Happy 10th Anniversary to Me & My Love

Card by Anne Taintor (www.annetaintor.com)

This was originally written on 8/23/07 but shows up as 8/24/07.

I can't believe it! Ten years. Wow! I have so much to celebrate. First of all our patience with one another! Then of course the two beautiful human beings we brought into this world together. They are two precious lives worth celebrating on this anniversary.

Rey shocked the heck out of me and gave me a pair of diamond earrings. I thought we had decided not to give each other anything. He said that all he wanted was to fix his classic car so I didn't get him anything. Imagine my surprise when last night he gave me the earrings! I was so happy and sad at the same time. Happy because I've always wanted a pair of diamond earrings, but sad because I didn't get him anything. That's okay, he'll get his car up and running soon and he'll be happy. Oh! I did send him flowers today. They were delivered in the morning and he called to tell me when they arrived. He was surprised but I don't think he really likes flowers, even though I do, so I don't think I'm going to do that again.

Since he said we weren't buying gifts I decided to buy myself a couple of things. I bought this really pretty bracelet that I saw a few months ago at a store called Silver Ideas. If you live in Houston you need to check out this store. Super beautiful jewelry and rare gifts. I saw this bracelet a few months ago and the lady was supposed to call me back when it was ready (she had to add a bead). I never got a message from her and I forgot about the bracelet. When I was in there the other day I saw my bracelet so of course I had to get it. Turns out she had been waiting for me to come back in to get it.

I also bought myself a new tampon holder from Uncommon Goods. (something tin!) I lost my super cute cowgirl one in the car rental place restroom at the San Diego airport. I was so bummed so I got this new one to take its place. I also got the pill box for my Benadryl.

As I'm getting older my allergy to shell fish is getting more sensitive. I've gotten really small hives when I just have fish that's been cooked on the same grill as the shrimp. That didn't used to happen before. Now I have to make it a point to tell the wait person, even if all I'm ordering is fish.

The other thing I was going to buy myself was a bottle of Lovely. I've been wanting that perfume and actually I haven't had any perfume in a couple of months. I smelled Lovely when it first came out almost two years ago and when I first sprayed it on me it smelled like old lady perfume. But then something very surprising happened. Once it mixed with the PH balance of my skin the smell changed to a very nice "lovely" smell. So I've wanted a bottle ever since. Now that I've gotten myself two gifts and the earrings I feel like I should wait until later.

Tomorrow I'm taking the day off and spending the morning with the kids. In the evening we're going to dinner with some friends who also had anniversaries this month. That should be fun. The sitter will keep the kids through the evening.

What I'm Reading These Days

I picked this up in the Las Vegas airport Wednesday night during my very long connection.

Anniversary Week Amidst a Hurricane

So our anniversary is this Thursday and we still haven't thought of anything to do. And this is a big one too. Ten years. Did you know that that's the TIN and ALUMINUM Anniversary?? What the heck is that? My husband said he was going to get me some Reynold's Wrap. Then I saw somewhere else that the traditional 1o year is tin but that the modern one is DIAMOND. I think I want the modern one instead. Who cares if that was created by our modern greedy society? I want diamonds!! (hee hee) Actually you can find some really interesting tin or aluminum gifts on Uncommon Goods.

I think we may have dinner on Friday. That is if we aren't evacuated and/or the house isn't in shambles. Hurricane Dean may hit us on Wednesday, if it turns just a little and goes more North. As of now it's hitting southern Texas and Northern Mexico, after it passes through the Caribbean and the Yucatan Peninsula.

School starts next week and we did all the school shopping yesterday. My daughter, who we will call by her play name from now on, Magenta, has all her new uniforms, pants for when it gets cold, socks, shoes, etc.. The only thing missing is a jacket for winter, but we have plenty of time for that. It's so sweltering hot right now that she really didn't even need a sweater, but I bought her one since it goes with the whole uniform look and they may not have any later. I love uniforms! They are so cute, especially the pleated skorts. (I think play names are better for minor children.)

I need to get the baby, referred to from now by his play name, Rontu, a new backpack too so he feels special, even though he isn't getting all the new clothes and shoes.

Another thing we need to do this week, provided we don't get the hurricane, is an Ice Cream Social at Magenta's school. She starts FIRST grade this Fall. She's been looking forward to the Ice Cream Social because she gets to meet her teacher and visit her classroom. I do hope it isn't canceled!

The San Diego trip was really good work-wise. I had two very good sales calls. However, traveling is way more trouble than it is worth. I was so exhausted when I finally came home that it took me a whole other day just to recuperate. I really do prefer day trips that don't require any overnight stays. It's easier on everyone.

I was thinking about how much easier it must be for men to travel for work, especially if they have a stay at home wife. They just pack a bag and go. It takes a lot more out of a woman with a husband and children.

Busy Weekend, School Starting and 10 Year Anniversary

I have a busy weekend ahead of me. I have tons of laundry to do and I have to make preparations to be gone Tuesday and Wednesday for work. I have to go to San Diego and Los Angeles on sales calls. It's not every day that I have to go out of town for work so it does take preparation with our support team, my sitter and my sister. They are the ones who will help my husband while I'm gone. I have to make sure I leave everything prepared for them so that I can leave the sitter all their clothes. I don't think people realize all the preparation that a mother goes through to leave her family for just a couple of days. I won't even be gone a whole 48 hours and it's a task.

I can't believe school is starting again in two short weeks! It's amazing how fast the summer went by. I have to do the whole school shopping thing next weekend. I do and I don't look forward to that. I love the adorable school clothes out there!

Then there's my 10 year anniversary. It's 12 days away and we have no idea what we're going to do. Well, here's one. So I'm taking suggestions. Send me your ideas.

A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini

Read it. You won't regret it. Read it this weekend if you can. I read it Friday-Tuesday. This is one of the best book I have ever read. Maybe even better than The Kite Runner. That's all I'm saying.