Busy Week

I had my book club meeting this week. We read In the Woods and met at Pearls to discuss and eat good food. I had to pick the book for next month, hopefully it is good!


I stood in line for 1 hour and 15 minutes to vote on Tuesday. That night we went to a watch party. When the announcement was made Michael and my brother beat down the elephant pinata.


Poor little elephant! (There was also a donkey pinata.)

We are headed out of town this weekend for the OU/A&M game. Boomer Sooner!

Welcome Anna

My friend Jill had a baby girl- Anna Rachel- a few weeks ago and we had a shower for her this weekend.


Anna just a few hours old.


Some of the hostesses and Jill


The cake


Melissa, Me, Jill, and Hayli- we went to OC together and were in club together


Anna and Annaleise
She is so sweet!

It's beginning to look a lot like Hallo-Mas

Driving home last night through the shopping center by my house I noticed...the trees were lit up with Christmas lights and there were Christmas decorations hanging on the light poles. What day is it?! I really can't believe November is almost here. This year seems to have flown by.


Speaking of Christmas...I got our stockings in the mail today. I had wanted to get them last year, and I kept waiting for them to go on sale, they never did, and then they sold out. This year they had these that were less than last years, on sale, and had a special with free monogramming and shipping! Perhaps some year I will be crafty and make some for us, but for now I am happy with these!


My sister came by tonight to share some cupcakes she made with us. How cute are these owl cupcakes!! Good job sister! Let's quit our jobs and open a cupcake shop!


We made and decorated some sugar cookies while she was here. I do love holidays!

Inspiring video

I cried.

This makes me happy!

One of those days...

Well it was just one of those days today. Sometimes I feel like I have things together and sometimes its seems I spend the day chasing loose ends.

"low lights":
1. Stayed up late last night getting ready for an out of town guest, and then I didn't sleep well.
2. While I wasn't sleeping well I remembered I need to go to the store to get stuff for a work potluck.
3. Due to schedule conflicts I had to be at supervision this morning about the time I am contemplating getting out of bed...and run to the store beforehand.
4. Supervision ran long, realized I forgot to buy crackers for my cheeseball , and had to go back to the store.
5. All of this delay meant I was going to be late to the meeting at work, so I PUT TOGETHER THE CHEESEBALL WHILE DRIVING!
6. Had several things come up at work that I had to tend to, and didn't get to other things I needed to do.
7. I put my chai in a thermos this morning as I was racing out the door and when I tasted it, I had a full mouth coating of dish soap tasting chai...not sure what that was about, but it was sick!

Highlights:
My supervisor had a super yummy breakfast for us this morning, our pot lucks are work are always great, the meeting didn't start for about 15 minutes after I got there, so the timing of everything worked out just fine, and my last appointment canceled, so I got to finish early!

It was a busy day of lows and highs. But tomorrow is Friday and I am leaving work early to have fun with my mom and sister. YAY!

MMM-MMM!

We shared a pumpkin pie concrete tonight at Freddy's Frozen custard...and it was DELICIOUS! I don't like pumpkin pie so much but this was great!

I finished reading The Secret Life of Bees, last night. It was an easy read that is doable in a few days. I am interested to see the movie and how it compares to the book. Overall I thought the book was sad, but things came together in the end. Now I need to get started on this month's book for book club. Any book recommendations?

Enid

We trekked up to Enid this weekend and spent some time with my good friend from grad school. We cooked together for a few hours and she shared one of her gourmet meals with me.


Michael was invited in for this part because he LOVES


Setting things on fire! He just singed a few hairs.


sweet Hannah and me


Michael and I and our made-from-scratch molten lava cakes! YUM! I will definitely have to make those soon and post them on my cooking blog.

MAMMA MIA!

Michael was out of town most of the week so I had the chance to see Mamma Mia...for the 3rd time.



Then we had a Starbucks date with lots of laughing. They have new hot chocolates, that actually don't taste like dirt. Mine was so good! Michael is home and we are happy to spend the weekend together. We saw the movie Fireproof last night, and if you can see past the mediocre acting, the message and movie are really good.

BOOMER SOONER!

We had a good weekend, despite the outcome of the game, which some of us probably don't want to talk about.


On our way to the game filled with such hope!


Garden at the Texas state fair


More gardens


SAM!!


Getting pumped up for the game!

As in years past, today on our way home the rednecks were posted outside their RV park close the Texas border heckling the Oklahoman's on the way back to our great state. At least this year the people I saw had shirts on. It seems like the highlight of their life as they stand by the side of the highway for hours and hours heckling people...I wonder what they did last year when we won. We'll get them next year!

the girl who doesn't like change

January 2008

February 2008


May 2008


October 2008

Happy October! I thought I would write down a quick list of the things I am grateful for or looking forward to this morning, instead of allowing the shear panic I am feeling about my national licensing exam to really set in.
*the incredible weather
*my fun book club meeting last night
*my shipment of big train chai came in yesterday
*by late tomorrow afternoon I will be finished and can do my fall decorating
*in 2 days we are headed to Dallas for OU/Texas which means fun times away, the Texas State Fair, and family time, (oh and OU football!!)
*in 2 weeks it is affair of the heart
*in 2 months we will be in Rome
*I can get back to trying things for my cooking blog soon
*reading my sept and oct Real Simples and Rachel Ray

Alright I need to get to work! Happy Fall!

An even better thought

I love Chinese fortune cookie messages.

A good thought...

I got this notebook while studying at Barnes and Noble the other day. If you can't read it, it says "it is never to late to embrace change". I liked it because I typically don't like change. But there are several changes I want to make at this point in my life- the way I eat, manage my time, how much time I spend with God, and so on. It is encouraging to think that at any point we choose we have the power to change how we live, think, and believe about ourselves! Happy first day of Fall! It is definitely a beautiful time of change in the world around us! Have a great week.

I love the weekend!

The last few weeks have been pretty stressful with my job, jury duty, and studying for my licensing exam. Friday night I had to work late, and Saturday I spent several hours studying, so I was feeling in need of some fun. My sweet husband came up with a plan of fun.
I got ready late that afternoon (there was no point in showering to just study), and we went to see the movie Ghost Town- which I didn't know anything about- but it was just the kind of movie I needed. I laughed, cried, and enjoyed the whole thing. Some might say it is predictable and cheesy, but sometimes that is a nice relief when the work I do can be really heavy.

We went to dinner at The Wedge, a pizza place on western, we had been wanting to try for a while now.

They have a really cool outdoor patio that we sat at...Until a mouse ran out of the garden and I screamed. Well I didn't think it was really a scream but Michael says it was louder than I think it was. So then we moved inside, and they probably thought we were really weird. But if you know me and my phobia you should be proud of me that we stayed at all..because we ALL know where there is 1 there is 100!


Here we are with our build-your-own pizza. It was very good, and a different experience than other regular pizza places, although after it was all said and done I might just be a hideaway/pizza hut girl. (Sorry to all of the wedge lovers!) I would like to go back and try something different.


We saw a beautiful sunset on our way to pick up our to-go piece of cheesecake from the cheesecake factory.
Michael had booked a hotel on priceline.com for more than 1/2 of the regular price, after dinner we headed there and went swimming. It was a great relaxing afternoon/evening and fun to just hang out together. We slept in a little then had a nice breakfast at Panera of chai teas and we shared a soufflé. Then we went to church and ran errands. I spent the rest of the afternoon and this evening after church working on work and study stuff, but it was so nice to have a fun time off. If you like happy-ever-after movies you should check out Ghost Town!

Recap of the last several weeks

My nephew started kindergarten! We met at Braums to continue the family tradition of ice cream on the first day of school


I got to spend some time with my good friends Emily and Michelle. Here we are enjoying a crab boil at crabtown.


The first OU game was the last weekend in August.


We celebrated my brother's 30th birthday


George and Me


We went to Enid for Hannah's 1st birthday!


I can't believe she is a year already!

I have begun studying for my licensure exam that is in October, and also "serving my country" in jury duty (which is a whole other post in itself). Michael is loving the cooler weather, OU football, and is ready for fall. Things are really busy and I am looking forward to being finished with my exam and jury duty! Then it will be getting close to the Holidays! I can't believe how fast this year has gone!

In case you missed it on SNL

Hilarious.

the Great state fair of OKLAHOMA!

The fair is here right now, which as the tradition stands we go every year with friends and usually my family too. We went this weekend.


the sea lion show


doing the conga


I only eat corn dogs at the fair--and they are good! :)


Michael and I shared one of the ginormous amazing cinnamon rolls!
We looked around the buildings, looked at the animals (I held a baby chick), and had a great time with our friends.

Happy Birthday Michael!

Michael turned 27 on September 4th!


Opening one of his birthday gifts before work


My man with his Jamba Juice, the morning of his birthday


At his family birthday party


Blowing out the candles. He wanted a carrot cake for his birthday so I made one and had my first attempt at cream cheese icing. Happy Birthday Michael! I love you so much!

Happy birthday to me from you...

This is Michael posting... yes I know, it's been a while.

Not that I expect a gift or card from anyone who reads this blog in two days when I turn 27, but if by some off chance you had planned on doing something for me on my birthday (or if you just have a big heart) read on...

Instead of getting me a gift this year (or in addition to a gift, if that's how you roll), I'd really like it if you would consider giving $27 in my name to the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Oklahoma.

I'm volunteering with them to help a little girl, Alexis, go to Disney World to meet Mickey Mouse later this month and I'd really appreciate your help.

I've set up a webpage that includes some information about Alexis' story and a place to make an online donation at http://www.firstgiving.com/michaelmitchell27.

If you'd typically buy me a birthday present or send me a card, please making a donation of $27 (or more!!!) (less is fine too) to help make Alexis' wish come true by visiting the link above. If you wouldn't typically buy me a birthday present or send me a card, don't worry, you're welcome to give to this cause too.