My 2007 Awards

My 2007 Awards

1) DRINKING BUDDY OF THE YEAR?
Seriously?? I guess that would be Becky and Doug.

2) LIFETIME SERVICE AWARD (longest friend) -
Jacqueline

3) NEWCOMER AWARD - NEWEST FRIEND?
Laura..although she isn't really new.

3) HIGH POINT OF THE YEAR?
November 13

4) LOW POINT OF THE YEAR?
hmmm..I'll go with Feb 24.

5) BEST HOLIDAY?
I hope Christmas

6) YOUR SONG FOR 2007?
uhhh

7) MOVIE FOR 2007?
uhhh

10) WHO DID YOU SPEND VALENTINES WITH?
Actually I spent it with a bunch of work people.

11) BEST RELATIONSHIP?
John of course.

12) WHAT WERE YOU FOR HALLOWEEN?
Momma on the outside, babe on the inside.

13) RESTAURANT OF THE YEAR?
El Chico

14) BOOK OF THE YEAR?
Tuesdays with Maurie...that book reminds me so much of one amazing person.

15) BEST DECISION MADE THIS YEAR?
To forgive, forget and move on....

16) WHAT ARE YOUR PLANS FOR NEXT YEAR?
Go to Hawaii.

17) MOST STUPID IDEA WHEN DRUNK?
pretty sure I was never drunk.

18) TV SHOW OF THE YEAR?
Brothers and Sisters

19) BEST BLOG?
I like Jeanette's and Laura's the best I guess. Oh, no...wait...I love Sam and Christy's. That one may be the best.

20) MOST LOYAL FRIEND?
Its a tie between Susan and Stacy. BUT--Claudia did have my back when it counted the most....

21) BIGGEST CHANGE OF THE YEAR?
My drive to work I guess.

22) BIGGEST RETARD AWARD?
You know me..I would LOVE to answer this...but I will keep quiet.

23) PERSON THAT CHANGED THE MOST IN YOUR LIFE?
Ava...or Laura

24) FAD THATS IN THAT YOU DIDN'T FOLLOW?
no clue

25) WHO WOULD DRIVE TO YOU IN A SECOND IF YOU WERE IN NEED?
Susan, hands down. She would pick Becky up on the way. And my parents.

John is average:

HowManyOfMe.com

There are 208 people with my name in the U.S.A. http://howmanyofme.com">How many have your name?

Beth is pretty unique:

HowManyOfMe.com

There are 7 people with my name in the U.S.A. http://howmanyofme.com">How many have your name?

But, no suprise here: Ava is truly the one and only!

HowManyOfMe.com

There is 1 person with my name in the U.S.A. http://howmanyofme.com">How many have your name?

While he is gone..

The one good thing about John going out of town this week is this: I have complete and total control of the thermostat! The heat is on!! At least for the next week, that is. No dount when he comes back he will put the place on freeze control again.

URGHH...men!!

2007

It's hard to believe that the year is almost over. When I think about all that has happened during this trip around the sun I become overwhelmed with emotion.

Personally, this year has been a tremendous one for my family. John and I both have been very successful with our careers. We have a very happy marriage. Our daughter continues to be beautiful and AMAZING! AND, she learned the chicken dance at dance class, which is very exciting!! My family is healthy and happy.

One of the proudest moments of my life happened this year when I stood by my sister as she married the PERFECT man for her. I nailed my speech at her reception!! After her wedding, the next day in fact, John and I went on another cruise, just the 2 of us, for a little R & R. That cruise was definately needed!

So many good things I can write about. We are definately blessed.

But I think I will remember 2007 as a year of great loss. The bad started on Saturday, Feb 24 when I got a phone call at work, 6pm, and found out from my mom that Laura lost Tracy. I will never forget the shock and sadness that phone call brought. The week after that I cut ties with one of my very best friends because of the hateful words she uttered about Laura's loss.

Then Mr. Hubbard died. I still tear up about that one. I tear up even more when I remember that I couldn't go to his funeral because of a work trip. I should have gone, no matter what, and I will always beat myself up for not putting my foot down to the bosses. They would have let me reschedule if I had insisted.

Mr. Salter's death was another sad ordeal. He was such a great man. And, as bad as this makes me look, I will be honest and say I did not go to his funeral either because I was tied up on a conference call that ran WAY to long. I wasn't even expected to be at work that day, but I wanted to go in and take the call. Another mistake...

And then yesterday my dearest friend in the world--Mrs. Anderle--calls me crying to tell me that her Dad passed away yesterday morning. I was so sad to hear her crying...but yet I was in my office with someone playing 101 stupid questions for Beth...and she hurried to get off the phone.

2007 will go down in the books--my books that is--as a year in which the world lost 4 great men.

I guess I am happy to see the year end.

A few more fabulous shots from Brandi!

B4 Photography

Here is a sneak preview of the pics I had taken of Ava. The photographer is Brandi with B4 Photography. I absolutely love all of the photos she took.

Double Discount

The best thing about my job is the discount. We have this thing each month called Double Discount where I get just that--double the 25% off I normally get on anything in the store. The double discount has bought my sister a Dyson as a wedding gift and one for my parents as an anniversary gift.. I could list all the things I have gotten on my double discount but that would bore you...

The best double discount is this month. KitchenAid. Oh yeah!! So I finally got my KitchenAid stand mixer and also a really snazzy food processor. I wanted the mixer because it looks pretty in my kitchen and might give the impression that I can cook. Also, Ava loves to cook, so I figured she might enjoy using it. So tonight I busted out my beautiful toy and made a cake for a birthday at work. (Is it wrong that I used a box mix in a $300 mixer?) Well, Ava is more scared of the mixer than she is of the vacuum cleaner.

Also, I'm pretty sure John will FORCE me to make Thanksgiving dinner since I bought all these pretty appliances. I might have to hide them until the season is over.

I am tired.

I am posting at 11:43pm on Friday night for one reason. I can't go to sleep because my husband is coughing up his right lung as we speak. He has been so sick the last week. I hope he gets better soon, cause I get really grouchy when I don't get enough sleep.

Yea for me!!

I GOT PROMOTED!!

Didn't even know the position was open!!

To celebrate, I am getting one of my favorite things:

Halloween

This year was the first year that Ava really got into the Trick or Treating. She was disappointed that I wouldn't let her wear her tattered princess dress, but soon forgot when she saw the cool socks that I bought for her Raggedy Ann costume. Ava gots lots of candy that her Daddy will enjoy while she sleeps tonight. Gone tomorrow will be the snickers, twix, kit kat, and peanut butter cups--but still in the pail will be all the sweet tarts and smarties the little girl could ask for!

A blog to make me feel better.

Over the last month or so two men that I had the pleasure of meeting have left this life. Both men were at least 80 years old, and both men made me smile. The first one was John's next door neighbor from childhood Mr. Hubbard. Mr. Hubbard and his wife were from England. Every time I saw him--including the first time I met him about 14 years ago--he would call me his "hot tottie." Not really for sure what that means, but it always made me smile. He would tell the lamest jokes I ever heard. My fondest memories of Mr Hubbard took place at my mother-in-laws home while my father-in-law was still with us. I think Mr. H would irriate my father-in-law to pieces. And I LOVED that!!! They would sit in the living room, Mr Hubbard saying something incredibly silly, and my father-in-law would look at me like I was the biggest nerd for enjoying the company. I loved being there to see those two old farts interact. When I found out that Mr Hubbard died, I was incredibly sad. The saddest I have been in a long time. Every time I saw Mr Hubbard I thought of my father in law. And I smiled. I hope I don't forget.

The second man wasn't a man that I knew very well, but I was so inspired by him. His name was Mr Salter. John had a pretty close connection to Mr Salter growing up. I first met Mr. S when I went to midnight Mass at John's church about 13 years ago. I was incredibly uncomfortable in that church because I am Catholic and we were in an Episcopal church. Mr Salter came up to me while everyone was eating cookies and drinking some sort of hot apple cider (crap) and started talking to me about St. Mary's in Windthorst. He put me at ease. He told me stories of John being an alter boy that made me laugh. Mr. Salter was a volunteer at the hospital in Wichita Falls. I saw Mr Salter most recently when I visited someone at the hospital. He talked to me about my husband and my child, smiling, wishing me the best. If I had known that was the last time I was going to see him, I would have told him what an inspiration he was to not only me, but my husband. I would have thanked him for talking to the "outsider" that Christmas night long ago. I would have thanked him for coming back into town the night John and I got married. John wanted him there so badly. I would have thanked him for the talk he had with my husband when my father in law died.

I know neither of these men had any idea how much of a difference they made in my life. Shame on me. You think there might be Myspace in Heaven? Maybe they can look me up and read this blog.

Rest in peace Mr H and Mr S. The Wahl family will miss you both.

Ava and Momma!

This picture is from Becky's wedding. Dixie is an amazing photographer. So much fun to be around!!

Aren't we cute!!

10 Guilty Pleasures

My guity pleasures. Thanks Laura!!

Laura did a 10 guilty pleasures blog so I had to do mine. Here goes:

10. Us Weekly, Star, OK Magazines--I can't help finding myself wrapped up the the Britney saga, or IS Jennifer Lopez pregnant, ect. I read these magazines at my desk while I eat lunch. Kind of a "calgone take me away" moment.

9. Online gaming--I do this EVERY DAY as soon as I come home from work. It is a stress reliever. My favorites are backgammon and reversi.

8. Myspace--I also do this every day while I play online gaming. Another stress reliever. And as Trecie says, good way to stay in touch.

7. Car Washes--Not just any car wash. The ones that clean your seats, detail the inside and outside, wax on, wax off... This is by far my favorite birthday, Christmas, whatever present..hint hint

6. Egyptian Cotton Sateen Sheets-- Once you've slept on the best you never go back.

5. Arbonne--These facial products are the best. I LOVE the REveal facial scrub. I actually have all of this REveal product line. Kind of expensive, but my skin is worth it! Want to try some--call Jacqueline!

4. El Chico--nothing compares to this fine Tex-Mex establishment. John and I try to limit ourselves to once a month, but I can say with much embarrassment that the management staff at 1-35 in Lewisville knows our names and our favorite dishes. They also know that Ava hates ice and won't drink the water unless it is ice free.

3.My Ipod. I use my Ipod in the car, at work, on the eleptical, when I am doing the lawn..so many uses. I find that when I want to be left alone I can just put those earpieces in and everyone leaves me alone. I don't even have to have the thing on. Those earpieces are wonders!

2. COACH!!! A very expensive addiction. Can't help it.

1. I saved the best for last. I am not ashamed to admit my most pleasurable guilty pleasure is the Rt. 44 Diet Dr. Pepper--easy ice please--from Sonic. I get this lovely drink every day, sometimes twice a day. If I don't have this drink I turn into an incredible "B". The people at work have been known to buy me a drink on particularly bad days.

So--if you don't want to get me a car wash for Christmas, a Sonic gift card will
surely make me smile!

One of the things I like to do with Ava is SHOP!! We both get dressed up and go to all of her favorite stores--which includes WalMart! Today we went to the Shoppes at Highland Village to look for a Christmas dress for Ava. I love that place because I can hit Gymboree, The Children's Place, and Jaynie and Jack in one stop. We also stopped in at Barnes and Noble so Ava could play with their train set--she LOVES trains--and so I could scope out my next new book. Here are a few pics of Ava dressed up for our girl's day out!

Flower Mound Pumpkin Patch

Ava and I went to the pumpkin patch on Friday while John worked. I'm not sure what she was expecting when I told her we were going to see the pumpkins, but when we got there her eyes got so BIG. She had never seen that many pumpkins. I was suprised that she let me take her picture by the scarecrow. She is petrified of the one we have at home. We can't even walk down the Halloween aisle at WalMart because she gets so frightened.

The pumpkin patch had lots of character displays for the kids to take pictures with. We took pictures with almost all of them, but here is the ones that matter most to Ava.

Dora and Boots

The Little Mermaid

Land Before Time

And of course, Ava's all time favorite, THE BACKYARDIGANS!!!

If you get a chance, I recommend the pumpkin patch. It is free and offers alot of fun kiddo things to do!

Just a note, I have never been labeled a good photographer...

I am on vacation this week. John had to do an emergency run to Houston for a few days to fix a system, so Ava and I are left behind to find fun things to do. Today we went to the Dallas World Aquarium to see "the fishies"!! Please notice that Hippo was a third party in our adventure.

Ava enjoyed the large aquarium that held sea turtles, a boluga whale, and other fish.

Ava couldn't understand why all the other kids were so scared of the sharks. She wasn't scared at all. She would have stayed in that tunnel all day long.

Ava's favorite exhibit had to be the penguins. We met the famous "Happy Feet!"

And, if you can believe it, we also met Happy Feet's parents.

Here is Ava glued to the penguin exhibit.

We had a great day at the aquarium. I wonder what adventure we can explore tomorrow!

Ava leaving for dance class.

Today was Ava's first day of dance. She is SO EXCITED!! I have come to the conclusion that I have picked one of the most expensive extracurricular activites that my daughter could participate in. She loves to dance and sing, so it is all worth it!

Dance Class

I signed Ava up for her very first dance class. She loves to dance and twirl and wear princess dresses--so I figured wearing a pink tutu and tights would be right up her alley!! I am SO excited to go buy her dancewear. I have no doubt she will be the cutest kid on the dance floor!!

A milestone!

Ava has been using the potty for a little over a week. She only had one accident this whole week and that was while she was sleeping. She was really upset that she wet the bed. She gets really excited when she "poopy in the potty" and calls everyone in the house to come see. She also gets a kick out of flushing and telling the poopy bye bye! I am so happy to be out of diapers. We told Ava she could not participate in Stretch and Grow or dance classes until she was completely potty trained, and now all she talks about is Stretch and Grow. I guess we will enroll her for the fall semester.

We are still working on her colors. We struggle with that. She knows all her shapes, she counts to twenty, she knows her left and right, she even knows how to get home from school...momma go straight, turn here...this street....AVA's HOUSE!! But colors, we aren't quite there yet.

Ava's newest topic is her birthday. Ever since Ava attended her friend Gabriela's birthday party, she thinks her party is next. I keep explaining she has already had her party this year--"remember your party at the beach Ava?"--she is still not satisfied. I have been reluctant to have a birthday party for her with all her friends in attendance because I don't want a bunch of toys that won't get played with cluttering my house. We have settled on having just family for the parties, with presents that she needs, like clothes, bows, and books. I have a feeling her 4 year party will involve lots of kids, a big cake, a table decorated with the Backyardigans, and presents that she will play with one time and forget about. Whatever makes the princess happy.

Speaking of princess--Ava has decided all she wants to wear is her princess dress. I bought this Barbie princess dress only because she was having a tea party at school and the girls had to wear princess dresses and the boys had to wear a tie. I figured she would only get 2 wearings out of the thing--the tea party and Halloween, of course. I don't think the dress will hold up til Halloween. She wears it all weekend long, after school on the weekdays; she would wear the thing to bed if I let her. I never doubted my child was a girly girl, but I think she has taken this princess act to a whole new level.

Another thing I am trying to figure out is this: Why in the WORLD does she think the boss is NANA?? I just can't imagine where that came from...

At some point I will post pictures. Until then, you can see all of Ava at my myspace account.

I freaked out!

One of my worst fears happened Saturday night. We went shopping at JCPenney for the tax free "extravaganza" and I lost my purse. And I FREAKED out. As soon as I realized my purse was not in my possession I called my bank to cancel my cards. Becky was doing her best to calm me down but I was so scared. I was getting ready to plant my butt at the doors and assault the person who had my purse. Seriously, I was. I know, that probably isn't the best course of action...

Long story short, an employee found my purse and turned it in. My purse was gone for a total of about 3 minutes--it felt like forever--but I got everything back safe and sound. The worst part of the ordeal was calling John and telling him how careless I had been. He was pretty great about it though.

Potty Training

We did achieve a milestone last night when Ava decided to poopy on the potty! She has been peeing on the potty for some time now, but poopy has been very difficult for us. We were all very excited by this achievement. Maybe we will be out of pull ups soon!