Thank Goodness It's Friday!

I haven't really felt much like blogging lately. My attitude hasn't been the best and it seems like everywhere I turn, there is some sort of "drama" in my life whether it be personal, issues with my extended family or trouble with my friends. But this too shall pass. I realize that there are things that I can't control (much to my dismay), and therefore I give them to God. In return I will find peace. Until then, I am a "Bummed-Out-Willis" without much to blog about.

I have been working on my own Home Management Guide (Thanks Heather!!), and that is making me feel good. If you don't know what a Home Management Guide is, it is basically a safe/handy place where you keep all of your important/frequently used household and family information. It's a great way to get and stay organized!

I am also looking forward to being featured on Heather's Blog. A while back, Heather initiated an "Interview Me" post where she will put her "hardcore journalistic abilities" to the test and ask 5 questions to the readers of her blog. She had such an amazing response, so she decided that she would feature two interviewees a week. Well, March 1st is my date, and I am really excited to play along! I will post my questions and answers, and if you would like to play along as well, leave a comment the says "Interview Me", and I too will put my journalistic abilities to the test and interview you. This is a fun way to get to know one another!

In the mean time, I completed this questionnaire on Facebook called "The Bucket List" and thought I'd post it here.

The Bucket List

Place an X by all the things you've done and remove the X from the ones you have not, then tag your friends.

Things you have done during your lifetime:

(x) Gone on a blind date
(x) Donated Blood
(x) Skipped school
( ) Watched someone die (I came close, but I left before my Grandfather died...)
( ) Been to Canada
(x) Been to Mexico
(x) Been to Florida
(x) Been to Hawaii
(x) Been on a plane
(x) Been on a helicopter
(x) Been lost
(x) Gone to Washington, DC
(x) Hugged a homeless person
(x) Swam in the ocean
(x) Swam with Stingrays (Does Seaworld count??)
(x) Been sailing in the ocean
(x) Cried yourself to sleep
(x) Played cops and robbers
(x) Recently colored with crayons
(x) Ran a marathon
(x) Sang Karaoke
( ) Volunteered at a soup kitchen (I've never been a volunteer in a soup kitchen, but I have and still do volunteer in other ways.)
(x) Paid for a meal with coins only
( ) Been to the top of the St. Louis Arch
( ) Seen the Northern Lights
(x) Been Parasailing
(x) Been on TV
(x) Done something you told yourself you wouldn't
(x) Made prank phone calls
( ) Been down Bourbon Street in New Orleans
(x) Laughed until some kind of beverage came out of your nose
(x) Fed an elephant
(x) Caught a snowflake on your tongue
(x) Fired a gun
(x) Danced in the rain
( ) Been to the Opera
(x) Written a letter to Santa Claus
(x) Serenaded someone
( ) Seen a U.S. President in person
(x) Been kissed under the mistletoe
(x) Watched the sunrise with someone
(x) Driven a race car (I used to race for BMW and Jaguar)
(x) Been to a National Museum
(x) Been to a Wax Museum
(x) Eaten caviar
(x) Blown bubbles
(x) Gone ice-skating
(x) Gone to the movies
( ) Been deep sea fishing
(x) Driven across the United States
( ) Been in a hot air balloon
(x) Been sky diving
( ) Gone snowmobiling
(x) Lived in more than one country
(x) Lay down outside at night and admired the stars while listening to the crickets
(x) Seen a falling star and made a wish
( ) Enjoyed the beauty of Old Faithful Geyser
(x) Seen the Statue of Liberty
( ) Gone to the top of Seattle Space Needle
(x) Been on a cruise
(x) Traveled by train
(x) Traveled by motorcycle
(x) Been horse back riding
( ) Ridden on a San Francisco cable car
(x) Been to Disneyland OR Disney World
(x) Truly believe in the power of prayer
(x) Been in a rain forest
( ) Seen whales in the ocean
( ) Been to Niagara Falls
(x) Ridden on an elephant
(x) Swam with dolphins (Totally by accident...I freaked because I thought it was a shark!)
( ) Been to the Olympics
( ) Walked on the Great Wall of China
( ) Saw and heard a glacier calf
( ) Been spinnaker flying
(x) Been water-skiing
( ) Been snow-skiing
(x) Been to Westminster Abbey (I was very young when I lived in London, but yes, I've been there)
( ) Been to the Louvre
( ) Swam in the Mediterranean
(x) Been to a Major League Baseball game
(x) Been to a National Football League game
(x) Swam with sharks (Scuba diving in Hawaii)
(x) Been White Water Rafting
( ) Written a book or screen play
(x) Have been in love

Skydive Video

So, hopefully this works. It's the video of me and Jack skydiving over Valentine's weekend.



ENJOY!!!

I Jumped Out Of A Perfectly Good Airplane, And I LOVED It!

On Sunday, February 15th, Jack and I went to Skydive Spaceland to go skydiving! It was my first time to jump, and I gotta tell ya...I LOVED IT! It was so incredible, and peaceful! I highly recommend it!

We jumped from 14,000 feet, and literally flipped out of the plane! For a moment, the earth and the sky seem to topple over one another, and then once you level out (just a few seconds) you don't even feel like you are falling anymore!

My instructor let me control the toggles of the chute, and we even got to spiral for a while!

As we were approaching our landing spot, I noted to my instructor that I could see my son, and I began waving like crazy! Jackson saw me, and started yelling, "I love you, Mommy!!!!" and running through the field where we were floating. I really couldn't have asked for a better landing. It was very smooth...just like walking! We were told to lift our feet when we are about to land so the instructor can determine the type of landing to use. There is the "Walk Out" and the "Butt Slide".
Guess who didn't get a dirty butt...

For the BEST-TIME. EVER. CALL 1-800-SKYDIVE!!!

Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center - Celebration of Life

On February 11, 2009, Christie was invited to the Reliant Stadium to receive the 'Path for Success' award on behalf of Gulf Interstate Engineering from the Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center.

GIE has now become a Gold Level Commit for Life Member, and we have been recognized for our efforts in our Quarterly Blood Drives! All gold-level Commit for Life groups that achieve at least 100 donations in a year are invited to Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center's "A Celebration of Life" group recognition event.

The Path for Success award commemorates our achievements from the previous year. I am very proud to announce that in 2008, Gulf Interstate collected 65 units of Whole Blood, and saved 195 lives!!!

A very special THANK YOU to those that have made it possible for GIE to take part in this program - We could not have done this without your help! I hope you all will continue your commitment to saving lives in 2009!

Celebration of Life

Today, I will be attending a Celebration of Life Awards Ceremony and Luncheon, hosted by the Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center, at the Reliant Stadium .
I partner with GCRBC and host quarterly blood drives with our company and others in our building. Our company has reached a Gold Level status for the Commit For Life group, and I will be accepting an award, "Path For Success", on behalf of Gulf Interstate Engineering.

I will try and post pictures of this event later today when I get back.

Also, the time has come...
Our little guy is growing up so F-A-S-T! Tonight, Jack and I will attend Kindergarten Night, An Introduction To Montessori Kindergarten, at 7:00pm.

Life's a Beach!

Only in Texas...

Can you go to the beach in February, and not turn into a Popsicle. Okay, maybe that's a stretch because we were cold, but that's only because the wind was blowing. I heard on NOAA that the winds were gusting up to 30mph., but at least the temperature was in the low 70's.

This past weekend, Jack thought it would be fun for us all to go to the beach. We left our house at around 8:30 am and arrived in Freeport just after 10:00am.
We went to a different part of the beach because Galveston is just nasty. I apologise to those of you who may enjoy swimming and sun bathing in filth...I am just not one of those people who likes to get into water that I can't see though, much less lay on a beach that has trash all over it... Also, things are still pretty dilapidated down there because of the damage from Hurricane Ike, so we knew that the further south we drove, the more mess we were going to get into.
We wound up in Freeport by luck. Seriously, we were driving on 288 South, and a guy in a red truck passed us carrying a surf board. We figured that he must be going to the beach too, so we followed him.
I joked with Jack telling him how much I would laugh at him if instead we accidentally followed that man to his house instead of the beach! Finally, at a red light, Jack talked with the guy, asking if he indeed was going to the beach (he said yes.), and if it was okay if we followed him the rest of the way. The man obliged, probably thankful that we weren't serial killers or something, lol!

On Surfside Beach, you can actually drive and camp out on the beach using the beach access roads, and the end result is usually 3-4 miles of rather unpopulated bliss.

As soon as we got there, Jackson practically skipped with joy to the water! Leo hopped right along after him. Jackson wanted us to bury him, but I suppose we were taking too long to unload the truck, so he impatiently started screwing his feet into the sand without us.

Leo was such a good guard dog, too. He followed Jackson everywhere, even into the water, though you could tell that he didn't like it much. When Leo felt that Jackson was moving too far out, he would walk in front of Jackson to block him from going further out in the water. It was really funny to watch Leo 'heard' Jackson back to the shore!

It is nice to see the two of them get along and play so well with one another. I think it is important for a boy to grow up with a dog to bond and play with, especially since Jackson is an only child. Leo makes a very trustworthy playmate for him, so long as Jackson remembers to put his toys away...

Love Is In The Air...

Valentine's Day is just over a week away, and I have been trying to think of a way for my husband and I to celebrate Valentine's day as both a Family and, err... as a Couple. (blush)

I am sure that like every family out there, Valentine's Day has changed throughout the years. Before we had Jackson, Jack and I would celebrate however we liked. We'd go out to an expensive restaurant, he'd buy me jewelry/flowers/cards, etc. and we would make total strangers nauseous by our unabashed PDA.
After we had Jackson, we realized that we can't go overboard and be sporadic as much as we would like to. Also, getting a sitter for "V-Day" is a little harder these days.

I have found some Romantic Valentine's Day Ideas for couples as well as some ideas to celebrate with the little ones that I wanted to share because I always stress when trying to plan something. I tend to be a bit of a perfectionist, and when things don't go according to MY plan, I tend to get a teensy-bit upset. (Jack, you can stop laughing now...)

So here's to a Stress-Free Valentine's Day, as well as a frugal one!

For the Kids:

I think it is important to celebrate with your children first. There are so many activities you all can do together, and it really makes the kids feel special, too! Not to mention all the fun memories you will create!

1. Have the kids make cards and decorate the house.
2. Eat heart-shaped pancakes for breakfast
3. Play "Kissed by Cupid". It's pretty much the same idea as a Mistletoe at Christmas-time. Just print out a picture of Cupid, pin him up in the door way so he hangs, and when you get 'caught' under Cupid, you get KISSED! (Rumor has it that if Cupid shoots you with his arrow, you will fall in love with the first person you see...)
4. Have a Family Game Nite! It's a great way to spend quality time with the family.
5. Give family hugs.
6. Be sure to share the love you have with your spouse with your whole family, whom I am sure you love just as much!
7. There are also some really great ideas for crafts, activities, and printables over at KidsSoup.
8. Oh, ya! Don't forget to put the kids to bed early (wink wink), or at the very least occupy them, I mean treat them with a movie of their choice. It is a holiday, after all!

If the kids are still awake after all this, let them join in reminiscing over your wedding album, or write love letters to one another. One day, they'll remember how in love their parents were when they were young, and be thankful that you showed it to them and shared it with them.

For the Love Birds:

1. Make your Valentine feel special by leaving a small love note with three very magical words written on it. 'Do The Dishes', I'm totally kidding! Sort of. Write 'I Love You' on a note and place it beside their bed. They will feel so special when they wake up, knowing you thought about them. (Then he might do the dishes for you anyway!)
2. Prepare a nice home-made supper, preferably their favorite dish, and use your fine china. If you don't feel like cooking, call for take out and still use your fine china. Don't forget to light a few candles...It's fun!
3. Guys, women really like to get flowers. Or, at least I do! Personally, I prefer Oriental Lillies (Jack). I just love the way they smell!
4. Buying a card is great and all, but if you are the daring type (or just have a way with words) you can make a nice, colorful, heartfelt card instead. Either way, a card is a nice way to show your love an affection for your spouse (Jack).
5. If you aren't a master when it comes to words, you can always rely on good Old Faithful. Some action may be required on your part. That's right! Go on and give your spouse a nice tight hug! ;o)
6. Dim the lights, play some music softly in the background, and tell each other how much you love one another, and how special and important they are to you, and how you couldn't imagine your life without them in it...without words...

Well, that's all I've got. If anyone else has ideas they want to share, please do.

Hump Day Humor

I was tagged with this, and I thought it would be a fun thing to on my blog! I hope you all enjoy (and participate)!

Rules:

It's harder than it looks! Copy to your own blog, erase my answers, enter yours, and tag other people so they can enjoy some Hump Day Humor!!

Use the first letter of your name to answer each of the following questions. They have to be real - nothing made up!

If the person before you had the same first initial, you must use different answers. You cannot use any word twice and you can't use your name for the boy/girl name question. Have Fun!!

1. What is your name: Christie

2. A four Letter Word: Care

3. A boy's Name: Christopher

4. A girl's Name: Claire

5. An occupation: Chemist

6. A color: Cyan

7. Something you wear: Clothes

8. A type of house: Cabin

9. A food: Chicken

10. Something found in the bathroom: Commode

11. A place: Corpus Christi

12. A reason for being late: Cattle in the road (Hey, it's Texas! You never know.)

13. Something you shout: COME ON! (I yell this when I am driving in traffic...)

14. A movie title: Con Air

15. Something you drink: Cranberry Juice

16. A musical group: Coldplay

17. An animal: Canine

18. A street name: Creektree Lane

19. A type of car: Cadillac

20. The title of a song: Carol of the Bells - Trans Siberian Orchestra (My absolute favorite Christmas song!!)

I am tagging:

1. Shanna - For That Which Matters

2. Miranda - Keeper of the Cherios

3. (I'm sorry, but I don't know your name...) - Moms the Word

4. Jennie - Preteens, Toddlers and Newborns, Oh My!

5. Heather - Want What You Have

Lunch-Date with the Boys!!!

Today, my boys played hooky from work and school so they could have a "Hang-Out Day". Around 11:30 am, they called me at work and asked if we all could go to lunch together.

Jack picked up some bar-b-que on the way, and met me at work. When they came into my building, I could hear Jackson calling, "Mommaaaaa!" from all the way down in the lobby. (I work on the 6th floor, and my desk is on the other side of two very heavy glass entry doors on the corporate level.) I think it is amazing how a Mother's ears are so tuned in to their children's voices. I could probably hear Jackson sneeze a mile away, lol.
I hurry past the glass doors to the balcony past the elevators, and sure enough, there they were...like tiny little ants waving and yelling up to me, "Are ya comin' down, Mommaaa?!".

So sweet!

I grab my things and I go down to meet up with them.

Before we get to the truck, I take Jackson to go meet the woman who owns the cafe downstairs. Her name is Yoon, and she is from Korea. She has been wanting to meet Jackson for nearly two years now! She really is one of the nicest women I know!
After they met, she told Jackson he could have any candy bar he wanted from the shelf. He picked the Snickers King Size bar. (Good boy!)

As we leave Yoon's, I see something in the bed of Jack's truck...It's LEO! Yea! I got to see all of my boys at lunch! What a treat, especially after the crazy morning I had!

Here are some of the pictures I took with my phone while we were there at Hershey Park. It's a really nice park that is probably two miles away from where I work. It's still in the Energy Corridor, which makes it pretty convenient for lunch dates like these!

Talk About An Eventful Morning!

So, this is how my morning went today.

I get to work at 7:00 am, and as soon as I open the phone lines I get a phone call from 911 dispatch asking if everything was okay. I noted there was a meeting on the 6th floor (the floor I work on), so I told dispatch that someone may have tried to get an outside line and accidentally dialed 911 by mistake. As soon as I hang the phone up, a man that I work with tells me that there is a FIRE on the 3rd floor of the building, and that we all need to "Get Out!".

Great.

I haven't mentioned that I wear 4" heels... daily, have I?

I had just grabbed a cup of my morning coffee from the kitchen before I sat down at my desk, so when I was told to go, I gathered my things (my coat, purse, keys, and coffee) and began to walk down the hallway that leads to the stairwell. Because I am (obviously) in a hurry, my hot, fresh coffee is spilling with every step I take. For me, that is total Coffee-Abuse! When I reach the stairwell, I realized that it would probably be best that I not bring my coffee on my trip, so I set it down...without even taking my first sip.

Down I go - 6 stories, 12 flights of stairs, wearing 4" heels. YEA! With every passing floor, the herd of people gets increasingly more crowded. I really hate crowds, and this was a bit much to deal with, especially without having any coffee first! (I'll get over that in a little bit, I'm sure...)

The temperature this morning was in the low 30's, and we were told to wait outside in the parking lot until we received direction from the Fire Marshall. I met up with a small group of my girlfriends, and we watched as all the emergency vehicles made their way to our building. In all, there were 9 Ladders (Firetrucks), 4 Boosters, and 2 Ambulances.

Everyone got out of the building okay, and no one got hurt (Thank God!), but everyone was FREEZING from standing out in the cold for over an hour! My toes were so cold, it felt like needles were poking through them!

As it turns out, the fire started in the heating ducts on the third floor.

Once the firemen were through, they told us that all floors could return to work, except the 3rd floor. They needed to wait so the floor could air out before anyone returned.

Now, it's back up the 6 stories, 12 flights of stairs, in my 4" heels. By the time I got back to my desk, my butt hurt soo bad and my legs felt like jello. I'm so out of shape...

Now it's back to work; break-time over! (I got a new cup of coffee, so all is well, lol!!!)