Texan style post ... like Texan hair ... BIG!

BLOGGER NOTIFICATION: I've been trying to post this since 10 am -- EST -- I can't even post comments on anyone elses blogger-blog! In other words ... Blogger is scre ... ehem ... messed up. They also said that all photos previously uploaded will not be visible during this maintenance. Just thought you'd like to know!

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I have many things to cover, and it might get long ... so stay with me girls! (okay, and if there's a guy or two out there, you can stay with me too!)

First off, I'll tell you about my weekend away. We went to a town in PA (about 3 hours away from my home). It was difficult to find a hotel room, believe it or not, and it's not because they are 1/2 hour away from the Poconos. No. It's because they are 1/2 hour away from the Poconos and NASCAR was racing there this weekend. Good grief! And to add insult to injury ... they JACKED the rate of the room up by $30. When I questioned the girl checking us in about it, she said ... "Well, we really hate to increase the prices." Yeah. Right. You.hate.increasing.prices.and.making.more.money... LIARS.

Okay. That might have been a wee bit harsh. But do you really believe her? The hotel room was in a "strip hotel" on a main road. I should have been cautioned when I saw on the website that "most" rooms have been remodeled. This "REALLY" means ... "some rooms have been spiffed up, but you might get the room with mold on the ceiling in the shower, peeling wall paper, scanky tile floors, and avocado green toilet and tub, cold water if showering when toilet is flushed, and no room to turn around in the hotel room because we've crammed as much as we could in the closet-sized room -- deal with it." Oh, and YEAH ... the water tasted NASTY. But, it had an awesome Italian restaurant attached to it. It was very good, very gourmet, and very expensive. Go figure. I knew we were in trouble when they asked us if we had made reservations, and then told us there would be a 20 minute wait. Even though there were about 8 tables that were EMPTY. Then, I saw the Lexus and Mercedes vehicles start pulling in, and the Ralph Lauren shirts, and expensive silk-looking shirts. But, I was pleasantly pleased with our meal. The salad was TODIEFOR, and while we were waaaay underdressed, we had a great time.

The only problem about dinner was that everything took so stinking long, and it took us for.ever to eat, making us about 5 minutes late to the concert. It was in a beautiful venue, which was located on top of a mountain. The view was breath taking. The artist, Don Williams, was not really a guy who I would say I was DYING to see. But, it was his farewell tour, and my husband really likes him (me too, now, truth be told). I thought it would be awful, boring, and old-country twangy. But guess what? It wasn't. This man sings beautiful songs about family, love, and women. It was literally a ROMANTIC concert! And I was hysterically entertained by a crazy woman that was two rows in front of us, who kept shouting "I love you Don" and kept screaming "Wooooooo" at the top of her lungs, and was swaying frantically with each song, as if he was singing just to her, and had her arms up in the air with the sign language for LOVE ... as if it was an AC/DC concert, or something like that. It only lasted 1 and 1/2 hours, but it was excellent, and really put us in the mood. To go back to the hotel room. And sleep. In separate beds. Did I mention the beds were "DOUBLES" ?!? Seriously ... who puts Double beds in hotel rooms?

Anyway, while I missed Hunter terribly, I did not regret the decision to go away, nor did I fear leaving him behind, because we left him in excellent care ... his Auntie Sunshine (my husband's li'l sister) and her husband "B" stayed at our house and took excellent care of him.

In other news, I just wanted to touch back on my post called "I Need To Quit Procrastinating" which I posted on Thursday. I was blown away from all the comments I received to this post. I was pleasantly surprised by how many women seem to feel the same frustration and can relate in one way or another. I was encouraged by MugwumpMom who said she enters people's homes about 5-10 times a week for her job, and she said that NONE of them are "neat and orderly" and that everyone is in the same boat! My mom, who worked full time until I was in high school, always had, and still to this day has a perfectly clean home. So, it couldn't have been all that hard, and why can't I do it too?

Any way, Shalee from Shalee's Diner wrote an awesome post, which you must go read first, then, I'd like to respond to it! (And for the record, she really does contribute a LOT of worthwhile stuff to my life, not just this one time!)

Are you back? Good. She's a wise woman, isn't she?

And, she is right about so much. We do need to ask our hubby's to help. Especially if we BOTH work full time. And, just so you know ... my husband does help -- A LOT. I just hate asking him to do more, because I feel like it's my responsibility as the WOMAN of the house. Crazy, huh? And then, one of us has to watch (literally) the baby while the other one gets stuff done.

And, Shalee is right in that I need to lower my standards. I'm all over this point. Today. Now. Standards are being lowered as I type out this post. And I TOTALLY relate with and agree with canceling the magazine subscriptions. I just.don't.have.time.to.read. In fact, I've been reading the same book since January. And I'm only in the third chapter. I just don't have time!

I am such a list person. And I'm smacking myself on the forehead right now... it's bright red and welted. Why didn't I think of this on my own? I have lost my mind. Seriously. I have. (example: I left the back door open yesterday when I left to go to church, my dog got out, was found by a neighbor wandering around, and when they brought her back, they discovered my door was wide open. They deposited the dog inside, and secured my home. DUH!)

Before Hunter was in the family, I was organized. And was frequently compared to Martha Stewart for my entertaining abilities. Now? I'm just thankful if I remember to slap napkins on the table and put the flatware on the rights sides if and when we have guests for dinner. Parties? Pshwa! What's that? (actually, we're going to be building a deck, and then we're having a party [maybe Mexican themed with Mariachi music playing in the background], and you're all invited, 'kay?!)

So, as Shalee so appropriately pointed out, I need to pray that God will help me become a better steward of my time, my home, and that He'll make me the best servant for Him. So, I'm off to be the Giselle that He created. How about you?

Shalee -- thank you! It was so thoughtful of you to respond like this!

And ... if you haven't stumbled across this blog ... Organizing Junkie ... you really MUST stop by. In fact, I'm going to be doing what she recommended in her post called Lightbulbs and Batteries, because that alone will help with a lot of my clutter! By the way ... please give us a name to call you by ... like maybe a made up name, or a nick name, or your middle name, or something like that, because it's just more personal!

Finally, my dear friend Shannon from Rocks has made life so much nicer by hosting her now, very -- very famous Works For Me Wednesday posts. If you've never seen these, and really, you must be living in the dark ages if you haven't, you must go and check out all the wonderful organizing, cooking, child rearing, toy managing, clutter conquering tips that so many women are publishing. It is just awesome, Shannon! Thanks for spear-heading this!

I'm sure I'm leaving someone off, and I'm so sorry for that, but I tell you ... with girlfriends like these, who needs those high-dollar organizational experts?!?

(And for the record, I am sooooo lusting after OrgJunkies P-Touch for labeling stuff! I think I'll have to get one so I can label all my piles lying around my kitchen, dining room, ah-heck -- house.)