Happy Birthday!

So today is my Best Friends birthday. I wanted to take the time to tell her Happy Birthday. You know, to me, birthdays are the greatest thing in the world. I am like a 5 year old on my birthday. It's the biggest most important day ever to me. I love it. I know not everyone is like that, but I am. So today on my BFF's special day I want her to know that I'm thinking about her. So, Shawna, here's to you.....I hope your birthday is fabulous. Take at least 5 minutes for yourself today, just to enjoy your birthday. Have a "big ass" vanilla dr pepper and think of me. If I can't be there in person at least I can be there in spirit. So I guess what I'm saying is I love you "Emma" & Happy Birthday.....Love, "Liv"

Sometimes in life there really are bonds formed that can never be broken. Sometimes you really can find that one person who will stand by you no matter what. Maybe you'll find it in a spouse and celebrate it with your dream wedding, but theres also the chance that the one person you can count on for a lifetime, the one person who knows you sometimes better than you know yourself is the same person who's been standing beside you all along.  --Bride Wars

Lady A...

Ok so we've long since established that I'm in love with music. Tomorrow one of my all time favorite bands has a cd dropping and I'm so excited about it I can't hardly stand it! I've been holding out to buy this cd for at least a month! Lady Antebellum, they take my breath away. I'm more than excited that tomorrow I will finally own thier second cd!! I'm quite positive that it will be just as amazing as thier first! They have this sound that just sucks you in and you can't help but stay there. You wanna sing along, you wanna dance....mostly they have that kind of music that makes you feel. To me that is the greatest kind of music. So tonight my blog is about Lady A....one of the greatest bands you'll ever listen to. Here's one of my favorite songs....or at least the lyrics. Click Here to hear audio of song....

Can't Take My Eyes Off You lyrics


I know that the bridges that I've burned
Along the way
Have left me with these walls and these scars
That won't go away
And opening up has always been the hardest thing
Until you came

[Chorus]

So lay here beside me just hold me and don't let go
This feelin' I'm feelin' is somethin' I've never known
And I just can't take my eyes off you
And I just can't take my eyes off you

I love when you tell me that I'm pretty
When I just woke up
And I love how you tease me when I'm moody
and it's never too much
I'm falling fast and the truth is I'm not scared at all
You broke my wall
[Repeat Chorus]

Riley...

So I thought today I'd write about my dog, Riley. This morning when my hubby got up to go to work, he fed Riley & put him back in the house so he could go back to sleep. Well, I love when this happens. I wake up to a puppy dog face in my face more times that not....he likes to cuddle. The greatest thing about this dog is that he LOVES to cuddle. He's a sweet dog. I got him 6 years ago, against Seth's better judgement. See, I wanted a dog, a big dog, and Seth already had one that I had adopted for him at the shelter here. But he was gone on a rig site working when I found Riley. I remember going to look at him....his sweet face. Oh I fell in love. I'm so glad that I did. I brought him home and Seth was mad. He didn't want this dog, he didn't want to have to feed another mouth. But he grew to love him. He taught him all kinds of tricks, shake, lay, sit, crawl, beg, and my personal favorite....he taught him how to hold a biscuit on his nose until we say "Ok". He's a smart dog. He's a sweet dog. This year we had to put his "brother", Cadon, to sleep. It was hard on all of us. But we are both really glad that we have Riley. Seth would never admit to that but I know he is. He's taken him fishing and out running around in the woods with him several times. I've been bad to spoil him too, like this morning waking up and just enjoying a little bit of the cuddle time. He loves to be cuddled, his tail goes all crazy and he smiles his big doggy grin. He's a good dog. I never thought I'd get as attached to a dog as I am to him. My best friend comments that it's like I have a kid, because I'm always telling him to leave the kitchen...I  talk to him about the same way as she talks to her 5  & 3 year old sons! Anyway, I just wanted to share that he makes my heart happy. He loves me unconditionally and there are times when I'm upset and he knows somehow....he always sticks super close to me on those days. He's a great dog. I'm so glad that I didn't listen to that husband of mine....now here's some cute pics of my darling little baby. I have to share you know....proud "mom" and all.

A built in Best Friend....

So 26 years ago today, I was an only child. I was waiting on the arrival of a brand new baby brother. He arrived early on January 22, 1984....screaming of course and I was upset because the doctor brought him to me without clothes. Mom's favorite memory is me asking the doctor "where's hims clothes at?" I was 3 okay! My english wasn't that great! He was born at 8:10 on Super Bowl Sunday.....my baby brother. I remember how he was like a living breathing doll. I would hold him and cuddle him. I had this little rocking chair and I have seen video of me pulling his chunky butt up in the chair with me and rocking him and patting him til he fell asleep. We did everything together. We were instant best friends. We danced on laundry baskets together, played outside at Mammaw's together. You name it and we did it, he was the greatest gift my parents ever gave me. I remember going through high school and him being a freshman while I was a senior....oh he was the greatest thing in my world. I remember not letting him in the car if he didn't match. I remember him picking up the broken pieces of my heart after a terrible break up. I remember him always being a constant in my life. So tonight as I reminesce on the last 26 years I've had with this wonderful kid I call "Bubba"....I just wanted to share those memories and maybe a few pictures. He's been my light at the end of the tunnel sometimes. There's a song that reminds me of him....it's by Nickelcreek, called "When You Come Back Down"....It talks about how I'll always be there when you crash and burn, when you come back down. I hope he knows that I will always be there. I will always love him. He's always been my built in best friend. From the moment my eyes saw him, I knew that he was going to be special....and not in the ed way...although he has his moments. He's a great kid, or should I say man? I'm proud to be his sister. Proud to call him mine....my little brother. I love you Bubba.

Love, Sisa

Yoga

So most of you don't even realize that I used to take Yoga lessons. I did. It's been years since I took them. I LOVED them though. I started taping a Yoga lesson this week. I've decided that between the gym and Yoga maybe that's a healthier way for me to be. I remember when I took Yoga before, it helped keep me centered. It was something I did just for me. Everyday I would come home and before I went to bed I would do my 30 minutes or more of Yoga. I didn't realize until today how much I had missed it. I did my first workout tonight. It was refreshing. I know most people think it's a bunch of crap, but I love it. The streches are awesome and they really do relieve tension. The breathing exercises are amazing....I'm hoping that I can keep this up. It's probably one of my best ideas so far this year!! Anyway, that's what's going on here with me today. Nothing exciting really, just me, doing Yoga again....I know, it's not exciting to anyone else! Oh well....Have a great day!

Thankful...

Today I'm thankful. There are so many things that I'm thankful for. I have some great friends in my life that I don't know what I would do if they weren't around. I have the greatest family that anyone could ever ask for. And I think I have the most wonderful husband in the world. The last few days I've had have been really nice. I've gotten to spend a little bit of time by myself, getting to do things that I normally only get to do when Seth is working nights. I watched some great shows on tv, cleaned my house MY WAY, I even made some really cute graphics on the computer. I enjoyed the "me time" but I'm ready for my hubby to be back home tonight taking over the tv to watch sports. So because I am so thankful for so much today, I'm posting some pics of some things that I am truly thankful for today. Enjoy!!

Just a Great Day...

So my day has been pretty great. I woke up to a thank you note left by my husband because I cleaned up the house lastnight and did a few other things that he wanted. He didn't have to tell me thank you, but, it's nice when he does....makes me feel appreciated. I went and did my grocery shopping with my parents like I do most Saturdays. Then Mom convinced me that I needed to try out her Wii Fit....that was entertaining to say the least. I did yoga, down hill skiing, hula hooping, boxing, and I'm sure there was more. I tried to play a bunch of the games. It was fun and it made me laugh some of it. It was frustrating some of it too!! It was a good day though. I got to see my grandparents, they laughed as I did the Wii....I even got Mammaw to try to headbutt soccer balls on it at one point....which was hysterical! It was a great day.

Tonight I have the house to myself. I decided that since I cleaned house lastnight I would have myself a "girls night". You know the kind where you give yourself a mani/pedi, facial, and veg out on snacks while watching tv that you normally don't have time for? Yeah well, that's what my night is supposed to have been. I successfully did the whole mani/pedi thing and I have had a few good snacks...I swear we have nothing in this house and I just went to the store! But as I was flipping through the channels to find something on tv to watch I stumbled upon the Colts game and now I'm frozen there watching my favorite quarterback play his heart out. See the thing that most people don't know about me is that I actually enjoy watching sports. I live with a man that watches pretty much nothing but ESPN and while there are days that I get really tired of that, when he's not home, I do find myself watching football games and basketball games whenever there's a good game going and I'm home alone. Well, I've been glued to this tv for about an hour and a half now....maybe longer, cheering for Peyton Manning. This is the perfect ending to my great day.

Discovery...

So I've been trying to write on here more often. I don't know why. I'm pretty sure there are only 3 people at the most who even KNOW about this blog. But I do it anyway. I was at work today and I was listening to my iPod (suprised I know) and I swear, time just slipped away. Before I knew it, the bell for work to be over was ringing. You know in my last blog, I said music is like oxygen to me. I wasn't kidding. I discovered today that I have a very odd sense of taste in music. I found a "cd" on my iPod by "The Calling" and I haven't listened to them in years. But I fell back in love with them the moment I heard them belting out the lyrics to "Adrienne". I do this from time to time because you see I listen to so many different kinds of music that I forget about a band or a singer that I "just couldn't live without" sometimes. This week it's The Calling....next week it might be Lifehouse...although I find it hard to believe I could ever forget them. They are my "everything will be okay" band.....when everything is going wrong, I listen to them, have a good cry, and everything seems to be better. I need to listen to them sometime soon. You see, a couple months ago a friend of mine that I've had for about 10 years, well, we parted ways. I've had a difficult time walking away from that friendship. She said a lot of very hurtful things to me. She's been trying to make amends and while I give her credit for the effort, my heart doesn't feel like taking it anymore. I haven't "Lifehouse'd" it up over that one. Maybe that's why I miss her...maybe it's because she's one of those friends I always thought nothing could ever come between. Maybe it's because of all the things I helped her through and everything she'd been there for me through. I don't know. I just know that I miss her. I don't know that our relationship could ever be the same if we did try to work things out. I know that a big part of me would always hold back. And in my mind I don't think that is how friendship is supposed to be. You should be able to be honest. I know myself well enough to know that I would always hold back. But still, part of me wonders if I reach out, is my hand going to get bitten? There's a Daughtry song that I think of when I think of this situation. I know I'm hopeless. I'm musical....deal with it. It's my blog anyway.

Daughtry
Learn My Lesson

Tonight the sunset means so much
The one thing that you know you'll never touch
Like the feeling, the real thing
I reach out for that sweet dream


But somehow the darkness wakes me up
I've felt this emptiness before
But all the times that I've been broken
I still run right back for more


You'd think that I'd learn my lesson by now
You'd think that I'd somehow figure out
That if you strike the match
You're bound to feel the flame


You think that I'd learn the cost of love
Paid that price long enough
But still I drive myself right through the pain
Yeah, well it turns out, I haven't learned a thing


Sometimes I think I'm better off
To turn out the lights and close up shop
And give up the longing, believing in belonging
Just hold down my head and take the loss


You'd think that I'd learn my lesson by now
You'd think that I'd somehow figure out
That if you strike the match
You're bound to feel the flame


You'd think that I'd learn the cost of love
Paid that price long enough
But still I drive myself right through the pain
Yeah, well it turns out, I haven't learned a thing

It'll take you back....

Music. It will take you to a different place and time. To me, music is like oxygen. My world doesn't revolve without it. Tonight I was searching for my SheDaisy cd. I have all of them but for some strange reason I can't find the very first one. I've gone through all the cd cases that I have here at my house and it's no where. But while going through the cds I did find a mixed cd from "back in the day"....I put it in and listened to it. I knew what kind of music it was going to be simply by the title I had written on it. It was titled "Idiot Mix 2001-2002" so I remember very clearly what was going on in my life at that point and time. It's funny to me to listen to that cd. I put it in and even if you didn't know the story line, you would be able to pick it up fairly quickly. Music is a funny funny thing. I love it. I can listen to playlists that I have now. They all have a different "story" so to speak. See, my best friend, she's a writer. She can write these amazing stories. I often find myself wondering if she reads what I write, and if she's cringing or correcting it as she goes! I know that she's not but seriously folks, she's got talent. When she's upset, I get these "novel" emails because for her writing is comfort. For me, lyrics tell the story I can't. So she tends to get a link to a song or lyrics if I'm trying to tell her something. Because I suck at doing the emotional thing. I am great with music though. You give me story or situation and I can find you a song to fit. I love music. I always have. I always will. I think one of my all time favorite songs was actually rediscovered on that cd tonight. I had forgotten about it because it had been a while since I had heard it. But here's the lyrics to the song that stood out to me today. It's by Blessid Union of Souls and it's called "I Wanna Be There"


Won't you let me catch your fall
Won't you let me lend a hand
These lonely eyes have seen it all
But love's too blind to understand
Cause you don't know what you have
'Till your everything is gone
You need someone to show you how to live again

I wanna be there when you're feeling high
I wanna be there when you wanna die
I'm gonna light your fire
Gonna fuel your flame
I wanna be there when you go insane
I wanna be there when you're feelin' down
And I'll be there when your head is spinnin' round
Gonna be your lover
Gonna be your friend
I wanna be there 'till the end

You wouldn't know that I was there
'Cause I have been there all the time
And if I had my way I'd hold you in my arms
And leave this madness all behind

'Cause you got so much to give
But you throw it all away
And all you got to show
for who you are is pain

And I've got so much to give
If you'd only let me in
I'm gonna take the time to show you I'm a friend
You'll believe in love again

I wanna be there in the pouring rain
I wanna be there when you call my name
I'm gonna light your fire
Gonna fuel your flame
I wanna be there when you go insane
I wanna be there when I'm outta town
And when your whole damn world is crashing down
I'm gonna be your lover
Gonna be your friend
I wanna be there 'till the end

Cause you don't know what you have
Til your everything is gone
You need someone to show you how to live again

And I got so much to give
If you'd only let me in
I'm gonna take the time to show you I'm a friend
You'll believe again

I wanna be there when your baby cries
I wanna be there when they tell you lies
I'm gonna light your fire
Gonna fuel your flame
I wanna be there when you go insane
I wanna be there when your nights are long
And when you're feeling like you don't belong
Gonna be your lover
Gonna be your friend
Gonna be there 'till the end

I'm gonna be there in the morning
I'm gonna be there in the night
Gonna be your lover
Gonna be your friend
Gonna be there 'till the end

My Best Friend...

Tonight I'm wishing that I had the movie Bride Wars. I wish that I could be staying up late for a girls night with my BFF watching it. But I can't so I'm writing this blog to just take a minute and say that I have the greatest best friend ever. Bride Wars is OUR MOVIE! I swear it's so much like us. We watched the movie separately and still thought the same thoughts and had the same feelings about the movie. She's the "Emma" in our relationship and I'm the "Liv"....we balance eachother and bring out eachother's very best. We truly were meant to be best friends. I don't know what I would do if I didn't have her in my life. I remember that about a month ago she sent me chocolates just because I was having a really bad month....on the box it said something like "I thought you could use these...love Emma" ..... no her name isn't Emma. Not even close. But she's the greatest. My very own Emma. And I'm very grateful to have her. So "Emma" if you are reading this today, please know that I love you. You are the greatest best friend a girl could ever ask for.

Mastering the Art of Cheesecake....

Well, as I mentioned in my last blog post, I got a springform pan for Christmas. I have since made 3 cheesecakes. I'm quite positive that I am going to weigh 850 pounds before I finish making all the cheesecake recipes I want to try! Oh well, I've really enjoyed that pan. This weekend I took one of the cheesecakes with me to my Mom & Dad's house, along with some plates that belong to a set of china that my Grandma Inez gave me when I was 9. Grandma always told me never to touch those dishes so I have never used them, never wanted to because I was afraid of her. She passed away around Thanksgiving this year so I decided I was going to eat on those plates if it killed me. I don't believe in having dishes that you don't use....there's not anything in this world that's "special occassion" enough for me to save my dishes for. So I wanted to eat this cheesecake with Mom & Dad on Grandma's dishes. It was fun. No one died and the dishes are still fine.

I made another cheesecake today. It's a Chocolate Amaretto Cheesecake and it looks so pretty I almost don't want to cut into it. But it smells SO good! I am taking it to my inlaws tomorrow and plan on eating a piece while I'm there! I hope it tastes as good as it looks! This whole cheesecake venture was set in motion by them, they were the ones that bought the pan for me.....so I'm hoping they don't mind eating cheesecake with me for the year. I have so many recipes I want to try! I just wanted to share my latest crazy venture. The one that allows me to use my standing mixer....my most favorite kitchen appliance! That's really the latest going on with me this week. Making cheesecake....eating cheesecake....looking for lots of recipes for cheesecake....and trying to remember to exercise everyday so I don't weight 850 pounds!



And I hope you have enjoyed my latest post! I'm going to try and do this maybe once a week....but life gets busy so no promises! And here's just a random picture of my latest look.....along with one of my many scarves....I have a scarf fetish.....LOVE scarves....would be happy if I had 100 million of them....they make me happy. This one was a gift from my Brother & Sister in law....