"It's not Yellowstone, it's Redstone."

"Redstone" is apparently where we went this weeked, according to C.  You see, Red is his favorite color, and he'd have none of this Yellowstone business.  So here's a recap of our trip, and I warn you now - you stalkers will love the fact I'm about to post over 20 photos, but some of you may think it's a bit of a snooze fest, so just browse if you like.

We "camped" (my version, entailing staying at a motel rather than a hotel) with my parents and of course Husband and the C boy.  It was a quick trip but we actually had a lot of fun and C was delighted to see all the buffalo and elk and we even saw a wolf, coyote, eagle, and bear.  Here are some pics to document the trip:

C and I walking into breakfast...

 Here we are at some steam geyster.  It was FREAKING COLD.  Like 40 degrees cold.  I look all poofy from the 3 layers I was wearing...brrrrrrrrr....

 C with Grandma and Grandpa...

Big B snapped a pic of me putting on my beanie.  He insists it was "scenic."

 Love this pic of Cade next to the waterfall.  He loves this pic and has insisted we show it to his preschool teacher, Mrs. T, who, incidentally, the kid adores as much as I adore Burt's Bees and mustard and of course TOMS.

 B and C love...

Okay I insisted this pic was a deleter, but B said to keep it.  It was at this point that it was getting late and my legs were tired and it was cold and raining on and off and I was getting SICK of taking pics.  You can pretty much see the disdain eeking from my frozen pores...

 And then suddenly, I became C's pack mule.  Or maybe his camel?  I do have two humps, after all.  (My humps, my humps, I love my lady lumps.  Bahaha.)

 I so love you can see crack in this picture...little boy crack is so adorable!  ;)

We call this my Captain Morgan pose...

Finally in the warm car.  In love with B's blue blue eyes.

 Me with mom and Dad.  At some steamy geyser thing.  I look so hot, we could call me maybe McBriemy?  Bahaha just kidding.  I didn't even shower on the trip!

 Pretty hot spring...

Shutup the sun was in my eyes.

 Love him.

 It was so steamy you couldn't even see me and my  mom.  Pretty cool.

Awesome petrified tree.  Cute for a pic, eh?

 Waiting for Old Faithful.  Mom thought it important that my butterscoth TOMS be photographed.  How smart and generous of her!

And, finally, Old Faithful erupting.  Apparently, though, Old Faithful is getting a little unreliable.  Kinda like my period.  Weird parallel?  Whatever I went there.

Anyway, our trip was COLD but FUN and I'm glad we had the fun experience, and I'm glad C got to see it, even though he'll pry not remember it, but for these pictures.

As soon as we were home, Brandon left a Facebook status update that said this:
"Back from Yellowstone, getting ready to see the horror that is Brie bonding with her cats after not seeing them for almost 3 whole days.  It is shameful, trust me."

And then a friend put, "Be strong."
and another put, "I'm sorry.  Just don't watch the horrific scene."
and then I put, "THERE IS NO SHAME IN LOVING CATS."

And there isn't.  We've had a proper love-fest and I've apologized for leaving them.  After being duly chastised, Harriet and Roberta have found it in their beautiful hearts to forgive me.

So there's our trip to Redstone, in a nutshell.

Compounding Anxiety

Well, my anxiety is killing me.  Nice opener to a post, eh?  Talking about my inevitable untimely demise induced by an accelerated heart rate, numb extremities, and sobbing slash screaming WHAT THE HELL IS WRONG WITH ME HELP ME HELP ME I DID MY BEST I DID MY BEST (pause for breath) HELP ME sob sob cry whine.

It's bad you guys.  Like out of control bad.  I've been talking to Doc P about it (my ED doc who I LOVE and would totally marry if I weren't already married.  And if she wasn't already married.  And, you know, a CHICK.) ANYWHOSIES she's prescribed me some benzos to help, and I have an appt with Orville Redenbacher, (the psychiatrist who I SWEAR is an identical twin brother to our beloved popcorn icon) and I have an emergency appt scheduled with the Almighty T tomorrow....so hopefully all this will help me get my she-she together enough to function.

Just so, so much going on.  I feel like, in my life, I'm at a proverbial fork in the road.  And I have no idea which path to take, because neither of them are easy and flowers and rainbows and cakes.  Both paths are full of darkness and the unknown and sceeeery spiders and fear.  So I pause, waiting at the fork, praying, asking, begging for help...having no idea which direction to take.  I'm told to follow my heart, but what do you do when your heart is torn?  (Oh and PS holy oh my moly the stress of all this is making me break out like there's no tomorrow.  My face hasn't looked this bad EVER, even while in the throes of puberty.  And I NEVER thought I'd have to use the term "adult acne" in the same sentence as BRIE, but it's happened.  Oh child, NO.  It's awful!

So that's why I've been quiet lately.  To be 10047576% honest, I've been a strugglin' right now, and I've needed some time and space to sort things out.  They're still not really, you know, "sorted," but I'm workin' on it.

In the meantime, I hope you are all having a fabulous fall enjoying snugglable sweaters and warm drinks and the beautiful fall leaves falling.  I'm kind of ignoring all that in favor of zeroing in on Biggest Loser, but whateva.  ;)  I shall have an opportunity to appreciate nature at its finest this weekend on a fun little rendezvous to Yellowstone.  :)

I know this post was vague.  But it kind of has to be.  Just pray or send good vibes my way, or maybe mail me some Nacho Cheese Corn Nuts to cheer me up, or give me a hug if you see me (my bubble's getting bigger!) or just let me, if you can, know everything will be okay.  Because honestly?  I really need to hear that right now.

The Story of my TOMS

To most of you, TOMS might be shoes that you think are cute, or maybe too trendy, or boring, or, just, you know, another pair of mid-price shoes out there you can buy.

To me, TOMS are the cat's meow.  They make me purr with pleasure when I behold them.  When I slip that beautiful shoe on my foot, I have a footgasm.  To me, in Brieism, TOMS literally translates to LUST.

So, my dear readers, I thought it was about time you meet the objects of my desire.  May you see them and gasp at their beauty and comfort.  May you never be the same again, after beholding their amazement:

First, may I introduce my Purple Hearts.  I happened to snag the last pair in the ENTIRE MALL, and I thought to myself, Dear Brie, this may be your version of dying and going to Heaven and getting to do The Sex with 40 virgins or something - oh be still my heart squeal I love them!

Next, we have Sparkles.  No explanation for name necessary.  These babies could easily be worn while dancing Disco or impersonating Michael Jackson.  I love these ones so much, I wanna take them behind the jr. high school and get them pregnant!

And, we have my first pair I ever procured - My Butterscotches.  These beauties give me self-esteem and are utterly pleasurable on my feet.  And I even tasted them - they are indeed as sweet as the candy they were named after!  ;)

So, I'm thinking about procreating with them and having some little Broms running around.  Ah, how sweet!

May you buy some TOMS.  May you honor your feet enough to own them, love them, and rock the hell out of 'em.  :)