The Perfect Weekend...

No, I didn't jet off to a sunny beach for the weekend and I didn't win the lottery. But I did have a fun-filled, action-packed weekend, overflowing with fabulous things and people. Here's a quick glance at some of the things that make me happy: My brother and his family (this includes the world's cutest nephew) came to town so we could all go to the Rangers-Rays play-off game. It was a bit toasty, but we had an awesome time at The Ballpark, despite a 6-3 loss. Baseball is something all four of us love and it's a great way to spend time together. It was also the monthly meeting of the Burger Babes. What's more fabulous than spending time with some totally spectacular women while enjoying a great burger? This month we ended up at Club Schmitz, an out-of-the way joint that's been around for over 60 years. There's nothing fancy about Club Schmitz, but when you need a good, solid burger, it's the place to go. And the company? Man, I know some pretty amazing women - there is never a lull in our conversations and laughter is never lacking! The big event of this perfect weekend was my 20th high school reunion. I'm sure additional reflecting on this event will solicit future blogs, but right now all I can say is that it was a blast. It is so much fun to hang out with people who influenced you (in both good and and not so good ways) as adults. And whatever differences we had in high school have disappeared. At this point in our lives, we are all just trying to make a good life for ourselves and our families. And just when I thought it couldn't get any better, I ended up at a pumpkin patch with one of my most favorite families and definitely my most favorite toddler, Lily Pie. My heart got that warm fuzzy feeling when she saw me and came running toward me yelling, "Tia, tia!" Now that's how to enjoy life!

The Grass Is Always Greener

It was probably about 12 years ago that I got the bright idea that I wanted to be a homeowner. Like many other people, I didn't want to throw away my income on rent and have nothing to show for it at the end of the day. So what if I was a single woman in the field of public education? Surely I could handle it, right??? Fast forward to January 2003 - I am now the proud(?) owner of a typical suburban home built in 1963. I loved the character of the house and all of the trees. I worked on painting and decorating; weekly trips to Home Depot and Bed, Bath, and Beyond filled my time. Skip ahead a few months and I have my first (of many) appointments with Rescue Rooter. Those fabulous trees I loved so much? Well, the roots had pretty much destroyed the original clay pipes. Eventually I was lucky enough to have my entire backyard dug up for some of those newfangled modern pipes. (Note the sarcasm, please.) Woo hoo! And of course, when you own a 40+ year old home, it's always something. In the past 2 years, I have become less enchanted with the idea of homeowning. Unfortunately, at this point in time, I'm stuck. Especially since this recession hit. What I have learned is that while homeowning can be rewarding, when you're a single girl, it can also be overwhelming. Do I do yardwork today, or do I clean the house? Or on a beautiful day like today, do I shun all responsibility and hang at the dog park with a good friend? There are many days when I would love to pack it all up and find a nice rental, or a townhome with less yard. Maybe in the near future . . .

Hmmm...

Well, I honestly thought I would be better at this blogging thing. After all, I often think of funny, witty things to say, and occasionally I even have an audience for said wit. The problem is, I don't usually have the wit and the time to blog at the same time. That, my friends, can be problematic. So, I told myself as I was skimming the unread items on my google reader that I would blog tonight if for no other reason than to build the habit. And unfortunately for whoever is reading this, I'm about out of cleverness and wit this evening. I was thinking I could share my latest cupcake adventure with you, but the only pics I have are the ones on my phone and I really don't feel like searching for my cord. Another time, I promise. They did turn out pretty cute if I may say so. It was a beach theme for my friend Angela's wedding shower. She's headed off to Jamaica in a few weeks for her wedding. I made two kinds of cupcakes - strawberry with cream cheese frosting and pina colada - that's all I can say for now. Stay tuned for pictures. Night!

And the Burgers...

Not only is it all about the cupcakes, it's also all about the burgers. Besides cupcakes, hamburgers are another passion of mine. Yes, hamburgers. I'm currently on the quest for the best burger in DFW and let me tell you, looking is a lot of fun. In November, we kicked off the Burger Babes with an inaugural event at Jake's on McKinney. While the burger was good, it really didn't strike a chord with any of us. Actually, it did spark the saying (and our official motto), more meat! Wait, what is that, you say? You're wondering what is a Burger Babe? Well, it is what it is. A fabulous woman who loves burgers and is willing to search until she finds the perfect one. And it's hard to define exactly what makes a fabulous burger; it's really all about your personal preferences. What's important to you in a burger? Is it the meat, or the buns? Sometimes the patty is so juicy the buns fall apart. Does that bother you? Or maybe it's the sides. No worries...I'll come back to all of this eventually. I had a bit of trouble figuring out what my blog should be about. What I've decided is that any blog should be about what makes you (the blogger) happy. Whether it's your kids, your job, or your hobby, blogging is really about sharing your interests with others, and maybe, if you're lucky, getting them to think about something in a different way. That's it for tonight. I'll get the hang of this thing yet...

Here we go...

About a year ago, I thought it would be a great idea for me to do a travel blog. I set it all up and did the introduction as I prepared to go on a family vacation to Florida. We had a great time, spending time in Orlando and Vero Beach. There was a slight hitch though. I typically don't take a laptop on my vacations. After all, it is supposed to be a break from reality. Needless to say, I forgot all about it once I re-entered the real world and there it's been sitting in cyberspace for a year. Can't even remember email or password I associated it with. All that to say, I'm gonna try again. This time it's a more general blog. Yes, there will be travel, but it will also be about everyday life for a thirty-something single girl living in the DFW area. Not all that exciting, but hopefully entertaining to whomever decides to read it, and it's a great way for me to chronicle my crazy, non-stop life.