Like A Duck

James always comes home with entertaining stories about work. I try to keep my head down and leave on time, but James is social. He can't help himself. And with his social tendencies come entertaining stories. Like the one about his former co-worker who uses the camera feature on her iPhone to check her teeth after a meal (hi Robyn!).

One time, James told a story about a Dell meeting where they had to go around the room and discuss what animal they were most like. I don't remember what animal James used, but I remember one of the other guys in the room saying that he was like a duck. Calm on the surface and paddling like crazy to stay afloat. So. Me. I think James and I know that I'm not nearly so calm as I appear, but I'm trying to maintain the facade.

Between work, Scout, Cullen, family, and me, I am struggling some days. I am working at a job where I have no idea what I'm doing half the time. Everyone at work is okay with it, but it scares the bejeezus out of me. The clients I work with are pretty big, and I have no desire to be the girl who messed things up.

Scout is flourishing right now. I recently got two companies to sign on with me. One is using Scout for birthdays, and the other is using Scout as gifts for the clients they work with. I'm loving it, and I'm so thrilled to be trusted with these situations, but I wonder how I'm going to keep it all up some days. In my spare time (ha), I'm creating a logo and having a website designed. This is getting real.

Cullen is a big kid these days. Does anyone else remember feeling like they stole a baby the day they got to go home with their newborn? I was talking to a friend yesterday, and she stopped at the pharmacy while we were talking to pick up a prescription. They asked for her name, and she gave her married name. It weirded me out. Big time. As it turns out, we are no longer 12 year old cheerleaders together. We are married. We are moms. We are in charge of some awesome kids. Who left us alone with that one?  Anyone?

I want to be a rock star mom, an awesome wife, and a fabulous girlfriend. I can't do it all, but I'm trying. To be honest, I just strive to be mom of the year while Cullen is awake. Once he's asleep, I try to be the great wife. After that comes the girlfriend part. That may or may not be why I can't remember the last time I talked to Tera on the phone. I'm just holding out hope that she can make it to the Nutcracker Market this year, so we can have a day of catching up.

In other news, while I panic, life goes on. We still have Mister T stinking up the corner of the living room. Lucky for me, he's going home this weekend. He's cute, but I'm looking forward to not having a cooler as decoration in my home. See his new digs? He enjoys burrowing and creeping around and eating my organic lettuce for snacks.

My boss found out that I bake on the side. It's not necessarily something I was hiding, but it wasn't something I felt the need to tout around the office. He asked me to make something for him to take to a Bible study he and his wife were hosting. I tested out a new recipe for coconut key lime frosting, and they were a hit. I'm glad I got to embrace one more fun summer recipe before getting inundated with pumpkin.

 A long weekend generally means time for extra plans in our little home. We always say we need to take some time off, but it rarely ever happens. Our three day weekend had activities each day, but there was still time for play. While Cullen was playing with his cars on Saturday morning, it started to rain outside. He quickly grabbed his umbrella and opened it to protect James while he watched TV. I guess it wasn't raining in the kitchen where I was working. That, or Cullen knows that I'm too awesome for it to matter if it rains. Yeah. It's probably just that he knows I'm too awesome. Sounds believable, right?

On Saturday afternoon, Megan and "Mister Leef" came over to hang out. Megan and I went shopping and got our nails done while the boys grilled burgers and let Mister T run around the back yard. Poor Lee got tricked into pushing Cullen in the swing.  

Of course, Megan found an awesome recipe for an Oreo chocolate chip cookie brownie to expand on my brooksters from a couple of weeks ago. The brownies were the size of Cullen's head, but he was a happy camper. Luckily, the last of them were taken to work with James.

Sunday was one of the most important days of the whole fall season. Sunday was the opening day of the Baylor football season. For me, it primarily falls in line of importance behind the first day of the season when the temperature doesn't go above 80. Still waiting on that one. We geared up in green early on in the day and stayed up (and out) late to watch the Baylor game with Aunt Peggy. Following the "year of the bear," our expectations weren't too high, but it was a great game. I'm looking forward to some more awesome, can't-miss football this season.

Monday was both Labor Day and my dad's birthday, so we spent the day with my parents celebrating. There was grilling, swimming and key lime pie. It was good to get to spend the time with my parents, and I loved it when Cullen said that he didn't want to go home. I also loved it when he passed out on the drive home. Sweet serenity.  

This weekend, James will be at the deer lease again while Cullen and I enjoy lots of books and naps and finger painting. And, if we're lucky, a baseball game.

xoxo ashley