Bless Your Heart

Whew- we were very busy today. We picked him up, went to visit both our mom’s at their respective workplaces, went to the vet, and visited with friends. Click here to check it all out!

Ike slept a good bit of the way. He’s grown since we saw him last, but he’s still so tiny. We’re off to the vet for a check up!

We’re off to get Ike and bring him home! Get ready for tons of pug puppy pictures!

Jon had the day off yesterday so he finished the touch up painting in the formal living room and took down the old curtains. I’ll post ‘after’ pics after we put up the new ones. He also moved the rest of the office boxes up to the office and organized things a bit in the living room/dining room. We’re getting there. Slowly but surely.

This has been a busy week so far with lots of training at work on a new operating system. Not much left in the brain after work for bloggy, crafty, fun stuff. Although I did get my Christmas card address labels printed and put on the envelopes. Baby steps. Hope everyone’s having a great week!

After work on Saturday I met up with my Mom and little sister Morgan to go see School of Rock. So cute! Jack Black is a riot in this movie. He has the most expressive face bar none. And the kids are just great.

After dinner we went to Buca di Beppo. We’ve been wanting to try it forever, but it’s always packed. It was still packed Saturday night, but not as bad. We were waiting and waiting and finally my Mom says “the next name they call – that’s us”. So the hostess comes out and calls for “Charisse”. Yep, that’s us. As we’re walking in we can hear the other hostess say “but I thought they were a party of 2?”. So we were sneaky diners. But in our defense the Charisse’s had abandoned their reservation.

Yesterday Morgan spent the day with me and we baked a cake and a Mexican lasagne. We set up Ike’s crate and got all of his toys organized. I found a Viking’s dog collar for him to wear on game days with Jon. So cute- Jon was psyched about it (esp since the Vikings are 6-0). And I bought Ike’s Halloween themed bandana and leash. Now we just have to get through the week (which is already passing sloooowly) and he’ll be home Thursday!

Yesterday was delicious. I woke up and delivered a batch of Russian cookies I baked the night before to work for my Russian project (I head up the Diversity Committee). Then I went to my salon to get my hair done. I saw a new lady and she was great. She gave me the cutest cut (much shorter and a wee bit darker for fall). The best part was all my hair services were half off since my old lady left the salon and I had to go to someone new. So, since I was getting off cheap on the hair and since I was there I went ahead and had my eyebrows waxed and a pedicure. Man, I love those massaging chairs and water jet tubs your feet are in. So this morning I’m all buffed and polished! After I left the salon I went home, had lunch and opened up some fabulous packages that had come in the mail. I had won a couple of things on Ebay and Rachel had sent us and Ike a Halloween package full of the cutest things! Ike’s going to love his new toys! Then I talked to Lisa on the IM thing (sucks so bad that she was fired!), went by the mailbox to ship off packages to Rachel & Lisa, then came home and took a nap. Woke up and went shopping. Found two paires of cute shoes for me and some Christmas presents (I’m doing so good this year, I have a ton of Christmas presents already purchased. Yay!). I got home and realized how unproductive I had been yesterday around the house and how indulgent I was but then I realized it’s ok- I haven’t had a day like that in forever. I highly recommend one of those days for all of you!

I can’t believe I’m going to admit this, but I had a Jessica Simpson moment the other day. For those not familiar with Jessica’s sharp wit, she’s appearing on an MTV reality show documenting her new marriage to Nick Lachey. She’s quickly becoming famous for saying things like “I don’t eat buffalo.” when offered buffalo wings at a dinner.

So the other day I found myself pulling a Jessica when I came to a realization. I was doing some web research on pugs and I was looking at this one picture of a pug and noticed his nose. Here’s the path my brain took: hey look how turned up his nose is, like some perky Katie Couric nose or something, like a pug nose, oh my gah that’s where they got the term “pug nose”- from pugs! I guess I just never really thought about it before.

I am so ashamed. But I know I’m not alone. Have you had a Jessica moment?

There are these 2 windows over our tub that are driving me crazy. I don’t know what to do with them for treatments. They meet in the corner so that rules out curtain rods mounted outside of the moldings. Jon wants blinds but I’m not crazy about having to climb into my tub to clean them since they’ll be collecting dust I’m sure. Christina has been giving me a bunch of good ideas and wanted to see a picture of this window. So here we go: tub window I have a sarong clipped up there right now to keep the neighbors from getting a free peep show. We have these beautiful pond views and lots of great light so I don’t want to completely cover them, but privacy is a must. Help!

So our 3 year wedding anniversary is coming up in March, and we all know how I like to plan ahead. Making my lists and all. We’re heading to Vegas for a week to celebrate. We loved Vegas when we went on our honeymoon and can’t wait to go back. There’s so much to see and do- and it’s so different than how people usually perceive it. It’s very clean, and posh now. Not a bunch of cheesy places filled with smoke and blue haired ladies in wind suits working the slots! This time we’re staying at Luxor. We stayed at the Paris last time and loved it, but we want to try out a new hotel each time. We’re excited because the monorail is supposed to be finished at about the same time we’ll be there. We’re planning on seeing Mystere while we’re there. Last time we went to the Grand Canyon and Hoover Dam while there, and saw Cirque Du Soliel’s “O”, and Blue Man Group. This time we’re also driving over to Disney Land for the day. We’ve both been to the World, but not the Land. So excited! So, is there anything we shouldn’t miss on this trip that I haven’t mentioned?

Last Wednesday my friend Stacy came for dinner and to see the house for the first time. On the way to dinner, and back home, I toured her through my new little town. She made some comments that I’ve thought about as we’ve been driving around since. I drove her by the big plantation houses, the farmer’s market, through downtown (the one street that it is- so cute), and all over my neighborhood. The entire tour took less than an hour. At the end she was laughing about the “bizarre little town” we live in. What do you mean? She pointed out the strange sculptures throughout the town depicting people using the textile products that built the town (there’s a lady hanging sheets to dry, a mother drying her child off with a towel, etc), the gas station that includes a mini farmer’s market and a full service butcher -“he cuts meat in a gas station!”, the sirens to warn us of nuclear attack, and the kicker- the abandoned PTL (Praise The Lord) Heritage USA complex that includes an abandoned 500 room hotel, water park complete with castle, ballrooms, promenades, retail & restaurant shells, huge parking lots- all abandoned and overgrown and in the back end of my neighborhood. Drive a little further in past streets named Trumpet Court, Gabriel Way, Heavens Drive, and you’ll see the castle themed outdoor ampitheater where they still put on “outdoor Christian dramas”.

I guess it is all a little strange. But I can’t be the only person living in a bizarre town! Am I?