Saturday night, a bunch of girls met at Noodles for a surprise baby shower for our friend Leslee. She thought she was just coming out to dinner since most of the girls husbands are in Vegas on their revenge trip they planned while we were living it up in NYC back in December.
She was so surprised – it was too cute. We all went together and got her a super cute diaper bag and the a few other items as well. I got her a pair of Heelarious Baby’s First Stiletto’s. I know, they are completely useless – babies can’t go to the bar… but they are freakin’ cute! They are basically like little infant shoes but have about a ½ inch heel on them. The ones I picked out were Zebra print since I heard that Leslee and Marty are doing an animal print theme for baby Shayne’s room. I can’t wait to meet her! As I’ve mentioned many times before – I love other people’s babies, for a few hours at least.
After dinner, a few of us girls went to the Wine Cellar for a drink or 5. Then we further split up and went our separate ways to meet up with other groups.
It was a fun evening and great to be able to share in Leslee’s glee of her baby shower. She is truly the sweetest, most gracious person I know and her little daughter will be just like her, I’m sure of it!

I went shopping at the Promenade in Rogers on Saturday. It was gorgeous weather so the open-air mall was really nice –and not toooooo crowded. Lauren went with and we did some serious economy supporting. I’ve found it useful to keep lists of things I want to buy (thanks iPhone feature). So, I have a list for Sephora, the shoe store and other trendy items I may be looking for at a bargain steal, etc. This way I hope to avoid too much impulse buying. So on my Sephora list I had Makeup Forever Smoky mascara, which I came to love a few months ago when they had the trial package of about 10 mini mascaras. This is great item for a couple of reasons: you get to try out all types of mascara AND then you have travel appropriate sizes of your faves.
We headed to Sephora with the hopes of not being sucked in by a sales person with their pretty and shiny trickery of testers and samples! Well shit – I came out with way too much stuff – all of which I HAD TO HAVE AND WOULD OF COURSE CHANGE MY LIFE FOREVER! Or at least until I ran out and I went back to get my fix and they have discontinued the line but have something even better and more expensive so it must be good– I swear, Sephora is like what I imagine crack cocaine or heroin is like! Glad Sephora doesn’t leave track marks – although I’m sure they’d be happy to sell me some type of concealer for it!
I also scored some other fab finds at Francesca’s and Forever XXI. We also picked up baby shower presents for the upcoming evening. I also got some super cute clothes for baby Milo and not-baby Stella. I got Milo a rocker shirt and some overalls which are too cute and a good way to relate to Milo’s grandpa’s (MZ’s dad) caretaker Jack – he always wears overalls!!! Although I heard he wore shorts and t-shirt the other day. For Stella, I got a super cute and very preppy pink and green plaid skirt and sweater set. She will, of course, be adorable in it! Hey, that’s what pseudo-aunts are for!
After shopping and lunching at PF Chang’s – and knowing that I’d eat a big dinner I HAD to go for a run on Saturday afternoon. So Presley and I set out for our normal path – we’ve added an extra loop around the lake and have now taken to attempting to sprint what I claim to be the last quarter mile straight and flat stretch. Presley is NOT a sprinter. I literally have to drag my 60-pound dog down the street. She tries so hard, and then looks at me with disgust as if to say: I hate you mother – I prefer to remain fat.
We almost caused a woman to run off the road she was laughing at us so hard. I did determine it might be partially to blame on the nerd harness I make her wear (the dog, not the woman driving the car). Sunday, I hooked the leash to the front of the harness rather than the top so that it doesn’t make her legs drag… we are a hoot to watch run – I know… I can only hope that it either gives all onlooker s a good laugh or makes them realize that anyone can “run” or at least attempt it.

It’s been a stressful few weeks, especially for MZ. His parents still do not have power, they have been staying at his house, and no one can accurately tell them when they might get their power turned back on. Also, MZ was in Kansas City most of last week for the Sam’s Club year beginning meeting, so he has definitely had his hands full – and his house.
Friday night he called to ask me out on a date, it was so very sweet of him! We went to dinner and movie and had a great time! He was very proud of himself, as he should have been! It really is the little things in life that make people truly happy!
It was great to just get to sit and talk about the week since we hadn’t seen each other in what seemed like forever! We decided that date night was a fun thing and we should do it more often and that sitting in the house realizing that we don’t have any food and then going to dinner out of necessity did not a real date make. Another thing we established was that we are both way too old to go to the movie on a Friday night. WOW, I guess I was too sheltered as a teenager, as I SURE wasn’t allowed to go to the movies that late at night, not even when I could drive myself. There were some kids there that could not have been more than 12 years old…. And that made me feel super old!
Those darn, pesky kids….

But I was very happy to be out of the house by ourselves, it was a great treat. He’s been so patient with his parents being at his house and abiding to their routine, I’m so impressed. I know I’m a brat and can admit that I don’t always make things easy and sometimes I just give up. I realize it’s way too easy to take things for granted and just get mad and take my aggressions out on him, and for some reason he still puts up with me! =)

Dear town of Punxatawney,
Yep, I said it, I’ve had it with your beloved rodent and his handlers with their top hats and tuxes? Really?
I can not, will not, handle 6 more weeks of winter. I want and need spring to be just around the corner.
Although I know either way, it’s really the same thing but still, this BS about seeing the shadow or not – it’s a sham I say.
I’ll take a sunny, warm patio please!
Get it right next year.

Thanks,
gt

Two weeks ago, MZ and I went to Paint the Town Red, a local fund raiser for the American Heart Association. It’s a great fundraiser for a great cause and I personally like it because they have vowed to never move the event to Benton County! I will always go to anything that makes that type of promise to me!
Zack and Lauren joined us at Paint the Town Red as well…

1. We would spend just as much money going to a bar, so it might as well be going to a good cause – especially if they are “open bar.”
2. I get to play dress up which is ALWAYS fun!!!!!!!!!!
3. Neither of us smell like lung cancer at the end of the night.
4. It’s a good networking …. uh network.
5. Most of the local fundraisers also showcase local restaurants so we get to try all kinds of local food!

So, I’m planning out the rest of the year and trying to find some good fund raisers to attend!

Even more exciting, almost $120,000 was raised which is 30% more than last year. That’s quite an accomplishment considering the state of our economy.

I never really gave a full recount of Christmas. It was a very nice holiday season this year. My mother was elated because my sister is finally home from Chile and so now, we can start celebrating holidays again. Secret yay for me since we didn’t celebrate Thanksgiving… MZ and I went to a few parties. I am sad that neither or our offices had work parties – those always make for a good story.
Here’s a recount of some of the those more social events…
One party we went to has a tradition every year of playing Dirty Santa with Alcohol – where everyone brings an alcoholic gift and then we play the mean swapping game with all the libations. Last year we were supreme winners in that MZ got a bottle of Glinlivit and I got a rather expensive bottle of rum. We acquired the Glinlivit because the guy who brought it wasn’t quite told the full rules of the game and he thought he was more bringing it to drink and possibly share, not to be stolen mercifulessly from someone … but after our calculated rounds to make sure we were the big winners MZ still shared the bottle with everyone. I should say that last year we brought a bottle of Pucker and something else equally atrocious. Therefore, we totally came out ahead on that one. This year I would say we faired pretty well again. We came away with a bottle of Hypnotic and a bottle of some sort of whiskey. We came with some type of off brand Jaeger – yes, it was equally disgusting when shot alone; and I actually don’t remember what else we brought… oh well.
Our Jr. League New Member group had an ornament exchange Happy Hour one evening at Hog Haus. It was a great time and good to see everyone and relax since December was so busy. I really wish more people would have come, it was a great time!