was ... sufficient.  Apparently it was.  For head-wrapping at least ...

Aww.  Now isn't that darling.  Or disturbing.  Whatev.

Whaaaat?  Related you say?  Brother and sister?  Psssshhhhhhh, no.  Why ever would you think that?  Don't worry, we're professional smilers.  We used to model. (and yes, I'm serious but Clay more did commercials and I did ... well let's just say the name of the catalogue was "Big Kids" and I thought it was because I was a cool "big kid" when in all actuality it was for size 12+, i.e. BIG kids ...)

And last but not least, Mama with all her grand (and one great) kiddos.  Looking somewhat normal.  There WERE 852 cameras going off at once so I'm just happy with the fact that I'm not crossed-eyed and drooling.

And P.S. remember when I mentioned the whole spazzed out poodle look earlier when referring to my being excited about having plans and going out on weekends?  Well there's the hair style to accompany it.  I didn't realize I was doing a demenstration this evening but apparently, I wanted to give you all a visual to go along with the description.  So there you have it.  It's on top of my head ...

I sure do love my little family.  Disfunctionalities (Is that a word?  Does that mean disfunctional - or really just hilariously silly - personalities?  If not, can it now?) and all.  Can't wait for Natalie's Girl's Birthday celebration in February!