THE Awkward Question

I'm pretty much an open book. You can ask me just about anything on any given day and I'm happy to answer it...in some way, shape or form. Even if it's personal, I don't mind. You can ask me things you would probably never ask anyone else and I'll typically have a pretty straightforward answer. This may make me sound vain but I actually enjoy talking about myself. (Hello?! Reason #56982 why I blog!)

There is, however, one question that I've been asked a lot lately and it is, hands down, one of the most awkward questions I have to answer.

Any guesses?

While some of your minds go straight to the baby question, you can get that answer here.

(And NO, that's not the question I'm talking about.)

While others may think I'm referring to the question "Are those things REAL?", that's not it either.

(Sarcasm, people. Sarcasm.)

I'm actually referring to a question that seems quite simple, but for me, it automatically puts me into panic mode. It sends me racing through my thoughts trying to figure out how the hell I'm supposed to respond with a legitimate answer.

"So what have you been up to lately?"

Typically it's asked by family or friends that I haven't seen in a while. You know...old sorority sisters, random 2nd cousins, parent's co-workers, etc...

And I know this may seem elementary to some of you but me?

I find it to be one of the toughest questions to answer.

My first thought is, clearly, "Well I DO have a blog and if you read it YOU WOULD KNOW!!" But then I step down from my soap box and realize that Facebook is apparently where all the "official" news happens these days and well since I don't have Facebook, you had no idea that I was even alive.

Then I start to think "Well crap. What have I been up to?"

Hmmm...lets see. "I'm an old married woman now. I have a job that I am extremely passionate about. I work out 3 to 4 times a week and I watch the Bachelor every Monday night. I like long walks on the beach and passionate kisses from my husband. (ha). I also have the privilege of traveling quite a bit, too." To me, life is great but with and answer like that, I can see how someone may think I'm less than interesting.

So then I think, "Shit. Am I that lame?"

Until I ask the same exact question back expecting some outrageous answer where they tell me how freakishly awesome life has been for them and how they traveled the world in a hot air balloon or something ridiculous but instead, I get just about the same exact answer.

Phew. Dodged a bullet there and it turns out I'm not that lame afterall. Please tell me I'm not the only one that feels uber awkward when asked this question!

Thanks for listening to me justify my answer. Ta ta, friends!

Unseen Footage

Thanks so much for all your input on the shoe dilemma from yesterday's post. The overall consensus is to wear nude heels with the teal/navy little number below and lemme tell ya...you girls are gonna make Beau a happy man because sister already has nude heels and therefore, I won't need to buy yet another pair of shoes. SCORE! (I swear he is going to KILL me yet because of all the shopping I've been doing lately. Love you Beau!)

Moving on...

While you are all well aware (and probably annoyed) of pictures from mine and Katie's "blacation" to Naples, I couldn't help but point out the fact that Katie is never, and I mean never, prepared to have her picture taken.

She may choose to blame it on my paparazzi-like ways but I beg to differ...

It'd be different if there were only one of two of these shots from the trip but there aren't...there are more like one from each day...

Soooo here we go...

Billybean lookin' good but oh wait, what the hay is Katie doing?

Again, here I am cheesin' it up and Katie's busy yapping her trap...

 Not sure what's going on here but that lobster looks pretty 

prepared for his photoshoot but oh, once again, Katie isn't.

 Aaaand here we are again. Here I am striking "the pose" and Katie's doing God knows what.

Ok-so neither one of us are ready here but the fact of the matter is, yet again, Katie is ill-prepared...

And since I've thrown Katie under the bus enough between today and in last week's video debut, I'll go ahead and throw out this pic for good measure. I, too, am a little guilty of this...

So I'm not sure.

Perhaps it's the photographer's mistake but I'm gonna go ahead and say that Katie, in general,
just talks too darn much. But I love her anyways.

Toodles.

Weekend Wrap Up

It's the end of February. 

Do you know what that means for my life?

Rodeo.

Rodeo.

And MORE rodeo.

This weekend was cook-off which is the beginning of it all and lemme just tell ya, when they said "Everything is bigger in Texas", they weren't lying. Cookoff is THE biggest barbecue competition in the world. (And just to brag for a second...the Houston rodeo is also THE biggest rodeo in the world, too!) There are over 500 teams that compete for the best meat. (Ha.) Not just that but everyone, their mom and their dog go to cook off. Everyone.

No really...to sum it up, it's a 3 day drunk-fest where the men walk around in thee tightest blue jeans, their nicest pair of boots and of course, cowboy hats (yum) while the girls bust out their cutest dresses and turquoise jewelry paired with the most uncomfortable cowboy boots in 40 degree weather.

I was one of those girls. 

Meh. Whatev. 

Don't ask what that shit-grin is all about. I think I was mid-convo.

If Beau doesn't look damn-good in a cowboy hat, then I apparently don't know what "good" is.

No lie-this is a BBQ pit!

Saturday, mom & I spent just about the entire day shopping for the up-and-coming wedding season. Dresses, shoes, jewelry...you name it.

You think I'm kidding?

This is our refrigerator at the moment. That would be 5 weddings and 2 rehearsal dinners between next weekend and mid-April. THREE of them which are out of town and one of them is out of state. Don't get me wrong...this is definitely not me complaining...you know I L-O-V-E me some wedding season!

It's only tradition for mom and I to find the biggest hats in the store to use as a photo-op...

While mother invested in five, yes FIVE, new pair of shoes, I somehow managed to score:

 -a pair of Michael Kors sunglasses, 

which I've been holding out for, for a whopping $20. (Thanks, Marshall's!)

-TWO BCBG one-shouldered cocktail dresses, regularly priced at $140, for $38 bucks each. One in black, one in navy. I'm a firm believer in "if the dress fits, buy it in every color!" (Thanks, Dillard's!) and also a teal/navy side-tie dress from NY&Co. (which I never find anything at) for a whole $40.

10 points for whoever can tell me what color shoes 
I'm supposed to wear with the teal/navy dress...

-and, the good buy that I'm most excited about...

these pretty puppies...

I have purposely waited ALL season long for these to go on sale and here I am just minding my own biz in the  Steve Madden outlet and VOILA! There they are...for only THIRTY DOLLHAIRS!

Let's just say I was a happy girl and Beau wasn't complaining either. ;)
This girl NEVER buys anything full price. Never.

Happy Monday pretty people! Have a lovely week!!

Friday Randoms

Hi frands! Happy "Go Texan" day!

(Yes, this is a REAL day in the Lonestar State.) 

And yes, this is a legit picture I took last night at dinner.

It's rodeo time, y'all. People go ALLLLL out this time of year. Lemme tell ya.

Tonight officially kicks off rodeo season with the annual BBQ cookoff so you can bet your sweet butt I'll be there. Unfortunately, I won't be busting out my flag print skirt or white kitten/mule heels thingies.
Sorry to disappoint.

I've actually been coming completely out of my shell these days when it comes to new clothes. Six months ago, I would have never even tried either of these on...

Exhibit A:

And exhibit B:

I'll be sporting this little number with my brown cowboy boots and possibly a denim jacket to cookoff tonight. I might even throw in a brown belt for good measure. Ooooooh!

PS: this is the exact same dress as the black one above. It's from XXI, just diff colors and only $15 bones. Go getchaself one!

And as if this post isn't random enough for ya, I'm also over at this girl's blog today!

Just in case you didn't recognize her in that cat/clown combo she's working...

that would be Lindsey, THE Bargain Blonde, I'm speaking of.

So get your tush over there and show me some love, will ya?!

A Place I'm Really Starting to Love

By now, you are all well aware of the fact that from November to mid-February, I submit my life to deer season. It's been this way since I was a tot so the fact that I married a hunter is no surprise.

When Beau took me to their ranch a few years ago, it was literally just an RV. Don't get me wrong, it was a nice RV but water supply was very limited and sleeping arrangements were rather cramped.

Fast forward a couple years...they built a house! 

The house is much better and roomier than the RV but water supply was even more limited, showers were nonexistent and toilet? Ya...that would be the bush on the side of the house... 

This would be the reason why I somewhat despised going to the ranch...no shower, no "toilet" and no A.C. (Sidenote: Stephanie does NOT do well without A.C....especially in 100+ degree temps in the summer.)

Fast forward to NOW...they have a real house. Not only is there a shower but there's also running hot water AND a toilet. Oh and a fully-functioning stove, fridge, coffee pot AND air conditioning. 

Oh, you fancy, huh?

Why yes! It is fancy. 

HUH!

My point in all this is because last weekend, Beau and his friends decided to have a "predator hunt" weekend. Being the supportive wife I strive to be, I let Beau drag me along for the ride and get this...

I had so. much. fun.

Really. 

What's better than running around 500-something acres in a camo-zipup and rain boots for 3 days with your hair thrown up in a messy knot and minimal makeup?

I am absolutely fascinated with these boys' obsession with guns and shooting anything that breathes.

It's a strange, strange fetish I tell ya.

Hunting in crocs? Sure! Why not?!

How many men does it take to work an A.R.?

Oh. Hai!

I should also mention that one of my favorite things about this place
is that there are so many great photo-ops.

...and what's a "Stephanie-kinda-weekend" at the ranch without a pink photoshopped sunset?!

Big Break for a Fellow Blogger

For those of you who follow this here blog, you are well aware of the fact that little Miss Katie from Keep Calm & Carry On and myself vacayed together last week in the BEAUTIFUL Naples, Florida.

While the pictures from our "blacation" (found here and here) give you all a pretty good idea of what went down, what you are about to watch pretty much sums up the entire trip.

Really. There are no words.

Well, I guess there are a few words...

Katie-I'm sorry but  I had to. This is far too priceless to not blast all over the world wide web. Like I've said, this could be your big break and as your agent, I'm just doing you a favor. You'll think me later.

For those of you that are interested, Katie is available for rent for your next birthday party, bachelor/bachelorette party or even wedding! We do have other audition videos available for your viewing pleasure at your request. Please contact myself (her agent) for pricing. Today only, we're running a special!!

 Buy one rapping Ohioan and get a bottle of Pinot Noir (Katie's fav) for FREE! ;) .

My Blacation: Round 2

Hi friends!! I'm actually keeping a promise today and will be covering the last half of my trip to Naples, FL with Katie @ Keep Calm & Carry On!

((If you missed the beginning of mine and Katie's "blacation", read here first!))

Here goes:

So the second half of our "blacation" started with a massive hangover for each of us. (Think Oprah's Favorite Things episode…"YOU get a hangover! YOU get a hangover! Aaaaand YOU get a hangover!) Well…everyone except Ray J since he was forced to play babysitter all night the night before. Poor guy.


(Sidenote: "Ray J" = Billy)

He insisted on breaking the record on "Hoop Fever"...

Since most of us were in rare form the next morning and Katie and I refused to wear anything but yoga pants, we decided to go on a lil (or shall I say "rather monstrous") Naples home tour…something low-key that would keep all the lobster and ice cream that was consumed the night before from coming back up. 

I have no idea where we were or who these houses belong to but I do know one thing…we're in the wrong business. Seriously. What the hay do these people DO??!! And these are just their "vacation" homes!

I do know one thing. If someone insisted on building me this pink house,
I wouldn't be opposed to the idea: 

 Seeing that this was the day before Valentine's day, it should have been no surprise that we walk up on something like so:

Seriously-how caaaaah-yute is this???!! I can only imagine the girl's face when she saw these ginormous pink letters! And by the looks of the homes, brother was probably poppin' out a pretty good sized rock. Total brownie points for THAT guy!

Naturally, Katie & myself jumped right in the middle of it.  :)

((Ironic that Beau proposed on this very day exactly 2 years prior and here I am standing in front of hot pink letters that say "Will you marry me?" Subliminal message...I think so.))

The entire trip, Billy was SET on eating at one of those hole-in-the-wall seafood joints on the beach so…naturally, what Billy wants, Billy gets. Fortunately, it was pretty darn good and since it was right on the water it made for the perfect photo op. :) 

Billhead was also SET on going to a flea market.
You know, because that's what any normal 20-somethings do on vacation...

While the boys, I mean, men, scoured the booths for God knows what, Katie and I took it upon ourselves to make ourselves look like utter tourists by snapping photos of any and everything.

Can I fancy you to some hand painted coconuts?
How 'bout a hibiscus plant or upside down Christmas tree?

Later that afternoon, we headed back for yet more naps, heated up yet another pot of coffee and headed out to dinner at a hibachi grill called Da Ru Ma. By the time everything was said and done, I'm surprised my pants fit me anymore.

 [INSERT THE SADDEST DAY EVER] 

 The next morning was pure doom and gloom. We had most of the day to spend together eating lunch and taking pics down by the water but we both knew what was coming next…a flight home that would inevitably separate Katie and I by a good 10,000 miles and me choking back tears all the way through security wondering when the hell I'm ever going to get to see them again. 

I wish I could put into words how much I miss Katie & Billy already. It was the weirdest feeling to get on that plane without them since it felt like we had known each other our entire lives.

I have definitely found my missing half and was beyond depressed that she was over the weight limit to fit into my carry-on.  :*(

I'm gonna go ahead and leave on that note before I find more tears on my keyboard...