Humpday Dump

So it is my first time participating in the Humpday Dump with Fresh Mommy.  I love her blog and if you go over and visit her, I am sure you will too. She takes amazing photos and her kids are so cute!

Anyway, this is my contribution this week, and I have a few words to say about each photo below. 

1.  Tropical trees. I so wish I lived in the tropics. Although I live in the south, when it gets cold, I hate it. Absolutely do not like it at all. Maybe if I lived in a newer more insulated home, my opinion would change. However, for now..not so much!

2.  My baby girl modeling her new hat she received as a Christmas gift. It's cute, that smirk on her face? Priceless. She is such a ham!

3.  Our 2011 Christmas card photo! One morning before school I slapped a hat on their heads and said let's take a few photos...this was the result!

4.  My new aloe infused Christmas socks that I bought on clearance the day after the fact! They are oh so warm and I wish I had bought more. These will get lots of use, that's for sure!

5.  The mileage on my van...and my empty gas tank, to boot! Seems these days with all of the running around we do I can not seem to keep a full tank.

6.  After a wild night of bowling and slumber partying with her basketball teammates, this little one was too pooped to pop...or enjoy her Christmas gifts. She opened them up and next thing I knew, she was curled up on the couch ready for some more zzz's.

7.  Our little town has had a Taco Bell for years, but recently, due to constuction issues, had to be rebuilt, causing it to shut down for several months. Everyone town has been obviously craving tacos because of the two times I have gone since it re-opened, my wait time was at least 20 minutes long!

8.  My BFF and I. This photo was one of the first I took with my new phone over a year ago and I just decided to edit and share. We were waiting for an outdoor concert to start (Stevie B, remember him?) and we stopped to pose for a photo. She is getting re-married in a few months and I am really happy for her.

9.  Alyssa's Webkinz pet. I swear that thing is possessed. Every time I turn around 'he' is looking at me so when she placed him on my knee, I took the opportunity to snap a photo. He hasn't looked at me since!

Bah Humbug!

What are you lookin at?

Basically, I am a scrooge. I am not a fun person at this time of year. I once was, but not anymore. For a few reasons, I just do not get into it anymore and for two reasons I make myself smile through it. Those two reasons would be my daughters. Other than that, I would love to sleep straight through to the new year!

The commercialism and all of the thoughtless reasons everyone runs out to buy gifts and make this holiday in to something it should not be, really turns me off. Just the other day I told my youngest to keep in mind what this holiday is all about and not forget it. Hopefully she will always remember the true meaning as she grows up.

Now, most people would say I am a terrible person for thinking this way or that I feel sorry for myself. That, in fact, is not the case. I love my life, I love my girls and I love our time together and sharing the blessings we have been given on every holiday. There is nothing I love more than seeing them smile and giggle and for us to share memories with one another.

My one wish for the holiday would be that everyone would remember the true meaning of this holiday and cherish it and make it an important part of their lives other than worrying about what to buy Cousin Sue or Aunt Bess.  Christmas should be about families sharing the holiday together and remembering that it was the day Jesus was born. 

Busy days...and weeks!

SO much to do, so little time!  Life has just been one big whirlwind of busy-ness lately.

Since Thanksgiving is NEXT WEEK!! What??  I am hoping that everything will calm down for a bit.

A few things that have happened since I got caught up in a tornado that landed me in Oz somewhere:

My girl went to her very first homecoming dance! My baby (not technically, but STILL, my baby) is growing up so fast. Please, someone put on the brakes!
Her dad's words when he saw her all dressed up: "You are NOT going ANYwhere!"  But she did, of course, and she had a blast! She actually went with a little guy that is a friend of hers. Boys: Keep your paws OFF!  Thanks!

I am still working on my running program! Week 4, baby! And I am still alive, can you imagine?? Seriously, it has been much easier than I thought it would be and if I can do it, so can YOU! I am almost half- way through the program, so I am really proud of myself!

My youngest has finished volleyball season and has moved on to basketball.  Can I get a break, please?  Not only is she playing basketball, she is cheering at some of the games she is not playing. Any donations for gas money would be greatly appreciated. Oh and a few xanex wouldn't hurt either!!

Happy Humpday!

Happy Days!

I am definitely in need of some HAPPY this week, so I am joining Mamarazzi to share all of it that I can!
 

I am so very happy that last week even ended! It was a rough week from the start and I will not go into details about all of it in this post because well, this is supposed to be all about the HAPPY in our lives! Right?

 

Although times were rough for us at some point, I am happy that this picture resulted from it all:

 

My girls and their dad!

 

I must say that I am very happy that he is back to his old self and doing quite well after having open heart surgery just 2 months ago. I promise you, those two girls are thrilled too!

 

I am also very happy to announce that I have started this program:

 

Basically, in 9 weeks I will go from the 'couch' to running a 5k. I am really happy that I only have to work at it 20 minutes a day, 3 days a week! Yesterday was my first day of week 1 and I feel great! I've got this, y'all!



What are you all happy about this week??

I Beg Your Pardon?

Let me just start off by saying that if you ever 'attack' me for anything, I am not the type of person who will just sit back and take it with a grain of salt. I will defend myself to the very end! Especially if I know I am right!

On Tuesday afternoon, I was sitting at my desk at work (minding my own business) when a woman who works across the hall came in from lunch and came to the door of our office and began to 'bitch' at me that I was parked wrong and I park bad every single day. I instantly went in to defensive mode!

Stunned, I wasn't quite sure what to say so I just said, "Oh no, I do not." And then I walked my happy ass outside to check it out.



This is what I saw:

This 'high on her horse' woman parked to the left of me here.  As you can see I am not even close to the line and you can not even see her vehicle in the picture so she did not have to park real close to me either!

So WHAT IS THE FREAKING PROBLEM???  As long as I am in between the two yellow lines, I can park sideways or upside down, for that matter!!

I guess she was having a bad day and thought she would pass along some of her negative energy to me. It worked because I could not stop thinking about it all night.  Once I am shunned, I never forget it!

WWTK

Mamarazzi, Queso, and now Crazymama (hey! I thought that was ME!!??) are all the hosts of We Want To Know Wednesday!




Be a peach and link up with the rest of us and let us know the answers to Crazymama's questions:




{1} What is your feel better remedy when you are sick?

To lay in bed all day and do absolutely NOTHING! Also, depending on what is ailing me, medicate myself. Heavily.



{2} When illness strikes, what is your policy on staying home from work, school or church with yourself and the family?

I have gone to work sick! I have gone to work not feeling well. I have gone to work with a headache or a cold. I only miss work if I can not function.
My kids need to be running fever or puking before I let them miss. Which is not often. Mean mom? Nah! Teacher of responsibility? Yes!


{3} What do you think is worse? Flu or cold?

I would say the Flu. I have not had it very often in my life (thank goodness!)


{4} Flu shots? Do you get them? Have you yet?

At one of my former places of employment they would give them to us for free and I got one because they were free. Now, I don't get one. I have never really had the flu either with or without it.


{5} When are are feeling down, what is your usual, go-to therapy? (retail therapy, exercise, comfort food, etc).

Exercise? You have got to be kidding me! Retail therapy and comfort food...hell yeah! Oh and chocolate! Most definitely.

Happy Humpday!

Happy Time

It is time to link up and list all of your 'happiness' with Mamarazzi!  So here goes:




I am SO Happy that I finally got a new hot water heater and now I can have peace of mind.  Last week I really struggled with the stress of dealing with a faulty one and when I finally had e-NUF! I said just bring me a new one!

I am Happy that volleyball season is coming to an end. Although I love watching my baby girl play, it was time for a break. Then today she asked if she could sign up for basketball! Yikes!



I am Happy to have finally signed up for . And so far I am really liking it. Click the button and follow me there, if you do not already! It is really fun to look around and search photos and put them into categories. Other than that I really don't know what I am doing, but come over and be 'lost' with me!

Growing up

I have always believed that most of what I think/say/feel or imagine is just plain ridiculous to most people. Where most people deal with every day occurances and things out of the ordinary with a calm, level head, I do not.

My sister has told me many times that I need to not worry about things that are out of my control. Well little sister, if it is out of my control, then I feel it is all the more reason for me to panic!

Take last night, for instance. My daughter went to take a bath after her sister and I were done with ours and began to yell that she was not getting any hot water. My first instinct was one of panic and fear! The hot water heater (which is not even 5 years old and runs on gas) had given me a little trouble last week when the pilot light went out. My brother in law came over, re-lit it and showed me what to do if it happened again (like I'd remember in a moment of desperation!)

Needless to say, I did not. Even after he walked me through it by phone, I just gave up and turned it off completely. Today a plumber came, cleaned it out, re-lit it and 'taught' me how to do it if the need arises again. I am hoping 'not', but we shall see.

With all of that being said, I just can not help but wonder if I will ever handle a crisis without going off the deep end by yelling, wanting to cry, and basically 'losing it'. I'm 41, I think it's time to grow up!

We Want To Know Wednesday

Time to link up with the one and only Mamarazzi and Queso for this weeks questions and answers!



And here we go:

{1} If you had an extra hour to do ANYTHING for yourself each day what would you do?
     
 I would work out! I am, and have been, seriously considering joining a gym again so that I can get back into shape. Right now with all of the running I do with my girls for extra curricular stuff it is near impossible, but one day soon I hope to work that hour of 'me' time back in to the plan!


{2} Are you a morning person or a night owl?

I am definitely NOT a night owl. By 8:00 most nights I am ready for bed, although I am lucky if I make it there by 9:30 or 10:00. I get up every day during the week at 5:00am. I share a bathroom with two girls. 'Nuf said!


{3} How much sleep do you get on an average night?

Not as much as I would like. I would say probably about 7 and that is if I do not wake up and lay wide awake for an hour somewhere in there. Darn that running brain of mine!

{4} When do you find the time to blog/surf the ol' interweb?

Most of the time, it's at work! I have  LOT of downtime at work (yay me) so in the mornings I read blogs. I actually blog at home when I get a chance or on the rare ocassion I may write up a post at work.

{5} What is the ONE thing you're never too busy for?

Texting, playing Hanging with Friends or Words with Friends on my phone, or of course, facebooking!

Thanks for stopping by and if you haven't already, go ahead and link up!

HAPPY LIST Tuesday!

Once again, the great and wonderful Oz Mamarazzi has me linking up for some Happy List fun! And now she is hosting on Tuesday's, so hopefully I can get more posts in.

In my quest to be more positive and staying happy, this is a terrific outlet for me to put it all out there!
With all of that being said, on to some Happy thoughts:

** I am HAPPY that my oldest daughter is going to the high school Homecoming dance on November 5.  She is a freshman this year so this is her first *real* dance.

** I am HAPPY (and so is she!) that she has a date. She had planned to go regardless, but this makes it all the more exciting!

** We are both HAPPY that she found a dress that she loves and it was only the 4th one she tried on! Thank goodness! Trying to find shoes is a whole different ballgame though. Not fun!

** I am HAPPY that she decided to get her ears pierced, with a little nudging by yours truly, and she's glad I talked her into it! It was a quick decision and a HAPPY one!

** I am very HAPPY that we got to spend some mother/daughter time alone with some shopping and lunch on Saturday. The teenage attitude is quickly growing in her and I'm not sure how much longer before it finally and completely takes over my baby. We had a great day!...and that makes me extremely HAPPY!

It's THAT Time!

The time of year when all of my favorite shows come back and my DVR goes into overdrive!

I am so looking forward to two of my all-time favorite shows that will have season premieres this week:

and then one of my new faves that I caught up on last year via Netflix and watched last seasons episodes:

and then the premiere of a new show that is sure to be a complete hit! Give me some Simon, please!!

Life is good and everything is back to normal in my world when I have my favorite shows to look forward to!

What are YOU watching??

What I've Been Up To...

Work

volleyball games

eye doctor appointments

facebook

cheer practice

orthodontist appointments

Netflix viewings

volleyball practice

weekly religion classes

cooking

chauffering

texting

words with friends

email

DVR recordings

napping

snacking

hanging with friends

twitter

cleaning

visiting

LIVING!

Keith Urban...my new boyfriend

So Google had to go and screw with my stuff here and I'm having issues. No telling what this post will look like when I am done. Geesh!

Anyway, as most of you know, I had a date with Keith Urban this past weekend. It was the most awesome of dates ever and I hope I get another one.

  I belong to his fan club, of course, so I had presale tickets and they were not real close, but he fixed that. He came right out to where we were sitting, straight up the steps, and looked me dead in the eye as he passed.

I know he is off somewhere on the remainder of his tour, dreaming of the day when he will meet me, the mysterious woman, who grabbed his arm and screamed, "OMG! I love you!!", as he walked by.

 When he came back down my way again, I got a good feel of his sweaty arm and screamed like a 12 yr old girl. Yes! I did! All I have to do now if wait for his peeps to send the messenger looking for the girl who he will replace Nicole with!


We had a great time! I love you, Keith!

 He had climbed up the steps near us and played behind our seats!

 The girl I wanna cut for hanging on my man! He was coming back down to see me so I could scream in his 'other' ear!

 The man can FILL OUT some blue jeans in the BUTTOCK area!!

My Sweet Thing!



We Want to Know Wednesday Week 20

As you can see, I am not very consistent with these things, but nothing is my life is consistent right now, so it's very fitting!  Anyhow, join in with Mamarazzi and Queso and tell them what they wanna know!

This weeks' questions are about cellphones. I have an iPhone and I love love love that darn thing. I am attached to it like a fly on crap. Seriously!  So here we go........


{1}Do you prefer to text or call?

I am SO in to the texting thing. If I have a whole lot to say, and I usually do, I will call, but texting is fun fun fun! I have unlimited texting, so hey why not?  Sometimes I will just text something random to a friend just to get a good ole text fest going!
{2}What is the last text message in your phone and who is it from?

The last one I received was from my best friend, telling me that she friend requested this cute guy we went to school with on facebook so she could spy through his friends list to see if another guy she used to have a crush on was there. Yes! We are some juicy gossip queens! And messy too. Love it!
{3}What are your favorite phone apps?

There are LOTS! Of course, facebook and twitter are a must and I play Words With Friends and Hanging With Friends. I usually have multiple games going on at once. Plus, there is an app called SHAZAM...if a song comes on the radio that I want to know the name and artist , I just click on the app, put my phone next to the radio and it 'listens' to a snippet of the song and tells me who and what it is. Love!  Being a music lover makes this a 'must'. Oh and let me tell you about another must have, especially if you go the movies often...the Run Pee app! It will tell you when in the movie it is ok to run to the potty so that you do not miss anything important! How cool is that?? I love it.
{4}At what age do you think kids are ready for a cell phone?

My daughter was 13 (almost 14) when she got hers. I think I made the right decision, because before that I saw no need for her to have it, and it is so nice to be able to keep in touch when she is with a friend or at her dads. Any younger than that, I see no need for it. Especially with how costly they are!
{5}Share a current pic or video taken with your phone.

My baby girl playing volleyball. That white blur in front of her is the ball she just smacked! Love it!

Now link up and play along.

Happy Humpday!

It has been a Long HOT Summer....

It has been almost 3 weeks since my last blog post and I have really missed it. Sometimes I find myself getting into some sort of a 'funk' and for the life of me can not make myself do much of anything that I absolutely do not have to.

As of today I am going to try and get out of that, or maybe I should say force myself out of it for some therapeutic reasons.

There have been many things going on around here lately. One being the aftermath of my breakup, which is still not going really well. The emails had ended and then I received  what I thought, and what he said, was the last text and his closure. Then on Sunday I had an email. It was nice and just asked how I was doing and what I had been up to. My mistake: answering it!  The emails and tons of texts have started up all over again.

My brain tells me to say I am done and please leave me alone, but my heart hurts for him and I soften. In reality, all I am doing is making it worse for him and for me by letting this continue. As for all of that, we are not in a good place right now.

School is in full swing now and well, I was not ready for it to start and I am still not thrilled about it. Volleyball and cheer practice have me running everywhere all of the time and although it makes me happy to see my kids happy, it is hot people!  So hot that the heat index has been anywhere from 100 to 117 here and getting in my vehicle and going anywhere in not enjoyable, to say the least.

Somewhere that I am going this weekend will be very enjoyable though, and I have been anticipating it for months now.  I am going to see this hottie......

Yeah, that would be Keith Urban and if my plan works out right, then he will spot me in the crowd, fall madly in love, leave Nicole ( I love you, Nicole!) and carry me off into the sunset to live happily ever after!

 A girl can dream, right?  Why yes she can! Now crank it up and watch this hot video!!

We Want To Know Wednesday

I'm joining in, once again on We Wanna Know Wednesday!  The hosts are Mamarazzi and Alicia AKA Queso. Here we go....

{1} If you could spend a day with a blogger, who you haven't met in real life, who would you choose?

I would have to choose Lynn!  We've been online friends for awhile now and we both share a passion for photography. I would love to spend the day with her so we could go on a photo shoot together.

{2} What website do you check first when you go online?
Without a doubt, it's Facebook.  I am on there numerous times during the day. I may be a little addicted!

{3} What is something you are saving money for right now?
I am actually really saving! I know, it's a miracle, but I am saving for a new car. Right now I drive a 2002 Dodge Caravan. It's still in pretty good shape, but almost 10 years old. I'd like to get a new car within the next year.

{4} What is your go to silly face when a silly face is needed? You know the face, that one you pull out when goofin' for the camera. (post a pic of it and be entered to win a prize from Mamarazzi)

Yep, this is it...this is my "leave me alone"... "get outta my face"...."quit trying to take my picture"  face! Lovely, ain't it??

{5} How do you relieve stress?
MUSIC!  I either get in my vehicle and blast the radio, or I put my iPod on and turn it really loud. Sometimes I may turn up iTunes on my computer and blast it good when I am home alone. Music has always been a huge part of my life and really makes me happy and calms me.

Now link up and give us your post...We wanna know...

Breaking up is hard to do...

Nothing lasts forever....

But then when you least expect it, new things are on the horizon.

Two weeks ago, I broke up with my boyfriend of 4 years.  It was one of the hardest things I ever had to do.  After this past week of rollercoaster emotions, I do not know if or when this will get any easier.

For a very long time now, I have not really been happy in this relationship. It was not because he didn't treat me well or love me with all that he had, because he could not have been better to me.  There were just SO many issues that I just could not handle.

We live 100 miles apart. I did not like his kids. At all! I tried! I really did try and it just would not work.  There were many other issues too that I won't go into. It's just hard. And it sucks.

I was married for 11 years and I had the worst pain and suffering in my divorce that I have ever felt in my life. I made a promise to myself that I could not and would not settle for anything less than what I felt I needed and deserved. So this tiny step in to freedom has made me feel like I made the right decision.  I had to hurt someone who I cared about a whole lot. He has lashed out at me through lots of emails and text messages and he seems to be having a hard time coping.

Part of me feels so relieved that I did it. Yet another part of me is miserable.........

Heart Surgery~ Done!

Wow! I did not realize it had been so long since I've been around! Time flies even when you are not having fun!

So many things happening lately. One thing at a time...

My ex husband had his heart surgery last week and everything went fine. Well once he had one minor setback, that is.

The surgery was on Tuesday morning and by noon they were finished and everything had gone well. However, the next morning at 3 am my phone woke me out of a hard sleep. It was his mom letting me know that he had some sort of internal bleeding and they had called the surgical team back in. He was going back in to surgery. I was sick!

At 6 am that same morning he was out of surgery and was again doing just fine.

As the hours went by he continued to progress and we were able to get updates regularly.  I told my youngest daughter that I just may have to sedate her along with her dad because she was a basket case!

Finally on the Friday he was well enough for me to take them to visit, although he was still in ICU.

Saturday we went back again and he was in his own private room and was getting up and around. Walking, talking, eating and showering.

Monday he came home and they picked up the girls on the way back and they have been staying there to help him out.

Thanks for all of the prayers, they were much needed and greatly appreciated. And they worked!

I should have married a doctor...

I saw my 'female' doctor this week. I do indeed have a few cysts in my uterus...some, the size of golf balls!

He really is not too concerned at this point, because he says that cysts are common and most women have them.

Also, I am not having any major symptoms or discomfort from them right now. Sooo, in two months he wants to see me again. If they have grown or my symptoms worsen, then he will remove my uterus. Just my uterus...and leave my ovaries.

My regular doctor is supposed to be sending me to a specialist for a second opinion about my liver. Remember that? Well, obviously he doesn't because they still have not called me. I called and they were supposed to get back with me, and two days later, still nothing.

Again, this is not anything to be worried about (easy for them to say!) but the waiting bugs me.

Somebody fix me!!.......yesterday.

Saturday Happy!

It is Saturday and it is time for some Happy stuff!

On my HAPPY List this week:

NKOTBSB!

If you do not know what that stands for, it is New Kids on The Block and The BackStreet Boys!

I saw them last night, in concert, with my oldest daughter!

We had a BLAST!

HAPPY!!

At the end of last year when the show was announced, I really wanted to go but my other favorite right now, Keith Urban was also coming (and that makes me VERY HAPPY too) so I prioritized! However, when the show got closer, down to this week, I could not pass it up! Since I did not win any tickets, I figured I may as well buy the tickets and go!

I am so HAPPY I did not pass it up! What a show! Reminiscing over all of the old songs and re-living my early 20's was awesome! I am so very HAPPY I got to share it with my daughter. She really did enjoy herself. And that makes me HAPPY too!

Link up with Mamarazzi and tell us what makes YOU happy!