Who Knew?

I have survived the stresses of purchasing property.  Ugh!  I had no idea just how many hoops we would have to jump through in order to secure a loan.  I would like to know how much it has cost me in gas money and recording fees.  I really had no clue just how long it could take a title company to do a simple title search on property that we have owned for fourteen years.  A projected wait time of ten days turned into a torturous four weeks.  Everyone I spoke to had someone else to pin the blame on and just ONE MORE detail that I needed to attend to.  Anyway, I am just SO thankful to have it all behind us.  This is really just an opportunity for me to vent some frustrations.  There is nothing meaningful or inspirational to be found in this posting.  Sometimes a girl just needs to gripe and moan a little! 

Catching up

Well, I've been absent for a time, again.  So, I thought I'd do a little catch up on what's been going on in my world. 

My firstborn baby turned fourteen.  It amazes me how much harder each birthday gets.  I'm really feeling like I need a support group to coax me through the next few years.  We're clicking past years at the rate of what feels like minutes.  He's nearly eye to eye with me, and his shoe size is rivaling his dad's.  In a matter of a few weeks we'll be watching him "promote" from 8th grade into high school.  For the moment, he's even thinking he may be Salutatorian of his class.  This will mean a speech.  YIKES!!!  The butterflies in my stomach go crazy at the thought!  I just can't even imagine how nervous I will be if he's put in that position.  Oh dear Lord, please help me through this stage of life!

Allergies have taken me hostage.  I suffer from seasonal allergies every year.  Every year I swear it's the worst year yet, but this year really is!  I have daily allergy attacks that send me into a fit of sneezing, runny nose, and eyeballs that feel like they need to be scratched out, soaked in cool water, and replaced.  Needless to say, I don't even bother with putting on makeup unless absolutely necessary.  It's a waste of time and eye makeup.  Last night I was sitting here minding my own business when my eyes began waging war on me.  My left eye ended up nearly swollen shut before I surrendered and just went to bed with a cool washcloth over it.  Don't get me wrong!  I do love spring!  It's gorgeous.  It's uplifting.  It's killing me.

The annual sign up for summer baseball has taken place.  Next week we will begin our LONG ritual of summer baseball.  It starts before school ends and ends about the time school starts back up.  I find the whole thing exhausting.  I enjoy watching my boys play ball, but I vaguely recall what summer was like before baseball took it over.  I remember liking the slow pace of summer.  I miss it.  I miss that balance of activity and relaxation.

There haven't been too many other exciting things to tell.  My daily life remains the same old same old.  For that, I am thankful.  That's pretty much how I would sum up my attitude over the last several weeks...thankful.  I am constantly reminded of how blessed my life is. 

No Mo' Mowing, Please!!

I enjoy mowing.  I'm not sure why.  I've always liked mowing.  It was my first introduction to driving when I was just a kid.  I think I like the instant gratification of seeing the finished product.  You mow a strip of grass, and you can see your handiwork.  Like most things, too much of a good thing can go bad. 

My husband does not know when to stop when it comes to our yard.  He loves to clear areas and make them "mowable."  I doubt if that's a word, but you catch my drift.  My thinking is if you measure the yard that you mow in acres, you've gone too far.  We're not talking acres with decimal points, either.  I'm talking whole numbers of acres.  Sure, it looks nice and park-like, but I bet we mow more than some parks departments do!  I don't think anyone should have to set aside HOURS of time to mow their yard.  We live on 150 acres.  I keep wondering when we'll reach the point of having enough "yard" to suit Reuben.  We're nearing the point of just needing a tractor with a belly mower to do the job.  THAT'S too far! 

If you haven't guessed, today was the first mowing of the year.  I did it willingly and happily.  Yet I found myself dwelling on the massiveness of our yard about halfway through.  I managed to mow all the areas that I designate as yard.  There's still much more to be done to fit in Reuben's definition of yard.  If the rain will hold off for a couple of days, I may just tackle the rest to please him.  We'll see!

Happy Easter 2010!!!

Well, another Easter has come and gone.  I love Easter.  Actually, I love Spring.  It's such a time of renewal and rebirth.  It's an affirmation of good things to come.  We've made it through another Winter.  Winter can get so bleak and dreary.  It really can pull a person down if you let it.  Spring is our reward for surviving Winter.  The jonquils have been in bloom for a couple of weeks now.  The redbuds and dogwoods are showing their full glory.  It takes a toll on my allergies, but I'll gladly suffer to see the beauty all around.

We enjoyed another lovely Easter Sunday today.  When I was a kid, we always had a sunrise service on Easter Sunday.  I do miss that.  The church we attend now is in town and made up of mostly elderly folks.  A sunrise service would be hard for them.  There was just something magical about the atmosphere of a sunrise service as a kid.  The quiet stillness combined with the peeking of the sun over the horizon was a perfect setting to really concentrate on the death and resurrection of our Savior.  I like to imagine that the morning of his resurrection was a perfectly beautiful day.  Surely the Lord was smiling down on the Earth, rejoicing in His Son's rising.  

It has been quite a while since I posted on here.  I have no good excuse.  I did battle some illness.  I did have a couple of crazy weeks of running all over the place.  Really, I've just been so blessed and thankful for the things happening in my life.  I should have taken the time to share with everyone on here.  Instead, I've been relishing each day, and watching what God can do with amazement.  Also, I think the pouring out of my thoughts on here has sort of emptied my reserve of useless thoughts.  I highly recommend it for anyone that deals with a mind that seems too busy all the time.  It has had a calming effect on me.  I hope to eventually get back to a daily blog.  If I don't, just know that it's probably a sign of peacefulness in me.  Keep checking back on occasion to see what's happening in my world.   

Drum Roll Please....

Well, I've been blog absent for a week now.  It's been a long, rough week.  I've been battling a bad cold that just won't go away.  I didn't let it get me down completely, though.  Nothing was standing between me and Bon Jovi!

My friend, Cindy, and I made our second trip to a Bon Jovi concert since I last posted.  Once again, they were awesome.  I just don't know how people can live the lifestyle they live.  The energy it requires to put on a show and the strain on one's voice seem like it would be impossible to sustain for thirty years.  Not for these guys!  They sound as good as ever.  It really is true that most men get better with age.  Jon looks better now than ever.  I think their concert is the perfect concert scenario for me.  It's not hard-core rock and roll.  There's no partying going on.  We are still on the younger end of the crowd.  It's sort of a grown-up version of a rock concert.  There's still a lot of screaming, standing, and singing along.  Unfortunately, there are your occasional drunks to deal with.  We were, once again, seated in front of a woman that drank WAY too much beer and made a dozen or more trips to the bathroom.  Aside from her, the atmosphere was great.  I coughed my way through the night, but I managed to still enjoy the experience.  It was a great chance to make more memories with one of the best girls I know.  Thanks for the fun times chica!!

I hope to get completely over this illness crap and pick back up with a daily blog soon.  Stay tuned...I'm not gone, just down for a while.

Brilliant!!

Contrary to the title of this blog, there is no great meaning behind today's posting.  I just found the most brilliant new air freshener.  It's a sort of gel type of freshener that you open to spread the scent.  Nothing new, I realize.  Renuzit has been making these forever.  BUT...this one is made by Snuggle fabric softener.  Why hasn't anyone thought of this before?  I LOVE the smell of clean laundry.  There's little that pleases me more than climbing in between freshly washed sheets.  So, this concept is absolutely genius to me.  I only wish there were more variety to choose from.  Come on Tide and Downy!  Jump on this idea!

Very soon I will be attending a Bon Jovi concert with a great friend.  This will be our second BJ concert.  You might think this should make me feel old.  That's what I expected before going to the first one.  I figured we'd get there and feel like old fogeys.  Quite the contrary!  We were amongst the younger attendees.  I've talked before about my love of music.  A song can take you back in time.  I have grown up to the music of Bon Jovi.  Jon is the only rocker that I ever had a poster of while growing up.  It was just a page out of a teen magazine, but I cherished it.  'Slippery When Wet' is my favorite album of theirs.  "Never Say Goodbye" can take me right back to a school bus trip to a ball game.  Also, "Living on a Prayer" has to be my favorite song of theirs, all time.  Anyway, I can't wait to relive old memories and make new ones at another concert of theirs.  I encourage everyone to go see a group that stirs your memories whenever possible.  It's an awesome experience to share that live energy with the crowd and the band. 

The Calm After the Storm

I really don't like storms.  I can enjoy a good thunderstorm, but once it becomes severe, I'm not digging it.  Last night had its moments.  I knew there was a chance of severe storms.  I was even keeping an eye on the TV for updates.  I could see that there was a severe thunderstorm warning to our South.  However, the local weatherman didn't seem too focused on that storm.  There were tornado warnings taking precedence over our storm.  Then the thunder and lightning really increased.  I decided it would be best to just unplug our TV.  It's fairly new, after all.  The boys and I decided to sit on my bed and listen to the radio.  That's when we heard the hail starting.  At first, it was tiny, like little pieces of styrofoam.  The next thing we knew, it was marble size.  Still not worrying me too bad, but I had the closet all prepped to take cover if necessary.  Suddenly, it became so loud we could hardly hear each other talking.  The boys jumped in the closet, and I took a quick look out the back door.  We had hail the size of golf balls or bigger.  It was insane.  It sounded like our roof was going to cave in.  It only lasted a few minutes.  Then, as if a switch had been flipped, it stopped.  This was when I really got worried.  I've always heard there's a calm right before a tornado hits.  As the silence wore on, I realized it was over.  We had been spared any damage or trauma.  I reached for my phone to look at the radar, only to find we were under a tornado warning.  Doppler radar had detected a tornado right in the area where we live.  YIKES!  Boy am I glad I didn't know this while the storm was pounding us?! 

It's little experiences like this that make me stop and thank God for all I have.  I try to do this anyway, but I feel just a little more appreciative after safe passage through a stressful time like that.  As it happens, we ended up taking refuge with some friends for the remainder of the night.  I knew I wouldn't sleep, worrying about the chance of more storms.  So, we nestled into their safe basement and slept the night away.  Thank you Lord for great friends. 

There's a gospel song I love called "Master of the Wind."  I am so glad I know the Master of the wind and the Maker of the rain.  Regardless of what may come my way, I am safe in His arms.  Are you?  I hope you are. 

Who Am I?

Are you ever amazed at the wonders of communication technology?  I know I've touch on this before, but I'm still in awe.  We have instant access to most everyone we know. 

I found yet another new show I love..."Who Do You Think You Are?".  This show takes celebrities and traces their ancestry.  The one I watched the other night mentioned that in the mid 1800s a letter would've taken months to reach its recipient.  So, word of a loved one's death might have come many months after their burial.  Can you imagine? 

Now we have the world at our fingertips.  I wonder what people thought the first time they were able to use a telephone.  It must have been a most exciting treat to hear the voice of friends and relatives from miles away.  This is yet another convenience we take for granted.  We would feel handicapped if we just had to give up email and texting. 

I am considering taking full advantage of today's technology in an attempt to trace my own ancestry.  My dad has done some work on our family tree.  I know his mother's side of the family has been traced back several centuries to Wales.  Still, I think it would be fascinating to learn my personal American heritage story.  I feel fully American, and I've never given much thought to the lineage on my family's arrival here.  I think we could all get to know ourselves a little better by learning our personal history.  Just a little food for thought....

Analyze Me

Do you ever wonder what a therapist would find wrong with you if given the opportunity?  I do.  I'll admit that I'm not a real fan of the field of psychology.  I'm not saying that it can't help some people.  I do feel that too many people use "diagnoses" as excuses to avoid making changes in their lives.  It's just a little too convenient to claim illness instead of owning laziness, hatefulness, or irresponsibility.  Again, I'm not diminishing the good that comes from therapy for those in real need of it. 

I don't feel I need therapy.  My curiosity does leave me wondering what a therapist might uncover in my psyche.  Some of my friends on Facebook take all the little quizzes that supposedly reveal their personalities.  One particular friend took one the other day that diagnosed her as having OCD.  I clicked on her results to see what symptoms it described.  It was funny.  I would NEVER call myself obsessive compulsive, because my house is never spotless.  However, I did relate to one aspect of the explanation.  It asked if you organize your foods, like M&Ms, and eat the ones you least like to most like.  HA!  That's me!  I don't do this every time I eat them, but if I have the time and can see them all at once, I will sort them by color.  I'll eat the brown first (least attractive), and I'll save the greens for last.  I don't know why.  I do something similar with french fries.  I like the softer fries best.  So, I'll eat the hard crispy ones first, saving the best for last. 

I have often felt a little bipolar, thanks to hormones.  It's the strangest feeling, because I know I'm being unreasonable and can't seem to control it.  Thankfully, this is a passing phase that doesn't afflict me every month. 

One of my new favorite shows is "Hoarders" on A&E.  These people become paralyzed by the clutter that literally fills their homes.  Oddly, I see glimpses of myself in some of these people.  I am not one that keeps my house completely picked up and clutter-free.  I try to keep it decently presentable, and that's enough for me.  So, I'm not suffering from the disease these people have.  Yet, I relate to some of them in so many ways.  I have trouble letting go of some of the smallest, most insignificant items that hold sentimental feelings for me.  I still have a Valentine that was given to me by a boy in my class in 5th or 6th grade.  I cannot throw away any school pictures of my friends from grade school.  I don't need the pictures, and they're not in albums.  Still, I am unable to part with them.  Some of them are of kids that I wasn't even close to.  It doesn't matter.  Throwing away pictures just seems wrong to me.  I save things that I know I'll never need again but just can't bring myself to get rid of. 

These are just the tip of my psychological iceberg.  I'm not ready to delve into the analysis of my mind, but I can't help but wonder about it from time to time.  Just how many meds would a doctor prescribe to me if given the chance to explore my psyche?  We will hopefully never know!

Reel Me In!

Do you ever wish your words were like a hook at the end of a fishing pole?  You could cast them out and quickly reel them in before they could hurt anyone?  I sure do.  I am quick to cast out hurtful words at times.  So many times, I just wish I could take them back. 

I am not coping with the teenage angst of my son very well.  I realize it's a sort of right of passage that a lot of teens go through.  The permanent unexpressive face, the rolling eyes, the sighs at everything you say.  I could do without all of it.  Robbie isn't a hateful child.  He's voted friendliest and most polite by his peers in middle school.  He always manages to be awarded student of the month at some point of every school year.  His teachers go on about how they wish all their kids were like him.  He's so easy-going.  Hmm.  I take all this in with a smile and a nod.  Secretly, I'm wondering if they have the same child in mind as the one that lives with me.  Don't get me wrong.  He's a good kid.  I know and appreciate this.  However, I just don't understand why every bit of his darker side seems to be aimed at us, his parents.  Primarily, he reserves most of it for me.  I guess my lack of patience probably brings out the worst in both of us.  I tend to snap at him in response to his attitude, an attitude he denies having when confronted.  Maybe if I could meet his demeanor with more understanding and less reaction we would mesh a little better.  I don't know.  I do know that I need to find a better way of coping.  Right now, I feel like he's drifting farther and farther away from me into the vast world of teenagerhood...  Come back!  I still love you, I do!  You're still my little boy.  I just don't know how to make you laugh and smile anymore.  Tell me.  I'll try!

I learn new things about my parents every day through my own parenting experiences.  I realize there was a time that they probably felt me drifting away, too.  Why didn't I hear their cries to stay close?  Why was it more important to me what my friends thought than what my parents thought?  I guess it's normal, but normal doesn't always mean good.  I am hoping to find a way to buck the system and keep my kids close to me even as they venture into the world of high school and peer pressure.  If you have any suggestions, I welcome them! 

The Ref, Again...

Okay.  So, did you watch The Marriage Ref??  Overall, I found it pretty entertaining.  At first I thought it seemed a little stiff and scripted, but it seemed to get better as time went on.  I can see that I am not going to agree with the ref some of the time.  For those who didn't watch, I will recap...

The first couple was a retired cop and his wife from New Jersey.  The wife was complaining about her husband spending too much time on his appearance.  This guy goes regularly for manicures, pedicures, tanning, waxing, etc.  All the while, his wife is at home doing the more "manly" chores.  I whole-heartedly agree with the wife.  No man of mine had better spend more time on his appearance than I spend on mine.  I don't want a tanned, waxed, manicured man!  It honestly makes my skin crawl just a little.  WIFE wins in my book!!

The second couple had two issues.  The first was the wife insisting on only using their formal dining room and table for Thanksgiving.  The rest of the year, it just sits, fully set but unused.  Okay.  I have never understood people that have rooms or furniture that is off limits.  What exactly is the point??  What are you saving it for?  My great-uncle's wife was like this.  They had a beautiful, grand, stately home.  It was brick with white columns and gated drives.  It was really what I would have considered a mansion for this area.  I went there twice.  The first time we went for a visit.  I only caught a glimpse of the main area of the house on that visit.  We were ushered into the basement right away.  Even the basement was nice (gold bath fixtures), but it was more lived-in.  My second trip there was an actual tour of their home.  The carpets and furniture were white.  Some of the furniture was covered in plastic.  Other areas of the home were literally cordoned off with velvet ropes.  This couple lived in the basement of her dream home, while the main areas of the home went unused.  Maybe these experiences have shaped my opinion on this issue.  Clearly, I agree with the HUSBAND all the way!  Use and enjoy what you have while you have it!  The ref agreed with the wife, and told the husband to just pretend the room doesn't exist.

Their second issue was the wife expecting the husband to be able to do all manual labor, because he's a man.  She had purchased a do-it-yourself screened-in porch for him to assemble.  He was arguing that some of these things are impossible to understand, and he wasn't able to do them.  I'm really a little torn on this issue.  I, too, would like it if my husband would do all the manual labor around here all the time.  However, I have watched my husband trying to assemble things before.  It almost always ends with me right beside him the whole way, walking him through the instructions.  He, like most men, looks at the hardware in front of him and thinks he knows what needs to go where.  It's only when it doesn't work that he resorts to consulting the instructions.  So, we've found that it's just simpler if I work right next to him the whole way and help decipher the instructions.  I guess that means I would side with the HUSBAND, again.  The wife should be willing to step up and help out if the husband needs assistance.  The ref agrees with the husband on this one. 

The third couple had the shortest and simplest argument.  The wife went to bed every night with dental floss.  She would then proceed to aggressively floss her teeth, making a flicking noise with every tooth.  The husband complained that it was gross and annoying.  The entire panel and the ref agreed.  I'm with them.  Go in the bathroom already!  HUSBAND, no question, wins this one.

The fourth and final couple were arguing about the husband taking off his wedding ring to play basketball and hang out with his friends.  They showed clips of the husband playing basketball.  He was claiming that wearing the ring would just completely throw his game off.  Let me tell you, nothing would've hurt this guy's game.  Who knows?  Maybe a ring would help!  He was terrible!  This particular argument hits very close to home for me.  Reuben has never worn his wedding ring.  It's always been a hazard for his work.  I understand that, however I don't understand not wearing it the rest of the time.  It's always bugged me that he doesn't wear one.  I wear his on another finger a lot of the time.  Men, why can't you understand that part of being married is adjusting to wearing that little band on your finger?  It's not that big of a sacrifice!!  Women wear theirs all the time, and I don't know of one woman that has lost a finger in some freak accident with her ring.  Take yours off for work if you must, but turn that finger over to us when you're not.  The WIFE wins in my book, and the ref agreed.

I realize this isn't really true blogging.  I've had a little writer's block over the last few days.  It's a busy time for us, and I hope to do better next week. 

Oprah & The Marriage Ref

Last night I stayed up and watched Oprah.  I have my DVR set to record her show every day.  I enjoy watching a lot of them.  Yesterday was one that made me chuckle out loud.  She had Jerry Seinfeld and Tom Papa, from The Marriage Ref, on to discuss their new show.  I had seen a couple of commercials promoting the new show and wasn't sure if I would like it or not.  I'm still not too sure, but I sure enjoyed Oprah's version of it.

The premise of the show is to bring on married couples that have an ongoing feud and to let a third party, the marriage ref, decide who is right and who is wrong.  The actual show will have a panel of celebrities that will weigh in on the subject with their opinions, too.  The ref will have the final say as to who he believes to be correct.  Tom Papa, a comedian, is the ref.  Jerry Seinfeld is the producer and creator of the show.  Oprah and Jerry served as the panel yesterday and Tom as the ref.

The first couple was a man and woman that were arguing over whether to put up a stripper pole in their bedroom.  Of course, the man wanted it, and the woman didn't.  The man claimed that it could also be good exercise for the wife, in addition to a way to spice up their love life.  HA!  The woman was adamantly against the idea.  Now here's my thinking on this...if the woman doesn't want it, does the man really believe she's gonna climb up on that thing and provide any sort of pleasant show for him?  Come on!  Also, what exactly do you say to any houseguests you may have as to why you have a stripper pole in your bedroom?!?  Men, try and understand that you are going to have to reserve some things for just fantasy land in your minds!!!  A stripper pole is one of those things!  The ref agreed.

Another couple was on there with the wife complaining about the husband never using anything completely up before starting a new one.  She complained about him leaving the last little bit in the peanut butter jar, the last little bit in the juice container, the last little bit of the toilet paper, etc..  He always just opened new of whatever he wanted if there was only a little left of the other.  This was driving the wife crazy.  Jerry and the ref both sided with the husband.  Oprah agreed with the wife.  I found this argument so entertaining.  I am like the husband.  I hate trying to get the last little bit of food out of a container.  I also, almost always, end up throwing out the last little bit of milk or juice or koolaid.  I even tend to throw away that last little bit of the toilet paper.  You know, the two or three squares that inevitably get left on the roll.  What am I gonna do with two squares of paper?  I know it seems wasteful, but I like to have the new fresh stuff.  The ref suggested that the wife feel free to use up the odds and ends of things if it bothered her so much.  I agree.

There were a couple other husbands and wives on there with little issues.  One couple was fighting over their five pet turtles.  The wife didn't want to take care of them anymore, and the husband loved them.  I can see the wife's point, but where was she when they got the things?  That's when she should have put her foot down.  The other couple was fighting over their sleeping arrangements.  The wife sleeps alone inside in the bed, while the husband sleeps on the floor of their screened-in porch.  He has a bucket outside that he uses to pee in every night.  He empties it once a month on their compost pile.  HUH?!?  These people do not live in a tropical climate, either.  The temps dip below freezing, and the guy still chooses to sleep out there!  Hmm.  They claim to have a completely normal marriage otherwise.  I don't buy it.  I can see couples needing to sleep separately due to snoring or whatever.  That wasn't the case here.  He just said he likes the feeling of sleeping outdoors.  I know the feeling of sleeping separately.  I slept on the couch for years when Robbie was little.  We, like so many parents, made the mistake of letting him sleep with us.  I got to where I couldn't take it.  I preferred just sleeping alone on the couch to trying to share a queen bed with the two guys.  We finally were able to overcome this problem.  Now, I wouldn't give up my place in my bed for anyone!  I think, as long as that wife doesn't have some strange habit that keeps her husband awake, he should move back into the house with her.  What is their two-year-old son learning from seeing his dad sleeping outside every night?

As you can see, I found the show very entertaining.  I don't know if I'll enjoy the actual show as much.  I do like seeing what other couples go through in their marriages, though.  It makes me thankful for my husband.  It also helps me to feel normal when I can see myself in someone else.  

What pet peeves do you have about your spouse?  Do you need a marriage ref?  There are times I think one would come in handy around here!

When In Doubt, Smile!

I don't know what it is about cloudy days, but they tend to kick my butt.  I have only been out of bed since a little after 9:00am.  That's ridiculously late for me.  I blame the clouds.  We have wood blinds in our bedroom to block out the morning sun, since our window faces east.  However, the sunshine manages to sneak in through the smallest gaps.  That little bit of light is usually enough to raise me in the morning.  Sure, I enjoy sleeping in like most people.  It just seems like I never have as good of a day when I stay in bed too long.  So, I'm frustrated with myself this morning for taking advantage of the clouds. 

Most people hate Mondays.  I really don't.  I know I might hate them if I had to go to work.  As it is, I kind of look forward to the restarting of my weekly routine.  The day is filled with housework that went neglected over the weekend.  I could do without that, but if I didn't have it, I wouldn't know what to do with myself all day.  I like having purpose.  I like direction.  So, I will soon start the chore list for this Monday.  

The background distraction for today is an old black and white movie called "Philadelphia Story."  It has three of my absolute favorite actors of all time...Cary Grant, Jimmy Stewart, and Katherine Hepburn.  It's not the greatest movie ever, but I just love the wholesomeness of the old movies.  I have my DVR set to record all Cary Grant movies.  I love him.  I would imagine that he was sort of the George Clooney of his day.  He, too, improved with age, just like Clooney. 

Why is it that men get more attractive and distinguished with age?  Us women just don't seem to enjoy that same fate.  That's not to say that some women don't age beautifully.  It's just that most don't improve with age.  I find this very strange and unfair.  I guess it's this very reason that there's a billion dollar industry devoted to anti-aging products.  I've been dabbling in them for years.  I think it's time to do a little more than dabble, though!  I'm watching like a hawk for the first sign of wrinkles on my face and forehead.  My eyes already show a little age.  Thankfully, my hair decided to gray instead of my forehead giving into wrinkling.  The gray I can fix.  I find myself ever mindful of the need to avoid frowning or squinting too much.  I can't furrow my brow without considering the consequences.  Could I be more vain?  Oh well....that's just part of time marching on.  So smile!  Crows feet are much more attractive than frown lines! 

Olympics? I don't care...

The Olympics are ending today.  Is it bad of me to not really care?  I enjoy watching bits and pieces of it here and there.  A couple of minutes of figure skating, bobsledding, snowboarding, skiing, and I'm good.  I feel badly for not caring any more about it than that.  I realize these athletes put years of their lives into training for just this occasion.  Somehow, the enormity of it is lost on me.  It's just a whole lot of days that sports infiltrate the normal TV programming.  I haven't always been this ho-hum about the Olympics.

My parents love the Olympics.  They sit up every night watching until 11:00 or 11:30pm.  I can remember being more interested in them when I was a kid at home.  I particularly remember one Olympics.  I remember the year that Mary Lou Retton won the summer Olympics.  I'm thinking that was 1984.  I loved that.  I was so jealous of her gymnastic abilities.  I couldn't even do a cartwheel at that point.  I never did learn to do them well.  I could do the splits.  That was the extent of my gymnastic ablility.  I remember having to tryout for the cheerleading team my seventh grade year.  One requirement was that you had to do two gymnastic manuevers.  I managed to pull off a cartwheel and the splits.  Thank goodness the standards weren't any higher than that!

That actually brings me to another point.  Why don't kids have to tryout for sports anymore?  I mean, I realize that it's nicer to just let everyone play if they want.  However, I think there is something to be learned from failure.  I don't know of anyone that was permanently scarred from not making a team.  My kids' school doesn't have cheerleaders.  I'm fine with that.  They get on my nerves now.  I was a cheerleader in 7th and 8th grades.  I loved it.  Now, I just see them as unnecessary distractions.  It might be better if schools didn't let just everyone on the team that wants on the team.  Cheerleaders kind of suck now (not all).  I know.  That's horrible of me to say.  I can't help it!  They do!  You've got girls out there that don't have a clue what they're doing.  And the floor cheers...give me a break!  What happened to doing exciting lifts and formations?  Oh yeah!  You can't do that when your team is made up of girls not cut out for cheering.  Someone will get hurt.  I'm not referring to all levels of cheering.  I realize some high schools still have good squads, but it's been a NUMBER of years since I've seen a decent middle school squad.  

This idea of shielding kids from disappointment doesn't sit well with me.  I think there should be opportunities for everyone to participate.  I just don't think that every level of play should be open to whoever wants to join.  I think the sport suffers from this mindset.  I know the teams' abilities suffer from it.  I'm sure coaches would love to be able to focus on the kids who have the potential to make a successful team.  However, political correctness has forced them to deal with whatever group shows up.  I could NOT be a coach!

Okay.  I know my opinion on this probably isn't the popular one.  That's fine.  My opinion is just that, MY opinion.  Really, what would it hurt to teach kids to deal with disappointment?  It's not like there aren't countless opportunities outside of school to participate in whatever sports you want.  A few life lessons might be a good way to teach kids to deal with what life will send their way.  A lack of coping skills has become an epidemic in today's world.  

I guess that's enough venting for now.  Tune in tomorrow to see what kind of mood I'm in!!  :) 

Three Against One

This is actually tomorrow's blog.  It just hit me tonight.  I will one day be a woman living with three men.  I don't know why I've never really considered this before.  I've always just thought of my  two sons as boys.  Tonight, as I sit here typing and they all three (husband included) sit watching basketball, I realize I am truly outnumbered.  I have three males that all enjoy watching sports, history, and nature shows.  Gag me now, please.  My husband won a battle that I never even knew was underway.  He has two comrades in his corner, while I sit all alone in mine. 

I really hate the sound of basketball games on TV.  For some reason, my brain seems to focus on the squeaking of the players' shoes.  I could go into my bedroom right now, turn on the radio, and fold some laundry, but I will still be able to hear that incessant squeak, squeak, squeaking!!!  AAAHHH!  Calgon, take me away!!!

My Robbie is now fully eye to eye with me.  He's beginning to even pass me up a little.  It also just occurred to me today that I will one day be the short one in my family.  Huh??  I've always been tall.  Yet all too soon, I'll be the shrimp of the group.  That depresses me.  I'm not sure why, but it does.  

I am thankful for my boys.  As I've said before, I think I'm better suited to mothering boys.  However, I feel for all the other moms of just boys out there.  I know your pain as you cannot drive anywhere without farting becoming a topic of discussion in a vehicle.  It tends to come up, because someone is always doing it in the small confines of the vehicle.  I feel for you as you sit alone in a corner of your home while the guys watch the shows least appealing to you.  How many things do you really need to know about mythical monsters, snakes of the Amazon, or last night's ball scores??  I fear I will one day know the pain of coming in second behind a daughter-in-law's family for every holiday, coming in second as a babysitter for my grandkids, and coming in second-best as Grandma.  Won't the hands of time just slow a little, PLEASE?? 

A Chore Worse than Mopping??

So, I've found something I hate doing even more than mopping and vacuuming...recaulking the tub and cleaning the tub.  UGH!!  It might help if I didn't have literally twenty kinds of shampoo, conditioner, and body wash lined up around my tub.  How silly is that?  This goes back to my hair product addiction.  Also, I always buy just regular cheap shampoo for the guys, but they end up using my stuff instead! 

Anyhow, as I was applying new caulking strip to the tub this morning, I somehow managed to shove something up my thumbnail.  OWWWIE!!!  Now my finger is so sore I can't do anything with it.  So much for finishing up the dishes.  Don't you hate when you hurt yourself but there's nothing to show for it?  I mean, if I'm gonna injure myself, I want some blood or bruising.  It's hard to get any sympathy for something that no one else can see.  :) 

I cry at the stupidest things.  Most people would probably not guess me to be such a softy, but I am.  I cry at TV shows, sappy emails, someone else's embarrassment, whatever.  Last night I went to our school's senior recognition night.  All of the senior athletes are introduced, along with their parents.  The parents are presented flowers.  I am not super close to any of these kids, but I still found myself tearing up.  I really got choked up when our senior school mascot made a little speech passing the mascot uniform on to his younger brother.  He got choked up, the brother was wiping away tears, and I'm digging for tissue in my purse.  Give me a break!  I have no control over such things, either.  It's completely involuntary.  Of course, I also cry when I laugh.  Well, not cry really, but my eyes water up like crazy.  It drives me crazy. 

I married a guy that I'd never seen cry.  He was Mr. Unemotional.  I am proud to say that he's gradually giving up that title.  Every once in a while, I catch him tearing up at the most unexpected moments, too.  I find that so attractive.  I like seeing that my man has a big heart.  

A good cry can be the best therapy.  I strongly recommend doing it occasionally.  It's very cleansing.  

***A FOOTNOTE:  AFTER POSTING THIS, I WENT TO MY BATHROOM AND COUNTED THE BOTTLES I HAD REMOVED FROM THE SHOWER/TUB.  THE ACTUAL NUMBER IS 25.  I PARED IT DOWN TO 18.  :)*** 

I Don't Know...Just a Blog

I absolutely hate cleaning my floors.  We have two dogs and a cat in the house.  So, I have no choice but to clean the floors.  However, I despise that particular household chore. 

Our carpet is old, stained, and worn.  I would love to have all new floors.  I just don't know what kind I'd want.  I'm not sure that wood, vinyl, or tile would be any better.  I like that look, but I cannot imagine how much sweeping would be required to keep it looking nice, not to mention mopping.  I would certainly love to give up the vacuuming, though.  I just think it would be cleaner with all the pets if we didn't have carpet.  I also LOVE area rugs.  The only problem I see with that would be my desire to change rugs frequently.  That could get a little pricey. 

I love picture frames, almost as much as I love pictures.  The more unique they are, the better.  I wish I had more walls so that I could make little galleries of family photos.  I found this family tree frame on Amazon.  I just love it.  I could spend thousands of dollars on frames, though.  I only made it through the first 30 pages of frames on their website.  I found a dozen or so that I'd love to have.  Have you noticed I have unusual attachments to some things?  I don't know why.  Most people have one or two things they love to collect.  I have many.  Just a few are cookbooks, watches, frames, hair products, shoes, earrings, deer antlers, antique kitchen utensils...the list goes on and on.  Hmm....maybe I'm a bit too attached to "things."  I'd love a clean slate of a house to start over in.   I would pare down some of the things that clutter up my life. 

What things are you holding onto?  Could you stand to pare down your life? 

Calling All Cookies

Today's posting is a simple one.  I am in search of good cookie recipes.  I know, I know.  I'm dieting.  Don't worry.  I'm not jumping off the wagon so soon.  I am just looking to come up with some good recipes for cookies.  I figure the more I have to go over, the more likely I am to find one that is just perfect.  If you can, send me your favorite cookie recipes in the comments. 

The only other thing I really have on my mind today is commercials.  I am commercial intolerant.  I don't care what I'm watching.  I will find something else to watch on standby during the commercials.  I have no patience for them.  I am the same way with the radio.  As soon as a commercial comes on, I switch the station.  I find it hard to watch TV with someone else in control of the remote for this very reason.  I am squirming if they don't flip the channel during the commercials.  How old am I, right?  You would think my attention span would be a little more developed.  It's not.  I can't help but think about all the money companies spend to make these commercials, and I live to skip over them.  :)  Aah.  It's the little things that amuse me. 

Have a great day!!

Turn the Other Cheek

I'm too critical and confrontational.  I like to face differences and problems head on.  If you have a problem with me, tell me.  If I have a problem with you, you'll know it.  If you have a problem with one of my kids, watch out.


Admittedly, this is not an attractive quality to possess.  I realize I turn a lot of people off with my assertiveness.  There are times I wish I wasn't so outspoken, usually after I have been.  I just don't know how people keep their feelings bottled up, though.  Don't they realize it can be destructive to oneself to do that?  Sure, it can be hurtful to relationships to be so forward, but what good is a relationship that isn't authentic? 


I'm usually not even trying to convince someone to agree with me.  I just have this inner need to speak my mind, regardless of popular opinion.  I don't really care if someone disagrees with me.  I welcome it at times.  I like a good debate.  I am sometimes accused of stirring the pot or opening a can of worms.  That's not my intention, either.  I just refuse to sit idly by without making my feelings known. 


I need to work on more tactful ways of being myself.  How can I voice my opinions without creating a negative reputation for myself?  I need to be slower to anger and more accepting of differences.  Once again, just another character trait I need to work on. 

A Potty Mouth Does Not a Movie Make

Have you ever wondered why the people that make movies find it necessary to throw in the foul language that they do?  I sure have.  Nothing frustrates me more than to sit and watch a movie that tosses around the F bomb like it's "hello" or "goodbye."   Seriously?  Do you think people want to pay to watch people act like idiots?  I realize that real life includes some cussing.  But where do these people live that they think this type of language is ordinary?  If I couldn't walk out of my home without being bombarded with F this and F that, I think I would just stay home all the time. 


Also, when did it become okay to use the "lesser" of the cuss words on network television?  I can remember a time when you wouldn't have heard a single cuss word over the air.  I watch a lot of television, so I hear a lot of bleeps on cable networks.  It absolutely amazes me what they will and won't bleep out.  I was watching Ax Men last night, and they bleeped out bast***s but said a**hole.  Okay.  Who sits back and decides which is worse?  And who can sit and listen to the bleeps without mentally filling in the blanks?  I tell ya, it gets on my last nerve.


So, the question of the day is, is it okay to let our kids watch shows as long as the worst words are bleeped?  Do we really believe that our kids aren't filling in the blanks in their little minds?  This is truly a case of the pot calling the kettle black.  I'm as bad as anyone about letting my boys watch those shows.  I'm just wanting to take a closer look at my parenting techniques and think about what I could stand to change. 

So Long, Farewell Brownies....

I hate being fat.  I really do.  I am mentally preparing myself for another whole-hearted attempt to lose some weight.  It's mentally, physically, and emotionally exhausting.  You wouldn't think it would be SO difficult.  I've lost considerable amounts before, and it's so incredibly rewarding.  Why isn't that motivation enough to keep it up?  I did really well most of last year.  I went on a serious diet in November of '08.  I managed to lose nearly 40 pounds and keep it off until August of '09.  That was the month that I had elective surgery.


Okay.  Ever since I was about nine years old I had big breasts.  I was the only girl in third grade that needed a bra.  It only got worse as I got older.  As an adult they caused me additional problems.  I started having back and neck trouble, which lasted for years.  I tried just doing physical therapy for my back, but it didn't completely alleviate the pain.  When I found out that our insurance would cover the costs of a breast reduction, I got the ball rolling.  I had the surgery in August of '09.  From that moment on, I started gaining back the weight.  I couldn't have imagined how much the surgery would weaken me.  The recovery process was much worse than I thought it would be.  I was so thankful to everyone that brought food in for my family and me, but I ended up just sitting a lot and eating.  I still have not completely regained my upper body strength.  I am still about fifteen pounds lighter than I was when the original diet started, but that means I gained about 25 pounds.   


Enough excuses!  It's time to take hold of the reigns and get back on the dieting horse!  I am hopeful that I will be able to lose fifty pounds by August.  That gives me six months to take control and get serious.  If you also struggle with your weight, join me in this quest to become healthier.  I will try to update my weight loss every two weeks on here.  I will NOT be posting my actual weight, just the pounds lost.  Feel free to add your own successes or struggles by way of a comment to my posts.  Let's do it!  I am going to go and make some farewell brownies now.  Tomorrow morning starts the real deal.   

The Squeaky Wheel Does NOT Necessarily Get the Oil

Another trip to Wal-Mart is under my belt.  I got myself up early today and headed to town before 8am to hit Wal-Mart.  I got the third parking space from the door, and all looked well.  Why is it that no matter how many carts I have to choose from, I always pick a noisy one?!?  Seriously, I walked in this morning, and the cart area was full.  I picked one, and immediately realized I had, as always, chosen one with a messed up wheel.  I was too stubborn to just turn around and take it back.  So, I set off in the quieter than normal Wal-Mart with a cart going CLUNK, CLUNK, CLUNK the whole way.  On a normal trip the clunking would have been muffled out by the crowds of people.  Not today, though.  I was on my game and at the store before the masses.  About 5 minutes into my shopping, all I could think about was the sound of my cart.  Then I met another shopper.  I slowed, hoping to decrease my clunking and not disturb her.  That's when I realized her cart was squeaking with every step.  Hahaha!!!  I had to chuckle to myself.  What is it about shopping carts??  I thought the squeaky wheel gets the oil.  I guess not when you're at Wal-Mart!


Now, on to what I planned to blog about today....Smells.  I find it amazing how quickly a smell can send your mind back to a specific time and place.  I associate many smells with times in my life.  I think the place that harbored the most smell-related memories for me was my grandma's house.  The most vivid smelling memory of her house is the aroma of BenGay.  Every night before bed, my grandma would rub BenGay all over my uncle's back and shoulders.  I fell asleep many nights there with the smell of BenGay hanging in the air.  Ivory soap also takes me right back to her bathroom.  I never knew of them to use any other bath soap.  Every now and then, I will go and buy some Ivory soap just to conjure up the sweet memories of their house.  Right now I have Prell shampoo in my shower for the very same reason.  It's all my grandma used, and I can't open it up without thinking of her.  I am thankful for such vivid memories through smell.  There's a tangible aspect to those memories that most others don't hold. 


Do you know your house smells?  I can still remember how certain friends' homes smelled when I was growing up.  My favorite was Cindy's house.  Mmm.  I can't even begin to describe it.  I don't know if it was laundry detergent or perfume or air freshener or what.  I'm sure it was a little of all of that just mingled together to make its own original scent.  Whatever it was, it was always pleasant.  I remember friends telling me that my parents' house smelled good.  I didn't know it.  You can't smell your own scent.  It's funny how I still can't really smell my parents' house.  I'm there too often I guess.  There are times, usually in the Spring, when I do capture a scent memory from my own childhood home, though.  It's tied to laundry.  When the weather gets warmer, and I am able to open up the windows, the smell of Bounce dryer sheets through the outdoor dryer vent remind me of home. 


Oh how I wish I could just bottle up some of these smelly memories.  It would be so nice to just call on them whenever you wanted to wander back to those times and places in your mind.  For now, I will just continue buying these things on occasion to take me back on demand. 

A Perfect Day

What does a perfect day look like?  I'm sure you can imagine what your perfect day might look like.  I could have conjured up a vision of what I would have imagined to be my perfect day.  I haven't put much thought into it, but it wouldn't have looked like today.  Oddly enough, though, today felt nearly perfect.  Isn't it funny how unexpected little moments can add up to a whole new version of perfection?


Today was really no different than any other day might be.  The weather was considerably nicer than what we've had lately.  I guess that may have been the perfect backdrop to this day.  I woke up to find that my new haircut didn't take too long to fix this morning.  That's always a good start to things.  I got dressed, fixed my hair, and put on makeup before leaving my room.  That's a plus, too.  Reuben and I headed out to burn some fields together around ten.  I took advantage of the darker burnt ground to look for deer sheds.  I found one small spike horn.  Hey!  It's the best I've found this year.  The burn went just as planned, with no problems.  We spent over two hours working as a team to get this job done.  We came in for lunch and decided we would go back out and look for arrowheads.  We spent about an hour doing that together.  Keep in mind that the weather was so warm, and the sun was shining the whole time.  We rode in the truck with our windows down.  Reuben took a short nap when we got back to the house, while I started on supper.  I made homemade pizza that got done just a few minutes after Reuben picked the boys up.  The kids were anxious to get outside and enjoy the warmer weather and slightly longer daylight, too.  So, after we ate, we all went back outside.  Reuben and I played a game of HORSE, with Brady joining in along the way.  The guys then played a quick game of football, while I watched and played with the pets.  The evening has been just like any other.  Overall, this day has added up to the perfect day.  I love days like this.  We're all dirty and grimy from the day, and it's about time for everyone to clean up and get in bed.  I somehow feel closer to my family on days like this.  I wish every day could be like today.  It really is about the little things in life. 

Time for a Change

I love changing my hair.  I am obsessed with hair products.  Right now, my hair doesn't require much more than shampoo and conditioner, with an occasional dab of pomeade. 

My hair is a continuous project of growing it out.  Tomorrow I am planning to get it cut quite a bit shorter.  I'm looking forward to the change.  I love change.  However, I know that I will inevitably start growing it back out almost immediately.  Why do I do that?  If I want it grown out so bad, why don't I just leave it alone? 

The answer is I can't help it.  I get tired of the same old hair all the time.  I find this particularly funny, since my mom hasn't made a significant change to her hair in my lifetime.  My sister, similarly, has kept pretty much the same style for the last ten to fifteen years.  Where did I get this desire to change things up? 

My hair has had so many different styles and shades over the years it's ridiculous.  You would think I would eventually find something that I would like so much that I wouldn't want to change.  I don't.  The color is always just a little different.  The cut is always just a little different. 

Here's my theory:  I am an instant gratification person.  When I want something, I want it now.  I have spent my entire adult life trying to change the things I don't like about me, without much success.  My hair is the one thing I have total control over.  When I want to change it, I do.  If I could make other changes with such authority, maybe I wouldn't feel the need to change my hair.  How great would it be if I could just wake up one day and say, "I want to be thinner," and it would just happen that same day?  Or how about if I could just order up prettier skin, longer nails, whiter teeth, or bigger eyes?  Wow.  I think that would be nice, but maybe it wouldn't be.  Maybe I am who I am.  Maybe I need to work for the things I want.  The hair is just a release of my decisiveness for change.  So, I will enjoy what I can change when I want.  And I will continue to try and work for the other changes I want.

Kids and Money

I love my kids, I do.  I cannot help the fact that they occasionally get money from people for gifts or for work done.  However, I am sometimes frustrated by how they handle their money.  My friend and I went on a shopping trip today.  We had a two-hour drive, so we talked about a lot of things.  We touched on the subject of kids and money.  I realized that mine are not alone in their ways of spending/saving.


Take Robbie, for instance.  The child can save up $200 over a few months.  He will go shopping countless times in those months.  He will insist on accompanying me on every trip to Wal-Mart.  He will scour over the electronics and sporting goods departments dozens of times.  Every once in a while, he will let go of a few dollars on some jerky or candy or other little junk.  The next time he opens up his wallet, for whatever reason, he will swear someone has taken money out of it.  It's amusing to me how quickly he forgets his little purchases.  I will give him a little credit.  He usually manages to hang onto enough money to eventually purchase something of substance.  It may take awhile, but he will finally settle on something.


Now Brady, he's another story.  That child cannot stand to have money.  If he gets $5, he will want to make a special trip to town just to spend that money.  Of course, we don't drive him up there just to spend a couple of dollars.  Watch out when we do go out, though.  I don't care if we are stopping at the gas station!  He will spend that money.  The other day he had $5 when I stopped into a home decorating shop.  He just had to go in with me.  Just imagine a seven year old boy shopping in a home decor store.  Well, he managed to find some Beanie Babies.  The child doesn't even have Beanie Babies.  It didn't matter to him.  He found something to buy.  He picked out a Lion.  It was $3.24 with tax.  This left him with $1.76.  A day later he found a $2 item that he had to have.  So, I kicked in the extra 24 cents.  This is how he operates.  If you give him a dollar, he'll spend two.  If he has $50, he spends $55.  I swear he cannot handle the pressures of shopping with more than $10.  He will look at every toy in the store and not settle on one.  We will get to the checkout line, and he will frantically pick out little crap to buy.  Heaven forbid he leave the store without spending every penny, plus some.  The boy had about $50 after his birthday.  The first stop I made in town was at Big Lots.  Nothing against Big Lots, but it's not where I would recommend taking a kid to spend their money.  It didn't matter to Brady.  He was ready to shop!  I think we left there with about ten items for his $50, all of which were junk.  He has no control whatsoever. 


There isn't a moral to this story.  I just found it amusing that my kids are similar to my friend's kids.  How do your kids handle money?  How can we teach them to spend responsibly?  I'm not sure, but I'm open to suggestions!

Too much of a good thing?

I love a lot of things, but most good things can become less so in excess.  This is the case with snow.  We live in an area that sees a couple of good measureable snows a year usually.  This is the way I like it.  I love the snow, in moderation.  Tonight, the ground is covered once again with the white stuff.  I do not like this.  I have plans tomorrow.  I rarely have actual plans.  Tomorrow is one of the few days a year that I take a break from normal life and get out with my oldest gal pal.  (Not oldest in her age but in our friendship's age.)  We take about a two-hour trip to the "city" to shop and eat out.  It's a nice way to catch up with each other and escape the dullness of our everyday lives.  The snow must not stop us!  This isn't even to mention the fact that our children DO NOT need another snow day.  As it is, I have no idea how long our school year has been extended to account for lost days.  I foolishly look forward to snow days, then regret it months later when summer is ticking away, and we're still in school!  Let's all hope that this snow is diminished, and we are able to proceed with our plans.

Today is Valentine's Day.  The sermon at church this morning was about love.  I took something very important from this.  I realize that grudges are a waste of energy and time.  God does not wish for us to harbor ill feelings toward one another.  I am going to work toward repairing broken relationships.  Life is too short to live with these petty feelings eating away at us.  If you are holding onto hurt feelings, think about letting them go.  You only have healing to come your way if you do. 

This is a short blog, and it's late.  I did want to take a moment to share what I got from God's word today, though.  Maybe I'll have tales to tell from my outing tomorrow.  Be safe out there!

My Heart

Tomorrow is Valentine's Day, and I'm reminded of how quickly another year has gone by.  We have no big plans to mark the occasion.  We're sort of over that in our relationship.  Still, it's a good time to remember why we are with the one we are with.

I met Reuben when I was sixteen.  He was eighteen and out of school.  I was just about finished with my sophomore year in high school.  I had always had this habit of falling for boys that weren't as into me as I was into them.  So, I spent many many months, even years, of my life chasing after one boy or another.  Oh I had some boyfriends that had initiated the relationship before, but they were short-lived.  There was just something about the chase that I thrived on.  At this particular time in my life, I wasn't too focused on any one boy.  I guess I wasn't really looking for a guy. 

I was cruising town with two girlfriends of mine.  We were riding in my friend, Kathy's, Toyota Previa van.  It looked like a giant egg.  It was white and ugly.  We spotted these three guys driving a Camaro, and Kathy followed after them.  When we finally got them stopped, they agreed to join us in the van for some cruising.  As it turns out, Reuben was one of those guys.  He seemed to take an immediate interest in me.  I recall him sitting a little too close to me and feeling my knees.  Weird, huh?  He said I had pointy knees.  Anyway, from that night on, I couldn't seem to shake him.  He pursued me.  A week later I agreed to go on an actual date with him.  That is the date I consider our dating anniversary.  It was April 6, 1991.  The rest is history.  He won me over with his romantic ways. 

Nearly nineteen years later, it's hard to believe he was ever that romantic.  That guy is a distant memory.  It doesn't really matter, though.  We've had our share of bad times and good times.  Somehow, we've managed to work our way through it all.  The fact that he still chooses to wake up next to me every morning is romance to me.  The fact that he's a GREAT father to our boys is romance to me.  The fact that he chose me those many years ago is romance to me.  Of course, there are times I'd like more, but I just remind myself that I am a lucky woman to have this man in my life.  I don't deserve him, but don't tell him that!

I hope that you, like me, have someone to spend this Valentine's day with.  Don't get too caught up in the gifts or motions of the occasion.  Just choose to be happy for what you have year round. 

Friday already?!?

Typically speaking, I look forward to Fridays.  However, considering the kids just went back to school yesterday, I would have preferred something like a Wednesday.  Oh well.  Here comes the weekend!

I had a pleasant experience last night that I'd like to share this morning.  We drove about an hour to a high school basketball game last night.  We got to this school and found they have a beautiful new gym.  Shortly after we sat down, the girls came out to warm up for the game.  Lots of schools play music over their sound system during this warm-up period.  You never know what you're going to get.  It's usually classic heavy metal music or something current that is either unrecognizeable as music or has so many cuss words bleeped out that it sounds like the CD is malfunctioning.  So, imagine my surprise when the music came on, and I immediately recognized the song to be "Blessed Be Your Name."  Wow!  This song was followed by "Lean on Me," "We are Family," and "Oh Happy Day."  Now this is a school I can get behind.  Last night was Senior night, too.  I specifically noticed at least three of their five Seniors listed among their involvements their church memberships.  My goodness!  I didn't know if such character still existed among our youth and schools.  I was encouraged to see that there are people and schools out there that are still proud enough of their faith to snub their noses at the separation of church and state.  This world of ours would be a much richer place to live if there were more examples like this being set for our kids.  I turned to our group of high school boys that were sitting behind me and said, "We could learn a thing or two from their music selections."  Of course, I was met with opposition from them, but I was pleased that I had the support of a couple of parents that overheard me.  So, why don't we take more "risks" to display our Christian morals?  I say why not do it at least until someone says we can't?  And even then, I'd like to see us stand up for right and do it, anyway!  Maybe that's partially my rebellious side coming out, but that's a fight I'd love to back.  Anyhow, it was SO refreshing to my spirit to experience this at least for that one night.  I am going to see if they have a local newspaper that would publish a letter to the editor from me praising their school for their outstanding show of character. 

On to other things...I came home last night to watch two "reality" shows.  The first was The Real Housewives of Orange County.  Now I have always had an issue with the classification of this show as "reality" TV.  If you've ever watched, you know these people live in a world far from what most people would consider realistic.  It's actually ridiculous.  However, true reality is creeping into the lives of some of the wives.  One family has received an eviction notice, due to their living way beyond their means.  Another wife has been served with divorce papers, after her husband has gotten fed up with her childish, wild ways.  And last night, another family was faced with a health crisis after their daughter discovered several nodules in her neck and needed a biopsy.  I would never wish any of these crises on any family.  However, I did find it interesting to see how these reality stars are dealing with true reality.  The other show I watched was the final episode of American Choppers.  I loved this show when it first came out.  I loved the bikes they made, and I enjoyed the guys on the show.  Over the years, my interest had waned.  The guys changed, and the bikes started looking more and more alike.  Now this show has met its demise, along with the family depicted in it.  These shows, along with Jon & Kate Plus 8 and Little People Big World and many others, have shown that money and fame can be a bit of a curse.  Here you see people that were living regular lives and dealing with regular problems changed forever by the stresses of being in the public eye and making more money than they are able to manage.  It seems that the more money they make, the less capable they become to deal with life's struggles.  So, I ask, is it worth it?  Have you made enough money to pay for the family that you lose?  Does the money bring you more happiness than the relationships, dysfunctional as they were?  I just feel like I'm watching train wreck after train wreck on these shows.  Yet there are new ones popping up left and right.  I'm sure they all start out with the best of intentions.  I realize that I am part of the problem, because I am watching and helping to make these shows successful.  It's sad.

An update on our Valentine box...Brady won second place for second grade.  He was thrilled.  I'm glad that he got some sort of recognition.  He had such high hopes.  Whew!  One more project under our belts.  

I would also like to thank everyone that said a prayer for my friend, Shealia, this week.  Her surgery went well yesterday.  They believe they were able to remove all the cancer they found.  She will have a long recovery and fight ahead still.  Please continue to pray for her.

Well, I have a short four hours to accomplish my normal routine before the kids get home.  So, off I go to get it started.  Have a good day all! 

A Slave to Technology

Do you remember party lines?...rotary phones?...busy signals?...ringing with no answer?  If so, you, like me, are part of a dying breed. 

I've started watching the early Cosby Show episodes with my kids.  We started with the very first episode.  It's fun to see Brady laugh at all the right moments.  I've seen them so many times that I know when to watch him.  I love it!  The other day we were watching an episode where Denise is talking on a rotary phone to a friend when Cliff comes up and takes the phone from her and tells the friend that's he's hanging up now.  Brady looked at me and said, "How does he hang that phone up?".  Wow.  That's when I realized that my youngest child is growing up in a world of only cordless phones.  We don't even have a home phone, but my parents have gone completely cordless.  So, he's never really seen anyone use a corded phone.  It would really blow his mind if he could see how we dialed a rotary phone! 

I am a slave to technology.  Don't feel sorry for me.  This is a self-imposed captivity.  I am a gadget girl.  I'm the one that hooks up all the electrical wires when we get a new TV or DVD player or whatever.  I'm also the one who usually figures out any new gadget we get.  I've had a cell phone for years now.  I upgrade at every availability, if not sooner.  I always get a phone that's a little nicer with more capabilities.  I love playing with these things.  Back in the summer I upgraded to my first "smart" phone.  Talk about a whole new world!  I now have email, Facebook, and internet at my fingertips at all times.  This is both a good and bad thing.  I find myself constantly checking it.  I turned the audible alert for emails off.  I get so many that my phone would be in a constant state of beeping if I didn't.  Instead, a little red light flashes nearly continuously.  And if I see that, I feel obligated to check and see what message awaits me.  It has become almost an annoyance. 

Why do we feel the need to be so available and so connected at all times these days?  Are we ever unreachable?  I am, only for the time I spend in church.  My phone is put away on silent for that time frame.  There are times that I think I'd like to just turn my phone off and put it away during a normal day, but I don't dare.  I would have to post it on Facebook and call people just to tell them that I'm turning it off.  I wouldn't want anyone to worry if they tried to reach me and couldn't.  Isn't this ridiculous? 

Sometimes I long for a simpler time.  When I was a kid, if you left the house, you were unreachable.  If you went outside, you were unreachable.  If you happened to be talking on the phone, no one else could interrupt that call but the ones in your own house walking by.  If you happened to share a party line with a talkative neighbor, you might be unreachable and not even know it.  Somehow, the world still went round.  People didn't rush over to check on you.  It was just accepted that you were doing other things.  I think that would be a nice way to live.  I think we would be able to focus more time on those we love if we were a little less connected to the outside world.  It's easy for me to say this, but I will undoubtedly be tied right back to my phone the minute I quit typing this. 

I am making a concerted effort to change one thing in my phone routine, though.  I am choosing to try and ignore my phone while driving.  I watched an episode of Oprah the other day with a guy that killed two men, fathers, while texting and driving.  This guy lives captive to grief and guilt now and will for the rest of his life.  It's just not worth it.  Two families were destroyed by the loss of their fathers, and one family was destroyed by losing the person responsible.  He's still alive, but he's not the same guy he once was.  He served time in prison.  People, no text or phone call is worth this.  We think that texting is bad, but they did experiments with people just talking on their phones, even hands-free.  You lose so much of your reaction time by being distracted with your conversation.  It's just not worth it.  I don't have anything to say that is so important that it can't wait the 5, 10, or even 30 minutes that I'll be driving.  Please join me in trying to avoid using your phone while driving.  And if you try to reach me with no success, don't fret.  I'm either driving or just taking a break from my addiction to communication.  Leave a message.  I will get back to you...eventually. 

An Eeyore Day!

Ok.  So some days are good, like yesterday, while others are what I would call Eeyore days.  Today is an Eeyore day for me.  I feel the frown on my face, though I'm not intentionally putting it there.  It seems beyond my control.  The sun is shining, and the snow is still pretty, but none of that is lifting my spirits today.  I am a woman, a hormonal woman.  My moods come and go like clouds in the sky. 

The day started with our cat, Neko, sitting outside our bedroom door crying repeatedly.  This cat is something else.  She is a pampered puss.  She ran out of her cat food two days ago and is left having to eat regular cat food.  It's like she knows she's not a regular cat, and therefore she deserves something better.  We got her from the humane society back in August.  When you adopt an animal, they give you a bag of the food they eat.  Guess what?  They eat well in the shelter!  They feed them Hill's Science Diet food.  We're talking about $10 for a small bag, very small.  A few months ago I decided she could get by on the same food our outside cats eat.  Wrong!  She became very sluggish and sickly acting.  After just a week or so, I switched her back to the expensive stuff, and she was fine!  So now she is out of her food, again.  I have to go to Petco to find her food, and I haven't been there in a few weeks.  I guess I'll be making a special trip down there soon.

Upon waking up to the crying cat, I also woke up to a cramping belly.  Yes ladies; you know what I mean.  UGH!  That's never a good way to start a day.  This should add to the fun.

I walked into the living room to find our satellite malfunctioning.  It required a reset to the box.  Not that it's a big deal, but it's an inconvenience.  Then Reuben got up and realized that some of our channels were missing from the guide.  (sigh)

It only took a couple of hours for the kids to have their first fight, which resulted in Robbie being punished.  I don't enjoy disciplining my kids.  It's a necessity, though.  I will make sure that he is ever mindful of the fact that his little brother is little in comparison to him.  He cannot take out his frustrations with him through physical contact.  Why is this such a hard concept to grasp?

Now I am sitting here at the computer not satisfied at all with this posting.  It's not interesting or insightful.  It's a gripe fest.  And it's just past noon!  Oh, why did I get up today?  Yes; today is an Eeyore day.  I feel just like the purple donkey with the rain cloud over his head. 

I will try to focus my attention on better things...a much-needed getaway with my buddy on Monday, a concert in March, the promise of school resuming one day.  I will also try to focus on the fact that I really have nothing to complain about.  Others in this world have real problems and real struggles.  I have much to be thankful for.  I will try to count my blessings for the rest of this day instead of counting the raindrops falling on my head.