Movie Wars

One of the opposing differences that Justin and I have to work through is the movies.  He LOVES going to the movies and the experience of it all.  The popcorn, the theater, the big screen, he loves it all.  And he's not picky either.  That's how much he likes going to the movies; he'll go just to go.  ME?  I majored in movies and here's my E True Hollywood Confession ~ I hate going to the movies.

It may have a tiny bit to do with the fact that while I'm sitting through the movie I can think of 9,000 other things that I COULD have just spent $20 on.  I like to think it has more to do with the fact that I'm a relational being that craves conversation and one on one interaction.  And truth be told, I always feel like I might be missing something else that's going on.

Justin and I do have this thing that that we started last year and I suppose we'll do it again this year, so I'll go ahead and call it a tradition.  We see all the Academy Award Best Picture Nominations.  A few of them last year were HEAVY macho guy movies and they about did me in for the entire year.  Well, until my SATC came out and I could darken the doors of the theater again.

One night while we were in Austin it was a little chilly outside and seemed perfect weather to snuggle up to the one I love in a movie theater.  So I say to Justin, "Hey, what would you think about going to the movies tonight?"  him,"YOU want to go to the movies?"  me,"Yeah, it seems like a mighty fine night to go to the movies."  him, "GOOD, we'll go see BOND!"  

wait, wait... how.did.this.just.happen?

I'm working at being a better wife, so I figured this weekend I'd suggest another movie and like a beacon of hope in a dark dark sea of macho guy movies BRIDE WARS came out!  I, of course, chose it just to torture my husband, and in return it was total crap.  Kind of cute, not so funny, but it sure beat the hell out a psychopath killing people! {note: i don't think Bond is a psychopath.  i think he's a really really hot killer.}

The Top Layer Tradition

This was the cake that my mom picked for our wedding. In picking and choosing my battles for the wedding I gave my mom the entire reception so I could have the ceremony. Not fair to me? Maybe not, but while I would have done my reception different I cared more about the elements of my wedding and those details made my wedding intimate and beautiful.

Here's the cake at the reception. Pretty, huh? It's Italian cream cake with cream cheese icing and those flowers are PINKITY PINK!


As you well know, it is customary for the bride and groom to feed each other a bite of their cake, and I wish it could have been a big old hunk of cake, because a bite wasn't enough. For this special occasion I was able to convince my Non-Cake-Lover of a husband to partake in the time honored tradition.


Is that not the tiniest excuse for a piece of cake you've ever seen? The point is he tried a little piece and obviously did it with a smile on his face! I wasn't as happy, because this is all of the cake I got to eat as well.

One year later... the time had come for us to partake in the unfreezing and eating of our cake. It got me to thinking ~ why do people eat year old cake anyway? Is it for luck or prosperity or the key to not getting divorced? I asked a couple of my newlywed friends if they ate their cake and neither of them did, and like me thought that surely the not eating of the cake meant a big ole hex on marriage longevity and bliss.

I did a little research and it turns out that back in the olden days people baked huge wedding cakes and freezed the top of them and then served them at the christening of the birth of their first born around the year anniversary of the wedding. Since the majority of people are waiting longer than their honeymoon to try and start their family people now just eat the top because that's what people used to do.

Unfortunately, I didn't find this information out until AFTER I took a bite in hopes to make our marriage the happiest and longest marriage EVER. I'll admit, it wasn't bad, but all I could think was year old cake... year old cake... year old cake. And I had a 2 day old BabyCakes By Angie sitting across from me in the kitchen.

With that information, I no longer feel bad for throwing the cake away after one bite, and if you are waiting for your 1 year to roll around, you shouldn't feel bad either about clearing up space in your freezer! I mean unless you have a christening where you'll need some cake.

reflections from the first year

Justin and I chose a passage from Ruth to be our vows to each other. The first time I had ever heard these repeated in a wedding I always hoped I'd be able to promise them to my husband, and happily Justin obliged. I love the idea of reciting scripture to declare our loyalty, and would like to start the tradition of reflection for each year more for myself, but hope that you will enjoy looking back on our first year of marriage with me.

Ruth 1:16

But Ruth replied, "Don't urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go, and where you stay I will stay. Your people will be my people and your God my God. 17 Where you die I will die, and there I will be buried. May the LORD deal with me, be it ever so severely, if anything but death separates you and me."

~Don't urge me to leave you or to turn back from you. Where you go I will go...

In year one of marriage was ironically pretty much always on the go. We went on our honeymoon in Florida and then spent Christmas with Justin's family. We celebrated New Years in Chicago with our best friends, The Eberhardt's, and then set out to Fayetteville, Arkansas. From Arkansas we traveled to Joplin, Missouri and then Justin left me in Lexington, Kentucky for a week while he played in Orlando, Florida. We repacked and set out for Rocky River, Ohio for my birthday month and enjoyed the infamous "Lelsi" cake. May-July was our longest stint at home, but we enjoyed many a weekend trips to Louisville, Kentucky to help out sister get her store ready for the grand opening. Finally, we were Norman, Oklahoma bound and after the longest two months of our lives we capped off the year in Austin, Texas. All those places in one year makes you miss your home a lot and platinum elite members with marriott!

~and where you stay I will stay

We started out in a beautiful home for our honeymoon that had a fantastic hot tub and pool out back and a beautiful porch. After there it's a little hard to come back to your tiny 1 bedroom apartment armed with loads of wedding gifts. Then started our Arkansas stint in the Fairfield Suites, but moved over the Value Place. The Value Place was quite an experience for us as newlyweds and one of those living situations where you think if we can make it through this, we can make it through anything! From there we stayed in the Hilton Garden Place Inn, 3 different Residence Inns and moved into our much bigger two bedroom apartment in July. We have lived there for 1 month of our 6 month lease, so far. Happily we will return tomorrow 2 days into our 2nd year of marriage.

~ Your people will be my people

I spent my first Christmas away from my family this year, and with my new family instead. There have been many times that my in laws have felt more like outlaws, and I think they might even have thought the same thing about me from time to time. After much refining and much adjustment to personalities and quirks we're getting better all the time. The one thing I have learned from shared families is that no matter how similar you are raised, you were NOT raised identically. I was asked once if I would change my in laws if I had the choice... I said it then and it remains the same... I would not.

~ and your God will be my God.

My relationship with God has changed, because while there is still much work to do on myself, I now have a partner to tackle obstacles together. I believe that whom much is given, much is required, so in committing to a mate, we take our things on together. The issues that pop up in our life seem larger and heavier when it's two instead of one. I don't say that to complain, because it has truly helped to refine my heart and my thoughts. We have both been thrown into our life situation with no direction and no knowledge... which means we've learned a fast hard lesson in being patient, but we definitely have moments of anguish and frustration where we question why God, why?

To close, it's been a deeply wonderful first year beyond anything I could have dreamed up or imagined for myself. I pray often that we will be blessed indeed and indeed I am, because it gets better every day. How could it not when I get to spend every waking moment of most days with my favorite person in the entire world?

*These wonderful photos were taken by our dear friend, Ali, one year to the day at the church where we got married. Justin and I agreed that this would be the most special gift we could receive for our anniversary.

a year ago today

Justin & Lesli

December 1, 2007

Time for new traditions?

Just wanted to give y'all a little peek at mine and justin's Thanksgiving feast! I think it's about the furthest from turkey and dressing you can get, but when in Austin... Tex Mex it is! Last year was the first time either of us had spent significant holiday's away from our families ~ Thanksgiving for Justin, Christmas for me. This year we were both away from our families and naturally entertained the idea of what it would be like to start a new tradition for ourselves and have mexican food for Thanksgiving. It seemed like an ok idea while we stuffed our faces with carne asada and quesadillas, but I was wracked with jealousy today when I asked our employees how their day was and they all went on and on about the food!

I missed all the pies and the stuffing and the green bean casserole so bad that I'm not sure if our traditions can change anytime soon. How many days until Christmas?

Not today

Raise your hand if you thought I wasn't going to post today and all that bragging I did at the halfway point about the NaBloPoMo updating being so easy was just a big ole lie? Well, I'm here and under the wire, so it counts in my book and NaBloPoMo's book... whoever NaBloPoMo is.

My mean old husband has been making me work too hard! Can you even believe the nerve of him? I kid... he's definitely the best boss I've ever had and the perks aren't half bad either if you know what I mean.

Speaking of that other half of mine we had our first pregnancy scare this month and found out today that there's nothing to be scared of if you catch my drift. For the last two weeks I've been having this emotional battle with my brain and my heart about the possibility of this being a reality. As a christian I believe that God has a perfect plan for my life and if that meant having a baby right now then it would mean we'd be parents. The selfish human side of me kept thinking we are so not ready because we're poor and we aren't settled and love our two~some life.

Those are silly reasons though, and admittedly selfish, but I was a little relieved this morning that this was not in our cards for right now as my period came this morning like clockwork. Then I was knocked over by cramps and overwhelming urge to rip the head off of every person I came in contact with, so I made a command decision to have cookies and ice cream for dinner.

And that decision alone, my friends, made my whole day.

the AMAZING race

Are any of you watching The Amazing Race? {FYI ~ remember a while back...some of you wanted to know the show? this is the one... for google purposes I will not link back} Justin and I are watching this season, and I must say I watch this with a completely different set of eyes as a married person than I did as a single woman.

As a single woman I watched the couples race around the world and take on adventures that few will experience in their lifetime and think this would be so fun and romantic to do with my future other half. I'd watch those girls take a serious attitude with their man and then I'd see those guys say hideous things to their girls...each berating and belittling a little more with each new leg of the race. And the judgment began to flow. How could ANYONE want to be in a relationship with ANYONE who acted like him/her? I would NEVER treat MY other half like that no matter HOW stressful or HOW competitive things got. Truly, it's an amazing race... it's amazing that the couples make it through entact.

Then I got married. While I don't stand for tolerating abuse in your relationship when I watch now I totally get it. For better or worse most couples are opposites and if for no other reason than they are MAN and WOMAN which means they operate on totally different playing fields.

Justin is a planner. He wants to know where he's going, to look at a map and see his route and know exactly what to expect when he arrives. I don't think that being a planner is a male trait, because many women are planners, but I am not. Lesli is spontaneous. Let's just go, we can pick a direction and the rest will fall into place. We'll figure it out on the way.

Nothing makes me crazier than sitting in a parking lot trying to figure out where to go for a meal, likewise, nothing makes Justin crazier than aimless driving. This is just in random parking lots... can you even imagine how this would play out in a race around the world for $1,000,000?

All this said to say, I watch with new eyes and I no longer judge people for the way they treat their partner in the heat of exhausting and stressful competition. I do know that Justin and I will not be racing around the world being followed by cameras for any amount of money.

digging deep

I get asked questions about being married a lot. If I like it? How's it been? But the other night the question was posed, "I know what Justin's favorite part of being married is, because it's the same for every man, but what's yours?"

This is an interesting question to me, because I'm big on picking favorites for everything... favorite food, favorite show, favorite products, but had never stopped long enough to consider what my favorite thing about being married is.

I took a minute to consider my answer and was struck with the convicting thought that I could quickly make a list of my least favorite things about being married. I was suddenly embarrassed and ashamed and wanted to hide my face. I love my husband and on a whole consider us to have a deeply happy marriage, so what is so hard about putting into words my favorite part but yet easy to quickly be a negative nancy?

I think if most people got real honest about their marriage they'd admit that there would be a different answer to this question depending on what day you ask. I can be real honest with you, my answer would change every day. I can easily wake up on any given morning having slept with no covers on the edge of my bed and think THIS, THIS is my LEAST favorite part about being married!

I took the time to dig deep into my feelings and push aside my selfish thoughts and truly considered all aspect of our life together to pin point a favorite. You know, nothing has been more humbling in my life than marriage. It's easy to ignore your flaws when there's no one to reflect them back to you.

So, all things considered, my favorite part about being married to Justin is that I have a true protector. He is there by my side when I'm right, when I'm wrong, when I'm not being fair to myself or to others, when I'm beautiful, when I'm hideous. I never have to wonder and the sheer confidence in knowing that truth is enough to make me want to work harder every day at being a better wife and having a better attitude so I can love him like he fully deserves.

Grease~Ball Hotties

It's another football Monday! Justin and I went to our first University of Texas game together this weekend. I've been before, but this was his first college football game ever. EVER! He said before, "I went to a game at the college across town and they had 5,000 people there." Ok, so here we are Saturday in Darryl K. Royal Memorial ~ 98,500 and something people and I'm thinking there are more people in this stadium at this moment than in all of Texarkana (hometown)! More by like 20,000! Ay ya ya...

We had to be down there for work before the game, which is a far cry from my tailgating days, and I sure would have traded it in for a breakfast taco. I will say though, it was fantastic people watching. Texas girls are always fabulously dressed for the game and look darling in their boots, but there is a new trend out there that made me cringe! The high waisted poof skirt. Do y'all know what I'm talking about? It is OK on a stick figure, but not flattering at all if you're 1lb over 95lbs. Other than those skirts, I stood in clothes envy the entire time. I miss my closet,(we left our apartment in July and what we have with us is what we have with us) I wish I had cowboy boots, and I wish I looked better in burnt orange.

Back to the people watching... I'm silently judging people, good and bad, as they walk by when my eyes catch this one guy. Crusty Grease~ball hair, long sleeve button down shirt unbuttoned to his navel, miller light in hand, and painted on jeans. Boy he things he hot, huh? OH WAIT... he IS hot! 98,000+people and I just saw my good friend Tim Riggins from Friday Night Lights! Gawd, I was so star~struck I had to cover my mouth so I didn't scream! He was with Tyra and Buddy, and I was ALL BY MY SELF, so there was no one to share my joy or take our picture. Plus I couldn't remember their real life names, and what is sillier than yelling out their character names? Arrggg...Oh well, I'll always have the vision in my heart.

On to the game. It was NEEEEEEEERRRRRRVE WRACKING! By the end I had no fingernails left and my stomach was doing somersaults. It's not just this team... I do this for every team that i pick to cheer for. I do it to myself.

I'll say this... the experience of being with the crowd and foot long corn dogs is something everyone should experience, but I much prefer watching the game on tv.

Heeeeeeeeeeeeey ~ Matching Ray Bans. Ok, well their not real Ray Bans, but they're Justin's best attempt at Ferris Bueller & the cool "now" look for college. We have two pairs, because Justin can never find his glasses, so I keep a spare pair in my bag and luckily so, because the sun was in our eyes the entire game.

If you need to be reminded...The Eyes of Texas are upon you... all the live long day.

this is all that's left

n

-i just spent 30 mintues composing a heartfelt and thoughtful post that i wanted to share and right as i was about to publish my crazy ass dog hit a key and deleted the entire thing. well except for that "n." i'm sure it was an accident. i have to keep thinking that or I might break her paw.

new post to come later... i hope.

xoxo

College Game Day

I don't know why I like college football like I do, but I do. Some of you even find it hard to believe, because I didn't even graduate from a school that is ever good at football (although, they have gotten a few ESPN shout outs this year). I guess you could say I like the rich tradition of college football and how from one season to the next new players come on the scene and it's a whole new ball game.




When Justin and I were presented the opportunity this past weekend to be apart of the College Game Day Broadcast down at the University of Texas we jumped at the chance! Get paid to be watch in person one of my Saturday morning ritual and risk the chance to getting to smooch Kirk Herbstreit? Oh, yeah, I'll take that chance! Girls, have you seen how yummy Kirk is? Perhaps you should start watching as well... at least for the eye candy ~ just remember that some of the players are still in their teens!



Justin went to a small school in Missouri for his undergrad where they don't have a football team or cheerleaders or pretty girls for that matter. I thought he might lose his lunch when the Texas Cheerleaders and Dance Team came out. He assured me that they weren't as pretty as me...he must have forgotten that I don't have a perfect tan, rock hard abs and beautiful long flowing hair...seriously, can I be as cute as them when I grow up?







Oh hey, what do you think of my new dark fall hair?

Justin and I are really trying to take in all that we can while were here in Austin, and we've done a pretty good job with the food, so we're working on the entertainment side of things. We have tickets to the game this week...we haven't gotten Baylor tickets yet, but hey ~ when in Rome... Hook 'Em Horns!

The Midas Touch

Justin and I enjoyed yet another wonderful weekend in Austin, Texas and of course it was filled with MUCH football. College... professional... ok mostly college. It dawned on us last night... we might just have the Midas Touch for college football teams.

As you know we were in Norman, Oklahoma for the start of the season. While we were there the Oklahoma Sooners were ranked #1. Rightly so, our staff and customer base were all die hard sooner fans and even sooner coaches, so we hoped for the victory every week lest we'd have some distraught people on our hands.

Then we were up and transferred to Austin, TX. A city that stands on itself without The University of Texas, but still... hard to go anywhere and not see the burnt orange and longhorn. Would you believe that in under a week and a half the tides have turned and now the Longhorns are #1? I'm with Colt... wish they could have flown under the radar for a little while longer, but entertained a very nice thought of all the sad weary souls in Norman on Saturday afternoon.

I said week 1 that Alabama and Texas were the two teams that were better than the rankings suggest. Now lookey who's number 1 and number 2. But be careful all BCS teams... Justin and I head back to Lexington, Kentucky, home of the Kentucky Wildcats, December 1st... just in time for bowl play!

Dog Park Lola

I don't really want to be one of those bloggers that post every last thing their dog does, but Lola is really cute when she does stuff and when she was Dog Park Lola was no exception. This post reminds me of those silly local barbie emails... Highland Park Barbie... South Austin Barbie...Ashdown Barbie. Why do those always make me laugh and nod my head because the descriptions are so right on?

Last Sunday was perfect here, so we took advantage of our day off and slept in late then headed to panera bread so i could try their new tomato, mozzarella, basil and sun dried tomato pesto sandwich. which, by the way, was great, but i would have preferred a LOT more basil.

Next on our adventure in Norman we went to the dog park. Let me interrupt this story to give you expamle #4,623 on why i'm married to a great man. He graciously let the Indianapolis Colts (he was born and raised there) play their Sunday game without him all because his wife and Lola wanted to play outside. The fact that we made it home just in time to see the last 2 minutes of the game where Peyton Manning lead the Colts to victory is reason #3.5 why my husband is married to a great woman.

on being admitted to the dog park she's a little unsure...unsure of being cagged in and unsure why all the big dogs are on the other side and she's stuck on this side all alone.

so, she climbed up daddy's back for a better view. yes, we refer to ourselves as momma and daddy...she's our baby and wouldn't believe you if you told her she was a dog.

so this dog park thing isn't so bad, but it sure is hot and we're not going to partake in the community water bowl! we'll eat bugs, paper and dirty socks, but no sharing germs!

oh look... the first friend has arrived... Jake. What's a girl like Dog Park Lola to do?

roll over so new friend Jake can lick her tinkler, of course!

we finally left after more friends arrived and all had the chance at a lick at Lola's tinkler. Justin gave her a stern talking to on the way home about respecting herself and not allowing her tinkler to be violated by strangers. and one week later he's still lecturing her about the dangers of being Dog Park Lola ~ the whore.

tonight she's your dog

I never knew cicadas existed until i lived in chicago.  we have locusts in texas, and i haven't done my research, but i'm thinking they are closely related.  the yard of our hotel is an insect zoo and there is no shortage of cicadas buzzing around and buzzing on the ground.

last night justin and i were walking lola around the complex with the hopes that even though she'd been locked in the hotel bathroom for the last 12 hours she'd magically get completely tuckered out from her 3 minute walk around the complex and she'd sleep peacefully well into the afternoon the next day.  she loves the insect zoo and will playfully chase anything that will run away from her...crickets, moths, cicadas... anything.

there was a cicada sitting in the parking lot buzzing away and my husband thought it would be a great idea to let her chase and play with the cicada.  anyone of you ever had a puppy?  no?  they explore with their mouths, not their hands.  she paws at the cicada a couple of times and the cicada starts buzzing like crazy.  Lola gets scared, and in one chomp that cicada is down her digestive track.  

this is all justin's fault because he's holding the leash,  and if Lola ever does anything bad it's justin's fault, because well... i don't have a good reason except for it feels good to blame someone.  

i start screaming, justin is grabbing down her throat and pulling out nothing.  panic sets in and i picture myself sitting up all night making sure she doesn't die from cicada poisoning.  we run in the house and justin looks up whether or not cicadas are poisonous and the page reads, "Cicadas aren't poisonous, and some people find them tasty . However, keep an eye on any person or animal (small children, cats, dogs, etc.) that might be tempted to gorge themselves on the bugs so that they don't choke or eat so many they become sick."

No sooner than we read the sentance the might become sick Lola vomits on the floor.  Guess who gets to clean it up?  Not me!  I wasn't the one who let my precious baby EAT A CICADA!  An hour or so passes and we get ourselves ready for bed.  we've been trying to get Lola used to lying on the bed with us at night with hopes of her sleeping with us, but because she never sees us it's too much for her to handle.  she loves the fact that mommy and daddy are in the same place and can NOT resist the urge to come lick our faces the minute we drift off to sleep.

so, up on the bed she goes and we're getting all snuggled in when the wretching begins again, but her face is buried in the covers and i can't hear her.  we look down and there is cicada blood and vomit on the comforter.  ARE.YOU.KIDDING.ME?

With that she was ushered into her room and her own bed where she had the wretching again, but if there is one good thing about living out of a hotel it's that i don't have to wash that comforter OR the towels.  thank Gawd for small blessings. 

as far as me being mad at justin goes, i'm over it and I promise I'll work on not getting mad at him when the dog acts up, but i can report that the cicadas were swarming outside our back door waiting for the little black dog that took one of their own last night.

laboring on labor day

i labored on labor day. i even forgot that it was labor day. completely forgot until about 4:50 when i called up allison because i knew she'd be home from work by then and when she answered i suddenly remembered that we weren't in a fight. She wasn't on the email because she wasn't stuck in front of a computer!

i had a weird thought today (Sept 1st). Today marks the 9th month that Justin and I have been joined together in holy matrimony. When i think about us being married for 9 months i think good golly it has FLOWN by! but then i had the thought... if i had of gotten pregnant on our honeymoon we'd be having a baby this week. the thought of actually being pregnant since our honeymoon makes pregnancy seem like an eternity!

oh gawd... and the thought of being big and pregnant during these 100 million degree summer days sounds absolutely dreadful. i've already given my friends permission to lose my number in the event of such a catastrophic event. ok, i'll admit i might be acting a little dramatic, but i complain about having to work on labor day... there's a good chance i'll complain that i'm hot while i'm pregnant.

i hope your day of relaxing and giving up white pants for yet another season was delightful.

home sweet where?

the other day justin said, "I really miss Kentucky." We had only been here for 3 weeks at that point, and really we aren't that connected to the land, so i had some diffusing to do. "Do you miss Kentucky or do you miss your tv and x-box?" i was right, and really i miss our tivo, so i could commiserate. It's hard enough to keep up with my "big" shows in the hotel, let alone the silly ones... and with all the new premieres coming on soon...you feel my pain

It's interesting the things we miss while we're gone. I miss my spice shelf in my pantry. I brought along staples to use here, but i always feels like something is missing. I miss my mixer and baking, but luckily i've had babycakes to tide my craving for home cooked goodies over. i miss my free tanning bed at the apartment, because it's rained HARD everyday for a couple of weeks and every other day has looked so gloomy. granted, i've only used the bed once, and burned an awful lace tan into my bottom, but it's nice to know it's there. i miss my closet...this is the one trip of my whole life that i completely UNDERpacked and unlucky for me i put myself on a spending freeze for the month of august

whether or not i miss my bed on these trips always depends on the size of the hotel bed. right now we have a queen at the hotel and a full at home. queen trumps full every time. but wait... i just painted my bed and made it all shiny and new and never showed y'all how it turned out.

Here's our Design Star project progression... (for the record... i did a before video of the room to share, but accidentally shot it sideways. i know...another example of my college degree not being put to good use)

Justin and his mom using my handy new tool - The Mouse (that i LOVE) to sand down the boring old brown head board.

After the great debate of painting by hand or spray painting i decided to go with the spray because it dries in 10 minutes and i wanted my new bed to be ready by night fall.

So far, I like what i see. The paint had a satin finish, so it was terribly flat or terribly shiny.

drumroll please...

TA-DA! The end result turned out better than i even pictured it in my head! The bed has new character now, and i think it makes our white bedding pop. and for all the people that will notice and it will annoy, i slaved for an hour starching and ironing the bedspread and it just wrinkles.

also, because i can't stand to NOT brag on a good deal... i found that matching bed skirt and neckroll for exactly $230.20, LESS at other stores.

queen bed or not. there's nothing like our home sweet home.

my days of august

anyone know what yesterday was? anyone? 1 year ago yesterday justin asked me to be his bride. if you're just now tuning in, i said yes. it's weird to me to think that we got engaged one year ago, and we've already been married for over 8 months.

here is what we looked like that night...

we both look a little scared. like... seriously? the rest of our lives? funny, when i first saw this picture a year ago, beyond my face looking so scary from all the tears, i thought we looked as happy as we could possibly be.

i think people tend to shy away from the reality of feelings during the time you start to talk about becoming husband and wife and on your engagement night. like they are afraid to admit that it's a little scary for fear of people condemning their relationship to a miserable hell. for me, the proposal and dinner afterwards were perfect, but i was scared to death that night. I knew it was the right decision... my best decision, but knowing that i was about to become a wife to this wonderful man made me feel like i had a lot of responsibility ahead of me. from the looks of this picture... i think he was feeling that same responsibility

and here is our most recent picture together as a couple.

why do i get the feeling justin is thinking... great, she's just taking this picture so she can use it in another post about weird things i do.

have i ever mentioned that these few days in august are "my days." seems as if big, good things always happen in my life around these days...

August 6, 2007 - was asked by justin to be his wife

August 7, 2003 - graduated from college

August 8, 2006 - moved from austin to chicago

August 9, 2003 - started my first "real world" job.

i don't recall if anything happened during the years prior or in between, but so far nothing monumental has occurred during this week in august of 2008, and it's looking like it will stay that way. i suppose the 5th and 10th of august will have to wait another year from something big on their day.

Road Trippin!

Justin and I started our very scenic road trip on saturday afternoon, and arrived at our final destination yesterday evening! We've been through Kentucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Texas & Oklahoma! it was brilliant to break the trip up in sections, because it really cut the monotony of the trip, but little lola was lost this morning when we didn't put her in her crate and load her in the car!

lola, by the way, was just perfect. i'm sure she was just showing out for all the doting adorers, but we thought it would be a fantastic idea to start the potty training process on friday. she had been using pads, but on the road trip we had to go outside. little miss never missed a beat. honestly, she is so G.T. (gifted and talented). perfect in the car... perfect in strange houses... perfect on the side of the road.

~highlights of Road Trippin July 2008~

* killing time with season 6 of The West Wing (justin's favorite show of all time, so we started the series around the time of our wedding and we now have one disk and a season to go! it's REAL good!)

* getting eaten alive by the heat, humidity and mosquitoes of the south!

*relaxing with our family in arkansas

* our first taste of taco cabana in years... it was as good as we remembered. is that roasted salsa new? i'll be thinking about it for a long time.

*new hair courtesy of Brown Eyed Girl Salon & new friend for Lola, Milo (pictures to come!)

* and Gram's 85th birthday

we are happy to be in norman now. so far, our Oklahoma life is off to a very good start and we're both excited to begin a new 2008 adventure here.

on men and their communication skills

i've often said that the first question i ask when i get to heaven will not be about the ark or walking on water, but it will be about the important things like why God made man and woman so different, but then allowed us to fall in love.

this post is for anyone who has ever looked at their husband, their boyfriend, their other half, their man-friend, their dad, their brother, anyone in the male species and thought, "Honestly?" i think one of the things that makes me think, "Honestly?" a lot of the times is the way my other half communicates. He doesn't have BAD communication skills, they are just different than mine. Different isn't bad, you just must be mindful that the man is not you and will never communicate like you.

for example... when asked how we like being married...

Lesli: OH MY GOSH i LOOOOOOOOOOOOOVE being married to justin! i think it is the best decision i have ever made and i would do it all over again. my life STARTED when i met justin! gush!

Justin: yeah, it's good.

EXACT same sentiment. I know it is, because i wanted to get to the bottom of why he wasn't as happy as me. he was, just didn't use so many words to say it.

which brings me to my point... men have a very hard time expressing anything except for maybe their gas.

a couple of months ago Justin and I were cozied up watching bachelor Matt Grant choose between Shayne and the other girl. We had been enjoying all season and speculating who the lucky girl would be. I picked Shayne, because it was clear that he had a lot more fun with her and chemistry than the other girl... justin picked the other girl. So the end comes around and lo and behold... he picks shayne. We don't talk too much about the ending and go about our night. My husband begins to get quiet... not terribly unusual for him, but indeed quiet. so it begins...

Lesli: "Are you mad?"

Justin: "no"

Lesli: "what's wrong?"

Justin: "nothing"

deafening silence.

so we head to bed... no kiss goodnight, no i love you, no cuddling... SOMETHING is wrong. i wracked my brain in that bed trying to remember if i said something that maybe could have hurt his feelings, or cooked a dinner he didn't like, or bought something he didn't like. i had nothing.

proceed to next day... he walks in from work and gives me a big old hug and a smooch. "Babe, I'm so sorry i was acting like a toad last night." Yeah, what was that all about?

"Well, it made me so mad that Matt picked Shayne, because i know they are never going to work out and you wanted him to pick her... and..."

yes, this sounds as weird to you as it does to me. the moral of the story is: you are not alone! and while it might hurt my husband's heart that matt picked shayne, i'd pick him again and again any old day of the week, month or year.

junky table

our new home is coming along slowly but surely. seems like i put on new finishing touches every day, and i didn't want to share any pictures until it's perfect. that might take forever, so i might as well show you the progression of my junky table.





remember her? well the story goes of the junky table that on my second trip to drop a load at goodwill i spotted her. i liked her instantly for the character and charm and the hidden potential that she had. Justin teased me, "Isn't the point of goodwill to drop stuff off, not get MORE stuff?" she was $8.50 and she was cool and she was going to look perfect painted black to match our beautiful newly painted black bed.

until i decided she was going to be painted hot pink to match the accent colors in our bedroom.

it's really hard to get her true color under bedroom lights or the flash of the camera. i found that they both made her look really harsh hot pink or even reddish. she's not. she's perfect.

of course i still don't think the look is complete, because she is definitely in need of the perfect curtain back drop for her look. i went looking yesterday and couldn't find what i wanted. i'm hoping to get them complete before justin gets back from his 10 day visit to hotlanta.

and what does my other half think about the junky pink table in his bedroom? he could NOT care less, and as long as he doesn't care, i am staying far far away from any neutral boy-girl colors!