Access Anisa

Happy New Year!

2012-01-03T12:03:00.005-05:00

Happy New Year!

Our Little Van

2011-10-17T16:15:00.002-04:00

Here he is in my most favorite picture of him. Isn't he adorable? Van is now 4 months old...chatting up a storm, laughing, smiling, playing with toys. He is in the 90th percentile for height and has a tiny mustache. Love every day with him.

Vantastic

2011-07-20T20:04:00.003-04:00

We are just wild about our little man! Enjoy the cuteness below.

Van is Here!

2011-06-19T13:31:00.009-04:00

On June 10, Bert and I welcomed an absolute blessing into our lives! At 5:03 p.m., Sullivan "Van" Zahir arrived into this world at 7 lbs. 3 oz. and 20.5 inches long. Sullivan is my maiden name, and Zahir is my late grandfather's name.

These first ten days have been wonderful, exhausting, joyous and incredible. I fall in love with my son each time I look at him. I still can't believe he's mine. My mom stayed with us last week, and my grandmother is here now.

How we love him so!

Nursery

2011-06-07T11:41:00.009-04:00

The nursery is now just about complete! We have letters to hang on one of the walls that we're waiting to hang. We can't have our friends stopping by this week find out the name early, now can we? :)

Bert made all of this happen. I think it's his dream room. I love it. He wanted a sports room, and I said vintage sports. And off we went!

See below for photos...

Pottery Barn Kids bedding. I am going back-and-forth if we should put the bumper on. Above the crib are real vintage New York Yankees pennants.

Above the futon (where I'm sure I'll be spending several nights!) are vintage-inspired football prints from both of my alma maters, and soon to be both of Bert's as well.

Navy refinished changing table. A red rug and curtains accent the room.

Mini-baseball bat autographed by Bert's favorite baseball player of all time - Don Mattingly. You may recall our cat is named Mattingly (we call him Matty). :)

Bookcase with new baseball knobs and all kinds of goodies.

One of the shelves with different balls.

Here's to hoping our son likes sports! If not, I suppose Bert will have to move these items to his future man room one day.

I like that the room isn't too babyish...it's very soothing and calm, but most of the items can be transitioned easily into a toddler and little boy room. And many of the items are keepsakes that I think our son will want forever.

Can't wait to meet him!

38 Weeks

2011-06-06T12:42:00.003-04:00

Holy moly! I definitely look different at 38 weeks than at 35 weeks! Bert snapped this photo of me on our patio before we went out to a nice dinner...we figure it'll be a while before one of those again! We've also been going to lots of movies...X-Men (my fave of the summer so far), Thor (another good one), Hangover 2 (hate is a strong word, so I'll just say really disliked it) and Limitless (at the dollar movie theater - good movie).

I'm progressing right along. The midwives predict our son will be here in the next two weeks, before the due date (June 18). I'm hoping for sometime next week so I can get a few more things wrapped up, and so my parents can also wrap up a bit more at work.

Sleep is so painful. In fact, everything pretty much hurts now! But it'll all be worth it. So so worth it.

I Lied.

2011-05-25T16:31:00.004-04:00

When I first found out I was pregnant, I said this blog would not become about that. Well, looking back, hmm...it wasn't a total lie! I mean, there were definitely other topics sprinkled in here and there, but yeah, it has been a lot of pregnancy updates.

And I'm OK with that.

Yes, I am a separate and distinct person from my soon-to-be son. However, I do carry him around with me all day, every day. My feet are hugely swollen. It hurts to walk. It hurts to move. But it's all more than worth it. I am still a wife, daughter and friend. I still throw myself into my job - a job that I love. I work long hours, but I don't talk much about my job here. I try to keep all that separate. But I do have a wonderful job in public relations and communications that is very fulfilling to me. So, yes, there is more to me than being a soon-to-be mommy. But right now, I can't help that this is at the forefront, and probably will be for a while.

So what's next?

We are thisclose to finishing the nursery if Pottery Barn Kids would ever ship the sheets and crib skirt. Once we are done, I'll post pictures. And then, the little guy should arrive sometime around June 18! I have, as they say, "dropped", so I am not expected to go past my due date. Looks like somewhere between 2-3 weeks is when this baby is scheduled to meet me, face to face.

35 Weeks and New Patio

2011-05-16T11:10:00.007-04:00

Things have been a whirlwind at our house lately! Bert finished all of his Ph.D. coursework (!) May 13, and he did not waste a moment since then. In fact, I have told him to slow down. Good thing he has a massage coming up Thursday. I am lucky to be married to such a hard worker. Below are some pictures from what we've been up to...

This is me Saturday, at 35 weeks pregnant! Notice the beautiful landscaping compliments of Bert.

For Mother's Day, I said I wanted a nice place for our family to be outside. Before, there were just two plastic chairs sitting on this patio, along with our grill. Now - beautiful plants, a cleaned and covered grill and a gorgeous patio set! I love it so much.

Here is another view of the patio. We have started a Sunday morning tradition of making a yummy breakfast together - strawberry pancakes, turkey bacon and eggs. This weekend, we took our tradition outside and enjoyed breakfast on the patio. I loved every moment of it.

Besides the yard, Bert has also been hard at work in the nursery! He is definitely over halfway done. The last big project is painting the changing table my aunt gave us. After that, we'll wash our son's clothes and finish decorating the room. So, there's some little stuff left, but we are getting there!

Happy Birthday, Mama!

2011-05-04T12:09:00.003-04:00

Happy Birthday to my brilliant and beautiful mother! Mama, I love you and am so very proud of you. I thank God for you each and every day. I truly feel that I was blessed with the best mother in the world. Never could I attempt to repay you for all you have done for me. I wish all good things for you, today and every day. Happy Birthday, and Happy (early) Mother's Day!

As Of Late

2011-05-03T11:48:00.007-04:00

Things in our world have been anything but uneventful lately. Here's a recap and my thoughts...

Last Wednesday's tornado left death and destruction in its wake - see the sad photo of Tuscaloosa above. I have thought about all those poor families who lost all their worldly possessions. My heart goes out to them. It seems so weird that we have had so much tornado weather lately. Climate change at work. I pray that these families allow themselves a good cry, and then are able to pick up the pieces and rebuild their lives. How terribly awful.

And the next big event, which was the polar opposite of the one above was...

The Royal Wedding on Friday, April 29! I woke up at 5:30 am with insomnia. Instead of trying to go back to sleep, I turned on the TV and so enjoyed the wedding. Kate could not have looked more beautiful! Her dress was just perfect. I so hope Wills and Kate get their fairytale ending.

After the wedding, I hit my 33rd week of pregnancy on Saturday. The picture below was taken on Sunday in our backyard. It is really starting to hit me that a little man will be joining us in the near future! Very excited.

And then, finally, the biggest news of late was the news that Osama bin Laden was killed Sunday, May 1.

A terrorist was brought to justice. Unfortunately, some people have used his death as a time to spread their own hateful views - be it on Muslims or President Obama. I think a quote from the late Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. says how I feel so well:

"I will mourn the loss of thousands of precious lives, but I will not rejoice in the death of one, not even an enemy. Returning hate for hate multiplies hate, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness, only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate, only love can do that."

I'm not saying we should all love Osama bin Laden. Heck no. What I am saying is that let us not repay hate with hate. Let us be united as Americans, glad justice has been served, not inciting more hatred.

I pray my son will grow up in a world where people are a little more like Dr. King.

31 Weeks

2011-04-18T12:37:00.003-04:00

31 weeks - Saturday, April 16

We're definitely getting closer! I can't believe that it is, as of today, 8 weeks and 5 days until my due date - June 18.

Here's what we have left to tackle:

Put the nursery together. We have the pieces, and we have done a giant housecleaning, so this will be the fun part. The theme is vintage sports, and we have several pieces of memorabilia from the New York Yankees. There will also be shout-outs to the Mississippi State Bulldogs and the University of Georgia Bulldogs in the room as well.
Choose a pediatrician. We have one more visit set up in May, and then we'll choose. We've met with one, so hopefully our choice will be clear after this meeting.
Attend childbirth and infant CPR classes. All set for May.
Buy stuff. We need a rocking recliner, camera and some other items to get ready.

Our goal is that everything will be in place June 1, so that we will be ready to roll at any point. I have plenty to wrap up at work in the last month as well. And Bert has many school projects to cross off his list too. We are both super excited!

Super Bulldog Weekend

2011-04-12T10:26:00.007-04:00

I had a magical weekend visiting family and friends in Mississippi. Bert was at the American Educational Research Association (AERA) conference presenting his research, so I took the opportunity to have a visit with my parents before our son arrives.

This past weekend was Super Bulldog Weekend at Mississippi State University, so I had the chance to visit with several dear friends. I am pictured above with one of these special people, Haley. She and I were sorority sisters. And Haley - if you really don't want to be on the blog, let me know. :)

Saturday, I was exactly 30 weeks pregnant. This photograph is taken in my parent's backyard. Also, this is the day we finally decided on our son's name! We are not telling just yet. :)

And here I am with my cousin Sam. He is wearing his new sports glasses for baseball season.

The best part of the weekend was just the time I had with my parents. Being with them, not in a hospital setting, was wonderful. I got to be someone else's little baby all weekend before mine gets here. What a blessing to have such incredible parents. The walks, the talks, the meals. I'll never forget it.

This little boy is so incredibly lucky to have the best grandparents in the world already.

3rd Trimester and Bert's 35th

2011-03-27T22:50:00.003-04:00

Saturday, I officially entered the 3rd trimester at 28 weeks. It poured most of the day, but we had time for a few photos while the gorgeous azaleas are still in full bloom. My parents even dropped by for a visit on their way home from Baltimore. My mother looks wonderful, and I am thrilled for how much she has improved. Thank you all for your prayers.

And Saturday night, we celebrated Bert's 35th birthday! His birthday was actually Tuesday, and I decided that this year, he would have a proper birthday party before the little guy arrives.

The theme of the party was "Bert's Favorite Things" and we grilled chicken tenders, had several different kinds of chips and candy, Caesar salad, red velvet cake, Harry Connick Jr. on the radio and a giant Transformers balloon in the living room. Such a fun event, and we felt so blessed to have a house full to share in the occasion.

Such a fun weekend.

Surviving Brain Surgery

2011-03-12T19:52:00.004-05:00

October was a difficult month. Lots of emotions. I found out I was pregnant at the same time (hello, hormone craziness) that I found out my mother needed brain surgery.

Since then, she and my dad toured many hospitals, trying to find out exactly what was wrong and what could be done. After a whirlwind Thanksgiving Break where they drove across the country, my parents selected Johns Hopkins Hospital to remove the meningioma in my mother's skull. You could see the tumor protruding on her face, and the main worry was if it penetrated into the brain and/or her optic nerve.

And, of course, there was the 5% chance it was cancer.

This week, we all traveled to Baltimore for the big day. Wednesday morning came all too quickly, as well as too slowly. We wanted the tumor out so, so badly, but the 8-hour surgery was a huge, HUGE deal.

Praise God, the tumor was benign, and it did not penetrate into her brain or optic nerve. The tumor penetrated muscle, bone and the outermost layer of the brain - but did not penetrate the inner layer of the brain or the brain itself. The tumor was cleanly removed.

She is now recovering very well. Exhaustion is tough, but considering she just came through major surgery, she is doing incredibly well.

I will be eternally grateful to the head of neurosurgery at Johns Hopkins Hospital, as well as an incredibly talented reconstructive surgeon, for doing such an incredible job with my mother. Doctors make all the difference.

I just love my mother so much that the word "love" seems inadequate. I need her. My existence is tied in so much with hers.

Baby Shower

2011-03-07T14:48:00.004-05:00

I had the loveliest baby shower this Saturday! It was such a treat. I am pictured with the hostesses and my mama above. There were around 20 people there to spread the love...I was genuinely overwhelmed.

25 weeks...15 weeks to go! So much to do. But at least I know for sure this baby boy is coming into a world full of people that love him so much already.

24 weeks

2011-02-28T16:53:00.002-05:00

Well, here I am at 24 weeks pregnant! It's hard to believe I am nearly 2/3 of the way there. It's still surreal, but the little man is indeed growing. I can't wait to meet him. I love him so much already.

F, Not Ph

2011-02-17T15:07:00.004-05:00

So, one of my best friends and I used to tell each other that we looked "phat" - ph, not f, back in the day. We said all sorts of silly things.

Only now, I ONLY feel f. Not ph.

Yes, I know I am nearly 23 weeks pregnant.

Yes, I know with pregnancy comes weight gain.

Yes, I am in the healthy range for my height/pre-pregnancy weight, etc.

But, I still have not "popped" yet. I can wear some of my regular clothes, and some maternity clothes. I just feel like I look fat and not pregnant. I feel like I look like I have two fat rolls instead of one huge bump. The midwife said this is because I still have a waist, although the baby is above my belly button. I do not feel pretty.

Ladies with babies, any words of solace you can pass my way are welcome. Poor Bert can only handle so much of this daily counseling.

Remembering Blanca

2011-02-07T17:02:00.008-05:00

On January 26, this world lost a very special person, Bert's grandmother Blanca. Not much was said about her life itself during her service, so for her memory and for Bert, I thought I would say it here.

Born Blanca Rosa Gonzales in Cuba, Grandma was an artist at heart. She was an art teacher before leaving Cuba and moving to the United States. Her brother lived in New York and was able to help move their family here before it became overtaken by Castro. She loved her siblings and was especially proud of her brother Pastor, who was a famous priest.

I treasure each painting she gave to me and Bert. Nearly every room in our house and even my office at work has her artwork proudly on display. My favorites are below:

She was an incredibly generous spirit. We rarely left her house without a painting in hand, although we often protested that we didn't want her walls to be empty. She must've known that her life was winding down to give us what she did.

Bert's grandmother and his grandfather were married over 60 years. Grandma was 91 when she passed. Each year on her birthday, she would thank God for blessing her with another year. Grandma and Grandpa showed me love from the moment I joined Bert's family. With open arms they greeted me. I pray that God blesses them both richly for that. I could never thank them enough for what they were - familia, as Bert's grandfather called it. Family in every sense.

From Grandma, I learned how to play dominoes. Although her English became more broken over the years, I could still make out enough of what she said to carry on a conversation. And even when Alzheimer's took over and she could do little more than smile, kindness still radiated from her being.

Like I said, she was an artist. And she was a lady. With an artist's soul, she painted not only beautiful portraits, but she left everything in her life a little better than she found it. Including me. And boy, oh boy, did she love her Albert Manuel. Her favorite. My favorite too.

Bump Watch

2011-01-31T11:32:00.005-05:00

Here I was at 8 weeks pregnant.

And here I am now at 20 weeks pregnant! Halfway there.

Wonder when the giant bump will appear and I won't just look chubs.

It's A...

2011-01-18T13:13:00.005-05:00

Yesterday, Bert and I went in for the detailed ultrasound a.k.a. finding out if it's a boy or a girl!

First and foremost, I obviously wanted to hear that everything looked good. It was music to my ears to hear about 10 fingers, 10 toes, 2 eyes, 2 ears, etc. I loved hearing that his stomach, kidneys, heart and brain looked great.

That's right - HIS!

I have to admit, I was in shock. I just KNEW it was a girl. The heartrate was always high, and I guess I have always pictured myself with a girl.

I have never seen Bert this happy in my life. My parents were elated. This will be the first boy in a while, as my parents had two girls and my sister has a precious one-year old daughter.

Elation.

I was in shock. I had visions dancing through my head of pink, hairbows, dance recitals, etc. But I am adjusting to a new frame of mind - one that involves baseball, being a team mom and lots of blue.

I can't believe I am going to have a son! How I already love him.

P.S. We are not telling anyone his name until he is born. :)

Let It Snow

2011-01-14T12:51:00.006-05:00

If you live up North, you'll wonder what all the fuss is about. But here in the South, snow is a huge deal! And in my town in Georgia, we got a whopping 8.5 inches of the stuff! In fact, I was out of work Monday-Thursday. Everything turned to ice, but the roads are finally mostly clear.

I learned that I would be just fine hanging out, being independently wealthy. I think I could handle it. I loved my snow days, and I never got an ounce of cabin fever. I think that's because I needed rest, I am a bit of a homebody and I had plenty of work to keep me busy. Anyway, below are some snapshots from our fun in the snow.

Bert measured the snow Monday morning.

We live just a street over from really cute shops, restaurants, etc. This is a picture I snapped on the way to get hot chocolates at our neighborhood coffee shop.

Bert and me, all bundled up in front of our house.

Matty was mesmerized by the snow.

Deep Breaths

2011-01-06T11:50:00.002-05:00

Thanks so much for all the encouraging comments on my previous post. They weren't just helpful - they had such an impact on me. Thank you for helping me chill out.

And I promise this will not become a blog solely about pregnancy and babies. But, hey, it is a huge deal in my life right now! :)

So, what else has been going on? Well, the holidays were great. As always, too short. Time with the family in Mississippi was rejuvenating and I had lots of time with my niece, Olivia, as well as time with a slew of other cousins.

Oh yeah - I'm totally the favorite cousin. :)

And then, one of my best friends had a precious baby boy, Levi, on New Year's Day. Lots of babies all around!

Expecting one of my own makes me feel weird about posting pictures of others' babies, so I shall refrain from that. I wouldn't want a bunch of photos of my child on the interwebs. Just sayin'.

Here's to 2011!

Oh, Baby

2011-01-04T12:19:00.004-05:00

Research is exhausting. And for me, dangerous. Why, you ask? You'll see.

The more I read about babies, the more overwhelmed I become. I don't know which books to buy or what to believe. Here are some of the stresses/paranoia I've had. Would appreciate any mommies weighing in! Please be nice in your comments. :)

1. Does my Lancome make-up have harmful chemicals in it that could hurt the baby...and by the way, could my make-up cause me cancer?
What I've done - just tried to use a dab of foundation and the rest pretty regular. I tried a tinted moisturizer that was all-natural in place of my foundation, but I didn't like it...too cakey. I figure blush, eyeshadow, etc. is more powdery so I wasn't as worried. Writing all this out made me spend around $30 on a variety of all-natural samples (including foundation) and full-size mascara here. Hoping for a better solution there.

2. What about lotion, shampoo, conditioner, soap, etc.? I'm worried about all the chemicals.
What I've done - I purchased new face wash, lotion, shampoo and conditioner from EarthFare, an organic grocery store. I didn't like the lotion. My skin was cracking from being so dry. Shea butter didn't help. And about the shampoo and conditioner...my hair was OK, but extremely flat. After 3 months, I switched back to Lubriderm lotion (no more cracking skin) and Aveeno shampoo and conditioner. If Aveeno is OK for baby, I'm hoping it's OK for me. And my hair and skin look a ton better. I'm using an all-natural bar soap. Still unsure about bodywash..thinking of lathering up with the bar soap for less chemicals. Mixing it up going back to the not-so-great lotion now that my skin is under control. Just bought all-natural massage bar from here to ward off stretch marks. Really like it.

3. Is my (Tide) detergent leaking harmful things into my skin?
What I've done - This is a new stress. Bert is going to buy some Seventh Generation detergent today for my clothes. It uses vegetables, rather than chemicals, so it's better for the environment - with far fewer chemicals. Bert is probably going to still need Tide for his workout clothes.

4. Diapering...will I ruin the environment since it takes 500 years for a disposable diaper to break down? Is cloth out of the question?
What I've done - I've read about it to see if maybe I could find a biodegradable diaper. Apparently, even if it says they are, it's not really true. They just sit in a landfill too. And there seem to be some sanitary issues about the laundry water that comes from washing cloth caked in poo. Ew. I looked at gDiapers...they seem to be a pretty cool invention. Bert's letting me do my research and is fine whether I choose. And since I work full-time and Bert is a full-time Ph.D. student, convenience is a big factor, which gets high marks for disposables. Looks like we are down to disposables and gDiapers.

5. Hormones in food. What am I putting in my mouth? Am I eating too much junk? Am I eating right?
What I've done - We made the switch to organic milk, yogurt and sour cream. Still using regular 2% cheddar cheese, but will look into that too. Drinking 100% fruit juice to up my servings of fruit. Trying not to freak out...making an effort to eat yogurt, fruit and nuts regularly. Trying to lessen nuts after seeing a study on how they are being linked to increased allergies in children. I swear; it's always something. About meat, I just buy ones that say no hormones or antibiotics. My husband works out two hours a day; organic meat would make us paupers. I don't eat eggs that much, but when I do, I buy cage-free and usually organic. Other than that, I just eat pretty normally...except more. :)

6. Is caffeine evil when pregnant? Do I have to swear off artificial sweeteners?
What I've done - I've had approximately 1 caffeinated drink a week...especially so I wouldn't have to slow down with the chocolate. I have approximately 1 drink with an artificial sweetener per week. Trying to drink a lot of water.

7. Babywise? The Happiest Baby On The Block? The Baby Whisperer? What? What?
What I've done - I'm still trying to figure this one out. It seems I am going to have to come up with a hodge podge, but overall, The Happiest Baby On The Block and The No-Cry Sleep Solution have the best reviews. I really REALLY need some advice here.

Well, there you have it. A peak into my neuroses. I don't read a lot on any of the topics because when I do, you see what happens. I freak out. I don't check medical web sites. That is totally off limits to me. I just pray each and every day for this little one in me to be healthy.

I just want to make the right decisions for this little one...I am sure I will make some wrong ones along the way, but hopefully, the unconditional this love he/she will receive will make up for it.

Baby On Board

2010-12-27T12:42:00.002-05:00

It's true...Bert and I are expecting! We are very excited to announce that we are expecting a little one on June 18. We find out next month if it's a boy or a girl...I am very excited about that!

So far, so good. I am over 15 weeks, so I feel pretty good...past the first trimester, which is nice. I had some nausea, but was not sick. I caught an awful stomach virus at the very beginning of my pregnancy, which was awful...but after that, things have been good.

I look just the same...I can wear all my regular clothes except my smallest jeans. I had my glory day in a single size for just a moment! You can't tell I'm pregnant yet, and my doctor says it will be after 20 weeks, so I still have a little while before that.

Anyway, it's all very exciting and I promise to keep you informed without making you look at my ultrasound pictures. :)

Marathon Man

2010-12-17T14:23:00.003-05:00

I am so proud of Bert for finishing the Charlotte Thunder Road Marathon in 3:51:23 . He definitely surpassed his goal of finishing the 26.2 miles in under 4 hours. So proud! We went with good friends, and my friend Emily also finished the marathon in under 4 hours. Great weekend...great accomplishment!

Day 13 - Goals

2010-12-08T13:45:00.004-05:00

So, today, I am supposed to share my goals. Clearly I am forgetting some, but here goes what comes to mind:

1. Pray more.
2. Keep my weight under control.
3. Make sure my husband and parents and others that are super close to me know what they mean to me.
4. Continue on this path of recognizing blessings and being thankful.
5. Potentially rock some jeggings. Or maybe not. Hmm.

And I think I've decided to be done with this 30 day thing. :)

Day 12 - I Believe

2010-12-07T14:25:00.003-05:00

I believe...

That all we really leave behind on this Earth is the way we made other people feel.
That God is infinitely good and has worked miracles in my life.
That God is the only one who can judge. Period. End of story.
That family is what's most important.
That my successes wouldn't be a fraction as sweet if I didn't have someone to share them with.

Day 11 - Fave TV Shows

2010-12-06T14:11:00.008-05:00

So I have a love/hate relationship with TV. I only like it in small doses. I married a man who loves his sports and news and we have finally compromised because I cannot stand the TV serving as background noise.

Anyway, I believe in my heart I could get rid of the TV, but alas, it's not going to happen. I might as well enjoy my guilty pleasures!

Here are my favorites:

Day 10 - Scaredy Cat

2010-11-29T13:36:00.004-05:00

Today, I am to post something I'm afraid of.

1. I absolutely hate "puppet people" - a.k.a. mascots, the Easter Bunny, etc. If I can't see your face, I don't like you. The worst is Spike, the UGA basketball mascot:

This is the only picture I can find of this horrid balloon person on the internet. If you saw the way he dances and makes his legs disappear, you'd be scared too.

2. Home alone in the dark. I am scared if I am home alone at night. Spooky, no matter where I am. I get scared alone in hotel rooms too.

I am scared of other things too, but I shall not put them here because they are just too scary. My mind goes to crazy places if I see something horrible in a movie. I no longer watch any scary movies...too much for me to deal with later!

Day 9 - Friends/Thanksgiving

2010-11-23T09:19:00.003-05:00

Today, I am supposed to post a picture of my friends. Well, if I did that, obviously I would leave someone out. I am blessed. I have lots of great friends. I'll just leave it at that.

* * *

On to the next topic - Thanksgiving! Bert and I are pulling out this afternoon headed to my hometown in Mississippi. I cannot wait. I am ready right now. It is not even 9:30am. This day is going to creeeeeeeeeep by. I am caught up on work. My desk is clean. I packed last night and this morning. I am READY.

Bert and I packed an obscene amount of clothing for 4 days. I am trying to rationalize that it adds up with pajamas, workout clothes and clothes for each day. We didn't even pack anything fancy! I don't understand how it gets so out of control. Three suitcases (1 big for me; 2 smaller for him) and my "red bag" - or what my entire family calls my Vera Bradley bag that holds all my toiletries.

Ah well, I guess we have the space, so who cares. Not to mention there will be two seasons while we are there, with the next few days having highs in the 70s, then suddenly dropping to 40s and 50s.

Anyway, I am READY TO GO. Hope that you all have a blessed Thanksgiving!

Day 8 - Paradise

2010-11-17T10:37:00.004-05:00

Today, I am supposed to post a picture of a place I've traveled to. Easy choice of the place I want to talk about:

Excellence Playa Mujeres was a fabulous resort outside of Cancun Bert and I visited in July. It was the best vacation ever. I loved every second of it. I think about it daily, as I still wear the hotel slippers every evening.

Oh, how I miss you, EPM.

To see much more on this magical destination, click here and read the post that will pop up below.

Day 7 - Favorite Movies

2010-11-12T12:31:00.003-05:00

This is a fun post! Delicious, wonderful movies are one of life's little pleasures. Here are my favorites below:

#1 of all time...definitely Steel Magnolias.

Then, I just have a list of favorites that are impossible to rank order:

The Holiday (tie for #2)
Love Actually (tie for #2)
Keeping The Faith
The Family Man
Can't Hardly Wait
Sixteen Candles

When I am sick, I watch at least one of the following: The Holiday, Keeping The Faith, The Family Man and Can't Hardly Wait. And every Christmas Eve, Bert and I watch Love Actually together. It was our first date and has now become a tradition. I love love love this night every year.

Sixteen Candles is just a classic...oh Jake Ryan! When you roll up in that red Ferrari (?), you just melt every teenage girl's heart.

And Steel Magnolias...well, that is just an absolute classic. I love everything about it.

Oh...and I also have a list of my favorite comedies. These are the movies that I quote on a regular basis:

Talladega Nights: The Legend of Ricky Bobby ("Don't you PUT that evil on us, Ricky Bobby!")
The Hangover ("And we're the three best friends that anybodycouldeverhave...")
Wedding Crashers ("MOM! MEATLOAF!!!")

OK, now I'm going to have to watch a movie tonight!

Day 6 - Happiness

2010-11-10T15:30:00.004-05:00

Today's challenge is to post a picture of something that makes me happy. This is hard because SO MANY things make me happy such as family (including my cat Matty), friends, vacation, dreaming of Paris, pizza and MUCH more.

My absolute favorite thing in the world is just talking to Bert. Number 2 is when Bert rubs my back. But I have no pictures of any of that. And no one wants to see Bert rubbing my back.

This post is too stressful.

But this photo will work. It's what I would love to be doing right now:

Sleep. Oh beautiful sleep! Especially when you are kind enough to grant me dreamless sleep. And how I love a sleep without waking to pee.

I have loved sleep my entire life. Sure, I'm 30, but I can still sleep until 10:30am. It's not hard. It's heavenly.

So there you go; I love sleep.

Day 5 - Sister Sara

2010-11-08T09:21:00.002-05:00

Today, I am supposed to introduce you to my sibling. That would be my younger sister, Sara. You can see a picture of us as little kids in the previous post.

Sara has such a heart for others. She is always giving of herself. I often hear people talk about simplifying their life and making more of a difference. Sara has been living that way since we were in high school.

There aren't many clothes in her closet, but she sponsors several children in foreign countries. She never wears a stitch of make-up, but her beauty is evident in the time she spends serving others. She volunteered at a nursing home when we were in high school, and she became a nurse after college. Today, she dedicates most of her time to her precious 1-year old, Olivia. She is already talking about volunteering again.

She doesn't care about things. She doesn't watch TV. She cares about leaving her mark in this world. She has a big heart and I love my baby sister.

Day 4 - Meet The Parents

2010-11-05T12:41:00.006-04:00

First, I shall start with a photo introduction:

Me with Mama, Sara and cousin Omer circa 1985. Apparently, I am trying to put everyone in time out.

Me and Daddy circa 1981. Hello, short shorts!

And us nowish...

Where do I begin? My parents, Tommy and Rani, mean more to me than I could ever express in words. I talk to my mom every single day. I need her advice and input on everything. I trust her 100%.

She loves this poem by e.e. cummings and this excerpt from "i carry your heart with me" really says what I feel about her:

i carry your heart with me (i carry it in my heart) i am never without it

It's true. I carry her with me, always. OK. Now I'm crying.

On to Daddy. We are two peas in a pod! I am one of those incredibly lucky girls that can talk to her Daddy on the phone for an hour - no problem. We never run out of things to talk about. He is incredibly loyal and generous. I never, ever have to worry about having him in my corner. He would go to the ends of the earth for me, and I for him.

They are just the best.

Day 3 - First Love

2010-11-02T11:35:00.005-04:00

Well, if you want to get technical and know who my first love was, his name is Fred.

My cousin, Omer, told me that I wouldn't let him sit by me when we were little because that was where Fred was sitting. I may or may not have kissed the television on occasion.

Now, as for my first real love, that's someone else.

Love you, Bert.

Day 2 - Meaning Behind Access Anisa

2010-11-01T10:47:00.003-04:00

All right, here's Day 2 of the challenge! Today's is "Meaning behind your blog name."

I actually posted about that 5 years ago! Hard to believe I've been blogging that long!

To find out all about why I chose the name Access Anisa, click here.

Up For The Challenge (#1)

2010-10-29T09:32:00.004-04:00

So, I have been following this on LT's fabulous blog, and thought I would join in on the fun. It may take me a while to do all 30 challenges...they definitely won't be in 30 days...but I'll get there!

DAY 1: Introduce yourself, include a recent picture, and tell 15 facts about yourself. Here goes...

Hello. I'm Anisa. Above is a picture taken a few weeks ago with my precious niece. I've been blogging for over 5 years now (WOW). I'm originally from Mississippi and I live in Georgia now. I have been married over 6 years (WOW) and am the proud mommy to a fat cat.

Here are my 15 facts:

1. I was born June 22, 1980 - on the cusp of being both a Gemini and Cancer.
2. I am obsessed with anything to do with Paris. I have never been, but I WILL get there.
3. I think being an aunt is just about the greatest thing ever. I love sweet Olivia so much.
4. On November 14, I will have known Bert (my husband) for 7 years. Wow, have things changed in those 7 years! We were just kids back then. :)
5. I do public relations for a living.
6. I worked so hard to get to this point that I really am not sure what's next.
7. I am a clean freak, but spoiled. Bert is a full-time Ph.D. student and has been doing the "big" weekly cleaning for a while now. I love the weekly smell of Pine-Sol!
8. I am prone to allergies and stomach problems.
9. I lost a size this year, and am now the proud owner of some single-digit jeans.
10. I really do think Diet Dr. Pepper belongs on the dessert aisle.
11. I plan on celebrating Halloween by watching the movie "Teen Witch" that I recorded off of ABC Family. Man I love that movie.
12. I am obsessed with my iPhone.
13. My doctor banned me from visiting WebMD. No, I no longer think I have prostate cancer.
14. I would rather be sleeping.
15. I would rather be sleeping at me and Bert's favorite cabin in the North Georgia Mountains. That place is truly heaven to me.

Looking Up

2010-10-28T12:23:00.005-04:00

So things are looking up. Whew. Thank God. It seems the sun is shining again and all is not gloom and doom.

Some circumstances have changed; some have not. Why does it seem when one thing goes wrong, everything does? I guess it's the old saying - when it rains, it pours. My life was pretty much this:

Sick for 2 weeks
Getting bad news
Argument (and resolution) with hubs
Falling down on a spill at Macy's
Getting sick again, when I thought the sickness was over
Getting worse news
Crying at work
Getting better; 2 days without illness *fingers crossed*
Still dealing with the worse news

Whew. I'm tired. Aren't you?

I know it's just life, but it has been rough. When I fell down at Macy's, I thought. I CANNOT TAKE ANYMORE, LORD. PLEASE STOP TESTING ME!

But He kept right on. And on.

Who knows what today will hold? But my heart is right. Prayer works. A positive attitude works. And the fact I tried to put on my favorite skirt from last year and it fell off, well that was a great start to this Thursday in and of itself.

Down Down Down

2010-10-25T15:49:00.002-04:00

Life has not been good lately. In fact, it downright stinks.

I get annoyed when people go on and on about how things aren't that bad for anyone. They are not the ones living my life right now. I think I can be thankful for the things I have while being upset and sad about the long list of things going wrong wrong wrong.

Just down down down lately. Hoping the tide will turn.

10.10.10

2010-10-11T12:52:00.003-04:00

Olivia is one! Pictured above with my sister, Sara.

I love being Aunt Nisa! Olivia's dad, Tim, is in the background.

So nice to visit with my parents!

My main men - Daddy and Bert.

Bert and I traveled a couple of hours away yesterday afternoon for my niece, Olivia's, 1st birthday party! Sara thought of EVERYTHING! The party was a fall/princess theme with pink and orange. It was just beautiful. Sara made the most delicious soup, faux pigs-in-a-blanket (beef smokies), trail mix, spinach dip and pumpkin cake with cream cheese icing. She had caramel apples for everyone to take home too.

It was so much fun just being with family and celebrating!

And as a side note, there was much more hair drama after my last post. I ended up having to get 2 more inches chopped to make it look like a decent haircut. Two inches in the back that is (to get rid of my pseudo mullet). Three haircuts and five inches later, I will never let anyone besides Page (the best hairdresser ever) touch my hair. Sheesh. Thank goodness she fixed it.

Traumatized

2010-09-17T09:21:00.014-04:00

*updated 9/20/10

So, I got my hair cut yesterday afternoon. I usually wait to get it cut in my hometown by the most fabulous hairdresser ever, but our next visit will be so quick that I won't have time to drop by the salon. My hair had gotten too long for my liking...see below. Not bad or anything, but just a little too long and therefore too flat for me.

With my sweet cousin Naima on Eid

Anyway, I took a chance and went to a cute salon a street over from my house. I have had my hair cut there a few times before and it was always OK, never great. Someone new cut my hair, a cute 20-something. She was so sweet that she even curled my hair afterwards - something I (shockingly) had never done. I asked for 1.5 to 2 inches, straight across. Simple, right? Or so I thought. Well, I suppose curled hair covers up a multitude of sins.

Yesterday, when my troubles seemed so far away

Fast forward to this morning. I wash and dry my hair. Fine. I straighten my hair. NOT fine. I burst into tears. Bert was asking me if I wanted to make my college football picks and I just yelled at him to leave me alone. He did. You can't really see in this picture, but my hair is JACKED up, and far more was cut in 2 inches from the photo above (in my opinion). There is literally an inch difference in the front and back of my hair. That is why it is so awful. I can handle a little shortness, but I cannot handle that my hair looks like my cat cut it in my sleep.

You can kind of see the craziness. Where my hair looks like it goes lower, oh yeah, it is literally much longer. Ugh.

The saga continues. I am headed back to the salon in an hour. I said I wanted to see a stylist that had been there a LONG time. I may or may not have been crying when I said this. Yes, I am being dramatic. I just want my hair to look normal again, like below in Mexico. And that's where I shall mentally take myself until I can (hopefully) get this monstrosity on my head fixed.

Back when life was so simple.

Am I being melodramatic? Yes. Do I care? No. Updates to come later today. I need a miracle. Please help remind me that I only allow one person in the world to cut my hair. All hail, Paige.

Updates:

OK. So I went back Friday morning and a much, much better stylist cut my hair. I had two options: 1) chop off my hair another inch in the back to get it to be even with the front 2) angle the front weirdness to make it less obvious

I opted for 2 since my hair grows pretty fast and I couldn't bear to part with any more hear. Luckily, I just got a compliment at work on it. That helps, but I still scrutinize my hair every time I look in the mirror.

Me before the Sister Hazel concert Friday night. One side was flipping out weird, but the front of my hair is not actually uneven.

/vanity

40 Under 40

2010-09-07T09:35:00.003-04:00

I was recently honored with being named one of the "40 Under 40" for the "Bright Stars" edition of the Athens Banner-Herald. I was really excited and humbled to receive this honor. And I love any excuse to wear my blue dress that never needs ironing. :)

If you're interested, click here to read more.

Hope you had a great Labor Day weekend!

On Fasting

2010-08-23T11:36:00.004-04:00

Dread. Exhaustion. Growth. Thankfulness.

I am always filled with mixed emotions when Ramadan, the Muslim month of fasting, comes around each year. In the days leading up, I get really worried. How can I not eat until nearly 8:30pm? No water, no food, no cursing. Whew.

And then, it starts. Day 1 is rough, but not as bad as I feared. I break down at 4:30pm and start crying in a store. I am not crying for myself, though. I start crying for all the children and adults in the world that "fast" every day, unwilling. I cry for those that are starving. I cry for those that don't eat in abundance every night. I cry for those children whose bellies are rounded from being malnourished and have flies on their faces.

Day 2. I am actually all right until around 7:30pm. I start feeling nauseous, but I am grateful that supper is cooked. I have made a nice bit pot of shrimp fried rice and petit fours are in the refrigerator as a special treat. I am just exhausted from waking at 5am and eating and drinking, and therefore waking up every 30 minutes thereafter to pee. I am not rested, but I am blessed.

There are many days to go. It seems daunting right now, but all I can do is take one day at a time and let this month cleanse me. It can cleanse my body, soul and mind. I do know that I feel grateful. I feel proud to be doing this in solidarity with my fellow Muslims. Now, more than ever, we must pull together.

News Flash

2010-08-16T14:58:00.004-04:00

NEWS FLASH: I am now a single digit size! Thank you, Weight Watchers! This is a huge milestone for me. :)

And Happy 6th Anniversary (August 14) to my main man. Love you, Papa Gale. That would be Bert to the rest of you.

Life is busy (too busy), but it is good.

Paradise Found

2010-07-15T15:51:00.025-04:00

Subtitle: Mexico, A Photo Essay

Bert and I have returned from 5 nights in paradise. For our 6-year anniversary and my 30th birthday, we took our biggest trip ever - to the fabulous Excellence Playa Mujeres. This resort is 20-30 minutes from Cancun and is the most beautiful place I have ever been. The food, the service, the resort, the pools - all five star. Below are some of the highlights!

This was the view outside of our amazing room. If you looked to the right, you could see the ocean.

We were greeted with this big beautiful bed. All the rosepetals, swans, etc. were because we were there for our anniversary. The room also featured a HUGE shower (two showerheads!), sitting area, jacuzzi and outdoor bed on the balcony.

One day, Bert and I went to Tulum to see Mayan Ruins. We were told the ruins overlooked the 2nd most beautiful beach in the world. Indeed, the water was turquoise.

Above is another view of Tulum. Yes, I took this photograph. Every picture was a postcard. We went on this tour with the cutest couple ever - Roberto and Asusana. I will post a picture; Roberto is sending us one. They were a newlywed couple in their 40s. SO in love and sweet.

This was the building where they used to do human sacrifices. Our guide, Oscar, told us to rent Apocalypto. He said it was 65% true.

This is us outside of Spice, an Asian restaurant at the resort. YUM. Every meal was divine.

This was at our anniversary table at Barcelona, a Mediterranean restaurant. Ooh-wee, I would love some of those chicken and scallops and creme brulee'. Yes, I gained at least 1 pound. Perhaps 2. It was worth it.

I love this picture of Bert in one of the pools. It sums up our sheer joy.

Look at the view of this other pool. It was amazingly beautiful. The grounds were immaculate.

The ocean was so clear (green and blue) that I could see my feet.

Bert on the beach at the resort. One day we also went sailing...so much fun.

There were lots of iguanas!

Here we are with Kristen and Jeremy, a sweet couple from Louisiana. We had fun hanging out with them at the nightly shows.

Speaking of shows...here was a picture of 70s and 80s night. The guys above are dressed as the Village People and are performing "Macho Man." I got so excited that Bert said I would never be allowed to go to a male strip club.

There were bands that played here in the evenings. We even got in a little dancing. It was just perfect.

It was a wonderful trip. Besides the photos above, we also went to Market 28, where we bought some gorgeous Mexican pottery. The entire trip was so amazing that it's hard to put it into words. The people at the resort were so gracious; in fact, everyone we met in Mexico was amazing. Bert and I both came home with a love for Mexico and its people.

The trip was a dream.

4th of July at the Lake

2010-07-06T14:43:00.004-04:00

Bert and I had the best 4th of July! We celebrated with friends at Lake Sinclair. From eating brick-oven pizza (where the photos above were taken) to spending two days on the lake (thank goodness for sunscreen) to eating truly shameful amounts of food, we had an incredible weekend.

We capped off the weekend with a low country boil (yay for turkey sausage!) at an event with Jews, Christians and Muslims. To me, THAT'S America.

Thanks goodness for good friends!

Happy Birthday, Sara!

2010-07-01T14:17:00.005-04:00

Happy Birthday to my baby sister! Even thought she is 27 years old today, in my heart, she will always be 6 years old playing Barbie Swimming Pool with me.

Last night, Bert and I laughed for a good 15 minutes about one of Sara's original poems from elementary school. Here's our favorite part:

Blue, orange - what's the difference?
I think colors need a reference.

I love this.

Circa 1984...I love this picture of us.

I love you, Sara, and hope that you have a wonderful day! I will always be your big sister and I will always look out for you. Happy, happy birthday.

And us today...with her precious baby girl.

Happy 30th Birthday To ME!

2010-06-22T10:03:00.009-04:00

So, here it is - I am officially 30, and according to friends, officially "legit"! I have had a wonderful birthday so far. Friday night, we went out with friends for pizza followed by 80's music and dancing downtown. It was wonderful! And then Sunday, I was able to celebrate with my parents, sister Sara, her hubby and my precious niece Olivia. We were also able to celebrate Father's Day (I love you, Daddy) and Sara's birthday. And today I have been greeted with gardenias from my assistant, more birthday cards and tons of messages of Facebook.

I feel loved.

When I think back from the decade spanning 20-29, I marvel at all the changes in my life. I earned bachelor's and master's degrees, got married and moved forth in my career. There were so many changes in my life. I am happy with the person I am today. It's one of the best birthday gifts I could have ever given myself: self-confidence. Not to mention I'm back down to my high school weight! How glad I am to be 30 rather than 20! :)

I am blessed. I am so grateful for my friends and family who have supported, loved and encouraged me. I would not be where I am today without the people in my life.

Special thanks to my mama...after all, she is the one who did all the work 30 years ago!

And below is a vintage throwback to my 2nd birthday:

Dear Two-Year Old Anisa,

Be proud of who you are and where you come from. Life will have its ups and downs, but you just keep moving forward. You will find love and happiness in your life. Thank God for all He gives you. Love deeply. Remember that family comes first. Be happy.

Love,
Thirty-Year Old Anisa

Two Tickets to Paradise

2010-06-14T15:50:00.008-04:00

I'm going to Mexico!!!

That's right, folks, to celebrate my big 3-0, our 6th wedding anniversary and life in general, we are going to Playa Mujeres, Mexico. I.cannot.wait. I haven't been out of the country since I was 7 for my uncle's wedding in India, so this trip is long overdue. I got a grown-up passport and everything.

After searching the internet for MANY hours and talking to friends, we finally decided on our desired destination, a fabulous adults-only all-inclusive. In July, we will pack our bags for the Excellence Playa Mujeres.

I mean, look at it:

We shall swim, read, relax, eat and take a day trip to Chichen Itza to see the Mayan ruins - one of the new Seven Wonders of the World.

But, alas, with all this planning came one dreaded task: bathing suit shopping. I ordered a bunch from Newport News and J Crew, but not one fit right. Boo. And I have lost 12 pounds on Weight Watchers (!), so I want to not only feel fabulous, but look it too.

My latest purchase will be shipped tomorrow. I ordered the suit below in teal. Wish me luck!

Can't wait until Mexico. Or my birthday party Friday night. Or my birthday lunch with my parents Sunday. Or my actual birthday Tuesday. Or going to the lake for July 4th. Lots of fun things coming up...here's to 30!

Family

2010-06-03T14:43:00.005-04:00

We had a great time last weekend in Huntsville for my cousin Maryam's high school graduation party! It was wonderful to just spend time with family and roadtrip it with Bert...I LOVE time in the car with Bert. One of my fave things. A few photos are below...

Me and my man in black

Four generations of women! My grandmother, mom (holding her grandbaby!), cousin Sommer, me, my sister Sara and my aunt

Sisters!

My family! Me, Mama, Sara and her little one, Bert, Daddy and Sara's hubby Tim

Summer in the Air

2010-05-06T11:39:00.004-04:00

Well, summer is right around the corner, and like the kids in the school district where I work, I cannot wait! I am not a teacher (I do public relations), so I work all summer, but still...things are a little bit slower and I know that a vacation will happen at some point. I'm thinking Charleston.

But in the meantime, I have taken tomorrow off and Bert and I are headed to Mississippi to celebrate my mom's birthday and Mother's Day. I am excited to get in a little family time and I absolutely love being in the car with Bert. There are no distractions and we just talk for hours. I am such a girly girl because that is my favorite.

And last weekend, I was able to spend with my sister and precious niece Olivia. We hiked, played with the baby, ate and played with the baby some more. It was wonderful to spend time with them while Bert was out of town at a conference. Yes, Olivia is a complete doll.

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend. Remember to tell your mom what she means to you!

Thinking Out Loud

2010-04-12T14:35:00.003-04:00

Well, I did it. I have re-joined Weight Watchers and am 2 pounds away from a "healthy weight" and 8 pounds from my personal goal. Whew. I finally feel in control again!

For those of you that have ever struggled with weight, it is a life-long journey. You have ups and downs. You have the clothes that work no matter what, and those that won't let you lie to yourself. And finally the cropped jeans I wanted to wear fit again! My work clothes are loose and I feel so much better.

I have been having stomach issues, and within 2 weeks on the program, I feel so much better. Sure, you can eat fried foods - but you won't stay full. Or, you could save up your flex points and eat something decadent. But you can't do it every day. Day in day out, you make smarter food choices. And after seeing results, you keep doing it.

I did WW last year and fell off the wagon during the summer. Vacations are what messed me up, but at my lowest, I was 2 pounds down from my current weight. And so, I'm not beating myself up, because I'm almost back there.

You might remember when I did Boot Camp - an intensive high-intensity 6-week workout program. While I realized I am a lot tougher than I thought, in all honesty, it wasn't for me. Afterwards, my knees ached. It was just too much. I think weight loss is about what works for you, and for me, WW and working out 2-3 times a week is about all I can handle with my hectic schedule. Today, my legs are sore from power walking/jogging. It's the good kind of sore, not the kind where it's hard to sit on the toilet. That kind of sore is just not worth it.

I guess I have finally realized that health is a journey, a part of life. I recently read in O Magazine about one woman's struggle to accept herself at any weight. She said she used to think if she could just cut off the fat parts, the jiggly parts, then the rest of her life would finally be perfect.

I had an AHA moment.

I am never going to be skinny, but I can be healthy. I can lose these pesky 8 pounds - or not - and have a great life. For once, I am more about health than skinniness. Sure, I want the number on the scale to say something in particular and I'd love to go down a size and get into my smallest jeans. But even if that doesn't happen, I am going to celebrate life, because I am so much more than a number on a scale.

My Man Is 34

2010-03-25T18:04:00.003-04:00

I have definitely been slacking on blogging! I have not been slacking at work, but I have been slacking at blogging, exercise and all those things that are oh-so-important! :)

Work is insane...I am sitting here waiting on a meeting to start that will last until 9pm. But, hey, I have a job - and I do enjoy it (all except for the ultra-long days!).

So what else is going on with me? Well, we celebrated Bert's 34th birthday March 22. We had friends over to watch March Madness during the weekend, and then on his actual birthday, we took a little day trip to Madison, GA - voted best small town in America. The town is SO CUTE. It was spared by Sherman's Army during the Civil War because of a Congressman from there that was on the side of the Union. So, the town is super cute and you can really imagine it way-back-when, but not in a cheesy way. We shopped, ate and spend the most wonderful day together. I swear I love that man more than I ever thought...and each year I love him that much more.

OK, you can all stop gagging now. :)

Seriously, though, life is good and I will try to do better. I miss the early days of blogging when I had time to WRITE and not just update. I'd like to get back to that. But, alas, I have a grown-up job, so I shall do the best I can.

One last thing - check out my friend Jennifer at JennySue Makeup. I love her makeup blog...lots of fun. Enjoy!

And breathe.

Spring Break '10

2010-03-10T10:48:00.003-05:00

Funny to think back to Spring Break '00 and '01. Those were when I was an undergraduate, and I was excited about a week of sun, sand and a week long partay. Not so much anymore. I have had to work every day this week, but I do get off the next two days. Although, I have an all day event tomorrow for a leadership program so that stinks, but alas, I get a full day off. YAY!

My parents are coming to visit on Saturday and I am very excited. It's funny how the thought of a day at home and visiting with my parents is infinitely more appealing than a crazy week at the beach.

But alas, it is Spring Break and I am like a kid the day before a big holiday. Just 4 more hours until a mani/pedi with a dear friend, which will officially be the start of my mini-break. Here's to a wonderful long weekend!

Lovin' Livie

2010-02-25T09:38:00.006-05:00

Olivia came to visit her Aunt Nisa last week! My iPhone died, so unfortunately, this is the only memento I have at the moment. Hopefully that will all be resolved on Saturday after I am forced to hand over a fat wad of cash for a new one since my warranty had just barely expired. But I digress.

Anyway, last Tuesday, my little Livie showed up noonish. She is just luscious and in my opinion, looks like our family. :) I had lots of fun holding her (she sat up on her own!) and even learning to change a diaper. She loves her Aunt Nisa. I loved every second with her. And Olivia has good taste in music, as we all rocked out to "I Gotta Feeling" by the Blackeyed Peas. :)

Sara is such a wonderful mother...Olivia completely adores her. She gets lots of attention and love. Matty (the cat) tried to get in on the action too. Olivia was crying at one point while Sara was trying to feed her and Matty tried to get under the Hooter Hider. It was quite funny.

I loved spending time with my sister and niece! Come back soon!

Exhausted

2010-02-05T16:19:00.000-05:00

I am so tired I can hardly see straight. Let's just say it's been 2 weeks straight of almost every night not getting home until 8. This is because of work, Junior League and Cancer Auxiliary. I know I chose to do some of those activities, but I am really struggling. Not to mention I get up at 5 am three days a week to go to Boot Camp.

This weekend won't be much rest either. Tomorrow, we're going out of town to visit family. And Sunday, we're having a Super Bowl Party. It'll all be fun, but not much rest.

I'm on the verge of a breakdown.

Deep breaths.

Date Night

2010-01-22T14:39:00.005-05:00

Date night tonight! My man and I will head out around 6pm to grab some Choo Choos - this restaurant that has great Korean food. Sounds fancy, huh? It's not. I like a very plain chicken and brown rice dish. But hey, it is delicious! And after our chicken and rice feast, we shall venture to the movie theater. I love movie nights!

The last movie we saw in the theater was "Avatar". OMG. Words cannot express how good this movie is. If you haven't seen it, RUN to your local theater and see it in all its 3D splendor. I don't care if you don't like sci-fi. This movie transcends labels. /End testimonial.

Oh wait. We took my cousins and Ariana to see "Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakuel" since then. If you're waiting for an endorsement, don't hold your breath. The first one was much better in my opinion. However, the kids loved it, so not a total loss.

Anyway, we are going to see "Sherlock Holmes" tonight. I really wanted to see "Up in the Air", but it is no longer at the movies. Boo. And I also want to see "The Lovely Bones", but I suppose tonight is not the night for child killers. Sherlock it is.

I used to think Jude Law was eye candy, but now - not so much. I think he is Alfie in real life (if any of you ever saw the movie of the same name where he played a total cad, as they say). However, he does have a soft spot in my heart because of one of my most very favorite movies - "The Holiday". We shall see who becomes my movie crush. Jude vs. Robert - it's on.

Date night starts early. When you have been up since 5am due to Boot Camp, a 7pm movie is just the ticket.

Mountain Getaway

2010-01-19T12:30:00.004-05:00

I am exhausted.

Usually, when Bert and I go to the mountains, we come back relaxed and rejuvenated. This time around, we all stayed up 'til 1-2 every morning. I would shut down the party every night by announcing I needed to get some sleep! :)

But, oh boy, what a great time we had!

We met Bert's BFF, Wes, and his fabulous wife Jamie in Blue Ridge, Georgia. Our cabin was AWESOME. Click here for pictures of the cabin.

We enjoyed strolling the streets of downtown Blue Ridge, eating, shopping, etc. We also visited Mercier Orchards (where the photo above was taken). So fun.

And BTW, I highly recommend the book "If" to take along as a great fun adult game/conversation piece.

Between cooking out, my famous Chicken Scallopini, hanging out in the hot tub and watching the Golden Globes, it was lots of fun.

All in all, it was a great weekend! We are lucky to have such fabulous friends.

Crystal Ball

2010-01-19T11:33:00.004-05:00

Shamelessly stolen from LT:

I don't have a crystal ball, but here's what I am planning on for 2010. However, we know how God can laugh in the face of our plans! :)

Will you be looking for a new job? Nope. I am pretty happy with what I'm doing now! I am the Director of Public Relations and Communications for a K-12 school district.
Will you be looking for a new relationship? Heck no.
New house? Not this year...we will get to that in 2011 when Bert finishes his Ph.D. hopefully!
What will you do different in 2010? GET ABS
New Years resolutions? GET ABS
What will you not be doing in 2010? Sleeping like crap (hopefully) due to our amazing new king-sized bed!
Any trips planned? We just got back from a fun couple's trip to the Blue Ridge mountains in North Georgia - SO fun. Hope we will get to the beach this summer as well.
Wedding plans? Nope.
What's on your calendar? Lots of meetings, tasks, etc. It makes me tired to look at it!
What can't you wait for? Friday at 5 p.m. Story of my life.
What about yourself will you be changing? I hope to get in better shape and grow spiritually. That sounds so cheesy. Sorry about that. I just have to be honest that I find time for a lot of things, but not enough for exercise (see Boot Camp post below) or God. Need to do better.
Will you be nicer to the people you care about? Yes. I always try to be nicer each year. :)
Will you dress differently this year than you did in '09? I started taking some fashion risks in late '09 and was very happy with the results! I plan on doing more in '10.
Are you going to be in school in '10? Nope. Maybe I'll go back in a few years and work on being Dr. Anisa. We shall see.
How will you make more money in '10? More? Hmm. Well, there are no raises in sight due to the economy, so my plan is to stick to our savings plan!
Will you do charity work? Yes.
Will you be nice to people you don't know? Yes, but I will try to focus more on those that I do know.
Do you expect 2010 to be a worse year for you than 2009? I hope better, although I had a really good 2009.
How much did you change from this time last year til now? I am MUCH happier now than a year ago due to a much better work situation.
Do you plan on having a child? Yes - someday!
Will you still be friends with the same people you are friends with now? Absolutely.
Major lifestyle changes? You never know!
Will you be moving? Nope - not planning on it.
Is there anything you are not looking forward to this year? Can't think of it, although I do dread Monday mornings. It's rough to dread something that happens roughly 52 times a year!
What change would you like to make to your life? To stick with all my grand plans! :)

Taking The Plunge

2010-01-11T09:42:00.005-05:00

This is definitely not me. Nope, for when I finished Boot Camp at my gym at 6:30 this morning, I had already thrown up twice and was half dead. I was thisclose to quitting.

I went through emotions of nervousness and excitement last night. I decided yesterday evening to take the plunge and FINALLY do something drastic, but healthy, to lose some unwanted pounds. I figured working out three times a week for six weeks - plus at least one day of 30 minutes cardio (as we were told to do) might finally cause me to WIN the battle of the bulge. And this is a battle I have been fighting for YEARS.

So I showed up. It was 5:30 this morning - a couple of hours before I usually wake up. I consider anything before 6 to be nighttime. This was tough, but I was excited. We started out with about 2 minutes of running around the gym, followed by intense and hellish cardio followed by sculpting exercises followed by more hellish cardio.

I believe I threw up at both 5:50 and 6. I was ready to go HOME, but I knew Bert would be disappointed and I had friends cheering me on in the great world of Facebook.

Somehow, I made it through. Yes, I was the worst of all 5 fellow Boot Campers, but I got over any competitive feelings really fast. Because this is about me. And when all is said and done, I hope that I look back and remember how much I struggled and how far I have come. And at the end of the day, I did it. I hung in there for around 70% of it. But just barely. I might be being a little bit generous even.

At the end of class, I asked the trainer if I could do it. I really thought she would say no, that I should hire a personal trainer instead.

"Yes, you can do this. You know how I know? Because you came back. You have to decide that you can do this. I believe you can," she said.

I was shocked.

She then told me - much to my surprise - that most of her life, she was the "fat girl" and how her brothers teased her. After the birth of her second child, she changed her life. Now, she is in fantastic, awesome, perfect shape. It really helped me to know that she did not spend her life looking amazing, and that she had struggled. Because most of you can relate that as women, we struggle with weight.

I went from nearly quitting to pulling myself together. She also told me how her close friend had thrown up after 5 minutes in Boot Camp and nearly passed out. And now, she does the advanced moves.

I know I will be horribly sore tomorrow, but maybe - just maybe - on Wednesday, I will throw up only once.

Holiday Photo Wrap-Up

2010-01-04T09:48:00.011-05:00

As promised, here are more pictures of my holiday break. Oh, I wish I could do it all over again!

Here are all the gifts at my parent's house! Love the little silver tree.

Me and my cousin Sommer - both rocking the legging look! Here we are posing with Ariana.

Aunt Nisa and her little Livie

3 Generations - Here is my sister, my mom and Olivia

Bert and Ariana - she had on the cutest purple sweater dress picked out by yours truly

Me and my Bert

We had a family lunch in Greenville, South Carolina. Here I am with my aunt and uncle.

It is not easy to get back to the daily grind. It was so nice to be completely flexible and just spend time with family and friends.

Oh, well - Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday is right around the corner and we have a mountain getaway planned with friends. Just gotta hang on for two weeks. :)

2009 In Review

2010-01-03T14:09:00.003-05:00

Shamelessly stolen from LT! :)

1. What did you do in 2009 that you’d never done before? Visit the East Coast
2. Did you keep your New Year’s Resolutions in '09, and have you made some for '10? My goal is always to lose 10 lbs. I lost 9. I gained most of them back. Here we go YET AGAIN.
3. Did anyone close to you give birth? Yes! My sister gave birth to my precious niece, Olivia. I also had several good friends/family members give birth too.

4. Did anyone close to you die? Yes. Lora DeFore, my former professor and great inspiration passed away a few months ago from cancer. I am so happy I was able to tell her what she meant to me.
5. What countries did you visit? Didn't leave the U.S. However, I did go to San Francisco, which was my first time to the East Coast. Amazing!

6. What would you like to have in 2010 that you lacked in 2009? Abs
7. What dates from 2009 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? When my niece Olivia was born (Oct. 10)
8. What was your biggest achievement of the year? Getting a fabulous job!
9. What was your biggest failure? Gaining those pesky 9 lbs. back.
10. Did you suffer illness or injury? I had a horrible ear infection at one point, but that was about it - thank God!
11. What was the best thing you bought? My iPhone (although Bert would disagree because I am too obsessed with it) and a pair of perfect-fitting jeans at Ann Taylor Loft

12. Whose behavior merited celebration? Bert! He was able to get an assistantship and fellowship while working on his Ph.D.
13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? Sarah Palin, all kinds of psychos in the news, the plotline to Precious, etc. etc. Personally - well, some things are better left unsaid. :)
14. Where did most of your money go? Living expenses and savings
15. What did you get really, really, really excited about? Visiting San Fran, going to the mountains for a quick getaway and time with family and friends
16. What song will always remind you of 2009? "Right Round" by Flo Rida
17. Compared to this time last year, are you: a) happier or sadder? happier (b) thinner or fatter? Always the same! (c) richer or poorer? a little richer
18. What do you wish you’d done more of? getting up early/going to bed early/praying
19. What do you wish you’d done less of? thinking about the future and not living in the present
20. How did you spend Christmas? With my family!
21. Did you fall in love in 2009? Yes. I fall in love each year with my Bert.
22. What was your favorite TV program? Lost

23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year? No...no one new. :)
24. What was the best book you read? "The Help" - HIGHLY recommend
26. What did you want and get? Happiness.
27. What did you want and not get? To end the battle of the bulge.
28. What was your favorite film of this year? "Avatar" - do NOT miss this movie in 3D!
29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you? I turned 29. I saw "Jersey Boys" and ate at the Sundial Restaurant - a GREAT birthday!
30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? If my grandfather would still have been alive
31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2009? Ann Taylor Loft with some funky accessories
32. What kept you sane? Bert, Mama, Prayer
33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? Bradley Cooper. After "The Hangover," Bert said he would go get a black button-up to wear with his black suit. Love my man. ;)

34. What political issue stirred you the most? Anything dealing with small mindedness. I shall leave it at that.
35. Who did you miss? Abbu, of course. I miss him every day.
36. Who was the best new person you met? My two new friends - both Jennifers!
37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2009. With hard work, anything is possible. Sometimes you just have to have faith that things will turn around and keep on keeping on.

2009 was good to me. Looking forward to a hopefully even-better 2010!

Proud Aunt

2009-12-31T13:05:00.003-05:00

I had a wonderful holiday with my family! More pictures will follow, but for now, here's a sampling of some of my favorites.

My niece, Olivia. Is she not so precious?!

We loved to have dance parties. "99 Red Balloons" was by far her favorite song.

It was so nice to have time with my parents, sister, aunt, cousins, etc. And Olivia - well, she was the star of the show!

Hope that you had a wonderful time with your loved ones this holiday season.

My Year...According To Facebook

2009-12-31T12:58:00.001-05:00

This made me smile. Try one of your own with the My Year in Status application.

Happy New Year, everyone!

Happy Holidays!

2009-12-22T14:37:00.002-05:00

Large And In Charge

2009-12-16T16:30:00.002-05:00

Y'all, I'm starting to feel fat. The holiday snacks are catching up with me. I did good on Weight Watchers last week - or so I thought - but lost only a mere pound. My pants are tight. Actually, my new jeans are loose and they are a size smaller, but my old pants are tight. So, I know it's a lie. An evil marketing ploy to make me feel skinny when I'm not. My jeans are a good enough size for me, but it's all a sham.

I just ate an apple. After a truffle. I guess I thought the apple would make the truffle fat go away. Yeah right. Probably just extra calories.

Any of you in the holiday food slump as well?

Destiny

2009-12-11T15:29:00.008-05:00

I searched high and low for these gorgeous and most perfect boots above. I'll spare you the gory details, but between them being sold out online and not in my local Target or five other stores I called (that showed up as having them in stock), I was sad. Oh, and they are discontinued.

But I am relentless.

You know how it is...I had already envisioned a bajillion outfits - all dependent on the glorious boots above. If only I had them, I would always have something cute to wear for a variety of occasions. I was on the verge of writing a post begging all my blog readers to scour their local Targets for the Mossimo Kady boot in cognac, size 7.5.

They had to be my destiny. I even bit the bullet and bought leggings a few weeks ago (recommend Hue brand sold at Belk's) and a fabulous tunic at Francesca's Collections. But, alas, how could I wear this without the boots above? And did I mention they were a mere $30?! Anything remotely close was in the $150+ range online.

I found my size in black at a store 20 miles from my house...but the black looked like plastic. However, they were a great fit, and that's what I really needed to know. I had already seen the ones I wanted, but in a size too small, so I knew the material was quality.

On a whim, I called the Asheville, NC target, as my sister lives in the area.

Cue overly dramatic music.

THEY HAD THEM!!!

Sara went and picked them up for me. Precious sister she is!

Next up: the perfect pair of skinny jeans. Don't worry; I'm not delusional - there is a difference in the kind of skinny jeans high school/college girls can wear and a woman near her 30s can wear (how am I near 30?!)...so I will make sure they are appropriate.

Don't you just love a happy ending?

One Year Later

2009-12-03T09:56:00.005-05:00

I can think back exactly one year ago at this time and I know what I was doing. I was frantic, packing, rushing to get out of town. I still remember the phone call from my mom and I knew that he was doing very poorly.

It was an awful day and the months to follow were even worse. I think missing him has been worse than that day. The shock has faded and now longing has taken its place.

For a long time, I guess there was an illogical part of me that felt if I thought long and hard enough and assigned proper blame that he would come back. If I could just put the pieces together, than maybe something could change. But it can't. And I still have anger and blame. Real life is nothing like Grey's Anatomy or House; that's for sure.

Last week, my entire family gathered around his grave and prayed for him. The top of his tombstone reads "In the name of God, Most Gracious, Most Merciful." He would like that. And above his name is the word Professor, because that's what he was to his very core.

Last night, I prayed very hard for him. I read verses for him. I told God that I was praising Him in honor of my grandfather. It was one of the first times I have felt true peace.

My heart is still a bit heavy today. There is a lump in my throat. I can still hear his voice. I hope I will always be able to hear his voice - not just literally, but figuratively. The life he lived was a lesson in kindness, tolerance and gentleness.

And I write this, "A Long December" by Counting Crows plays on Pandora. Of all the songs - this one. These lyrics still get me:

And it's been a long December and there's reason to believe
Maybe this year will be better than the last
I can't remember all the times I tried to tell myself
To hold on to these moments as they pass

Still Smiling

2009-11-30T10:19:00.003-05:00

I did not take one single picture during Thanksgiving. I'm not really sure how that happened, but it did. Shame on me. However, I can provide you with a rundown of the wonderful long weekend! Read below for how our combo Thanskgiving/Eid weekend went!

Tuesday - Bert and I left at 2 p.m. for Mississippi. We got there around 8 p.m. and visited with my parents.

Wednesday - Mama and I prepared desserts (in total, we had a Lemon Glazed Bundt Cake - see previous post, Pecan Pie, Chess Pie and a Cheesecake). We prepped a few other dishes too. I visited with the most perfect and wonderful children in the world - my precious cousins Sam and Sommer!

Thursday - The big day! Mama and I cooked and cleaned all day long in preparation for the 5 p.m. feast. This Thanksgiving was unlike any other because we fasted. That's right - fasting on Thanksgiving! Why? It was the Day of Arafat, the second day of the Hajj pilgrimage. It is on this day that the pilgrims go to Mount Arafat to pray. It is said once you turn your back on the mountain, that all your sins are forgiven. And so, it is encouraged that all Muslims fast that day. We were exhausted, but it made the meal all the more delicious! I want some of that dressing right.now.

Friday - Eid al-Adha. This is the second biggest holiday in the Islamic calendar. This holiday is to commemorate the willingness of Prophet Abraham to sacrifice his son as an act of obedience to God. I'm sure you all know the story about how God put a sheep in his son's place instead. My favorite fact about Abraham is that he is the only prophet God referred to as his friend. We went to prayer in the morning, finished reading the Qur'an at my grandfather's grave and had a big Indian meal that night.

Saturday - Bert and I headed home. Did minimal damage at the Summit in Birmingham - my favorite place to shop! Huge news from this day - I learned about downs...this means I actually LIKE football because I understand it! And I am still basking in the glow of both the Mississippi State and Georgia victories!

Sunday - Cleaned, went to the gym (boy did I need to go!), saw New Moon (eh), went grocery shopping, etc.

GREAT, GREAT Thanksgiving. Can't wait until the next break...just a few weeks away!

Miss Domestic

2009-11-23T12:02:00.003-05:00

Yesterday I was quite the Suzy Homemaker. We were having friends over for dinner, so I decided to flex my cooking skills. Check out the menu - I made everything with a * beside it:

Caesar Salad
Mesquite Grilled Chicken
Spinach and Feta Chicken Sausage
*Texas Caviar a.k.a. Black-Eyed Pea Dip
*Twice-Baked Potatoes
*Glazed Lemon Bundt Cake (not my actual cake above, but mine was pretty too)

It was delish. I am still patting myself on the back. Of course, Bert took care of the other items and did a fantastic job. Sometimes it feels good to be on your feet cooking for hours...not all the time...but sometimes, it is actually enjoyable.

Can't wait until the next ultra fabulous meal I will be ingesting...Mama's Thanksgiving Extravaganza! Yum - so ready.

Thankful

2009-11-19T14:32:00.005-05:00

Got this great idea from LT'S blog.

The ABCs of Thanksgiving
a.k.a. What I Am Thankful For:

Abbu. This time last year was the last time I saw my grandfather. I am thankful for every single moment I had with him - 28 years of wonderful memories. A is also for Ammi, my grandmother. She is an inspiration.

Bert. My soul mate, my love. I still get excited that I GOT MARRIED over 5 years later.

Chocolate. How I love thee - especially Lindt.

DVR. When I am so exhausted and my brain can't take any more, there's nothing better than my Tuesday or Wednesday ritual of 90210, The Hills and The City.

Education. I am so thankful for my education. I was one of the crazy people who loved high school, and I am proud of my degrees from Mississippi State University and the University of Georgia.

Friends. I have great friends...from high school, college, DC and Georgia. Nothing like time with your girlfriends!

Getting away. Last weekend in the Blue Ridge Mountains was so good for my soul.

Health. You know the saying...if you don't have health... And so, I am very grateful that I am a healthy person.

IPhone. I mean, I am still obsessed.

Job. I am crazy busy, but I really like my job. I have a great one doing public relations for a school district.

King-sized bed. OK, I don't have one - yet. But it is going to be me and Bert's Christmas and I can't wait!

Lulu Bird. This is a crazy nickname that my mom has for me - but that's how I know I am so loved. I am also a nickname-giver for those nearest and dearest to me.

Matty. Bad news: I feel my allergies have gotten worse. Good news: I still love Matty and am trying to make the sneezing stop by all means possible. I love my baby cat.

Nice place to live. Thank you, God.

Olivia. Love my precious new niece...and of course her mommy too!

Prayers answered...and sometimes those not. God is so good.

Quiet. I love the moments of sheer peace I get...in the middle of craziness, a little quiet is good for the soul.

Rain. I love rain!

Sommer and Sam. The coolest kids IN THE WORLD. Can't wait to see my cousins next week.

TD and Rani a.k.a. the parents. Words cannot do justice to the love I have for these people.

Undies. I mean, if you were having to pull at uncomfortable panties all day, how awful would that be? No thanks. Love the Body By Victoria.

Very color-coordinated closet. I recently did this and like it. I am thankful that I have warm (and cute) clothes to wear.

Wheels. Love my Honda CR-V. Still get excited about my ride, even though it's 3 years old.

Xtra good hair straightener. My fave is Jilbere. It's the best. I had the Chi and it didn't work as well as my Jilbere. Don't know how I would fix my hair without it!

Yummy food. I am thankful that I have food to eat...sometimes too much. :) But I am very grateful that I do not have to go hungry.

Zzzzzzzzzzzs (I am with Laura on this one!). I LOVE sleep and have got to have it. Lots of it. Every morning when I wake up, my first thought is, "I can't wait to go back to sleep tonight!"

There's lots more, but this is a start. The substantial and the silly. Really made me stop and take stock.

Above The Rest

2009-11-16T16:16:00.001-05:00

"Wake up," whispered Bert. It was 6:50am on a Friday and I sat up in the plush king size bed to see the splendor above.

WOW.

Bert and I went to Blue Ridge, GA this past weekend for a quick getaway in the mountains. And the site above is what I awoke to on Friday. Stunning. Our bedroom was in the loft of an absolutely spectacular cabin - TONS of windows. Gorgeous. If you are looking for a magnificent, relaxing getaway, definitely check out Above The Rest cabins. Neither pictures nor words can do it justice.

This is the second time we've been and it was wonderful. The quaint downtown, Mercier Orchards and the relaxation...just magical. I actually feel refreshed.

What a great weekend!

Pete Yorn

2009-11-11T15:21:00.002-05:00

Last night, I went with my dear friend Misha to hear Pete Yorn at a local dive. It was incredible! If you don't know Pete Yorn's music, you should definitely check it out. My favorite of his CDs is musicforthemorningafter. I was pleasantly surprised that he played tons of songs off that album, as it was his first album and he's now on #5 I believe.

Music is soothing for the soul...I had an absolutely fantastic night.

And so, I got to thinking about all my favorite concerts. And I love lists, so I decide to make one right here. Here are my favorite concerts in rank order:

1. Guster at the Georgia Theatre (Hello, I met the lead singer of one of a band that I adore that night. It was amazing!)
2. Coldplay: X&Y Tour at Philips Arena
3. Rolling Stones at the Georgia Dome ('97 or '98...somewhere in there. My parents checked me and my sister out of school. Awesome.)
4. Ben Folds at the Tabernacle
5. Guster at Chastain Park
6. Better than Ezra at Rick's Cafe (This was many, many moons ago...got to meet them too! They do a great live show.)
7. Pete Yorn at the 40 Watt
8. Charlie Mars at Rick's Cafe (Fun college memory)
9. Page & Plant (Can't remember exactly where...some place in Tupelo, MS...another excursion with the parents)
10. Better than Ezra at the Mississippi State Amphitheatre ('97 or '98 - such a fun night with my high school girlfriends)

And there you have it. What's your favorite act to see live?

The Perfect Jean

2009-11-09T12:47:00.003-05:00

First of all, I can't believe this is my 500th blog post. WHOA!

Now on to the topic at hand - the perfect jean. No, I don't have them, but oh, I wish I did!

I do have two pairs of jeans that I consider fabulous. One is a dark Gap jean from several years ago. It is perfect with heels and has a bit of a high rise in the back so that I never have anything hangin' out the back. In the front, it is a mid-rise. Slight flare leg. Love it. The second is a recent purchase from Ann Taylor Loft. They are a dark, curvy bootcut fit jean. Ladies with some boo-tay and curves: you must purchase these. They are super comfy AND you get to go down a size from your regular jeans! I got these in petite so I could wear them with flats. Only problem is that I cannot dry them in the dryer or they would be too short. Oh well. Can't have it all.

So, while I give both of theses jeans an 8/10, I am still in search for perfection. Do tell me, readers - what is your favorite denim? I am on a mission.

Running Red Lights

2009-11-06T13:52:00.004-05:00

Friday afternoon...I think it's a perfect time for a meme.

1. It's early morning, about 2:00AM, and you're driving home. You come to a red light and sit there. There is no one in sight for miles around. Do you wait it out or run the light?
So, it depends where I am. In my small Mississippi hometown, yes. Guilty as charged. Where I live now...depends on where I am. This feels like one of my dirty little secrets coming out!

2. If you had the chance to re-do the last 24 hours, would you change anything?
Actually, no. OK - one thing. I would eat less candy.

3. When you reply to someone's comment on your blog, do you reply in your comments or go to her blog and comment? (Or email that person)
I usually reply in my own comments.

4. Your favorite Disney movie is:
Sleeping Beauty.

5. Do you recycle?
Yes. I do believe in recycling and the price to recycle is already included in our trash service. We recycle plastic, glass and paper at home. At work, I do the same. I am on the Solid Waste Task Force in my town (representing my workplace) to try and get more policies in place to encourage recycling!

6. Games of strategy or games of chance?
Games of chance. That way, the outcome has nothing to do with my intelligence. And it's less competitive. Just more relaxed.

7. Do you have any recurring dreams?
I have a lot of nightmares. They are scary. I'll spare details.

8. What did you learn from your first real job?
That I do not like manual labor. I worked for an apartment owner/appraiser and I did 95% office work, which was good because I HATE manual labor.

9. Do you buy or borrow most books?
Buy. Something about a book I love sitting on my shelf makes me happy.

10. What fashion trend of the past did you say you'd never wear again but did?

Hmmm...can't really think of any. I can think of some trends I said I'd never follow and did, though. I said I'd never wear Birkenstocks or gray New Balances, but I definitely did both. I have owned probably 5 pair of gray New Balances actually.

11. When do you start Christmas shopping?
Early December.

12. Have you ever been so happy that you literally jumped up and down for a few seconds? If so, what was the occasion?
Nah, but I have squealed with delight before. Takes a lot to get me to engage in physical activity. See manual labor sentence above.

Halloween Fiasco

2009-11-03T10:00:00.004-05:00

I was Miss Piggy for all of 5 minutes on Halloween. Here is me while I was still really excited.

Here is me again - fake eyelashes, boa, giant purple ring, blonde wig, tiara and all:

Bert and I were invited to a party on Saturday - Halloween, right? And the invitation even said "Feel free to don your scariest costume."

Well, honestly, I didn't pay that much attention to it - this is, until, Bert's friend called and asked what we were going to be. He was going to be a gorilla, his wife the zookeeper and their daughter a banana. The hostess was to be a vampire.

So I figured, why not? I decided that Bert and I would go as swine flu. Get it? I am the swine and Bert is the...

flu. I put make-up on him to make him look pale, feverish and some darkness under his eyes. He was in pajamas and that's a thermometer in his mouth.

So off we go...

I start getting this feeling in my stomach that we're going to be the only ones dressed up. I try to shake it off since the invitation references costumes, it's on Halloween and our friends are dressing up - as well as the hostess.

We pull up. I feel fabulous. Then, I see someone walk outside in a Georgia t-shirt and jeans. I panic. We walk in. The extent of the hostess' costume is a witch hat.

I feel sick.

There is a room full of older people - none of which are in costume. Several people are outside walking up to the house - none of which are in costume.

"I can't BELIEVE you dressed up," said the hostess.

I panic. I tell Bert I want to go home and change. This is all despite the hours it took to get everything together for the costume, as well as get ready.

I get in the car. I might as well have been in elementary school because I start crying. I HATE feeling embarrassed. I rip off my fake eyelashes, put on my pajamas and get in the bed.

Bert tried to cheer me up. Bless his heart.

Our friends showed up about 20 minutes after we left, and they had dressed as a family of bugs. I wish they would've been there when we showed up. But, alas, it was too late.

The moral of the story is: BE CLEAR. If it's a costume party, say. If it's not, don't put anything about costumes on the invitation. Be totally honest that the party is indeed just for the second half of the Georgia/Florida game (which I don't want to talk about either).

And so, Halloween was a big fat fiasco.

Meeting Olivia

2009-11-02T13:19:00.002-05:00

Here I am, FINALLY holding my niece, Olivia! You see, although I was there the day she was born, the hospital had a policy that only significant others, parents or grandparents were allowed on the Labor/Delivery areas of the hospital due to swine flu. Needless to say, I have been ACHING to finally meet her!

She is a doll. I think she looks just like my sister. Speaking of which - Sara looks FABULOUS! Sorry I don't have any pics of her; I took those with her camera so she has them. I'm telling you - she doesn't look like she had a baby just a few weeks ago. In her regular jeans and everything.

Bert and I had a great time just being with the newest member of our family. Clearly, she already adores me.

Weekend Belligerence

2009-10-26T11:16:00.004-04:00

What happened to restful weekends? If I would have known all I was going to do this past weekend, I think I would've hidden under the covers.

This is what I did:

-Cleaned the whole house, including sweeping, mopping, dusting, bathrooms, etc.
-4 loads of laundry including sheets and rugs
-Balanced the checking account
-Shopped for Halloween costumes
-Went to the grocery store
-Went to the pet store
-Changed out the shower curtain liners in my clawfoot tub, which involved cutting the liners because they come too long
-Cooked
-2 community service projects
-Went to the gym

Somewhere in there, I found time to watch an episode of Project Runway, read Us Weekly and go to dinner with a friend. Bert was out of town, so I stayed at said friend's house - I am such a scaredy cat. We stayed up late and watched "Grand Torino" - it was incredible. Two big thumbs up.

I am exhausted and sore from the gym today. I was actually a little relieved to go to work today so that I could get some rest. And my job is hectic!

Is this adulthood? The loss of the relaxing weekend?

Blues

2009-10-22T15:11:00.006-04:00

I'm really upset about something right now. What that is...well, I'm not going to disclose it. What I do want to talk about, though, is how people react when they are upset.

For me, if I am truly upset about something, it becomes all-consuming. I can't talk about anything else. I can't think about anything else. I shut down. If I have to clean, I can't. If I need to work, I can't. Granted, if I'm just simply ticked off, I can continue...but if I am deeply upset by something, I can't. No compartmentalizing here. And lucky for Bert, if I'm upset, he has to hear about it 24-7 until I'm OK. Thank goodness he plays along.

If I'm stressed, I eat. If I'm upset, I don't. I also become super sleepy and lethargic - as in, I can hardly stay awake.

And you can tell that I've been crying because my nose is bright red.

Being sad is hard work. Maybe that's why I get so sleepy.

And I go through the stages. First is either no emotion or lots of crying. Second is assessing the situation. Third is blaming. (I think second and third flip flop based on the situation.) Fourth is accepting what I did wrong. Fifth is trying to make it right. And sixth is moving on, I suppose. And an underlying problem is that I obsess over it. I can't think about anything else. At all.

I am incredibly blessed that most of my life is happy. It's a good thing because being sad is exhausting. I would be interested to know how you function when being upset and also, any and all virtual hugs are welcome! :)

A Glimpse

2009-10-21T17:09:00.003-04:00

I'm too busy to be interesting anymore. Alas, between work and 3 different volunteer organizations, I am swamped. And we're completely caught up on Lost, so I've been having withdrawals.

I am obsessed with Olivia. I am not really qualified to offer any parenting advice, so I do what any good aunt would do - spoil. I am always on the lookout for cute clothes and I am helping my sister is whatever creative ways I can. So much fun.

I'm boring, but I'm happy. Pictures to follow after next week's visit with Olivia and Halloween party. I'm pretty pleased with myself for my creative costume idea...

Olivia

2009-10-12T09:40:00.004-04:00

She's here! My niece, Olivia Amy L___, arrived at 5:20 p.m. on Saturday, October 10 at 7 lbs. 1 oz. and 18.5 inches long. She is a doll with a head full of dark hair just like her Mama! Mama and baby are doing very well and they expect to be released from the hospital this morning.

Olivia is a name they really liked, and Amy is a family name in Sara's husband Tim's family that has been passed down for at least 4 generations. Olivia is beyond precious.

I'm finally officially Aunt Nisa!

Eid Weekend

2009-09-21T09:59:00.005-04:00

Bert and I had a wonderful Eid weekend together. As most of my regular readers know, Eid is the Islamic celebration after the month of Ramadan (fasting).

I must say, this is one of the best Eids I have ever had. We went to Atlanta Saturday so I could find a new outfit, and I was so happy to find something in my favorite color - hot pink! We then ate dinner with my cousins, Omer and Naima, who we were visiting to celebrate Chaand Raat. Literally "Night of the Moon," it is a celebration that takes place in the Indian, Pakistani and Bangladeshi cultures the night before Eid. The significance of the moon sighting is that is how you know that the next day is Eid, as it is all based on the lunar calendar.

We heard a wonderful sermon the next morning for the special Eid prayer. I wish "people" would know what we really preach. Some of the sermon's major themes were about respecting your spouse, spending time with your children, understanding the importance of community, and remembering what's really important all year through - not just during holy times.

After the sermon, we had brunch at my great-aunt and great-uncle's house. It was so nice to be with family. We came home late in the afternoon and got ready for the week. And even though it's Monday, I feel energized and happy today, as I had a fantastic weekend. I had a weekend celebrating faith and family - and really, what's more important than that?

Excitement

2009-09-17T09:39:00.002-04:00

I am so excited I can hardly stand it.

You know when you're little, the night before your birthday or Christmas, it is SO HARD to sleep in anticipation of the next day. Well, I am felling those childlike butterflies yet again because Bert and I are going to SIX FLAGS this weekend!

It all came about because someone was selling two season passes for $20 cheaper than the promo they're currently running (kid's price for everyone). Bert gets motion sick, so we have never gone to an amusement park together. BUT I LOVE AMUSEMENT PARKS!

Bert forwarded me the email where the guy was selling the tickets and we are going for it. Roller coasters, here I come. Tacky souvenirs, here I come. Cotton candy and other assorted junk food, here I come. Overpriced caricature, I might be coming for you too.

Dramamine, here Bert comes. :)

I'm so excited and I just can't hide it.

Totally Lost

2009-09-09T09:07:00.002-04:00

I'm lost in "Lost." It's an obsession, really. I can't believe how long I've put off watching this show! It all started back in the day when Bert and I were newly married and had just moved. We had cable, but this was long before the days of fancy shmancy DVRs and HDTV - at least for us. So, we had to make a decision. Bert wanted to watch "Lost" and I wanted to watch "Grey's Anatomy." Well, of course I won. I always have the bargaining chip of reminding him how many Yankees games he watches.

But alas, we had been missing out!

Some of our BFFs had been telling us that we needed to watch "Lost." Finally we caved and watched the Pilot. We were hooked. That was August 24. We started Season 3 last night. We were warned that we would end up "losing" the next month of our lives, but it has been so much fun.

I highly, highly recommend!

Yummy To My Tummy

2009-08-28T15:54:00.004-04:00

Well, this is our month of fasting. You might think I've lost weight, considering I can't eat until ~8pm at night. WRONG! I have lost all self-control and have been eating Peanut Butter Dove chocolates like it's my job. It's awful. Each day, I start off well. Tons of water and a Balance Trail Mix bar (4 points). And on Weight Watchers, that would leave me a solid 21 points at night (if I don't save any.) And I can't even do it. I have lost all sense when the time comes to eat. Oh well.

You might think I'm going to post about getting healthy again. Maybe next week. But FIRST, I want to try this dessert I saw on Paula's Home Cooking yesterday. It's a dessert by Paula Deen that does NOT involve butter. I know, shocking.

Lemon Blossoms
Recipe courtesy Paula Deen via the Food Network

Ingredients
18 1/2 ounce package yellow cake mix
3 1/2 ounce package instant lemon pudding mix
4 large eggs
3/4 cup vegetable oil

Glaze:
4 cups confectioners' sugar
1/3 cup fresh lemon juice
1 lemon, zested
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
3 tablespoons water

Directions
1. Preheat the over to 350 degrees F.
2. Spray miniature muffin tins with vegetable oil cooking spray. Combine cake mix, pudding mix, eggs and oil and blend well with an electronic mixer until smooth, about 2 minutes. Pour a small amount of batter, filling each muffin tin half way. Bake for 12 minutes. Turn out onto a tea towel.
3. To make the glaze, sift the sugar into a mixing bowl. Add the lemon juice, zest, oil and water. Mix with a spoon until smooth.
4. With fingers, dip the cupcakes into the glaze while they're sill warm, covering as much of the cake as possible, or spoon the glaze over the warm cupcakes, turning them to completely coat. Place on wire racks with waxed paper underneath to catch any drips. Let them glaze set thoroughly, about 1 hour, before storing in containters with tight-fitting lids.

Yield: 5 dozen (uh oh...might need to rethink this...could be dangerous!)

From Miss to Mrs.

2009-08-16T15:06:00.001-04:00

Bert and I recently took the loooooooooong trek to Hot Springs, AR for a dear friend's wedding. My friend Amber and I met while we were interns in DC and just hit it off. We moved back up right after college and lived in the same building. She was one of my bridesmaids when I got married 5 years ago...wow 5 years!

So, since it was around an 11 hour drive, we decided to break it up on the way there. We stopped in Memphis to visit Bert's BFF and his wife. LOVE THEM. It was a blast. The next morning, we got up and drove to Little Rock to see the Clinton Library. It was amazing to see the history and his accomplishments. What prosperity and goodwill we had around the world!

Bert pretending to be Mr. Prez

They did an excellent job with the library and then we found a cute seafood dive right down the street called the Flying Fish. Highly recommend. After that, purchasing some Jackie Kennedy paper dolls for me and scoring some red velvet cupcakes, we made the final 2 hour drive to Hot Springs.

The rehearsal dinner was at the country club and the and the bride was radiant. We had such a fun bridesmaids brunch the next morning and I got my hair "did." It had been a LONG time since I had a professional updo, so that was fun. The wedding was very nice, the bride was gorgeous and the reception was spectacular. It was definitely one of the best times I've ever had at a wedding. Just a blast...and the couple was so happy.

Bridesmaid's Butt Broach Assembly Line

Me with "Cousin" Emily

Me and the beautiful bride!

And so, all in all, it was a great weekend. But I am DEFINTIELY ready for a weekend with zero plans, as you can tell from this and the previous two posts that I have had three jam-packed weekends in a row. I need a break!

5 Years With My Main Man

2009-08-14T13:20:00.003-04:00

Man, I was a lucky girl to have TWO wedding ceremonies! The top picture is of our wedding on August 14, 2004. The bottom is a formal portrait we took in our Nikah (Muslim wedding) attire. The date of that ceremony was August 13, 2004.

Bert knows that I love to speak to him in song, so here is my song lyric of the day:

I love you more today than yesterday, but not as much as tomorrow.

I mean it. Love you.

Aunt Nisa...Well, Almost

2009-08-11T14:57:00.008-04:00

I can't believe I am going to be an aunt! That's right...my LITTLE sister is having a baby! I can hardly believe it. AND...it's going to be a girl! I love love love baby girls. I plan on being the one that interjects lots of pink and frou-frou-ness into her life. :)

Sara and her husband recently moved two hours from my house, so immediately I thought BABY SHOWER! And that's just what I did. We have a lot of family that lives within 1-2 hours of my house, so it was a great central location.

She got some of the cutest stuff...those tiny clothes are really something. And the cake - isn't it amazing? Mama and I did most of the food - Asian salad, chicken salad croissants, black-eyed pea salsa, fruit and cream cheese dip, mini parathas (Indian bread), spinach dip and more. My grandmother made kabobs and gulab jamuns (an Indian dessert), my great-aunt made delicious potato samosas and my aunt made brownies. It was all delicious! I am hungry just thinking about it!

Sara loved her gifts...she really racked up. After opening her gifts, I had all the mothers go around and give her a bit of advice. It was all very sweet. My favorite was when Sara said that she wanted to do what our mom did and make "everything magical." She talked about how in thunderstorms, we would go sit on the porch and we were allowed to play in rainshowers...just how everything was special. And it was.

Mama, Sara and Me

It was a lovely weekend, and I can't wait to be Aunt Nisa!

No Squealing

2009-08-11T14:48:00.004-04:00

First things first. I have several posts in me, but have been waiting to download pics. First up: whitewater rafting down the Chattooga River!

For those of you that have seen "Deliverance," this was the same river in the movie. We rafted and swam at many of the exact same sites. I was fine until I saw an Appalachian man playing the banjo. I hate that song from that movie...gives me the creeps.

Anyway, I went on this excursion as part of a leadership group I am a member of. This was for our retreat, and it was a BLAST. I usually hate retreats because they are a total waste of time. Not this one! And I was TERRIFIED to whitewater raft...but totally ended up rocking a Class 4 rapid. So much fun!

I learned a lot about myself - that I actually am more capable than I thought without Bert. I can do outdoorsy/athletic stuff even if he's not there to give me extreme amounts of support. I learned I can pull myself together and DO IT. I was proud. He was proud too.

I also became good friends with a girl in our group - also a displaced Mississippian in Georgia! So much fun. This picture above is of my group (there were around 25 of us total in different groups) with our guide. I spent the first 30 minutes of the rafting trip silent because I knew our guide was the spitting image of a celebrity.

"JAMES FRANCO!" I finally yelled out. He laughed and said he knew I was thinking really hard about something. My team was impressed my celebrity cross-reference. Usually I am much quicker, but his blond hair threw me for a bit.

Anyway, it was a great, great weekend in late July. I will definitely be back!

Quick Hello

2009-07-30T12:36:00.002-04:00

I'll be back soon.

Life is crazy with school starting next week! Here's a few teasers of posts to come:

1. Whitewater rafting with a James Franco look-a-like guide
2. Baby shower for my LITTLE sister

Coming soon...well, soonish at least.

You Know I Love These

2009-07-16T11:29:00.003-04:00

This idea was stolen from Laura, who stole it from Facebook. I have a sore throat and this is what I feeling like doing. I realize you don't REALLY care to read a bunch of confession questions about me, so pick a few to read and consider doing it too! I happen to enjoy these. :)

1. The phone rings. Who do you want it to be? Like Laura, I love talking on the phone...always have. There are a few folks who I let go straight to voice mail (NONE of y'all...I promise!), but other than that, I love it.

2. When shopping at the grocery store, do you return your cart? Yep.

3. In a social setting, are you more of a talker or a listener? Depends on my mood. Would love for someone to chime in and tell me which one I am!

4. Do you take compliments well? Perhaps a little too well. Just kidding! But I do need lots of affirmation, so I have to say I enjoy a compliment.

5. Do you play Soduku? No. Whenever I think of Soduku, I think of Patrick Davis - the master.

6. If abandoned alone in the wilderness, would you survive? I'm tougher than you might think.

7. Did you ever go to camp as a kid? No and I wouldn't let my kids go to an overnight camp either. I'm too paranoid.

8. What was your favorite game as a kid? I loved to play "teacher" and as far as board games, my fave was Life.

9. Would you slow dance with someone that you knew was married? No way Jose.

10. Could you date someone with different religious beliefs than you? I did...and he converted. :)

11. Do you like to pursue or be pursued? These girls today...I tell ya. Ladies, be pursued! Any time I tried to pursue, I ended up looking like a fool.

12. Use three words to describe yourself. Extroverted, introspective, passionate

13. Do any songs make you cry? Yes, the most bizarre of which is "Hate it or Love It" by the Game feat. 50 Cent. I am pro-choice, but when he says in the song that any time he gets exhausted, he thinks about what if his mom got that abortion. Then he says, "I love you, Ma." I'm crying now.

14. Are you continuing your education? Would love to be Dr. Anisa one day! When Bert gets done with his, I'd like to go back for mine.

15. Do you know how to shoot a gun? When your daddy is from Sturgis, Miss., you better believe you know how to shoot!

16. If your house was on fire, what would be the first thing you grabbed? My cat Matty...and if Bert had him, then our wedding album.

17. How often do you read books? Not nearly enough. The last book I read was probably 6 months ago. Bad Anisa. I started "The Secret Life of Bees" a few weeks ago and need to pick it back up. Any reviews on this book?

18. Do you think more about the past, present or future? I think of all of it...but I do think of the future more than I should. I need to focus more on the here and now rather than waiting for this or that to happen.

19. What is your favorite children's book? I have lots. One is "A Time to Keep" by Tasha Tudor...quite a magical book.

20. What color are your eyes? brown

21. How tall are you? 5'4" and a HALF

22. Where is your dream house located? Somewhere closer to family.

23. Have you ever taken pictures in a photo booth? Yes...some of my favorites!

24. When was the last time you were at Olive Garden? Like 2 months. Love their pasta e fagioli.

25. What is the furthest place you traveled today? Starbucks to get a hot chocolate...like I said, my throat hurts. :(

26. Do you like mustard? GROSS. Well...honey mustard is good (only if it is not dijon).

27. Do you prefer to sleep or eat? Sleep.

28. Do you look like your mom or dad? I look like my own person, but you can tell they are my parents. I guess a tiny bit more like my dad.

29. How long does it take you in the shower? 20 minutes. I know.

30. Can you do the splits? Like Laura, I can't do that, cartwheel or dive.

31. What movie do you want to see right now? Harry Potter...going tonight!

32. Do you think The Grudge was scary? SO SCARY.

33. Do you own a camera phone? Yes.

34. Was your mom a cheerleader? Nope

35. What's the last letter of your middle name? My birth middle name ends in "T" (Margrett)...my maiden is now my middle and it ends in an "N"

36. How many hours of sleep do you get a night? Not enough! Usually close to 8, but not quite. I think my body needs at least 9.

37. Do you like care bears? No strong feelings one way or another

38. What do you buy at the movies? BUY? I sneak my stuff in!

39. Do you know how to play poker? Kinda

40. Do you wear your seatbelt? Yes, or my car makes this ANNOYING beeping sound that won't stop

41. What do you wear to sleep? T-shirt and shorts/capris/pants. I wish I was the kind of person who wore cute nighties like they do on TV every night.

42. Anything big ever happen in your hometown? Johnny Cash was arrested there for picking flowers while drunk, George H.W. Bush spoke at graduation one year and that's about it! Oh - one of the American Idol contestants was from my hometown and I went to Jr. High with a former Miss USA.

43. How many meals do you eat a day? 2 or 3.

44. Is your tongue pierced? No.

45. Do you like funny or serious people better? Funny people that can be serious.

46. Ever been to L.A.? Nope...would love to.

47. Did you eat a cookie today? No, but that's a great idea.

48. Do you use cuss words in other languages? Oh yes! Urdu. Bert's favorite is the one I say that translates to "low class shoeshine owl." SO lost in translation! :)

49. Do you steal or pay for your music downloads? Pay - iTunes.

50. Do you hate chocolate? I LOVE CHOCOLATE.

51. What do you and your parents fight about the most? We don't fight hardly at all any more now that I don't live with them! :)

52. Are you a gullible person? NO. I am quite the opposite...always skeptical.

53. Do you need a boyfriend/girlfriend to be happy? I'm married...and the happiest I've ever been because I'm happy with myself.

54. If you could have any job (assuming you have the skills) what would it be? Novelist. Hands down. My dream.

55. Are you easy to get along with? I think so...not to say I can't be difficult and/or bossy, but I would like to think I'd be friends with me. :)

56. What is your favorite time of day? The moment I get home, put on jams and relax with Bert.

I Left My Home in Georgia, Headed for the 'Frisco Bay

2009-07-09T14:26:00.032-04:00

Going from Pacific Coast time to East Coast time makes for a doozy of a jetlag, but I finally feel normal today. And for all of you that have ever visited San Francisco, you know that it was totally and completely worth it. We were gone nearly a week, and got home this past Friday. Let's go on a photo tour. I'll start at the beginning.

We arrived at noon on a Saturday, checked in at the Westin St. Francis, and headed to Fisherman's Wharf via cable car. Had lunch and the waitress said we had to go to this old-timey arcade, the Musee Mechanique. It was so neat, and of course Bert beat the machine in arm wrestling on the highest level. :)

After the arcade and checking out the sea lions, we walked a short distance to Ghiradelli Square, where we shared the best ice cream sundae I have ever had in my life. I was worried about all the calories, but shouldn't been have due to the walk from hell we had to take straight up several hills to Lombard Street, the "curviest street in America":

The GPS on my phone was messed up, so after all that, we ended up walking really far through Chinatown back to the hotel in Union Square. Exhaustion.

Day two. We got up, caught a MUNI bus and went to Golden Gate Park. I LOVED the Japanese Tea Garden. If you go to San Francisco, I highly recommend this. Pictures cannot do it justice; it is truly one of the most magical places I have ever been:

We walked through Golden Gate Park and saw stunning flowers on the trek to Haight-Ashbury, the hippie district. We got some fabulous peace posters, but the most memorable part of this area was Scooter Girl:

Why, yes, she is only wearing a tutu and rainbow colored knee-socks. Why? Well, she was probably on her way to the Gay Pride Parade. Yep, we were there while 1.5 million people were there for a gay pride extravaganza. The nudity freaked me out.

Anyway, then, we ended up walking a crazy long way AGAIN to get to the Painted Ladies:

There are lots and lots of houses that look like this in San Fran. When we FINALLY got there, we were exhausted. Bert and I proceeded to get into an argument about if the Tanner Family lived in one of these. No really. But first, I belted out the "Full House" theme song. No really.

Side note. I was right. The Tanners did NOT live in a Painted Lady. See here. Bert should know to never question my pop culture knowledge. :)

That evening and for the next few days, I had a conference to attend. It was fabulous and I learned so much and made great contacts. Really wonderful professional experience.

In the evenings, Bert and I enjoyed some fabulous meals. Our two favorites were Naan-N-Curry, an Indian restaurant and our very top - Michael Mina. The Indian restaurant was delicious and reminded me of my family. Nice having a moment with "my people." And Michael Mina - WOW.

I had wanted to go to this restaurant since seeing it on the show "Giada's Weekend Getaways". She ate a lobster pot pie there that looked divine. So, Bert and I went and ordered off the prix fixe menu (which you have to do). For my first course, I chose something that sounded good and involved strawberries. It was called foie gras.

FOIE GROSS!

Little did I know it was liver. It was disgusting. I actually did not find out it was liver until the day we left when I remembered to Google it. I started gagging in the airport. Thank goodness that waiter was super nice and not hoity-toity at all. Plus Bert said it was my first time to try it, as we didn't want the chef to think it was HIS foie gras that I didn't like. It's all foie gras that I despise.

Anyway, the lobster pot pies came out - divine. It was all I had hoped for. Then, our waiter came back and said, "The chef is concerned you didn't have enough. He will send out a cheese course with his compliments." WOW. Talk about service. The cheese was delicious. The shining star of the meal was a root beer float (with root beer and sassafras sorbet) and two warm and ooey-gooey chocolate chip and pecan cookies. It was not just a good meal; it was an incredible dining experience. Five stars. After that, we went to a super cool speakeasy recommended by Alli.

Our next big excursion some days later was the Golden Gate Bridge. Magnificent.

We were told we could walk the bridge (It took around 30 minutes of crazy windiness and super noisiness with all the cars whizzing by) and would be right in Sausalito. WRONG. After walking nearly two hours, Bert and I FINALLY arrived in Sausalito. Here I am really depressed and tired:

Anyway, we FINALLY arrived, and it was gorgeous. I cried at lunch because the food was gross, but that's another story. Here is a snapshot of lovely Marin County:

I was still upset until we found a candy store, and I got some new gorgeous earrings. Then all was well.

Our last big excursion was to Napa Valley. It was nice to be back in a car and not reliant on walking belligerently long distances or taking public transportation. We went to V. Sattui, which had a fabulous lunch, and Mumm Napa. It was so very beautiful. We went on a tour at Mumm Napa, and also went to a gallery at Mumm where they had Ansel Adams photography. It was a great day, and we felt very cultured.

We had time left before having to take the car back, so we went to Twin Peaks to see a truly incredible view:

In fact, there were lots of postcard views. Sometimes the scenery was so incredible that it was hard to truly absorb what you were seeing. Magnificent. It was a great week, and after a long stretch of being crazy busy for me and Bert, it was just what we needed. And while there's no place like home and the South is that for me, I definitely heart San Francisco.

Start Spreadin' The News

2009-06-25T14:29:00.002-04:00

As much as I feel like a baseball widow sometimes and even though I have yelled, "I HATE THE YANKEES!" before, I have to say that I am looking forward to heading to Turner Field in just a bit to see the Yankees and Braves battle it out.

Bert LOVES baseball and me - not so much. I grew up in a house with a dad that also thought it was dreadfully boring. BUT knowing that Bert loves it (and was/is a fabulous player), I decided we'd get these tickets for Valentine's Day. We went to Hibbett's last weekend and I got the cutest vintage inspired Yankees t-shirt. Smart move, Bert - bribe me with new clothing.

No, I don't hate the Yankees - I am just not a big fan of their constant presence in my life. But for tonight, ladies and gents, tonight I shall be a hard core Yankees fan.

The Big 2-9

2009-06-22T11:55:00.006-04:00

This is a close-up of the stunning flowers I received this morning from Mama and Daddy. What a great birthday already! And I enjoyed talking to my Daddy yesterday for Father's Day as well...love him so.

The weekend was all I could hope for - "Jersey Boys" was so much fun, and the Sundial a.k.a. Revolving Restaurant was delicious and provided an amazing 360 view of the Atlanta skyline. I have received gifts, cards, calls, texts and Facebook messages - each meaning so much to me. Also today, my assistant gave me the sweetest card and some stationery I really wanted. She and Bert had been in cahoots! :)

And tonight, I can't wait to open my surprises from Bert. And later, we'll eat Italian with friends.

I am loved. I am blessed. Welcome, 29. Just please don't go by too fast!

Bachelorette Bash

2009-06-17T09:06:00.005-04:00

As promised, here are a few pics from my friend Amber's Bachelorette Weekend in DC:

Bridesmaids at Sequoia in Georgetown...a fabulous place for lunch on the water. Yum!
L-R: Me, Emily, Amber, Lindsay and Robin

This is me at JFK and Jackie's former home in Georgetown. I am pretending that I'm going inside. A modern day Jackie, don't ya think? ;)

Out on the town with the bride-to-be! We were either at Policy or Marvin's. Rahm Emmanuel, the White House Chief of Staff, was also at Marvin's, but we did not see him. We just read about it in the next day's paper.

Fun times. Can't wait until the wedding in August!

Birthday Buildup

2009-06-16T11:23:00.004-04:00

On Monday, June 22, I shall celebrate the last birthday in my 20s. That is such a crazy thought. Right now, I am in the giddy pre-birthday phase because I am so looking forward to this weekend. That's right - Bert and I are going to see "Jersey Boys" at the Fox Theatre in Atlanta on Saturday night. I can't wait! I have high hopes because I really like the music of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons...I think it'll be a lot of fun. And pre-dinner, we're going to the Sundial Restaurant, a.k.a. what my little cousin and I used to call the Revolving Restaurant. I am excited to enjoy a fabulous meal high above the Atlanta skyline.

And, well, I've seen a few boxes on our front steps, so I have a feeling I'll be getting some birthday loot Monday as well. This is already shaping up to be a mighty fine birthday.

I'm trying to savor all the moments of anticipation, like deciding what to wear (check!). I know it'll be lots of fun, but I also have learned in my nearly 29 years to enjoy each moment as it comes, as planning and preparing for something fun is as much a part of the experience as the actual event. And I don't want to miss a minute of it.

MeMeMe

2009-06-08T08:58:00.006-04:00

I'm in a horrible mood this Monday morning, so let's see if filling this out helps...

Stolen from LT

FOOD-OLOGY
What is your salad dressing of choice? Balsamic vinaigrette
What is your favorite sit-down restaurant? Porterhouse (Georgia) and Harvey's (Mississippi)
What food could you eat for 2 weeks straight and not get sick of it? Probably Papa John's cheese pizza
What are your pizza toppings of choice? Only cheese
What do you like to put on your toast? I hardly ever eat toast, but I do like butter and strawberry or grape jelly.

TECHNOLOGY
How many televisions are in your house? 3 - one LCD in the living room, one in the guest room (that is only used for Nintendo or watching VHS) and one in our bedroom. I used to tell Bert I didn't want a TV in our bedroom, but shortly thereafter, I got the flu and was so grateful I could watch movies from the bed.
What color cell phone do you have? Black iPhone - I love it.
What does the first text message in your inbox say and who sent it? It simply says ":-)" and is from Bert.
Who was the last person to call you? My sister Sara

BIOLOGY
Are you right-handed or left-handed? Right
Have you ever had anything removed from your body? Wisdom Teeth
What is the last heavy item you lifted? Me? Lift heavy items? :)

CRAP-OLOGY
If it were possible, would you want to know the day you were going to die? No way Jose.
If you could change your name, what would you change it to? I love my name...I just wish I would've kept my maiden name. :)
Would you drink an entire bottle of hot sauce for $1000? I don't think so...yuck.

DUMB-OLOGY
How many pairs of flip flops do you own? 5ish
Last time you had a run-in with the cops? Eff the police. Kidding, kidding.
Last person you talked to in person? My assistant
Favorite Month? June, my birthday month!

CURRENT-OLOGY
Missing someone? Yes
Mood? Foul
What are you listening to? Pandora - a song called "Babies" by Pulp is on...not bad!
Watching? I'm just looking at the computer...so I'm watching this. Weird question.
Worrying about? Something we need to sell

RANDOM-OLOGY
What’s the last movie you watched? "Taken" with Liam Neeson - it was great.
Do you smile often? I think so.
Do you always answer your phone? Mostly
It’s four in the morning and you get a text message, who is it? I don't get many 4am texts...most likely it would be a wrong number.
If you could change your eye color what would it be? Green
What flavor do you add to your drink at Sonic? Cherry
Do you own a digital camera? Yep
Have you ever had a pet fish? I don't think so...we had dogs.
Favorite Christmas song? "It Came Upon A Midnight Clear"
What’s on your wish list for your birthday? Stationery, shoes...what I REALLY wanted, I am getting -- tickets to see "Jersey Boys" at the Fox Theatre in Atlanta. So excited!!
Can you do push-ups? Yeah, if they're "girl" push-ups.
Can you do a chin up? Not without the assistance of a machine at the gym!
Does the future make you more nervous or excited? Excited
Do you have any saved texts? Yes
Ever been in a car wreck? Yes
Do you have an accent? Southern accent
What is the last song to make you cry? "I'm Not Over" by Carolina Liar. For some reason, it makes me think of my grandfather...I know that's weird because the song is about a break-up or something, but instead, it always makes me think about how I'll never get over his death.
Plans tonight? Bert and I are attending a reception and then dinner for this leadership program I'm starting.
Have you ever felt like you hit rock bottom? Yes
Name 2 things you bought yesterday. Wheat sub rolls and 100-calorie packs of sour cream Pringles
You ever been given roses? Yes...I love flowers!
Current hate right now? Monday
Met someone who changed your life? Yes
What song represents you? "Careful" by Guster used to represent me somewhat...not sure what it is now.
What were you doing 12 AM last night? Watching like 10 minutes of "I Dream of Jeannie" before drifting off to sleep
What was the first thing you thought of when you woke up? I am so tired.

Still in a mood, but better. :)

Leaving on a Jet Plane

2009-05-28T15:21:00.003-04:00

I am leaving tomorrow at noon en route to Washington, DC for a girls bachelorette weekend. We are toasting my dear friend, Amber, who I met while we interned on Capitol Hill. We also worked there after college. Love her!

So, I am gearing up for a weekend of lots of fun. Only problem...when I think about flying, I want to vom. I have never been afraid of flying before, but I am seriously freaking out. The flight is a little under 2 hours, so not bad - but I am so scared. I haven't flown in 6 years, so it's been a while. I used to like it and actually found it relaxing...now I feel sick. I saw two crows outside my window at work today which didn't help either. So, please say a prayer for my safe travels.

Ta ta for now!

This is me...now

2009-05-22T13:54:00.005-04:00

Life is more hectic than ever.

My job is incredibly busy, but with school ending yesterday, I am already feeling relief. Being the Director of Public Relations for a school district with 22 schools in a high-poverty city is a challenge! But there are some truly incredible stories, and I am excited to get the word out.

People think I have great vacation, but I definitely do not. I have to come to work on Memorial Day (ugh) along with all my previous co-workers at the University. Boo.

But I am so grateful to have a job - and especially one that challenges me and that I thoroughly enjoy. I'm still trying to figure out this new thing called being a boss, but so far, so good. :)

What else...well, this weekend we have a few soirees - looking very forward to time with friends. And Bert and I need to go buy luggage! I'm going to DC next weekend for a bachelorette party, and at the end of June, we are going to San Francisco.

So.excited.

I also joined Weight Watchers on May 13, and I am pleased to report that at my first weigh-in after joining, I had lost 4.2 lbs.! I was thrilled. My personal goal is to shed 15.8 more. Having that accountability has made a HUGE difference. I never joined before because I didn't understand why you'd pay $40 a month to follow a program you could do for free on your own. Boy was I wrong! That accountability and support is everything. I'm really hoping that this is IT - the time I FINALLY lose the weight. Bert has been training me at the gym, so I am really hoping for some nicer arms when it's time for me to don a bridesmaids dress in August.

And so, that's life right now. Crazy.

OH - last weekend, we were in Augusta. Ariana had made me potholders. I asked her what they were for.

"Mother's Day," she replied.

I totally cried.

Life is good. Praise God for that.