here’s a sampling of what we came up with:
(the lovely runners-up):
what do you think? want to see it live? check it out here.
who knows? someone may win a free banner in the near future …
my skin is clearer.
my arms are smaller.
my ankles aren’t swollen.
my thighs are shrinking.
i have a collarbone again.
my chins are going away.
what’s this? cheekbones?!
my nails aren’t chipping.
i feel like i can function again.
my small pants fit!
getting healthy is my goal, and i’m almost there.
my follow-up post is almost complete, but i want to hear from YOU!
guys: what does your girl that makes you happy? think beyond sexual for a moment …
girls: what do you do to keep him happy?
share, share, share!
all you can do is laugh …
i was never the popular girl in high school — shocker, i know.
teenage years are awkward enough without having to switch schools three times in two years.
i came to my “final” school the second semester of tenth grade. a small school in a small town, it would be a year before i’d have some semblance of footing.
i found a few great friends, joined a couple school clubs and found a job … before we knew it, senior prom was upon us.
my friends and i were already in planning mode: where would we eat? how would we arrive? what would we wear?!
well, my mom was already one step ahead of me.
she came in one afternoon with a surprise. as she was driving home, a used bridesmaid dress in a resale shop’s window caught her eye. she knew i loved purple, SO SHE BOUGHT IT.
looking back on it now, i know my mom had the best intentions at heart. at the time, though, i was mortified.
all my friends got to pick out beautiful new dresses, and i was handed someone’s leftovers.
don’t get me wrong. it was beautiful, but a little outdated … and way too big.
“we can take it in,” mom reassured me. “plus, at least you know no one else will be wearing anything like it!”
i knew i wasn’t in a position to be picky, and far be it from me to be a brat (outwardly, at least). i thanked her and went to my room to cry.
it’s funny how upset i was over a dress. with all of the problems i take in stride now, i can’t believe my younger self was so upset about it!
my mom worked overtime to spruce it up. she made a gorgeous lace shawl and hand-beaded it to match the bodice. she sewed together a matching purse as well — eight years later, i would use the purse again on my wedding day.
on the big day, while most girls were in the salon getting their hair and nails done, i was sitting on the floor of my mom’s bathroom while she curled my hair and painted my face. we had a blast.
i went to dinner with a group of my friends, then arrived with a few of them in a horse-drawn carriage. as we walked toward the door, i caught my mom’s eye and we smiled. it’s moments like those that make you so appreciative for everything they do.
i love you, mom.
oh, funny side note: turns out the dress wasn’t as “unique” as we thought … one of the more “popular” girls showed up in the same one. looks like she had a good mom, too. 
ladies and gentlemen, i present to you:
of course, my life wouldn’t be complete without husband, so amnkydem0n will be there, too.
he runs the town’s zombie shack — a place to get the knowledge and tools you need in the event zombies decend on our sweet little town. (hah!)
so, where do you fit in with our community? head overe to istephaniemarie‘s place, and stake your claim TODAY!
*like the idea? recommend to your friends!
go check it out!
and yes, a few of my favorite xangans were mentioned, including theblackspiderman, desertvet, antisoccermom, thetheologianscafe and amnkydem0n!!!
huge thanks to jonathan — i had a blast!
barelyjen’s random phone pictures!
1. the pick-up truck
only in texas will you see such a fabulous play on words. *ugh*
and then there’s this jewel. zomg?! where’d half your truck go?
2. porn
why do they put all the porn channels ONE station away from the basic selection? seriously, just bury the channels with the sports set — it’ll probably get a boost in traffic there, anyway.
3. gratuitous kitty picture.
milo stole my water bottle — hey kid, i’m sick! i need my fluids!
and back to bed i go …
in a world full of debt and foreclosures, pinching pennies is a novel concept.
many young people have an air of entitlement surrounding them, believing that their meager salaries are meant to be spent on things they “want” or “deserve.”
i am sad to say that i am very guilty of this.
according to cnn,
okay. stay with me.
let’s say that bush resigned tomorrow. cheney would be president, right?
*ugh.*
he’d technically be eligible for re-election, and would technically be the republican incumbent, correct?
can you IMAGINE that mess?
(the mind wanders in strange places on mondays …)
