Day 363

We are finally back from Florida (hence, the late hour of the post!). While there is much to tell, for now let me leave you with a couple of shots of Turner Field in Atlanta - Home of the Atlanta Braves! We drove by the stadium both going and coming, and it was exciting for these Braves fans!



Quote of the Day: "Baseball is almost the only place in life where a sacrifice is really appreciated." -- Mark Beltaire

And, on that note, many thanks to my wonderful husband Patrick for driving literally ALL DAY today (including yucky weather)!

Day 362

I've been waiting for this Christmas gift for a couple of months:

Gray canvas TOMS! These are SO comfortable!!!

Quote of the Day: "Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn." -- Benjamin Franklin

Day 361

Patrick's cousin introduced him to his new favorite thing today -- this really cool head massager:

I've been told we're getting one tomorrow. :)

Today's Quote: "Oh the comfort, the inexpressible comfort of feeling safe with a person, having neither to weigh thoughts nor measure words, but pouring them all right out, just as they are." -- Diana Maria Mulock

Day 359

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good... box of chocolates? Seriously, this is the biggest box of chocolates I'd ever seen!


But, more importantly, Patrick and I had a great Christmas celebration with our families at various times over the past few days. We wish you and yours a very Merry Christmas. Remember that Jesus is the Reason for the Season!

Quote of the Day: "For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government shall be upon His shoulder. And His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace." -- Isaiah 9:6

Day 358

The past few days, this collection has been quite the lifesaver... There's always someone sick at Christmas, it seems!



Quote of the Day: "Christmas, my child, is love in action. Every time we love, every time we give, it's Christmas." -- Dale Evans Rogers

Day 357

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas...

(Sorry for the poor picture quality... but better lighting would have ruined the effect!)

Today's Quote: "The only really blind person at Christmastime is he who has not Christmas in his heart." -- Helen Keller

Day 356

BEAUTIFUL sunset today... :)


Quote of the Day (from my fortune cookie at P. F. Chang's the other day): It is much easier to be critical than to be correct.

Day 355

Only 10 more blogging days to go! Today's picture is another great gift Patrick got for Christmas already this year -- a Charlie Brown Christmas tree! (We don't have it set up yet, so you get a picture of the box.)


Today's Quote: "Service which is rendered without joy helps neither the servant nor the served. But all other pleasures and possessions pale into nothingness before service which is rendered in a spirit of joy." -- Mohandas Gandhi

Day 354

I went shopping with my two amazing personal shoppers today, my mother-in-law Tia and my sister-in-law Nikki. Nikki found me an amazing suit for 70% off (Woohoo!), and Tia chipped in on it for part of my Christmas present (Woohoo again!).


Yup, it's a terrible picture, but I am feeling pretty lousy tonight, so this is the best you're going to get. Sorry. :(

Quote of the Day: "The trouble with always trying to preserve the health of the body is that it is so difficult to do without destroying the health of the mind." -- G. K. Chesterton

Day 353

Patrick got a very cool Christmas gift from my parents today - a Phineas and Ferb mug!
He and I both thought it was amazing!

Quote of the Day: "When we were children, we used to think that when we were grown up we would no longer be vulnerable. But to grow up is to accept vulnerability... To be alive is to be vulnerable." -- Madeleine L'Engle

Day 352

Today I was ready for lunch before the rest of the family, so I took my bowl of soup to the loveseat. I was quickly joined by 3 dogs--one in my lap:

One curled up beside me:

And one on top of the back seat cushions with her head resting on my shoulder:

Amazingly, I got through lunch in relative peace! Shortly thereafter, they were all basically in my lap:

And, at some point, they couldn't figure out why I was taking so many pictures of them!

Quote of the Day: "The dog is the most faithful of animals and would be much esteemed were it not so common. Our Lord God has made his greatest gift the commonest."--Martin Luther

Day 351

My afternoon looked something like this:

Grading final exams with one dog in my lap and the other sitting nearby? Yup.


Quote of the Day: "Dogs have given us their absolute all. We are the center of their universe. We are the focus of their love and faith and trust. They serve us in return for scraps. It is without a doubt the best deal man has ever made."--Roger Caras

Day 350

Look at all the pretty colors... Love this Christmas decoration!

Quote of the Day: "When you look at your life, the greatest happinesses are family happinesses." -- Dr. Joyce Brothers

Day 348

It was a big day for my odometer... We started the day with a palindrome in the driveway:


Then, when I headed off to lunch with my friend Ann, I noticed I'd hit a big milestone:


Pretty good for a car I've been driving 9.5 years! I had another palindrome on the way to lunch, but I was on the interstate, and it didn't seem responsible to try to get that shot while driving. :)

Please continue to pray for my father-in-law. He's still in the hospital, and as far as I know as of this blog post, they still aren't entirely sure what the course of treatment will be.

Quote of the Day: "Other things may change us, but we start and end with family." -- Anthony Brandt

Day 346

We don't go to Sunday evening church... well, ever. :/ But, the one Sunday evening service that we make a special effort to get to is the Christmas music service. All of the church's choirs, as well as a (mostly) full orchestra, do an evening of Christmas music that is just so much fun for former choir / orchestra nerds like me. :) I tried to get a shot of the decorated sanctuary as we were leaving, but a few heads got in the way... oh well.


Quote of the Day: "There are two educations. One should teach us how to make a living and the other how to live." -- John Adams

Day 341

First snowflakes of the season! YESSSSSSS!

Quote of the Day: "Advice is like snow - the softer it falls, the longer it dwells upon, and the deeper it sinks into the mind." -- Samuel Taylor Coleridge

Day 338

In honor of Michelle passing her M.A. exam earlier this week, she, Candace, and I got pedicures and gelato tonight!


I was thinking of doing something festive for the Christmas season, so I settled on a peppermint / candy cane theme. Then, it occurred to me that these colors were also appropriate for the Sooners and the Hogs! Excellent!

Quote of the Day: "Don't walk in front of me; I may not follow. Don't walk behind me; I may not lead. Just walk beside me and be my friend." -- Albert Camus

Day 332

A few pictures from the trip home today:

No need to adjust your screen. Oklahoma roads really are just that exciting. :)

In other (more interesting) news, Happy Birthday to my mother-in-law, Tia!

Quote of the Day: "May you live all the days of your life." -- Jonathan Swift

Day 313

I had some errands to run this morning, and as I was driving around Norman, I kept noticing the beautiful fall foliage that is finally starting to emerge! Enjoy!




Quote of the Day (inspired by the leaves and the good 'ole Oklahoma wind): "A wind has blown the rain away and blown the sky away and all the leaves away, and the trees stand. I think, I too, have known autumn too long." -- e. e. cummings

Day 308

Yesterday, I tried a really good diet / caffeine free soda during a Math Club panel on graduate school. Naturally, I had to grab an extra can on the way out:


It's currently in my office fridge awaiting the day when I REALLY need a boost. :) In other news, I had an interesting view when I got into my car after a trip into Walmart today:


Seriously, pretty much the entire actual truck was above my entire car. How do you even get into a vehicle like that???

Quote of the Day: "To love at all is to be vulnerable." -- C. S. Lewis