Mmm...Pink Eraser

Sometimes I go far away. 'Scuse meh.

2012-01-11T16:32:00.001-06:00

I keep a part of myself far away.

A feisty gal like me can only allow a fleeting exposure 'less I forget how to move around comfortably in my own life. I have to remember to come back, you know.. to tend to all these moving parts so to speak. Still, you might catch me from time to time looking as though I’m not listening.

I might seem to be far away.

That’s because I am. I’m farther away than you can imagine. I sometimes get all wrapped up in the motion of being in motion that I forget to take care of ME. The brains of this operation. So many times so many of us get to forgetting about the "me" in all of us. We're Moms and Dads and coworkers and coaches and friends and blah blah blah ( don't get your britches in bunch, I'm not saying those people are blah, it's just a figure of speech, yeesh) We need to take the drivers seat, or backseat, however you chose to see the sights and just BE.

Gawd, I sound like a hippie. Eh, so be it.

So, I've been here and there. I've not been a good blogger. I've been a damn fine note taker though. (Maybe I'll blog about them later, maybe not)

I apologize that I cannot bring you with me, wait..am I really? Not too terribly much 'cause really, you might mess with my flow, my train of thought, my confusion/brilliance. But don’t worry. I won’t be gone long.

Friends, I hope you 're well.
Loves

Wordless Wednesday (sort of)

2011-09-27T15:16:00.001-05:00

The most incredible thing about this man is that he has NO IDEA how incredible he is.

Wooptie Woo...it's a list!

2011-09-21T13:32:00.000-05:00

1) I used to wear neon (green, orange, pink) workout shorts and oversized t~shirts to school…and I thought they were awesome.

2) I’m a binge eater.

3) I’m unashamedly(is that a word?) good at getting my way…through any means necessary if it’s something I want badly enough. Always for good, never for evil.

4) I secretly (well, until now) had/have the biggest crush ever on Phil Collins.

5) I’m right handed only because my mother MADE me that way by any means she saw neccessary.

6) I reallly wanted a Mazda Miata AND a '87 Chevy pick up when I was a Freshman in high school.

7) I’m one of those annoying movie quoters.

8) I resent my brother for our different childhoods.

9) I planned on being a magazine editor when I grew up.

10) I used to have a friend back in the day that had dimes braided into her hair.

"And that's all I have to say about that"

Old cookbooks are rad

2011-09-19T12:35:00.000-05:00

Behold, I give you Hot Dog a la Awesome.

More than anything, I love old cookbooks not for the recipes, but for the pure awesomeness of the photos.

I mean, come on...can you imagine the expression on the faces of Hubs and Bubs if I were to serve this up tonight?

I'll give you a quick run down of ingredients though, just for S&G's...

All Beef Frankfurters

(none of that mixed up crap for MY family)

Brocolli Florets

(for the vegetarian in your family)

Cabbage

(as if the hotdogs WEREN'T gonna give you the vapors)

Red Peppers

(For that lil pop of color)

Yeah, I think I'll stick to the simple, finer things in life...

A good ol' fashioned Spam and egg sammich :)

The Lady is a Tramp.

2011-09-16T11:52:00.000-05:00

Love. Genius. Awesome.

If you don't like me, it's obvious you suck....

2011-09-14T16:57:00.000-05:00

I realize that I am not every one's cup of tea. I've not gone these closer to 40 than 30 years of my life with rose colored glasses on, people.
I know that my laugh (hyuk hyuk hyuk) is um...loud. I know that I talk fast and exhuberantly. As a matter of fact, I think a few people need to learn how to listen as fast as I talk. Kapeesh? Oops, off topic.
Anyway, I'm a story teller. Not a liar...a story teller. BIG difference. So of course I'm gonna talk fast and a lot.

I have my opinions and I'm not scared to share them. If you ask me if your butt looks big in those pants, I'm gonna tell ya the truth. Can't handle the truth about yo' ass...don't ask me.

I wear my heart AND my faults on my sleeve. (as my sissy Kari so sweetly pointed out to me, love her.)

This is where I'm getting...I think fairly high of myself. I'm nice to lil old men and ladies. I smile at everyone I cross paths with. I treat people fairly. I stick up for my lovies like I'm freakin' 10 feet tall and bulletproof. I work hard. I believe in Family first and always. Oh, and by God don't you think for a second if you try to take anything away from the family of friends I've so carefully constructed, that I won't tear you a new hole...well, you just better step back cause I may be little but I'm ferocious. Try me.

Quite honestly, I could make this list of my "goodies" a bit longer but that's just boring and the list I'm cookin' up is funner. Funner is a word, they use it in commercials so it's gotta be so, right? (I've always used funner just cause it's funner to say than more fun.)

These are the kinds of people that don't like me:

terribly boring
lack a sense of humor
heavily medicated
icky
don't laugh when someone gets nailed in the crotch
have more money than sense
feel threatened because I have discovered what an asshat or twatwaffle they truly are
did I mention boring and lacking a sense of humor
un funny
never ate chalk or paste as a child
think their ish don't stink like boo boo
have bad taste in music
label their labels with labels
don't drink enough drinky drink
have never thought of where they could bury a body
never had a sad day in their picture perfect world
have a small penis but act/talk like they have a BIG one
live in glass houses

I make this list all in fun. Even if it's true. You can't make all the people happy all the time. I just wanna try to help make my people happy all the time :) And if yousmypeople...I hope I just made yousdayfunner.

ps: Some people don't get why I writelikethissometimes. If you don't get it, we need to chat more soyouwill. :)

WWMPD? Hmm?

2011-09-10T16:15:00.000-05:00

What Would Mary Poppins Do? I find that asking myself this question in all the rounded corners of my life really does help.

D is disappointed about us not buying another Nerf gun for him.

Somebody is rude to me at work or Heaven forbid I get a human to help me whilst on the phone to some company that I've been on hold with for 152424bajillion minutes.

(Ok, fine...so I exagerate a little on the being kept on hold.. But just a little)

Or it could be just one of those piss in my cheerios kinda days where nothing seems to go right for me.

I just ask myself WWMPD? ;) I find I can then breath, straighten my back, smile, think kind, gentle and gracious thoughts and control the anger within.

(Insert semi evil laugh here..BAHAHAHA)

So, let's face it... No one can ever outwit Mary Poppins because she is fully in control and one step ahead of the game all of the time. And if I choose to take it all with a *spoon full of sugar* surely, everything will be ok in the end and go down waaay easier. Right?

Hell yeah.

Looks like it would taste like Lemon Hard Candy and....

2011-09-09T13:44:00.000-05:00

While shopping/looking/yearning at a local antique store here in lovely Lawrence...I found lots of things that if I was a bit cooler and maybe a tad more FABULOUS, I would buy in a flash. I saw things like this little vase/light/I have no idea what it is. I really would have bought it but really, I need nothing else to dust. Anyway, I think it's absolutely GAW~GESS.

Makes me wanna lick it.

Hey Self..payafreakinttention AKA Keep Calm & Carry on

2011-08-16T17:07:00.001-05:00

Let's have a sit down, shall we? Sit back and enjoy the view from wherever it is that your rump has landed. Do everyone a favor and smile because you want to not because you have to.

Because sometimes you might just get it all. Even all the Ish that you don't really want but end up getting anyway, ha... Kinda like the random onion ring in your french fries bag. No illusions (make-up) or tricks (smiley faces at the end of a text just to make sure they get what your're meaning jusssst in case) Just you and yourself. And the rest of the world.

The passionate drum thump and tear jerking guitar strings swaying to the rhythm of what is now your fave-or-ite song. Even music sounds better somehow. Happy tears ain't coming? Let them, damn it. Life is beautiful. Even when it's a messy cluster of who's, what's, when's and where's. It's still beautiful.

And the more you feel it deep within you, the harder it gets to let it out. And the harder it is, the easier the meaning becomes. So much so that when confusion sets in, you simply screw it. The right way this time for Pete's sake. Hold up... Just who in the world is Pete anyway? Do it for your own sake.

Because what was once someone else's life is now yours. Because even though the journey has been long and the destination seems/seemed so far away, the truth is... you are on a high, a very natural high. (Ok fine...so take a Prince Valium every once in a while)

The truth is, you don't want this train to stop. Not now. Not ever.

Okay, maybe someday. But not today...just not today.

Days went by

2011-07-27T16:16:00.000-05:00

Back in December of 2009 I told you all a little story about Choices. If I had a bit more computer knowledge I would link you to that post but, eh, go fish. Here we are, a year and half later and I'm giving you an update from a cozy little corner in a Lawrence Dillons cafe whilst sipping on an empty but the ice Starbucks iced coffee.
We did it! We had some trips, cries, hairpulls and a lot of chewed off nails but we did it. Just as planned..and holy hell when does that ever happen?! We made it through the Great Divide as I've just named it. Chesney graduated with flying colors and I moved to Lawrence. Just like that. HA! If it were really that simple. Here's how it went...plus or minus.

I cried. A lot. Ches slept in my bed sometimes because I asked her to and sometimes because we were in the middle of a movie marathon. David and Dallas came home on some weekends and sometimes I headed North. Chesney rebelled a bit, and hey, she deserved to, to some degree. David got jealous because I had friends to keep me company and he didn't. Dallas rolled with the punches cause he's incredibly cool like that. I prayed.

I laughed. A lot. My friends rescued me. My friends had no clue and that really pissed me off/made me happy. David and I grew stronger in friendship, honesty and humor. Chesney had too much on her plate. Dallas knew more than we did. David got depressed and reached out to me and his Momma. I wondered if we were gonna make it.

My Dad made me smile. My Aunt Angie prayed for us. David worked his butt off. I hated my job. Chesney and I grew even tighter. I lost my mind. Dallas had us all in stiches. I stopped praying.

We got money poor. Our family got stronger. We got mentally rich. I got way to used to sleeping without David. Dallas lost 3 teeth. Chesney grew up. I threw a fit. David cried. I started praying.

I fell apart and picked myself back up. We laughed. I realized we were gonna make it. Chesney cried. Dallas helped her laugh. We all got real busy. A friend hurt the hell outta me. Helping David helped me. And then.....

We made it. We flip friggin' made it! Ches graduated one weekend and helped me move the next. There's a lot of gaps in this story but I think y'all get the gist of it, and this was not all in order. All is pretty dang well, although man, do I miss that baby girl of mine.

Oh...and I'm used to sleeping beside David every night. Again. Finally.

IVCTL comin' right up

2011-07-02T10:52:00.000-05:00

This is what Chesney and I lovingly refer to as IVCTL (Iced vanilla chai tea latte). It's downright delicious and perfect for a icy summer treat. I'm sure the hot version is just as good buttttt, why mess with perfection? We used to get these for $4 bucks a pop at Starbucks and that was just ridiculous, I know. Our lil coffehouse, College Hill Coffee makes them yummy, too. But, I found this at my grocery store and it's not as sweet, I can mix it to my taste and I can have it any ol time I want.

And yes, I know it's been a while since I've been here or written anything. You may be wondering about Chesney's Graduation, the big move to Lawrence, my mental state and blah blah blah....I'll get to all that at a later date as I'm still trying to get over the fact that all these things have finally?? happened. In the mean time, I'll just keep it simple with silly little things like IVCTL. Drink up. :)

Adele-Rolling In The Deep

2011-04-12T12:57:00.001-05:00

Can a voice get much better than this? No.

Take this day and LOVE it!!!

2011-04-06T15:38:00.004-05:00

Oh Happy Daaay! I don't have anything deep to say, I have no story to tell. I have no quip from Bubby.

But...what I do have is this,

Today, this day, is GORGEOUS! It is sunny and warm and man, have I needed this day!
I am loving this day. I didn't do anything remarkable like cure male pattern baldness...what I did was breathe!

I did laundry. I played with my dog, Betty.

I ate an English Muffin with a shmear of cream cheese.

I drank lots of water. I laughed.

I thought before I spoke. I gave really good advice to myself.
I am patting my own back.

I screwed up, I fixed it.

I sang aloud to songs I didn't know all the words to. I ran and no one was chasing me. I didn't swat at the wasps... they have families, too.
I thought about giving myself grief about the cream cheese but thought better of it.

I stopped to say HI! to a couple of dear friends. I said a prayer.

I read a book instead of watching T.V.

I soaked up a lil sun.

I didn't get mad when I was provoked.
I made a plan.

I cried. I paid a compliment and meant it more than they knew.

And...AND...The day is NOT over!!

I love today. Everything about it has been exactly as it was to be.

Sara Bareilles - Uncharted

2011-04-06T08:55:00.002-05:00

I really dig this song and the video makes me smile :)

*hint* Little boy blue...

The Avett Brothers - I And Love And You

2011-03-30T12:36:00.003-05:00

Sometimes a song comes along that stops me right in my tracks. Like this one.

Shh. Listen.

2011-03-27T16:33:00.000-05:00

Just feel like it... because it makes me really happy to think of it in my head, and I don't want to forget any of it: I am presenting My List of Favorite Sounds.

(In no particular order)

1. The sound of a guitar string as the hand playing it slides quickly across to reach another chord.

2. A fan lulling me to sleep. Every night for years and years.

3. The sound of a soft rain hitting the already plump ground.

4. Dallas' giggle. Infectious and pure.

5. The sounds of my sleeping children. Slow, rhythmic breathing.

6. Silence.

7. The hisspop of eggs frying.

8. The quiet hush right before a movie starts.

9. The sound of cicadas outside my window in the summer.

10. The bubbling of boiling water.

11. The sound you can hear when you block out the ruckus of a train: that rhythm of clickclack, clickclack.

12. The word Puma.

14. People speaking another language (French or Spanish only, please) so fast that all I hear is exoticity, flamboyance, elegance, and beauty.

15. When someone says I love you and you know they mean it more than the words.

16. Rock Chalk Jayhawk chant.

17. The crackling of a fire, the flow of the Walnut River, and my family and friends laughing while at the Boxcar.

18. The sigh after my daughter laughs.

19. The beginning of a story I've heard my husband tell a million times.

20. A favorite song in it's first three chords.

That's all for now.

The post that has no title. Yet.

2011-03-15T09:17:00.000-05:00

Ain't it funny how sometimes the family we were born in to, the society of that group, is the one thing about them that you dislike the most? It's funny though, how quickly I become irritated when someone from the outside levels criticisms against or mocks people I consider my people. Hate without love, I think, is what's wrong. Unless you have the love, the hate is ugly. When you have the love, when you can understand, when you've been there, your hate means something. The hate can be tragically beautiful. Whoa, that was deep.

   What prompts this deep thinking, you ask?

Well, lemme tell ya. I had a dream last night. I went to bed feeling quite content and calm. I woke up at 3ish in the morning, hold on...rather I was WOKEN up by a horrible dream, and by horrible I mean I was being chased and my God, I hate to be chased. HATE. BEING. CHASED. (Did ya get that?) It startled me so that I sat up and had to take a few deep breaths to resurrect the normal flow of oxygen. So, I tried with great effort to calm down and drift off to sweet dream land. ( HA! Yeah, like that was gonna happen.)   Sooo, of course my mind starts going, running, bouncing and generally feels like it's gonna squirt all the nonsense I have in my brain all over the room. I start thinking about childhood, earliest memory to High School type stuff. I started thinking about family. The kind you're born into, the kind that is brought to you, the kind you find, the kind you build and the kind that finds you. I have been and am a part of all those types of family. Hey, aren't we all?

                                                   You still with me in all this ramble?

The thing that stuck out the most last night as I was laying there thinking all over the place;
I have quite a vivid picture of Louisiana—from the short time I lived there—is this species of large tree with great tangles of exposed roots. I'm not sure what sort of tree that was, but I always thought it was lovely and brave. I hoped someday I could show my roots so openly and proudly as that tree.

Can you see my roots? The gnarly ones ones that look battered and beaten? How about the ones that look smoothed out by a soft rain? Oh, and the lovely ones that look fresh and new? Even the ones that are hidden under some dirt?

I hope you can. I'm proud of them all.

Oooh, me likey

2011-03-14T13:34:00.000-05:00

I'm normally not much of a watch person as my wrist is pretty small and they tend to just not ever fit right, and I have a cell phone that tells perfect time...anyway, I digress. I really really like this watch. First, it's white and I love white things. Crisp and clean, ya know. And second, I LOVE anything that has paisley in it. Bam! All in one right here. My BDay is coming up so this is kind of a hint to a loved one...ahem...hint hint :)

I'm not so tough...

2011-03-03T13:43:00.000-06:00

I need to remind myself of this...It's ok if I crack every once in a while. It lets the love in.

Christina Perri - Jar of Hearts

2011-02-28T12:16:00.002-06:00

I cried. You might.

Baby, it's cold outside.

2011-02-01T13:25:00.002-06:00

The cold is creeping in, Winter has reared it's freezing head once again. It has invaded my bones, it has chapped my lips, brittled my hair. Yet it is somehow still so inviting... it reaches my nose with this...Clean.Cold. Pure. And I love it.

I feel that Winter picks my hair up with it's long, spindly fingers, and licks it until icicles hang, and my cheeks are turned to red apples. But I feel warmth, because Winter allows us to slow down and cocoon ourselves up at home, wrapped up in blankets and tall socks away from the icy chill, encased in a big warm hug. It welcomes us to brew warmth in a cup, hot chocolate with marshmallows....yes, please.
Dare I say I don't mind Winter? Despite some of my grumblings about the cold, or wind, or ice, winter is not half bad. I love watching kids eyes sparkle at the very thought of going to the park and sledding. I love snowball fights (just don't hit me in the face cause that would just piss.me.off) I love breaking off icicles. I love the Moon in Winter and even more so when it glows off the snowy land. I love the smell of coming snow. People are just very fickle. We want what we haven't got, and when we get it, we no longer want it. In the summer, "I wish it were cool and Wintery", in Winter, "I wish it was warm and Summery". You can't exactly have both at the same time. Oh my, doesn't that hold true with most everything in life?
Enjoy the frost flowers on the windowpanes and enjoy the feeling of a hot shower (pin pricky as it may feel) after you've been outdoors, enjoy making snowmen, or snow angels, and don't forget about making snow ice cream! I don't believe in living each day as my last cause that just seems kinda morbid to me, but I do believe in keeping the idea close in my thoughts, so as to motivate me to live each day with laughter and love.

I opened the door this morning to do only one thing...Breathe.

Snow. Cold. Clean. Pure.

I love 'nanner pudding!

2011-01-25T12:46:00.001-06:00

Try it....You'll like it!!

Ingredients

1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese
1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
1 (5 ounce) package instant vanilla pudding mix
3 cups cold milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 (8 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed
4 bananas, sliced
1/2 (12 ounce) package vanilla wafers

Directions

In a large bowl, beat cream cheese until fluffy. Beat in condensed milk, pudding mix, cold milk and vanilla until smooth. Fold in 1/2 of the whipped topping.
Line the bottom of a 9x13 inch dish with vanilla wafers. Arrange sliced bananas evenly over wafers. Spread with pudding mixture. Top with remaining whipped topping. Chill.

Cold Hearted Snake

2011-01-24T14:44:00.000-06:00

I'm pretty much and 80's lady through and through when it comes to music and yesterday I heard Paula Abdul's "Cold Hearted Snake" on the radio. Ahhh!! Good memories of waking up in the morning, getting ready for school and turning on MTV to watch videos. Yes, kiddies, MTV once upon a time actually had Music Videos. Amazing, I know.

Not only did the head rush of memories full of spiral perms, hairspray (my faves were Salon Selectives and Aqua Net in the pink and black obscene ounce can), tight rolled Guess Jeans and Lip Smackers lip gloss, so did the image of the sweater you see above. I saw it a while back and before I could contain myself I started, aloud mind you, Cold Hearted Snake. Loudly. I'm usually not so mean but seriously, WHO wears that?!

So, I leave you with this.....

OOH OOH AHHHH.....sing it!!!

The Coolest Band Name. Ever.

2011-01-16T19:03:00.001-06:00

I've been singing along ~~into my hairbrush~~ and dancing around in my tall socks to this song all week long. I really like these guys and hope you do, too. Oh, and I'll admit I judge bands by their names and this one had me at The Business.

Conversations with Bubby

2011-01-13T21:05:00.001-06:00

Dallas and I were watching a movie a couple weeks ago, cuddled on the couch. Well, actually he's stretched out over my lap so I can scratch his back for just 5 more minutes. (note: 5 more mintues means scratch his back til he falls asleep)

Anyway, it's an older movie with a bit of Mafia type stuff in it. Bank robberies, jewelry heists and car chases abound. I have a habit of asking questions during movies and that night was no exception...

Me: "Hey Bub, Why do you think those Mobsters have such nice cars?"

Bubby: "Cause sometimes crime pays, Yaya."

God, I love that kid.

HaHa of the Day

2011-01-12T15:25:00.001-06:00

A businessman met a beautiful girl and agreed to spend the night with her for $500. In the morning before he left, he told her that he did not have any cash with him, but he would have his secretary write a check and mail it to her, calling the payment 'RENT FOR APARTMENT.'

On the way to the office, he regretted what he had done, realizing that the whole event had not been worth the price. So he had his secretary send a check for $250 and enclose the following typed note:

Dear Madam:

Enclosed find a check for $250 for rent of your apartment . I am not sending the amount agreed upon, because when I rented the place, I was under the impression that:

#1 - it had never been occupied
#2 - there was plenty of heat
#3 - it was small enough to make me feel cozy and at home

However, I found out that:

#1 - it had been previously occupied
#2 - there wasn't any heat, and
#3 - it was entirely too large

Upon receipt of the note, the girl immediately returned the check f or $250 with the following note:

Dear Sir:

#1 - I cannot understand how you could expect a beautiful apartment to remain unoccupied indefinitely.
#2 - As for the heat, there is plenty of it, if you know how to turn it on.
#3 - Regarding the space, the apartment is indeed of regular size, but if you don't have enough furniture to fill it, please do not blame the management.

So, Please send the rent in full or we will be forced to contact your present landlady.

Have you ever?

2011-01-11T11:50:00.003-06:00

Have you ever noticed that the one time you don't check your order before leaving the fast food drive-thru lane is when they screw everything up?

Have you ever noticed that your bladder will demand to be emptied the minute you get in the car and swing that seat belt over your shoulder and click it in? I gotta pee I gotta pee I gotta pee!

Have you ever figured out the reason why your sandwich tastes funny AFTER you took a large bite of peanut butter and jelly on moldy bread? If you know me, you know what I did to remedy that situation.

Have you ever spent nearly $40 filling your gas tank at $2.75 a gallon, only to drive around the block and see the other station is selling it for $2.69 and get really, really irritated at those lost cents? Hello? That would have bought me a pack of gum.

Have you ever assumed a friend let one after smelling something rancid, and later realized the origin on the smell was something you stepped in? Stupid neighbor's cats.

Have you a pair of favorite socks? And maybe you feel out of sorts all day if you're not wearing them?

Have you ever made a phone call to Friend A only to accidentally call Friend B instead and have them answer the phone and it confuse the crap out of you, enough so for you to pull the phone from your ear and look at it as if IT did something wrong?

Have you ever taken a drink expecting it to be Tea and it was water? Gross. (Refer to drive thru screw up)

I'm thinking this may be a good idea to write about in future posts...hmm? More to come.

You are so dumb. No really.

2011-01-09T21:21:00.007-06:00

I have to admit something: I totally judge people who have a confederate flag pattern splayed somewhere on their giant, lifted, mud-tired, gas guzzling truck. I don't think well of them. I assume that they are not good people. Oh please, don't give me that bullshit about it being about Southern pride and heritage, I was born in Nashville and raised mainly in the South and I know better. Let's forget about that.

A good, kind person is like a really awesome chest thumping drum riff in a song you can't get out of your head: she makes you smile, he lifts your spirits. I think you know what I mean. Also, a really smart person that's clever and quick-witted, can make your day better just by talking within earshot. Don't misunderstand me, It's not that I can only appreciate intelligence. Uh, hello...it's not like I'm the brightest crayon in the box myself. It's that I feel myself being bothered by the buzzing of idiots around us all. Due to that droning sound, I promise I will appreciate even more than I do at this instant, the various qualities and music of people that are the closest and dearest to me. For instance, a kind demeanor, an ethical world-view, a generous nature, a fun attitude, a beautiful appearance, and most awesome of all, an obvious and palpable love for those they're with. Intelligence, oh man does it ever engage my appreciation whenever I encounter it, especially when I'm not expecting it. It overcomes my defenses and demands my interest. I am a sucker for it. If some cruel magician forced me to choose between being an intelligent asshole or being a benevolent idiot, hear me good now, I'd struggle and fret...Hmm, let me think on it... but I'd eventually choose to be a benevolent idiot. Hopefully I'd be too dumb to regret the decision later.

And so I'm back to my first thought. I've been wondering as I sit here, what sort of vehicle would be the exact opposite of a giant truck with a confederate flag, oh wait a minute AND those repulsive nutsacks hanging from the tow hitch just for good measure? I'm not sure why, but I keep picturing a giant hot-air balloon. I can't decide what would be splayed on it's fabric, but it would be big and obvious and it would make my favorite people smile.

Cause it's good for you, damn it!!

2011-01-07T12:22:00.005-06:00

Oven Roasted Cauliflower with Parm, Lemon & Garlic
Adapted from a recipe I found in a church cookbook, circa 1975

6 to 8 servings

Ingredients
1 large head of cauliflower, cut into small florets
2 Tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
1 tablespoon+ sliced garlic
2 tablespoons lemon juice (juice of 1 lemon)

1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
Chopped chives, for garnish

Directions
Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.

Place the cauliflower florets in a large saute pan or a roasting pan. Drizzle the olive oil over the cauliflower, and season with the garlic, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Place the saute/roasting pan in the oven and cook for 25-30 minutes, stirring occasionally to ensure even roasting(I did this every 5 minutes). Remove from the oven and sprinkle with the Parmesan. Garnish with chopped chives/green onion and serve immediately while still warm.

Excellent with steak or fish as an alternative to potatoes.

Just thinkin'

2011-01-06T10:58:00.006-06:00

A while ago (and a time or two before that and I'm sure *hoping* a time or two more) at the department store a clerk couldn't believe I was my daughter's mother. I looked too young, she said. Maybe it's because I'm short. And I wear jeans and Converse sneakers with legwarmers as I have an affinity for comfy clothes that make me happy. (yeah, that's me in the pic, don't I rock?!) And I have a baby face, so I'm told. I'm pretty sure it's due to the fact I have chubbyish cheeks. In spite of all of this, I am my daughter's mother. And I'm her younger brother's stepmom as well. Now she's about to graduate from high school ( oh holy hell) You don't have to be mature or wise to have kids, you know. I'm just a dweeby kid myself, still, and I have Chesney almost grown. Soon Baby Girl and Bubby will be more mature than I am, if they aren't already. They'll be showing me the ropes, molding me into the woman I may someday be. I hope I don't let them down. I know they have high hopes for me.

My favorite things...

2010-12-30T15:41:00.004-06:00

I normally don't like Carmex. The taste that is, cause I'm a lip gloss licker. However, this stuff isn't too bad. My crusty crusts need some good stuff in the Winter months and this stuff does the trick. Go get ya some!!

This may be love...

2010-12-28T15:00:00.001-06:00

And so I say...

2010-12-18T14:50:00.002-06:00

Seriously

2010-12-13T16:49:00.004-06:00

Remember these? It's a simple blow up toy that's weighted down with sand that you can beat the hell out of and it just pops back up. I don't feel like I need one to let out some frustration, I feel like I AM one. Not all the time, just in recent months. It's like every time I start to feel like I'm feeling calm and collected BAM. Pop back up. BAM. Pop back up. You get the idea.

I'm not gonna go into detail cause ewww. I'm just wondering, do I have a sign on my person that says, Come on...PUNCH-ME?!?!

Once upon a time

2010-12-10T11:14:00.005-06:00

The whole reason for this post is because I saw a recent picture of my mother. She's 55 years old has been a smoker for about 40 years.
I remember when I was little I used to think she was GLAMOROUS because she smoked. I mean, the ladies on Dynasty did it. I remember asking her to buy me those awful candy cigarettes from the gas station so I could copy her in all her glamour. And she did, sometimes 2 "packs" at a time.
She would often run around in a tizzy then sigh loudly and exclaim, "I NEED a cigarette!" She would sit in her chair, one leg tucked under her while the dangling one in constant motion, she'd reach over and grab her soft leather case, snag that loooong Virginia Slim 120 out and snap the case shut. Funny, I can still hear that little click. Her lighter was always MIA and she'd have me run and go find it QUICK. She'd light it up, take in that first thirsty inhale and close her eyes. Bliss. So I thought.

As I got older I hated her for smoking. I hated that she would barely crack the window in the car while she was smoking and driving me to school. I tried everything I could to get her to quit...hide her packs, her lighters, accidentally sit on her cigarette case crushing them (whoopin' for that one). I hated that my clothes and hair smelled like well, Her. I hated that money went to a fresh carton instead of ordering from my school fundraiser. I hated when she tried to kiss my cheek with that awful ashtray breath thisclose to my nose. I knew that I would never smoke. And I haven't. Not even once.

My mother and I don't speak now. No, it's not because she smokes. Our reasons run deeper than that. The picture was found while Facebook creeping. (What? Don't act like you haven't done it) She looked many many years older than her actual age. She looked very thin, very sunken, very dull. Very NOT Glamorous. She has had Emphysema for about 6 years now and is on full time Oxygen. I would ask her if it's been worth it, all these years of smoking, but I already know her answer.

The Black Keys

2010-12-10T00:04:00.001-06:00

I. Love. Music. If you sit still while listening to this song, well, I just don't think we can be friends.

And now she's an actress!

2010-12-09T23:46:00.004-06:00

I'll make this short and sweet as I could go on and on about how proud we were and are of Chesney's acting debut....she was ahhmazing! Yeah, I'm biased but shouldn't I be?! So, here we are after her performance as Mitzi Bond in Murder Takes the Stage.

A cranky girl says, What?!

2010-12-02T17:32:00.003-06:00

I used to think I was a really "let it roll off my back" kinda person, but if I sit here and think about it for oh, a split second...not so much. In fact, I seem to be less tolerant than I used to be. I get easily irritated when people walk a pinch too slow in front of me. Heaven forbid someone doesn't use their blinker on Main St. And oh my how my feathers will ruffle if some Junior High girl is talking in her loudest, squeakiest, "and then I told him all about so and so who told me that she was texting him while he was texting me" voice right.in.my.ear.
I used to not care so much or shall I say it wasn't as noticed. Does this mean I'm getting older and thereby more "cranky"?! Are the next words out of my mouth going to be, "Kids these days! Turn whatever that is down! Some of us work for a living!"?!
I shake my fist and yell....HELL NO!! And here's why:

1. I like my music loud. Not sound warp loud but I love to roll down the highway to clear my mind while blaring music. Sometimes it's some 80's mashup of Phil Collins or Metallica. Another time it's Loretta and Split Lip Rayfield. No matter, if I'm in the mood, it's gonna be so loud that my seat vibrates and I can feel it in my heart, in more ways than the obvious. If you don't know what that feels like, oh man, you just aren't living right.

2. I laugh at any and all bodily functions. Yeah. Nothing beats a good fart. It's something that all of us do, there's even a book called Everyone Poops. Of course everyone knows what it feels like to fumble with house key while doing the peepee dance. You rush in the house dropping the groceries, damn the eggs anyway, lose the purse along the way, unzip, unbutton, squiggle out of, sit down JUST in the nick of time annnnnnnnd, whooosh! Ahhh. Sweet Lord, I almost peed my pants. If you didn't smile and nod your head in agreement to that, go drink a lot of water and hold it til I say when.

3. Babies. I love their smell, the coo's, the little grin that comes over their face when they pass gas. (see, back to farting) I love to hold them and squish their squishy little fat rolls. I love even more the fact that I don't have to wake up in the middle of the night to tend to them. (um, what does this whole baby thing have to do with the getting cranky/old subject? Not sure, just go with it)

4. I play Bejewelled Blitz at work. Yeah, I said it. I'm not always nose to the grindstone. This girl needs a break from the coding and billing and researching! It's good for the company in the long run. I mean, do they really want me all burned out? I think not. See, an old cranky person wouldn't screw off while at work, would they?

One final thought, age is nothing but a state of mind, right? And we change our minds oh, a bajillion times a day. So, on any given day/moment I can be like a curious 4 year old. Or maybe a rebellious teen. Ooh, how about a whiney "my jeans don't fit" 35 year old? I may be a bit less tolerant, cranky, older...whatever the case may be, I'm just gonna have to roll with it. Just use your blinker, mmkay?

And sometimes I talk to myself

2010-09-01T21:49:00.004-05:00

I haven't had a whole lot to say lately. Which is rather interesting because truth be told, a lot of stuff has been going on in my life, in my head, in my house, in my little neck of the world. As it does in everyone's lives. Let's see...why is that I feel I don't have much to say?

So I ask...Self? Yeah, right here. What's been up with you lately? Who, me? Uh, yeah. Well, since you asked and you are such a good friend to me and know me better than anyone, let me tell ya. See, I'm sad. This makes me very irritated because damned if there isn't a whole lotta people a lot worse off than me and I have many blessings that I should be thanking God, Mother Earth, Loretta Lynn and Carbs for. But seriously, I've just about had it with a few things. I've had it with living this split house/town/BS way. I'm thisclose to pitching a fit of epic proportions. E P I C. I've had just about enough of robbing Peter to pay Paul to keep these two houses afloat. I miss having my husband sleeping beside me every night and I miss the way his hand would find it's way to it's resting spot on my hip or tucked under me. I even miss the way his pillow smells. I am sick of talking about it and even sicker of NOT talking about it. Now that makes perfect sense doesn't it?

My baby girl. In an instant. Bam. Senior year. Um. 'Scuse me?! Wasn't she just in 1st grade? I need to find a way to slow this train down. I want to just hold on to her a while longer. I'm not ready for the world to take her. Oh but wait, that's just it. The world isn't "taking her". She is gonna take on the world. Either way, slow....down.

My little man. Couple times a day I get all hot-eyed trying to hold back tears. I miss him. Gut wrentchingly miss him. I did not give birth to this awesomeness that is Dallas, but I love him like I did. And so help me, if She thinks for one second that I'm not of matter, that I don't count in his life and that I'm not his...my mouth full of blood from holding my tongue will come undone.

Self, seems to me you got lots to say. Really? No.Shit.

Nun jokes crack me up...

2010-08-25T15:44:00.000-05:00

Two nuns are ordered to paint a room in the convent and the last instruction of the Mother Superior is that they must not get even a drop of paint on their habits.

After conferring about this for a while, the two nuns decide to lock the door of the room, strip off their habits, and paint naked.

In the middle of the project, there comes a knock at the door.

"Who is it?" asks one of the nuns.

"Blind man," replies a voice from the other side of the door.

The two nuns look at each other and shrug, both deciding that no harm can come from letting a blind man into the room, they open the door.

"Nice boobs," says the man, "Now, where do you want the blinds?"

In just a few minutes...

2010-05-28T11:43:00.002-05:00

In just a few minutes my baby girl will be a Senior in High School. Her Junior year comes to an end in just 21 minutes. In just a few minutes I will start crying. A few minutes before that I will be thinking about how stinking fast these years have gone by. Like right now, I'm thinking about how she always wanted me to put her hair in half down/half ups her 1st grade year. In just a few minutes, she'll walk out of school and begin her Summer with friends. It's a lunch date with her girls today then camping at the Boxcar later. In just a few minutes she'll be laughing and will feel relieved that school is out and not have a clue that down the highway and around the corner, sitting in my office...I'll be crying cause my little girl is happy.

Fog from long ago

2010-05-04T17:52:00.000-05:00

Ok Friends, While going through some old stuff on Myspace (I barely remembered my password!) I came across this blog and it made me giggle so I thought I'd share it again here.

I HATE the fog...
Two phobias...that's it. Clowns and fog. I had to drive in fog this a.m. It was just a quick little trip, but still!!

It seriously creeps me out. It's not so much what's in front of me, I mean, I do have headlights. It's the stuff to the sides and behind me that really get me!!!!! But here's where it gets funny>>>>>>

I jumped out of the car and did a mad dash for the back door so I could be back in the non~foggy safety of my own home when what happens kiddies???

The only thing that could happen TO ME, IN THE FREAKIN FOG>>>>>>

As I'm making that mad dash, I turn my head cause I thought I heard something and....

WHAMMO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Bam, right into the back door!

I'm not bleeding, nothings broken. Stop laughing.

Enjoy your day :)

Randomosity

2010-03-26T18:57:00.000-05:00

This is going to be random. Enjoy.

1. Snow storm last Friday...today, windy and warm. If I hear one more person say, "Oh, that's Kansas for ya" "stick around a minute and the weather will change" I may scream.

B. My neck.

2. I really hate it that I bought a new lotion that smelled great in the bottle but ended up smelling kinda like a rotten plant on my skin.

D. My BDay is next month and I'll be 35. 35. 35. Has a nice ring to it.

3. This little cottage of a house is really growing on me. I can't wait to do some planting and mowing and enjoying the big back yard.

F. There really isn't anything good on tv. Well, I do like the "MilkaWhat" commercial.

4. I wonder if Ches knows that I still wake up and check on her while she's sleeping and kiss her forehead and breath in her smell?

H. I'm overweight. I can't even say it's a fat and happy weight. It's more along the lines of I love food and dislike working out, fat.

5. I need a new mattress. Mine is old and sinks in the middle and may be the reason I'm such a cranky bitch in the mornings.

J. I'm a mess. But I'm HIS mess and everything will be ok.

6. I think I have my mothers hands. Don't know how I feel about that.

L. Dallas is the funniest kid I know. His sense of humor is deadpan and I love it and him. His giggle warms me. :)

7. A lady I work with is moving to North Carolina. She's kinda cranky(it's a part of her charm) but she's my favorite and feeds me her leftovers for lunch and hugs me. I'm gonna miss her.

N. I've noticed that I'm not talking as loudly as I used to. That feels nice.

8. No clue where my brain is lately. My hands are shaky and I've been misspelling words. Um yeah, that's really bothersome.

P. Ever drive by a house and wonder what's going on behind closed doors?

Breathing. Typing. Tripping.

2010-01-14T12:08:00.000-06:00

It's a wonder sometimes how I'm still alive and considered somewhat normal. Let me tell you a few reasons why.

When I get stressed out or start worrying about stuff that is under my control or waaay out of it, I tend to hold my breath. Not til I'm about to pass out or anything, it's jut something I've always done. Nervous habit? Coping mechanism? OCD? I don't know what it is. Just when my lungs feel that pressure something just clicks and I am jolted into remembering the vital need of oxygen. Yay for deep breaths.

There are times when I'm watching tv or getting ready to dose off I'll start typing. Not computer typing, it's more like blanket typing or arm typing or typing on anything that is near my right hand. Yep, it's one handing typing cause I'm skilled like that I guess. I'll just start typing out what is being said on the show I'm watching or the thoughts that are running through my head or the lyrics to my new fave song of the moment and sometimes I'll just type the conversation that I'm having. Now I never said if it was the one I was actually having with someone or the one I was having with myself but I suppose it doesn't matter cause I'm air~typing after all. There are some people, and you know who you are, that have felt me typing on them. I'll start typing on the arm that is draped around me or on a back that I'm supposed to be scratching. Sometimes they feel it and sometimes it's so lightly done that they don't realize I'm doing it and honestly most of the time I don't realize that I'm doing it either. Funny thing (as if this wasn't funny/weird enough) is that when I do realize I'm typing is when I'll make a mistake in spelling or miss a punctuation and I'll backspace or delete to fix it. Humph.

Nine times out of ten if there is something that most people would never trip on, I'll trip on it. I'll trip on an imaginary step even. Upstairs, downstairs, carpet, hardwood, outside or inside...if I'm walking, I'm trippin. Oh,and I bump into stuff a lot. I can not walk a straight line and so sorry if you've been walking along side me and I've bumped into you or started walking sideways. It is not a good idea to be in a store with a lot of breakables. I'm not drunk I promise. I think I'm just one of those people that can't walk and talk and chew gum at the same time. I'm not talking about random clutziness, as most people suffer from that from time to time. I'm talking I do this all the time. Everyday. Several times a day. Ok, maybe not several but at least once or twice on a good day. Sometimes I fall flat and get a bit banged up and it's usually my right hip that gets the brunt of it. Sometimes I gracefully (HA) recover or land gently. It's a sight I tell ya. Or so people say. I trip on my own feet and believe me, I can or have already tripped over your feet. Don't ask, I don't have the answer. Can you believe I've not broken anything? Yeah, me neither.

And I am random. Ya think?

And one more thing...

2009-12-11T15:20:00.001-06:00

I generally do NOT go over what I've written because I don't want to critique it and make it not real. I don't want it all glossy and perfect. I want it to read how I speak. Make sense? So the next time someone want to leave a comment about how something didn't "flow"...well, I'll put it this way, I don't DO flow. Not gonna happen. And please try to remember that this is MY blog and I'll not flow if I wanna.

:O)

Choices

2009-12-11T14:54:00.000-06:00

"Honey, we need to seriously have a talk" It all started with that sentence. It wasn't about bills or who left the milk in the glass on the counter. It was about changing our lives. Wait a minute...I'm sitting here trying to figure out how I want to say this to make it sound like I'm not freaking out and the truth of the matter is how can I NOT be? Here's the deal, David misses Dallas. Like REALLY misses him. We have lived 3 hours away from him for a few years now and it has taken it's emotional toll. So the CHOICE we made was that David was going to move to Lawrence. We made the CHOICE that I would stay here til Ches graduates in 2011. Details? Too many to acknowledge on my little blog. But we have made this decision, this choice...and now it's time to get on with the gettin' on. I can't tell you how much it aches me. Or how much it warms me to know that my kids have a wonderful father that would do ANYTHING for them. I can't express the jealousy I have of non~blended families cause it's their blessing to be that way. I can't be just a bit excited to have the whole bed so I can sleep diagonally cause that would just be wrong. I shouldn't want him to miss me enough to just drop everything and drive the 3 hours back to me. I can't take out my frustration of how new and scary all this is on Chesney. She's just a kid trusting me to be her rock. I can't be mad at anyone and I want to be damn it. I can't call Kristen and tell her how blessed she is that her son has the best father in every way shape and form and that I'm a fine addition to his life as well because she isnt' "liking" me right now.
But here's what I'm gonna do..I'm going to make the very best out of all this for the next 18 months or so. I'm going to smile, be mad,sad or pissed, love and cry when I feel like it and not when I think I'm supposed to. Life is all about choices and changes and rollin' with the punches. So here's my gut check. Bring it.

This is why...

2009-10-06T11:28:00.000-05:00

I haven't been blogging much. Ok, hardly at all. I feel a kind of pressure to be ON when I blog. I want to entertain whomever is reading my blog. I feel like in some ways I need to be as good as my fellow bloggers and that my blog should be pretty and full of life and pics and antidotes of life. But here's the deal, I don't always feel ON and as a matter of fact when I'm alone and quiet THAT is when I don't feel any pressure to be anything or anyone other than just me. So with no apologies, I will allow myself to just BE. To just relax and not worry about being pretty or funny or lively or profound. I'm just going to wing it...hell, I'm too old to be worrying about such silly things for crying out loud. Pics may be posted, or may not. The funny story about what Dallas said the other day may be kept in my noggin. The sweet moments that Ches and I have talking may or may not make it to public knowledge. And the thoughts I have about family, marriage, friends and all things random may be blurted and blogged at a time when I can flail my arms about and tell you in person. But to all of you that have those pretty blogs and such, please don't take it that I'm goofing on you, I'm not at all! Please keep it up if you see fit. I love LOVE going to your blog and reading and seeing what you and yours are up to. I just have to throttle my worried lil brain back to a comfort zone. I know it's in there somewhere.

I know, I know.

2009-08-07T13:18:00.000-05:00

So, yet again. Again. It's been a minute. Maybe more since I have posted anything new. Sorry. But not totally, here's the dealio...I have been busy. Summer bidness ya dig?
The kids are great! TBall was great! Cheer camp was Awesome! Dallas' swim lessons? Off without a hitch! He's such a lil fish. Oh, and can "totally go off the big dive".
Kids enrolled in school (yikes and ouch on the dinero front if ya hear me!)
We even found a bit of time to roadtrip it to Tennessee to see the family! WOOT! I knew that my family would L O V E my boys and boy did they. And Dallas has a new BFF in Uncle Marty. It's so sweet, everybody say "awwwww".

I'm well. Nothing to report, which is a good thing. I'm emotionally pretty much altogether. I have my paternal side of my family back. All is good in the world. The maternal side, eh. That's a whole other story.

David is awesome. But he knows that already. He just sits back and enjoys the ride of life and that is what I admire most about the man. Maybe I'll let him pick the movie next time. MAYBE :)

Buddy and Edna...

2009-06-18T12:46:00.000-05:00

Buddy and his wife Edna went to the state fair every year, And every year Buddy would say, ‘Edna, I’d like to ride in that helicopter’

Edna always replied, ‘I know Buddy, but that helicopter ride is fifty bucks, And fifty bucks is fifty bucks’

One year Buddy and Edna went to the fair, and Buddy said, ‘Edna, I’m 85 years old
If I don’t ride that helicopter, I might never get another chance’

To this, Edna replied, “Buddy that helicopter ride is fifty bucks, and fifty bucks is
fifty bucks’
The pilot overheard the couple and said, ‘Folks I’ll make you a deal. I’ll take the both of you for a ride. If you can stay quiet for the entire ride and don’t say a word I won’t charge you a penny! But if you say one word it’s fifty dollars.’

Buddy and Edna agreed and up they went.

The pilot did all kinds of fancy maneuvers, but not a word was heard.
He did his daredevil tricks over and over again, But still not a word
When they landed, the pilot turned to Buddy and said, ‘By golly, I did everything I could to get you to yell out, but you didn’t.

I’m impressed!’

Buddy replied, ‘Well, to tell you the truth, I almost said something when Edna fell out,

But you know,

“Fifty bucks is fifty bucks!’

Barefoot Basketball

2009-05-30T09:32:00.002-05:00

Those nerves of mush previously blogged about...yea, about those. So, Chesney and I get into Jacksonville and I'm so excited. Like, seriously. I had to pee it was that bad. So anyway, I grab Chesney's hand and tell her to NOT LET GO. My palms are sweaty with anticipation. We head down the way to meet my family, I catch a glimpse of my gorgeous Aunt Angie and ZOOM! I'm off! Leaving Ches in a trail of my dust.. ( she may have still had her hand in hand holding form, I have no idea) I tackle Aunt Angie. Truly I did. I just buried my face in her shoulder and breathed her in. So there we are in the middle of JAX and we're jumping and laughing and crying and hugging and repeating the whole thing over and again. ( I just couldn't help it!)

Fast forward a bit. My family is abundant in numbers. There are so many to see, to hug and to cry and laugh with. But the biggie, the Grand Pooba, the Main Event is...My Dad.

It's been 22ish years, y'all. On the drive from Jacksonville, Fla. to Murfreesboro, Tn. I'm pretty much just trying to keep my mind on anything BUT seeing my dad. My stomach thanked me later. But when we hit that Tennessee border, it became real. What was I going to say? Would he want to hug me? Who would let go first if he did? Would I cry or be fighting that battle? UGH...I questioned every little thing. I was freaking myself out, getting a knot in my throat, the headache came on like I'd been hit in the head with a baseball bat. I was getting hot and cold, cotton~mouthed and downright nervous as hell. That is until My Uncle Foy (Aunt Angie's Husband) looks right at me and says this..."Girl, you're gonna do just fine. I'm proud of you and I'm right here if you need me." (Did I mention he's NEVER met me until just 2 days prior to this roadtrip and that he's pretty much the ISH?) For some reason, even though my Aunts have told me pretty much the same thing...hearing Uncle Foy speak those words and look me right in the eye calmed me. I don't know if I thanked him for that yet but somehow I think he already knows and if he doesn't, well, I'm gonna have to bust him in the mouth. (Ask me how to join the Club of Mouth Busters)

For some reason I don't want to spill my guts about my Dad and how it all went down. I'll keep it in my heart and hold on to it. But I will share this...
I don't remember who let go of that hug first, doesn't matter. He still smelled like I remember. He told me he loved me. And I got to play a little bit of barefoot Basketball... with my Dad.

Nerves of mush...

2009-05-17T00:24:00.000-05:00

I'm a tough lil chica. Stop laughing. Seriously. Ok, maybe not ALL the time. See, the things is this...I'm a mess. Shhh. Don't tell anyone. I'm a mess because I'm feeling the most vulnerable I have in like, oh, forever. I'm not going to get into all the reasons why I think most days I'm pretty put together and have my wits about me. All I need to get off my chest right now is this, I'm scared. Scared that this wonderful reunion will somehow leave me feeling hmmm, what's a good way to put this? Maybe feeling something along the lines of coulda, shoulda, woulda. Makes no sense at all right? Yea, tell me about it. But see, the thing is this, I have a very large extended family that I'm anxious to see and reconnect with after 20+ years and the grown woman and the lil girl in me are having a battle. The grown woman knows that it's going to be beautiful and safe and loving and I'll have them all the rest of my life. That little girl is scared that it will all just vanish again and I'll be left trying to figure out what I did wrong yet again. Ok..this is sounding like a pity party and if you know me you know how I HATE that so I'll just say this in closing...Nerves of mush, get over it. I'm going to take a "big deep breath" (thank you Aunt Angie) and know that "it is what it is" (thank you Aunt Sherry) and that this is going to be INCREDIBLE and that I am loved and this is only the beginning. I'm in store for some awesome times.

WORD

Plans change...and then there's Nick at Night

2009-04-21T23:55:00.000-05:00

Ok peeps...a new countdown has begun. The trip that my Uncle and Aunt from California were going to make to visit us here has been postponed for a bit. But it's ok!! They will be flying in to Tennessee to meet Ches and I when we roadtrip it in from Florida! Woot! That's going to be very exciting! Ok..so now the closets can be once again be peeked in to.

On a different note, I find myself staying up late some nights watching old reruns of Roseanne, Golden Girls and whatever else is on Nick at Night. Now mind you, I've more than likely seen every episode of these shows (every.single.one) yet I'll just stay awake watching these shows and thinking about how old I was when I first saw that episode, or where I was living or what I was doing. I remember watching Golden Girls thinking...those ol ladies are ca~razy and when I get older I wanna have a group of ladies around me just like that. I mean whats not to love about hanging out with your best friends eating cheesecake at 1 in the morning?! Then Roseanne. I know some people may not like that show but I LOVED it. It showed a family with struggle but a family that had love. It was an unconventional, they were rowdy and hard workers, a house full of laughter and compassion. I saw that and longed to be a part of the Connor family. Roseanne and Dan seemed to be the ideal parents to me for some reason.
It's funny how I watched it then and what I learned from it as a young teen, and now as an adult I watch it and learn all over again.
oh...And I reallllly hated it when they won the lottery. Really.

Just another quickie

2009-04-11T10:47:00.000-05:00

I know I should really be a bit more diligent about posting new blogs about the daily goings on in my life and the lives of the ones I love but geez...if I did that I would NEVER shuddup!! But I'll give you a quick rundown~

1. My house is clean, but not clean enough for the company (Uncle Danny and Aunt Karyn) that will be here from California in 6 days. Note...don't look under the beds cause that's where a lot of crap will be hidden. No, seriously. ;)

2. Found out that the airlines Chesney and I will be flying on charge $15 dollars PER BAG. What?! So, I'd rather spend my money on worthwhile things like new bathing suits and flip flops and cheesy/tacky gifts to bring back home..Ches and I MUST figure out a way to pack all our stuff into one suitcase, albeit GINORMOUS suitcase to make it worth it.

3. Airlines I say? Flight? Oh, did I forget to mention that we will be flying to Florida next month to visit my beautiful Aunts Angie and Sherry and their families? Oh no? Well, we are! Control your jealousy please! :)

4. I am not defined by my hair. It's just hair. My long, thick, brunette hair. Ahhh, the good ol days. That's all I'm saying, you'll have to see for yourself.

5. David is by far the greatest clothes folder. Ever. Now if I can just get him to put away those expertly folded clothes.

6. Come on TBall, Dallas is ready for ya! That kid's gonna be a star I tell ya!

7. Oh, and I'm almost 34. Woot?

Boo Boo's and Band-Aids

2009-03-20T13:47:00.000-05:00

Remember when you were a kid and you got a little scrape, boo boo, owie or whatever your little name was for it and your (insert care giver/make it better person here) would clean it all up, put some medicine on it and gently blow on it to tame the sting then put a band aid on it and somehow it all felt better? The thing probably didn't even need a band aid you just wanted it cause the whole process of getting it made you feel better. And if it was a fancy one with a character on it or was anything other than a plain old tan one you instantly felt better and ran off to show the thing to everyone!! Then you got older and were told to "buck up", "quit crying", "it's not that big of a deal" And you felt all let down and you had to comfort yourself AND get your own damn band aid. Yea...hmmm, the good old days.

Which brings me to this....I don't ever want to stop giving out the kisses and band aids. In all senses of the sort. From little to big kids...we all sometimes need a kiss and hug and a "it'll feel better soon, I promise" from time to time. Sometimes just hearing someone you care about tell you everything's gonna be ok...really makes you feel like it will. No matter what the situation is just knowing that someone else thinks it's gonna be better puts a little band aid on your heart or mind and you feel better. Mind you the owie is still under there but you somehow feel lighter, a little less hurt and a little more~ well, safe. So if any of you ever feel like you need a band aid for any reason...I'll do my best to wrap ya up and make you feel better. Cause everything really is going to be OK.

I write all this while having a Curious George band~aid on my right index finger. Did I really need it? Probably not, but it feels a little better all wrapped around it. It's safe from the element of air or laundry detergent as I do yet another load. I also have one on my heart cause someone I love told me it was going to get better....and it has.

Forgive

2009-03-16T13:20:00.000-05:00

Everyone has had a moment (or two) in life where forgiveness has either been asked of or needed. People say, "oh, just forgive and forget" or "all's forgiven".
Well, the word "FORGIVE" has been heavy on my heart lately. Really almost consuming. I don't know if it's ME that needs FORGIVEN or if FORGIVENESS needs to be asked of me. Probably and most likely, it's both. Sometimes this comes easy and other times it's the hardest thing anyone can ask, or give. I wonder if it's easier to just say "sorry" or "I love you" or even an "I've missed you". Hmmm. I have some thinking to do. I think maybe this quote I found a while back can help me...

Forgiveness is the economy of the heart... forgiveness saves the expense of anger, the cost of hatred, the waste of spirits.
~Hannah More~

Oh where do I begin?

2009-03-12T12:43:00.000-05:00

I can't even begin to begin! It's that insane, incredible, blessed, awesome, spectacular I have not fully grasped it yet. Folks, I have found family. The McNeal's that is. It's such a long story and I'm at work (kinda working, kinda not) so I can't get into a whole lot but I'll just say this for now, I AM LOVED. And I LOVE THEM RIGHT BACK.

Ches vs. Penelope Cruz

2009-02-24T11:22:00.000-06:00

So, Chesney and I are in my room last night. I'm in the closet trying to get it back in the order that I like it as I have NO IDEA how I let it all go to hell. I'm talking clothes everywhere, shoes here and there and God only knows how many bras hanging from whatever protruding anything they can. Plus the small dresser in my closet runneth the hell over. Inside and on top of it. Clothes, perfume, makeup, hairties, bobby pins, change, movie stubs, tags from new clothes and the shopping bags from those new clothes. Get the picture here? Chesney is on the bed with the tv on watching Jon and Kate Plus 8 (we love that show but damn, Kate can be such a biatch!) and she's doing Spanish homework. We're just in there, together. Not doing much talking, only bits and pieces here and again. But I stopped in the middle of the mess in the closet and looked up at her. My 16 year old girl. I wondered why she was in there with me instead of her room, music blaring, texting, and doing homework. I immediately shook off the thought and just decided that she WANTED to be in there with me. Just to be close. I wasn't going to ask her or question it any farther. I loved her being in the room with me for no reason.
Then she asks me a question. Spanish homework question. Now, I know a bit of Spanish. I lived in Spain with my dad for a year or so back in the day and had a Spanish stepmother so I had to pick up a lil bit didn't I? Anyways, she asks me the question which is "blah blah blah, Spanish something, blah Spanish, blah Spanish."
I really tried to understand. Tried to help her, but for the life of me, I have absolutely NO CLUE as to what she just said!! So, I just sit on the edge of the bed, handful of clothes in hand, and say just that.
Me..."Ches, I have no clue."
Then Ches says, (deadpans) "Oh,so when Penelope Cruz gave her acceptance speech for her Oscar last night and at the end says a whole bunch of Spanish you can rattle off the translation to me but I ask you a lil 2nd year Spanish question and you can't answer it?"
Me..."Ya, pretty much."
Ches.."OK, just checking."

We go about our business of cleaning the closet, doing Spanish homework and watching Jon and Kate Plus 8. Ah, that's good times right there.

And thennnn

2009-02-19T17:24:00.000-06:00

I'm feeling kind of restless right now. Don't really know why. I feel like doing something yet...feel like doing nothing. Ying Yang. Pish Posh. My days are always filled with lots of things going on. Between BBall games and family and friends and work and every single thing that fills up my normal day I, like I'm sure many other women either wish there was an extra hour or two in the day or we wish there was a couple less. I mean, if there is less that 24 hours would we be spared time? Probably not. What is it that I'm talking about? I have no idea. I'm rambling. ugh.
That's better.

Now...tonight I'm going to Amy's and she's hooking me up with a much needed and warmly appreciated pedicure! You know wanna know how I know she's like one of THE most AWESOME friends ever? She is TOTALLY afraid of dry cotton balls but is still going to hook me up with a pedi!! Now back to this dry cotton ball thing. Don't laugh. Ok, laugh a lil bit. But seriously, the girl can't stand it dry...but if it's soaked with polish remover, she's good.
Then, or is after the pedi...we are going to ATB to get our spray on. Tan that is. Hey, it's better than fake baking. The smell of it is only slightly offensive. :) The smell only lasts for a bit (thank the Lord) so it's worth it. But dang, I'm looking sunned and fabulous!! HEHE
AND THEN....I'm coming home to wash this gray right outta my hair. Yep, I said it. Ugh. Grays. Foxy Brown is the color I go with everytime. LOVE IT.
AND THENNN.... I'm going to bed. Late as usual I'm sure.

So now that everyone knows my bid~ness, Peace and Love y'all!!

I know...I know!

2009-02-03T14:49:00.000-06:00

It's been a while. Ok...so a long while but dang I've been busy. Or kinda. I don't know what I've been. It's been a long story the last few weeks. I'll get around to telling it. All's well, things have changed a bit, and life is going on.
More later, but not too much later.

Beauty Queen of only 16...

2008-12-09T18:28:00.000-06:00

Dress~$70.00

Snowball Dance ticket~$5.00

Seeing my little girl looking SPECTACULARLY STUNNING~~~

Priceless

I don't wanna be at work right now

2008-11-19T16:23:00.001-06:00

But, here I sit. Behind my desk. At work.
It's not bad here,nope,not at all even. I actually like my job. It's just that, well...there are a few other things I'd rather be doing.

Bungee Jumping. Hey, I've done it once before. Since I lived, I'd like to do it again.

Making my own Root Beer. My totally awesome friend Amy brought me some A&W today and so help me they have the best rootbeer! I've got to find/steal that recipe!!

Manicure. My nails look decent but oh my it would feel fantastic to have my hands softened, preened and massaged.

Licking the bowl. I pretty much don't care what's in said bowl. It's usually always something yummy and more than likely chocolate.

Take a hike. Literally. Camp Horizon is calling my name...shhh, can you hear it too?

I'm realizing this list could go on and on my friends so I'll just stop for now.

But tell me this....What would YOU rather be doing? Because in addition to the above, I'd rather be reading my friends blogs than being at work ;)

I just wanted some milk

2008-11-08T09:21:00.002-06:00

So I'm in my friendly neighborhood Braums yesterday after work picking up some essentials, milk (Braums IS the best) a loaf of bread and some cookies. For those of you not from this area Braums is a burger/ice cream type place that also has a small yet very fitting grocery section. I can run in there and get everything from bread and milk to fruits, veges and chips and chicken! Love it.

Anyhow, like I was saying, I'm in Braums yesterday and I notice this woman struggling to open the door as she is holding a purse that can only be carried if you're of linebacker size. This thing is HUGE. Not just big, I'm talking GI~NOR~MOUS. And it's not even cute. But I digress...not only is she carrying this "purse" she is talking (yelling) on her cell and juggling her keys. Now let me paint you a picture. This is not just a run of the mill key chain, no ma'am. It's the Rolls Royce of key rings. It's got bells and whistles, literally. It's got to weigh 4-5 pounds and I can only think to myself that's got to be hell on her ignition although I'm not sure why I'm thinking that. Probably some urban legend thing I may have heard growing up or something an old boyfriend told me about my key ring when I was 16 so I would take off 1-2 pounds of my keyring. Sooo, I go open the door for her.

I'm nice like that.

As I open the door I say, "Looks like you have your hands full." This "lady" says to me, "Your point?" And continues to talk unnecessarily loud on her cell phone. (tilt your head, furrow your brow and say WHAT..here) I just turned and walked away in disbelief at her rudeness. Geez, I was just trying to be nice. Not thirty seconds later I swear... she drops the keys. And of course everyone in the store hears this happen cause like I said, it's heavy and full of dangly crap. But not only is that the sound we hear, it is followed by a very shrill overflow of expletives streaming out of her overly sparkled glossed mouth. Hello?! Children and lil old ladies are in here!! But since I'm the closet to her and I do it without thinking, I bend over and heave her keys off the floor and as I'm handing them to her she JERKS them out of my hands. But wait!! There are so many doodads, whatnots, thingybobs and dooma~flachies on the thing my pinky is caught and she damn near rips it off! YOUCH!! I look at her in a pained/pissy kinda way (what, you didn't think I was going to let that slide completly did you?) and she says in a way that can only be described as BITCHY, "These are mine." I'll just let you simmer on that one for a second. I had to as well, plus I had to make sure my poor pretty little pinky finger was ok. It's my favorite digit.

Onlookers. Yep, it's a small town people and an even smaller area we're in so they are everywhere. A few of them just kind of shuffle along muttering under their breath cause they have no doubt seen and heard everything that has transpired in the last minute and a half, and hopefully just as surprised as I. There's a little man, and by little I mean just an inch or so taller than me little that notices that I'm looking like a deer in the headlights staring at Bertha then my pinky, then back at Bertha (that's what I've named her by the way) and cracks a smile and says, "Her husband has gotta be miserable." I feel better.

I get in the short line with my goodies and I can still feel my heart beating in my poor lil digit. I'm trying not to look at her. I'm fully irritated and am willing myself not to accidently on purpose knock her eggs out of her hands, when of course...Bertha steps in line right behind me. Great. She's still on the phone, still jangling (Jangling is a word, look it up in the Tonya~ism Dictionary along with Dooma~flachies) her key thing, still lugging around "Gertrude" the purse. If Gertrude was a color, it would be the color of this purse. I continue in line just looking off into nothing just begging for it to be my turn so I can get the hell outta there. Finally, I pay for my items, grab my stuff and head toward the door. The last thing I hear as the door behind me starts to close is....

Wait for it...

"Where the F@!K is my wallet?!?!"

Have a nice day :)

Wordless Wednesday

2008-11-05T08:40:00.001-06:00

Wordless Wednesday

2008-10-22T21:19:00.001-05:00

One of those nights...

2008-10-21T23:39:00.000-05:00

I should be in bed sleeping. I was dog tired 3 hours ago and here it is almost midnight and I'm fiddling around on this and so NOT sleeping. My brain is ON and my body is by all means (seriously) OFF.
So what I want to know is...What keeps you up at night? What thoughts run through your mind like lumbering trains that never seem to end? Is it kids? Work? Or something even more interesting like, "I should really shave my legs. That new fabric softner really doesn't hold it's scent. I think I'll make Turkey burgers for dinner next Thursday. Wow, I can't believe I had that pen mark on my nose all day and not a soul told me. How did I get pen on my nose? And the list goes on and on and on....
Let it out! Tell me I'm not the only one that is kept from beautiful, peaceful and much needed sleep.

Now I lay me down to sleep.

There's this boy...

2008-10-14T21:15:00.000-05:00

And he has my heart.

Wordless Wednesday

2008-10-01T23:14:00.001-05:00

A lil bit more 'bout me...

2008-09-29T19:26:00.000-05:00

Ten things I wish I could say to 10 different people.

1. I forgive you. That doesn’t mean I like you.
2. Why me?

3. I wish you would stand up for yourself.

4. I know I’m a better mom than you were.

5. I’ve givin up looking for you.

6. I’ve never felt more loved!

7. You taught me how to be happy with myself.

8. You underestimated me.

9. I’m more thankful than you can imagine!

10. You were right.

Nine random things:

1. I experience deja vu a lot. It’s kinda creepy.
2. I sleep waay to hard.

3. I have a theory, I MUST HAVE been adopted :)
4. Maybe I should not worry so much.

5. Cooking for my friends and family is like therapy to me.

6. I sleep walk.7. I’m out of shape.

8. I have a scar and I have no idea how I got it.

9. I wonder if people talk down to me cause I’m short or I’m short so they talk down to me.

Eight ways to win my heart:

1. Crack me up.

2. Play with my hair.
3. Keep your promises.

4. Random acts of selflessness.

5. Talk to me.

6. Write me a letter.

7. Protect me.

8. Love me as much as I love you.

Seven things I've been thinking about:

1. Laundry...silly but true.

2. Chesney’s growing up so fast.

3. I wish Dallas lived with us all the time.

4. Lately, avacados.
5. Bills.

6. I need a new hobby.

7. Going for a drive.

Six things I wish I never had to do:

1. Clean the toilet.

2. Work for anyone else but myself.

3. Trap mice.

4. Worry about anything out of my control.

5. Ever see a clown again. Ever.

6. See my kids hurt or cry.

Five turn offs:

1. Back hair.

2. Ignorance.

3. Chauvanism.

4. Rudeness.

5. Someone who can’t laugh at themselves.

Four turn ons:

1. Challenge me.

2. Say/do those things that make me blush.
3. Working man hands.

4. Talk to me in a "tone"

Three wishes for my future:

1. Have my kids go to college and be successful and happy in whatever they choose to do.

2. Have lifetime passes to Bluegrass. (it doesn’t all have to be so serious ya know!)

3. Leave my mark, in just a small way.

Two things I want to do before I die:

1. Do something so spontaneous it makes people question my sanity.

2. Grow old with the people I love.

One possession I could not live without:

1. A cozy blanket. And all it has to offer.

Wordless Wednesday

2008-09-24T09:48:00.000-05:00

For cryin' out loud

2008-09-22T22:02:00.000-05:00

Anyone who REALLY knows me knows that I HATE crying. Period. Especially in front of anyone, it's utterly embarrassing for me. Not just a little but a whole lot. It's bigger than that even. But yes, sometimes I cry. And usually at the most inappropriate times. Since I so seldomly cry, if someone actually witnesses this oddity, they are befuddled. They don't know what to say or do or sometimes. Be assured you most likely had nothing to do with it, I rarely ever let someone "make" me cry.
Hell, I don't know what to do. Should I just let it all out or wipe away that burning hell off my cheek and move on like I never shed a tear? I cry for reasons known and unknown. I cry because I think, worry, need, care,and want, or I'm angry, happy, ecstatic, nervous, or rejuvenated. I cried last night. Why? All of the above. I cried and I didn't want to, it just pushed it's way right out. Why is it such a big deal for me to cry? People do it all the time. At a sad movie, a touching song, a fading memory. The birth of a child, a love lost or a love found. I don't really have a clue where the hell I'm going with this other than to just say, if you've seen me cry, it was real. I'm sorry if it made you uncomfortable, you mostly see me happy and "on". I cry... I'm overwhelmed... with a flood of emotion that I'm usually able to control and I just can't handle it like I would want to... it's found a way out. I just needed a release. And actually, if you are one of the very few that has seen me cry, you're lucky.... Because that means I love you.

I'm a list maker

2008-09-22T16:58:00.000-05:00

This is what I LOVE about Autumn...

1. Candy Corn and salty peanuts...together. It's like a handful of Payday!

2. Layering my clothes like so...Cami, shirt, sweatshirt. So cozy.

3. Turning the air in my car OFF and rolling down the windows.

4. The leaves turning that gorgeous shade of burnt orange.

5. Wearing jeans and sweatshirts. I'll be honest. I own WAY more sweatshirts than is necessary for one person.

6. Hello, football season! (Not NFL...College and High School, please!)

7. The weather - crisp, cool mornings and highs in the 60s/70s.

8. Comfort foods like pot roast and stews. Side of fresh out of the oven cornbread. yum.

9. Tent camping. 'Nuff said.

Things I will not miss about the Summer...

1. The music on Top 40 radio. Jesse McCartney and Chris Brown can "Leave[in]" "Forever."

2. The sweat dripping down the middle of my back. (TMI?)

3. The end of the Baseball season. I'm so over the egos.

4. Seeing way too much skin on both sexes. Men should NOT wear cut off jean shorts.

5. Waiting for my 120 degree car to cool so I can breath while driving.

6. Is alfalfa season over yet? My allergies are killing me.

7. Shaving my legs. Every. Single. Day.

Now if Winter would just hold off, oh, permanently.

April 24, 2007

2008-09-10T21:22:00.000-05:00

Another blast from blog past! Turns out this years party was even better! (How was that possible?!) And I'm still THE luckiest girl ever!!

April 24, 2007 - Tuesday
About last Saturday... Current mood: happy
Let me just start off by saying I'm THE luckiest girl ever!!
I have the most amazing group of friends and family. Well, My friends ARE my family! My 32nd would not have been the same without each and everyone of them.

The pics in my new slide show give you all a little glimpse into the nights festivities...there are some pics that WILL NOT EVER see the light of day! I'll just say I'm so happy you were all entertained!
I once thought that life after 30 would be boring, sad and not near as fun as my 20's. I was SOOOOOOOOO wrong!! While not taking anything away from the teens and 20's....I'm having a BLAST! I'm free of any inhibitors...I'm just me. I laugh louder and longer. I can make fun of myself and occasionally others! And I'm not hiding my laugh lines or the crow's feet that are slowly creeping in...I'm celebrating them!!
So, here's to 32!

You oughtta know...

2008-09-08T14:08:00.001-05:00

I posted this blog a while back on myspace but I'm planning on moving all those (5 or 6) blogs here.

Some stuff about me:

1. Pepsi is my addiction. I should seek help.

2. I have to agree with my friend Laura...polish on my toes is a must.

3.Sugar Tits....is what my great granny gave me when I was sad to cheer me up. Still works.

4. I have a shoulder injury due to bowling at a State Bowling Tournament.

5. Phil Collins...wow. A drummer and a voice. Always gets me.

6. I wanted to be a Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader when I was younger. I think it was something about those white hooker boots.

7. If Chesney starts laughing, I'm soon to follow even if I have no idea why she's laughing. Her laugh is contagious and spirit filling.

8. I'm a sleep walker.

9. I'm a damn fine parallel parker and backer upper.

10. I wonder how many people know what a sugar tit is?

Love.Plain and simple.

2008-09-08T13:19:00.000-05:00

Having babies is easy. Being a PARENT is work. And I take my job very seriously. It's something I don't have to question, I don't need reassurance, I don't even need a pat on the back. I KNOW I'm a good mom. My children KNOW that I am there for them in all manners. They KNOW I am on their side, I will protect them, I will teach them, I will LOVE them. Here's where I'm trying to go with this. Ches and Miranda got grounded yesterday. I'm not going to say why, it's personal for them and I respect that they are embarrassed by it so I won't share the "why"... I was just about done with the "lecture" part of their punishment and told them this, "I am very proud of you both. You're both very kind, sweet, and loving girls and I love you both more everyday." Chesney says..."How could you?" "We (insert their actions here), how could you still be proud of us and love us so much?" To which I say, "My love can never be taken away. Even on the days when my patience is tried and I have been disappointed, the times when I'm so frustrated that I want to pull my hair out, I will love you forever. And then some." "I'm proud that you are embarrassed, it shows humility. I'm proud that you are sorry, it shows accountability." For a million reasons more I love my kids. A Mother's love for her children knows no bounds. It's stronger than steel. It's forever. It's UNCONDITIONAL LOVE.

Now back to the babies being easy thing. I'm not saying that BABIES themselves are easy. That's a lot of work. A LOT. That is a difficult job. I've been there done that. I don't want it to seem like I'm saying the parents of babies don't have a clue what their in for. Quite the opposite. I'm just saying, looking back on the "baby days" ahhhh, sweet memories! Hold on tight to the moments that they look at you with sleepy eyes, the baby speak that only mom and dad understand, the soft smell of their skin...this list could go on forever. Time flies, hold tight and teach them, show them, give them all the love you can every moment that you can.

I'm such a sap today. Not sure if this post will make any sense or if it will just seem like I'm rambling. I just wanted to write this... something... down. Just something to say that being a parent is hard work. But it's the single most exhilerating, gratifying, heart racing, jump for joy thing I have ever or will ever do. And for whatever comes next, bring it on. I've got this whole being a mom thing down. I'm loving every minute of it. Unconditionally.

Are you ready for some FOOTBALL?!?!

2008-08-26T23:44:00.000-05:00

PSHYEAH!!! I am SOOO ready! September is one of my very fave months! Hello...Football season starts AND Bluegrass?! Does it get any better? Not to mention David's BDay is in September as well. And I LOVE Fall. Love.It. Don't know why. Don't care to figure it out. Just Love it.

Ches and Miranda are cheering again this year and Ches is Co~Captain of the squad so she's got a lot of responsibility but she can handle it! The girls are practicing very hard and are doing a great job. PLUS, they both play volleyball and have that practice as well. Dang. Busy all the time.

Dallas got off to his first day of school. *tear* It was sweet. He was so brave and just ready to go. David and I spent a couple of days there to be with him and see him off. And Lawrence is ALWAYS a dang good time. And for those of you who don't know...Mass St. is AWESOME and one day I will LIVE on that street. (So sayeth ME) Anyhow, all is well. Kids are great. Bluegrass is around the corner...3rd weekend of September for you non~knowers...Football and VB schrimage this Thursday at OHS...and Dallas comes home this weekend!!

Life is GOOD. oh...and more pics to come, it's late and I'm pooped!!

Pickle Juice Lake

2008-08-10T10:08:00.000-05:00

Well, that's what it looks like from under the boat dock anyhow! We went to the little lake just east of our house for a day of swimming and relaxing and with us went...Ches, Dallas, Miranda, Madison, Grandma Janet and Papa Byron. There's a rope swing and a platform to have fun trying flips, cheer jumps and dives. Janet spent about 10 minutes or so on the platform building courage to jump off and I think her arms may still be sore from hanging on! Byron is fearless, and that's all I can say! The kids had a blast, the weather was GORGEOUS and my heart is full!!

Good news x2

2008-08-01T11:40:00.000-05:00

It's been a busy week 'round these parts!! First off, I FINALLY got my way (hehe) and got a front loading washer and dryer!! Ya me! They are lovely and I'm looking all over for more laundry to do!! Sounds crazy I know but I seriously don't mind doing laundry and David likes (yes, LIKES!) folding clothes. The pic is from the web sight but you'd better believe I'll probably take a pic of mine (is that sad?) So that's good news ONE.

Good news TWO is that on the very morning that my washer and dryer were being delivered...I received a phone call. I almost didn't answer cause I thought it was a sales call! Anyways, it was a lovely lady that I had given my resume to in FEBRUARY of '07!!! She said I made a great impression and they had a position open and would love to talk to me again. (YEAH ME) Anyhow, I had been sort of looking around for a change. The whole 2nd shift and every other weekend thing was getting OLD. I was missing out on so many things and it honestly was not making me happy. My co~worker and friend Dakotah made it easier since we get along so well and she cracks me up, well, that and she brings me dinner!! But anyways, it was getting frustrating and so I jumped at the chance for an interview and a new opportunity. So just a few short hours after the phone call, I've had my interview, had a fabulously relaxing massage (see above mentioned friend Dakotah if you'd like one, too!) and VOILA....I have a new job!!! I'm going to be doing insurance billing for a medical supply business, 30-40 hours a week, NO WEEKENDS!! and oh ya...1st shift 9ish to 5ish!!

Wish me luck, I start training next week on my off days from the hospital, and for good on August 11.

Now you'll have to excuse me, I have some laundry to tend to!!!!

It's a Girl..

2008-07-22T11:38:00.000-05:00

I have some very AWESOME news! Only a very small handful of people know this...and I feel now is as good a time as any to share...

Our family has grown!! Miranda is living with us now! She is one of Chesney's best friends and we could not be happier to have her be a part of our lil family! I won't go into details on here but if anyone wants to know a bit more, give me a call. I will let you all know this, she is safe, happy and very much loved here with us. She has been with us since June 26 and is getting quite comfy! The room that used to be the basement "living room/Ches' hangout" is now Miranda's room. My parent's gave us the bed they had in their spare bedroom, Sheila's mom had an extra dressser for her to use and we've been busy making curtains and putting in carpet and making it, well, her OWN. Her fave colors are green, black and white and her fave new thing in her room would probably be the bed sheets! They are bright green with little white alligators all over!

Miranda's such a sweetheart, so quiet and soft spoken. She expresses her feelings and thoughts thru writing and I encourage her to do that as often as she needs to. There have been a couple of late night tears that have flowed and we have hugged and cried and laughed thru it together. Chesney is VERY protective of Miranda and I love seeing how nurturing of a person she is. Can't say I'm surprised, Ches is fierce when it comes to her friends and family. Dallas is outnumbered now but I think he's loving it! Just one more person to play cars with!!

So...I'm sure I could just go on and on but rest assured, I'll keep you all updated.

My Fave Things Pt.1

2008-07-19T10:02:00.002-05:00

My house usually smells like something. Now stop...something GOOD! I always get comments on how nice the kitchen or bathroom smells!! Ok, here's my secret.....CALDREA!! Caldrea Citrus Mint Ylang Ylang countertop cleaner!

I was shopping at TJMaxx one day a couple years ago and found it in their home section. It was on sale twice over and it was a good deal so I bought it, smell un~smelled!! When I finally pulled it out from under the sink and used it a few weeks later, I was in LOVE! It smells lovely, works great and it's enviromentally friendly! I use it as an all around cleaner, it's soo much more than just it's title! Now I just go to caldrea.com to replenish my supply and have found other scents that are just as smelly~good! They have everything from dish soap to laundry soap and they also have an AWESOME body line for grown ups and babies! But my fave will always be the CMYY!

It's too quiet

2008-07-15T16:13:00.000-05:00

David is at work. The girls are at the pool. Dallas is at Ganny's til 6.
Normally I'd be all WHOOPIE!! about having the house all to myself. I mean, I can get a lot done. Like the laundry, catching up on my reading, even taking a long soak in a bubble bath or even better, a looong nap. But no. Not me. Not today. Instead I have found myself walking around the house in and out of the kids' rooms looking around at all their belongings, toys, gadgets and what nots with a smile. Standing quietly in the middle of my room running my fingers across the smoothness of the comforter that lies in a heap at the foot of our unmade bed. Peering into the fridge for what seemed like forever hoping that the next great American recipe would just pop up in my head and I'd be cooking away. Laying here on the couch with this laptop listening to the AC kick off and on and the roar of tractors and other farm~ish type vehicles driving by thinking to myself....hmmm? Because that is the only sound I can make right now. It's a content hmmm.
Soon my home will be filled with sound. Chesney laughing just like I do. Dallas making vroom vroom crash sounds with his Transformer of the day. David outside weed eating HIS lawn..(expertly I may add) Maybe I'll just lie here a bit longer and relish the quiet. Close my eyes and enjoy the sound of contentment. hmmmm

How much for a pair of jeans?!?!

2008-07-15T09:11:00.000-05:00

Yesterday was the big day. Yes folks, I'm talking about SCHOOL CLOTHES SHOPPING DAY.
Call me crazy, but I actually really like this day. The excitement, the runnin' til your're ragged, the "Oh hell no you are not wearing that...EVER", and the ever popular, "How much? Do I look like I'm made of money? $100 for a pair of ripped up jeans?!" Anyways, David lucked out and was at work all day so it was off too the mall and Target we went. "WE" consisits of Chesney, Dallas, Miranda, my Mom and Dad and yours truly. My parents have long been friends to the "kids clothes fund". It's something that they have helped out with dollar wise since Ches was little. (Hallelujah!!!) I'll keep this short and sweet tho cause we spent a good 6 or so hours in and out of EVERY single teen/juniors store in the mall and Target! Taking a break to eat an awesome lunch at Old Chigago to refuel of course. Here's the girls with their mouths not full of food or saying "how cute...love it...ooh, I want this one...or does it come in yellow or green?"

I came out alive. So did the wallet. And so did Dallas as this was his first foray into the wonderful world of school clothes shopping. He made out, too! Tons of "awesome rocker guy stuff" as he put it!

One month til school starts!!!!

Girls Just Wanna Have Fun!

2008-07-10T22:38:00.000-05:00

These crazy girls crack me up! Allow me to present...Miranda, Tori, and Ches!! They decided to play dress up, 80's Valley Girl style! It was totally radical to see them all dressed up and being silly girls!

Dallas' BDay party

2008-07-07T10:22:00.000-05:00

I'm so not the party planner type. Dallas' 5th BDay party was yesterday and it was just a good old fasioned cake and ice cream deal. My sister Kari and I made the chocolate cakes the night before so we wouldn't be rushed the day of, great idea sister! That's about the extent of the planning...everyone showed up that said they would (holy crap) and I thought I had enough paper plates and plastic forks (soo0 not Green of me) and I made some pink lemonade. And ewww...that does NOT go well with chocolate. Anyways, we just barely squeeked by with enough forks, I think a mom or two had to share forks with their kiddos! Dallas blew out the candles before we even got to sing Happy Birthday! Present time was exciting as he thanked everyone for their gifts and cards and I'm very happy to say that the game Trouble got a bigger response than the Wii did! Who'd a thunk?
Anyways, it was quick, fun and an easy clean up. That's my kinda party! Dallas had a good time with his friends and tells me that he knows everyone had a good time cause "everyone likes cake and ice cream, Yaya!"

They love me for my mashed potatoes

2008-07-03T22:55:00.001-05:00

It's probably the one thing that I know I pretty much do better than anyone else. Seriously. I make THE BEST MASHED POTATOES. I know this cause everyone who has ate them loves them. I decided to old school it tonight with supper. Well, I kinda did last night too. It was breakfast for supper last night, the whole shebang...French Toast with Cinnamon, scrambled eggs, bacon, hashbrowns(homemade not frozen!!) with and without onions and green peppers and chocolate milk so thick it damn near stuck to your ribs! But I digress...Tonights dinner was meatloaf, the aformentioned mashed potatoes which will now just go by the name of MY mashed potatoes, and sweet corn and crusty bread. And oh my was it yummy!! While my mashed potatoes are ALWAYS delicious the meatloaf is touch and go as I always go with my own whatever-sounds-good recipe for it! But it too was delicious! I used Mrs. Cubbisons meatloaf mix from the WonderBread store and added to it one egg and instead of just ground beef, I used one pound each lean ground beef and lean ground turkey. And I always use Schwans sweet corn, it just tastes better. Now I can't tell you all my secrets with the taters but I'll tell you this...it is seriously doctored up!! I have always said I wanted to leave my mark in just a small way, maybe I'll pass on my mashed potato "recipe"....I know Chesney will love/cherish owning it!!

And away I go...

2008-07-03T10:49:00.000-05:00

I'm not sure where to begin? I've never blogged before, so bear with me. A dear friend of mine, Laura, has such a talent/knack for all things creative and she has a blog (elephant juice) that I LOVE! And now here I am, inspired to do the same!
As I sit here, my home is a buzz with random activities. My son Dallas and his cousin Gabe are playing (read..running around like mad men) and my daughter Chesney is outside watching and giggling as her boyfriend Zach and his friend Isaac are popping some kind of fireworks. Ches's friend Miranda is still sleeping downstairs. Ahhh, those endless summer nights of a teenager lend to sleeping the mornings away!! The washer is running as usual and the sound of my fan still on from last night plays white noise in the background. And from somewhere in the house, or is it the front porch...my presense is being requested as Dallas and Gabe are THIRRRRRRRRSTYYYYYY!!!!!