Oops I burned myself!

I have always loved playing with my hair and doing my makeup.

This morning I had flashbacks to being in 3rd or 4th grade when we would play dress up. This isn't your normal put on costumes or tutus dress up. My mom is a school teacher so we stayed home during the summer and had a lot of time to use our imaginations. We didn't just dress up we went all out. We would put on makeup and style our hair. I can specifically picture an outfit that was navy blue. It was a blouse of my moms with a scarf wrapped as a skirt and my mom's navy heels. I loved that outfit!

It was super fun and I have a lot of great memories and pictures. I wish I had some of the pictures uploaded to share with you.

But as the saying says "beauty is pain." In the process of getting all dressed up I would often burn myself with the curling iron when trying to get my hair just perfect.

This morning as I straightened my hair I had a little flashback to those awesome summers

It is kinda hard to see the burn in the picture I tried to take of myself with my camera phone but it is definitely visible in person. If you look at the picture it kinda looks like a horizontal lipstick kiss mark in the middle of the square.

When I told Kyle about it this morning his response was "I hope it is still there when you get home so I can see it." So loving and sympathetic.

This is kinda a random blog but I thought it was both funny and sucky!

Life's not fair

I heard that quote a lot growing up.


Me: Mary gets to perm her hair!! It's not fair.
Dad: Life's not fair


Me: All my friends have their ears pierced before they are 10. It's not fair.
Dad: Life's not fair.


Me: My friends get to stay out until midnight. It's not fair.
Dad: Life's not fair.


There were many of those types of conversations and I learned a lot from reflecting back on those conversation.

• Dad was the main disciplinarian and I know he didn't always like that role.
• Permed hair isn't for everyone; I am glad my parents didn't let me perm my hair.
• The rule to get our ears pierced was we had to wait until we were 10 and I still don't know if I agree with this rule because at that age I knew to fear pain and I think it was a lot more traumatizing at 10 than it would have been at 6 months.
• Usually the things that happen at midnight aren't good things.
• Parent usually makes rules for a reason and they are usually in our best interest.
• And daddy wasn't just saying that to shut me up.

It is true, life isn't fair. Though I knew that life wasn't fair years ago I am still learning.

Me: Everyone else gets a baby.
Daddy doesn't have to say that life's not fair...


Life isn't fair. Life isn't perfect.


Bad things happen to good people and good things happen to bad people.


I was raised in a Christian family that had a lot of faith in God and our church. We were told things like "be nice to your sister, Jesus is watching you" or "if you don't go to church you will be punished." The flip side of this was that if we did good things and were good Christians then good things would happen to us. We would live a good life and be happy. To this day I catch myself saying things like "yay I just found $5, it is because I went to church!" or "yay front row parking spot, parking with Jesus." I even say things like "I got a horrible pimple, it is because I didn't say my prayers before bed."


I honestly thought if I didn't lie, went to church, helped the poor, and loved my neighbor that I would live an easy happy life. But that isn't always true. Just because someone goes to church every week or even every day doesn't mean bad things aren't going to happen. Jesus didn't promise us that if we had faith and were good Christians that our lives would be perfect.


A teenage girl who never wanted a baby and cannot properly provide for a child will get pregnant while a person who would do anything to get a baby and can properly provide for a baby will struggle with infertility.


An atheist woman may live to be a 102 while my grandmother who was a devout Catholic and the holiest person I know will have life cut short at 67 after a painful battle with cancer.


An innocent child will suffer from a brain tumor and live her days confined to a hospital bed while a murderer will roam free.


This post isn't meant to depress you (though I must admit I am crying as I write it). This post is meant to be a wake up call. It is only in these last few months and probably still in years to come that I am learning this lesson.


It is easy to doubt God when things aren't going our way or when things aren't perfect or "fair." But we need to remember in those times that this isn't it. This isn't the end. This is just the means to the end.


God DID NOT promise a life of no pain or hurt, but he DID promise us that if we lead a good faithful life here on earth we will get a chance to be a part of perfect and fair. We will get to join him in Heaven where there is no sin or hurt. And we must know that with God's love and our faith in him we can get through anything here on earth until we get to be part of perfect.


1 Corinthians 10:13- No trial has come to you but what is human. God is faithful and will not let you be tried beyond your strength, but with the trial he will also provide a way out, so that you may be able to bear it.

Wedding, NCIS, Flamin Hot, and Pumpkins

Kyle and I had a very nice weekend.

Friday night was Kyle's brother Kevin's wedding. There were a few bumps along the way but overall the wedding was very nice. Jenni looked gorgeous and I now have a new sister-in-law.

After the wedding Kyle and I drove to Springtown to pick up a toolbox that he found on Craigslist. Yes it was like 11:30 at night when we got to this guys house but Kyle was convinced that he had to do it that night and the guy was willing to. But Kyle got a really good deal on the toolbox so I guess it was worth it.

Then Saturday morning Kyle went to Ennis to mow a pasture for my dad. Kyle loves to do stuff down in the river bottom any chance he can and my dad is happy to let him help. Kyle left the house around 8 and didn't get home until 9:30. I ran quite a few errands, did laundry and watched my NCIS episodes from Netflix.


Sunday morning I went to church. On the way home I stopped at Sam's to get some things. While I was there I found these. In case you didn't know I love Flamin hot anything. Flamin hot cheetos, funyuns, fritos, puffy cheetos. This is a multi-pack with regular flamin hot cheetos, funyuns, hot fries, munchies, and flamin hots with lime. I don't like the lime ones but I figured I could find someone to eat them. Such a fun find!!

Then Kyle and I ran a long list of errands. One of those errands was to Lowe's to get a new shower head. We have been in our house for 2 years and it wasn't until about 3 months ago that Kyle and I admitted to each other that we hate that shower head. It is a horrible shower head. It gives out such a strong stream that Kyle and I joke that it is power washer. We bought a new one for $20 and man it is like heaven. It feels like a massage in the shower and Kyle and I love it. We forgot how nice a shower could feel versus the beating we received from our old shower head.

Then I spray painted these pumpkins for our front porch. I got the idea from another blog and loved it. It took a couple of trips to get the right spray paint I wanted but I think they turned out cute.

This is our pumpkin family: Ranger, Kyle Riley and I. Then the little ones were just so cute and they came in a bag of eight. We don't plan on having eight kids...

Then we ended Sunday with a game of Texas Hold'em with David and Jen.

We enjoyed the weekend.

Pregnancy and Infant Loss Rememberance Day

This day is today. It is a day to remember the babies we have lost during pregnancy or in infancy.

On Saturday July 3rd my life changed in an instant. It would never been the same. I became a mommy. I had been feeling off for a couple of days so I decided to take a pregnancy test. This is what I saw....

I was shocked and thrilled. I remember Kyle's reaction like it was yesterday. He just couldn't believe it. So we went to CVS and bought more tests to check again.

Yes he made me take 2 more tests. But there was no denying what it said. There it was in plain English. We were thrilled and it was perfect timing because we were going to get to share this with our family over 4th of July. We told my parents with a cute onesie (I don't have a picture of it) and Kyle's parents with a F-35 pool float that is the same type of plane that Kyle is assigned to as his job.

It was an amazing wonderful weekend. That excitement didn't last long as I started bleeding and miscarried my baby on July 8, 2010. I was pregnant for 18 days (almost 5 weeks for the way they medically calculate it).

I know to some it sounds silly and dramatic that my life changed and will never be the same. After all it isn't like I was 8 weeks and heard the heartbeat or 12 weeks with a baby bump or 16 weeks and learning the sex of my baby or 9 month and have to give birth to a child and then lose it. But from the moment I saw the words "pregnant" I became a mommy. I knew that I had life in me and that I would bring a child into this world. But God had a different plan for us. We would not bring a child into this world. After 18 days I was no longer a mommy. I would not get to experience all of those milestones with my baby.

I would have been 19 weeks this coming Sunday and probably already know if we were having a boy or girl.

I know that someday I will get to experience all of those milestones but I can't help but think that I wanted to experience those with that baby. The next pregnancy will not make up for the lost one. I will always miss those unexperienced milestones. I will always think of that baby and what he or she would have been like.

I look forward to the day when we see the words "pregnant" again, and we hear a heartbeat, find out the sex, and bring a baby into this world. Today however is for the baby that Kyle and I lost.

In remembrance of Baby Cline lost on July 8, 2010 and due March 14, 2011.

Yesterday was a pretty awesome day!

Well honestly the morning sucked because I decided to get a flu shot and I was dreading it. I hate needles but I decided to suck it up this time. And yesterday was the day to do it because they were free at work. It really wasn't bad but my arm is still sore from the shot.

Then we had a nice luncheon for COPAS which is a society for oil and gas accountants.

Then I went to a meet and greet at a local elementary school. My coworker/friend Christal and I are volunteering with Junior Achievement this fall. Junior Achievement is a program where adults go teach a less for 5 weeks to school age kids regarding different "life skills." Last spring Christal and I taught 1st grade and we had a lot of fun. This year we were assigned 4th grade so that will be a big change. I am really looking forward to starting next Friday.

Then I went home and got ready to head to Ennis for CRHP. We had a follow up meeting that was really nice. It was good to see all of my CRHP sisters and catch up. I look forward to doing it again next month.

The only bad thing about the CRHP meeting is that it was at 7 which happened to be the same time the Ranger game started. Therefore I got occasional texts with updates on the score but that was it. I got to hear the last 3 innings on the radio on my way home which was good. It wasn't as good as watching it on tv or even better seeing it live but it was still awesome. And of course I had Kyle tivo it so I can watch it tonight when I have time just to see the video instead of vocal play-by-play.

I am so excited for the Rangers!! What a great way to end the day. In fact I am still on a high from it!!

I am one proud momma today!!

Ok so I meant to post this last week after the Rangers won the ALDS series. I wanted to upload the pics I have with Michael Young and Ian Kinsler but I couldn't find them on my computer and didn't feel like scanning them. So here is the post without those.

Courtesy of mlb website

That is exactly how I felt last night when the Rangers won game 5!! Like a proud momma. I got tears in my eyes and my chest got tight thinking about how awesome this was for all of those well deserving guys.

I am especially excited for my favorite current Rangers player (favorite former player is Rusty Greer) Michael Young. I think so highly of him and all the things is does on and off the field. He is the team captain and core of the team. A lot of hype has been built about Josh Hamilton this year and though I do like him I think it has been a little overboard. He has been such an important part of this team and I am glad that Michael Young is finally getting to be in the playoffs and win like he deserves.

My second favorite player is Ian Kinsler. I love his enthusiasm, spirit, and over all personality. He has a love for the game that a lot of players miss. He and Michael Young are very close friends and I am happy for the both of them.

I am also very excited for the fans. So many fans have waited so long for this to happen. I was very close friends with the guys who played baseball in high school. To be honest those cute baseball boys were the reason I rekindled my love for the Rangers. Most of them were huge Rangers fans since t-ball. I wasn't a die hard fan from a young age however I have been to a lot of Rangers' games over the years.

I remember going with my Aunt Carla and cousins. We would pack a cooler with snacks and drinks and then usually just get ice cream at the stadium. We usually sat in horrible seats and probably didn't see most of the game because we were distract by watching people ride the roller coasters across the street at Six Flags. Yes, we were that high or we would go up there just to see the rides.

I also remember going with my parents over the years and one time we sat right by the camera man that we tried to hook Carla up with. Yes she got the joy of using our 6th ticket. And thanks to our friendliness with the camera man we got to be on the jumbotraun a couple of times.

In the 2006 season I had the luxury of going to a lot of Ranger games. My roommate Jodi's fiance Corey worked for Ameriquest while it was Ameriquest park and had the benefit of free tickets and even suites. I went to about 15 games that season. That was a special year for me because I started dating Kyle and the first picture we ever took together was at the Ranger game in one of the suites.

This year Kyle and I decided to plan a trip to NYC in April. We picked a weekend and it just so happened that the weekend we picked the Rangers were playing the Yankees in NYC! Of course I told Kyle that we had to go. We went, it was freezing, got rained out, and they lost but it was an amazing experience. It is actually my dream to visit every major league ballpark.

Then in June of this year we were invited to sit in XTO's seats right behind home plate. It was an amazing game even though they lost. We spent most of the game in awe of our seats and trying to not pick our noses because we were on tv. My BIL (brother-in-law) Trent thought it was funny to send me texts the entire time telling me what I was doing.

Then in July we got invited to sit in the XTO suite at the Ranger game and this time it was catered (the previous times in the suite it wasn't catered since no one rented them and they were just complimentary.) This game had a huge rain delay and unfortunately the Rangers' lost. Are y'all sensing a trend here? Kinda depressing!! Maybe I am bad luck.

Then here in October we bought tickets to Game 3 of the ALDS series and got to experience the most amazing Rangers game in history to date and unfortunately they lost. Of course after their win last night we know that there will be even bigger games starting on Friday.

Okay I got the hint. I will not be attending anymore Rangers' games this year. I would like to say it is because I think I am bad luck but honestly it is because I am just not willing to dig that deep into my wallet. Now world series game....I don't know that I will be able to hold back but lets take this one game at a time.

That is the history of my love for the Rangers. I don't know if y'all care but I did this post more for my own memories.

I am so excited for all the Rangers players, Rangers organization and fans. This next series is going to be amazing!!!

What a weekend....

Friday evening we went to dinner with David and Jen at Kincaids and then just hungout at home.

Saturday we slept in, made pancakes for breakfast, and ran to the dealership to pick up Kyle's truck that needed some maintenance work done. Then Melisa met me at our house and we went to Arlington to meet my Granny, Mom, Aunt Neva, and Neva's mother-in-law Katherine at Spring Creek for lunch. Granny, my mom, Katherine, and my Aunt Gayle all have October birthdays so we have recently started a tradition of doing a girls lunch. Unfortunately Aunt Gayle wasn't able to make it. We had a very good time at lunch.

Granny, Mom, Melisa, and I headed over to Joann's craft store and Melisa and I each picked some fabric for Granny to make us tablecloths. Kyle and I love our table because it is unique in fact it is so unique I can't find a tablecloth to fit it. It is a 5 x 5 ft table.

Then Kyle met us there to pick me up and head to the Ranger playoff game. Unfortunately traffic was horrible which made it a stressful and not fun time to find parking. We finally found parking and made it to our seats about 10 minutes before the first pitch. The stadium was packed in fact it set a record for 51,746 people which was the most people ever in the stadium.

Pretty amazing huh? The atmosphere was amazing! My adrenaline was pumping so much I didn't want to leave my seat. I was so afraid I was going to miss something. But we eventually decided to get some food!

Kyle got a hot dog and beer and I got cajun fries and a drink. My cajun fries were super yummy! I should have gotten some ranch to go with them but they were still good.

Here is a pic of Kyle and I at the game before things headed south. Unfortunately we did not get to see the Rangers clench the series but hopefully they will on Tuesday with Cliff Lee on the mound.

Traffic was horrible leaving again so we have decided that in the future we will plan to tailgate after the game like other smart people instead of moving up 2-3 feet every 2 minutes for an hour. It was no fun after a loss.

Sunday Kyle and I went to church and then Melisa and I went to Cowboy Stadium to meet up with my parents and volunteer at a concession stand. Kyle went home...his excuse for not volunteering was that he "doesn't like people." Which was fine with me. We volunteered at the TCU vs Oregon State game and had a lot of fun. This time it was a little more hectic and unorganized because we didn't have enough people. The supervisor was a stickler for the rules because the health department was stopping by so when we decided to eat some nachos before the game my mom and Melisa hid in the walk-in fridge to eat them out of sight. It was hilarious because I went to find them (so I could eat some) and I didn't see them anywhere. Then I see my mom's head in the window of the fridge. We could not stop laughing and it was even funnier when a couple of minutes later my dad stops by to eat some of our chips in the fridge. I wish I had my phone to take a picture of us. We didn't last long because it wasn't that good and it was kinda cold in there.

Then we were waiting for the game to stop by and my dad spotted Babe Laufenberg the CBS 11 sports guy at the game. We said hi and he said hi back but of course he wasn't there to eat our nachos he was just passing by on his way to wherever he does his broadcast from.

We had a good time at the Stadium even though the Ranger and Cowboys both lost. We were all pretty tired by the end of the night and ready to head home and rest our feet.

I got home to a nice clean house thanks to my amazing husband. He and the team were all happy to see mommy come home.

It was a nice weekend but very busy. This coming weekend we have Kyle's brother Kevin's wedding so it should be another fun eventful weekend.