Wednesday Ramblings...

I haven't done a Wednesday Ramblings in a while, but I couldn't think of one specific thing to write about today, so I'm going with it. It's been busy week! 

I saw a cute Dallas Cowboys wreath on Pinterest (follow me here) and decided to try and make one myself (yes, despite the pain and suffering the 'Boys cause me, I'm still a fan). For better or for worse, in few precious wins and heart-breaking losses, I'm a fan for life (despite hating Jerry Jones with every fiber of my being). 

The pin wasn't linked to a particular blog or website, so I apologize I can't link it back to the original person. Here is the pin I saw. It looked like this person used a Styrofoam wreath, but I used a wooden one instead (I had bought one a few months ago on sale at Michael's). I had bought it for another project, but I gave up on that one. Glad I still had it!

I painted the wreath this "greekstone" color (honestly- the paint was on sale for 99 cents and since it wouldn't really show through anyways, I just went ahead and used it. I used two coats just to be sure it was completed covered.

After letting the spray paint dry, I wrapped the wreath with blue and silver yarn. Due to my busy schedule, there was a week between painting it and wrapping it in yarn, but if you wanted to try this, I'm sure you would just have to wait a day before you started applying the yarn. The spray paint seemed to dry pretty quickly.

 

I used a hot glue gun to glue down each end of the yarn. I didn't use any glue during the wrapping. Only when I started and finished a color. It seemed to work just fine that way.

I found a package at Hobby Lobby with cute wooden letters and shapes to use for the lettering. I also found an iron on football applique that I was able to just stick on the wreath once I was finished.

I spray painted the letters white, then applied what I call "puffy" paint to give the letters a little decoration. I got both of them at Hobby Lobby (although I'm sure any craft store would have them).

Here is the finished product!

So, on Saturday I went shopping with the BFF. She convinced me that I looked cute in this hat so I went ahead and bought it from T.J. Maxx. Thoughts?

While we were at T.J. Maxx, we saw this really hideous looking sweater (if you own this, I apologize, but I think it's hideous). It was made completely of these sequin type things. No lie. I took a picture because I knew no one would believe me. Check out the price tag on this bad boy. Who in their right mind pays THAT much for ANY sweater?? I like that T.J. Maxx mentioned that this thing normally cost $500. My mind is blown. I could buy a whole new wardrobe at Kohl's for $500.

I picked up some new followers on Twitter this past week. Shameless plug, follow me on Twitter here. Here are two of them. 

I've never had a butt follow me before, BUT since it's Luke Bryan's, I'm okay with that!! ;) 

Not gonna lie, had a giddy nerd moment when I saw this. If you know me, you know I'm fascinated by tornadoes and tornado chasing. Reed Timmer is a well known tornado chaser who was on the TV show Storm Chasers (I miss it). I had tweeted to him about something and he replied back. Then he started following me. Wonder if he's up for company on his next chase? I'd love to go! :)

So, it seems that I'm now getting spam not only in my email inbox, but my snail mailbox. I got this letter last week. No lie. It was addressed to me. Not sure how I got on the Miss Teen Dallas mailing list, but I would like off of it please.

No, I'm not one of those people who thinks beauty pageants are degrading to women. I just find them boring. I have no interest in them at all.

I guess that's enough ramblings for one day, I hope everyone has a great week!

XOXO!

Weekend recap!

Happy Monday friends! For all of you at home because you had President's Day off, I hate you am happy for you. After my eventful weekend, I could have used a day off! But alas, I wasn't that lucky. On Friday I was off work at 11:30 so the gals from my carpool and I did a little thrift store shopping and had lunch together. I have to say, I LOVE thrift stores. We found a new one that we really liked. I did pretty good. I bought a purse and hat and only spent $12 total. I thought I had a picture of both on my phone, but I guess I didn't take one. I'll post a picture later this week! 

After an afternoon full of shopping and Chick Fil-A, I met up with the BFF and we went to see The Vow (oh yes, two movie dates with Channing Tatum in one week, I'm a lucky, lucky girl!) ;)

Me and the BFF- it was taken in a dark theater so it's not the best picture.

I'm not a huge chick flick person, but this movie was okay. It was cute, not the best movie I've ever seen, but it was pretty good. If you are a die hard chick flick fan (or just like seeing Channing Tatum with no shirt on), I would recommend seeing it in the theater. If not, I would Red Box it when it comes out on DVD. 

Saturday morning I woke up to rain hitting my window, and I could tell it was a cold and miserable day outside. I finally got my lazy body out of bed about 1:00 (for the record, I was awake about 9ish, I was just sitting in bed watching TV until 1:00). Kohl's had sent me a 30% off coupon, and I felt it would be rude to at least not go by and say hi (this is how shopoholics justify going shopping). And just because I know you are dying to see what I got, here ya go. I actually did pretty good, I only bought three things.

Hooray for new work outfits!

I got home about 4:30 or so and was preparing for an evening of intense DVR watching when a friend of mine called. He had two extra tickets to the Darius Rucker/Lady Antebellum concert that night and wanted to know if a friend and I would like to go with him. I told him no, I would rather be a lazy bum and stay home by myself instead of going to a free concert. I'M KIDDING!! Of course I said yes. He called back a little while later saying he wasn't feeling good, so he actually had three tickets. He dropped the tickets off at my place and my friends Lea, Laura and I went to the AAC for the concert. 

Our view (taken before the show)

Some friends saw on Twitter and Facebook that I was there, so I was able to meet up and say hi to them.

My friend Leaneth was also there!

Got to meet one of my Twitter peeps!

The concert was great. The group Thompson Square opened the show. I only knew a few of their songs, but I thought they did a great job! This is my probably my favorite song of theirs.

I absolutely love Darius Rucker! I think this is the third time I've seen him in concert. I would say that he stole the show and was my favorite part! :)

And yes, he did sing a few Hootie and the Blowfish songs! ;)

Lady Antebellum did NOT disappoint. I had never seen them in concert before and I think they did a fabulous job! :)

Lady Antebellum. Picture stolen graciously borrowed from Lady A's Facebook page.

Love this song!

Sunday afternoon I drove to the other side of the Metroplex for the BFF's jewelry party. It was pretty exciting that I got to hang out with her twice in one weekend (this rarely happens). AND I got to see my sweet god dogs! I got home about 6 and was beyond exhausted. I think I was in bed about 8:30. See why I need another day off to recover?? :)

Hope everyone had a great weekend!!

XOXO!

Take Me Out To The Ballgame...

With the Super Bowl a week away, one would guess that not TOO many people are thinking about baseball season. Well, with the exception of me and the thousands of other Texas Rangers fans who braved below freezing temperatures and even colder winds at The Rangers Ballpark in Arlington yesterday for the annual Rangers Fanfest.

WARNING: this is going to be like a diary entry. It's going to get pretty long!! So much stuff to talk about!! :)

I got to The Ballpark a little before 8am (yes, you read that correctly, I was up and about before 8am on a Saturday!) In my head I was thinking, "oh, it's freezing, I bet there won't be many people there." WRONG. Fanfest gates weren't scheduled to open until 9am and already by 8am, the line to get in stretched from the first base gate to just past the center field gate (for those not familiar with The Ballpark, that is the equivalent to almost 2 city blocks.) At one point we realized that a light snow was falling. And just so my mother doesn't call yelling at me for being out in the cold, I was wearing a coat, hat, gloves, ear muffs and even had my Rangers blanket wrapped around me.

Yes, it was very cold!

My main reason to get there so early was to get Josh Hamilton's autograph (he is one of my favorite players on the Rangers). He was scheduled to sign first. Yes, I turn into a giddy 12 year old when it comes to meeting "famous people"! They only allow so many people to get autographs and it's on a first come, first serve, basis. Different players are at different locations around the Ballpark throughout the day. After standing outside the Ballpark in line for an hour (my friend Aaron braved the cold and showed up about 8:30), we hurried across the park in hopes of getting Josh's autograph (and the line for that was already long). They hand out tickets for autographs and once the tickets run out, you are out of luck (they do this so you don't wait in line for 2 hours only to be denied access). I know it sounds silly, but when I was handed the ticket, I almost felt like Charlie in Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory feeling like I had received a "golden ticket". Except it was blue. I had brought my copy of Josh's biography, Beyond Belief, for him to sign. I knew at Fanfest players aren't supposed to "personalize" the autographs, but I still wanted him to sign it anyways. **author's note: Even if you don't like baseball, this is a very good book. If you don't know much about Josh and his past, I recommend reading up on him. He has an amazing story.**

So, after waiting in the cold for another hour and a half in the line to see Josh, we finally were able to get inside to The Diamond Club. I honestly thought my toes had frozen off I was so cold. Thankfully The Diamond Club was nice and warm, and we all started to "thaw out" after a few minutes. We met a very nice family who had been standing in front of us outside the gates of The Ballpark then ended up behind us in the line to see Josh. They also had a copy of his book for him to sign.

When we finally got up to the table, Josh was very nice and very friendly. I had noticed that he had taken time to talk to each fan, instead of just signing whatever they had and letting them walk off. I thanked him for everything he had done and that I had really enjoyed his book. He said "God is good, isn't he?" I was like, "God is awesome." He agreed. He then asked my name and asked if I would like the book made out to me. I obviously agreed to that! I thanked him and he shook my hand and I told him God bless (yes, at this point Rachel was back on Cloud 9. For all of you who know me, I briefly met Josh last year at Fanfest. No autograph that time, but he did shake my hand. This encounter is going to last me another year!) :)

After we walked away from the table, we all noticed that he had put a different scripture on our autographs. Mine was Psalms 62:5, "Find rest, O my soul, in God alone; my hope comes from him."

Talking to Josh Hamilton (the nice lady behind us took the picture with my camera)

Josh's autograph in my book!

Aaron and I decided to try and find somewhere else warm, so we checked out the gift shop. He talked me out of buying a really cute Rangers outfit. I honestly didn't have the money. I told him he was a true friend. Many of my friends who have let me buy it. I'm sure at some point before the season starts, I'll save up the money and go buy it! :) Did I mention it was really cute??

Me and my buddy Aaron!

It seems my friends were working in shifts for Fanfest. My friend Monica showed up at 1:00 so Aaron could leave (he actually had somewhere else to be). Thanks for braving the cold Aaron! Monica and I sat in the dugout, viewed the locker room and ran the bases (okay, walked the bases). We then stood in line (again in the cold) for an hour and a half to get Jarrod Saltalamacchia and David Murphy's autographs. I honestly think it had gotten colder as the day wore on. I couldn't feel any part of my body by the time we were let inside. I dropped Monica's camera at one point because I still had no feeling in my fingers (sorry again about that girl!)

I think since it was the end of the day (or maybe they felt sorry that we had waited out in the cold so long), they seemed to let the players take pictures with the fans (normally they don't allow that during Fanfest in order to save time). So, we were able to get pictures with "Salty" and David Murphy. It was the end of a great, but cold, day!!

Me and Monica in the dugout

Running (okay, walking) the bases

Standing by the beautiful field!

Me and Captain (the mascot of the Rangers)

Me and Salty

Me and David

Monica and Salty

Monica and David