I am so pumped about this...

Bob Dylan, Willie Nelson and John Mellencamp are playing here on August 4! It is going to be so cool...one of my dream concerts. I have seen Dylan several times (once with Paul Simon - awesome!), and always seem to miss Willie and never even thought about John Mellencamp - definitely a dream line-up!

In other news, tonight is Game 12 for the season, the 12th in 16 days, so I am running on EMPTY. And we have 4 more games this homestand....ugh. Trying to readjust my body and mind to baseball season again. It gets tougher every year! But news like this concert breaking today is what gets you through!

Concert

We had a celebrity softball jam/concert at the ballpark today. It turned out great - we had a huge walk-up and a great lineup of musicians. Austin is known for some great live music, and we had some of the best Texas Musicians here. Here are a few shots I snapped.

We even had a longhorn:

Peter Cottontail

I had to work on Easter Sunday. Before I left, I opened the blinds I saw this outside my window in the backyard.

We have a lot of bunnies in the neighborhood, and I've seen them hangout under our oak trees before, but thought it was kinda cool to see him on Easter Sunday.

The next day at lunch, there he was again:

And I've seen him everyday since, except I've forgotten to snap photos. Until today....and it seems he has gotten very relaxed here:

I am hoping that there's a little bunny nest nearby, and that we'll soon see baby bunnies! We've been wanting a dog, but not sure if it is the right time with our crazy work schedules...this will do in the meantime!

Movie Recommendation

I am tragically behind on my movie watching. Since 1996, I've probably seen no more than 10 movies in the theater. I always think I'll catch up on videos (you should've seen my vhs collection, then dvd's...next Blue Rays I guess). But I never end up watching them all, even though we have 17,000 HBO channels and for a good two years I wasted a lot of money with Netflix (ashamed to admit I had one movie at my house for 11 months at least!). Oh, but my Netflix queque was fantastic...just never got there.

For some reason, I see movies as a big time commitment. And it's not just the 90 minutes plus - when I watch a movie, I completely focus...and I truly invest myself in it. I just can't help it. But it's the aftermath that gets me. I'll be quiet for a long time after a movie, and it sits with me for a long while. I'll probably dream about it for a few nights, think about it a lot, etc.

Therefore, when a movie is bad, I get extremely annoyed. I see it as a huge waste of time, and it bothers me that with all the money in Hollywood, SO many of the movies produced are crap. That being said, I have gotten better at this the past few years - I am prepared to always be let down, and end up liking things more than I thought I would. This week, thanks to my DVR's Video on Demand, I have seen The Changeling (Sunday night - I had a day game, in case you were wondering!), and the Secret Life of Bees tonight (last night of the homestand was last night!).

The Changeling was pretty good. A little long...I remember thinking, "there's still more to this story?" and 45 minutes later, thinking that again. But I liked it....it wasn't disappointing.

The Secret Life of Bees I really liked. Now, I think this came out around the same time as a few other "bee movies." Bee Movie, to be exact, and another one about a spelling bee. So I kinda lumped it into those and never thought about it. But it's great! I really liked it - and wish I had read the book first, and maybe I will now. That Dakota Fanning that I really don't want to like, because she kinda scares me in her freakish maturity - she was great. She really is a talented actress. (Tom Cruise is right!) I am happy to say I did not hear any fake southern accents that can grate on my nerves, which most movies set in the south usually have plenty of. They got it right on. Paul Bettany was excellent, as was Queen Latifah, Alicia Keyes, and Jennifer Hudson. Anyway, if you rent - rent it. if you netflix, queue it. If you do Demand, demand it!

How's that for a movie review? I should contact the Austin American-Statesman and let them know I'll freelance....

Peace

'May today there be peace within. May you trust that you are exactly where you are meant to be. May you not forget the infinite possibilities that are born of faith in yourself and others. May you use the gifts that you have received, and pass on the love that has been given to you. May you be content with yourself just the way you are. Let this knowledge settle into your bones, and allow your soul the freedom to sing, dance, praise and love. It is there for each and every one of us.'

Thanks for sending this, today, Melissa....

"Kreativ" Blogger

My sweet and hilarious friend, Hillary tagged me with this award...which is very kind, but a bit of a stretch....I don't think this falls into the creative blogger status....but I will play along! :) Thanks for the blog love and I will strive to live up to the standards of the creative tag.I got a little curious on this misspelled award (is that what makes it creative and artsy?) and googled it. It seems to be the way of the "it happend to my friend's friend" stories....some sort of blogging urban legend whose origin is unknown. So, to keep with the "Kreativ" moniker, I will be creative in my interpretation of the rules! Speaking of, here are the rules as they were when they reached Hill:

1. Post the award on your blog, and link to the person who gave you the award.

2. List seven things you love.

3. List seven blogs you love.

4. E-mail or comment on those blogs to let the people know you've given them the award.

I'm gonna eliminate # 4 just because it reeks of the chain letter about mailing people about "the great panty exchange" and you end up with 17 pairs of panties if everyone does it, right? Do y'all remember those? How weird is that, and did anyone ever participate and if so, did you get any? If so, did you wear the panties from the stranger? I digress. On to playing along-

Seven things I love. To make this more interesting, I am going to try to include some pics. In no particular order:

1. The beach - it is peaceful, serene, beautiful (I am willing to argue the Florida panhandle is one of God's best masterpieces, minus the man-built things there!). It represents childhood and fond memories growing up, spending time with family when I was little and now. It reminds me of my grandmother, my aunts, uncles, and cousins, my Mom and Dad, my brothers and sister.

2. My Family. As an adult, I realize even more so how fortunate we were to grow up in our home having our parents and each other. We ate dinner together every night at our kitchen table. We went to church every Wednesday and Sunday. We played together and had fun together. We really didn't even fight much. Maybe it was our spacing in age, I don't know. But I know our house was full of life, love and adventure. We spent all day outside in our backyard or in the neighborhood with our dogs, our friends and each other. And we had a few of the best dogs ever born. I'm talking Lassie-grade-go-get-Mom,-Timmy-fell-in-the-well-type dogs.

3. My Husband. He's funny, cute, and is a chef. No really, he's actually a chef! I love it when he gets the chance to be creative and he constantly impresses me with his skill and talent. He's also a guy's guy...he loves cars and building things and diy projects. In fact, he and his Dad rebuilt and restored his 1984 CJ-7 Jeep. It is beautiful and one of his most favorite things in the world. It is actually officially a classic car this year! We get each other's humor so well and he is my best friend. He has a pure, good heart, and for that I'm thankful. I love that my nephews love him and that he wasn't afraid to hold them, even when they were tiny babies. I love that he loves camping, fishing, football, Texas AND the beach. I love that even though he is a die-hard Longhorn fan, he is also developing into a big Crimson Tide fan that knows every player and not to talk to me during a game. These are just a few things I love about him....there are too many to list!

4. My friends. I have been blessed with wonderful friends. They are like a family of their own. There's a Rober Earl Keen song that I included on our wedding cd favors that reminds me of my friends and how it feels to be around them..."Feelin Good Again." That's how they make me feel, no matter how much time has passed. I hold friendships like these dear and close to my heart, and truly know how fortunate I am to know so many people with such wonderful hearts. 5. Niece and Nephews - I know technically this should fall under "Family," but I meant immediate family that I grew up with there. We have one niece, Avery - Chris' sister's daughter, and two nephews, Campbell and Sam - my sister's sons. They are all so funny, so smart, and so darn cute.

6. College Football - I wouldn't truly be a southern girl if I didn't pledge my allegiance to the SEC, and I wouldn't truly be a Whatley if I didn't bleed crimson. I love the memories, the atmosphere, the joy, and even the heartache that football season brings. And there is no better place to experience that than Bryant-Denney Stadium in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. I am looking forward to this Saturday, my ONE day off from baseball this month...I will be plopped in front of the tv watching the A-Day game on ESPN. I am so excited it will be nationally televised. I cannot wait to take Chris to Tuscaloosa, show him all the places I lived and how our sorority house is literally in the shadows of our awesome stadium. Roll Tide! And for you Auburn folks, I can muster a SEC cheer at least! Also, I am branching out to the Big 12, and have become quite the Longhorn fan. The day Alabama and Texas play each other, Chris and I may have to have a trial separation!

7. Country Drives - I love hopping in the jeep with Chris, driving where the wind blows us, and enjoying the scenery along the way. I find for a few hours, I forget the daily worries and just enjoy the beautiful landscape that God has provided us on this planet. It rejuvenates my soul and eases my mind. I am so thankful I don't have to drive far to see some of these:

Honorable Mentions: Godiva chocolate, cheese of any kind, fresh peas and butterbeans from Alabama, when anyone else cooks for me, skiing, music, skiing while listening to music, the internet, girls night, wine, making people happy, the way babies smell, the way puppies smell, plants, farmers markets, lighting, Target, Sephora, pedicures, sunsets, sleeping in, laughing, collecting crosses, taking photos outside, painting, and a clean house.

Now, for Part 2...seven blogs I love (I won't mention Hillary's or Sara's, since Hill has been mentioned and she covered Sara's in hers):

1. The Pioneer Woman - she's funny, I love that she lives on a ranch, and offers great recipes and photo tips!

2. Darby-Fly Through My Window- she's precious with precious children. I grew up with her husband and love that he married such a wonderful person. She is an amazing mother and talented crafter and cook to boot. She has lots of creative ideas...if you don't read her blog...you must start!

3. Urban Grace Interiors Blog - Erika is Darby's twin sister and equally precious. She's a very talented designer with a great eye for art. I love her site for inspiration and ideas, as well as her wonderful photos.

4. These are the Days - an old friend from elementary and middle school, Candi has a great blog with lots of good recipies!

5. Hostess with the Mostess - great inspiration for an event planner and party giver!

6. DListed - ok, this is a guilty pleasure and it is even blocked by my server at work. It's not always nice, but is usually funny.

7. Go Fug Yourself - another guilty pleasure. The girls that write this are hilarious.

I have to admit, those last two are not necessarily a blog that I "Love," but I just don't read that many apparently! I guess I should have included Sara and Hillary after all....because they are the only other two I read regularly and love truly.

I have avoided work most of the morning doing this post. I'll be here until 10:30 p.m. anyway, so I guess it works out. I should see about this growing stack on my desk though..Have a great day!

Tribute

At Friday night's game, we retired the jersey of a former player, Mike Coolbaugh. You may remember this story getting national attention a few years ago. Mike was killed instantly by a line drive while coaching first base, leaving behind his pregnant wife and two little boys. You can check out a moving video made the week of Mike's death by my good friend, Derrick Grubbs, on this site. The video link is on the right.

At the game, we had Mike's sons throw out the first pitch. In the 7th inning, we presented the family with Mike's jersey and a framed 3rd base (Mike played third base for us in 2002 and 2005) that was used in a memorial event that we did a short time after this tragedy. Last week, an artist friend of mine called about doing a painting for the family when he heard what we are doing. Now, this artist is a world renowned sports artist that has done amazing pieces for the biggest teams and players in the country....so this offer was thrilling for us that he would do something for the Coolbaughs. He is based in Austin, and let's just say I could never afford his work! But it is amazing. Turns out, he is friends with a member of the family, and wanted to do this for them. When he unveiled the painting in the 7th inning, I saw Mandy Coolbaugh immediately break into tears and say, "he got his smile!" Mandy addressed the crowd and was so strong and eloquent - it was beautiful. There was not a dry eye in the house, and the entire time....without request, the entire crowd of 10,000 plus stood up and listened to her every word. I was choked up too of course, but the part that really got me was when their youngest son caught a glimpse of the painting and walked to stand right in front of it, and could not look away. It was touching, sad, heartwarming, and inspiring all in one. Here's a photo I snapped of him.

As for the painting, the artist wrote on the back of all the symbolism of the numbers on the scoreboard, and there are a few hidden things in the clouds that you can see with the naked eye in the correct angle. It was a wonderful gift that he gave them, as is the video I mentioned earlier. Mandy said she watches it with her sons nearly every day because it will help them remember him, and their daughter know him one day.

Please keep this family in your prayers.

Visit this site to support the Coolbaugh family.

um...

Well, here I am so soon after thinking I would be gone for a while. But, I found something so terrible that I had to share it. I got the summer Max Azria catalog today. I generally like their clothes, and they are sometimes even affordable at the nearby outlet mall. But, this is too much....the catalog photo is actually worse, but CHECK OUT THESE PANTS:

You can see it in the catalog here...pages 18-19. It's like the "bustin'-a-sag" look that we have seen in malls for years has gone to the runway. Why would you want your crotch to look 3 feet long? I find this very disturbing...please, let's hope we never see anyone trying to pull this off. Does this mean I am offically to the age of not believing what the kids are wearing? Oh boy.

...it's baaaaack

Baseball Season starts for us Thursday, but we have an Exhibition game tomorrow...playing our Double-A Affiliate. So now is the time I drop off the face of the Earth, and live to work for the next five months. Hopefully I will keep up blogging....but not making any promises! I still have a lot of "wedding favorites" posts I want to do, so I will try to keep it up. Reading blogs is my little daily escape from work, and I thank all of you that have them for that!

Meanwhile...I'll be here: