coconut turned me gray!!

okay. i haven't been blogging lately. keaton reminds me constantly. i know, i know. what can i say, life happened!

anyway, now that i'm back ...

ya'll, i had to pull out another gray hair today. sexy, i know. everyone loves a 19-year-old with gray hair!!

maybe i should explain ... i have an allergy to coconut. when i eat it, it makes my throat swell closed and when it gets on my skin (ie: coconut oil in lotions) it makes me break out into a rash.

in florida, one of my friends was coloring my hair for me. i forgot, like an idiot, to check the ingredients, and it turns out this particular brand had coconut oil in it. after it had been on my hair for about five minutes, my scalp began to itch and burn. when it got to be unbearable, i thought to check the box and saw the evil ingredient.

i immediately rinsed my hair, scrubbing off all the goop. when it started drying i looked in the mirror and, to my horror, found several white white white blonde strands and several GRAY strands. We're talking granny-gray! i cracked up for about 3 minutes, then started to get a little nervous as more hair started turning gray.

i called the disney hair place (a salon with discounts for disney employees) to ask for advice. they explained that the coconut oil probably made its way into my scalp and damaged my hair folicles. the bad news - it was probably permanent! so now, some of the little bitty places on my head from which hair grows will no longer grow beautiful brown hair ... instead, out comes super blonde hairs, or gray hairs.

they said not to worry about it, just pull out the gray and blonde hairs. and the itching and burning should stop within a couple of days (it did). since i keep coloring my hair, i usually don't even have to worry about the gray and blonde ...

but every now and then, when i glance in the mirror and the light is just right ... i catch a little glimmer. when i see that reflection off a little gray or blonde strand, i have to grab the tweezers and yank.

i'm not worried about it, i still think it's pretty funny! so, i think i win the award for the most prematurely-gray woman in the world! for now, i'll just keep plucking them out when one sneaks through!!

thirteen on thursday

just some random thoughts ...


13. happy birthday amber!!! my sister is 21 today! yay!


12. does anyone else just randomly look at people's blogs? i feel like a creeper, but i admit that i do it. i guess that's what you are "supposed" to do in the blogging world ... but it still feels weird. am i supposed to comment on blogs that i look at? so they at least KNOW that i am looking? or just sit quietly back and look? i don't know proper blog etiquette.


11. i cannot STAND wearing panty hose. they make me feel gross. and, without fail, two things always always always happen. 1) i get a run in them and 2) they make me get the goosebumps and then shaving my legs was pointless.


10. did you know that febreeze has a new product line that hampton uses exclusively? every hampton inn across the world uses this new febreeze product in their rooms, and it is the only scent-type product we can use. however, most of the guests do not care for it. we have had more complaints about allergic reactions and the smell of rooms since we started using this new product than we ever had before. this is one move hampton made that was not very smart ...


9. i had never heard of this before, but apparently singers sometimes get calluses on their LUNGS!! ouch!!


8. i think some of the best food in the world comes from outback steakhouse. it smells good, it looks good, and it definitely tastes good. so now my question is ... why does it cost so much?!? i would eat there every day if it weren't so expensive.


7. i don't think i have used an iron and ironing board of my own free will EVER in my entire life. i believe my mom had me iron some of my things when they were really wrinkled when i was growing up. but i have never gotten the iron out myself because i think my clothes are wrinkled. you want to know the truth? i don't even care. i hardly ever notice if my clothes are wrinkled, and if i do, it really doesn't bother me. my mother would kill me if she knew that, but i hate to iron.


6. i really really want to learn to be a really really good cook. i can make a few things, and i can read so i know i am capable of making any recipe. and the thing is, i LOVE to cook! i like having recipies as guidelines, but then changing things and coming up with different twists on my own. even when things don't turn out great, i still love cooking! and i want to become really good at it. i can't wait to shop and plan and prepare meals for my own family one day!


5. y'all, i need a haircut soo badly! my hair grows entirely too quickly. i don't even get it cut that often (as in trims) because that keeps it healthy and makes it grow faster, and goodness knows i don't need that!! i'm ready to chop it all off. i guess the good thing is that i can donate lots of curls to locks of love to make big, thick wigs for someone who can't grow hair right now.


4. i want to go to a water park so bad! they are soo much fun! i think disney has some of the best ones. they have really cool themes and everything.

3. i HATE to get ketchup on my hands. i absolutely freak out. i think it stinks and it makes my hands feel all sticky. grossness. i like to eat ketchup on things, but to get it on my hands is seriously disgusting.

2. i'm soo glad it's baseball season! it is my favorite sport EVER!! especially the boston red sox. i can't wait to see how this season will go!

1. i think the cutest name in the whole entire world is jackson. and mackenzie for a girl. i don't know why, but i have always loved those. jackson is my favorite ever. jack for short.

bad blogger

i have taken an unintentional hiatus from blogging. keaton was here all last week for his spring break and it was WONDERFUL to see him!! between dance and the hampton and time with him, i didn't have time to blog!

but i'll probably be getting back into it soon. i know all of you were worried!! hehe

thirteen on thursday

keaton gets here tomorrow!!! i am about to poop in my panties i'm so excited!! whoo hoo!!

so for today's "13 on thursday", here are 13 things i love about him:

1. his smile
2. the way he looks into my eyes
3. the feel of his 5-o'clock shadow against my fingertips
4. the way his hands envelop mine
5. his arms (muscles!!)
6. the way he loves kids
7. his blue blue eyes
8. the way he sings in my ear
9. how he doesn't get mad when i ask him a million questions about a movie we're watching ... or when i fall asleep during movies, which is what usually happens
10. that he takes me out on nice dates, but only occasionally because he knows i don't like it every time
11. that he says he is going to marry me
12. that he answers the question "what are you thinking" a million times (poor guy!)
13. that he likes to stargaze and helps me find the big dipper
14. that he's not afraid of anything and he always takes care of me
15. that he loves me more than anything, and that i know that without him even having to tell me

oops .... i totally did not realize i was over 13 ... but i dont want to take anything out ... oh well. here's FIFTEEN on thursday!

happy anniversary!

on saturday, march 8, my parents will celebrate their 22nd anniversary. twenty-two freaking years!! that seems like such a long time! i am so proud of them.

i know they are not a "perfect" couple ... nobody's perfect. i have seen them have their squabbles and their ups and downs. i have seen fights and mean words and sometimes i have seen them be ugly to each other.

but i have also seen the love. i have seen the hugs. the kisses. the touches. the looks. i love the days when my mom still greets my dad at the door after work with a kiss. i love when my dad snaps my mom's behind with a dishtowl and she giddily runs away. i love the days when everyone is happy and you can tell they are still happily married.

i consider myself very blessed to have parents who are celebrating 22 years together. truly, that is quite an achievement these days! not many people can say that. they have another achievement coming up too ... they have a daughter who is turning 21 later in the month!! my parents were married when my dad was 20 and my mom was almost 20. my sister was born when my dad was 21 and my mom was almost 21. amber was born 5 days after their first anniversary!! i know, i always tell them they were crazy!!

but when i consider they only had three months as a married couple before my mom was pregnant, and only a year together before they had a baby, that makes me all the more proud. even though it wasn't easy, they have made it through hard times and come out still together!

my parents have been an awesome example to my brother and sister and i. we have had amazing role models for making a marriage last. i have definitely learned things from my parents that i DO want to do in my marriage ... and a few things i DON'T want to do as well.

happy anniversary, mom and daddy. i'm so proud of you!!!

no sleep ... no sleep ... la la la la la la (i don't think i'll ever get disney references completely out of my brain now after working there .... )

so here's the deal. friday, i got up at 8am to get ready for class.

had class from 9-11.

went to the library to study from 11-1.

had class again from 1-2.

worked at the hampton from 3-11.


that was all fine. that's just a tpycial day in my week. but usually i get to go home and SLEEP after that. not today .....

got home at 11:30

got ready for bed and packed everything up for the trip.

dozed for about an hour from 1-2.

got up at 2 to finish gathering everything and eat breakfast.

headed out to meet katie.

drove 3.5 hours to dallas for the feis.

watched the feis, helped the kids.

drove 3.5 hours home from dallas.

grabbed a bite to eat.

drove to a church for some of the irish kid's talent show.

drove home and got there about 10.

sat here and wrote a silly blog post.

i think i'm past the point of sanity. being awake for 38 hours with practically no sleep will do that for you . i think i'm heading to bed. good night, everyone!

click here to learn more

have you heard about the sweet little baby girl who was birthed, then fell through the toilet on a moving train and lay on the tracks for a couple of hours before being found? it's an ubelievable story. click on the title of this post to learn more!!

thirteen on thursday

13. i love drinking through straws. i feel like it's better for my teeth, like it will keep them from getting discolored.

12. the other day i definitely ran up to a guy and gave him a huge hug because i thought he was myles who i work with at the hampton. long story short ..... it wasn't myles.

11. you know, i have never seen an entire episode of american idol. i don't think it's quite as big of a hit as it used to be, but it is still pretty popular. and i have yet to see a show in full. honestly though, from what i've heard, many people watch just to see how mean simon will get. and i'm not really into watching people get dissed. but i'll try to watch at least one somday ...

10. my cousins have spent the last couple of nights with us and it has been so good to see them. my younger cousin was sleeping in my room and we had such sweet time just to talk. she is getting to be so pretty and all grown up. i can't believe it. we had such good "girl time" that i've never been able to have with her before

9. y'all, i am totally in love with code red mountain dew. i've always loved regular (well, diet) mountain dew ... but the cherry stuff came out and i am totally HOOKED. so now my question is why do convenience stores never carry DIET code red mountain dew in their fountains?? that is so not convenient. i am the queen of fountain drinks, i love them, and any time code red is one of the choices it calls my name until i have to give in. but they never have diet, which means i drink way more calories than i should. why can't they just offer freaking diet????

8. i don't believe that carrots improve your vision. because i love love LOVE carrots and eat them all the time. i have since i was little. and my eyesight is horrendous. i wear contacts in the strongest perscription they will give me as a 19-year-old. and i still don't see all that great. but ... for all i know ... my vision WOULD be even worse ... so maybe all those carrots have kept me from having even poorer vision ... even though i didn't think that was possible ... i guess it's all in how you look at it!! .... no pun intended!

7. i am so sick of having to pay fines at the library. i always forget when my books are due. and when you have several books checked out at once, it starts to add up!! i think i should start writing it in my planner so i don't forget ... i'm gonna go broke if i'm not careful. i bet i've single-handedly paid for about 3 more metropolitian library system branches with my late fees!

6. you know what sounds really delicious to me? lemon ice cream. do they make that?

5. jumping rope is probably one of the best aerobic exercises you can do. it's also one of the most difficult! when you're starting out, just try to do one minute a day. then eventually work your way up. it's really hard to do, but i promise you'll see results. it burns tons of calories, and builds your stamina.

4. i am sooo glad it's baseball season again!! it always comes at just the right time. i am just about to start having withdrawls and then i can relax because it's that time again. my brother had his first scrimage yesterday and i was so excited to be there! i was only able to stay for about 30 minutes, then i had to leave to go teach, but it was amazing! baseball makes me so happy!!!

3. i think miley cyrus is the cutest thing. i've seen hannah montana when babysitting, and i have to admit, i actually kind of enjoy it. she has the cutest voice and is a good little actress. i think she has great potential. she's definitely an "up-and-coming" star to watch.

2. you know what i've always always wanted to do? one of those old-timey photographs. you know, where you dress in old clothing and it's all black-and-white and it looks like you lived in a different era. i think those are so fun! i definitely want to have one done at some point in my life before i die!

1. mcdonalds is celebrating the leap year with free breakfast sandwiches!! they did it this morning but you haven't missed out because they're doing i t tomorrow as well. when you purchase a medium or large soft drink, you get a free something-or-other. i don't know what it's called, but i know it's yummy because daddy and i met there today to eat breakfast. can't beat free food!!

dr. busby

so, i diagnosed myself and decided it was time for me to be off of crutches. i was fed up, and i had had enough. i hope i'm not getting myself into trouble by getting off too early, but i'm just impatient. i hope i'm not making it worse, but i'll guess we'll just have to wait and see!

an email i received awhile back .... i AM proud to be an oklahoman!!

This is what Jeff Foxworthy has to say about folks fromOklahoma (which is celebrating its centennial ). . .

If someone in a Lowe's store offers you assistance and theydon't work there, you may live in Oklahoma .

If you've worn shorts and a parka at the same time, you maylive in Oklahoma .

If you've had a lengthy telephone conversation with someone whodialed a wrong number, you may live in Oklahoma .

If "vacation" means going anywhere south of Dallas for theweekend, you may live in Oklahoma .

If you measure distance in hours, you may live in Oklahoma .

If you know several people who have hit a deer more than once,you may live in Oklahoma .

If you install security lights on your house and garage, but leave both unlocked, you may live in Oklahoma .

If you carry jumper cables in your car and your wife knows how to use them, you may live in Oklahoma .

If the speed limit on the highway is 55 mph -- you're going 80 and everybody is passing you, you may live in Oklahoma .

If you find 60 degrees "a little chilly," you may live inOklahoma .

If you see a tornado warning on the television but don't gettoo awfully excited about it until you actually SEE it coming towardyou, you may live in Oklahoma .

If you actually understand these jokes and forward them to allyour Okie friends & others, you definitely live in Oklahoma . We'ref riendly folks!

Rules of Oklahoma
1. Pull up your droopy pants. You look like an idiot.
2. Let's get this straight; it's called a "gravel road." I drive a pickup truck because I want to. No matter how slow you drive,you're going to get dust on your Lexus. Drive it or get out of the way.
3. They are cattle. That's what they smell like to you. Theysmell like money to us. Get over it. Don't like it? I-40 goes eastand west, & I-35 goes north and south. Pick one.
4. So you have a $60,000 car. We're impressed. We have $250,000combines that are driven only 3 weeks a year.
5. So every person in every pickup waves. It's called beingfriendly. Try to understand the concept.
6. If that cell phone rings while a bunch of ducks are comingin, we WILL shoot it out of your hand. You better hope you don't haveit up to your ear at the time.
7. Yeah, we eat catfish & crawfish. You really want sushi &caviar? It's available at the corner bait shop.
8. The "Opener" refers to the first day of deer season. It's areligious holiday held the closest Saturday to the first of November.
9. We open doors for women. That is applied to all women,regardless of age.
10. No, there's no "vegetarian special" on the menu. Ordersteak. Or you can order the Chef's Salad and pick off the 2 pounds ofham & turkey.
11. When we fill out a table, there are three main dishes:meats, vegetables, and breads. We use three spices: salt, pepper, andPicante Sauce!! Oh, yeah . . .. We don't care what folks inCincinnati call that stuff they eat . . . IT AIN'T REAL CHILI!! Chiliwas born and bred in the West . . . and real chili never met a tomato!
12. You bring "coke" into my house, it better be brown, wet,and served over ice. You bring "Mary Jane" into my house, she'dbetter be cute, know how to shoot, drive a truck, and have long hair.
13. College and high school football basketball is importanthere and fun to watch.
14. Yeah, we have golf courses. But don't hit the water hazards-- it spooks the fish.
15. Colleges? Try Oklahoma State University and the Universityof Oklahoma . They come outta there with an education plus a love forGod and country, and they still wave at passing pickups when theycome for the holidays.
16. We have lots of folks in the Army, Navy, Air Force, andMarines, so "Don't Mess with Oklahoma ." If you do, you will getwhipped by the best.

Oklahoma is the greatest state ever!!

If you do not repost this, you are not a true Okie!!!!! HappyBirthday to us!