Today's rant: SIZE CHARTS

Alright... I've never really paid any attention to size charts, but I had to have my measurements taken (translated: I got out my measuring tape and did it myself) for a bridesmaid's dress for one of my friend's December wedding. So I jot down my measurements... bust, waist, and (gasp!) hips. I've never really taken my measurements (or paid attention when others did) so I wasn't all to sure what to expect. Bust... same number as my bra size - guess that's good. Waist... really? It's that big? My mom says she had a 17 inch waist when she married my dad. I've now decided that's physically impossible - for her or Scarlett O'Hara. But then - what the crap - my hips are HOW wide? I know it's due to what I affectionately call my ghetto booty, but geez. And this whole time in my head, all I can here is Sir Mix-a-lot... "36 - 24 -36... only if she's 5' 3"..." Yikes - I'm way off. (Though I do think he'd like my butt.)

So anyway, after the initial shock over the numbers themselves, I hand them off to the bride. And I'm thinking, what the hell size dress are they going to order for me based on those catastrophic measurements? Most of these bridal shops take the one measurement that calls for the largest size, and go with that. Which is a horrible idea, by the way. Sure, they like it because they get to bend you over with alteration charges. So undoubtedly, you end up with a dress several sizes too big that has to practically be reconstructed to fit you. Oh the horror! Knowing this, I had the bride forward me a size chart for this dress. Using this go-with-the-largest-measurement-method would put me in a dress 4 sizes larger than what I normally wear. What? Now I know some bridal lines run small or whatever (which is mean, by the way), but still - are you kidding me? So then I decided to check out other size charts to see where I fit in. I'm sure they can vary some, but I would think sizing is pretty universal for the most part. Yep. I pulled up J. Crew's size chart. Well, apparently I've been wearing their clothes in the wrong sizes for years. As in 3 to 4 sizes too small - that's 3 to 4 actual sizes - not numbers.

So my question is.... who the hell came up with these size charts and how are they AT ALL helpful or relevant? I don't get it. Someone please explain this to me! And according to these charts, I'm on the "large" end of everything... so I'm thinking, how does that make people who truly wear these largers sizes feel? Because evidently their measurements would literally be off the charts! And it's not like any one measurement of mine is tipping the scales (although I could handle shaving a couple of inches off those hips). And I don't wear anything tight - I'm pretty self-conscious about that. Fitted - sure, tight - no. However, I - according to these genius charts - easily fit into a size range that's a good 3 or 4 sizes higher than my norm. Explanation, please.

A little place called Atlanta.

So I was running late to work this morning and caught this really interesting conversation on my favorite morning radio program, The Bert Show, here in Atlanta. All the DJ's had been out on vaca last week and the main guy, Bert, was out west on a camping trip with his son. At some point he was chatting with a bunch of other people from all over the country and I guess he explained that he was a radio personality in Atlanta. And they all started talking about Atlanta and he said he was just amazed at the total misconception these people had about our city! Now none of these people had ever visited Atlanta, so he just was really intrigued by their opinions on our city. He didn't correct any of them - he just listened and took mental notes.

By far the biggest misconception was how big our city is. He asked them all what they thought our city's population was and none of them thought we even approached a million (we're at 5 million). The only thing they knew of to do in Atlanta was to go to a Braves game (I personally haven't been in years). When asked to compare our city to others, they came up with Birmingham, Nashville, and Savannah (Savannah?!). Bert said it was just so eye-opening for him. Do we live in this "Atlanta bubble" where we're really the only ones that know how fabulous our city is? With the help of some listeners calling in, they all kind of came to the conclusion that Atlanta just is not generally a tourist destination like New York, Chicago, or LA. One suggested reason - the fact that we don't sit on a body of water. And we just don't cater to tourists like some of these other big cities do. We don't have huge double-decker buses on every street corner and we're really not a walking city like New York or Chicago. You really have to have a car if you want to hit all the different hot spots in our city - hence our traffic problem.

But, we do have incredible shopping and dining (which for me, are the main pursuits of ANY vacation). I've lived here forever and there's still a neverending list of restaurants I want to try. That's one of my favorite activities actually - trying out a fun new restaurant with my girlfriends (and there are always fun new ones). The shopping is crazy good. The only major thing I can think of that we're lacking is an H&M (I mean, wtf?), but word is it's coming soon - reportedly as part of the new Midtown Mile development. There's stuff going on all the time... concerts, Broadway shows, festivals and whatnot. There are tons of kid-friendly sites like the aquarium (currently the largest in the world, but no one holds "the largest" title for anything very long), the Coca-Cola museum... oh yeah, and those Braves games. And while you won't catch me there much anymore, I hear the nightlife is amazing (sorry, I'm an in-the-bed-by-10-o'clock person).

Most of Atlanta is made up of transplants. It's rare to find a native. And come to think of it, people always say they never realized how big our city was till they moved here. So I'm wondering -- for those who've yet to make it down here, is Atlanta really thought of (if thought of at all) as just this nice little town in the South where the Braves play? And that also got me thinking... what other fabu cities out there are going unnoticed? I know lots of people on here are vague as to where exactly they're located... but I'd love to hear about some of your great hometowns that don't always make it on the radar!

Oh the shoes my kid will have...

How cute are these? Seriously - how cute? My bestest sent me a link to these a while back and I bookmarked it. Just rediscovered the bookmark and remembered why I bookmarked it. Because they are so freaking cute!!! These are the baby mocs by Trumpette - one of my favorite brands of socks and tights for tots. My imaginary daughter, Evie (eh-vee), would look SO great in these. She wants the pink, green, and I think the red ones, too.

OK I'm being distracted from doing work... it's rainy here, but that's OK because I need to stay in and get some orders done today. Enjoy the weekend! :-)

You didn't stop me, dammit.

And the party dress! J. Crew final sale purchase #3 of the week... geez I really shot myself in the foot on shipping. I'm too lazy to wait to go and use the magic red phone. Why are my purchases not more well thought out? I said I was going to wait on the dress, but apparently I lied. I pulled up J. Crew's site and voila - all their fall dresses were out. I swear those weren't there yesterday! I was looking for something fun to fit my red & black party colors. They added a beautiful new red for fall in the Lyndsey dress called Holiday Red. But then I saw that I could get black with the final sale at nearly $200 less. But I loved the red! So... remember when they sold these same sashes (as on the dress) in a ton of colors a few years ago? I bought a bunch of them so I happen to have a red one. So I decided to go with this black Lyndsey dress and swap out the black sash with my red one, tied in a bow on the front. I just couldn't justify spending full price on the red when I could just do the black with the pop of red instead. I think it will work well with the shoes, but if not... I obviously won't need to have my arm twisted to find something better. I'm hoping they do work, because I'm in love with those shoes! Woo hoo! I'm gonna be one hot 30-year-old! OK - seriously - no more shopping.

Somebody stop me!

Well, thanks to my Shop-it-to-me (which I have raved about) email this morning, I felt the need to order these pretties. Wasn't even looking for something like this, but I spotted them (and the killer price) and instantly fell in love. They are the perfect party shoes for my 30th in October! Now I just have to find a dress. But I'm going to wait to see what my faves come out with for fall. This is my second Nordstrom shoe purchase in a week... someone needs to confiscate my debit card and my internet access now! That darn anniversary sale is just doing me in!

So the weekend is lining up to be a good one. Dinner tonight with the 'rents... Dad's steaks on the grill (nothing better!). Dinner with friends tomorrow night at Houston's (oh how I have missed my yummy Houston's now that we're up in suburbia). Church Sunday a.m... and then some of our friends and their two tots are coming over Sunday evening to cookout. And somewhere in there I've got to get a couple of paper orders done. I'm trying to get in a few chapters of Harry every night, but it is slow-going. I usually wipe out the new books in a few days, but I've just been so busy. Perhaps I can squeeze in a couple of hours at the pool with Mr. Potter?

Hope y'all have a fabu weekend!

New Vera Bradley goodies...

We're going up to Maine in a few weeks with my parents and my mom is "encouraging" us to carry on all our luggage. She's nervous about making our connecting flight, among other things. So I translate that as... great excuse to buy a new bag! So I started browsing the new Vera Bradley bags and found this one. I love it! I'm a big bag girl, so this may double as a handbag too... we'll see once it arrives. I ordered it through Wilkins & Olander - which is based out of Wisconsin. They have her entire collection available and they also do monogramming. And the icing on the cake - free shipping when you spend over $75, and no sales tax for me (and probably anyone outside of Wisconsin). I've ordered from them before and was very very happy with everything. Only down side (which is not really a down side), is that you have to pick up the phone to place an order. I'm so spoiled by the click-click-click method of online shopping that having to talk to an actual human now seems so cumbersome. So ridiculous, I know. But they are super fast with getting their products out the door and in your hands. I definitely recommend! We have tons of shops around town that sell Vera, but for bigger purchases (and especially if I want to add a monogram), it's worth it to order through Wilkins & Olander for the tax savings alone. I also got this little cutie cosmetic bag below. So fun! I have such a hodge podge of her patterns - but that's the way I like it. I have most every major piece, but none of my stuff matches!

I spent way too much time online shopping yesterday... and I'm not sure who's going to pay for all my loot... hehehe. I also found some really cute and super affordable bags on Ballard Designs. I refrained, but I must pass them along. How cute are these bags? Free monogramming on both styles... a great handbag or tote. Both are less than $30 and the monogramming is free! They had a corduroy bag collection a while back that was really popular and sold out fast. I grabbed several for gifts and one for me too, of course! I used the heck out of that thing and got complimented on it constantly. So their bags are great - love them! Hmm.... I may have to go back and grab one of these while they're still available. I love the striped one.

30, Flirty, and Thriving.

Just ordered this yummy number off the J. Crew final sale - additional 20% off ends today! I'm wearing it to a bridal shower for my girlfriend next week in her one-stoplight-hometown in South Georgia. This will be my first trip down there and I'm so excited. She is taking me and one of our other friends down there. We've been begging her for years to bring us down there and now we finally get to go. It should be interesting for sure. Her dad wants to take us fishing, since we've never ever been. I'm sure we'll get a good education in all things Nascar. And we've also been promised a trip to see a sunflower field. This is a place where the grocery closes at 7pm and they don't take credit cards. There's no pay-at-the-pump. And if your child gets sick in the middle of the night, you have to call the pharmacist at his home and wake him up. It's going to be a fun weekend - I'm sure I will have loads of stories!

In other news, I think I have FINALLY decided on a "theme" for my 30th birthday party in October. As always, my birthday is in the middle of football season. This year it falls on a Saturday, so I will have to share my birthday with football. And that's OK, 'cause I love football. So I've decided to mesh my 30th birthday with a viewing of the Georgia - Tennessee game. So naturally, my colors will be red, black and white. But it of course will not be your everyday tailgate party fair - it will be super chic and fun. Above is the cake I think we're going to go with... but in white with large (coin-sized) black polka dots and the ribbon and bow in red. I have a lot of black and white accessories around the house, so it's going to be really fun to play up those colors. I'm started to get really excited now that I have finally got a plan. And in keeping with the football flavor, we're going to have BBQ catered and I'm sure we'll have margaritas and perhaps some red sangria - my personal favorite! And beer and such for the boys... I don't really do beer. Wow... I'm getting down to my last 2 months in my 20's. I better live it up while I can! ;-)

Feeling poopy.

I've got the blues today. And I'm wondering if it's a result of my menopause-symptom-inducing $600 Lupron Depot shot... or is it just me making excuses to feel like poo? I'm just in a funk, whatever the reason. And it's not like me. I'm a pretty easy-going person in general and I don't get too stressed or overly worked up about stuff. But I just feel like I have this huge pile-on of crap that needs to be done, fixed, taken care of, changed, or figured out. Yet I feel completely unmotivated to do any of it.

It all started yesterday when it took me nearly 2 hours to get to the doctor's office so they could stick a needle in my hip. The trip should've taken me 20-30 minutes. I was over an hour late because of traffic. Now traffic during NORMAL traffic times doesn't bother me - it's just a given, and it is what it is. But this was absurd. It was 1 o'clock on a Monday afternoon. I finally get there and get my shot... which took all of 10 minutes. Get back in the car... of course by this time it's after 3pm, so rush "hour" is approaching fast. But it's not like it's Friday, so it shouldn't be too bad, right? Wrong. Yet another wreck. So, time away from the office for this excursion: 4 hours. Time actually spent in the doctor's office: 25 minutes. I was NOT happy. And of course, my day would'nt have been complete without traffic on the way home from the office being a nightmare as well. I was meeting one of my girlfriends at Jazzercise after work, and yep - late for that too. I could not catch a break.

But Jazzercise made me feel a lot better - I really needed to blow off some steam. It was the first time I'd been back in a while. It sounds so super cheesy, but it's really the only kind of aerobic excercise I can stand. I hate working out. And it's the closest thing to a dance class without being a dance class. My friend just got clearance from her doctor after her last C-section to work out, so we can hold each other accountable now. So I'm saying it out loud - I'm going to Jazzercise every Monday, Wednesday, and Saturday! So hopefully continuing to work out and stuff will help get me out of this funk, because I don't like this at all.

Wedding Shoes and Potter Blues

Just ordered these lovely Enzo Angiolini shoes at Nordstrom for my friend's November wedding. Our dresses are chocolate and she wants us to wear bronze shoes. I've been helping her search for shoe suggestions for the 'maids and I found this one today. It's on sale for $59 for Nordstrom's anniversary sale. They're the perfect color and exactly the style I was going for. Plus I can wear them with so many other things besides a bridesmaid's dress. Yay!

So I picked up my Harry Potter book on Saturday right after my sewing class (which was great, by the way!). I nearly burst into tears in the checkout line when I opened up the cover and it read on the inside flap, "We now present the seventh and final book..." - or something to that effect. I held it together though. But at dinner that night at home with my hub, I'm telling him about how I almost lost it in the store. And I went on to tell him about the dedication JK Rowling made in the book. She says the book is dedicated to seven... then she lists six names, and last she says "and to you, if you have followed Harry through this adventure..." (Not exact quotes as I do not have the book in front of me, but you get the picture.) As I'm trying to paraphrase this dedication to my husband over shrimp kabobs, I totally just burst into tears at the dinner table. WHAT is wrong with me? I know you think I've totally lost it if you've never gotten into these books, but those of you who have, I'm sure can understand. I'm so excited about the 7th book... I'm about 8 chapters in... but I'm not ready for it all to be over. My best friend said she didn't even make it as far as the checkout line... She went to Barnes & Noble with intentions of getting the book, but only made it out with a latte because she just couldn't do it. She wasn't ready for it to be over. And I'm wondering if there has ever been another series of books so loved and so anticipated? And will there ever be again? I think it was when the 4th book came out that I really started reading them. I just wanted to know what all the hubbub was about. And now I'm addicted.

A very Harry weekend...

I am so uber excited for the 7th and final installment of Harry Potter to hit stores tomorrow. I usually pre-order the books, but I failed to do so this time, so I guess I will have to join the madness to get my copy. I'm thinking I may hit a Kroger or something less obvious than Barnes & Noble to pick mine up. Sadly, I have such a busy weekend that I won't be able to devote all my time to the book, as I'd very much like to do! I can't wait to learn whether my own theories are true... what are some of yours? I know some of you out there are crazy about HP like me! I think Snape is really and truly good... that's what I want to believe anyway. There's something I like about him. JK Rowling says this final one is her favorite of them all, so I'm just beyond excited to find out what's in store. I'm getting a pedi tomorrow after my Sewing 101 class, so I should at least get a good jump on it while my tootsies are being pampered.

Yep, so I'll be at my first sewing class tomorrow and I'm *sew* excited to learn how to sew. It's been on my to-do list for years. It's one of those things that I know I could be good at, but I've always been intimidated by it and have never taken the time to learn or just jump in and teach myself. I have a machine, though I'm not altogether sure where it is right now. Collecting dust somewhere... I also have a little mini sewing machine for paper crafts because I really want to incorporate sewing into my designs.

I also have quite a few orders to finish up this weekend... one of which I am super proud of and I will have to post pics of it once I'm done. It's a bachelorette party invitation and it's just stupid cute. Then I'm meeting a couple of girlfriends for brunch on Sunday for some quality girl time. So it's pretty packed...

On Monday I go back to the doctor for my first $600 shot. This is not the technical name of course, but it's my name for it. I'm carrying it my bag right now and I'm a little paranoid about it. It was such a damn hassle to get it pre-certified through my insurance - ugh, don't even get me started. Anyway, once I get shot #1, they'll go ahead and schedule surgery #2. Should be mid/late September. I think we will be pretty much good to go after the 2nd surgery as far as getting me prego. I think I will have to have another HSG after surgery to make sure everything looks good, but that should be the final "procedure." So it would be super duper fun if Santa would put a bun in my oven by Christmas! I'm thinking a 2008 baby sounds fun. It's a good even year and 8's are fun to write. I was really hoping for a 2007 baby (originally) because my mom was '47, I was '77, so I thought it'd be cool to have an '07. But that's out, obviously! So here's hoping for a tot in '08!

Hope you all have a fabu weekend! TGIF!

My favorite gift to give.

Sometimes I hesitate a bit to share one of my favorite ideas because then, oh my goodness, it's not just mine anymore. But I simply must share my all-time favorite gift. It's pretty much my staple for wedding gifts lately and I often use it for baby shower or other gifts. Well, like many of you, I love a good monogrammed anything. Well, I stumbled upon these Lauren Classic Towels by Ralph Lauren on Horchow a few years ago. The pricing is just ridiculously good - and they do FREE monogramming! And they often have event pricing to where the deals are even better. Currently, you can get one of these lovely monogrammed bath towels for $9.99.

They make such a great gift. I usually get a couple of bath towels and two hand towels - all monogrammed - for less than $40. And they're great towels. We have a good collection of them ourselves. Plus I think they offer some really beautiful personalization choices. I recently purchased some for one of my friends who just had a baby girl. I had "Sarah Kate" spelled out on the petal pink towel in a soft yellow script - to match her nursery. They also have a great font/style for using a single letter - which is what I usually use for wedding gifts. It's a great gift for any occassion and everyone I've given them to LOVES them. So if you're looking for a good staple gift - or even just a faithful one to fall back on - this one's sure to please.

Back in heels.

Ahhh... it's so good to be back in heels. I had to wear flops to work both Thursday and Friday of last week after the falling-down-the-stairs incident. Luckily, no broken bones! I seriously was in fear of being told that I had jacked my foot up so badly that I'd never be able to wear heels again. And then I just thought of all my beautiful shoes and how sad I would be... and how empty my closet would suddenly be... But no - I was fine. I did go to a local doc-in-the-box after work on Thursday. I waited a good 90 minutes or so before seeing the doctor. But, it was TOTALLY worth the wait, because the doctor was freaking HOT! So not what I expected in my little redneck town. It's becoming less and less "red" by the minute... I mean, we have a Nordstrom. But I still refer to it as the "sticks." Go left and you're at J. Crew... go right and you're at QT where you're lucky to find one person who still has all their teeth.

ANYway, back to the doctor... he was tall, dark, handsome... a little metro but not overly so... what was he doing at a doc-in-the-box in the burbs? Who cares? He was hot. My husband just laughed at me of course when I tried to explain the unexpected hotness of the doctor. I told my best friend that she may just need to develop an upset tummy when she comes down to visit me in the fall... I didn't see a ring on his finger. So anyway, I'm A-OK per Dr. McHottie and though my foot is still a bit sore, I was able to get into my heels on Monday. I had to wear these closed-toe numbers because my pedi is wearing off and I can't handle a new one until my foot's completely heeled. I know it's more of a fall shoe... but I made it work, you know. I'm down to peep-toes and closed toes for the time being. But don't worry toes - I'll get you out there soon enough.

Stinky poo and broken toes.

What a day... actually, what a night and what a morning... Well first, we came home to a lovely mess of [warning for sensitive readers: grody references ahead] liquid poo in Gertie's crate, which until this morning, was in our bedroom (yeah, not anymore). Gertie is a dog we're fostering. She's a young lab mix my hubby rescued after she was hit by a car and abandoned. Here's a pic...





She's a sweetheart, but she hasn't quite gotten the potty training thing down. So we have 3 sillies in the house this summer. Anyway, the poor girl made a big ole mess in her crate, on herself, and all over our carpet. She probably got into something outside and got an upset tummy... she eats everything she can get her paws on (that's the lab in her). So we got out our handy dandy steam cleaner thingee and went to work. We have like every carpet cleaning machine ever evented... 'cause you know with dogs, shit happens. (Hmmm... I'm beginning to understand why some people don't like dogs.) After working tirelessly on the stain in our bedroom, I later stumbled upon yet another pile of liquid poo down the hall in the guest bedroom. Are you freaking kidding me? I was ill. Gertie likes to "sneak" away to these other rooms and do her business. I think she thinks it's funny. We've found several nice surprises in that room and also my office upstairs.... not funny.

So along with cleaning up the icky poo mess, we're simultaneously trying to prepare for the cleaning lady to come the next morning. This is always a process. I never understood the need to "get ready for the maid" when I was a kid. Every Thursday evening was spent "getting my room ready for the maid." "She's here to clean, not pick up after you," my mom would say. Well, now I get it. As a result of the disasterous poo in the guestroom, we had to declare that end of the 2nd floor a hazardous zone. We got the stains completely up, but somehow the lovely odor continues to linger. The weather guy better have been right about no showers today because we left the windows open this morning to air it out.

So this morning we're doing some last-minute things to prepare for the maid. I was carrying a load of stuff down to the basement... a hammer, a hand saw, and a box of those padded containers for storing fine china (don't ask). Well, I couldn't really see where I was going (which is smart) and I misjudged the last step or two. I totally tripped and fell down the rest of the stairs and landed on my left foot awkwardly. I dropped all my stuff to the ground and immediate tears insued. I realize this could've been far worse... I mean I was carrying a hammer and a SAW. The hubby comes running (he was doing yet another steam cleaning at ground zero at the time). I hobbled around the rest of the morning and soon learned that heels were definitely out of the question for work today. I tried my only pair of kitten heel slides on and they were just too tight around my toes to work. Ballet flats wouldn't do either. So I'm at work today in my J. Crew flip flops.

So I'm just limping my way through the office today. Rather slowly, too. I think I'm going to hit the local doc in the box after work to have someone look at it. I think I may've broken my big toe or the joint there or something... it hurts like hell and I can't walk really. Well I can, but it's not cute. So here's hoping the next 24 hours go a little more smoothly than the last!

100 Things About Me

1. I'm a libra through and through. It amazes me how I truly try to "balance" things. Everything from my outfit to my life. Guess there's a little truth in all that stuff?!

2. I can use both sides of my brain. I'm a CPA, so in a lot of ways I have a very A-type personality. I have an Excel spreadsheet for everything. But I'm also very creative and artsy at the same time. I can do your tax returns and wrap them up in the most fabulous packaging.

3. I was born in Montgomery, AL... four days early, weighing in at 9lbs, 1 oz. We moved to Atlanta when I was still in diapers. Haven't left.

4. I'm a Christian who's not a big fan of organized religion.

5. Sixteen Candles is probably my all-time favorite movie.

6. I have a ridiculous supply of ribbon.

7. When I was little, I wanted to be a professional gift wrapper at Macy's when I grew up. My parents were so proud.

8. I'm absolutely terrified of spiders and roaches.

9. I have a dangerous obsession with designer shoes. Especially since I don't have a designer budget.

10. I love cheese. Perhaps more than anything else.

11. I love to read, but rarely find (or make) the time... really the only solid reading I get in is during a pedicure or when I'm on vacation.

12. Speaking of pedi's... I have a love/hate relationship with pedicures. I love them, but my feet are soooooo ticklish and I'm so afraid I'm going to kick the poor girl in the face.

13. And while we're on the subject of toes... you'll never see me wearing open-toe shoes with unpolished toes. Never.

14. I have a strange obsession with Robert Downey, Jr. I refer to him as "Bob." I actually wrote him a letter while in college. I probably shouldn't have admitted that.

15. I freaking love Costco. I mean where else can you get a $23 Lilly Pulitzer dress and a honkin' huge jar of artichoke hearts? And who can beat the $1.50 hot dog and coke combo?

16. I think my husband was made just for me. I'm not sure anyone else could handle him. We met at UGA in geology class. He thought I was a snobby sorority girl and I thought he was a stupid fraternity boy. Neither of us were Greek.

17. I love scrapbooking, but I never ever do it. I don't have time. I think I have 3 or 4 unfinished albums lying around somewhere.

18. I love having fresh flowers in our home. I usually grab some of those cheap ones from Publix on my shopping trips... I forget what they're called, but they're 3 packs for $10 and they last for a good two weeks.

19. I'm not into sweets really. Give me any restaurant's dessert menu and I will maybe find one item on there I'd eat.

20. I love my church and I like to talk about it.

21. I have a really weird obsession with maternity clothes. I've never been pregnant.

22. I love monogrammed anything.... love it. But I'm very much against the "couple's monogram." (It's not a duogram, people.)

23. I only eat dark chocolate.

24. Cereal is one of my favorite things to eat... especially as a late night snack. Actually that's pretty much the only time I eat it.

25. I'm not big on candy, but I love M&M's. I like to keep a bag of plain ones in the freezer. I love my chocolate cold... I think I got that from my grandfather. He always had a bag of Hershey's kisses in the fridge door.

26. I love Target. I hate Wal-mart (though I must admit I get groceries there quite often).

27. Entertaining is one of my favorite things to do. It can also send me into a mild panic attack... but I love it.

28. I almost went to SCAD to study fashion design. I ended up with an accounting degree from UGA. Go figure. So I've got the very practical degree and the very practical job, but lately I'm really itching to get less practical. (I haven't given up on the fashion design thing just yet.)

29. I have three muts and they are my babies.

30. I visit Perez Hilton at least 10 times a day. I don't feel the need to go anywhere else for my celeb gossip.

31. It's not a guilty pleasure... I don't try to hide it... I love Britney Spears. I think she's a nutjob, but I love her. If only she and JT would get back together, the world would be right again.

32. I'm a big, big Harry Potter fan and I could talk about it for hours.

33. I was a cheerleader all through junior high and high school.

34. I'm a huge animal lover... especially doggies (see #29). Nothing gets me more upset than hearing some story on the news about some dog being mistreated. It affects me more than stories about people getting murdered...even kids...yikes. I can't help it.

35. I love diet coke so much, but I can't drink it with a meal... I'll feel totally bloated. I only have the occassional soda as a snack... it's pretty rare. I try to stick to water as much as possible.

36. I detest working out. But I have come to love yoga. I've also - are you ready for this? - become a bit of a *runner* lately. We'll see how long that lasts.

37. I think Buffy the Vampire Slayer was pretty much the best show ever on television. I own the entire series on DVD.

38. I love anything and everything about etiquette. And I'm pretty traditional when it comes to rules of etiquette... like those certain rules that have been broken for so long that they becomes socially acceptable - I find that annoying. And wrong!

39. I'm a Kate Spade fanatic. Her stuff is so delicious.

40. You'll rarely ever find me just vegging out doing nothing... I don't have time to, and when I do, I feel guilty. I'm always coming up with things I need to do. It's really annoying, actually.

41. I've never been in a tanning bed.

42. I've never seen an illegal drug. OK well our health teacher in junior high school did pass some stuff around in class one day so we could "see" it, but that hardly counts.

43. I went to private school for junior high and high school (if you hadn't caught on to that by #42) and I plan to do everything in my power to put my (future) kids into private school (hopefully my alma mater) as well. I'm a big believer in private education.

44. I wear heels most every day. I feel short and stumpy in anything flat at the office. Weekends are an entirely different story... especially in the summer!

45. I love wine. And I LOVE sangria. I rarely ever drink beer. The only liquor drink I'll have is in a margarita.

46. I've never been much for the club/bar scene. We did our fair share in college... but really to me, nothing beats a fun dinner out with your girlfriends with good wine and good convo...

47. I love any kind of bisque... especially lobster bisque. If it's on the menu, I HAVE to get it.

48. New York City is my favorite place to visit. We try to go as much as we can. If money were no object, we'd probably move there - at least for a while.

49. Probably the best trip I ever took was to South Africa. It's absolutely breathtaking and I can't wait to go back one day and show it all to my husband.

50. I HATE bananas.

51. I'm an only child and so was my mom. I want 2 or 3 kids of my own though.

52. I'm not super chatty... I'm more of a listener. I can be pretty shy around new people. My husband is the COMPLETE opposite.

53. I used to be really freaked out by little kids until my friends started having babies. I think I'm pretty good with them now. My husband and I even worked in the nursery at church for a while. I kept getting sick though, so I had to quit.

54. I love online shopping. I definitely do way more online shopping than shopping in actual stores. Getting stuff in the mail is so fun... especially when you forget you ordered something and suddenly it's on your doorstep! Plus you can get some seriously amazing deals online.

55. I'm never totally caught up on laundry. I can't imagine how it will be when we have kids... this is a constant source of stress in our household!

56. I don't really get annoyed by traffic. People always complain about Atlanta traffic, but it's all I've ever known. So to me, that's just the way it is. It only bothers me when really bad traffic pops up at a totally unexpected time... like at 8am on a Sunday. And it happens.

57. I love anything and everything about weddings. I think it'd be a blast to be a wedding stylist - that's one of my many dream careers.

58. My parents met at Auburn University and have been married for almost 40 years. My dad is still my hero. I think my mom was a little heartbroken that I didn't go to Auburn. Sorry Mom... I look much cuter in red & black.

59. I have several really close girlfriends and I couldn't imagine my life without them. I see these moms sometimes that have just gotten so into their own little world with kids and family that they don't have REAL girlfriends anymore... that terrifies me.

60. I'm always changing my hair. I get bored really quickly. I suppose my hair stylist loves the challenge though. :-)

61. I used to dance growing up. Ballet, tap, jazz... I miss it terribly sometimes and wish I'd never given it up (I quit in the 7th grade for #33). Whenever we get around to finishing our basement, we're putting in a "dance room" - equipped with wall to wall mirrors, a ballet barre, and plenty of dance floor space. Dancing is really the only cardio workout I like. And there's no better workout.

62. I tore up my right ankle when I fell from a cheerleading stunt my senior year of high school, two days before our region competition. I was out for the year and completely devastated. My ankle is still very sensitive and jacked up looking, but I like to think of it as a battle scar.

63. Both my husband and I had teddy bears as kids that we named "Lisa." I have no idea where I came up with the name. He named his after a babysitter he had a crush on. I still have my Lisa.

64. I detest the word "panties" and refuse to speak it. I prefer "undies."

65. Although I'm not a big sweets or dessert person, I LOVE ice cream. But I only like simple flavors... if it has more than two "ingredients," I can't handle it. I don't like vanilla though. It's pointless. A total waste of calories, in my opinion.

66. I like filling out forms. This is so nerdy... but as a kid I would make random forms on the computer, print them, and then fill them out.

67. My dad is a total computer nerd, so we always had at least 2 or 3 computers in our house. I think I was 3 or 4 when I first had my own (hence #66). So it's hard for me to imagine life without one.

68. I'm a very loyal person.

69. I can do a pretty damn good British accent.

70. I'm addicted to the Crystal Light On the Go packets.

71. At home or at the office I'll fix my coffee with two Coffee-mate French Vanilla creamers. At a restaurant I'll do half of a sweet-n-low or splenda packet and enough cream to get it to a certain color. (That's just regular coffee though. Starbucks is an entirely different matter.)

72. I'm a fish taco connoisseur. Currently tied for first are the fish tacos at La Fonda and Armando's. Honorable mentions go to La Paz and Taqueria del Sol.

73. I'm a people pleaser. I can't stand conflict and I avoid it at all cost.

74. I always write thank-you notes and get annoyed with people who don't.

75. I have really long toes and long skinny fingers, but I'm only 5'4" -ish. I got them from my mom. The fingers I like, but I could go for some smaller feet! I was doomed from the beginning though... my mom wears a 9.5 and my dad wears a 12.

76. I work best under pressure.

77. I'm really good at drawing. I kinda had forgotten about this... because when do I ever really draw? I used to all the time in school... but anyway, I see it as yet another indication that I'm destined to be a fashion designer. (At least that's what I tell myself.)

78. I get annoyed when people misuse "myself." Poor grammar in general really bugs me... not that I'm perfect by ANY means, but I try. Though, in emails to friends... I have the worst grammar in the world. I type the way I think... capitalization and punctuation are thrown out the door!

79. I like burnt popcorn. I add 20 seconds to the normal pop time for microwave popcorn to get it good and burned.

80. My husband and I have been dealing with infertility for the past 3+ years. It sucks ass, but we're still full of hope. If I ever needed God in life, it's definitely now. It's been a tough road, but I've learned SO much from it. (Wow, we went from burnt popcorn to that?! Just keepin' you on your toes, dear readers!)

81. I have a "someday" closet. It has several Lilly dresses for little girls and other random things I've collected for my imaginary daughter. Not to mention a pretty fab maternity wardrobe that's collecting dust. I'm a total scavenger on clearance maternity sites pretty much nothing left since Dave Ramsey made me sell all my shit.

82. One of my favorite bands of all time is Green Day. I go see them every time they come here in concert. I have a little crush on Billie Joe... even though he's totally not my type in the real world.

83. My husband and I did not live together until after we were married... apparently, that is rare these days.

84. My favorite salad is a good Caprese. There's nothing better than beautiful tomatoes and fresh mozzarella.

85. I detest techno music... which helps explain my not being into the club scene. If something techno-like comes on the radio, I immediately switch channels and even scream a little bit out of frustration.

86. I'm trying to learn how to sew. So far I've made one curtain panel and a sash. Hey, it's something.

87. I'm completely obsessed with online banking. I log in to check my accounts multiple times a day.

88. My closet is always neat (not necessarily perfect, but very neat). The whole house can go to hell, but I always manage to keep my closet orderly because I'm rather OCD about it. Everything has its particular spot. All items are arranged by category, and then by color. It's a shame I'm not this way about any other room in the house!

89. I won't eat leftover chicken. I think it tastes funky. What I really mean is I won't eat chicken cooked or reheated in the microwave. I think that's what makes it taste bad. Therefore I won't eat any Lean Cuisines (my normal lunch at work) that have chicken in them - which unfortunately is like 65% of them.

90. I have bought probably 25 different kinds of planners over the years, and I just never have been able to keep up with them. They just end up taking up space in my bag. My whole life is on my Outlook/Google calendar and I feel very lost when I can't access it.

91. I love board games and I plan on instituting "family game night" once we have kids.

92. Christmas is my absolute favorite time of year. I love everything about it and I look forward to it all year long.

93. I think I had the makings of a good sorority girl, but it just wasn't for me. I rushed my freshman year, went all the way through every round, but I just knew it wasn't my thing (at least not with the choices I was left with). My mom was disappointed at first - she was the president of hers at Auburn. I know it's different everywhere you go, but it just felt so political and superficial to me. And though I'm a lot of things, I'm not a bullshitter.

94. I think I could eat Mexican food every day of the week and not get tired of it.

95. I am not at all "outdoorsy." Not even a little bit. I appreciate air conditioning and indoor plumbing and don't feel the need to go without them - at least not by choice.

96. I still meet my three high school girlfriends once a month for dinner.

97. I love giving gifts and I get the most joy out of wrapping them up in some fun and creative way. To me, the wrapping is half of the gift.

98. I'm much better with words on paper. I'm a good writer, but I often trip over my words when speaking. Unless I'm talking about something I'm super passionate about, I'm a terrible public speaker.

99. I like to drink a glass of wine while cooking. It just makes it way more fun.

100. My heart skips a beat when I walk into J. Crew.

Some of my favorite things right now...

Since this appears to be the new trend and all... I'm gonna share some of my current faves! I'm supposed to be putting together some invitation samples and I'm totally procrastinating... yikes. This is more fun though.

OK I'll start off with Aveda's Rosemary Mint Shampoo. My husband and I fell in love with this stuff when we stayed at Twelve Atlantic Station in Atlanta and they had all Aveda products in the bathroom. Not only was I raving about the shampoo - but HE was too. It has this fabulous minty smell that totally wakes you up in the morning. It's so refreshing and definitely qualifies as aroma-therapy. For sure. Now I'm really not one to spend a lot on shampoo and conditioner... I'm usually just as happy grabbing the $1.47 Suave bottle at Publix. But my husband surprised me that following Christmas with a whole goodie bag of Aveda products from this Rosemary Mint line! They really were all great - but if nothing else, go for the fabu shampoo.

Ahh... I am not a huge sweets person at all, but there is no better sweet treat than Nam's Bits. The company started here locally in metro-Atlanta, but retailers all over the country carry Nam's now. They are little bite size chocolate chip cookies and they are just heavenly. They're perfectly simple and not overly sweet. They are so cutely wrapped in prep-a-licious dippy dot ribbon. They come in a variety of different packages and make excellent gifts. They also make great party or wedding favors - they can do custom labeling and ribbon. Actually, one of my favorite online retailers, Ida Claire, often throws in a little 2 oz bag of Nam's Bits with your order - such a cute touch. It's the little things like that that'll have me coming back for more. Two of my best friends came over after my surgery to give me some TLC and they brought along some trashy celeb magazines, dinner for that night, and a huge jar of Nam's Bits (they know me so well!).

I love all things J. Crew of course... and I know they carry these flops year after year, but I have to continually rave about them. And yes, they are the cutest things ever and I have probably 10 pair, but the reason I go gaga for these flops is that they are the MOST comfortable flips flops EVER. Ever! No, don't tell me about your stinkin' Rainbow sandals and whatnot - these J. Crew flops take the cake on cuteness AND comfort. The soles are so so cushy and delicious that you can walk hour after hour without getting tired feet. And believe me, I've put them to the test. Any summer days spent walking the streets of New York are spent in these babies. Now, you will have an icky black bottomed foot after a long day of walking in these - so you have to scrub your tootsies before climbing into bed. And one important note - don't mistake the flops at J. Crew outlets for these. They may look exactly the same, but they have a completely different sole. It's a cheaper, foamy sole - not the cushy goodness that is sold online and in regular (non-outlet) J. Crew stores.

I just love, love Elf Cosmetics. I'm not sure how they do it, but who cares?! Every single item is $1. You pay a flat shipping charge, and that's it. It's a great way to experiment with some fun colors without spending a lot. And their products are really great - I've tried most all of them. Target also carries their line - I've seen some of their stuff in the bins with the travel size tolietries. Of all their products though, the Plumping Lip Glaze is my absolute favorite. It looks great and feels great. I'll buy 15 or 20 of them at a time, so I have a good never-ending supply!

I love me some good tortilla chips and salsa something fierce... and these new Multigrain Tostitos are freaking awesome! I initially picked them up after noticing the new variety, thinking yeah OK, guess that would be the healthier (er - less fatty) alternative. But they taste SO amazing. My husband digs on them too. They're all we buy anymore and sometimes they're hard to find... perhaps others are catching on. They have such a great texture and taste - I really think they're far better than your regular old Tostito. We've also found a great bottled salsa that we like. I've never been a fan of bottled salsa, because it always tastes... well, bottled. But On The Border started putting a line of salsas and chips in groceries recently and we are sooooo addicted to the OTB Medium Salsa. The multi-grain chips and OTB salsa are permanent residents on our weekly grocery list (OK, bi-weekly... I can't stand to go weekly).

Lastly, I must discuss the Mocha Big Chill I've discovered this summer at Beaner's. OMG. Yum-O! Yes, I know the pic says peanut butter... and I'm sure that's good and all for you peanut butter lovers, but I'm talking about the Mocha flavor here. (This was the only image I could find, so it'll have to do.) Well, first you must know that I am a connoisseur of mocha flavored frozen coffee beverages. And remember, I'm not a huge sweets person, so that makes me very very picky. I've tried them all... the Frap, the Cooler from Caribou, the one from Panera... ones from various other local java joints. And actually, none of them could come close to touching the absolute perfection that is the Mocha Frosty Joe from Jittery Joe's in good ole Athens, GA. All of these other frozen drinks were a far far cry from such tasty goodness... until I stumbled upon the Mocha Big Chill one afternoon at the new Beaner's location by our house. Absolutely divine - I sucked that thing down so fast, the cup didn't even have a chance to frost over. I think Jittery Joe's blend still takes the cake... but Beaner's big chill comes in a very VERY close second. My favorite treat on a hot summer afternoon! And you know what? Jittery Joe's also opened up a franchise right by my house... not quite the same charm as the Athens Five Points location that I spent hours and hours at in college... but hey, I can have a Mocha Frosty Joe anytime I want. So whatever direction I head in, mocha frozen goodness awaits!

I could go on, but I'll stop there.... enjoy!

Sick and tired of being sick and tired!

Someone get me out of this house! I was supposed to head back to work today, but still wasn't quite ready. This recovery thing is slow-going and I don't like things that are slow-going! I'm going to try again tomorrow, but the thing is I still can't sit comfortably in a chair for very long. So being at the computer long enough to type this is a quite an accomplishment!

Anyway, surgery's over and all is well. My surgery outfit was so perfect - though between that and my jammies, I'm so ready to get back in normal clothing. I'm really going to give it the good college try tomorrow morning and go into the office. Even if I don't last but an hour, at least I will have put in the effort. I feel guilty being out this long, even though I shouldn't.

As for the surgery itself, my doctor accomplished a lot, but not quite everything he intended, so unfortunately I get to do this all over again in September. So bad news is, he wasn't able to remove the septum (wall of good-for-nothin' tissue in my uterus) because they discovered a weakened area on my uterus. With all the other work they were doing - which I'll explain in a second - he just thought it was too much of a risk to remove it in the condition it's in presently. So they are going to put me on these shots ($600 a pop) that will give me menopause-like symptoms for a month at a time and will soften that uterine tissue and enable them to more safely remove the septum. We can do it as soon as August, but my August is just crazy... we've got a trip to Maine planned and a bunch of other stuff going on that I don't want to screw up. So we're going to do surgery #2 in September. Good news is, they successfully removed the ovarian cyst I had, and also they discovered (and removed) a pretty significant amount of endometriosis. My doctor said the endometriosis is undoubtedly why we haven't been able to get preggers yet. Knowing this is like a HUGE relief to me and my husband... even with my busted uterus, we still should've been able to get pregnant, even if the septum prevented us from carrying a baby full term. I feel like we've finally got some solid answers now. Even though we're not quite there yet, I feel like we actually have a plan now.

Having another surgery sucks... I mean recovery is a bitch and I won't even go into the awful day I had in the hospital the day of surgery... but I'm ready. Let's do it. I love my doctor - I know he's got our best interest at heart and he actually said, you WILL get pregnant. So that is just super encouraging. And we did also learn that when we do get pregnant, that I'll have to have a C-section (because of that weak area in my uterus - it apparently could become dangerous when I go into labor and it starts contracting). Well, I'll be like a surgery pro by then, so bring it on. Lots of my friends have had them. And hey, like I told my husband, at least my hoo haa won't get all jacked up (yeah, lots of my friends had that happen too).

So, still feeling a little crappy over here... but what exciting things to come! I gotta go find my husband... he's gotta get me out of this house! I'm thinking cheese dip and sangria should do the trick.