FeistyHistoryGal

2012-02-05T08:04:00.001-05:00

I know have an app that allows me to blog on my phone!! Hello blogging world! I am back!

Another Secret

2011-02-03T18:13:00.002-05:00

The camera pans in on the cutest old lady - Fabulously dressed, quick with a response.

What is the secret to your looooong marriage?

Laughter.

How awesome is that answer? Laughter! How simple? But sometimes it is not simple, sometimes I don't want to laugh I just want to be cranky. But, then Bert is funny enough that I have to laugh. Not just any laugh a deep belly laugh. It is a good thing that Bert and I find ourselves super funny and witty.

The Secret

2011-01-31T19:07:00.002-05:00

I love old people. I love old people couples even more. Whenever I see a cute and in love old couple I have to ask them - what is the secret? What do you wish you knew when you first started?

It is no secret that I am desperate to have a good marriage. I want to do everything right and I want it to be something that a fairy tale will be written about. So - before I forget the sage advice I want to write it down.

Today - A Fabulously Yummy Couple - 65 years of bliss
It was hard to get a straight answer out of these two, they wouldn't stop giggling at each other and interrupting one another. Their secret - Always be desperately in love.

How is easy does that sound? I am hopeful about this secret since I am already desperately in love with Bert. How could I not be? He is AWESOME! And he thinks I am funny, and he dances around the house and sings with me.... awesome, I know.

But, I think it is reminding yourself everyday that you are desperately in love that can be the kicker. It is easy to remember that when life is great, but what about the hard times? What about the mundane days? What about that time you had to move to West Virginia in a months time? Those are the times that I try to work extra hard at remembering he is my lover and soul mate and extra, extra hard showing him he is all of those things plus more. It is sometimes easier to think those things but I have to remember to SHOW and SHOW some more. I don't want him to ever think I am just gliding on by.

Want to share your secret?

How do they do it?

2011-01-03T19:22:00.002-05:00

Ladies and even Gentlemen,
In the past few years have you found a new respect for your mother? Are there times in your day when you say, "How the F did she do all this"?
That is what has been going around my head for a bit now. Grant it, my life is nothing like so many of my former classmates. I have a dog, a sometimes needy dog, but that is it. Oh, and a hubby and a sweet little kitty, but nothing like a CHILD. How the F do people have children and go about their days? I sometime resent my dog for having to be let out of his crate and walked. But, I don't have to worry about much else with him.
Over the weekend the Bert and I traveled to DC for some friends and a few adult beverages. On Sunday we met with Bert's cousin who has two precious little girls. Well behaved city girls. (city children are different then any other kinds, but that is a different post) The little ladies had plenty of things to keep them occupied and patient parents and second cousins to listen intently. We ate, we chatted, we were interrupted who knows how many times and it was a lovely brunch. I walked away from the experience even more befuddled. How do they do it, this whole parent thing? Where does the energy come from? Here were two super successful DC folks, with bilingual (and well behaved) children and there were Bert and I ready for a nap.
For the Bert and I, it is a daily chore to get everything done in a day that needs to be done. How do people throw in children on top of those needs? How is it all done? My mother did the following - a mother, a wife, a college student, a cook, a caregiver, a taxi driver and still found time for herself (precious little). But she did all of this things and I can barely manage to finish the laundry. It isn't like I am watching 5 hours of tv a night. Most nights it is none and I am crawling into bed wondering where my day has gone and adding more things onto the "to-do" list for the next day.
I marvel at women who take on so many roles. If women ruled the world, everything would be accomplished by noon. We have a knack for organization and world peace. I'm not sure how my mother did everything and I am grateful she passed down a bit of her womanly abilities to do everything.

Alive and Breathing

2010-11-13T18:09:00.002-05:00

Where has the time gone?

Like seriously, where does the time go?

We have been in the WV for 4 months now. 4 months?! Where did those months go to?

Things that we really enjoy about WV
1. The weather! Beautiful weather. Today it was 70 degrees. I know that it is an Indian Summer, but I am use to Indian Summer being in Oct, not Nov. The sun shines a lot here, a lot more then in Pittsburgh. We definitely used the pool a great deal over the summer.

2. The ease of buying wine. No more state stores! We can buy wine at the grocery store and the prices are cheaper.

3. Our house. It is such a fabulous new house! The house is well insulated so we can stay warm or cool and our electric bill is lower then it was in Pittsburgh.

We have begun to make friends and have hosted a few dinner parties. We certainly miss our friends, oh how we miss them, but we are working on our friendless state.

Robert is really enjoying his new job. There is definitely more stress involved, but he is handling it like a champ! Some days he is able to work from home and that has been an extra nice bonus. I see him a LOT more now then I did when we lived in the 'Burgh, and I will tell you a secret, I really really like him!

I am still working on a WV real estate license. I had to retake 90 hours of education AND the ridiculously hard test all over again! Grrrr!!!!! I should know Monday or Tuesday if I passed the test and can begin my real estate career. Fingers crossed!

New Blog

2010-07-19T15:35:00.001-04:00

HELLO!

I have a new blog for real estate

horneonhomes.blogspot.com

I am going to have guest contributors and it is going to be the real "real estate" no sugar coating. :) Become a follower.... PLEASE!

Charleston, WV

2010-07-08T13:30:00.003-04:00

I realized after my last post I never told you guys that we were moving!

YAY! kind of. Remember when I told you they took the West Virginia job away from us? Fast forward a month or so. Bert had gone on more interviews, our house sold in one day and I was becoming more and more stressed. In our relationship we had decided that no major decision should be made unless beer or martinis or wine were involved. So as we saddled up to our favorite watering hole, we talked. And talked and talked.

We came to the decision that we were done looking for jobs outside of Pittsburgh. We fell in love with a house in a different section of Pittsburgh and we were going to have Bill rehab the house. We called Bill to come down and give us an estimate of costs and a time frame. We agreed that we would write up and offer the following day. (This was Tues)

The next morning I began to prepare the agreement of sale and I get a text from Bert - "Bob just called and asked if I was still interesting in the WV job". WHAT?! But we already decided we weren't moving?! But, when the fates throw something your way you shouldn't say no. So, on Thursday he interviewed with the big boss. By Friday he was offered the job! Like for real offered the job, not like last time. And we had about a month to find a new place to live and prepare ourselves for the idea of a new state move.

The following weekend we drove down to Charleston, WV with the intent of finding an apartment. Here is the kicker - once you own a home it is hard to go back to a rental apartment. AND, having a dog and a cat makes that process so much harder. We were going to pay more for an apartment then a mortgage. SO, we decided to buy a townhouse. We tend to make decisions quickly. We liked the community, we liked that they have a pool and a community center. I liked that it was brand new construction, I would be the first to run the dishwasher and the oven! I LOVE that the laundry is on the first floor as is our master suite. We have three bedrooms and 2.5 baths! Now all we need are friends to have over for dinner.... wanna come visit?

He started his new job on July 1st. Crazy whirl-wind of crazy, that is the only way I can describe the past month!

Homeless

2010-07-08T10:53:00.003-04:00

AAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!

We sold our house in Pittsburgh 2 weeks ago tomorrow. We were suppose to close on our new home in Charleston, WV 2 weeks ago tomorrow. Guess what we didn't do 2 weeks ago tomorrow? That is right - close on our house in WV. We are homeless. Why are we homeless? Because the mortgage industry is a pain in the ass. Since the housing crash a few years ago the mortgage industry has become almost impossible. Our file has been to underwriting (aka the black hole of real estate) twice. This morning the file was sent back because they don't like the tax return the IRS gave us, they want a different one. How do you get a different form from the IRS?! I have no idea, nor does my agent and our loan processor hasn't told us either. OMFG!

My Hubby is living in a hotel, I am living with my brother-in-law and our items are living in our house that we would really like to purchase soon. We are living out of suitcases and people genorosity. I am trying hard to be patient and not cry or drink before noon.

Here is the list of things I want right now -
1. To sleep with my huband
2. In our home
3. With boxes unpacked
4. After making homemade pizza and salad
5. Eating dinner on our dining room table
6. Making new friends with good food
7. Work, I am ready to get my business started in WV, can't do that without living there.
8. I want to not cringe everytime I get an email
9. Sleep with my Hubby
10. Not worry about being fully clothed when leaving the bedroom

aaaaaaaahhhhhh!!

Showing it off

2010-05-06T09:40:00.003-04:00

A few weeks ago I bought a new shirt. I didn't bother to try it on, I liked the color, I liked the length, so why bother? Oh my! My "girls" are on show in this shirt! As I put the shirt on this morning I layered it with another shirt that covers everything, and I thought to myself - holy crap media you have gotten all women to believe we are suppose to show off the goods!

Now, don't get me wrong, there is nothing sexier then being on a date with my hubby and showing him the cleavage and what he is going to have for dessert, but during the day? During working hours? I am a real estate agent my working day is everyday all day long, I don't need to be showing those kind of goods!

I find nothing wrong with the females who can/want to show off the goods, but do not make me feel bad about (media)! I was thinking as I layered this morning - why can't you be comfortable enough with your body to show these girlies off? Then my rational side said - WTF?! You are comfortable, you walk around your home naked all the time, you wear form fitting dresses! Hell NO you didn't just try to make yourself bad for not going with the "norm".

So beside us women fighting with the idea that we won't look like any star from any tv show, because our bodies aren't built that way, we also now have to contend with thinking we need show more. There is something wrong with us for dressing appropriately, for covering up. Trust me, I am all about- do what you want, I am not judging. But me not judging has a clause for myself. And I am a little over that clause. I am going to be 29 soon and it is about damn time that I be ok with not going with the norm. If you knew me in middle/high school you know I wasn't for the norm. Not in a goth way, in a way that I did what I wanted and didn't care what you thought. ( I wore Hawaiian shirts for most of my senior year). I am still like that but I catch myself chastising myself for not showing the goods more. Hell NO media, you are not winning this girl over!

Stress

2010-05-05T17:20:00.002-04:00

It has been a few stressful weeks here at the Horne front. And I have to remember if I am stressed Bert is really really stressed. It has to due with - his job, where we could move to, our house selling, waiting and waiting and waiting. Honestly, that is what the stress is about, the waiting! It has been over three weeks of WAITING. BLAH! BLAH!

Bert has been trying to get a job with his company in outside business sales, which would be more like real estate but way better potential for him. We have applied all over the country (including Hawaii) Excluding (very cold weather states and those with lots of tornadoes). We have had pre-interviews, interviews and WAITING with places in OH,PA,WV and now VA calling and asking if we would be willing to move. Why would we apply if we weren't willing?

We keep looking at houses here in the 'Burgh and have it narrowed down just in case we get the job here.

Here is the deal - I hate not being able to plan! And I keep forgetting how stressed Bert has to be?! He is the one that is being turned down and is waiting to see if his career will go further. We have been rejected a few times for the following reason - he doesn't have outside business experience. WHAT?! Did they not look at his resume? And the thing is - he would ROCK at outside sales. If you know Bert you know how awesome he is with strangers, how professional he is, and just likable.

So for now I keep working and we keep waiting and we keep being super supportive even though we are so stressed.

Things we are good at

2010-04-28T12:05:00.002-04:00

Being in a forever relationship has given me a new perspective on how I deal with things and how Bert deals with things, as well as, what we are good at.

1. I am very good at selling Real Estate, while Bert is super duper good at selling Verizon Wireless.
2. I am very good at cleaning up after a very sick dog, while Bert is not good at all good and runs to the other room (while gagging).
3. Bert is extremely good at having a company lower our bills. Me - not so much. I will try and have it lowered a little but he can have it lowered a LOT.
4. Bert is super awesome at letting things slide of his back. If someone yells at him, he just rolls with it. If someone yelled at me I would cry and never speak to them again.
5. I am good at grocery shopping, Bert is good he just spends more.

Also, last week was a CRAZY stressful week in the Horne household. Bert has been trying for a new job here in the 'Burgh for 6 months now and hasn't gotten past the interview. BUT, two weeks ago he had a call from a manager in West Virginia, you read right WEST VIRGINIA!!! asking him to interview.

Now moving to west virginia, throws all of our plans out of the window. But we agreed that he needed to interview. SO, as he is preparing for the interview I am preparing for our house to go on the market. Last Thursday everyone knew, including Bert, that he would be offered the position in "forever far awayville". How did I handle the stress of having to - market and sell our house in the 'Burgh, find a new place to live in yuckyville, move Bert, wrap up business here, retake a real estate exam, find a company to work for, move me, learn a new territory....? I cleaned, cleaned like a mad women, cleaned like I have never cleaned before. I also painted everything that needed painted in our house and began to stage....ugh. Bert watched tv and asked if he could help :)

To make a long post longer - last Friday rolled around and between 530pm on Thursday and 8am Friday the job had been taken off the market. The big dog of that area decided not to fill the position and we are still here in the 'Burgh, WITH an interview for a position Bert wanted to begin with.

PHEW! I say PHEW!

And that is how Bert and I differ on lots of things.

Food Update

2010-04-16T16:53:00.001-04:00

So far this week we have spent -
32.76
This includes two dinner parties and a stop at the expensive grocery store for milk and eggs!

Total Balance so far
61.04

We have 38.96 left for the month....hmmm...are we going to make it! eeek!!

$100 challenge

2010-04-07T16:35:00.002-04:00

Nothing makes my stomach hurt more then throwing food away. I find myself every week throwing something away that we should have eaten, but were to lazy or forgot about it. I really, really want to go on an 8 day island hopping adventure to Greece in September. With that in mind I have started to initiated cut backs. Nothing drastic, nothing too intense. Just little things each month that in the end saves us money and get me what I want.

Last month we decided to cut way back on our eating out and our cleaning lady fired us, so we have been cleaning it ourselves (saves us $150 a month) This month I re-negotiated a better deal with our cable provider (savings of about $70) and we have started the $100 challenge. I bet Bert that I could spend just $100 for the entire month of groceries. This does not include eating out or wine, just food. It helps that I have a stocked pantry and my parents arrived last month with some red meat for Bert, (they think he is starving because we don't eat red meat that often)

The challenge started today - Grocery bill $28.28
I have made the following food
- Black Bean Burgers
- Turkey Tacos
- Guacamole

My mother thinks I'm crazy, Bert thinks it can't be done.... I am set to prove them all wrong :)

P.S. I will be doing all the shopping this month, Bert doesn't look at prices!

How to convince the hubby to try this

2010-04-05T18:19:00.004-04:00

I love this website - progressivepioneer.com

I love the receipes, the posts, the greenness of her page.

Today she posted about making our own toothpaste. Below is the website with directions. http://lusaorganics.typepad.com/clean/2010/02/natural-toothpaste-tutorial.html

Bert is not the greenest person I know, or the most willing to try new things, BUT I really really want to try this, and it could save us money, then we could go to GREECE faster... how should I approach this with him??

Update

2010-04-05T16:04:00.002-04:00

HE AGREED!!

Bert thought it would be a great idea to not have cable. SO, I called the company this morning and found out it would be cheaper for us to keep our cable (albeit a watered down version). We have our internet and phone through them, and I need the internet to work and we have our phone for our security system. BUT, we still are saving around $100 and that was the point to begin with.

Radical Idea

2010-04-02T12:32:00.002-04:00

As we know, my husband is a mizer (sp?). His new idea for us to save money, aka - put more money in his retirment fund, is to: trade in his pratically new car to buy a newer car for me (in cash) and then he would take my car, thus eliminating the car payment he has. I say...blah. He works too hard to not have a nice car. I love my car. I have had her since grad school and she works just fine! Except when I have a large client or a tall client, but so far no one has complained.

SO, while cleaning out our backyard today I came up with a GREAT idea for us to cut back - cancel our cable.

WOO-WHAT?!?! No Cable?! What would we do all day? Below is the list that I have made to compensate for no cable....
1. We have netflix and in the summer there is nothing new on tv. If it is raining outside we can always use our netflix. It streams right into our tv from our internet.
2. Garden. We were really bad at that last year! Thankfully Bill came over a lot to garden for us, or make us garden. I want a veggie garden anyway and it isn't going to weed itself.
3. Playing tennis, walking the dog, biking the trails...endless things to do OUTSIDE, in the SUNSHINE, that are FREE.
4. Boardgames, dinner parties, bonfires in our backyard....

There would be plenty for us to do, and it would save us so much! The monthly bill for our cable is over $200 (that includes the internet and a landline) I would think we could save at least $100 dollars a month by not having cable.

Wish me luck in proposing this to Bert, who LOVES his tv :)

Books

2010-03-13T14:21:00.002-05:00

I decided this year that I would read more. Less tv, more read. It has helped that we have a netbook and hubby can netflix "Lost" til he falls asleep and I can read, all in one bed! So far here is a list of books that I have read this year -

1. A Thousand Splendid Suns - Khaled Hosseini - I liked this book. I felt connected to the characters and though there was a nice development. I remember being a teenager and feeling helpless over the plight of women in Afghanastian, and that helplessness was refueled with this book.

2. Memory Keepers Daughter - Kim Edwards - Blah, blah, blah. I have never been so happy for a book to end. It was just contrite and uninteresting. I felt no feelings towards the characters or their plights. I even skipped the last page.

3. The Good Wife - Stewart O'Nan - An interesting book. I wouldn't read it again. It was the every day life of the characters, no real climax, no real end.

4. The time of the uprooted -Elie Wiesel - Holly Moses, this is a hard book. I have been out of the academic world too long to grasp this book. It wasn't a book I could read right before going to bed, or after a glass of wine.

5. Remember us : my journey from the shtetl through the Holocaust - Martin Small - I cried and cried. It was a beautiful book and it was nice to have the author skip over the brutality he (and everyone else) endured. It was more about the human spirit and a remembrance of his family and his life. Highly recommended!

6. Daphne : a novel - Justine Picardie - A good book. I like how the author wove the characters and different time periods together. Wasn't a huge fan of the characters, but that is because I view them as whiny women, and I hate whiny women.

Currently on my nightstand
Confessions of an Ugly Stepsister - Gregory Maguire.

New Map

2010-03-13T10:30:00.001-05:00

visited 33 states (66%)
Create your own visited map of The United States

It's How We Roll

2010-03-13T10:13:00.003-05:00

In the Horne household there are certain chores that we HATE to do. Sometimes they are not done until our lovely and wonderful and perfect Tammi comes to make our castle sparkle. But, because we have to be adults (sometimes) we have a system that divides the chores evenly...

That is how adults make decisions in our house! Luckily, I win most of the time. Here is a list of items that are on the rock,paper,scissors game board

1. Cleaning the kitty box (we are trying to house break her like we did our other cat)
2. Bringing the sheets up stairs at 11pm so we can make the bed
3. Cleaning the kitty box
4. cleaning the kitty box

Reason 1,543 why I love my husband

2010-02-11T18:39:00.001-05:00

While watching tv I asked dear Hubby if he would like me to look like a particular thin actress. His response - "I just want you to look like you." aaawwww!

A Christmas Story

2010-01-21T19:28:00.002-05:00

This story is a wee-bit late:

As we all know Bert and I eloped. One day just woke up and got married. It was actually planned a lot longer then that, since it is so freakin' time consuming to get married in Pa, but anyway. So with an elopment came "bump watch '09"

Bert thought it would be funny for me to get a little fake pregnancy belly. You know that stage between "is she getting fat" or "is she preggo". hehehe, we did not do that, it would have killed his mother.

SO, I haven't been drinking in front of his family since this elopment, why, more then likely I was nursing a hangover from the night before. On Christmas Eve we were at the BIL *funny because his name is Bill* and I was drinking water. THEN!! The MIL comes into the kitchen and starts to stare at my belly and then smiles at me....I promptly drank a few glasses of wine in front of her, and promised myself more spinning classes in the very near future.

2009

2009-12-31T13:58:00.003-05:00

I have composed numerous posts in my head, for whatever reason I have yet to get out of my head and into my computer.

Here it is New Years Eve - where does the time go? Remember being young and thinking time just drags on and on BUT THEN you blink and the next thing you know you are - in college, old enough to drink, approaching ten years since high school, married, have a house, have pets of your own, some have children, people keep looking at your tummy like you are old enough to reproduce (more wine please).... AHHH! Where does the time go?

This year alone I have - adopeted another cat, did well enough in my career to do it again next year, became engaged, became married, my brother turned 40, I'm one more year closer to 30 and once again drank too much :)Went to New Orleans, Las Vegas, Norfolk, Va, CT and home (twice).

2009 was a lovely year. I am excited to see what 2010 holds for everyone.

Here are my goals for 2010
- Make it to Europe
- Produce more in real estate then I did last year
- Try to work on being patient
- Have a better work - life balance (this probably not happen,lets keep it real)
- Continue to be madly in love with Hubby, like madly deeply honeymoon period happy I will work on that until we are dead, I want to be one of those old couples that hold hands and kiss a LOT
- See my parents more then a few times a year or in a an emergency/surgery situation

Pictures of Vegas

2009-11-09T11:11:00.001-05:00

VEGAS

2009-11-06T08:57:00.002-05:00

Bert and I went on a mini-honeymoon. Three days of Vegas, that was all we needed. We both our work-aholics. I had to make a deal with Bert that I would leave my cell phone in the room, and I had an amazing agent taking care of two transactions that were occuring. But, three days of not knowing what was going on in my business freaked me out :)

Anyway, back to Vegas. Super fun time! The city does NOT sleep! Even when were up at 5am (thank you time delays) there were people gambling, getting coffee, returning from the club... We were in bed by 10pm everynight. That is our kind of vacation, sleeping. We don't do enough. I don't know how people have children and work. We stayed at the MGM Grand and had a view of the strip from our room. We went to a magic show, and to see Zoomanity. We ate good food and gambled a little. Here is the thing - We both work so hard for our money it is not easy for us to let it go. I played the penny slots for two days on one dollar, and Bert played enough blackjack to double his money then cashed out. I don't think the MGM will be asking us back because we are high rollers. I think it would be fun to go to Vegas with a group of friends in the summer, maybe a trip next year? More then likely not. My business is too crazy in the summer to take time off. I think I went to the pool twice this year? And thank goodness for Bill & Bffness otherwise our lawn/garden would have not exsisted.

When the clients are hiding

2009-10-12T16:10:00.007-04:00

In my profession there are times when your clients are hiding. For me two weeks ago all of my clients had purchased a home/in the end process of purchase/were still on the fence and didn't want my help. SO, what is a newly married girl to do?? BAKE!

YUMMY bread! I have been scared of yeast for awhile now, but I took the plunge and it worked out well. I have now graduated to whole wheat bread, super good with homemade chili!

And what about this?

We ELOPED!!!

2009-09-27T09:07:00.003-04:00

That is right, we ELOPED! After much thought and lots of talking we both agreed that we just didn't care if we had a wedding. We didn't really want the stress that everyone else brings to weddings, we didn't want to spend that much money, we would rather take that money and go to Europe. SO, we went to the court house with Bill & Tom and we eloped. It was a lovely, fun and sunshiny day. After our stint at the courthouse, we went to La Casa (tapas) for lunch and martinis, then we went to the Harris Grill for another martini, and then BOWLING!!! That is right, bowling in all our finery. There was no stress, no tears, no stupid people ruining a perfectly good day. The sun was out all day the boys and I had the best time, and I would like to repeat it every year.

SO, I am a married women now! Yay!! We are both super excited to see what this next chapter holds for us.

In love with vinegar

2009-09-16T18:43:00.002-04:00

I use vinegar, baking soda and water for EVERYTHING in the cleaning world. For the longest time I have had issues with our dishwasher. The glasses always end up cloudy and just yucky looking. Today I decided to put a bowl of vinegar under the blade of the dishwasher and OH MY GOODNESS!!! It was beautiful the glases where shiny, the dishes were shiny the silverware, oh the silverware, mmmmm..... my whole day was made with the founding of this miracale cleaning solution.

Flowers for the Wedding

2009-09-04T13:52:00.003-04:00

SO! Those that know me know I try to be as green as I can. In the wedding details I have been trying to keep the amount of cut flowers to a minimum. Think about it - people like the flowers as they walk down the isle and then during pictures, but that is it! The flowers are then placed on a table and promptly forgotten. WELL, I found this today -

I want, I want, I want! They are feathers! Everyone will keep them FOREVER! So different, so me, so kinda sorta expensive :/ But, I really really really like it!

I want a lot

2009-07-27T14:39:00.000-04:00

These are the shoes I really really really want to wear for the wedding. Really really really.....

Alphabet with me

2009-06-10T14:41:00.002-04:00

A - Age: 28
B - Bed size: Full
C - Chore you hate: Weeding
D– Dessert: cheesecake
E - Essential to start your day: Coffee
F - Favorite flower: Lilac
G- Gold or Silver: Silver
H - Height: 5' 3/4"
I - Instruments you play(ed): xylophone (in highschool) Soprano now
J - Job you had in high school: Librarian Assistant
K - Kid(s): eeew...
L - Lunch spots: Patrons or home
M - Mom's Name: Mary
N - Newest item bought: Purple tshirt
O - Overnight hospital stay: never
P- Pet Peeve: People who don't listen to me like they should
Q- Quote from a movie: "The snozeberries taste like snozeberries!"
R - Right or left handed: Right
S - Siblings: 2 Brothers
T- Time you wake up: 7:30 or 8 am
U - Underarm deodorant?: Yes
V- Very surprising fact: I'm a control freak
W - Ways you run late: I don't, it gives me a stomach ache
X - X-rays you've had: On my knee in college
Y - Yummy food you make: Lemon Spaghetti
Z - Zoo animal: Monkies

ENGAGED!!!!

2009-06-05T09:15:00.003-04:00

Robert and I are finally engaged!!! It was romantic and it was perfect!!

Musing of 27

2009-05-26T16:09:00.003-04:00

I have now been 28 for a few days. The best comment people can say is, "WoW gettin' close to thirty?! Aren't you old?" UGH! I am excited for 30, bring it on! But, I degress or is it digress??
ANYWHOO, 27. What a fabulous year. Just like wine, vodka and a lot of other expensive things I get better with age. I would never want to be 21 again. I'm glad I made some big mistakes when I did, when it didn't matter as much and so much wasn't on the line.
At 27 the following things happened -
1. The hardest thing. I spent the first full year of my life without my
grandpa, that sucked, it was hard and I still miss him.
2. I was accepted in a PhD program and I refused a PhD program
3. I started my career and it has been the best decision I could have made! I
love it AND I am good at it :) 4 transaction in one week (my personal best,
I hope to repeat it often)
4. I have found my core group of friends and strengthened my outer (live to
far away) group as well.
5. I have found me. I have found my inner FABULOUSNESS, my inner DIVA,my
inner CRAZY CRAZY Girl, and I have not had to compromise that at all.
6. I have fell more madly and more deeply in love with Bert. This past year
solidified my decision that he can either marry me or be locked in a
basement :)
7. I had a great year, too much fun, too much wine, too much excess but I
think I kept myself in check enough to allow karma to be kind.
8. We bought a house - and a super cute wonderful house at that!
9. We adopted a dog - and a super cute wonderful hot mess he is :)
10. I grew up just enough to realize how lucky I have been, how blessed my life is and how thankful I am that my parents still like me!!

I am looking forward to more years of being wonderful. Hopefully next year I am closer to being married ;)

More Maps

2009-05-01T09:45:00.002-04:00

visited 47 states (94%)
Create your own visited map of The United States or another interesting project

These are all the states my dad has been to! Anyone for a week in Hawaii???

visited 38 states (76%)
Create your own visited map of The United States or Best time to visit Charlottenburg

This is my mommies...we will let her go to Hawaii with us.

visited 32 states (64%)
Create your own visited map of The United States or Like this? try: Sea Level Rise

And...this is my new one! YAY! Three new states on this trip :)

Arkansas

2009-04-30T18:32:00.007-04:00

I've made it to Arkansas! Today we met up with my dad's cousins who he hasn't seen in 35 years!!

We had a super yummy meal of burnt hotdogs, potatoe salad and some type of bean. We drove 1.5 hours to Pine Bluff, Ar to enjoy an afternoon of new family. Tomorrow we will be traveling 5 hours to Ok. Aunt Suzie (my FAV aunt) and I will be sharing a flask during this uber fun car ride :)

Centerpiece

2009-04-07T12:01:00.003-04:00

At some point I will get married and I will have a reception! So, I have decided that I will start planning now, that way I won't be stressed when the actually time comes! I am done to a choice of three centerpieces...

I LURVE my dog

2009-04-03T13:47:00.002-04:00

Happy Weather

2009-03-14T17:18:00.002-04:00

I love spring weather. The rain, the chilly days, the hot car in the afternoon with the windows down....it all makes me happy.

I forgot to metion that I now have two listings with a listing appointment on Tuesday, which will make three listings (fingers crossed)

I figured it out

2009-03-10T14:12:00.007-04:00

After a wonderful two days in Nemocolin for Bert's award banquet I have learned a few things about myself.

A. I LURVE being pampered. A mani and a pedi and Bert all to myself for two days yup, I love to spoiled. Good thing Bert already knew this.

B. My next house will have a jacquzzi tub....ahhhhh....

C. I am REALLY good and smoozhing with the higher-ups AND their wifeys...
Bert is so lucky!

D. I LURVE my dog the way most people feel about their children.

Trying to be good

2009-02-04T22:14:00.004-05:00

This is me trying to pack for five days. I have managed to reduce my suitcase space to half, so that Bert can have half. I am only taking 5 pairs of shoes. It took me half the day! It is hard!!

Real Estate

2009-02-04T12:11:00.002-05:00

SO, I have decided to just try Real Estate all by itself for a few months and see what happens. Fingers crossed, peeps. This is the first time in a long time I haven't had two jobs. I make sure to have lots of things to report to Bert, I want him to know I am truly working and not eating bon-bons all day.

I think what Bert likes the best about this job is how clean the house is! AND, on Mon night I cooked dinner. Enough dinner that he could pack his lunch so far this week. The grocery shopping is done, the house is clean, there is food in the ref, laundry is washed and put away....OMG I am f'ing Martha Stewart!!!! AHHHH!!!! Make it stop!!! I need more businnes because I can't go on like this! :)

I'm packing for New Orleans!! I'm going to meet the sinners of Berts family! YAY! No one to judge me!!!!!

2009-01-26T15:17:00.000-05:00

visited 29 states (58%)
Create your own visited map of The United States or try another Douwe Osinga project

I'm ok

2009-01-23T12:53:00.003-05:00

Since starting real estate in Oct. I have had the safety net of a very nice part-time job. Two weeks ago they had to terminate my position due to the economy, BUT they gave me til the end of the month. I still haven't found another part-time job to replace this one, but I do have a closing in the beginning of March. I have enough saved to get me through the next month, should I just wait out Feb without a paycheck and concentrate on real estate or should I just work at Starbucks???

Running

2009-01-05T13:37:00.003-05:00

I have decided that in order to keep healthy I must have a goal. SO, my goal this year is to run the 1/2 marathon in Pittsburgh. I can run 4-5 miles already, so what is another 7-8? I think Bert is going to be joining me for this run, although he is WAY ahead of me in the training department.

We had a fab weekend in Towanda with my parents. Winston was SPOILED!!! He is now is doggy bootcamp. He didn't have to wear a leash all weekend, there were cows to play with and he was fed people food. He didn't sleep the entire time we were there. When we piled into the car to drive home he was passed out in the backseat in 10 minutes. Today is back to the crate and dog food.

The score

2008-12-30T15:13:00.000-05:00

4 slices of cheese pizza - 1 My figure - 0
grrrrr.... I have no self control :0)

Cute shoes and a Fab hair day!

2008-12-29T15:45:00.001-05:00

I will have to say that I am having a Fab hair day! It did just what I wanted it to this morning! YAY! I decided on this sex kitten skirt and my wonderful ruby red shoes. I got myself all dolled up and pretty, took one finally look in the mirror and realized Winston had peed on my skirt awhile ago!!! I love this dog, just not that much! Yay for crates! We have crated his azz for 4 days now and it is uber nice to not clean up dog pee, or find it when I am washing the floors! YAYAYAYA!!!

On a sadder note...I have discovered that I am beginning to develop a belly, and not the cute kind either. The I drink and eat too much fat kind. SO, I am taking my running/working out and eating heathy a LOT more serious. Like, no drinks for girl if she hasn't worked out that day. I can not be fat, it just doesn't look good on me. I have had this little belly for awhile but it has grown over the past month and it must stop. I am going to be posting my workouts, I need to be accountable and this is a good way to do it....blah.

Christmasness

2008-12-26T10:22:00.001-05:00

What a wonderful Christmas I had! Christmas Eve was spent at work then Bert, the Boys and Tiny with her family came to my Church for our Christmas Eve service! It was beautiful and wonderful to sing on high and have our Church be filled with people. This was the first Christmas Eve that I did not have my grandpa. I figured I would cry like a child, which I did at home, but I was good through the entire service! We then went to the Boy's house for yummy food and drinks. I had far to much merry had suffered all Christmas day.

Christmas day we awoke and opened our stocking gifts. All four of us went in on providing Christmas gifts to a family in need. We all agreed that we didn't need anything and we have been so blessed in our lives this year. Bert and I bought a house, did really need anything when others could barely afford to have food on the table? I had a lot of fun shopping for a 14 year old girl! The Boys bought for an 11 year old boy and we all shopped for the mom. I hope that they had a FAB Christmas morning :) We lounged about for the majority of the day and played games and drank some more cheer. In the late afternoon we pulled ourselves together and went to Bubba Tom's for dinner with all of Bert's family. A good nut-free time was had by all.

By the time we arrived home we were DONE. We fell asleep on the couch with the Christmas tree twinkling and our little family cuddled on the couch.

Bert living in a cardboard box....

2008-12-15T14:22:00.000-05:00

I love Bert, we all know that. One of his most endearing qualites is his thought that he will someday live in a cardboard box. Of course I sometimes call him a Mizer. But, it is a great quality and his a hardworker and occasionally I get him to splurge on things. The best part about this is when he grocery shops he never looks at prices! He would buy name brand that was $3 more, just because it was the first one he picked up. I had to show him the fancy tag at the grocery store that tells you the price per unit, he found this uber fascinating and now looks before purchasing, at least with me. The whole point of the story is I asked him to purchase bleach. To me bleach is bleach and I thought he would get the cheap kind. Nope, he went for the fancy bleach, the kind pictured above. Isn't he super cute?

Weekendness

2008-12-01T12:15:00.000-05:00

What an eventful weekend. Wed night I took Winston (our puppy) to the Boys house to meet his cousins. The meeting was a little tense for the first hour, after that just plain fun. Buster would chase Winston down the hall way, Winston would chase Buster the other way. When we made it home Winston was finished he refused to move from the couch. Gobble day was spent at the Lake. Only three of the six dishes had nuts in them, SO, I just stayed away from the veggies (that was easy for the pseudo-vegetarian that I am). Friday, the District came…YAY!!! We partied like it was 1999 and then some. Who doesn’t love a chocolate cake shot?!

Saturday was up early to work all day, then a quiet night with Bert, pizza and beer…what a great combination! Sunday was a day of errands. Bert bought me an early Christmas present of car tires and an alignment. AND then we bought a wii!!!! Of course we played numerous games and I kicked Bert’s ass a lot J To answer the District’s question, yes my hair is better, now it needs another cut…it never ends.

My Hair Dilemma

2008-08-14T16:05:00.001-04:00

Many of you know, because I lamented on the fact for months that I am without a hairdresser. *ugh* It must be one of the worst things that has gone on in my life. For those of you who don’t know here is the story:
Back in April or May I received a call from the salon that I had an appointment with that morning. “Hi, we called on Thursday and left a message, your hairdresser has gone MIA.” (Side note – I didn’t receive a call on Thursday) “We can get you with someone else for a discount.”
Fine I told myself I need a haircut. I wait to the last minute to do these things. I go and it was alright, nothing special no fireworks, not my hairdresser. WELL, I thought I would find her by the time I went for another haircut. Nope, she is still gone….grrrr.
Last night a dear friend gave me a wonderful gift of a haircut at this rather fancy salon. I went and was given tea in a ceramic mug!! WOW!! I told the hairdresser what I kinda wanted, but I gave her far too much liberty….
I am now stuck with a rather dreadful haircut, even the boy said “Hmmmm…not the best cut you’ve had.” Yeah, it’s that bad.
I will be posting a picture later so that you can all tell me it is in my head or on it! hahaha

2008-03-31T18:55:00.000-04:00

To keep my butt in gear I am posting my runs and workouts! Encourgement is needed!
http://www.mapmyrun.com/user_profile?username=fiestyhistorygal

Crazy Boy

2008-03-29T14:23:00.000-04:00

Since Wednesday the heat has been turned off. Now granted I was the original one to act - albeit after seeing our astronomical electric bill - but now I am regretting the decision. Unfortunately, the boy things that this was the best idea I have had for awhile, and now I must stick to my guns. In reality I just don't want to be the one that folds. SO, I am sitting here in the cold with my hoodie on trying to convince myself that I need to read a bit more why Europe integrated. I really do need to read a LOT more, and the rest of my weekend will be split between boy, running and the library, but not in that order.

First outdoor run of the year

2008-03-29T14:17:00.000-04:00

I had my first outdoor run of the season on 3/26. I was hoping for a bit more mileage, I actually thought I had run at least 4, but by this count I have 3.54 miles. Today I am going to look more at the street signs so that I can have an accurate account of miles.