life size

For some reason the pictures I've uploaded for my blog header keep turning out to be larger than life. So until I can figure that one out, those of you who come to my blog will just get some major face time with your favorite DINKs.

tarzan's psycho lunatic girlfriends

So, after six years of the exact same workout, I finally got bored. Really, I was bored about four years ago, but what's the difference? So, last week, I decided to step out of my little treadmill comfort zone and start trying some group fitness classes.

My first two "new" classes were great. They were a combination of cardio and weights, the instructors were friendly, the other people in the class were friendly. "Perfecto - I can do this new class thing all day long." Or so I thought... then I went to cardio kickboxing.

The class itself was actually fun - a tad bit more difficult than the other classes, but - oh my goodness - that was not the main issue.

You see, about 20 seconds into the class, I decided that my fellow kickboxers were LUUUUUUNATICS!!! Crazy folk, I'm tellin' ya.

Picture moms - angry ones - in their 40s, punching and kicking the air (as if they were actually hurting someone) whilst showcasing their six-packs and dripping piles of sweat. I would venture to say about half the class fit this description; it was American Gladiatoresque.

It literally felt as if any second these women were going to start beating their chests and screaming like Tarzan. I kid you not; it would have seemed normal in there. And I was afraid that one of them was going to punch me.

Come to think of it, many of the ladies were screaming like Tarzan.

"I never want to be these people," I thought to myself.

I overheard a series of disturbing conversations in the locker room after class. Here's one:

Lady 1: I hate it when [instructor] does the relay lines.
Lady 2: Oh, me, too.
Lady 1: I only burn 550 calories when she does the lines, but when we don't do them I burn 650 calories.
Lady 2: Yeah, I have to jog in place while we do that drill...

You are psychos!!! I really want to go back to the class, but I do not want to be a psycho.

the quotable Leah

Leah and I were at Rudy's this morning and she said something that we should all find amazing.

I was enjoying my breakfast taco, when Leah suddenly confessed, "I think if we redo the budget, I might have to start making coffee at home."

(Note: Leah has high aspirations for creating a really good budget but struggles with the whole keeping it part. This is similar to her Lent undertaking.)

My response was, "Well, you'll budget it that way, but you probably won't do it..."

She replied, "I knowwww. You don't understand. If I drank coffee at home all day, then I would never get to see people, and I'd get so bored."

She went on to explain, "You see, you're lucky. You get to see people when you go to work. And for me, going to Starbucks is like going to work."

For Leah, going to Starbucks is like going to work. If only all of us could live in her world.

i love my drama king

Last week, Northwest Austin got pummeled by a hail storm. I was inside my house, and my car was safely in the garage, but it literally felt like God was shooting hail down with a cannon.

If you've been reading this blog awhile, you know that Matt's biggest regret in life is that he wasn't a meteorologist. (Okay, that might be an overstatement.) Really though, for Matt, The Weather Channel rivals ESPN.

When the storm was on its way, Matt frantically called me and told me to turn on the weather channel, and he warned me that he wouldn't be leaving work until the storm subsided. Whatever keeps you safe, babe. And look at you making me break my TV fast. (Joke.)

Also, during the storm, my g-chat status read, "glad I have a roof/goodbye roof." It turns out I might be a prophetess. We discovered a leak above our garage, so Matt did some investigating. Looks like we will be getting a new roof. Giddy Up.

Funny tidbit. Don't know if you know this, but Matt is sort of afraid of our attic (like he's maybe been up there once), and he is most definitely afraid of the phantom rats that live there.

So I got a huge kick out of watching him sneak up the ladder very cautiously - like something was going to jump out of the attic and attack him. He was also afraid that if he went in the attic, he'd get dirty and would have to change. I promised him he would not get wet. Shoot y'all- I married a drama king.

But he is outside keeping our yard from looking like a jungle, so maybe I should stop telling all of his funnies.

Anyway, on an unrelated note, I'd like all of you to know that when I post something as stupid as "I am going to fast from fasting" and no one says anything to me about it, I automatically assume that all of you must think I'm taking crazy pills and you'll probably just stop reading soon. Then I think, "Maybe they don't know that I am joking?" "Can't they take a joke?" Just tellin' you how it is, man.

Speaking of fasting... Matt told me that I have no integrity. (Read: I haven't so much been fasting/the giving up coffee thing lasted till Friday.) Anyway, since Matt has the highest integrity of anyone I have ever known (not joking about that), I would expect him to tell me that I have none. Whatever. I am planning on finishing strong for Lent. (Notice the vagueness of that resolution.) But seriously...

Gosh I feel like I have so much more to tell you, but I think that will have to be it for now.

Last- This weekend was like 50000 people's birthday. Sorry if I am missing yours, but shout out to GTB, Andrea, Matt's bro. Michael, and our future sister-in-law, Brittany!

Familial Fridays: Isn't Meyer Cute?

Today I get to blog about Matt's brother and my fellow middle child, Meyer! I have a unique affection in my heart for Meyer. I think it's cause we get to share the middle child bond, or maybe it's just because I feel like I understand him, or maybe it's because I think I am like him in some sort of way? (Note: I realize how narcissistic that sounds. "I love Meyer; Meyer is so much like me." But I guess you will just have to deal with it and pray that I change.) Either way, allow me to introduce you...


This is Meyer's classic devious smile. Doesn't he look like he's up to something? He probably is.

It took me marrying Matt to realize that there really are people in the world who don't enjoy being just a little rebellious. Matt is one of them. But Meyer is probably a little more like me; he has a little bit of a rebellious side (or as my mom likes to call it, an "edge.") A few examples of this? Well, he got two tattoos shortly after he turned 18. He wants to own a motorcycle, and he used to want to own a pet wolf. And he has really big, loud speakers in his car (which he installed himself). Of course I think this harmless rebellion is funny and awesome- but don't tell your parents I said that Meyer. (Joking.)

When I was first being initiated into the Gibson family dynamic, Matt's mom was always affectionately calling Meyer by the name of "Eeyore." For those of you who forgot who Eeyore is, this website describes him as an "unbelievably lovable donkey who is dismally gloomy for almost eternity." BUT I personally believe there is a little TIGGER somewhere in Meyer, and we love getting to see that side. Meyer gets really excited when he spends time with his family and people he loves, when he gets to work with his hands, and when he has a dream or goal to chase after.

Meyer's future wife will have a handy-man if there ever was one. Meyer, Matt and Matt's dad recently fixed the deck in our backyard, and apparently Meyer was a rock star at this. He can also do all sorts of work on a car - like installing things and replacing things, and well, I don't know much about cars, so that's about as descriptive as I can get. All I know is we will continue to recruit Meyer to fix our house and install things in our cars for awhile.

Meyer is very smart, athletic, and capable of being successful at a lot of different things. (I forgot to mention that he is apparently a stud in his AP Biology class, he is naturally artistic, and he was a killer defensive back on the varsity football team.) We are excited to see what his future holds after he graduates from high school this year!