Gotham City

I am notorious for not updating my blog. If I got paid to do it I would be a serial poster. Be thankful I don't get paid to do this.

The past two weeks have involved New York City, a county fair, ridiculously good chili and some weather making me long for fall (just like every other basic white girl).

While in NYC I didn't take as many pictures as I hoped. However, I did get a few. I plan to return to that city and truly explore it. I have never been one for "touristy" areas. One of my favorite parts of the trip was when I was leaving. That may sound harsh but at 4:30am the only people out were the taxi drivers and city workers making that place tick. You could see the skyline, the architecture, and the stars above the glow of the city. 

A big "Thank You" to my Aunt KK and Uncle Steve for inviting me to tag along on the trip to NYC! Although I keep thinking in the back of my mind I was invited to keep KK's things in my purse...

Holy Mutha Of Cheese Fries!
These were the best we ever had.
I may not be a Yankee fan but I am a fan of the food in Yankee Stadium.

Royals won the series 2-1!

Sunday was Derek Jeter Day at Yankee Stadium. There was a ceremony before the game including guest like Cal Ripkin Jr. and Michael Jordan. Between innings there were video messages from celebrities, athletes, sports commentators, coaches and more thanking "The Captain" for being a positive light to the sport. One might not be a fan of the only team Jeter has ever played for, but you have to be a fan of Jeter. 

"No Day Shall Erase You From The Memory Of Time."
Virgil
This was from the September 11 National Memorial.
A must see if you are ever in NYC.

Washington Square

I can navigate the Underground in London and the Metro in Paris, but the Subway in NYC would be the death of me.

Tavern on the Green. IF! I ever get married the reception must look like this.

I would go back here in a heartbeat.

When I returned to Oklahoma the weather turned cool. It was spectacular. This was last Friday. I was about to have a weekend full of football, cooking and decorating with my mom.

This was last week
Dress: Lilly Pulitzer
Shoes: Jessica Simpson

I had a lunch date with Miss Q last Thursday while her mom and grandmother helped with the county fair.

Cake Bread

Mixing colors for Teagan's Birthday Cake.

I made some hella good chili. And yes, those are Fritos in it.

I am such a Southern Lady.
Deviled Egg Recipe is on POINT!

Teagan's Batman Birthday Party!

This is what Monday looked like.

I wore this to work on Monday. I was cleaning and painting all day. One of my students took this picture of me.

Wednesday, September 17
Pants and Tee: Banana Republic
Kimono: Jazz-E-Jewelz Poteau, OK
Shoes: Target

Breakdown Rant, Another Saturday Night and Sequins

I have been staring at my computer for hours trying to figure out where to begin. So, I got up, walked away and began to think how to explain the past few weeks of my life. There have been ups. There have been downs. There have been moments of emotional pain, physical pain and there have been some of the highest of highs. The past few weeks have not been documented well with pictures, but only with memories that keep being played over and over in my mind. It is the song stuck in my head and I find my self singing it in my sleep unless I am in a medically induced slumber. 
The past few weeks have been trying.
Who ever said becoming an adult was fun is a big fat liar.

Before this sounds like a spoiled little brat pity party, please know I have a wonderful life. That is hard to dispute. There are just certain points when in a person's life when he or she just needs to have a breakdown. A mental, emotional, physical, take a hot shower, crawl in your bed and cry breakdown. 
I am on the verge of this.

Maybe it was the recent suicide of Robin Williams. I broke. How can we not beat this? Is it because he channeled all his love, laughter and energy into other's happiness? It isn't the fact he will never add lib while presenting an award or he will never be able to play Mrs. Doubtfire again. It is the simple fact of the people who were close to him will never have him on earth again. 
While I was watching coverage of his death on the trash TV channel the anchors showed his last tweet. It was to his daughter, Zelda, on her 25th birthday in July with an Instagram picture of she and him when she was a small child. They both looked so young and happy. It got me thinking about my own parents and how lost I would feel if something happened to them.
My relationship with my dad is a strained one. We have both made life choices causing us to be distant. People make mistakes, but we are given the ability to think, reason and learn from those mistakes to become a better person. He is working on himself and I should must do the same. 
Burning bridges is not an option.
Even though my dad is by no means a social media guru and doesn't know Instagram from a Teddy Graham, I do want the social media world to know I do love my ornery dad. 

And then there is my mom. What did I ever do to deserve such a selfless person as a mother? She is my favorite person in the whole wide world and I would have given up on so many things if it weren't for her and her unconditional love and support. Our relationship has become such a blessing over the past year. I would rather be with her than anyone else. We are partners in crime, road trip buddies and creative cohorts. Together we can conquer the world or just make it a little bit prettier. Thanks for everything mom. I love you to the moon.

Now for the pictures.

One of my former students came to see me before he left for school. We saw this. Jesus is such a back seat driver.

Make note.

Fabulous Level: EXPERT!
My dear friend Shannon just randomly came across this beauty. It is from Miss Jackson's in Tulsa. Get ready for a black cat suit and this gem!

I went somewhere. That is all you need to know.
Dress: Lilly Pulitzer
Necklace: Marley Lilly

I look like a rapper's bae.
Top: Banana Republic
Pants: Ross

I found this at Nordstrom Rack (bank account ruined) and I couldn't leave it on the rack. I will have to check the designer but who doesn't love an orange and cream tweed with leather trim?!

 GuyJack started PreK a few weeks ago. This is his first day. When he came home he told his dad, "I just want to lay my head on a cold pillow and you read Moby Dick to me." 

Football season is close.
Top: Game Day Couture

Halloween Decorations!
It is the gateway holiday to harder holidays.

Top: Pazza Bella
Skirt: J Crew
Shoes: Kenneth Cole

This was what I looked like Saturday night. I hadn't been feeling very well since Thursday. I thought I had eaten something and it didn't set well with my lap band. I did what I normally do and went on a liquid diet but it didn't seem to help. I was in Tulsa Friday evening and Saturday afternoon my mom and I headed to Talihina. I kept getting more and more uncomfortable and that lead to pain. Finally it was so unbearable my mother took my straight to the hospital. The location of the pain made us think it might be a gallbladder attack. After being hooked up to monitors and an IV started the doctor came in to examine me. He ordered a CT Scan along with some heavy pain medication. I am usually a lightweight when it comes to pain meds. It seems to make me loopy with just a small dose. Tonight was not the same. I might relax for 5 minutes and then the pain was back again. I had to sit up. Laying on my back was out of the question; however, I had to do this for the CT Scan. That was misery. When the results from the CT Scan and my blood work came back the culprit was actually my lap band. My stomach was extremely swollen and causing me pain. Because my hospital in Tulsa is a specialty hospital and doesn't have an ER, an ambulance was not able to take me. My mom drove me right back to Tulsa to meet my bariatric surgeon but first I was given enough pain meds to make the trip. I couldn't thank my mother enough for making the late night trip to Tulsa. When we were a few miles outside of Tulsa the pain medication was starting to wear off. We met my Aunt Kalyn and friend Shannon at the hospital. The nurses hooked me up to monitors and started the regular questions. When my doctor came in he said I was the last person he thought this would be. My lap band experience has been wonderful and I wouldn't take it back for anything. He immediately started to unfill my band. I had to lay back for this and he said he would make it quick. The moment the saline started to come out of the band I had instant relief. My eyes popped open and I could breathe. I did a swallow test after the unfill. There was still saline in my band. Because of the severe swelling of my stomach he decided to completely unfill the band and put me on a liquid diet to heal.
I have an appointment in a month to have another swallow test to see how my band looks.
Many people have asked if I will have the band removed. The answer is no.
My world does not revolve around my next meal. I can focus on so many different things other than my life long addiction. I feel like a million bucks right now and I am taking this time of just having slight restriction to focus on eating healthy and becoming a healthier person. Thank you for all the thoughts, prayers, texts and good vibes. You people sure know how to make a lady feel loved.

I sent a SnapChat of my monitors and this is what
Jamie Fink sent back. How sweet.

Monday was so much better except for the catch in my right shoulder from being so tense Saturday.
Top: J Crew (I think)
Pants: Banana Republic
Shoes: Kenneth Cole

Fall is so close I can taste the pumpkin.
Top: Kate Spade
Skirt: Old Navy
Shoes: Sperry Topsider

We are on everyone's honeymoon.

My childhood best friend and I went on everyone's honeymoon this past weekend. No Lie. While all the couples around us were playing kissy kissy, Jonea and I were talking, drinking, reading, sleeping, eating, and tanning. 

We win. 

Jonea and I have been through a lot over the past 20+ years; however, the past year has been one of the hardest. We have both been through drastic changes in our lives. Relationships have ended, loved ones lost, emotional meltdowns, body meltdowns, and the list goes on and on. Through all of these life changing moments the first person we call is each other. When I suddenly lost my grandmother in January, she was the first person I called. When her marriage started crumble I was there to start the recovery process. As I looked around at all of these couple on their honeymoons, anniversary trips or whatever, I realized I met my soulmate before I was in kindergarten. Men will easily say their soulmate is their significant other, but it is different for women. Our girl friends are our soulmates and the greatest loves of our lives. 

Jonea will tell you the first thing I ever said to her was, "Don't worry, I will save you" as we were playing Rainbow Bright on the playground, but in reality she saved me. 

Our trip was fabulous and we are planning our next adventure. 

Thanks for 24 years of friendship, Nea. 

Here is to the next 24.

Cheers,

C

We has a 6am flight out of Tulsa. When we made it to Miami we were channeling Will Smith and in dire need of food and booze. 

Best part of the Miami layover was watching all of the people at the airport bar glued to the TV while ESPN broke down the Lebron James move to Cleveland. I immediately sent my cousin Lane a text asking if he had his BronBron jersey from Cleveland with him. 

This was our driver from the airport to our resort. He was wonderful and told us about the area we were staying in and the history of the island.
Dress: Old Navy
Scarf: Lilly Pulitzer
Sandals: Sanuk
Bag: Marley Lilly Weekender

First drink on the beach was a Bob Marley. It was filled with rum. I discovered many years ago that rum makes me hate life. This was no different. I am allergic to the stuff. 

This picture has no filter.
Sweet Baby Buddha it was beautiful.

Sunglasses: RayBan
Swimsuit: Old Navy

I felt like the Little Mermaid in this dress.
It is Lilly Pulitzer.
The necklace is from Dillard's. 

How CUTE is this!
Hat: Marley Lilly derby hat

People watching and working on tan lines.

I have some serious freckles.
I even have them on my knees!
Sunglasses: RayBan

This was at one of the resort bars, BARacuda.
The dress is from Ross. No idea of the brand. 

All gussied up for dinner and drinks!

Lilly was the perfect choice for the last night at the resort.
Dress: Lilly Pulitzer
Necklace: Pazza Bella

It is ridiculous. 

Not ready to leave.

Jonea's piggies.

I was mad about having to come home and we had a flight delay. I could stay on the beach forever.

I know it looks like we didn't do much while we were in Jamaica, but I lost a day of pictures. We went parasailing. Jonea gave herself an anxiety attack during that adventure. I laughed. We went to the spa and I ruined Jonea by this. She is addicted to the spa now. The food was amazing, the people wonderful and the weather top notch. 
We came back to the states through DFW in Dallas. Customs are usually a cinch for me. This time, not so much. Our paper work was filled out perfectly. We went through the kiosk separately and the moment my customs receipt was printed I knew I was going to have trouble. I usually get tagged at customs for some reason. Maybe it is because I have such a generic name. Jonea asked what she should do? I told her to go to the baggage claim and get our luggage. I would be there as soon as I was finished since we were trying to catch our connecting flight to Tulsa. I waited in line for 20 minutes and when I walked up to the customs agent he asked me the normal questions while looking at my passport. Where are you coming from? Where are you headed now? Then he looked me straight in the eye with a straight face and said, "Tell me whose passport this is?" I was startled. "Mine." He said, "No, whose picture is this?" That is when I said, "OH! That is me almost 10 years ago and I have lost 95 pounds!" He looked at me confused. I showed him my drivers license and he kept looking at me, my passport and my ID. Finally he said, "You look amazing. Maybe there is hope for me to drop weight too. Welcome back to the United States, Ms. Jones."
Mental Note: After Canada, renew passport. 



Today, July 17, 2014
It is cold and rainy outside. 
I left the beach to come home to what feels like football season. I am not complaining, but I still need one last day of summer.

Jeans: Old Navy
Polo: Lilly Pulitzer
Boots: Hunter wellies