The Kitten and Sparkly

Originally uploaded by Catazon.

The Kitten and Sparkly are celebrating. You can’t see it, but she is decked out in brand new bootcut jeans and a belt with crosses and hearts outlined in rhinestones, and she’s still wearing the boots she inherited from her cousin a couple of years ago. I’m celebrating, too, although I will stand by my practice of no pictures, please. It might get kinda crazy since I’m hanging out with my sister at the cookoff.

The 2009 Show has begun. I spent most of the weekend at Reliant Park…the Membership Dance Friday night, drink inventory on Saturday morning, and the equipment setup from hell on Sunday. After all that, I didn’t feel very guilty while celebrating Mardi Gras at Willie’s last night…listening to a good band, eating fried pickles, and drinking too many margaritas.

The goal was to get the taxes done before March, but I also promised to buy The Kitten some western jeans for Go Texan Day on Friday. If she’s anything like me (and she is), we will visit all the Cavender’s in town to find some jeans that fit. Sounds like a fun week, one which will end with my attempt to attend the largest cookoff in the world not only on Saturday night when the main group of friends will be at our regular stomping grounds but Friday as well so I can see and be seen. It all boils down to whether we trust a houseful of cousins alone.

Tomorrow at lunch, the city is staging an event called the Rodeo Roundup. Now that I work downtown, I get to check it out. No work meetings on my schedule yet, so I will most likely disappear for the whole two hours. One of the perks of having a boss half a country away. Then the parade is Saturday morning, and unless The Kitten changes her mind, we will be there, too. I already posted my rodeo work schedule, so I guess that means I’ll see everyone in April (unless you read my Facebook and Twitter updates, of course).

My daughter’s name is not The Kitten. It’s really Sydney. Since she was born, we have called her Sydney Bean…and every other variation of Bean. Beanie Baby, Beanie Weenie, Beana, whatever… Our whole extended family calls her Bean.

Last night, The Kitten asks, “What’s my middle name?” I say, “You know your middle name. What is it?”

“Bean?”

“No, your middle name is Marie!”, I reply with a big smile.

She puts her hands on her head and exasperatedly says, “I can’t believe I told Aidan my middle name is Bean!”

Too cute! Although, I think she *really* likes Aidan, so it might have been a bit embarrassing for her. Good to know I’m already doing my duty as a parent.

So I’ve been off the cardiovascular health thing for over a week now, and I feel really badly for not updating yet. I hit the goal for the program (186 lbs), but my mentor and I talked about how far I really wanted to go. Of course, I really don’t care as long as my clothes fit, but I’m pretty sure I can get rid of six more after rodeo is over. Let me somehow just maintain for the next six weeks. Yes, rodeo is a lot of walking, but I always drink enough to counteract that.

I’m actually more curious to see if I’ve made an impact on my cholesterol. That will also have to wait for rodeo. I know I feel better overall, although that could be because I’m not hanging out with 60 sick women who keep passing their germs around over and over and over again. Blegh. I feel sorry for the friends I still have in there, even though I’m also tsking on the inside.

Anyway…six pounds before summer? Who wants to join me?