Patio Envy

We bought the most beautiful, charming house back in December and I am in love with it.....except I'm having major outdoor living withdrawal this time of the year, even with Kentucky's stifling humidity. We do not have a patio/deck at our home and it's driving me crazy!! Ryan and I have finally decided to break down and pay for a patio for our side yard - originally I wanted stone pavers but that was going to be WAY too expensive and WAY too much work. We then decided on concrete - I had no idea of the things they could do with concrete! I'd love to have a patio with the concrete stamped in some decorative way to appear like bricks, but alas, that is out of our budget and we will have to settle for the exposed aggregate. Nonetheless, I thought I'd post a few of my original inspiration pics for the stamped patio....a girl can dream, can't she?

Searching for an Indestructible Dog Toy

If you've read any of my blog posts (or know me at all), you are aware that we own a 1 1/2 year old Lab named Pearl. Really, she's more than a pet, she's our pride and joy - she's so spoiled, she'll be in for a rude awakening when kids enter the picture!! At any rate, there are a few annoyances that we have with Pearl, and one is the fact that toys literally die in her presence. Her record, I think, for destroying a toy is 1 minute. It's not that she necessarily means to tear apart her toys but Labs are big-time chewers and can shred anything (my neighbor has one and his Lab chewed up the linoleum in his kitchen AND chewed through the air conditioning cords for his house!). So when I stumbled upon a website for Tuffie's Dog Toys in the Everyday with Rachel Ray magazine, I was intrigued. They actually test these things on tigers! If a tiger can't destroy it, I have to hope that it could remain intact for at least one day in the presence of my dog. I'm going to have to be sure to order one of these and see if they are everything they are cracked up to be.

Finally.....SATC Movie Is In The Works!!

Well, all I can say is it is about damn time!! I guess it's better late than never for the gals of Sex & The City - the movie has finally been confirmed. The only one up in the air so far is whether Chris Noth will come back to play Mr. Big, which can be a total deal breaker. Who wants to see the movie without a substantial appearance from Mr. Big???

Little Buddy

I just adore my little niece and nephew. We always look forward to seeing them on our trips to Paducah and Ryan and I are always sad to say goodbye. It's a shame we can't see them more often but I don't see us moving to Paducah anytime soon. I had to post these two pictures of John Michael and I separately - he was coloring a picture for me when Ryan took these photographs.

Some Pictures From This Weekend

We got back earlier this evening from our trip to Paducah over the weekend (with a brief but enjoyable pit stop in Harrodsburg to have a belated birthday dinner with my folks and pick up Pearl). Here's just a few of the numerous pics from our weekend.....

My nephew John Michael's last T-ball game of the season:









After the game, we went to have dinner with Ryan's mom and step-dad, Sharon and Bobby. They have a great house out in the woods in southern Illinois. Here are some great pictures of John Michael and our niece, Olivia, fishing:

Another Year.....Another Birthday

Yep, my birthday is today - specifically, number 29. I have to admit, I haven't exactly been looking forward to this day. I'm one year from hopping into another decade and I can no longer say I am in my mid-20s. (Of course, I haven't been able to say with a straight face that I am in my mid-20s for a few years!!!). Not to sound like "Debbie Downer" from SNL, but really, most people would have to admit that after 21, most birthdays are not that momentous. There's 13 (when you finally become a teenager), 16 (let the fun of driving begin), 18 (you can smoke, vote and fight for our country), 20 (no longer a teenager) and then 21 (if you can survive the round of shots on your 21st!). After that, there is no significant event that seems to tie in with your age. It's just crazy to think I am 29 now - there's so much that has gone on over the past decade of my life but yet still so many things I had hoped to accomplish in my 20s before the big 3-0 and that means I have one short year to do so many things. I'll try not to get bogged down in the thought of what all I have left to do over the course of the next year and use this day to reflect on all of the wonderful things in my life - a fantastic husband, a loving family, a crazy but sweet dog who I absolutely adore, tons of wonderful friends and a promising career in a great new city we are so happy to call home. On top of all that, I'm going to spend a perfect, leisurely day off for my birthday, with plans to get a pedicure, check out my nephew's T-ball game and enjoy dinner with Ryan and our friends from Houston, Rick and Natalie. I can honestly say that I have been blessed with the riches of a thousand people ....... so on second thought, maybe turning 29 isn't such a bad thing after all! Happy Birthday to me!!!

Corinne Bailey Rae - Like A Star

I just stumbled upon Corinne Bailey Rae, even though I think her CD came out last year. I am in love with her music, especially this song. Her voice is absolutely phenomenal.

Lipstick Jungle

"These women aren't looking for Mr. Big, they are Mr. Big."

The tag line for the newest show inspired by a Candace Bushnell book, Lipsick Jungle, says it all. Three powerful women rule. Why, oh why, do we have to wait out ANOTHER NFL season until this show starts on Sundays at 10pm?!?! Hopefully this show will fill the void in good programming geared toward females that was left with the departure of Sex & The City.

Knocked Up

So we went to see "Knocked Up" with Michelle and Craig last night . . . I have to admit, I wasn't expecting too much from the movie but it ended up being very funny. Some parts were completely gross and I couldn't believe they made it into a movie, but this is the same guy who wrote and directed 40 Year Old Virgin so I probably should have seen it coming. People were rolling and crying they were laughing so hard - even the elderly (!!) couple sitting in front of us! While there were some slow moments, it's worth checking out.

Louisville Uncorked

We had a blast last Thursday at the Louisville Uncorked wine tasting for Sauvignon Blanc at the Mercantile Lofts - here's a picture of Joanna, Natasha, Amanda and I at the event!

Inspiring Story of a Woman Kicking Ass

I know, it's long, but completely worth it . . .

When Kathrine Switzer showed up to run the Boston Marathon in 1967, she wasn't there to make a political statement about a woman's right to compete in a men-only event. She was a 20- year-old Syracuse University junior who wanted to prove to herself and her coach she was capable of running 26.2 miles. But Switzer had taken steps no one woman had done before to run Boston. Unlike other women who had completed the world's oldest and most prestigious marathon, Switzer had been so brash as to officially enter the race. Switzer never told Boston Athletic Association officials she was a woman, but the race application didn't ask. In those days, the BAA assumed everyone entering its grueling event was a man. But on that cold day at the starting line in Hopkinton, Mass., Switzer's coach, Arnie Briggs, picked up her race number and she pinned it on her hooded sweatshirt. About three miles into the race, the press truck caught up to Switzer, who was running with Briggs and her burly boyfriend, Tom Miller. When the photographers noticed a woman in the race with an official number, the cameras started to click. And something clicked inside a BAA official, Jock Semple, who jumped off the truck and ran at Switzer in an attempt to tear off her number. ``Get the hell out of my race and give me that number!'' shouted Semple, one of the race's top competitors during the 1930s. Fortunately for Switzer, Semple only ripped a tiny corner of her number off. And when he tried again, Miller intervened, laying a shoulder block into Semple that sent the 64-year-old Scotsman sprawling to the pavement. Semple got back on the press truck. As the vehicle left to rejoin the lead pack, Semple shook his fist and yelled, ``You're in deep trouble!''

Dazed and frightened she would be pulled off the course at any moment, Switzer managed to finish between four and five hours. No one was quite sure of her time. She wore no watch and by the time she finished, all the officials had left. Ironically, Bobbie Gibb, a woman who ran the race without an official number, finished about an hour ahead of her. But it was Switzer who had made headlines the next day with dramatic photos of her encounter with Semple. Switzer entered the race proud to be a woman but with no agenda to promote women's running. Her experience ``radicalized'' her, changing her outlook on women in sports. ``The embarrassing thing for me now is that I sold women so short at the time,'' said Switzer, 55, who will be doing commentary for today's NBC broadcast of the New York City Marathon. ``I thought other women weren't interested in sports and I thought they didn't get it. It wasn't until after Jock tried to tackle me that I realized the reason other women weren't there is that they hadn't had the same opportunities that I'd had or the encouragement from their family, dad or coach.'' Eventually, Switzer did get it - and so did the BAA and Semple, who allowed women to officially enter the race in 1972. From 1970 to 1976, Switzer competed at Boston six times, finishing second in '75 in 2:51:37.

Pearl on a Road Trip

I just had to post some pictures of Pearl in the car after we picked her up from the kennel last weekend. She was so happy to see us and pretty excited, but she conked out pretty quickly and fell fast asleep as you can tell from the pictures. She was groomed while she was at the kennel so that should explain the cute bandanna around her neck (we promptly took it off when we got home, we are not the type of people who put any clothing on our dog!!). How cute is she?!?!

Canoe

On the night of Rachel's graduation in Atlanta, we went to celebrate at a fantastic restaurant called Canoe. This restaurant sits right on the Chattahoochee River and the view is incredible. The food was outstanding and the service was the best I've ever had. If you're in the ATL, I would highly recommend checking this place out! The website is www.canoeatl.com.

Rachel's Graduation Weekend

Here are some pictures of our great weekend at Emory University for Rachel's graduation from medical school.

Do you think we look alike? Since I've gone brunette, I keep hearing how identical we look. You be the judge.

Quite Possibly the Best Picture Ever!

I saw this picture of my sister, Rachel, for the first time yesterday and I have not stopped laughing yet. Rachel and her boyfriend, Jeff, made the trip up to KY for the Oaks last week. Despite ominous warnings of thunderstorms from the local weathermen, the weather was pretty good for the most part during the day. However, at around 6:00 or so, the heavens opened up and it absolutely poured. Fortunately for my group, we left the track early and had a wonderful view of the storm from our table next to the terrace at Ruth's Chris. Rachel and Jeff were not so lucky . . . just before the skies opened, Rachel, Jeff and their friends had started the 1 mile hike back to their car from Churchill Downs. This picture basically sums up Rachel's experience as she walks back to the car. Sorry, Rach, but I absolutely love this!!!! It's a classic. I especially love all of the people in the background in their rain ponchos and there is poor little Rachel, getting drenched in her little pink dress and pearls.

Dove Evolution

Check out this short video....

"Ugly Betty" Isn't So Ugly!!

There are not too many shows on TV that I make time to watch, but I have fallen for Ugly Betty this year. Yes, it's very campy and over the top, but the dialogue is hysterical. Even Ryan, who made fun of me at first for watching it, now watches it every week! Betty is played by an great actress named America Ferrara. Looking at the picture of "Betty" below, you can obviously tell how much they play up her "ugliness". With that being said, I still cannot get over how amazing she looks in real life, especially in this picture from Time Magazine's 100 Most Influential People. What a difference!!

Oaks

Yes, I promise that is me, somewhere underneath the huge brim of that hat!! We had an absolute blast at the Oaks with Rick, Natalie, Andy and Amanda. Great weather, beautiful scenery, fun people watching, and great friends - you couldn't ask for a more perfect day. While I thoroughly enjoyed wearing the quintessential "big hat" for my first Oaks outing, I was definitely glad to put it away in storage at the end of the evening!

Heading to Atlanta

We are all headed to Atlanta this weekend to celebrate Rachel's graduation from medical school. After all of these years of hard work (with several more to come in Boston at Harvard), my sister will officially be Dr. Clark (I love the sound of that!!). Congratulations Rachel!!!

Paris Hilton, Loser of the Week

Seriously, get over yourself. You screwed up, and now you have to deal with the consequences of your actions. Not even your little rich girl privilege and money can get you out of this mess. Quit your whining and serve the time!

Kentucky Derby 133

What a fantastic time to be a Kentuckian (and better yet to have a new home in Louisville, home of Churchill Downs and the Derby)!! The Oaks and Derby this year were yet another amazing display to the world of the charm and class that is Kentucky and its citizens (well, most of its citizens). Though we didn't win any serious cash, Ryan and I, as well as our friends, all had a blast!

Baby Mania

Everywhere I turn, it seems like someone I know is either announcing their pregnancy or just had their baby! I think I need to keep a listing of all of my pregnant friends just so I can keep track! All joking aside, I am happy to welcome Zachary Adam (son to proud parents Rich and Lavin) and Addison Grace (daughter to doting parents Jeremy and Sheryl) to the world, both of whom were born last week. Congratulations Lavin, Rich, Sheryl and Jeremy!!

Sorry for the absence.....

Alright, between Brian telling me he's tired of looking at the picture of my Oaks dress and my father telling me that he's going to boycott my blog until I start putting up some new posts, I knew it was time that I got this blog jumpstarted again.....

Oaks

So excited, I'm going to the Oaks this year for the first time and it should be a blast. Our good friends, Rick and Natalie, are coming in from Houston to go with us, and we will be joined by Andy and Amanda, another great couple we are friends with that live here in Louisville. Here's a picture of my dress that finally came in - I love it and it's comfortable, which is the most important part!!! Now I'm on a mission to find a great hat with a huge brim, and then I'll be set!

Maker's Mark Commemorative Bottle

How awesome is this new commemorative bottle of Maker's that will be sold at the opening day of Keeneland this Friday? This year’s bottle honors the seniors from the 1992 UK basketball team - Sean Woods, Deron Feldhaus, John Pelfrey and Richie Farmer - otherwise known as the "Unforgettables." Keeneland reports that these basketball players will be working with UK HealthCare’s Markey Cancer Center, Keeneland and Maker’s Mark to raise $1 million this year for cancer research.

Tearjerker

I saw this video on the Today show last week - a sailor from the US Navy surprised his little boy by showing up at the boy's class after being stationed in Iraq for six months. The little boy's face when he sees his dad is priceless - every time he breaks down in tears it kills me! We need to have more of these homecomings and get all of our troops home!

It's In the Air......

There's a warm breeze in the air, people are out in droves, and the dogwoods are starting to bloom, which can only mean one thing . . . Keeneland spring meet starts in a week and a half!

An Angry UK Fan

Alright, as a woman born and raised in central Kentucky, it is a certainty that my heart and loyalty will always be with the UK Wildcats (even after some disappointing seasons). It's been overwhelming living amongst UofL Cardinal fans for the past few months here in Louisville - it's been threatened, but they'll never convert me to red! At any rate, some talk show on the radio this morning was discussing some quotes from Rick Pitino (aka Benedict Arnold) during a press conference yesterday. Basically, Pitino was denying rumors that he would leave UofL to take Tubby's spot at UK, stating in effect, "These players are my family. I could never leave them, that would be wrong." Apparently the Wildcats weren't his family a few years ago when he decided to uproot and leave UK's program, only to return a few years later to coach our in-state rival. Not that I wanted him to come back before I heard these comments, but my position now is that UofL can keep him because UK fans certainly don't want him!!!!

Elizabeth Edwards

What a sad day it was to learn that Elizabeth Edwards' cancer has come back in her ribs. I don't care if you are conservative or liberal, you have to admire this lady for her strength and courage. That is why it is so damn bothersome to me to hear in the news that politicians and citizens across the US are criticizing the decision of John and Elizabeth Edwards for John to stay in the presidential race. Excuse me, until you learn that you are facing a potentially fatal illness, you have no right to publicize to the world what a family facing this illness should or shouldn't do. This is a personal decision and I applaud the Edwards on their courage in the face of this illness. If it comes a time that John Edwards has to step out of the race to support his wife, that is also a decision they will make together, and they should be able to do without facing the wrath of the condescending and ignorant public.

How Thin Is Too Thin?

Someone sent me a link to this You Tube video today - it actually made me kind of emotional when I watched it because it showed just how skewed our culture's perception of beauty really is. Check it out.

Harvard Bound

My beautiful younger sister, Rachel, found out late last week on "Match Day" that she was accepted to the ob/gyn residency program at Harvard University! This was her number one pick - I wasn't surprised she got it, she's brilliant, but I know it was a huge relief for her to know where she would be spending the next several years. Congrats to my wonderful sister - I couldn't be more proud.

Fantastic Kentucky Joke

I received this great joke about Kentucky women over the weekend - hope it gives you a laugh on this slow Monday morning!

Three men were sitting together bragging about how they had given their new wives duties.

The first man had married a Woman from Colorado and had told her that she was going to do dishes and house cleaning. It took a couple days, but on the third day he came home to a clean house and dishes washed and put away.

The second man had married a woman from Nebraska. He had given his wife orders that she was to do all the cleaning, dishes, and the cooking. The first day he didn't see any results, but the next day he saw it was better. By the third day, he saw his house was clean, the dishes were done, and there was a huge dinner on the table.

The third man had married a girl from KENTUCKY. He told her that her duties were to keep the house cleaned, dishes washed, lawn mowed, laundry washed and hot meals on the table for every meal. He said the first day he didn't see anything, the second day he didn't see anything, but by the third day some of the swelling had gone down and he could see a little out of his left eye, enough to fix himself a bite to eat and load the dishwasher.

Life Expectancy Calculator

While reading the paper yesterday, I came across an interesting article about estimated life expectancies. The article referenced a website called "Living to 100" where an individual can answer various questions through the site's life expectancy calculator. Of course, the website is quick to disclaim that this is just an estimate; the length of no one's life is a certainty, obviously. However, the questionnaire was very interesting - it asked a variety of questions about diet, exercise, stress, relationships, work life, health, etc. The site also provides you with a list of things you are doing right but other things you need to work upon that can add to your life expectancy. According to the site, I have a life expectancy of 96, but I need to watch my stress level (tell me something I don't know!).

Here's the link:

http://www.livingto100.com/calculator

Jennifer Hudson Kicks Ass

It's true...the girl really kicks ass. I finally got around to seeing Dreamgirls this week - I went Monday night while Ryan was out of town on business since I KNEW he had no desire to see it!! I had heard amazing things about Jennifer Hudson's performance (obviously, she was nominated for and won Best Supporting Actress at the Oscars), and had seen her perform some rather amazing songs while she was on the talk show circuit, but it was nothing compared to the performance she gave in the movie. There is a pivotal scene halfway through the movie where she sings a song called "And I Am Telling You" - it was so good and powerful that all of the hairs on the back of my neck and my arms stood on end. She is probably one of the best singers I have ever heard - truly powerful! And this explains why I don't watch that stupid American Idol show - Simon Cowell was ignorant enough to tell her she wasn't as talented as many others. Guess he had the last laugh - it's actually a good thing she didn't win, she might end up like Clay Aiken or something.

Inspiration

I settled in last night on the couch to watch some of the programs I recorded earlier in the week (which, incidentally, if you do not have Tivo or DVR, I would seriously recommend getting it!). I watched two really inspiring shows last night that I had to share, in case you didn't get to see them yourself.

(1) Bob Woodruff: To Iraq and Back. I imagine most know this, but Bob Woodruff was the co-anchor of the ABC evening news when in January of last year, he and his cameraman were seriously injured by a roadside bomb while reporting in Iraq. Woodruff sustained a traumatic brain injury, and half of his skull had to be removed to relieve pressure on his brain due to shrapnel. Thankfully, Woodruff has recovered for the most part, though he is the first to say it's a daily challenge. The first half of the show pertained to Woodruff's recovery, but then the latter half was an investigation by Woodruff into the thousands of military men and women who have sustained traumatic brain injuries as a result of the fighting in Iraq whose lives have been forever altered. It was a really compelling show as you could see how much Woodruff related with these military men/women and their families. If you didn't catch it, you can probably find a link to the show on abc.com.

(2) Oprah Winfrey's Leadership Academy for Girls. Now, I'll be the first to say, I'm not as big a fan of Oprah as a lot of people are. I'll admit, I do watch some of her shows when I think the topic sounds particularly interesting, but I think people put WAY too much stock into what she says or thinks. With that in mind, I did record the program on Monday evening about the leadership academy for girls that she opened this year near Johannesburg in South Africa. I couldn't help but be moved by these girls - so eager to learn and get a quality education, despite all of the unbelievable hardships they have had in their short lives. Two girls stood out to me - sisters Sade and Megan (in the second picture). When they were 5 and 6 years old, these two girls watched their father shoot and kill their mother before turning the gun on himself. Since that time, the girls have been on their own, looking out for one another as they try to get by - yet they still remain so positive and excited for what their futures hold. I think there is still a link on Oprah's website to this story. Just amazing, it really puts everything in your life in perspective.