Hero in a Half Shell, Turtle Power!

This, ladies and gentlemen, is my dad.

I like to call him the resident ninja. With the GA heat going on it's 5th steady month you can catch him in this awesome gear daily. As you can see from the red arrows I have highlighted the ninja headband, and a shirt pocket which houses items like: ninja throwing stars, mini samurai swords, and other warrior weaponry (I'm sure).

I always tell everyone that he actually makes these headbands out of old towels and cloth, which makes him much more legit as a ninja warrior.

Close friends and relatives have seen him in the gear so often that they have joked that they will find (or create) baby ninja headbands for our little one. This way Baby Jones and Grandpa can fight crime, or cut the grass, whatever...together.

If you wish to be half as awesome as my old man you can attempt to create your own head band by going here. Even if you have no crimes to fight, you can wear this versatile ensemble like dad does - while washing the cars, mowing the lawn, grilling out...you know, "the tough jobs that somebody has to do."

If he found out I posted this photo on the internet he might just scissor kick my head off. I still don't know if he realizes I even took the photo with my phone. Love you dad!

Don't drink the water.

I noticed this morning (well, I counted this morning) and there are 22 other ladies that I graduated with that are pregnant. Whoa. Some of them on their 2nd, and 3rd child (at the age of 23 and 24?! are you on crack?!)

-That doesn't include the handful of relatives of mine that are about to have/just had a bundle of joy too. Not their first either-like 2nd child, 4th child, hell even 5th child. Granted, I am the last of the grandchildren to be having a baby of my own - but I came into the family really freakin late!

My social circle, and family circle, will soon be full of little runts. I hope that mine can stand out from the crowd!

I guess the good thing about this is during practices, school functions, etc... I will know plenty of the moms! Bad side? I didn't really hang out with them in high school, so now instead of a commonality being "I dated your boyfriend/we wore the same prom dress" it will now be "I once dated your husband, oh, and we both pushed a person out of our uterus." Still not really grounds for best buddy status. I am just sooo glad that Mr. Jones was no where near my high school at any point, so some of the above statements won't be my case.

I am also hoping that the baby will grow to be huge like it's daddy, so that when the children of the asshats from high school give my kiddo trouble they can just mow them over and go about their day.

I will admit that I am actually friends with a few preggo ladies right now, A FEW.

You want to do what?

I think one thing that I will never fully understand is why people plan their "dream wedding" in the summer (and outside)? Now, if anyone ever reads this please understand - I reside in GA, and it is currently reading 101 degrees on my car thermometer. We have had some 50 odd days of 90 degrees and over...in a row. No rest for the weary here.

The dream wedding. Are people sick enough to have fantasy dreams about miserable guests sitting under an unforgiving sun while they strain to hear your I do's? Meanwhile the wedding party is attempting at all costs not to pass out from heat exhaustion and ruin your bouquets? And the fellas...in tuxedos! Black tuxedos layer upon layer of clothes. That is probably where the phrase "Sweating your balls off" came from - some poor schmuck who was in a summer wedding.

A wedding is a wedding is a wedding - so of course it is a beautiful thing. It just baffles me that people still do that here in the deep south during the summer.

*I will be in a wedding this weekend, which is why I am even thinking about all of this right now. Of course I may be a bit bitter because I am 4 months pregnant and the thought of trying to zip that bridesmaids dress up has me a bit antsy.*

To new beginnings

I am happy to announce that as of yesterday afternoon- I get to start a brand new adventure within our paranormal crew. I am now the director of EPGA.

Now, I am not a title hungry kind of gal, but I knew that nominating myself to be the director would allow me to really use my creative noggin to get things going for us. I knew that with the death of COL I would be able to use that energy for the paranormal group. The projects and ideas are endless.

But, at the end of the day I know that I really genuinely love what we have been doing for years. Talking to people about the field really is an great feeling because a lot of people don't understand how or why we do what we do-and getting to explain the awesomeness is well, Awesome.

The best part? My new partner in crime/Assistant Director is an amazing lady too. May we have a very successful year!

Prefers to travel with her own baggage.

So, a few months ago we traveled to the Emerald Isle for the coolest vacation I have ever been on. When we got off the plane we realized we had misplaced all of our directions, reservations, plans etc... We laughed it off and went on to have the best trip ever. All the details and bullshit? We didn't need any of it anyways.

Now we are gearing up for our big trip to Canada. It is the hubby's grandma's 90th birthday. I have yet to meet a lot of the relatives who live in Canada. I am going to get to see where his childhood years were spent. Initially I was skeptical that a big trip with his family would work (we had a bit of a tiff with his mom months prior to planning). We weren't speaking, so I didn't see how this would pan out.

Because-we are days away from boarding the plane and I am in total freak out mode. I (along with the 4 others travelling with me) have received an easy 10 pages worth of instructions regarding the trip. Everything from what to pack, to how to call a shuttle. Interesting enough I am the youngest one travelling at 24 years old. I can't wrap my head around why/how a fun "vacation" with mature adults has now turned into the biggest cluster fuck disaster so fast.

I think there is a reason we lost all of our plans back in Ireland. The universe was trying to tell me that not every minute of my life has to be on paper and happen as you think it should. I loved that change, and have implemented it back at home. Exploring the island my husband called home should have been the same way. An adventure every day. But now? It is plagued with a minute by minute itinerary chock full of rules and instructions. I am now nervous to pack my own fucking suitcase, for fear I will have skipped one of the many things on one of the many lists. Of course, the ones I am travelling with are used to this and advise time and time again to ignore her and delete whatever emails come through. But as a former over organizer who loves to comply with everyone it is damn near impossible for me to not hang the book of instructions around my neck with a highlighter marking things off as I go. (Hoping someone will think I am a lost child in the airport terminal and help me on my way-take me home with you!!!). Maybe on the front sheet I can put : If found, please send back to Georgia.

(the husband may kill me for airing some of this dirty laundry, but I seriously had to get some of it off my chest or he will never take me on a trip again-which is fine esp if it is a family vacation! oi)

Wanna hear a real vampire story?

The doc took 5 entire vials of blood from me today. Which would have been all good, except for one thing. I had never in my life had to give up blood until today. So when the lady walked in and both hands were full of clear little containers I got a bit antsy.

But I was a total trooper. I didn't get a sticker, but my man friend took me to cracker barrel after to celebrate.

Besides, he was ecstatic because he got to see our little monkey baby today too. We have quite a dancer on our hands already (and it's only 9.5 weeks old) Great. I won't be posting ultrasound pictures at any point during my pregnancy...not here...not anywhere.

I think it is 100% totally ridiculous that women post that crap on social networking sites. I don't need 500+ people checking that out. Just the idea of how that picture was taken = not cool for some people you never ever talk to (or don't know at all). No thanks. People don't post colonoscopy photos, and it is basically the same concept. So if anyone bugs me about not posting-I will tell them to shove a camera up their ass, post the pics, and see how they feel. A little violated? Alright then..

Diversity in the restaurant industry.

While the husband and I were driving to work this morning (yea, we work together too) We noticed that a new restaurant was opening soon, and the banner just said "Hibachi Buffet-Coming Soon!"

We talked for a minute about how we love hibachi, and i'm eating for two so the buffet idea was intriguing. All I can eat fried rice hibachi style? hell yes. Then we were taking stabs at what the name of the place might be. He guessed they may just leave it at Hibachi Buffet. Then I reminded him that Asian entrepreneurs know better than that. They will add a combination of Super, Jumbo, or Mega in front of that title. Or all three, Super Jumbo Mega Hibachi Buffet. For some reason they like to find every synonym possible for fucking huge, and throw that in to entice us fat Americans.

Then all of this reminded me of hispanic joints. Not the mexican restaurants that open for other mexicans (which actually have legitimate spanish names) But the mexican restaurants that open for the dumb Americans. You know, like El Burrito. The burrito? Really guys? Do you see us opening restaurants that serve american dishes and call it The Hamburger?or The Boring Grilled Cheese Sandwich? Of course not.

I guess that is all I have to say about that.