Well, I never!!!!

I saw a write-up on these while I was reading a magazine at the doctor's office.

www.nundies.com

Come Visit!

Check it out!!! The outlet mall at the front of our neighborhood opens this week!!! Awesome stores! I can't wait!!!!
- d.

https://www.premiumoutlets.com/vip/index.asp

Sunday

We've had a big Spring Break. Last Saturday we went up to Snyder for a few days. Got hailed on a little, dodged a tornado at Carla's, got stranded by all the weather and came home a day later than planned. Both going and coming, we stopped at my friend Stephanie's house in Ft. Worth. Just a quick stop either way to make sure she and her family know they're loved. Steph is the Team Talent gal from Ft. Worth who we met in L.A. The one who is dying from breast cancer. At this point, she has hours, days, weeks left. Only God knows. But it's so very hard to watch her family going through this -- especially since I feel like I'm still walking this road in many ways. I feel cheated. Like we came to the dance late and never got to know the healthy Stephanie. In the grand scheme of things, we're all dying to some extent or another -- none of us will be here 100 years from now. But it's different when you meet someone whose in the midst of coming to grips with that reality -- now. My heart is just breaking for them. For Jennifer and David -- her kids. For John -- her best friend who is having to say good-bye. For her parents who are just the neatest people. Please pray for them.

While I was on my way out to Fluvanna, I had a call from Cissa -- another Team Talent girl (hers is the face in the Oprah ads.) She and I agreed that when we finally find a cure for cancer, we're going to have to find a more positive cause to work with. Like literacy. Something that isn't this draining.

Brantley and Abbey came out and spent the night with the girls on Tuesday at Paw-Paw's. They had a large time!!! I love it that they all get along so well and love spending time together!

We came back to Houston on Wednesday. We were here about 24 hours, then headed down to the Creek for a working holiday -- at least for me it was a working holiday. Before we left, though, we got the word that Elise Goertz' bone marrow transplant was successful -- she's 100% donor. That is just the BEST news!! She's still not up and running around, but she's gaining ground.

The Creek was great. I painted all day Friday and Saturday. If you've ever been down there, you know it's always been pretty bare-bones-minimum. We've all been working hard on it. Pete has built a new storage shed under the house. Biggs helped me paint. And we're working to clear out some of the junk that has accumulated in the last 18 years. We painted the living room and hallway kind of a khaki, the dining room a green, and the kitchen a lighter green. I still have two bathrooms and three bedrooms to paints, and all the trim, but it's progress!! I had planned to paint the baseboards, but I think I'm going to wait until we do the floors at some point. Hopefully that won't be too far off.

The girls just had the BIGGEST time at the Creek. They caught a crab in the traps, put up the baby pool to play in, knee-boarded (YIKES! The water was COLD!), played outside most of the time... You name it, they did it. Jake chased boats up and down the Creek -- wore himself out. This morning we had an Easter egg hunt on the front lawn. It was great.

So we're back at home, and I'm trying to do another quick turn-around. It's crazy that in less than 72 hours I'll be in Costa Rica. I'm so unprepared for this. I've done nothing to get ready -- not to mention losing the requisite 10 pre-vacation pounds. Oh well! At least I have REALLY great biceps now!

That's it for now. Pictures soon! Softball games start this week!!!
- d.

Nail Salon

Carla Venette just sent me this link!!!

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=SsWrY77o77o

What a Week!!!

Well, folks, we've had quite the week around here. My pictures aren't exactly in order, but let's see....

On Sunday, I took the girls and a friend of theirs to see Hannah Montana at the rodeo. That's right, me and about 79,799 screaming little girls. It really was a great show. Abbie, Kait and Aubrey loved it. I noticed that one great difference from the usual rodeo was that there weren't a lot of drunk people sloshing beer everywhere. That part rocked -- a definite "plus" to a crowd where about 75 % of the audience was under the age of 16!!!

I will say, though, that all my years of interning at the show, and then all my years of mooching great seats from Doyce spoiled me beyond all compare. After all those years of sitting on the bucking chutes or the 3rd row from the dirt, my $16 nosebleed seats weren't too great.

Here's the view from where we were sitting....


Here are the girls....

Kait with the stage in the background....

I zoomed in on the screen....

And of course, Billy Ray Cyrus came out and sang about his "Achy, Breaky Heart."

Saturday was Softball Opening Day in Fairfield -- it's a HUGE deal here. This is Abbie's team in the Parade -- They're the Jinx.

Here's Kait's team -- the Diamond Magic.

Here's Kait rounding the bases in her first game of the year. Abbie doesn't play until later in March, but Kait has already had two games. She's still a butterfly-chaser. I think if she'd ever get it together and pay attention she'd be quite the ballplayer. But it's not happening yet.

Like I said, this has been A WEEK. We had the softball thing on Saturday, then Saturday night Biggs and I went to dinner in The Woodlands (Janelle, we ate at Jasper's!!!) with some friends of his from work that are going to Costa Rica with us. Then, on Sunday, we had the whole Hannah Montana thing -- definitely a full day.

In the midst of everything else, yearbook is due tomorrow. So I've been scrambling trying to help get it finished. We're very, very close to having it done. I can't tell you how happy I am about that. It will be such a huge relief to get it turned in.

Monday a HUGE storm came through. Little hail. LOTS of wind and rain.

Tuesday, the fields were still swamped, so we couldn't have softball practice. After Kait's ballet class (she's found her calling~!!!), Biggs and I took the girls to the Rice / UT game. We have the BEST seats this season!!! We were really close to Gary Kubiak (now that I know who he is -- that's kinda cool.) The girls were tired, and not all that patient about the game. I don't think we'll be making any more school-night games with them along!

Yesterday Biggs flew to Indiana for work -- leaving me here to fly solo. I had a burglar alarm installed last month, and I can tell you, I sleep much better now when he's gone. But yesterday REALLY wasn't the day to leave town.

Then, today, I got my copy of the Texas Aggie with the 3-Day article in it. And guess what??? The writer (who is precious) wrote my name as D'Lyn Stephens-Biggs. I think the confusion was in the fact that Mom's name was Stephens. BUT now there are going to be a whole passel of people out there who either don't know it's me, think they're losing it because they thought my last name was Lloyd, or are wondering just how many times I've been divorced!! Egads!!! Oh well, the point isn't for me to be famous in the whole Aggie realm, is it?? The point is to raise awareness of breast cancer -- and the article totally does that. SO.... Mission Accomplished.

Whew....

I know that all sounds kind of complaining / whiney. You need a dose of positive, don't you?? Well, here you go.....

Would you believe that Team Tiara has ALREADY raised almost $13,500 this year? Can you believe it?? And everywhere I go, I talk to people who are interested in joining us. THAT is awesome!!

It's late, and I've got to get some sleep. The girls and I are headed to Snyder on Saturday, back here Tuesday and to the Creek on Wed. I'm supposed to paint the creek house over spring break. I'll post pictures when I'm done!!!

Big Hugs,

d.

I Love Boooooobeeeeees.....!!!!!!!! (2:00 a.m. quote from 2007 3-Day)

TOP TEAMS
Team Tiara
SOLE SISTERS
No Walker Left Behind
Joined in Hope For a Cure
One Step at a Time
Texas Girls Think Pink
Team Pedi-CURE
Pink Soles in Motion
Nana's Girls
Asphalt Angels

Check it out!! Team Tiara just broke the $11,000 mark and is ranked #1 in the Dallas Walk!!! We couldn't have done this without all of you!

Much love,
d.

Have a Happy Period?????

Okay. I have to share this. It's been sitting in my inbox for about a week. I've struggled with whether or not to post it, because I didn't want to risk offending any of my "readership" (all four of you.)

That being said, it's just too good to not pass along. So if there's even a slight chance you might be offended, please stop reading now. But I do think there's a large percentage of you (like three out of four?) that will find it really funny.

Hat-tip to Dori for sending this to me. It totally sounds like my friend Amy.


This is an actual letter from an Austin woman sent to American company Proctor and Gamble regarding their feminine products. She really gets rolling after the first paragraph. It's PC Magazine's 2007 editors' choice for best webmail-award- winning letter.

Dear Mr. Thatcher,

I have been a loyal user of your 'Always' maxi pads for over 20 years and I appreciate many of their features. Why, without the Leak Guard Core or Dri-Weave absorbency, I'd probably never go horseback riding or salsa dancing, and I'd certainly steer clear of running up and down the beach in tight, white shorts.

But my favorite feature has to be your revolutionary Flexi-Wings. Kudos on being the only company smart enough to realize how crucial it is that maxi pads be aerodynamic. I can't tell you how safe and secure I feel each month knowing there's a little F-16 in my pants.

Have you ever had a menstrual period, Mr. Thatcher? Ever suffered from the curse'? I'm guessing you haven't. Well, my time of the month is starting right now. As I type, I can already feel hormonal forces violently surging through my body. Just a few minutes from now, my body will adjust and I'll be transformed into what my husband likes to call 'an inbred hillbilly with knife skills.’ Isn't the human body amazing?

As Brand Manager in the Feminine-Hygiene Division, you've no doubt seen quite a bit of research on what exactly happens during your customers monthly visits from 'Aunt Flo'. Therefore, you must know about the bloating, puffiness, and cramping we endure, and about our intense mood swings, crying jags, and out-of-control behavior. You surely realize it's a tough time for most women. In fact, only last week, my friend Jennifer fought the violent urge to shove her boyfriend's testicles into a George Foreman Grill just because he told her he thought Grey's Anatomy was written by drunken chimps. Crazy!

The point is, sir, you of all people must realize that America is just crawling with homicidal maniacs in Capri pants... Which brings me to the reason for my letter. Last month, while in the throes of cramping so painful I wanted to reach inside my body and yank out my uterus, I opened an Always maxi-pad, and there, printed on the adhesive backing, were these words: Have a Happy Period.'

Are you kidding me? What I mean is, does any part of your tiny middle-manager brain really think happiness - actual smiling, laughing happiness is possible during a menstrual period? Did anything mentioned above sound the least bit pleasurable? Well, did it, James? FYI, unless you are some kind of sick freak girl, there will never be anything 'happy' about a day in which you have to jack yourself up on Motrin and Kahlua and lock yourself in your house just so you don't march down to the local Walgreen's armed with a hunting rifle and a sketchy plan to end your life in a blaze of glory.

For the love of God, pull your head out, man! If you just have to slap a moronic message on a maxi pad, wouldn't it make more sense to say something that's actually pertinent, like 'Put down the Hammer' or 'Vehicular Manslaughter is Wrong', or are you just picking on us?

Sir, please inform your Accounting Department that, effective immediately, there will be an $8 drop in monthly profits, for I have chosen to take my maxi-pad business elsewhere. And though I will certainly miss your Flex-Wings, I will not for one minute miss your brand of condescending bull. And that's a promise I will keep. Always.

Best,
Wendi Aarons
Austin , TX

Happy Birthday, Mom

Hello Friends,
Today would have been Mom's 62nd birthday. I've spent the last couple of days trying to figure out how to honor that. A'Lise is wearing her Team Tiara T-shirts from last year.

This morning, I remembered how much she loved putting out bunnies and other Easter decorations and decided that would be a great way to spend her birthday each year. So at some point today the girls and I will put out the bunnies and eggs she's given us over the years. We'll put out the Easter plates that she bought last Easter. And we'll spend some time talking about how much Granny loved all of us.

And what better way to remind my girls of the meaning of Easter and that when God makes everything good and perfect in the end, we'll be with Granny again.

And then Jacquie called this morning to let us know Biggs' grandfather had passed away last night in his sleep. This is too much for one day. We've been smiling over the fact that we sent Jack to Mom for her birthday. He comes complete with all the jelly beans and peanut M&M's she can eat.

And I'll keep working to find a cure for this dreadful disease that took her from us. Cancer Sucks. Please join us if you can: http://08.the3day.org/goto/dlynbiggs Click on "Join D'Lyn's Team." If you're not up to walking, but want to make a donation in her memory, you can do it at that website as well.

Happy Easter, Mom!
- d.

Another "First"

Tomorrow would have been my Mom's 62nd Birthday. I'm not real sure how you're supposed to mark that date.