Hepburn and Houndstooth » Friendships

Scarf Swap!

Rhonda Gail — Fri, 23 Sep 2011 02:00:00 +0000

I was so excited to join Meredith‘s scarf swap! I love scarves and love gift-giving. More than that, I love connecting with others in the blogging community! Swappers were partnered at random and I was matched with Lili of The Style Spy. She is uber cool and stylish, so I was really anxious about being her partner! I was afraid I’d get her something just not cool enough! I looked at scarves everywhere. We swapped basic info about our tastes – favorite colors and patterns. I told her I love Kelly green, gold, gray, and houndstooth. She said she loves blues, camels, and leopard.

I forgot to snap a pic of what I got her (a deep blue pashmina – click HERE to see it!). Turns out I also forgot the notecard I wrote out to go in her package. I found it days later in the bottom of my purse. But she wasn’t so lame! She even sent extras…such a sweetie.

As soon as I opened the package at work, I took pictures and my chins and I tried on the shimmery pale gold scarf.

(yes, my office lighting and cell phone photographer skills are astounding)

Look at all those extra treats! Even baby Quentin got boots!

Thank you so much, Lili! I truly love it all!

And thanks a million also to Meredith for hosting such a fun swap!

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Girls’ Beach Weekend!

Rhonda Gail — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 14:00:00 +0000

Okay, I had every intention of making this post super special. It was such a special occasion, but for God’s sake, it was 3 months ago! I can’t remember lots of details and quite frankly, just don’t have time to chronicle them. Instead, I’ll just give you some background and a picture overload.

I met Nicole in an online community 6ish years ago. We have been good friends since and in the last year or so, became closer than ever. Unfortunately, she lives in Nebraska and I live in Mississippi. Between the distance, marriages, and kids, we just never managed to get together. That finally changed in March. Nicole flew down for a girls’ weekend at the beach… just the two of us! I was just about 9 weeks pregnant, so avoided all the tasty beverages she was consuming (and that I had planned to consume when we first booked the trip). Other than that, it was perfection and we’ve decided to make it a yearly trip!

Onto the pictures…..

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Brain Dump

Rhonda Gail — Wed, 13 Apr 2011 20:51:29 +0000

So much built up in my head, I feel like it’s going to explode (or maybe that’s just my allergies).

I have decided to change focus with Shop Houndstooth. I will soon be carrying one-of-a-kind wall art and much, much less jewelry. To clean out and make room for new supplies, I will soon be selling some jewelry supplies in the shop, as well as existing inventory for C.H.E.A.P. I’ll let you all know when my clearance sale begins.

May is going to be a busy month in my house and I’m already feeling a bit anxious about it. We’ll round out April with Easter weekend, then May brings a high school graduation, registering Nick for kindergarten, Harper’s Memorial Day weekend birthday, and all sorts of projects for the house.

The big magnolia tree in my front yard is blooming! This makes for one happy mama (who is now motivated to clean house and make room for some cut blooms in vases)!

I truly have the best friends on earth. One of my lifelong BFFs mailed a card to me that raves about how proud she is of me and where I’m headed in my life. This means so much coming from her and I’m now more motivated than ever to tackle my big goals.

Fabric samples from homereserve.com came in my mailbox today! I can’t wait to get home and see them so we can make a choice and start designing our new sectional!

I am in the market for pink clip-in hair extensions to wear on the weekends, since I can’t have it colored that way for work. Any suggestions? I’d like human hair, but would consider a high-quality synthetic.

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Amazingness.

Rhonda Gail — Tue, 16 Nov 2010 00:15:27 +0000

Dustin and I have been together nearly four years and I have never met his family. The last time he saw his family was the week before he and I became official. I feel at least partially responsible for this sad fact. Our relationship was of a long-distance nature for a long while, so all of his trips were taken to see me instead of them. They live in St. Louis and Iowa, he lived in Orlando, and I lived in Mississippi.

Well, I was determined to go see his family for Thanksgiving, but up until last night, it just didn’t seem possible. We don’t have a vehicle that our whole family will fit in. Enter my angel friend. A friend of mine (he wishes to remain anonymous, the sign of a true giver) has done lots of favors for me. Last night, he really outdid himself, offering up his own car for us to use! I am beyond thankful and we are officially rolling out to St. Louis on Wednesday the 24th, returning on Sunday. It’s not nearly long enough, but it’s better than nothing!!

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30 Days of Truth, Day 9: Someone you didn’t want to let go, but just drifted

Rhonda Gail — Sun, 14 Nov 2010 19:56:23 +0000

I have spent the last two days thinking off and on about this post. The problem is that I instantly thought of several people. Over the last few years, a lot of people sort of faded out of my life. For most of those friendships, nothing in particular happened. Things just sort of fell apart. I think the catalyst for this turn of events was the birth of my first son. Having children or getting married automatically eliminates a lot of people from your life. I just never expected it to be some people.

In particular, I think of a friend I considered to be one of my best and probably the only person I felt sure would be in my life ten years later. Well, we’re about halfway to ten years of friendship and we’re definitely still friends. However, it’s nothing like it used to be. Our lives are just very different, but I’ll always love her very much and she’ll always be in my life in some capacity. I can’t imagine things going any other way.

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30 Days of Truth, Day 8: Someone who made your life like hell, or treated you like shit

Rhonda Gail — Sat, 13 Nov 2010 14:03:25 +0000

I have been treated well by most people my whole life. I realize that makes me lucky. For the majority of my boyfriend years, I was treated like gold and I realize that puts me in the minority. Right in the middle of my dating years though, I had one very rough year. A few years prior, I became best friends with a guy from work (we’ll call him Craig) and fell in love with him, despite our vast differences. We became monogamous about the time that he joined the Navy. While Craig was away at A School, he bought a diamond ring and we were engaged upon his discharge just a few months later (long, stupid story). That was my first mistake. But hey, that’s a story for a different day…. or not.

Things were really good for awhile, though tight financially. Craig and I made a lot of stupid mistakes with credit cards and the like. At some point, I was working trying to make ends meet while he looked for a job. Well, he just didn’t look hard enough, and before I knew it, we got the first eviction notice. We weren’t being evicted because I couldn’t pay rent. I would have been able to get us by. We were being evicted because for two months in a row, without me knowing it, Craig spent the money I gave him to pay rent… on pot. and beer. I was able to smooth over the first eviction and get us out of it. However, I kicked Craig out. After a week, I let him back in, believing his promises to change and help out more. It didn’t take long before things caught up with us and we got evicted for real because I could no longer make ends meet on my own. We moved in with his stepdad temporarily. Things got really bad and for awhile, I considered breaking up. I just didn’t know if I should be marrying someone so irresponsible. He bought a new (cubic zirconia) engagement ring (he had pawned off the nicer, original one to buy video games, I think) and I accepted. We moved in with a house full of friends. We both had jobs at this time, but things still didn’t get better. We started fighting more than ever.

It all came to a head one night when we went with our roommates and some others to a bar. We both had a bit to drink and when we got back home, we were fighting about something. The fight continued on the lawn, with me giving him his ring back, him throwing it out into the street, lots of shouting, neighbors peeking out of their windows, until I decided I was over it and went inside to figure out what I was going to do. I quickly sobered up as I realized what was going on. I just wanted to move home and as far away from this toxic mess as possible. But Craig wasn’t done. Maybe an hour after we got home, he was in our gameroom area playing pool with the roommates. I went in for something and he started up the fighting again when he realized I didn’t want to talk anymore or hear his begging. Out of nowhere, for the first time in our relationship, it took a physical turn. Craig’s pool cue went grazing over the top of my head and through the window behind me. Things were suddenly crystal clear. I was so done. I called my mom and went to bed. When he came to bed, he begged and pleaded and asked me not to leave. However, I thankfully stuck by it and my mom was there first thing in the morning to help me move my stuff.

I have since forgiven Craig and we talk as acquaintances from time to time. Some can’t understand why I forgave him, but a couple of years ago, he gave me some insight into why he did the things he did. I won’t go there, because it was hard enough to write this post knowing that some of his friends and family will read this. I love them dearly and don’t want to hurt them, so I’ll leave those parts out.

All the good times Craig and I had are forgotten. When I think back on my relationship with him, all I can think is that I can’t believe I was so dumb to let him mistreat me for over two years of my life. The good thing is, I learned from it and haven’t let anyone do it again.

If you or someone you know is being abused, mentally or physically, please log onto http://www.thehotline.org/ or call 1−800−799−SAFE(7233). You can also email me any time.You are not alone.

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30 Days of Truth, Day 4: Something you have to forgive someone for

Rhonda Gail — Wed, 10 Nov 2010 12:07:19 +0000

source

Well, honestly…. there’s nothing. Absolutely nothing. I am one of the most forgiving people on earth. I almost instantly forgive. Instead, I’ll just work on that whole forgiving myself thing from yesterday.

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30 Days of Truth, Day 2: Something you love about yourself

Rhonda Gail — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 17:31:05 +0000

I have to admit, there are many things I love about myself. Many. I was brought up to have a lot of self esteem and except for a short period in college, I’ve always felt that I could do anything and that I was a great person. One of the main things I love about myself is my sense of love. Love for everyone and everything. I try a lot to put on this “I hate people” front when I’m having a rough day. It never works, because even when I don’t care for someone, I am capable of enjoying their company, even if briefly.

If I like someone, I like them a whole lot and will forgive most anything. Then there’s love. I love so deeply and to such an extreme that it is also a fault of mine. I often look past someone repeatedly doing me wrong, because I love that person and don’t want to lose that love. The love I have for my family is actually painful at times. The heart can only handle so much strain, you know? My kid hurts, I hurt. My husband is sad, I want to curl up in bed and cry with him. My mom is angry with someone, I have a hard time looking the offender in the eye.

Even outside of people, I love with a passion that can’t even be described. Chocolate? Gives me goosebumps. Champagne? I want to dance with it in a candlelit room. Music? I want to roll around on the beach with it, then take it home for dirty talk.

I love love and I love that about myself.

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30 Days of Truth, Day 3: Something you have to forgive yourself for

Rhonda Gail — Mon, 08 Nov 2010 17:00:45 +0000

I have had to forgive myself for just a handful of things in my life. I live my life in a way that assures I will have no regrets. If I do something that I feel is morally wrong or just not the right choice for me, I deal with it. I make the necessary apologies, whether to a friend, God, or myself. Then I let it go, and move on, recognizing that everything happens for a reason.

There is one thing I’ve yet to forgive myself for. It’s very personal and therefore, I just can’t reveal too much here in such a public way. Let me just say that I once made a very complicated decision without enough input. In conjunction with that, I kept a big secret from someone I shouldn’t have. I realize that this is a 30 Days of Truth series, but it’s as much about being true to myself as anything else, so I choose to not say anymore. It’s something I just need to pray about and forgive myself.

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Tuesday Ten [6.29.2010]

Rhonda Gail — Tue, 29 Jun 2010 04:55:53 +0000

1. I’m so excited that it’s finally time for Independence Day! It’s by far my favorite holiday. I like to don my patriotic colors and celebrate. We’re doing things a little differently this year, which normally would disappoint me. But I’m on a new positive kick… at least I’ll be able to enjoy an adult beverage!

2. Saturday, my mom and I are taking Nick to his first movie! Thomas and Friends Misty Island Rescue is hitting theatres! Nick has been obsessed with all things Thomas going on 3 years now. He is going to love this experience!

3. I have been battling ants in our house for nearly two weeks now. I am beyond frustrated and am at the point where I’d rather camp in the yard. At least the ants BELONG out there.

4. I am dreaming of a honeymoon with my husband. We still haven’t had one and we need it really badly right now! Sure, I’d love to go to Greece, Tahiti, Cabo, or NYC. However, I’m definitely ready to “settle” for Chicago, St. Louis, anywhere in Florida, or somewhere in Texas. I mean, seriously… I’d go on a honeymoon in the next town over at this point.

5. I’ve really been missing Orlando something awful this past week. I kinda feel like I never gave it enough chance, since I lived there only about a year and a half. We had a lot of tough times while living there and I think if we had gotten back to a good place, I would have been really happy there. We had just started forming good friendships and becoming active in a church we both loved… then POOF! We left. I want to go back, but my husband doesn’t.

6. Again with the Facebook drama?! This time, someone posted a somewhat political status that I strongly disagreed with. I politely and intelligently commented with my opinion, only to be deleted from her friend list. Wow. And this was a middle-aged woman. I don’t understand. Is nobody allowed to disagree with her?

7. For what is certainly not the first time this year, I have come up with a perfect craft idea. I won’t reveal it just yet, but I think I’m ready to get serious with my Etsy shop and starting making some extra cash!

8. Harper learned a couple of weeks ago how to blow kisses and now he has rounded it out by adding a perfect lip smack. It is the cutest thing in the world.

9. I am about to start a new blog series that I’m very excited about! I’m going to tell (true) stories of dating. I have some good ones and can’t wait to share! Update: Just as quickly as I decided to do this, I decided not to.

10. I am trying to live life a little differently…to always look at the positive side of things and just refuse to be depressed! It’s working out great. I feel really liberated!

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