Things that twerk me off...

I have been working on this list since Friday.  Last week was just dreadful and by the time Friday had come along, I was ready to be done so I started this list.  Lists make me feel better.  They make me feel more organized and put my mind at ease.  I could not live without lists.  In honor of the fact that last week (and the beginning of this one) were sucking my very large (yet very cute) tuchus, here is my list of things that twerk me off...

1)  Having fingers that are so cold, it is hard to type.

2)  Cold, plastic toilet seats that send chills up my spine every time I sit my lovely ass upon it. 

3)  When my lovely daughter forgets her jacket on the chair by the front door at home and then starts complaining about being cold and asks me if I am going to go home and get it for her and I have to say no because a) I still have to drop off her brother,  and b) she needs to learn to be responsible for her own belongings.

4)  When my co-workers use the coffee cups that I specifically brought from home for myself to use.  I don't want their germy germs on my cups!

5)  Cleaning toilets that are not in my own home and therefore have been sat upon by complete strangers with who knows what kind of nasty habits.

6)  Gossipy people that only ask about the details your life so that they can spin it and have something to talk about with their friends. 

7)  When someone stands practically on top of me to look over my shoulder at something I am doing, typing or writing.

8)  When that someone has breath that reeks of onions or some other nasty ass thing they ate during their last meal.

9)  When plans change at the very last possible moment and I have no time to prepare myself mentally for what is to come. 

10)  People that judge my life based upon the boring ass life they themselves live...especially when that person hold secrets within themselves and are not as boring as they make themselves out to be.

Things you probably didn't know until you read this

...My toothbrush is green and white and lives in a plastic case in a decorative metal box with three other toothbrushes and three tubes of toothpaste on my bathroom counter.  I would rather you not touch it.  And please remember to close the toilet BEFORE you flush.  Thank you.

...The cashier at WalMart made me smile once because she actually knew how to bag groceries.  I hate it when someone bags my groceries wrong because a moron once put some frozen filet mignons in the bag with a crap load of Ramen noodles.  When I got home, I put the whole bag in the cupboard assuming they were all Ramen noodles (since that was the only logical thing).  A few weeks later we found the filet mignon.  Gr-fucking-oss.

...I have been to several strip clubs in my lifetime (mostly for bachelor/bachelorette parties) but I don't remember ever being to one without my husband.  I have been to "toy" stores and parties without him though...makes for better surprises later.  :)

...I had to purchase two packs of new underwear because my Jack Russell Terrier (Akira Kila) has taken to eating underwear when we are not looking.  That is when she isn't peeing on the carpet in the living room.  We just bought her a cage to sleep in at night to curb that habit and the damn thing cost us over $50.

...I am not capable of tanning.  In fact, I am envious of my daughter because her body seems to be not capable of getting a sunburn.  She just gets more and more tan.  I go from bright white to bright red, peel and then repeat the process.  That's why I never wear shorts.

...I am not fond of Chinese food, but I will eat some of it.  Sweet and Sour chicken is probably my favorite as long as it doesn't have the actual sauce anywhere near the meat...or on the plate at all, really.  I also like the fried Won-tons.

...If I drink a pop with a straw in a glass of ice, it gets drank faster for some reason but not if I am at a restaurant.  When I order an iced tea at a restaurant, I will drink at least 3 full glasses before the meal even comes and then a couple more before the meal is over (if I have a good waitress that can keep up). 

...I have a gold and silver watch with hearts on it.  I asked my husband to buy it for me and I got it for Christmas one year.  It was expensive.  It came with a cute teddy bear which made it even cuter. 

...I used to adore Cherry Chapstick when I was a kid.  I would put it on and lick it off every couple of minutes.  One of the most memorable Christmas presents I ever got was 24 cans of Coke and 3 tubes of Cherry Chapstick.  I am pretty easy to please in the gift department.  The simpler, the better.

...My birthstone is a sapphire but my favorite color is pink so my husband found a lab produced pink sapphire necklace and matching earrings and bought them for me for our five year Anniversary.  I bought him a new wedding band. 

...Most of the time we just go through a drive through if we are eating at a fast food restaurant and then eat in the car somewhere.  We rarely actually sit in the establishment to eat mostly because we are lazy.

...We spoiled our fish recently by buying them a new background for the tank, a stump to hide in, a bridge to play on (or fish off of!) and a skeleton that pops out of a bubbling treasure chest.  We are morons.

...I am really good at spelling and English type things...but I always got C's in English class because I never turned anything in on time.  I suck at deadlines completely.  That is why I will never get a book published. 

...I would love for a maid service to clean my house...but I wouldn't want them too close to my things.  It would freak me out and I would have to be looking over their shoulders as they clean to make sure everything got put back just right.  They would quit after the first day.

...Hello is a word I rarely use.  I would rather say "hi" or "how's it going?" instead.  I also overuse the word "Sweetie" and I never call anyone by their given name.  I have nicknames for everyone.

...My mom just got a new kitten and I'm jealous because she is so cute.  I want a kitten but my two dogs would tear it up.  I told mom to name her cat Gypsy because she is calico and super spunky.  she took my advice and named her Gypsy Royal or Gypsy Roy for short (Roy is my cousin that killed himself a few years back).

...I really adore having Family Movie Night at my house because it's nice to 1) not have to cook, 2) eat in the basement, 3) spend time cuddling with my family, 4) be able to laugh at movies I wouldn't watch if I didn't have kids.

...I have lotion at work that leaves sparkly glitter all over my hands and arms.  It's gets all over the keys as I am typing and makes me feel like a pixie or something.

...the absolute quiet drives me nuts but I have a hard time handling noise, too.  Lately, I don't like a lot of alone time because I am not much into thinking about deep and meaningful things.  I don't want to scare myself or make myself sad with  my thoughts so I avoid thinking at all by doing other things with my mind like playing computer games or doing logic problems. 

Am I a fashion victim?

I recently came across a Flickr Photo Sharing Group called "Working Closet".  A group of women started posting pictures of themselves in the clothes that they wear to work.  I am not really sure as to why but the whole idea intrigued me and you know what happens when something intrigues me, right?  I run with it!  So here are photos of me from this week in all the outfits I chose to wear.  In all honesty, I do have to say that I made a little bit more of an effort than usual but this is still pretty much my style, regardless.    Oh yeah, I probably should tell you that I work in a very casual environment.  I can pretty much wear whatever I want to wear although I normally choose to look at least a little professional in nature...or as professional as one can look in jeans!

Here is Monday's choice.  A pair of light colored low ride jeans, a long sweater thing and a large silver butterfly necklace.  I am not quite sure about the actual fashionability of the sweater/dress thing but I do know that I got it from Kohl's for like $7.00 and it is comfortable as all get-out so I bought it and I wear it anyway.  Notice the non-styling of the hair.  Yeah, that's the product of my normal styling...wash, fluff and go.  Sorry about the cut off head thing!

Now here is Tuesday's choice.  The shirt is from Kohl's, the headband was stolen from my daughter (and a total experiment), long necklace and matching earrings were taken from my sister a few months ago and the shoes are Sketchers that my hubby bought me for my birthday. 
 

Here was my choice for Wednesday.  One of the few hats that I own and that actually look okay on me and a jean jacket from my Mother-In-Law finally got some use.  I am also wearing three necklaces, a pair of jeans from Disney.com, and my favorite Coca-Cola tee with a green camisole underneath.  It was functional and relatively comfortable for all the running around I did that day.  I also have a little makeup on...which made me run late that morn!

 
Thursday's choice was one of convenience.  All of my jeans seemed to be in the dirty clothes pile so I had to choose something else and I settled on a pair of light tan cords with this green geometric top and a brown beaded necklace that was given to me by a friend a while back.  I was also wearing a black belt although the shirt is long enough that it covers that up.  I was too busy doing Teensy's hair for school photos so mine received no styling (nice excuse, right?)

 
Here is Friday's choice of outfits.  Back to the Disney.com jeans and a great cowry shell and bead necklace.  I actually have on a green low back/vee neck shirt but you can't tell because it is so fricking cold in the office today that I didn't even bother to take off my trusty Mountain Patrol fleece jacket (that I stole from my husband a few years ago after I gave it to him for Christmas).  No make-up and no hair style to speak of because...well, because I woke up with a Nyquil hangover and didn't have the energy to  make myself pretty.  (Sorry about the bathroom photo--didn't have time for a good one!)

 

So you tell me.  Am I a Fashion Victim?  Is it time to call in the "What Not To Wear" team to raid my closet?  Which items should I go without?  Change?  I need help people!

In celebration...

Today is National Comic Book Day! Whoo hoo! Yep, totally exciting right? No. Well, I think you need to get into another frame of mind then. CHECK THIS OUT!

I bought this awesome book a few weeks ago to celebrate this holiday. Okay, you caught me. That was a lie. I bought it because it was cheap and I knew my son would love it...which he does...and because I am crazy about books...which I totally am. Especially coffee table books like this one. Conversation starters...if anyone ever actually came to my house to realize that I now have a coffee table and we needed a conversation starter that is. Anyway, I digress. I bought this awesome book that has all of the Heroes from Marvel Comics in it. They are listed alphabetically with full graphics and loads of information on every character that you never even knew existed...unless of course you are one of those comic book junkies that attend conventions dressed up as your favorite super hero, in which case you are a dork you probably know most of what is in this book. I am not such a person, so I didn't know have of it. Hell, I didn't know a fraction of what is included in this book...and really I would barely know that because I have only once even looked in the book since I got it. It sits on my coffee table with the other "special" books and collects dust until one of my precious little children comes along to write their names in all that dust. Oh! That never happens in my house. I must have been thinking about your children in your house. Never happens in mine. My house is spotless! *tee hee*

Teensy and Bubba had their annual Fun and Fitness Day yesterday at that city park. All 1st thru 4th graders were taken to the football field/track and got to compete in events like tug of war and football throwing as well as track events like the 50m and hurdles races. They both did really well. Bubba placed second in the hurdles race (he also ran the 50m) and Teensy placed second in her 100m race (and also ran the 50m). It was great to be there to see then compete so wonderfully and even better that my hubby was there to see them compete as well as have lunch with them both. Good job kids! We are really proud!

Seriously...PURPLE???

Late afternoon yesterday, I started to realize that the day was not going to be a smashing success. Well, really it was no where near a success. The best I can say is that it was fair...no scratch that. Yesterday sucked my big fricking toe!

Why did it suck your big fricking toe, you ask? (Okay so maybe that was the voices in my head that were asking but I am going to tell you all anyway and pretend that those voices haven't come back.)

Really a number of things could have set me off...but I tried to find the sliver lining in every dark cloud that invaded my already stormy gray skies. Like...

...the extra kid that was over to scream play---silver lining = my daughter had someone to play with.

...the extra kid that stormed off in a fit of rage and shot me a "Die, Bitch, Die" look when I informed him that he was specifically supposed to call home first---silver lining = the kid went home with his fury instead of unleashing it on my son.

...the dogs getting out of the fence (yet again) due to lack of attention on my part and sheer cunning on the part of the dogs---silver lining = the neighbor dogs didn't kill my little puppy.

...my hubby drinking my soda when he was home on his lunch break---silver lining = I got to walk to the store and avoid the hassles of helping with homework.

And this is the part of the story where my day goes from slowly sliding downhill to an all out avalanche of shittiness!

So, I slip my feet into my comfy pink fuzzy slippers for my short (1 block) walk to the grocery store so that I can pick up a pop and some tampons (now you see why I needed the pop so badly!).

I walk out the door and before reaching the mailbox realize that it really is just too cold to be without a jacket but I have already taken like 100 steps and god forbid I turn back now because that would be just too much damn work, so I continue to walk. I reach the store, pick out my pop, a pop for my hubby, and a Tiki Wiki for each of my kids (which for those of you outside of our little family circle is a pop made by Shasta), and a box of tampons. I get to the counter, the lady rings up my purchases and I decide to add on 2 scratch tickets just for the hell of it. I figured I would scratch one myself and send the other to my friend in Iraq to give her something to do. I left the store, immediately realizing once again how cold it was outside. I had to have been totally nipping out, it was just that cold.

I get home, set the "groceries" on the counter and as I was pulling the scratch tickets out of my pocket, I decided to offer one to my husband to scratch. I chose one (because it was numbered 180 and I was born in 1980) and scratched it.

Yeah, well it was close. I needed to match three dollar amounts and as you can see, I got nothing. Bupkas. Nada. Nein. Abso-fucking-lutely nothing. *sigh*

So, dear hubby's turn. He scratches and what does he get?

A TWENTY-FUCKING-DOLLAR-WINNING-TICKET!!! That ass! The first spot he scratched was a mouse and that doubled his winnings. I repeat......that ass!

So then we go downstairs (after fighting with the kids to get in their beds) and I find out that my DVR screwed up and recorded an old episode of House instead of the Season Premiere. I missed the season premiere of my favorite fucking show!!!!! Argh! And to top it all off, I can watch the full episode on the internet...in 8 days!!! I have to wait 8 fricking days to see the premiere AND try not to hear, see, or read anything that will spoil that first episode for me!!!

At this point, I pause the show that we are about to watch and I start to cry. The night has just gotten unbearably bad. ((Please note the mention of tampons earlier as an indication that I am a little hormonal at the moment. I wouldn't usually cry at missing a television show. Okay, I would, but you can forget I said that.)) I get ahold of myself and we start to watch "Fringe". Have you seen this show? It's sort of a cross between X-Files and Law and Order or CSI or something. It's really weird. The opening scene is of a funeral for a man that was a federal agent but ended up being a bad guy. Anyway, there is a huge head shot photo of him at this funeral and I turn to my husband and say "When I die, I want a huge poster size photo of me". He just looks at me weird. I clarify my wishes (so that he doesn't screw this request up) by saying, "But make sure that I am not fat, I don't have a double chin, my makeup looks good so as not to show any zits and my hair is cute." I look back towards the tv and he says, "They won't recognize you." I gasped, paused the show (so as not to miss anything important), turn towards him, hit him in the arm with all the strength I can muster and try not to cry as he completely back peddles and tries to dig himself out of the monster size hole he just dug himself. Ass. What. A. Complete. Ass.

At this point you would think that I would just give up and go to bed...in hindsight, I really just should have. But I stayed up too late watching tv instead. And then, the straw that broke this camels back. The one thing that I couldn't find a silver lining for. The one cloud that will darken the skies of my days for the next 5 1/2 days...

The morons went and turned the applicators PURPLE!!! Who wants to shove a PURPLE applicator up their hoo-haa? Seriously people! What the hell did they think they were doing? Making it prettier? Who the fuck wants a pretty tampon? It's not like it's a fashion statement!!! I sure the fuck don't want a PURPLE one! Give me no frills, please and thank you. I just want a normal fucking tampon and you go and turn the damn thing PURPLE!!!

You go have a happy fucking period, you half witted tampon making morons and stop messing with what wasn't broken to begin with!!!

Okay. So I may be a tad bit irritable and maybe a little irate. But seriously, folks...PURPLE??????

Most Specialist Ever Award goes to...

MY HUSBAND!!!

Yesterday was our 7 year Anniversary.  How did we celebrate?  He reserved us a hotel room in a nearby town (a few weeks in advance even!) and we escaped the hustle and bustle of the real world.  We pretended for a full 24 hours to not have any responsibilities at all except for loving one another.  How sickeningly cute, huh? 

The hotel was perfect (the same one we stayed in on our pseudo-honeymoon, although this time the room didn't have the half drank bottle of champagne!), dinner was great and his gift to me was the best---Olde Time Photos!  How romantic!  ((I would like to post one of them but they are copyrighted and I forgot it at home so I can't get it scanned in so you will have to settle for this one instead...it's from the races a few weeks ago but we are still sickeningly cute anyway!))

Anyway, this is List Making Tuesday so here is today's list.

Top Ten Reasons I Love My Husband...
1)  He lets me sing in the van on the way home after a long day...and let's me finish singing the phrase I am on before shutting off the van.
2)  He knows me.  We have been together since 1997 (a whole 11 years!) and he knows all that I have been through in my life, so if something is weighing on me, he understands.
3)  When I insisted that he get a cell phone, he caved to make me happy.  Now he carries it everywhere and even texts me love messages during the day.
4)  Everything is pretty close to 50/50.  Okay more like 60/40 because I am kinda a spoiled brat, but we work as a team.  It's always us against the world.
5)  He still holds my hand and shows the world that he loves me.
6)  He supports me in my hobbies and adventures in life whether they are as small as a home craft project or as big as leading a Girl Scout troop.
7)  After this many years, he still can't get enough of me.  He thinks I am beautiful even at the times when I do not.
8)  He finds ways to connect with me on a personal level by doing date nights or finding me the perfect gift.
9)  His kisses still make my knees go a little wobbly and his hands give the best massages ever.
10)  He completes me as a person and us as a family like no one else ever could.  He fits perfectly.  :)

Anyway, Happy Anniversary baby.  7 years and counting!

A brain exercise...

Three guys paid $10 each for 1 room at a hotel.  After going to the room the lady realized she over charged them $5 so she sent the bell hop to their room with the $5.  He gave them each back $1 and kept $2 for himself.  How much did each person pay for the room???  And does it all add up to $30?  How?????

 

What do you think?  Can you answer it?  Exercise your brain today and leave me the answer in the comments section.  Let's see whose brain functions on a Monday.  What the hell am I thinking?  It's MONDAY!  No one does anything involving their brain on a Monday!  Do they?  No?  Okay, good.  I was afraid I was alone on that one!

Have a Happy Monday!  (Even if you choose not to answer my riddle!)

TLAP Day...

Today be International Talk Like A Pirate Day!!!   And this is a holiday worth celebrating so when ye be out on the town tonight  or cuddled up on the couch with yer honey put on your best pirattitude ta use these sure fire pick up lines that will help ye seal the deal.  :)

For the guys...

8.  They don’t call me Long John because my head is so big.

7.  You’re drinking a Salty Dog? How’d you like to try the real thing?

6.  Wanna shiver me timbers?

5.  I’ve sailed the seven seas, and you’re the sleekest schooner I’ve ever sighted.

4.  Brwaack! Polly want a cracker? … Oh, wait. That’s for Talk Like a PARROT Day.

3.  That’s the finest pirate booty I’ve ever laid eyes on.

2.  Let's get together and haul some keel.

1.  That’s some treasure chest you’ve got there.

For the lady Pirates...

10. What are YOU doing here?

9. Is that a belayin' pin in yer britches, or are ye ... (this one is never completed)

8. Come show me how ye bury yer treasure, lad!

7. So, tell me, why do they call ye, "Cap'n Feathersword?"

6. That's quite a cutlass ye got thar, what ye need is a good scabbard!

5. Aye, I guarantee ye, I've had a twenty percent decrease in me "lice ratio!"

4. I've crushed seventeen men's skulls between me thighs!

3. C'mon, lad, shiver me timbers!

2. RAMMING SPEED!

...and the number one Female Pirate Pick-up Line:

1. You. Pants Off. Now!

 

Arrr, if those don't be workin, I don't be thinkin anything will!  Check out the official TLAP Day web site fer more ways ta celebrate and get the low down on how a day like this got started. 

If nothing else, this will give ye a reason to be partakin in some grog.  Maybe even get a little Cap'n in ya.

More strength than I thought a little body could possess...

It was dark.  Just after dusk, really, but dark enough to need a flashlight to see the masterpiece before us.  4 months.  It had taken 4 long months to choose a design, have it carved and placed it in it's position of honor and tribute.  But the kids didn't know that.  All they knew was that they were going to see it although they couldn't have understood why.  They couldn't have understood the beauty it possessed or the reason for it's placement. 

At least, that is what I thought yesterday.

We walked up the grassy hill without the aid of the flashlight.  The four of us, completely unafraid of our surroundings, we there on a mission; one that had to be completed in a timely manner because as responsible parents the children had to be put to bed on time.  I am sure the thoughts running through everyone's minds ran the gamut from "That man over there looks like Grandpa." to "Why is this important for us to see?" and everything imaginable in between.  The task at hand was unfathomable.

We marveled at the detail.  We ran our fingers along the smooth surfaces.  We read all the words out loud.  We did everything we were supposed to do according to the imaginary handbook.

The stone was uncharacteristically warm to the touch and not what we expected so the man felt the need to point it out to the rest of us. 

"It's warm like the blanket is keeping her warm."

The little girl always tells it straight and innocent like a child should.  Jaded.  Children are jaded.  Maybe they should remain they way...but that is another post all together. 

We sat on the bench and cuddled up close admiring the view.  The children climbed upon the stone in an effort to better understand it's purpose and feel a bit more connected to what was going on around them.

But shortly, it was time to go.  We had done what we had come to do.  We had seen what we had been seeking. 

"It's time.  Let's go up the hill and see Great Grandma."

We turned toward the van and began walking and that is when my boy said, in barely a whisper...

"I'll be there in a minute."

The words stopped me in my tracks.

"Are you sure, buddy?"

I knew the answer before he spoke.  His eyes told me all I needed to hear.

"Yeah.  You go to the van and I'll come when you get there.  I just need some alone time."

"Okay," I said and continued to walk.

I looked back at a sight that will never leave my memory.  My boy hunched over the back of the headstone of his recently departed grandma staring at the carvings with tears streaming down his face.  My heart shattered.  My strength slipped away and a tear made it's way down my cheek.

He followed us, just like he said he would.  He cried big crocodile tears and let me hold him for a minute.  But before we left for home that night, my boy said something that continues to haunt my heart...

"Life is no good without Grandma."

It is up to me as his mother to help him heal from this gaping open wound.  It is up to me as his mother to help him find some joy in our "new normal".  It is up to me as his mother to help him move on from the black sadness and into a new day.  I thought that I had been failing.  My strength has been wavering and the ability to carry the burden has been weighing on me. 

But it seems that I held on just long enough.

Despite what I have been told, it turns out that a headstone really can bring one the closure they need to move on with their lives.  Although it didn't do a damn thing for the pain in my heart, it did help my boy.

My heartbroken little boy finally took the time after 4 months of anguish to have a conversation with his grandma.  To say goodbye.  To have some alone time to think and ponder what had happened.  To find himself what little closure could be bestowed upon him.

And I am extremely proud of the amount of strength that resides in the not so little body of my almost 8 year old little boy. 

He gets that from his Grandma Geri. 

I am a follower...you can be too!

Blogger has just added a new gadget to their wonderful arsenal of things I can add to my sidebar. This one is called Followers. You can click on the link to the left of this post and become a follower of my blog.

Like what you read? BECOME A FOLLOWER!

Want to come back again? BECOME A FOLLOWER!

Want to show me some blog love? BECOME A FOLLOWER!

Just want me all around? BECOME A FOLLOWER!

Okay, I think you get the picture. Click to become a follower of my blog so that I don't feel all alone out here in this big old blogoshpere. (I am apparently not above begging for readers.)

If you are a wee bit shy, you can always follow annonymously. JUST START FOLLOWING PEOPLE!!!

:) You follow me and I'll follow you...and we will go round and round in circles all day!!!

Fun!

List Making Tuesday...photo edition

Remember how, yesterday, I told you that I couldn't find the pics I had on my computer so I couldn't show them to you.  Well they got deleted.  Big mistake.  Today, I was able to re-upload my own pics so now I at least have something to show you. 

Here is my Photo Edition of List Making Tuesday entitled...

Proof That We are Great Parents...

Bubba tried Rocky Mountain Oysters... and liked them until we told him they were cow nuts!
(At least he tried something new.  That proves our good parenting skills, doesn't it?)

 

 

Teensy "got a little Captain in her" when we were East River. 

(I swear I did not pose her for this picture and we do NOT let our children drink alcohol...we just let them watch too much television!)

 

 

And then she became involved in some sort of "kiddie gang" and tried throwing out some gang symbols at me (notice the hand position, the jacket worn off the shoulder, and the crazed smile).  I was a little afraid, to be honest.

 

 

Bubba spent his time East River peeing in the bushes.  Hey, at least we got him outside and away from the video games for TWO WHOLE DAYS!!!

See, we are awesome at this parenting thing!

 

 

Teensy almost got eaten by a wild horse at my BFF's house.  But hey!  At least she knows that there are such things as real horses and isn't completed confined to the city life!

 

 

They both know not to talk with food in their mouths and look!  One of them even listens!  The other?  Well, she might, eventually. 

 

 

 

Nachos are considered part of the dairy food group because of all the cheese, right?  No.  Oh.  Hmm.  I'll have to change a few meals on my meal plan then.

 

 

 

And we've only made Teensy sleep on the cold concrete once...and she even got a blanket, so that counts as good parenting, right? 

See, I was so right assuming that we rock at this!

 

 

Oh no!  More gang symbols!  Well, we were at the races...maybe the outlying testosterone seeped into her bloodstream and caused her to act that way.  Maybe.  You don't think she'll get into graffiti next, do ya?

 

 

 

 

 

And I am pretty sure that we even pay a fair wage for making our children work.  Disregard the look of utter contempt on his face...he's just working hard to squash those chokecherries.

 

 

And the final piece of evidence that we are great parents...we take the kids exploring in the outdoors.  Please disregard the fact that there are no children in this photo...one of them was standing to the side in the rain soaked grass and the other had slipped and fallen and was laying in the freezing cold river when this photo was shot.  We did get her out before the hypothermia set in and that makes us great parents!

Determined not to miss...

It's Monday!

And a damn fine one, too.  NOT!

(Oh, sorry about that throw back to the early 90's...I do that sometimes.  I'll try to stop.)

Today has been busy with paperwork, copying, typing, moving files from here to there, new computer set up, etc.

In other words, it's been boring...but busy and productive at the same time.  Really it's been a pretty good day.

As you can tell, I really have absolutely nothing to say today, so I will leave you with a picture instead. 

 

Well, I was going to leave you with a picture, but I just found out that I had left a bunch of stuff on the hard drive of the loaner computer and now I don't have it because the computer guy already re-formatted that computer and deleted everything I had on it.  Ugh!  That makes my afternoon.  NOT!

Oops.  There I go again. 

Oh, well.  I guess you just have to wait until tomorrow when I rack my brain to come up with a List making Tuesday topic.

Life before?

I was in the dentist chair when it happened. Because of how young I look, the dentist had assumed I was a teen and therefore needed to watch television on the screen set into the ceiling above my head while he began the several hour procedure of working on my mouth. I was, in fact, actually 21. Several fillings, a cleaning and some regular maintenance that I had been putting off for sometime needed to be completed and it would be easier to do in one sitting (not to mention cheaper than coming back time after time). And with my history of gagging everytime a foreign object entered my mouth, this visit was going to prove to be a difficult one.

Laying there my mouth open as wide as it could go with the aid of a block and my eyes closed to try to stop the flow of the the watering, I listened to the shows laughing characters in the headphones surrounding my ears. We were quite a ways into the procedure when I felt another person enter the room. The energy she was giving off was one of terror, sadness and just all around confusion. As I opened my eyes, the headphones muffled the sound of her voice but what I saw the panic upon her face. An odd "Oh my god" sensation swept through the room.

Then I heard it--the chime of an up-to-the-moment new flash coming onto the television screen. I looked up and saw two buildings, identical in shape and size, that I didn't recognize with black smoke rising out of the tops. They looked like two pillar candles on a table that were not lit properly. I realized that whatever had happened would change the course of history in that exact moment but I didn't quite understand why everyone was beside themselves.

As I left the dentist's office that day, the world had become more gray. People were crying. People were in obvious shock. I...well, I was confused. I didn't really understand what was so completely tragic that it affected the people as far away from the scene as where I live. Don't get me wrong. I was saddened by the fact that so many people had lost their lives but really that happens all the time in volcanos, tornados, and hurricanes and since they are never where I live, they don't have that much effect on my personal life.

I went on my way and lived my life the same way I had always lived it for the next year. The only difference were the new (and I must say kick-ass) songs that I found on the radio stations and an odd sense of being proud to have been born in America.

Exactly one year later, I was driving in my car when one of those truly patriotic songs came on the radio. I took the exit into my town singing along when my brow wrinkled suddenly in confusion as the tears started to slide down my face. An overwhelming sadness and sense of loss overcame my entire being and my body shook with sobs so violently that I had to pull over onto the shoulder of the road to save myself from wrecking the vehicle. The song ended and the tears came to a halt and I did the only thing I could think of to do in times of crises.

I ran to my mommy.

----------

It took me a year to finally come to terms with what happened to our country but it's a reality that we deal with on a daily basis in this country...even 7 years later. My children will grow up and read about "the attacks" in their history books and will ask me where I was when "it" happened. It will be just another war in their minds--right up there with Vietnam and Operation Desert Storm because my daughter was yet to be born and my son was less than a year old. They won't remember what life was like before "the war on terrorism" because there never was a "before" for them. This is the way the country has always been in their lives. That's the sad, sad truth.

Today, I fly the American flag (several, actually) in support of my country and the service men and women that are fighting for our honor. I appreciate those troops...even if I don't agree with why they are there...and will lend my support. I hope you will, too.

OMG....they really shot him!!!!!

Okay, like seriously..."Q" is dead!!! OMG, OMG, OMFG!

I was completely fricking shocked last night while watching my latest DVR of "One Tree Hill". yeah, I am going to talk about a television show now for a few minutes so you will either need to bear with me or move on along. I sooooo need to talk about this. I was floored I tell ya. FLOORED!!!

I am completely into a bunch of these drama-filled, soap opera type, prime-time shows right now (always really but now more so because I finally have a DVR to record them and it's the beginning of the season!). "One Tree Hill" is just one in a long line of them. There is also "Gossip Girl", "The Secret Life of an American Teenager", "House", "Army Wives".....and on and on and on.

Anyway, I watch so many of these shows (and movies up the wazoo) that I am almost never surprised by the things that the writers throw in as cliff-hangers. I can tell when someone is guilty on Law and Order or when someone will be hit by a car. I usually know what is going to happen next.

But this season, I have been floored several times on "One Tree Hill". Dan getting hit by a car right when his heart transplant pager went off (I did kinda see that one coming) and finding out that he was kidnapped by the psycho nanny (total shocker!). Lucas finally proposing to Peyton (even though that was inevitable). Skillz sleeping with Deb (awesome story line...guy sleeps with best friend's mom!). Brooke getting the shit kicked out of her and having her store robbed at the end of last weeks show (that one almost made me cry!). And now Quinton gets shot and DIES at the end of this weeks show.

Mother of all that is holy, I never saw that one coming!!! And I wanted to cry, oh how I wanted to cry. I let these people into my home and into my life every week and to see one of them killed for no reason makes me extremely sad. I just wanted to jump into the screen and save him. *sigh* This sucks.

I can't wait to see next week's episode!!!

Get off my case...or my purse anyway!

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I missed yesterday's entry. Cut me some slack, it was Monday. And a busy one at that. Today is Tuesday and you know what that means...

List Making Tuesday!!!

Today's list is brought to you by my purse. My best friend Lady K bought me a new purse for my birthday and it is probably the most bestest purse I've ever owned! I absolutely love it. Normally, I purchase cheap purses, black or brown in color, with lots of pockets. Well the purse that caught my eye when out shopping with her has a brown background but is very colorful.

Take a look...

So how is this List Making Tuesday brought to you by my new purse? Because I am going to break the mold and tell everyone what is contained within the sacred sides of my new purse. The contents that all women usually keep secret...I will tell all! And without further ado...

The Contents of My Purse List

In the front left pocket, there is...

--the headphones for my cell phone so that I can listen to music while I am doing boring tasks, like watering the lawn, without having to have a bulky cd player shoved in the back of my pants.

--this is also the pocket that my cell phone lives in but right now that is sitting on my desk.

In the front right pocket, there are...

--my wallet (it's black with blue butterflies on it!)

--my wallet itself holds my driver's license, my blood donor card, Sam's Club card, two expired SCA membership cards (mine and my husband's), my library card, my Girl Scout Volunteer card, business cards for a friend, USO sponsoring member card, ID cards for both of my kids in case they go missing, three punch cards (buy so many get one free types), 7 plastic cards (credit cards, rewards cards, atm card, etc.), 3 TCBY free kid's dish coupons, gift card to mall, gift card to a restaurant, and gift card to a store.

In the front zippered pocket, there are...

--various coupons (that I always forget to use!!!)

--address book of everyone I know (cute one, too. I got it from Lady K at Christmas and it's just my style.)

In the main pocket, the one with a snap for a clasp, there are...

--two checkbooks (one for the real checking account and a deposit book for the other one).

--my digital camera (can't go anywhere without it!)

--a pack of kleenexes (even though I almost always forget they are even in there).

--a little box of q-tips (to apply the orajel that's coming up).

--a tube of pink Mary Kay lip gloss

--two flash drives (containing important pictures, files and writing that I may need at home or at work).

--a thumb drive so that it is easier to put pics from my digital camera onto the computer or so that I can view them on anyone's computer without needing my connector cord.

--a little brown zippered pouch that contains: Orajel, 4 Mary Kay lip glosses, Bach Rescue Remedy Stress drops, Blistex lip balm, a compact mirror (pink with jewels, of course), 3 gauze pads, Dramamine, band-aids, Oral B Brush Ups, moist towlettes from a casino, Benadryl tablets, hand sanitizer in a spray container, ginger candies, sudafed tablet, small sewing kit.

In the back pocket, there are...

--two pens (usually there are more!).

--a ziploc baggie of acetominophen tablets for when I get a headache on the run.

--a pack of gum (5, cobalt flavored).

--a tube of CO Bigelow Cinnamint Mentha Lip Shine (tastes like mint infused cinnamon...I lick it off as fast as I put it on!)

There is also a fuzzy otter Pez Dispenser and a keychain hanging off the strap.

So there you have it. My list for the day. Hope you had fun!!!

A challenge...to eat!

Some days it's just hard to come up with something to write on my blog. Be it writer's block or just an all around nothingness happening in my world, sometimes something gets in the way of great blogging.

So instead I revert to this.

(Overheard on IM this afternoon...WAIT! Can something be overheard if I am in on the conversation? No. Well, then, um, I guess here is a conversation that the very comedic me and Miss Lady K had today while we both should have been doing something a bit more productive...)

Lady K: wow I just realized Im starvin marvon
Me: i'll wait while you get something to snack on.
Me: bring me some crackers while you are at it.
Me: plain saltines please.
Lady K: k
((pause in the conversation))
Me: where's mine?
Lady K: I tried sliden um through the usb, but its not working
Me: well frick
Me: did you try the cd burner?
Lady K: Nope that dont work either
Me: well shoot
Me: those crackers were sounding kinda good

The funniest thing about this is that I was really expecting those crackers to show up on my desk or pop out of the cd drive of my computer. I needed them. *sigh* That is just how my mind works.

But speaking of crackers, did you know that you can not eat six saltine crackers in sixty seconds without drinking water. There is actually a 6 saltines in 60 seconds challenge. Go on, try it. It just doesn't work. Or at least that is what my coworker tells me. Maybe I should try it. Yeah, I think I will. Let me know what your results are if you give this one a go...the coworker has been known to pull my leg on occassion.

Recap...as if you aren't tired of hearing about my birthday already!!!

As you are all by now well aware, my birthday was yesterday. Let me start by telling you about some birthdays past.

When I was little, I used to have "In-Between Parties" with my little sister. We are exactly 14 months apart and have always had a lot of the same friends so one month after my birthday and one month before hers (October 3rd) we would have a party for the two of us. That was all well and good except that we almost always got one present for the two of us instead of individual presents and there wasn't really any acknowledgement on the actual day of our births.
I spent half of the day in the doctors office one year because I had gotten a cold sore on my lip and it had gotten infected and spread halfway across my mouth. I couldn't talk very well and spent many hours in the waiting room. Silver lining...my hubby (then boyfriend) brought me a big teddy bear in that waiting room and it made me smile.

School always starts really close to my birthday and that means that I never really got a class celebration of my birthday because everyone was dealing with first week orientations.

In college, my husband went to school full time and then spent his evenings building a salon for his sister. On my birthday (when I was pregnant with my son), he worked all day and then built late into the evening and didn't recognize my birthday at all. No silver lining to be found there.

What's my point? I always have high expectations for my birthday...but am usually let down tremendously by unthoughful presents or bad circumstances.

This year was extremely different. It was probably the best birthday that I have had......maybe ever.....because the people around me are wonderful!

I woke up this morning to two pajama clad children and a smiling husband surrounding my bed with breakfast (cinnamon pull-aparts) and presents. My little Teensy picked out an adorable card and got me three movies (all in one case...all girly romantic comedies). Bubba bought me the second book in a series that I haven't had a chance to start reading yet (but will as soon as I finish the book I am reading right now) and a card. My dear hubby bought me a pair of Sketchers shoes (clunky like boots but don't go over the ankle) just like I wanted and got me a wonderful card. Although he doesn't know it, one of the best things that dear hubby did for me was take pictures while I was opening the presents. That in itself was a gift. :)

So, we all got ready to go for the day because although it was my birthday I still had to work. I kissed the kids goodbye at their schools, visited my mother-in-laws grave to tell her about how my father-in-law came to my office on Tuesday, gave me a hug and handed me the gift card (she had started a tradition of giving each of us kids a $50.00 gift card to the local mall for our birthdays), and then came to work where my boss brought me flowers...pink carnations...and took me (and the rest of the office) out to Pizza Hut for lunch. She also made me some homemade brownies.

My dear little sister gave me a most wonderful surprise, too. She told everyone she knew to text me a Happy Birthday wish! I received a text from my best friend, 7 texts from people I don't know that live in other states, a text from my little sister and one from her husband, a call from my big brother, a text from my other big brother and one from his daughter, one from my big sister and a call from her daughter, a text from my cousin and a text from my mom. On top of that, I got a text from a local number. When I texted back a thank you, I asked who it was and the text I got back said "I had a crush on you in high school". After a little guessing, it turned out to be an old friend (who I never knew had a crush on me!) that I have talked to recently but not in the past several months. That was a great surprise. With all the texts and calls, my phone was vibrating all day long!!!

On my MySpace page, I got four comments (one from a cousin, one from my sister's friend, one from my husband's friend, and one from a guy I graduated with) that wished me a happy birthday and three birthday gifts (two from little sister and one from a cousin). On my e-mail I got birthday wishes from my best friend in Iraq, my sister-in-law and her family, my aunt and my godmother. On our family webpage, I got messages from the same sister-in-law (in Guam) and from the sister-in-law in Germany!

When I arrived home, after dropping off both kids at my mom's house, I found a few more surprises. There was a huge bouquet of flowers with a balloon from my best friend in Iraq and a gift of pajamas in a cute class pumpkin bowl from my mom. Dear hubby took me out for dinner at Applebee's for a long overdue and much needed date night. We ate faster than expected so we drove around a bit after finishing up dinner. When we went to pick up the kids, they had more surprises for me...a strawberry cheesecake with 28 candles burning in it, and chocolate cupcakes with ice cream. Since then I have recieved two more birthday cards from siblings.

All in all, the little things made my birthday a wonderful one. The cake plastered smiles on the faces of my kids, the twinkle in my hubby's eye when he knew that he had surprised me and made me smile, my family and friends...the things that make me realize that this life is a good one and times can be good if we make them that way. :)

Does this really describe me???

"The world needs drama queens."

"...and that's where you come in.
Happy Birthday, Your Majesty."

Lady K sent this card to me via text messaging for my birthday. Thanks, girl. It's the perfect birthday card from the perfect friend!!!

A life list for List Making Tuesday...

So here it is List Making Tuesday again and that doesn't seem very fair because I didn't get a Monday post out because it was a holiday. What? I do get a relief from thinking what to write every day when it's a holiday, don't I? No. Oh. Well, next holiday I will try to get something out then. Sheesh, you people are demanding! (Ok, really it's me that's demanding but whatever). Anyway, today I am giong to do a meme. What's a meme? I really don't know, but I figure it's kinda like those survey questions that I am always answering in an effort to get to know more about myself. So here goes, this one is about life, I guess, and what I want to get out of it.


Every day, I would like to:
1. Read
2. Laugh at something/someone
3. Count my blessings
4. Say "I love you"

Every week, I would like to:
1. Write a few paragraphs of a story
2. Have a long meaningful conversation with a friend
3. Take time to cherish my little ones
4. Spend some time doing something creative

In three months, I would like to:
1. Have my office and back room cleaned and organized
2. Be more satisfied with my role at work
3. Have established a regular date night complete with babysitter
4. Be okay

Before this time next year, I would like to:
1. Have experienced Germany (and a few other countries in that region)
2. Have hugged my friend close and thanked the stars that she was still alive
3. Have lost weight and/or learned to feel good about my body
4. Know what the job future holds for my hubby

In two to five years, I would like to:
1. Have gone back to DisneyWorld on a family vacation
2. Make it a habit to take yearly romantic trips with my hubby
3. Start thinking about building a new home (with our own hands)
4. Have taught my children enough of the right things to not worry about them entering into teenagerhood

Before I die, I would like to:
1. Write a complete novel from start to finish, have it bound and possibly published
2. Watch my children graduate, get married and have kids of their own
3. Be able to say that I lived my life on my terms and loved with all my heart
4. Look into my husband's eyes and say "We made it to the end, baby, me and you. Thanks for staying by my side laughing at the good times, holding my hand while crying through the bad. You made it all worthwhile and I love you more now than I ever have."