Here are the pictures I took at the trailer so that we can remember our roots…

I’m starting a list of things that either worked out well for us or that I wish I had known:

1. Make sure your husband starts taking care of the baby from day 1… Helps if you have a c-section because then he has to. You don’t want him to be scared of the baby!

2. Test the ac in the backseat so you don’t freeze your child on the hottest dag of the summer.

3. Pandora’s Raffi station rocks, just enough adult music that you don’t go nuts!

4. Let mom come stay and help for at least two weeks but don’t freak when she leaves because you can definitely do it!

5. Don’t listen to advice that makes you feel bad about yourself… There are a million ways to do things and no “right” one.

6. Accept help that makes things easier and turn down help that doesn’t.

7. Figure out what has to be done, not what you want to be done. If you need one clean bottle for the morning , clean one not all of them.

8. Don’t worry about the tears… They will go away but they do suck while they are hanging around!

9. Try having a schedule so that you get and your husband each get real sleep. I hear about people who both get up every time the baby wakes up and I just can’t imagine how much that must suck. Our schedule is that I go to bed at 8pm and wake up at 1am. Then I sleep when she sleeps in her room from 1am – 8 am. Works super for us unless I oversleep:(

10. Make sure you have a ton of cloth diapers. You really can’t have too many! They are like a Swiss army knife for babies… Burp cloth, wipe spit up, vomit catcher, spilled milk wiper, blanket…

11. Don’t make a bunch of plans for the first 2 months! I thought I would get a ton of stuff done around the house which was super delusional!

12. Plan early for the baptism. Check with the church before the kid is born to see what the requirements are.

More to come I’m sure!

Okay, this is really sad when this is the best thing about my day. 

At work, my iPhone blings that I have a text message from a number I don’t recognize.  The conversation goes a little something like this:

Mystery Number: “Hey Miss Ariat, guess who….”

Me: “Wrong number”

Mystery Number: “Oh contrare Karen, give ya 3 guesses.  I’m tall, dark, and handsome and quite possibly the man of your dreams…:-p lol”

Me: “No seriously wrong number”

Mystery Number: “Who is this then”

Me: “No one you know”

Mystery Number: “You don’t work at a country and western wear store”

Me: “Nope”

Mystery Number: “My bad, sorry”

NOw for my commentary in parenthesis

Mystery Number: “Hey Miss Ariat, guess who….” (what the hell is an ariat and who the hell is this)

Me: “Wrong number”

Mystery Number: “Oh contrare Karen, give ya 3 guesses.  I’m tall, dark, and handsome and quite possibly the man of your dreams…:-p lol”  (Uh oh, someone needs to check himself.  Is he about to text.  Should I play along because this line is so freaking ridiculous.  Nope, gotta work)

Me: “No seriously wrong number”

Mystery Number: “Who is this then” (WTF, I don’t have to explain myself to you, what’s with the attitude)

Me: “No one you know”

Mystery Number: “You don’t work at a country and western wear store”  (HAHAHA, I can only imagine what this guy and Karen have in store)

Me: “Nope”

Mystery Number: “My bad, sorry”

It has been a while since we posted on our blog. I guess I’ll kick REstart with a groaner. The other day someone asked if I knew any good sodium jokes. I answered, “Na.”
Sent from my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry

Now that Christmas and my birthday are over, it is time for thank you notes. I decided to sit down and write them during the National Championship since I don’t have a dog in this fight. I found some cards in a box, got my best pen and a book of stamps and plopped down at the coffee table. The first two were done before kick-off and I was in an appreciation writing groove. As I checked people off my list, I came to Mr. Chuck and Ms. Beth. I opened the next blank card to a nice little surprise. I read, “Dear Mr. Chuck and Ms. Beth…” and thought, “did I already write their thank you note but forgot?”. I kept reading, “…for the necklace and purse.” Nope. This is not a note for this year’s present, or last year’s or even the year before. I believe this was from 2006. After a good laugh I decided to get back to writing a note for this year’s present. I picked up another card only to find a note to Meme and Papa inside. More chuckling. I opened a third to find a note to Aunt Sue. A fourth to The Darnell’s and a fifth to Uncle Jerry and Aunt Audrey. The sixth note is by far my favorite because it is Clint’s. I decided to edit it and send it as this year’s note. I included a picture below of the note with my edits. It is surprisingly relevant! The best part is that it must have been at the beginning of the relationship because I didn’t put “Love,” at the end.

Amy, you should be getting it the mail shortly. I plan on including the incredibly tardy notes with this year’s note for everyone else. Like they say, better 5 years late than never.

While going through emails to find a picture of Tiger, I found this gem of an email from Amy describing the move-in day in Gonazales.  This will for sure brighten your mood and leave you in stitches. 

"Whoa!!!  What a crazy but fantastic weekend.  First let me say thank you so much Mom and Dad for having me and letting me be a part of the move in process.  I feel a lot more comfortable now that I know that you have a house that is very close to wonderful.  I'll start with the visit to Gonzales, Donaldsonville, Prairieville, Baton Rouge, New Orleans and anywhere else I went this weekend.  Then I'll attach the pictures from Sunday.

So I arrived to New Orleans late and the airport was deserted but my parents were there to meet me.  It was almost as good as when you would be greated right outside the gate. Very nice touch Mom and Dad.

The apartment was very nice and it was great to see that Tiger

 was just as confused as the rest of us.  I quickly learned that when Dad gets up from a seat, Tiger gets right in it.  Guess she likes his rear or something.  She also has become quite the TV watcher I'm told. 

On Friday we were up bright and early (is it ever anything but bright and early when Dad's there).  As we were leaving, Mom made sure the TV was left on and tuned into ABC because those are apparently Tiger

's favorite soaps.  Even though she was joking, we rode that one all weekend.  Thanks for being a good sport mom.  It only made her cry once.  The house is extremely charming and I know that we will all love it real soon.  I spent most of Friday in the pantry painting, which is where i was able to make myself the most useful because after box 300 does it really matter which bedroom is bedroom 1 and bedroom 2?  All I know is that the house is filled beyond capacity.  Every available space had a box in it in the garage.  I couldn't believe we had so much stuff.  That is until I started unpacking boxes in the bathroom.  I found some of the weirdest things, and on top of that every single thing was wrapped in 5 sheets of paper.  Following the commentary will be the interesting things we found wrapped individually and the creative spellings on the boxes that were quite informative.  The other thing that I noticed is each box had stuff from three rooms in Kingwood.  I guess they would take the box from my room, fill the bottom, move the box to lisa's room, and then take it to the downstairs bathroom.  At that point I realized it didn't matter where Clarence put the box, the contents would go all over the house.  Once they were done unloading, we were done at the house.  It was so mentally exhausting.  Went to the apartment and showered and ate at a fine Gonzales establishment, Franks.  Think local version of Cracker Barrel with all LSU stuff.  I was then introduced to the Gonzales Wal-Mart in which i got lost, but mom and dad found me.

Saturday it was time to paint the closets.  I meticulously painted mom's closet without getting any paint on my clothes or anything.  Unfortunately, I ran out of paint and the next can was no where near close to the same color.  I was very fortunate to have dad's help. He came in and in 10 minutes, had painted over everything it had taken me 4 hours to paint.  Amazing you say.  Well not only did dad paint the closet, he painted the baseboards, the cardboard on the floor, himself and anything that was in the splatter zone.  I wasn't even in the closet and I was in the splatter zone.  Once I realized painting was futile, I helped mom in the kitchen.  I was again amazed at the additions I could put on the list of strangely wrapped items.  By the way, our family has more plates, cups, and other china to supply the entire neighborhood.  Saturday is also the day that Mom and I ventured to Donaldsonville Wal-Mart.  People just move a lot slower here.   Something that will definitely take some getting used to.  Mom was able to get a good eating suggestion from our clerk.

On Sunday, after lunch , a visit with Aunt Theresa, and a plant visit, Mom told us that the clerk had recommended Pappadeaux's under the bridge.  Well we were right at the bridge looking for the Pappadeauxs, and dad looked out the window and realized that the clerk meant Poppingo's (the deli of the Shell station).  We probably laughed for 10 minutes straight.  I think it was funny AND we were delirious.  We then got some beignets at Cafe du Monde and it was off to home for me.  Little did I know what I had in store for me when I got home.  I won't go into details because I've covered most of them over the phone.  So here are the lists and pictures I promised.  Mom promised to keep the list additions coming.  Again, a big thanks to Mom and Dad.  I love you and can't wait to come visit again.

Items Wrapped:  my retainer with teeth; every pair of glasses I've ever worn (including the ones in 2nd grade), one wrapped tampon, one burnt up lightbulb, spare change, styrofoam cups (in the glassware box), one votive candle, marbles, napkins in the holder, 10 almonds, 1 empty ziploc bag, and the insurance card

Creative Box labels:  "Verry Fragile", Blanquets, Bokes, Decro Itims; and Cristl.  Funnily enough, Mom had no problem reading them.

I'm getting ready for a meeting tomorrow and found this:

http://www.sonypictures.com/homevideo/stomptheyard-homecoming/

And this!
http://www.106andpark.com/stomptheyard2#videos

Hours of entertainment for Lisa!

http://superpunch.blogspot.com/2010/08/ducks-wear-dog-masks.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:+SuperPunch+(Super+Punch)&utm_content=Google+Reader

More news gold from Alabama. This time it's from Huntsville…