what can I do vs. doing

When a friend is in trouble, don't annoy him by asking if there is anything you can do. Think up something appropriate and do it. - Edward W. Howe 

This is my do-er friend Ashley.

The one on the right.  At my surprise party.  She threw for me.  [The candy ---- that's a whole other blog post.]

No, today is not her birthday.  No, she doesn't even know I have a blog.  [I know, seriously, how come I don't advertise this awesome thing.] ;)  I'm just lazy and have just now gotten around to posting this.

She is a "do-er". 

I met up with her for lunch last week [as I do most weeks].  We usually talk about her [way younger than me] life as it is ALWAYS changing & eventful.  So exciting.  We got a little side tracked last week.  I was having a little less than perfect day [no biggie / no tears].   

What's on my door-step 4 hours later?  These:

[sorry, still not too fab with my camera]

And a note.  One of the best "friendship" notes I have ever received.  You'd think I'd have know this girl since birth.  I've known her two years.  We only started getting together more often in the last 4 months.


It's the little things to me.  The little things make me love/adore/appreciate people big time.

Thanks Ash.  Going to miss you come August.  Chicago or New York?  Which ever you two choose ----- I'm coming to visit.

To "Baby E" / A.E.B

I'm so happy it's your day.  No, not even because it makes you one year older than me.  It's because I get to sit here this morning and reflect on you, on your day. 

Being that you are "X" years older than me [never mind that you look younger - whatever].   I'm amazed at how much I do remember about growing up with you.  Sure, some things were told to me . . . but a lot of the memories are right from this little brain of mine.

Nope, I don't remember this:

Or this:

What I do know is at a very difficult time in my life......you were the only one who could comfort me in the way I needed it.  I will never fully be able to express [in words] how much this meant to me.

You have always been there for me.

I have been told you would wake up with me at night so mom could sleep.  seriously?!  How many pre-teens would do that?  And as I'm told --- you'd sing to me when you'd get up with me.  [ahhhh, here come the tears]

I'm amazed.  often.  with you.  by you.  because of you.

Have you ever realized all you have done? All you do?  All you've accomplished?  All the trials you've come out "on top" of?  Things you do each and every day that are amazing?

Here's a few I can think of:

• Having 5 children
• The female college grad of the family
• Did I mention a Master's degree too?
• Eric
• Running
• Church callings
• listening
• forgiving [think tithing story]
• flying home to be with your crazy little 10 year old sister
• waiting [sorry don't remember exactly how many 7?] years to have a biological child
• your children in all their sports
• inviting me over to dinner when it was just you, R & Freddy
• kissing R after dinner prayer - I use your example every day now too ;)
• you had four kids - and you look like you've had none
• you working from home [on top of all the mom/wife work]
• dealing with that crazy dog of yours on Friday's ;)
• attending EXTRA family events
• you are a peacemaker
• you see the good in others
• you don't gossip
• texting me back
• texting me back fast
• always saying yes to me when I'm in a pinch
• always saying yes to most people
• you are kind
• you are emotional
• you are sensitive to other's needs/feelings
• letting me help [ha - is food helping?!] when I know something's going on [that's a big "KNOW" - as I usually would never know] ...which brings me to....
• you don't complain
• running a 1/2 marathon with less than 10 days notice
• patient.  you are the most patient person I know

Happy Birthday To MY Sister.

I love you.

I'm pretty sure

I'm pretty sure the quote goes like this, "A family that shoots togther stays together."

No?

Oh well.

So, how'd it go?  WE ALL had a freaking blast!

Here's a few photos from Saturday.

The lesson:

My lesson [took about 5 minutes longer than Peanuts]:

Peanuts pose:

Now, in action:

Her "hit":

My in action pose:

My "hit"[take that little glass cleaning lady]:

The best family outing in a while [minus the 20 minute bladder busting 4X4 ride to get there].

I would have included a photo of the Pita in action but his gun . . . well let's just say it looks a little agressive for a family blog post [semi-auto anyone?!].  It [the pita's new "this is what I got for putting up with her running gun"] IS awesome to fire.  Even I gave it a whirl.  Can't turn my head to the left but ehhhh it was soooo worth it.

full disclosure

I'm not as grown-up as you think I am.  I'm not as grown-up as I pretend to be.

I don't lay awake at night fretting over my IRA.  I don't even wonder how my bank account looks.  If it's [$$] there great!  If not, I better get working harder.  My dreams at night are nothing like the "real" world.  They aren't even like "me". 

I don't always wonder what's going on in the Middle East [as I most likely should].  And did I mention I don't even know my blood type? Truly.  Never can remember.  But I am guilty of signing up for an extra life insurance policy just because I felt like at my ripe old age - I should be "worth" more.

What makes me laugh?  Modern Family.  The Office.  The Flight Of The Conchords.  Funniest Home Videos.  The Soup.  What will I never get?  Mr. Bean & CNBC.  I dislike war/history movies.  My nine year old daughter knows more about WWII than me.  I'm fine with it.

Lately, I've been wearing a lot of this:

+ Orange nail polish.  [Even though the Pita's Mum said I should "stay away" from Oranges and yellows - as they "don't suit me"].  I embrace the opportunity to hang on to my early 20's.  It makes me look younger & "with it" right?  Well, it makes me feel younger.  I could pay for cosmetic surgery, botox, youth serums or I can wear freaky, funky nail polish.  I choose $5 nails.

Don't get me wrong.  I actually do know when I need to be a big girl and play "big girl" dress up.  I can do it.......just give me a good reason why it's needed.  I see my [huff] 30's as my decade to make my mark to be true to me.  So far, 30's to me, seem to be a double edge sword.  Balancing the amusement of yesterday with the tenacious impression of tomorrow.  Which leaves me with today.  OPI Lincoln Park After Dark [purple/black polish].  Today, I want nothing to do with tenacious.

little / big

I saw this quote today on a car parked at the post office.  I needed to read this. today.  I need to remember this. everyday.

"Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things." -Robert Brault

20 things you may [or may not] know about me.

There are a few "falsies".  Can you spot them?

1. I am fluent in text language
2. I use my poker face when playing "sorry"
3. I have one year of college left for my BA.
4. I love watches.  I want this one next.

   5.  Our last "proper" family photo was when Peanut was 3.5 years old.
   6.  The Pita and I have never had a "professional" photo taken of just the two of us.

   7.  I love surprises.
   8.  I clean my feet 4-5 times per day.
   9.  I use 5-6 hand [sweat] towels on my long run days.
 10.  I consider my pets family.
 11.  I have 14 nephews and 4 nieces [just on my side of the family]
 12.  I've never seen "Gone With The Wind".
 13.  I went to the Ostrich Festival.  It was the first time I've been away from the Pita [on a weekend night for more than 1.5 hours] in 10 years.

 14.  I love college basketball.
 15.  I think toes are the grossest part of the human body.
 16.  I've been stung by a scorpion.
 17.  I love my name [first and last].
 18.  I own 32 pairs of jeans.
 19.  The Pita has a bigger shoe obsession than me.
 20.  I speak Na'vi.

Milky Minutes

I've long been a fan of AT&T commercials - l o n g  before my carrier became AT&T.  The Mom in the commercials ---- love her.  Her little finger wiggling side to side [no, no, no] when the "minutes" were somehow put outside for a [gasp] a yard sale.  awesome.

But my favorite commercial by far is this one:
Don, the husband, spills milk on rollover minutes, represented as little orange clocks. The wife yells at him for throwing them away.


"You know my sister doesn't have AT&T. Guess what happens to her old minutes?"


"She loses them," the husband says.


"She loses them. So I'm sure she'd be happy with those milky minutes."


"Isn't your sister lactose intolerant?"
 
Awesome.

Only now that I have AT&T do I really understand this whole "milky minutes" thing. 

Six months ago I purchased my beloved iPhone.  The only thing NOT so loved about it was the price for the minutes [packages].  I had 1500 minutes with verizon and consistently used about 1350.  That same package at AT&T $149.  Not going to happen.  So I held my breath and signed up for the "lesser" 950 minute package with the UNLIMITED TEXTING. [Can you hear the trumpets playing?!] 

And the rest is history.  A texting "queen" was born.  However, I never expected to have this problem . . . . . . TOO MANY MINUTES!

So you say, now Emz, can you really have too many minutes?  Well you tell me.  Is 2,000 rollover minutes in 6 months too many?  3,000?  4,000? [please keep in mind I've had this phone for only 6 months, calls to the Pita & My sweet Mom who are both on AT&T too - therefore no minutes used].

As of today I have . . . 4,474 minutes.  ROLLOVER MINUTES.  Did I mention I get another 950 minutes on the 20th?

SO WHY DON'T I call people?  I have a few theories but mostly because I'm a spewer [I know spew is a word so I'm making spewer a word].  People call about ..... let's say . . . having Peanut walk home with their daughter [we'll say "Chloe"].  Then before you know it I'm talking office visits, what shoes I'm wearing, how I've lost three toe nails this week, how she is wearing a weighted vest [while driving to burn more calories], I forget to breath when talking, she's laughing ---- so I keep talking, she misfires with some SUPER horrible turtleneck comment and now I have a bad mental picture, I'm crying with laughter about her odd nurse events AND I DON'T EVEN REMEMBER WHY SHE CALLED?  Ummmm, either does she as I've just done and "A to Z" "A to WHAT THE HECK" in about ohhhh only 3 minutes. 

I don't stand a chance at using these flipping minutes.  milky or not.