Rock Star Moments, Hockey, And Lingerie. Not All At Once. Maybe.

First, a valentine for all my friends who read and support me.
And this time, I didn’t forget the men.

Press here if you like hot, sinewy, half naked men.

Press here if you like sexy chickadees. (this is a new, ever-evolving board. I’ll happily take direction/suggestions on who to have on it, guys!)

Back yet? Good. I’m glad I have your attention because this post is chock-full. I’m not stopping at ten. Hang onto your seats…

(1) I met with my beta partner to hump all over her amazing novel I just had the pleasure and honor of reading. The fact that she entrusted me with her “baby” means the absolute world. Last year, I  entrusted her with mine. (2) Her feedback was, and continues to be, GOLD. The belief in the story, and life she breathes into my characters inspires me to continue the journey to being published. Editing is a brutal chunk of this process. I couldn’t do it without her by my side.

(3) Later that same night, my good fortune continued when I had a delectable Ethiopian food dinner with one of my besties. The laughter we share fills my soul.

(4) That following Saturday we had dinner with friends. Actually, as the only witnesses to our elopement, and Godparents to our children, friends is a gross understatement. They are family. Spending time with them is infrequent nowadays with our busy schedules. I relished every second.

(5) This past week, I had a dentist appointment to get a filling repaired. Why on earth would this be a good thing? Because I assumed I’d have to be numbed, and my heart pounded all morning anticipating those shots. I arrived and was informed it was “an easy, shallow repair that needed no novacain.” I almost hugged her.

In the name of V-Day, I treated myself to a few luxuries this week that I rarely indulge in. You probably know my favorites by now: (6) a pedicure, and (7) the maid. HEAVEN. I also found myself at Nordstrom’s (8). I bought some pretty lingerie, new make-up, and a beautiful wrap/shawl thing. I have three times a year to milk the shit out of a special day: Valentines, my birthday, and Mother’s Day. As you can see, I make the most of them.

….and even though I told the hubs he needn’t get me anything because I’d been getting myself gifts all week….

he still went out of his way to get me tulips (my favorite) and this bad-ass bracelet (9).

bracelet

Lest you think I’m all take and no give, don’t you worry. He had a delicious Valentine’s Day. *wink*

(10) Thursday, someone very special shared a piece of her heart with me. Her words wrapped me in sweet sentiments and brought us even closer as friends. Thank you, Lizzi.

(11) Hockey. My favorite sport. Saturday morning, an Olympic game between Russia and the U.S. battled, ending in a tie and going into overtime where no one scored. In a riveting shoot out that gripped me to my seat, we FREAKING WON.

(12) This meme, and one of my besties who texted it to me. I’m pretty sure I inspired its creator. I mean, this just screams Beth, does it not?

aaaaa

My boyfriend. Probably.

(13) Sometimes I’m completely caught off guard. I took my sons to their friend’s birthday party. A mom and I were chatting when she asked about my book. I’d never mentioned it to her. She said she’d heard about from a mutual friend. Her enthusiasm about the fact that I’d written something sort of blew me away. She asked a lot of questions, and kept saying how cool it was. It was a little bit of a rock star moment. I’m still twinkling.

(14) Does it ever just hit you like a tsunami how lucky you are? That your family is healthy, you have a car that runs, a place to call home, and the means to take care of all your needs? That wave crashed over me many times this past two weeks. My cup of gratitude spills over.

Ten Things of Thankful

How was your Valentine’s Day? Do you celebrate it? What are you thankful for lately?  Is Jax not the hottest? YUM. Your comments make my heart pitter-patter.

116 comments

      1. *interest piqued* What, now I have to wrestle too? And whom, pray, do you peg as my opponent? Cos I might come across sappy and full of Feels, but I’m hench…

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        1. And you ladies pick on Don. Where are you when I need you, sad man?! I’m twisting in the wind here! Well, we could have a play-in match with Kristi…and the winner takes on Beth. Sappy mud wrestling is welcomed. Hang on, Phoenix is yanking on my sweatpants and pawing trying to pull me away from the keyboard to stop typing. Btw…I love your words and feelings to her here, Lizzi. Definite ‘L’ word stuff but we wont’ go there.

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          1. *goes precisely nowhere*

            I could take Kristi. And I don’t wrestle sappy, I just write soppy (sometimes, usually guardedly) but I scrap DAMN GOOD.

            *giggles* once again Phoenix knows what’s good for you, before you get yourself in too deep…

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  1. I like every item on this list. 🙂 Well, even if I’m not technically a hockey fan, I am married to one, and it kind of creeps in…

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    1. Thanks, Natalie! Yeah, I first fell in love with hockey when a date took me to a game. It was before hockey was popular in Texas so we were able to sit right behind the glass. HOOKED. I was like, where has this been all my life? Coolest. Sport. Ever.

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  2. Thank you so much for that sexy chicks link! Fap Fap Fap Fap Fap!

    But where is the pic of you in the lingerie? We all want to see that!

    USA! USA !USA!

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  3. Sorry, ever since my fantasy about you and Kristi mud wrestling I haven’t been the same!

    What?! You have a MAID?! Can we go Mormon and I can marry your husband please? Dentist appointments. I have huge dental phobia. I have really nice teeth now but not before hell as a child. They have to come out to our Jeep and give me the Nitrous just to get me into the office. For a cleaning. And those girls sure as heck better be wearing low cut smocks. Insurance or not…I’m lying in that chair terrified. Show me the money!

    We won?! Sweet! I DID click immediately on your For Guys link to Pinterest after giving you heck a few months back. Did you notice the 4th one over? Half tops. DRIVES. ME. CRAZY!!

    Nice bracelet! When he and I get married…a cheeseburger and a beer will be fine. Oh wait, he’s a triathlete. Never mind.

    Beth, look at the “monster” you created? You’ve given me a lifetime of confidence to write as me and I’m forever grateful to you, our friend. I mean that. All of our love, prayers and best thoughts to you and your family forever!

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    1. Aw, thanks Mike. You know the feeling is mutual. I adore you.

      Well, I don’t so much as *have* a maid as I *call* one to come save my ass about 4 – 6 times a year. It’s a luxury I cherish.

      I’m SO glad you like the hot chicks board! Isn’t Jessica Alba one of your dream girls? Who else should I put on there? I need male guidance! I just started that board yesterday morning, so I plan to grow it for my men!

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      1. Oooo we get to personalize the women page?! Now that is blogger customer/reader service. Ok…Kate Beckinsale, Scarlett Johansson and Natalie Portman for sure! How fun! Thank you Beth, and we hope you’re having a totally awesome day 🙂

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        1. Oh Kate!! Why did I think you loved Jessica Alba?? OMG. That’s the hub’s fave! Hahahaha! Ok, as soon as I can I’ll update with all your suggestions, thx!

          Sent from my iPhone

          >

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    1. Hi Deanna! I’ve got more revising to do before I can publish so it’s hard to put a date to it yet. I work hard on it daily! Rather than set myself up for disappointment, I like to keep it simple and just say – this year!

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  4. Okay so I was four minutes too late for First and then a few more minutes too late because you shared such delicious delectable treats and hmmmmmmmmmmmnnnnnnn nope….words only just being able to be strung back together.

    Your generosity knows no bounds. I’d also argue that this (as a way of getting readers) is definitely cheating (and also awesome), and that you’re building up a reputation as something of a procuress…

    Not that I mind. Just sayin’.

    So there were some Thankfuls there, and very nice ones too. Glad you got the chance to spend time with your People and enjoy those moments where time slows down and becomes richer with the company of really good friends.

    Keep up the editing. I know it’s a slog, but it’ll all be so worthwhile in the end.

    Glad you had an awesome V-Day and gorge New Things.

    (btw, #10 seemed mighty ‘out loud’ so rather than *runawayandhide* I’ll inhabit my other nature, and casually enquire (as though it didn’t matter at all, and was merely a passing thought) whether this earns me a spot on your sidebar…)

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    1. UGH that fecking sidebar – I hate it so much. Here’s the deal: it’s an optional widget, but only shows those I follow via wordpress! So all my beautiful bloggers I follow via BlogSpot, Bloglovin, or email are not shown. Grrrr. I get so many blogger friends inquiring why they’re not on there – SO – I removed it altogether. It’s stupid anyway. I do still have my blog-o-fame page with buttons/badges of blogs I love (that I desperately need to add to and update!) and I also added the TToT and FTSF buttons on my sidebar. My blog is still a work in progress, but it’s getting there. 🙂

      Procuress? Who me? *bats lashes* haha. I share the link cuz I get such positive feedback on it and it’s SO FUN. The last two times I shared it in a post, the male readers were all, WTF Beth…where’s our board? So I obliged. Gotta make ’em happy, amirite?

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      1. Lol I BET you do. That board’s gaining fame, as well it should. And yes, you gotta treat the guys equally and give them a little treat as well.

        Aaaand I *knew* I didn’t like WordPress. To be fair I took my own blog roll down a while ago because there were hundreds on there and it got ridiculous. I didn’t want to upset anyone by leaving them off. Maybe I should just risk upset cos frankly I still miss being able to showcase my faves in that way.

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        1. I know, I feel the same way. I’m not sure how I want to handle the blog roll going forward. Like you said, I love highlighting the ones I frequent, but I hate to leave people off, too. It’s hard to get a long list on your sidebar, too. I have a shit-ton that are my faves!

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          1. I’ve got my WonderBloggers page, but it’s SUCH a mess. I hate it. It’s higgledy-piggledy and I don’t think anyone goes there. I think I’m gonna have to get my blogroll back. Maybe a task for once I’ve finished writing. And anyone whose feelings get hurt…well, they better start WRITING better, yaknow?!

            Worst thing was with the buttons page was once I had someone write a comment saying “I grabbed your button, can you put mine here?” and I did, because it felt so rude to refuse, but honestly, it’s not a blogger I read and so I felt it undermined the whole point of the page. I need to figure out how to make an invisible HTML table to organise those buttons. Ack! Hate coding. I suck at coding.

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            1. ZACTLY! I feel the same about my buttons page. I think that’s why I’m not motivated to add to it. I dislike it too much. You and I have a big blog roll project ahead of us. bleh.

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    1. hahaha I love that memes of shirtless hotties scream BETH. And thank you for the interest in my novel! Trust me, everyone will know when I’m about to publish and I’d LOVE for you to read it. 🙂

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  5. All good stuff here Beth! All good! We just have to get one thing straight before I continue….Charlie Hunnam is mine. You get Adam. I get Charlie. I’m willing to swap from time to time but Charlie. Is. Mine.
    Now, tulips are my favorite flower, too. They just ooze beauty and elegance. Roses..not thanks. Orchids and lilies, too fragile. Tulips are perfect.
    I love the bracelet! Jim has good taste…well, obviously!
    I hope you took that Rock Star moment in and really enjoyed it. I’m sure it won’t be your last!
    And, yes, I realize how lucky I am. Every single day…after coffee….

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    1. *clears throat nervously* Yes ma’am. Charlie is yours. Adam is mine. I totally understand. I hate when people talk about being with my Adam. My primal possessive nature kicks in. (but I’d also be willing to do a temporary trade sometime, you know, all in the name of sharing).

      I LOL’d to “….after coffee”. So true!

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  6. Wait…hockey is your favorite sport?! Holy shit I might have just fallen in love with you. I freaking love hockey and have been an SJ Sharks fan for 20 years!

    And the rest of your post? Awesome. That reminds me, I need new underwear. Damn it.

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  7. A great list to be sure! Starting at the end…#14…just yeah. I know. And I usually get those waves when I have been feeling like I have a pile of shit and then I go “wait, no, you really have more than you know.” I get it.

    Your moments of meals and fellowship are awesome – I always think that so much is gained and shared when people who care about and love one another gather around a table. Beautiful.

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  8. I seriously was lying in bed this morning and contemplating a TTOT list, and I kept coming back to you. I am so thankful that out sons became bff’s and forced us out of our comfort zone and made us get up close and pervey real with eachother because I feel so truly blessed to be a part of your world and to be trusted with YOUR baby who you know I love and adore and caudle and cherish and always want more of and because I know I can trust you with mine for te same reason. I love your characters, at times more than is appropriate, but not nearly as much as I love you. Because I do. Love you. So hard. I may have the longest sentence ever in this comment. And I did it from my phone.

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    1. **first I have to say how much I love that you were lying in bed thinking of me. haha.

      Sometimes there is blind chance. Pure coincidence. And other times it’s Divine Intervention. *Something* put us together, M. I totally believe that. And I do. Love you. So hard, too.

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  9. Ah, Valentines. I love the world and all it’s irony. This was the first year I wasn’t dealing with some sort of asshattery (psycho men banging on doors) or the nuisance of dumping a boy on Feb 13th (last year. Yes, I’m heartless but he was beyond crazy). I’ve finally got a keeper… the kind who takes me out for a lovely dinner, brings me a dozen red roses and a certificate for a spa day and then we do adult things and it’s so wonderful and we have a four day weekend trip planned and……….. I totally got food poisoning. All night, all day, curled on the floor of his bathroom, wrapped in a towel. So. Damn. Sexy. Gosh, I feel like deleting this comment and turning this whole rant into a blog post. I just might.

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    1. **small thought before I start my real reply: asshat and asshattery are my favorite words. Ever.

      WTactualF to hanging with a toilet on Valentine’s Day???!!!! NO FAIR, AUSSA!!! That suuuuuuucks! So so sorry! I hope you’re feeling better, and I’m infinitely thrilled you found a keeper. He sounds like a total sweetie. I mean, spa day and takes care of you why you’re shit/barfing? That there’s marriage material.

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  10. I love your gratitude list. And I love your bracelet. Can we go get pedicures together and go shopping for makeup and lingerie? And why is it that the links to half naked men on your blog never work for me? I must have done something very bad in a past life….

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  11. Is it weird that the first thought I had when I finished this list was: Right! I still need to reschedule the dentist! I have a filling I’ve been putting off. Planets aligned last December and I missed the appointment because it was so #$&*ing cold that we couldn’t start the car. I took it as a sign.

    This is a wonderful list of thankful. And wonderful that you have a book in the editing stages. You were already a rock star in my book – but this adds to your list of awesome.

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    1. Yes. It is weird that the dentist was your first thought. haha! Not really. Maybe. You should’ve been drooling over my Pinterest board. Or thinking of tulips and friendship. The dentist? No. Never. YUCK. hate-hate-hate

      and thanks for the compliments; it takes a rock star to know one. I heart you madly!

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  12. Oh, Beth. What would I do without an at-least weekly fix of your life?

    Lurve this so much. (I also love it when random people ask about my book and make me feel all legit and stuff. LOVE it.)

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  13. Bethie my girl,
    I love how happy you are, that you practice gratitude. Which is the key to life in my opinion.
    Thank you for giving me a glimpse into your world. You are cool and special and kooky and horny and everything a bad ass blogger chick should be.

    love ya.

    Oh, would it be weird to ask you to add Josh Hutcherson to the men Pinterest board? I’ve liked him since Firehouse Dog. Which makes me a freak of the highest order, but shut yer pie holes, everyone!

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    1. Suuuuure I’ll add Josh! There are quite a few guys on my board who were special requests! Vin Deasel and the Wolverine guy whose name escapes me at the moment were requests, and people are always pointing me to awesome pins I need to include.

      And thanks for the love. You know the feeling is mutual. Tenfold.

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  14. Wanting/trying/working so damned hard to get published, Ethiopian food, and #14: Are you me?? I love your blog more and more each time I read. And number 13 is way cool. Glad you had such a great week!

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    1. Thanks, Shay!!! We do have a shit-ton in common, right? AND OMG to another Ethiopian food fan! YUM YUM YUM.

      I’m THRILLED you have a book coming out soon ( I hope soon!) I know how arduous and crazy the process can be! Way harder and more time-consuming than I ever thought it would be AFTER I wrote the damn book, right? Writing it was the easy part. GAH.

      When you’re ready to publish, if you go on a blog book tour, contact me! I’d love to do a book promotion, guest post, author interview – whatever. I support my writer peeps! xoxo

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  15. I, too, am so glad to have a friend/editor who gives me great advice and values my observations.
    I’m thankful to have a hubby who is my equal partner in life and supports me in everything I do.
    US Hockey this morning was awesome. It’s my 2nd favorite sport, and I thought I was going to need a defibrillator by the end of the game. Oshie had ice in his veins during that shootout!
    I’m grateful to have the opportunity to chase my dreams & I’m not squandering it.
    I have an amazing group of friends and family.
    I’m thrilled to have made so many incredible friends through my blog, too… You included, Beth. You’re pretty awesome.

    Yup! My heart is full of thanks.

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    1. OSHIE WAS AMAZING!!! I died. Totally died during that OT and shoot-out. Freaking incredible.

      So happy your heart is full, too, Kitt. You’re a lucky and grateful gal like me, and it shows. xoxo

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  16. Hey B, you KNEW you would click on your link when the title said hockey, right? Our TV station didn’t broadcast USA:Russia, so I had to do the live ticker thing. During the shootout it got so d*** slow, we hit F5 over and over! Congratulations 🙂
    The Swiss got lucky tonight and beat the Czech Republic.

    PS: how come your Pinterest board of girls is considerably smaller than the guys? Just asking.

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    1. Re: my hot chicks board – I only created it yesterday morning just for this post, so it’s still in its infancy. Don’t worry, I gotta keep my male readers happy so I’ll beef it up quickly. 🙂

      YAY to the Swiss winning! YAY TO HOCKEY!!!!

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  17. Sounds like you have quite a bit to be thankful for, and that you had a pretty great Valentine’s Day.
    I grew up a Bruins fan, but I gotta say, that US Olympic game ending was epic. I think I bit the tip of my tongue off. So much fun.
    Happy (belated) VD.

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  18. Ummmm Hockey and Lingerie? Yes please. haha. And thanks for posting the Pinterest link. I ended up poking around that site for 15 minutes like a woman….I dont know much about it but sure started a hell of a board for a wedding I dont plan on having. Happy Valentines days and happy 364 other days as well.

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  19. Now on my bucket list is getting a pedicure with you and then shopping at Nordstroms. Maybe lunch at their cafe. And #13 – yes. I often have those waves of thankfulness, especially when I read the powerful, painful words of writers who share their heartache and grief. Not that I’m immune, but I’m lucky. And I’m thankful.

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    1. Yippppeeee we would have SO much FUN, Dana! Pedis and guiltless shopping….the BEST.

      yup, I’m like you. A very lucky girl who’s infinitely thankful. I have perspective; I get that I’m not supposed to be this fortunate. It can change any second. I inhale/exhale gratitude.

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  20. 62 comments … yeah, like you need one from me! The “Just for Men” section was a shocker. Of course, it’s now bookmarked on my phone (for future viewing in church), lol. Sounds like you had a full week. And, no, I’m not going to ask about the “wink.” Although I may discuss it in a future post of mine. (Never heard it described as a “wink” before.) 🙂 Happy Belated Valentine’s Day!

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    1. I ALWAYS want to hear from you, Rich! Whether or the first or hundred and first commenter! I’m thrilled you enjoyed the pinterest board. I literally through it together half an hour before I published this post, so hang in there….it’ll get better. You have any favorite hotties you want me to add? Just let me know! *wink* (<<hahaha)

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  21. There are so many comments here that I don’t have anything to add so I’ll just say thank you for adding women for us men to ogle, even if it is almost all Jessica Alba. What if some of your readers prefer sexy fat women? I don’t, but I’m sure somebody does. Anyway, hockey rocks and Oshie is a St. Louis Blue so he made us extra proud here.

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    1. Don – I give you a fucking board you bitch about! GAH. Okay, I thought I remembered Mike V.’s fave being J. Alba, so I started adding her first. Then I just went for random hotties. I threw this together half an hour before I posted, so give me time to make it juuuuust right. Who should I add? Lemme know!

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      1. Well I do like to bitch, I guess. I love the everywoman, so you go ahead and pin some pictures of all my favorite moms, wives, etc. in bikinis. Yourself, Lizzi, Kristi, tancellulitewoman, all of them in bikinis or a tshirt and nothing else. Except for Mike and his dog. Put them on your other board I guess. I’ll even try to trick my wife into trying a bikini on and sneaking a pic of her. She’d kill me. Lol.

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        1. hahaha tancellulitewoman! yer silly.

          Yeah. I’ll call Mandi, Lizzi, and Kristi over for a pajama party. We’ll pin the photos. You know. When we pillow fight in our panties.

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  22. There’s no such thing as not needing novocaine for any dental procedure beyond a cleaning, and quite honestly, I’d just as soon they knocked me out for one of those, too. You are a warrior!

    The bracelet is cuuuuuute!

    Ahhh, Nordstrom! I miss living near a Nordstrom.

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  23. Oh my, this list is full of SO MUCH goodness! The book is so wonderful news, that has to be so exciting! Dinner with great friends is always a blessing. I’m with you dentists, I reaaalllllly hate going. I’m also with you on buying my own gifts, no one knows what I like better than me, but hat bracelet is awesome! Speaking of awesome, Jax is a major hottie.
    I have been trying very hard to look at the little things we take for granted, like a warm home, a reliable car, cell phones. I haven’t always had these things, so I have to keep reminding myself through the winter blues. Great list, so many items, so much thankful!

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    1. Thanks, Joy! Yeah whenever I get a little bitchy about something, I try to remember the days before cell phones when I drove my shitty car home from my job over 10 miles away and just prayed it would make it home at 2:00AM!!! And I hoped to make enough waitressing to buy a shit-ton of soup and tv dinners to make through the week. I would never want to go back there!

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  24. Numnum to your board, Beth! And did you leave number two off on purpose so that your list would look longer and Lizzi would like you better? Also no way in hell I want to mud wrestle either of you. I cave. I’m wimpy and old and might break something.
    Your bracelet rocks and EEEEP to your book!! That’s so exciting! I can’t wait!

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    1. hahaha NO, of course I wouldn’t stoop that low for Lizzi’s love. Probably. Actually #2 was inside the paragraph that followed #1, so it’s there!

      Okay, good. I’m glad you don’t wanna wrestle. I was a little skeert. But I do like to roll around in mud.

      Thanks, Kristi!

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  25. So what’s up with the book? You through that out there and left us hanging???? Love how you did your Valentines Day and that bracelet is the bomb! I feel so old when I say that – yet I can’t stop using it. Since I know you and I are the same age I guess it’s alright – if you know what the new “bomb” is help a sista out.

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      1. Gurl, I wouldn’t know what the new “bomb” was if it blew up in my face.

        The book: doing edits. I hope to publish in 2014! I don’t see why I wouldn’t, but then again, I’ve burned myself with date expectations before.

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  26. Loved your thankful post…it’s good to be reminded just how lucky we are…even though I am so late, as usual! Congrats on the book! Can’t wait!

    Hub and I are fortunate that most every day is v-day for us, so we just went out for dinner and live music on Saturday, which was wonderful. ❤

    Having a harder time getting out my little series part 3…1 and 2 just wrote themselves, but something is blocking this next one. Not to mention the day job. Sorry, no whining, happy to catch up with your happy! 🙂

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    1. Those dang day jobs and their neediness! UGH. don’t people know we have stories to write??

      I hope you get inspired soon cuz I just read Part I and II and I LOVED THEM!! Can’t wait for Part III.

      P.S. so cute about you and the hubs. that’s so sweet!

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      1. I am so glad you enjoyed them! So strange how the first two just poured out, and #3 is like birthing a 10 lb baby (or so I’ve heard…hehe).

        Yeah, I found hubs relatively late in life after kissing a bunch of frogs, so I know how fortunate we are! Speaking of frogs, the first serious one will make an appearance in part 3.

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  27. Hey! I could have sworn I’ve been to this blog before but after checking through some
    of the post I realized it’s new to me. Nonetheless, I’m definitely happy I found
    it and I’ll be book-marking and checking back frequently!

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