Yes George and Gracie, There is a Santa Claus

George and Gracie made the "nice" list this year.

Enjoying Aunt Al and Uncle Drew's gift

Gracie using their new catnip mat from their future daddy

I don't have a picture, but the biggest hit is their new laser mouse toy. It's basically a laser pointer in the shape of a mouse. We got two this year -- one from Uncle Dean and Aunt Alissa and another one from their future grandparents. It's called a Loco Laser, and they really go crazy for it! I highly recommend it for any cat parents!

Christmas in Houston

I went to Houston over Christmas to visit my brother, sister-in-law, and two nephews. The whole family was there, and we had a great time. Grant and Drew are the cutest kids ever!!

I had fun playing with Grant. He loves trains and playing on his train table. At 2 years old, he doesn't completely understand Christmas and Santa Claus, but he still enjoyed the presents.

Drew is now 3 months old! He is very vocal and making lots of sounds. He is getting so big!

Merry Christmas!!

Sisterly Love

I wanted to try using video on my blog. It's not the best quality, because I took it with my cell phone!

Here's a cute video of Gracie being affectionate with George. Georgie doesn't even try to be macho. He loves every minute of it...

Closet Envy

I have to admit that I have a girl-crush on Anne Hathaway. I am so envious of her closet! I don't think she ever misses. I know she has help from Rachel Zoe, her stylist, but she has to make a final decision about what she wears.

(L to R) Marc Jacobs and Bill Blass

(L to R) Diane von Furstenberg and Chanel

Marchesa (at the 2008 Oscars)

My 4th Anniversary

Pat and I had our last anniversary in December yesterday. We celebrated four years together! I'm excited, because our anniversary will move to April next year after we're married. No more having to buy anniversary and Christmas gifts so close together! :-D

Mommy, Give Me Back My Box!

I recently listed my house with the hope to sell it and buy a home with my future husband. That means that I've been "de-personalizing" my house in the past several weeks -- taking down personal photos, using more neutral decor, etc. George and Gracie have had their food, water, and litter box relocated.

For those of you that have been reading my blog for a while, you know that my goofy cat, George, loves boxes. He has one box in particular that he loves sleeping in. Unfortunately for him, that box had to go in the closet to make things look better for potential buyers. I thought he had forgotten about it. Just the other day, I left the closet door open and came back to find him sitting in his box in the closet. He seemed to be screaming, "Mommy, give me back my box!"

Do Other People Put Up With This?

I'm going to rant in this blog posting, so be warned.

In an earlier posting, I talked about meeting with two florists. The one I'm talking about is not the one we chose. Mom and I met the day before Thanksgiving with a florist that usually decorates our wedding locale. At the end of the meeting, he promised an estimate by the next Monday or Tuesday.

I waited until Friday, 1 1/2 weeks later, without receiving the estimate or a phone call. I called Friday morning and left a message asking about it. No one returned my call. Really professional, huh?

On Saturday morning, the guy calls and says the estimate is about to be e-mailed to me. I almost told him not to bother sending it, but I was curious. When I check my account, I have an e-mail from him. A 14,000 KB e-mail!! It takes about 5 minutes to open, and then I see why. This guy had SCANNED his hand-written notes and jotted down monetary estimates beside his notes. On top of all of this, the final tally was insanely expensive.

I don't have a problem with someone taking longer than expected to get a document to me. If he had called and said he was really behind, it would have been no problem.

In the pictures I saw of other weddings at the Tutwiler, it seems like they are normally the florists. Did they treat other brides like this? Do people actually put up with this unprofessionalism? My dad always says that some businesses are in business in spite of themselves. This is a perfect example.

You're entrusting these vendors with one of the most important days of your life. If you're too artsy and wishy-washy to handle the business side, hire someone who can.

What's a World Without Bags?

I Found a Dress!

I found my wedding dress last weekend while I was visiting my parents. Mom and I went shopping on Saturday morning. I tried on about 20 or 30 dresses and found the one! :-D

It was a great experience, but I'm kind of sad that I don't get to visit several stores. I thought it would be fun to have at least one or two of my bridesmaids or more family present. Even so, I'm really excited to wear the dress on my big day.

Since my fiancee reads my blog, the only thing I'll say about the dress is that I never knew that yellow and brown polka dots looked so good on me. :-P

Black Friday

I braved Black Friday for the first time this year. It went really well and was not as bad as I expected. It was surprising to see so many people out at 4am!

Pat and I decided we'd try shopping this year and made a plan. We had 4 stores we wanted to visit on different sides of town, so we split up. I was at JCPenney and saved (a lot!) on the jewelry I bought. I then went to Belk that opened at 5am. I stood in a long line outside for a few minutes before the doors opened. I got a gift card for being one of the first 250 people and just about everything was 50% off!

Pat was victorious, too, and bought a 42" flat screen HDTV. He tried Wal-Mart first but left before customers started throwing punches! He said it was mayhem. To get the TV, he stood in line for almost an hour at HHGregg and got the last one of its kind in the store.

It was definitely an experience, and I saved a ton of money. I'm amazed that people will fight over material things. (Luckily, I didn't see that!) I'd rather pay full price instead of being part of any of that craziness.

Two Florists and a Photographer Walk Into a Bar...

Mom and I went to three appointments today -- two florists and a photographer. The first florist ran her business out of her home. She does most events at the Tutwiler. I had checked out her website and knew she had an over-the-top style. I prefer simple and elegant, but you don't know until you talk to someone.

We met her co-worker, and he discussed ideas and options with us. I knew I wanted less flowers and more candles and votives. But, how do you tell a florist that you don't want flowers?? He had a few good ideas, but we left unimpressed.

Next up was our appointment with a photographer. She was very impressive and talked us through the process. She seems like someone who understands how special the day will be. We liked her portfolio and decided to use her for the wedding. (KP Studios)

The last appointment was with a florist downtown. We talked about what I wanted and he got it! He instantly understood what I wanted and made some great suggestions. We're going to use lots of vases with water, pearls, and floating votives with candles. They will work so well with my color scheme of white, silver, and light blue! (Flower Stems)

Happy Birthday, Grant!

My nephew is 2 today!! Happy birthday to my precious boy!

We Have a Site and a Date

Pat and I decided on the Tutwiler Hotel for our wedding on April 11, 2009. It's downtown and has a lot of history. I've always loved downtowns of cities and their skylines, so this is an ideal spot. It is a great mix of modern and old. It reminds me of old Hollywood.

Mom and I met with the wedding coordinator on Tuesday to get a tour and talk about options. We were impressed with her and all that the site has to offer. The only thing that didn't work for us was having the ceremony outside. Even though we didn't plan on having an outside ceremony, we decided to go ahead and use their Plan B, if necessary. (Please no rain on April 11!)

Bama is Still at the Top

Saturday's Alabama-LSU game was one of the best games I've ever seen. For the sake of my sanity, I would have liked it to not be so close. Thank goodness, all that stress was worth it. Roll Tide!

Do We Have to Redistribute Our Cat Treats?

George and Gracie are inconsolable after learning that Obama is our next president...

Kiss Your Money Goodbye

The Foo Fighters did a song that says what I feel after last night's election results.

To our future president:

"What if I say I'm not like the others?
What if I say I'm not just another one of your plays
You're the pretender
What if I say I will never surrender?"

What has America gotten itself into??

The University of Alabama Tops the Polls

BCS Top 5 Standings
1) Alabama
2) Texas Tech
3) Penn State
4) Texas
5) Florida

Alabama has not been ranked No. 1 since 1992 and has not played a game as a No. 1 team since October 27, 1980.

Happy Halloween!

31 Days, 31 Things You Didn't Know About Breast Cancer

Breast cancer awareness month is coming to a close, but women should stay educated and be aware at all times.

• One woman is diagnosed with breast cancer every 3 minutes.
• Breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer in women.
• Cancer kills more Americans -- some 560,000 -- each year than in all the wars of the 20th century combined.

31 Days, 31 Things You Didn't Know About Breast Cancer

High socioeconomic status (usually defined by a high income and/or high education level) has been associated with an increased risk of breast cancer. The reason for this relates to differences in risk factors seen in women of different education and income levels. For example, compared to women of lower socioeconomic status, women of higher socioeconomic status tend to have their first child at a later age, have fewer children and breastfeed for less time, all of which are known to increase the risk of breast cancer.

31 Days, 31 Things You Didn't Know About Breast Cancer

Would you like to know how our presidential candidates are supporting the fight against breast cancer?

Senator McCain and Senator Obama's views

31 Days, 31 Things You Didn't Know About Breast Cancer

A woman's risk of breast cancer is higher if her mother, sister, or daughter had breast cancer. The risk is higher if her family member got breast cancer before age 40. Having other relatives with breast cancer may also increase a woman's risk.

Let's Get Physical

George decided to try out a new look...

31 Days, 31 Things You Didn't Know About Breast Cancer

Chemotherapy and hormonal therapy make up what is called systemic therapy. With these therapies, the entire body is treated to destroy any cancer cells that may have spread from the breast to other areas of the body.

Sadie, Sadie, "Engaged" Lady

Pat and I are engaged! He proposed on Friday afternoon. I couldn't sleep that night, because I was so excited and my mind wouldn't shut down. Pat had called me saying that Einstein (his dog and my future son) had bought me a book. (We're always doing goofy things, like giving each other gifts from our pets.) He came in with the book hidden and had me sit down. I opened it (the ring was inside) and then he was on one knee and asked me to marry him. I said "yes." (Of course!) It caught me so off guard that I asked him, "Is this real?" :-) He made a wonderful choice and bought me a gorgeous ring!!

*Photo courtesy of my future father-in-law

I think the best part is how he asked my family for their approval. My parents were visiting my brother and sister-in-law, so he flew to Texas all in one day to ask them! (I wish my brother, Steve, could have been there, too.) They all approved and somehow kept it quiet. I'm sure Mom was about to bust! :-)

It has finally sunk in a little more, and I'm starting to think about what I want for our wedding. There are lots of decisions to be made!

31 Days, 31 Things You Didn't Know About Breast Cancer

In large studies, breastfeeding has been correlated to lowered breast cancer risk.

31 Days, 31 Things You Didn't Know About Breast Cancer

Among women with or without a genetic risk of breast cancer, researchers found that fruits, vegetables, low-fat dairy products, fish, monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids (olive oil, sunflower seeds, avocados), vitamin D, calcium, phytoestrogens (tofu and soy beans) may reduce the risk of breast cancer. Meanwhile, a high intake of meats or saturated fats may actually contribute to breast cancer risk.

31 Days, 31 Things You Didn't Know About Breast Cancer

Every 13 minutes a women dies of breast cancer.

My Growing Nephew

My nephew, Drew, is already a month old and so cute!!

31 Days, 31 Things You Didn't Know About Breast Cancer

Breast cancer is diagnosed more often in white women than Latina, Asian, or African American women.

The Amazing George

George's cabinet obsession has reached a new high. (Literally!) He has figured out how to jump from the counter to the top of the refrigerator to the top of the cabinets. That is almost 7 feet off the ground! I immediately make him get down, but it's a new thing to him and he keeps doing it.

I was also woken up at 1am last night, because he was trying to open the cabinets. This time, Gracie got stuck and I had to let her out. Gracie somehow has bad things happen to her, even though George is being mischievous and she's just an accomplice.

I bought some heavy duty child locks today to try to find a solution. I can't believe I'm having to buy child locks for my cats!! George is a super sweet cat, but I have to find a way to channel his energy for good!

31 Days, 31 Things You Didn't Know About Breast Cancer

The main goal of breast cancer surgery is to completely remove the cancer from the breast. There are two basic types of surgery for breast cancer: lumpectomy (AKA breast conserving surgery) and mastectomy.

In a lumpectomy, the surgeon removes the breast tumor and some normal tissue around it. In a mastectomy, the surgeon removes the entire breast and may also remove some of the lymph nodes from the armpit. The other difference is that women almost always have radiation therapy after the lumpectomy, but not usually after the mastectomy.

31 Days, 31 Things You Didn't Know About Breast Cancer

To date, most inherited cases of breast cancer have been associated with two genes: BRCA1 (BReast CAncer gene one) or BRCA2 (BReast CAncer gene two). The function of these genes is to keep breast cells growing normally and to prevent any cancer cell growth.

But when these genes contain abnormalities or mutations, they are associated with an increased breast cancer risk. Abnormal BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes may account for up to 10% of all breast cancers.

Beware of George and Gracie

I've been having trouble with my Directv, so I had a repairman come out today. George and Gracie don't like strangers, and they always run upstairs to hide. The technician asked if I had any dogs, and I answered, "No dogs, just two attack cats!" These pictures show how vicious they can be!

The bump under my comforter is Gracie...

George, the man of the house, under the bed...

31 Days, 31 Things You Didn't Know About Breast Cancer

Women who have their first child after the age of 35 have a slight increase in lifetime risk of breast cancer compared to women who have their first child at younger ages and women who don't have children.

31 Days, 31 Things You Didn't Know About Breast Cancer

85% of women with breast cancer do not have a family history of breast cancer. Every woman needs to do self-exams and get mammograms after the age of 40.

31 Days, 31 Things You Didn't Know About Breast Cancer

With it being breast cancer awareness month, an influx of pink products enter the market to help raise money for charity. There are many worthwhile choices out there, but be sure to buy products that list their specific cause and donation amount. Here are a few good choices:

• Estee Lauder giving $500,000
• M & M's giving $650,000
• White House Black Market giving $200,000
• Ford Motor Co. giving $500 for every Warriors in Pink package
• Cat Chow giving $225,000
• Stanley Tools giving $100,000 + proceeds from auction items
• General Mills giving $2 million

31 Days, 31 Things You Didn't Know About Breast Cancer

The term benign breast disease is used to describe a number of benign (non-cancerous) conditions that can affect the breast. Some of the most common benign breast conditions are hyperplasia, cysts, fibroadenomas, and calcifications. Some cause discomfort or pain and require treatment, while others are of little concern and need no medical attention. While benign breast conditions are not cancer, certain types do increase the risk of breast cancer.

31 Days, 31 Things You Didn't Know About Breast Cancer

This past weekend at the Bank of America 500, NASCAR showed its generosity. Three drivers had special paint schemes to celebrate the cause.

Elliot Sadler for Stanley Tools

This car showed support for National Breast Cancer Awareness Month and Susan G. Komen for the Cure. Stanley Tools had refused to change the color of its yellow logo for 165 years until last Saturday. The company also made a $100,000 donation and put the pink items up for auction.

Kyle Busch for M & Ms

M & M's donated $650,000 to the cause.


Bobby Labonte for Cheerios

General Mills donated $2 million to the cause.

31 Days, 31 Things You Didn't Know About Breast Cancer

Over 80% of breast lumps are not cancerous, but benign such as fibrocystic breast disease.

Cat Chow Goes Pink

A reassuring purr. A soft nuzzle on the chin. Many cat owners would agree that their feline companions are a great source of comfort, especially when it’s needed most.

In recognition of the human-cat bond, Purina Cat Chow brand cat food has teamed up with Susan G. Komen for the Cure to help fight breast cancer.

The St. Louis-based cat food company recently donated $175,000 to Susan G. Komen for the Cure, a nonprofit organization that aims to eradicate breast cancer. Cat Chow donated an extra $50,000 — $1 for each person who took an online breast-awareness quiz — to the organization for a grand total of $225,000. Also, in honor of October as National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Cat Chow will be available in a pink limited-edition bag.

Kerry Lyman, spokeswoman for Nestle Purina PetCare, said the company chose to become the first pet food brand to partner with Susan G. Komen for the Cure after hearing testimonials from women whose cats provided them support while undergoing cancer treatments.

Lyman said, “Komen is an organization working actively to find a cure for breast cancer, and it just seemed to be a good fit, a way to project our understanding that there is a link between cats and their owners’ health.”

Pat as Tony Franklin

Pat has been doing a segment on The Matt Murphy Show on WAPI 1070AM. He will impersonate people in the news (without changing his voice). He has done Bill Clinton and Nancy Pelosi so far. It's really funny, because Matt acts like it is a serious interview.

This past Friday, Pat was Tony Franklin. He was asked to use the phrase "get lost" as much as possible, because Franklin was quoted as saying that the Auburn staff told him to "get lost."

Pat on The Matt Murphy Show

31 Days, 31 Things You Didn't Know About Breast Cancer

The signs of breast cancer are not the same for all women. In fact, many women have no signs they can see. There are still some common signs or changes. Go see your doctor right away if you notice any of these things in your breasts.

• A lump, hard knot, or thickening
• Swelling, warmness, redness, or darkening
• Change in the size or shape
• New pain in one spot
• Dimpling or puckering of the skin
• Itchy, scaly sore, or rash on the nipple
• Pulling in of your nipple or other parts
• Nipple discharge that starts suddenly

31 Days, 31 Things You Didn't Know About Breast Cancer

Currently, women in the United States have a "1 in 8," or about a 12%, lifetime risk of breast cancer.

Einie, My Favorite Blonde

31 Days, 31 Things You Didn't Know About Breast Cancer

Changes You Can Make to Reduce Your Risk

• Stop smoking.
• Get more exercise.
• Maintain a healthy weight.
• Reduce your exposure to estogen.
• Learn about good nutrition and start eating for good health.
• Eat your fruits and vegetables!
• Relax.

Congrats!

Congratulations to Jill and Terry! They had their first child (a boy) at 8:32am on Friday. Terry Michael (Trey) weighed in at 5 lbs, 13 in and 19 inches. He is such a cutie!

Race for the Cure 2008

Today, Pat and I were a part of the Komen Race for the Cure. Over 13,000 people participated this year. The event is so inspirational, and the Komen Foundation does great work. I was able to collect $285 in donations. Thanks to everyone who supported me! This is my 3rd year to partcipate, and our 2nd year together!

We had our grandmothers on our minds and walked for them... :-)

They even turned the water pink!

31 Days, 31 Things You Didn't Know About Breast Cancer

Susan G. Komen Foundation

Nancy G. Brinker promised her dying sister, Susan G. Komen, that she would do everything in her power to end breast cancer forever.

In 1982, that promise became Susan G. Komen for the Cure and launched the global breast cancer movement. Today, Komen for the Cure is the world’s largest grassroots network of breast cancer survivors and activists fighting to save lives, empower people, ensure quality care for all and energize science to find the cures. They have invested nearly $1 billion to fulfill the promise, becoming the largest source of nonprofit funds dedicated to the fight against breast cancer in the world.

31 Days, 31 Things You Didn't Know About Breast Cancer

The link between having children and the risk of breast cancer is fairly complex. This is because a first pregnancy has two effects on breast cancer risk--one that typically raises risk over the short term and another that lowers risk over the long term.

Women who are over age 35 when they have their first child have a slight increase in lifetime risk of breast cancer compared to women who don’t have children and women who have their first child at younger ages.

Why this differing effect with age? We don’t know for sure, but there are several possible reasons. One reason relates to breast cells. During pregnancy, breast cells grow rapidly. And if there is any genetic damage in the breast cells, it is copied as the cells grow. This increases genetic damage in the cells, which can lead to breast cancer. Because the chance of having such genetic damage goes up with age, women who have their first child at a later age may have a higher risk of breast cancer than younger women.

31 Days, 31 Things You Didn't Know About Breast Cancer

More than 1.7 million women who have had breast cancer are still alive in the United States.

Gracie's Simple Pleasures

A soft place to sit...

A safe place to watch the world...

A place to bask in the sunlight...

2nd Presidential Debate

I felt like last night's debate was simply a rehashing of campaign speeches. There were several good moments, but I agree with Mort Kondracke who said the debate could have been more interesting. Where were the new questions? They've already talked about the economy and foreign policy.

A few thoughts:

• Obama complained that, for the past 30 years, Washington has done nothing about energy independence. His insult to McCain was that he had been there for 26 of those years. That actually makes Obama look bad. He has no experience!
• I wonder what McCain writes in his notes. Hmm...
• Good quote from McCain = "I'm always a little nervous about government mandates."
• My biggest complaint was Tom Brokaw harping about the time. By continuing to bring up the "rules," it took up even more time! It's like when several people shush a crowd, and the shushing is louder than the crowd.

With election day getting closer, celebrities and their political opinions are out in full force. They are telling people to get out and vote, but why don't they ever tell people to watch the debates? If people watched the debates themselves, they might actually have to form their own opinion. Hmm, how novel...

31 Days, 31 Things You Didn't Know About Breast Cancer

Clinical trials test the safety and potential benefits of new treatments and the effectiveness of new ways to diagnose or prevent disease that may not have been known. Clinical trials have been responsible for many advances in breast cancer treatment such as screening mammography, lumpectomy, and the use of tamoxifen as hormone therapy to treat breast cancer.

31 Days, 31 Things You Didn't Know About Breast Cancer

Oral contraceptives may cause a slight increase in breast cancer risk. However, 10 years after discontinuing use of oral contraceptives the risk is the same as for women who never used the pill.

31 Days, 31 Things You Didn't Know About Breast Cancer

Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer death in women between the ages of 15 and 54, and the second cause of cancer death in women 55 to 74.

Happy Birthday!

My dad turns 64 today. I was able to drive to my parents' house yesterday and give him a birthday present. Love you!

Cool pic of Dad in his Packard convertible

31 Days, 31 Things You Didn't Know About Breast Cancer

Stages of Breast Cancer

Stage 0 = No evidence of cancer cells

Stage I = Cancer cells are breaking through to or invading neighboring normal tissue. No lymph nodes are involved.

Stage IIA = No tumor in breast, but cancer cells are found in the lymph nodes under the arm,

OR
Tumor is <= 2 cm in breast with cancer cells found in lymph nodes, OR Tumor is between 2 and 5 cm with no cancer cells in lymph nodes

Stage IIB = Tumor is between 2 and 5 cm with cancer cells in lymph nodes,
OR
Tumor is > 5 cm with no cancer cells in lymph nodes

Stage IIIA = No tumor in breast, but cancer cells are found in the lymph nodes under the arm
are clumped together or sticking to other structures, or cancer has spread

to lymph nodes near breastbone,
OR
Tumor is > 5cm with cancer cells in the lymph nodes under the arm clumped

together or sticking to other structures

Stage IIIB = Tumor of any size and has spread to chest wall and/or skin of the breast,
AND
Cancer cells have spread to lymph nodes under the arm and are clumped together
or sticking to other structures,
OR
Cancer cells have spread to lymph nodes near breastbone

(Known as inflammatory breast cancer)

Stage IIIC = Either no tumor or tumor of any size that has spread to chest wall and/or skin of

the breast,
AND
Cancer cells in lymph nodes around collarbone,
AND
Cancer in lymph nodes under the arm or near breastbone

Stage IV = Cancer has spread to the other organs of the body -- usually the lungs, liver, bone, or
brain

31 Days, 31 Things You Didn't Know About Breast Cancer

Male breast cancer is rare but possible. An estimated 1,990 new cases of breast cancer will be diagnosed in men in the U.S. during 2008. In 2004, the overall incidence of breast cancer in men was 1.4 per 100,000, compared to 124 per 100,000 in women. Differences in mortality were equally wide: 0.3 per 100,000 in men; 24 per 100,000 in women.

31 Days, 31 Things You Didn't Know About Breast Cancer

96% of women who find and treat breast cancer early will be cancer-free after 5 years.

31 Days, 31 Things You Didn't Know About Breast Cancer

Estimated New Cancers by State, 2000-2004

Lowest = Mississippi (105)
Highest = Washington (142)
Rate in Alabama = 114

*Source: American Cancer Society, 2008

31 Days, 31 Things You Didn't Know About Breast Cancer

Breast cancer is a type of cancer where cells in the breast tissue divide and grow without the normal control. About 85 percent of breast cancers originate in the mammary ducts, while about 15 percent arise in the lobules (spherical-shaped sacs in the breast that produce milk).

Cancerous tumors in the breast usually grow very slowly so that by the time one is large enough to be felt as a lump, it may have been growing for as long as ten years.

Hey sis, did you hear that Alabama is #2 in the nation?

Happy Anniversary!

My parents are celebrating their 39th wedding anniversary today. Congrats - I love you both!!

NCAA Football AP Poll (Top 5)

1. Oklahoma (4-0)
2. Alabama (5-0)
3. LSU (4-0)
4. Missouri (4-0)
5. Texas (4-0)

Drew Has Arrived!

My sister-in-law had Andrew Dean Sloan on September 22 at 2:24pm. He was 8 lbs, 4 oz and 20 inches with a full head of hair!

That darn paparazzi! I said no pictures!

While Dean and Alissa were at the hospital, I got to spend lots of time with Grant. We had fun together. He would just grab my finger and go! He is saying all kinds of words, knows his letters, and is a very smart boy!