Love, and all good things to you.

I've given this a lot of thought and I've decided to discontinue my blog. I have enjoyed keeping it for these four years and have met many other bloggers that are wonderful and have amazing lives and stories to share. Lately, I haven't been posting much and I think it's because life is so full right now and all my attention is on our now and future plans. I have so much ahead and I want to give that my full attention. I cannot, however, sever my ties to all you awesome folks, so I will continue to visit and comment on your blogs and enjoy keeping up with you in your lives. Please take care and may God bless you in all your days. Love.

On Hold

You'll be seeing less of me on here for a bit. Reason? We'll be on the move...again. H has finished his training and we will be heading back to NM. Right after, we will be on the road to Utah and Idaho to visit family and a few friends. So, I have a ton of packing and cleaning to do. Hope you all have a wonderful end of September and beginning of October, if I'm not back on here before then. Take care and God bless.

The first 11 years.

Last night, H and I celebrated our 11th anniversary by leaving the kids with a sitter and heading out on a date. We went to dinner at Texas Roadhouse...love those rolls, then went to a honkytonk for some pool and dancing. We scored the only free pool table and played until we got our butts handed to us by a pro. It was great. The music was awesome...lots of George Strait. And then, before we left they dedicated a dance to H from me and it was "Amazed" by Lonestar. I didn't pick the song, but it couldn't have been more perfect. Here's the lyrics:

Every time our eyes meet
This feeling inside me
Is almost more than I can take
Baby when you touch me
I can feel how much you love me
And it just blows me away
I've never been this close to anyone or anything
I can hear your thoughts
I can see your dreams

I don't know how you do what you do
I'm so in love with you
It just keeps getting better
I want to spend the rest of my life
With you by my side
Forever and ever
Every little thing that you do
Baby, I'm amazed by you

The smell of your skin
The taste of your kiss
The way you whisper in the dark
Your hair all around me
Baby you surround me
You touch every place in my heart
Oh, it feels like the first time, every time
I want to spend the whole night in your eyes

I don't know how you do what you do
I'm so in love with you
It just keeps getting better
I want to spend the rest of my life
With you by my side
Forever and ever
Every little thing that you do
Baby, I'm amazed by you

Every little thing that you do
I'm so in love with you
It just keeps getting better
I want to spend the rest of my life
With you by my side
Forever and ever
Every little thing that you do
Baby, I'm amazed by you

And that's what it feels like...every year has been better than the last. And he's still the best person I know. I pray we can have many more years together and are always able to work through the rough spots. I'm a blessed woman.

11 Years

Today is our 11th anniversary. We'll be doing something fun tonight. Think I know what it is, but no plans are ever final. Will update later. Yay for us! 11 years! And we like each other more than when we started. That's a good way to go.

I'd like to claim it's genetic, but I think she just learns from our mistakes.

Me (to Tiny): If you had a bunch of money, what would you do?

Tiny: Pay my taxes.

Smart girl I'm raising.

Wiling away the hot summer days.

Moving things around a bit. Trying out a new layout and title. Seeing how they fit. Just needing to change it up a little. Here's what we've been up to...

4th of July weekend with some fireworks and playing on a boat.

Kicking back

Enjoying some good food

(Yes, that's butter. He loves it.)

Watching a few movies

Playing dress up

Running through a sprinkler or two

Gaining battle scars (this one is from trying to shave like daddy after finding a disposable razor)

Working on our balance

Meeting new friends

Hitting the road

Watching a few more movies

And heading to the library about 3 times a week.

It's a tough life...but someone's gotta do it.

Lest you think I'm dead...

I better post something to keep this blog going. Although, I've been thinking more and more about ceasing my posts. With facebook, email, and texting, it's pretty easy to keep up with friends and keep them updated on us. However, if I didn't do this, I probably wouldn't keep any kind of journal/log of life. I suck at journaling.

So, I just wanted to let you know we're doing well. Tiny has made many friends out here and isn't dreading starting at a new school, albeit for only about 1 1/2 months, since she'll know a few people. Mister is wiling away his summer playing video games and watching movies. I should probably get him to be more active, but I'd be doing the exact same thing if I could. Little Man is now 2 and his daddy is now 35. This weekend we celebrated by going to Sea World and then a family party the following day. If you're ever thinking of visiting Sea World during the summer...DON'T. I felt like I was melting all day. And we only stayed a few hours because it was just too hot. But we did get to see the Shamu show and ride a roller coaster and see the animals.

H is enjoying his classes and is learning a lot. He's been ace-ing all his tests and seems to be really into his new career path. I am still putting together my packet to apply to the AF officer board. I got my physical taken care of, and while they want me to get another test to make sure my ticker is working great, I can move forward in the application process without them requiring that test for it. When I am chosen, they can run the test then. Sounds good to me. So, I have started the paper work and am going to gather up everything else I need. Then polish it all up and send it off in December. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE cross your finger, say a prayer, think good thoughts that the next board won't be cancelled like the last two were. If it is, I will have to wait until April to apply. I'd rather do all this sooner than later. Because after I'm selected, it will likely be another year before I leave for training. So, like I said, the sooner, the better.

In other things, I am hurting to find a good hair stylist that I can trust to dye my hair. That is a hard part of moving, you have to start over again at each place to find the best stylist, dentist, routes, etc. So, if anyone knows a good stylist in San Angelo, TX, please pass along the info.

Well, I'm off. I'll see ya when I see ya.

I'm going to blame the heat.

I have some updates from the 4th of July weekend and some about our new home in San Angelo. But I am lacking the motivation and resources at the moment to post those. So, be on the look out soon. Hope you're all doing well.

Big Hair, Big Buckles, Big Pain in the Butt

Now I have nothing whatsoever against Texans. Actually, I love them. Everything from their Texas drawl, to the big hair, and, finally, their cowboys...the men, not the team. Gotta love the Lord for making those. So, what is about to follow should not be misconstrued as dislike for the people, just the behavior.

Since arriving in Texas for the summer, I've noticed an irritating habit of the people here. Whenever we are in a store, whether it's a grocery store, Wal-mart, or even Lowes, the customers will stop wherever they may, stand there, and JUST NOT MOVE. They could be in the middle of the aisle, seeing you coming right at them knowing that you would like to get by, and they will stay put. They might even be standing right in front of something you need and you can walk this way and that around them, scoot up into their personal bubble, and even stand right there visibly irritated at their immobility....and they will not move an inch.

Are they daring you to say something? Take action? What? Yesterday, I went to Lowes with all three kiddos in tow to get a few things. While looking at the hoses, this woman parks her cart on the left side of the aisle and stands on the right. No big deal except that there was a display in the center and SHE SAW ME COMING. What do you do? I patiently waited, made a little noise, and then just moved her cart out of the way. I think "subtle" is not a trait in Texas.

Fill-In-The-Blank

1. My dream vacation would be to travel every place that my family has dreamed of going. Mister would choose Venice. H would like to go back to Spain. I would like to go to New York. Not sure where Tiny and Little Man would choose, but we'd have a blast.

2. The best trip I've ever taken is when I went on a study abroad to London. We also went to some surrounding areas and spent a weekend in Ireland. I think my friends made it all really great.

3. The most important items to take on a road trip are great music, twisted pretzels and caffeine!

4. The next trip I'm looking forward to is Texas for the summer and hopefully, Padre Island for the 4th.

5. If I had to pick one CD to listen to for a long road trip it would be any George Strait CD.

6. The biggest disaster I've ever encountered while traveling was the scary situation while camping in Taos...can't even talk about it.

7. My favorite traveling memory is every place I've gone with my family. We've road-tripped to the east coast, up through NM, CO, UT, and ID, and the west coast. We always have fun and have made some great memories. We got another one coming soon.

So true

Had to post this. Not sure if you've ever paid attention to the lyrics of this Taylor Swift song. But they ring so true. It's too bad that if we were ever able to go back and tell our teenage self that bigger things are waiting for us and to not take it all too seriously, we wouldn't be likely to listen...because we knew it all. But, this is still a great song.

"Fifteen"

You take a deep breath and you walk through the doors
It's the morning of your very first day
You say "Hi" to your friends you ain't seen in a while
Try and stay out of everybody's way
It's your freshman year and you're gonna be here
For the next four years in this town
Hoping one of those senior boys will wink at you and say
"You know I haven't seen you around, before"

'cause when you're fifteen and somebody tells you they love you
You're gonna believe them
And when you're fifteen
Feeling like there nothing to figure out
Well count to ten, take it in
This is life before you know who you're gonna be
Fifteen

You sit in class next to a redhead named Abigail
And soon enough you're best friends
Laughing at the other girls who think they're so cool
We'll be out of here as soon as we can
And then you're on your very first date and hes got a car
And you're feeling like flying
And you're mommas waiting up and you think hes the one
And you're dancing round your room when the night ends
When the night ends

'cause when you're fifteen and somebody tells you they love you
You're gonna believe them
When you're fifteen and your first kiss
Makes your head spin round but
In your life you'll do things greater than dating the boy of the football team
But I didn't know it at fifteen

When all you wanted was to be wanted
Wish you could go back and tell yourself what you know now
Back then I swore I was gonna marry him someday
But I realized some bigger dreams of mine

And Abigail gave everything she had to a boy
Who changed his mind and we both cried

'cause when you're fifteen and somebody tells you they love you
You're gonna believe them
And when you're fifteen, don't forget to look before you fall
Ive found that time can heal most anything
And you just might find who you're supposed to be
I didn't know who I was supposed to be at fifteen

La la la la la .. la la la la la .. La la la la la

Your very first day
Take a deep breath girl
Take a deep breath as you walk through those doors.

Hurry up and wait.

So, I went for my AF physical on Tuesday and it seems that I came through the physical with passing marks. But, they want me to get a more recent test on my heart to make sure there are no problems and that it functions properly and such. So, I am waiting for a call to schedule that appointment, then I will travel back up to Albuquerque, do the test, and then wait for another call to see if all is approved. I am just really glad that they haven't said no yet. I am hoping that I will be able to take care of all of this before we head to TX for the summer in a week.

The visit was an experience. I met a lot of kids that were there to ship out that same day for different military branches. I was the oldest person there for processing. I felt a bit old, but was told that I could easily pass for 5 years younger. That helped. I will definitely keep you updated and please cross your fingers that I will get called soon. Thanks.

This really tweaks my melon.

I came across this article on yahoo about a woman that fell asleep during her flight on United Airlines. She didn't wake up when the plane landed, and for some reason, the crew missed that she was still onboard when they exited the plane and locked it up. The woman awoke 3 1/2 hours later and wasn't able to get off the plane for a while.

Now, I can understand being in her situation and becoming angry. Even filing a complaint. But, no, she is actually suing the airline for negligence, false imprisonment, and emotional trauma. Come on. I mean, she's not a 5-year-old that woke up all alone on an empty, locked bus. She's a grown woman, one that could have picked up her cell phone, or the plane phone, and called for help. Sounds to me like she is trying to take advantage of the airline's mistake for all that she can get out of it. So, sorry, no sympathy from me, past her understandable annoyance.

And then, I came across this article about Beyonce being sued because she was filming a music video and the neighbor of the location was inconvenienced by the crew, their traffic, and the noise they made when he was sound asleep at 7 am. Again, I can understand annoyance, complaining, and even asking for some reparation. But suing seems a bit unnecessary.

I mean, after all, there ARE a lot of other things to worry about in the world right now. Important things. Like, gushing oil poisoning the ocean and killing millions of creatures each day. Like, protesters torching buildings in Bangkok.

Come on, people. How about we get some priorities straight and stop acting like temper tantrum-throwing, red-faced, insufferable brats. Thank you.

I am soooo there, it's insane!

I got it. I got the approval for my Air Force physical. I will be heading up on Monday night, they are putting me up in a hotel, and I will catch the shuttle to MEPS early Tuesday morning. I expect to be there ALL day. They're the military, of course they have to make me wait forever. Hurry up and wait at MEPS. But I don't care. I'm so excited to be finally going. Did I mention that I've been trying to get a physical since last August?! Well, it's finally going to happen. YAY!

Now that I have celebrated, I must ask that you PLEASE send me a lot of good thoughts and prayers. This physical is my biggest hurdle between me and applying to the AF. I am healthy, but I had some issues when I was younger that had an effect on my heart and they will be doing a scan of it to make sure it's tip-top. So, please remember me and send good vibes. I appreciate it and I will update you as soon as I hear back on it. Thank you.

Hanging in there.

Quick update:

Tiny is playing baseball and her team is undefeated, and they are like 6 games in. She's having a blast, which is what it's all about. She is also going on a lot of field trips. The next is to the pool and I need to get her a new bathing suit. Last summer's bikini is probably waaaaay too small now.

Mister is thinking of giving up the cello, after three years. His elective choices for next year are art, p.e., and career tech. Apparently, in career tech, they learn about all kinds of technology used in different careers. They will be building models, trying out robotics, computer programs and animation. All this sounds right up his alley.

Little Man is talking so much and repeating everything. He was poking his head in the computer room today and kept saying something that sounded like "ryback". Which, I figured out, was for "be right back". Another favorite is when he tells me "momma, watch. momma, watch." And if I don't pay attention right away, he uses my first name and tells me "watch". Then he'll show me something or show off some new move. He's a blast.

And I am working half the week, shuttling Tiny to baseball four days a week, Mister to his weeding job three days a week, and I'm taking care of Little Man every other minute of the day. I'm tired and miss H. A few more weeks and we will be joining him in TX. Hanging in there.

Present and Accounted For

I'm still around. Just busy and tired. H left for TX two weeks ago and will be there for 6 months. We plan to stay with him during the summer though. But that's still about 4 weeks away. Needless to say, we miss him and can't wait to head to the heat and humidity in San Angelo. H is cross-training into a new career field for the Air Force and is at tech school. We're hoping that he will learn a lot and it will help him in his future career endeavors.

Meanwhile, we are here, me and the kiddos. Little Man is a large bundle of mischief and energy. And I'm used to having my helpmate to calm the whirlwind that he is. But we are doing our best and have done okay so far.

As for my AF goals, I am going to be looking into the officer positions available in the Reserves. But, for now, I'm STILL waiting to hear back if I can get my physical. All your prayers and good thoughts would be greatly appreciated. Serving my country is something I REALLY want to do in my life and know that looking back, I will always be proud to have fulfilled that service. So, I'll keep you updated.

The Story Continues...

My roommate, Trish, sat cross-legged on the floor, staring at me with confusion as dress after dress flew out of the closet, across the room, and onto my bed. I was running out of clothes to throw and my bed was about to completely disappear.

"This is impossible!" I yelled. "How do you dress for a date with a complete stranger? I don't even know where we're going!"

"Remind me again. Why are you going?" Trish asked.

I stopped my frantic search and turned to her. My brain tried to process an answer, but came up empty.

"I don't know," I sighed. "It makes no sense. I know nothing about him but his name." I collapsed onto the edge of the only visible corner of my bed. "And that he has some kind of grudge against 80's music."

"He could be a total weirdo. And how did he know where you lived? Now that's kind of creepy," Trish pointed out with a look of barely-hidden worry.

"I know, Trish. It makes no sense. But, I think that's why I want to go."

___________________________________________________________________

Charles Silver was punctual. That was the second thing I learned about him. The third was that he didn't own a car.

I had been told by my mother when I was fifteen that you could tell a lot about a man by the car he drives. She would point out the small, but well-maintained economy-sized cars and judge the driver to be "responsible and stable". The neutral-colored four-door sedans received an "unimaginative" or "married". And the flashy two-seat sport cars usually garnered the same response as the monster-sized pick-up trucks that required a ladder to dismount. She would smirk and just say, "Over-compensation."

Once I was old enough to understand her definitions, it became habit to try to classify men in this way. Unfortunately, it was not going to help me any with unlocking the mystery that was Charles Silver. Mom never classified bicycles for me.

He pulled up to the curb on a tall, black bike, his helmet covered in artwork that looked a lot like a fire-breathing Cocker Spaniel. I knew then what my second question for him would be at dinner.

"Wow. You're here," he stated, surprised but still wearing that confident smirk.

"I'm here." I eyed his bike. "Sooo, where are we going?" I paused. "And how are we getting there?"

His lips spread in a wide smile.

"Food is our destination. And I can offer you two options." He motioned to the front of the bike. "The handlebars, with a magnificent view? Or, the seat, with the security of your arms around me?" He waved toward the seat.

At that moment, I was grateful that I had chosen to wear the shorter, black dress and ballet flats that Trish insisted on, instead of the long dress and heels that I was favoring.

"Well, why not? Here goes nothing," I mumbled under my breath as I gathered the skirt of my dress and headed to the seat.

"Prefer security, eh?" Charles teased as he glanced over his shoulder at me. "Well, I'd bet money it won't be long until you're up front, enjoying the view and holding on for dear life."

I didn't know why, but it seemed to me that Charles Silver was more sure about who I was than I did.

To Be Continued...

This is some random writing that I did back in April of last year and I never got around to continuing the story. So, this is to refresh my blog memory and to, hopefully, urge me on to writing the next part.


I walked along the gravel-covered ruts through the cemetery. The stone markers were haphazardly strewn throughout the grass, as if the earth were rejecting their intrusion and the intrusion of those they marked. The wind breathed through the tall grass and stirred applause from the millions of leaves on the trees. I couldn't remember the last time my life was this still. Everything around me was speaking, reminding me that it was all alive.

I almost become lost in their voices until my eyes fell upon the rough headstone. SILVER. "It is better to have loved and lost than to never have...ah, what a load of crap." He always did have a strange sense of humor. Like the time we met. I was staring at a poster for the theater group's production of Moulin Rouge on the community board of the campus when his voice interrupted my thoughts with, "Why go and see that when I can just tell you about it right now. They all sing a conglomerate of 80's pop, fall into forbidden love, and the girl dies a tragic, but beautiful, death. There. Now you have that night free to have dinner with me."

I turned to see a mischievous smirk upon the face of a man who could only be described as boyishly charming, as cliche as that was. But I had heard enough pickup lines to know that I shouldn't give in too easily to a witty remark and its accompanying smile, no matter how cute he was.

"What makes you think that I don't happen to love 80's pop, or that I would go to dinner with you, a complete stranger?" I asked him coyly, using emphasis on the word strange.

"Are you kidding? One, nobody likes 80's pop. At least, not enough to sit through two hours of it. And two, I would think it would much more exciting to spend those two hours enjoying dinner with a complete stranger than any length of time listening to an odd blend of Madonna and The Police."

I had absolutely no comeback to this and he stole the advantage by quickly adding, "Great. I will meet you outside of Henley Hall, 7 p.m., Friday."

"Wait. How did you know I live at Henley Hall? You don't even know my name."

"Sure I do. Barbara."
He waited for my reaction, and must have seen my confusion.
"Sara? Beth?" That same smile spread across his face again. "Ok, so I don't know your name. What shall I call the lady that will be haunting my thoughts for the rest of my existence?"

"Paulette. But you still didn't tell me how you knew where I lived."

"Ah, that I will save for you until our date. Until then, I think I will just let you go mad trying to figure it out. And just so we're not on uneven footing, the name is Charles, Charles Silver." He walked away, slowly picking up speed, but still managed to look back once more with that same grin on his face, like he definitely had a secret, and I was it.

Friday Fun

Once again, I have snagged a list from Laugh Outloud. It's from fill-in-the-blank Friday. Enjoy, steal, share.

1. The first thing I do in the morning is hit the snooze button.. at least five times. It's a good thing my alarm is my phone and it's on vibrate.

2. Every night before bed I take the only free time I have to myself to use the computer, watch a little tv, or read a good book until I can't keep my eyes open anymore.

3. My favorite thing to do when I'm having a bad day is take a nap, even if it's just for 15 minutes.

4. Something that makes me cringe is the dentist drill and cutting my leg while shaving.

5. Social situations are usually really fun, and a great reason to get a little dressy.

6. I like to collect bells from places I visit. I have some from London and Ireland.

7. Weekends are for cleaning house, chilling with family, relaxing, and doing something fun.

Flying High

H's reserve unit celebrated it's official activation with a semi-formal banquet last week. It's the first formal function we've attended since he joined the reserves. And since we rarely get to to dress up and get out of the house sans kiddos, we really did it up. H bought a new suit, which he was really needing anyway since the last suit doesn't fit so well since he's lost 60 lbs. I also bought a gorgeous dress that I loved the minute I tried it on. On this rare occasion, I also got a mani, pedi, and wore more eye make-up than usual. What can I say...I'm a no-frills kinda gal most days. But, oh, I sure enjoyed the pampering.

The banquet was full of good food, GREAT cake (from Linda's cakes), and speakers that shared and honored the history of the 44th group. The 301st Fighter Group are also under the 44th, and the original 301st group were the Tuskegee Airmen. THE Tuskegee Airmen. And there were four of the original airmen at the banquet. It was an honor to be in the same room with these men. It was amazing. I HAD to get some pictures with them. Also present were some of the original 44th Bomb Group. Each of the veterans were honored with a statuette of a fighter plane. One woman received the statuette for her late husband and she said, "He was always on time and on target. And he never made a mistake...just look at me." She was awesome and so appreciative. The keynote speaker was a vet who is now a lawyer that fights for veterans that were never honored with medals for valiant service and actions. He has been instrumental in making sure that these veterans receive the medals and honor they are due. One veteran received his medal during the activation ceremonies that day after over 60 years of waiting for it. It was awesome. Being in that banquet with all those that have served and are serving made me so proud. And it makes me want to be a part of it even more. So, remember all those that make your freedom possible and say a prayer for them. And if you see a service member, thank them for their service, without hesitation.

Stolen from Laugh Out Loud:

Laugh Out Loud put this up first. I'm just following her hilarious footsteps. Personally, I didn't think the first few were that funny, but some of the rest had me in stitches.

"Random Thoughts of 25-35 year olds:

1. - Do you remember when you were a kid, playing Nintendo and it wouldn't work? You take the cartridge out, blow in it and that would magically fix the problem. Every kid in America did that, but how did we all know how to fix the problem? There was no internet or message boards or FAQ's. We just figured it out. Today's kids are soft.
2. - Sometimes, I'll watch a movie that I watched when I was younger and suddenly realize I had no idea what was going on when I first saw it.
3. - I think everyone has a movie that they love so much, it actually becomes stressful to watch it with other people. I'll end up wasting 90 minutes shiftily glancing around to confirm that everyone's laughing at the right parts, then making sure I laugh just a little bit harder (and a millisecond earlier) to prove that I'm still the only one who really, really gets it.
4. - How the in the heck are you supposed to fold a fitted sheet?
5. - I would rather try to carry 10 plastic grocery bags in each hand than take 2 trips to bring my groceries in.
6. - I think part of a best friend's job should be to immediately clear your computer history if you die.
7. - The only time I look forward to a red light is when I’m trying to finish a text.
8. - LOL has gone from meaning, "laugh out loud" to "I have nothing else to say".
9. - I have a hard time deciphering the fine line between boredom and hunger.
10. - Answering the same letter three times or more in a row on a Scantron test is absolutely petrifying.
11. - How many times is it appropriate to say "What?" before you just nod and smile because you still didn't hear what they said?
12. - I love the sense of camaraderie when an entire line of cars teams up to prevent a jerk from cutting in at the front. Stay strong, brothers!
13. - While driving yesterday I saw a banana peel in the road and instinctively swerved to avoid it...thanks Mario Kart.
14. - MapQuest really needs to start their directions on #5. Pretty sure I know how to get out of my neighborhood.
15. - I find it hard to believe there are actually people who get in the shower first and THEN turn on the water.
16. - Shirts get dirty. Underwear gets dirty. Pants? Pants never get dirty.
17. - Whenever I'm Facebook stalking someone and I find out that their profile is public I feel like a kid on Christmas morning. 546 pictures? Don't mind if I do!
18. - If Carmen San Diego and Waldo ever got together, their offspring would probably just be completely invisible.
19. -Why is it that during an ice-breaker, when the whole room has to go around and say their name and where they are from, I get so incredibly nervous? Like I know my name, I know where I'm from, this shouldn't be a problem....
20. - You never know when it will strike, but there comes a moment at work when you've made up your mind that you just aren't doing anything productive for the rest of the day.
21. - Can we all just agree to ignore whatever comes after DVDs? I don't want to have to restart my collection.
22. - I'm always slightly terrified when I exit out of Word and it asks me if I want to save any changes to my ten page research paper that I swear I did not make any changes to.
23. - "Do not machine wash or tumble dry" means I will never wash this ever.
24. - I hate leaving my house confident and looking good and then not seeing anyone of importance the entire day. What a waste.
25. - When I meet a new person, I'm terrified of mentioning something they haven’t already told me but that I have learned from some light internet stalking.
26. - Sometimes I'll look down at my watch 3 consecutive times and still not know what time it is.
27. - I keep some people's phone numbers in my phone just so I know not to answer when they call.
28. - Even if I knew your social security number, I wouldn't know what do to with it.
29. - Even under ideal conditions people have trouble locating their car keys in a pocket and Pinning the Tail on the Donkey - but I’d bet everyone can find and push the Snooze button from 3 feet away, in about 1.7 seconds, eyes closed, first time every time...
30. - It really makes me mad when I want to read a story on CNN.com and the link takes me to a video instead of text.
31. - I wonder if cops ever gets mad at the fact that everyone they drive behind obeys the speed limit.
32. - I think the freezer deserves a light as well.
33. - I hate when I just miss a call by the last ring (Hello? Hello? Dangit!), but when I immediately call back, it rings nine times and goes to voicemail. What'd you do after I didn't answer? Drop the phone and run away?"

Some vids at the end of a good day.

It seems that everywhere I looked online today, there were video clips. In the news and on some of my fav blogs. Guess it's just the day to watch vids. Enjoy.

"Chinese Susan Boyle?" Wonder how much practice this took?

New Nike Tiger Woods Ad A media ploy that I would never have thought of. Too much? Or suprisingly appropriate?

Determination to the Point of Stupidity by DIY diva. I love that she recorded herself, and love more that she posted it.

Feetie bla bla blas by Lemon Gloria. Jordan is a cutie, and very talented.

Soooo...now what?

Well, the official word has come down and the OTS boards are cancelled until further notice. Some are speculating that it will be two years before anyone else gets accepted as an Air Force officer.

Soooo, yeah.

Well, I am going to be looking at my options, thinking, and praying for a while. In the meantime, I am still working 2-3 days a week at the HR office and still love it. I am also enjoying my family, helping my mom however I can in her job search, and occasionally feeling the tug of my brain trying to get me to write something, anything, down on paper to get one step closer to actually writing that elusive book on my bucket list. I am also feeling the guilt of not exercising my P90X around my waistline. Ugh. Motivation, where are you when I so desperately need you?

Anyone got a cuppa I can borrow?

BTW, if anyone knows of a job that would pay me boatloads of cash to organize people's houses for a living, without actually having to deal with the people during the process, that would be magic. Thanks.

Living Life.

We made it back home safely after our trip to Utah. Gotta say though, as good as Little Man was for me on the road, I don't think I will be making any long trips without H again. We missed him and it's so much easier to travel with two adults.

The kids were able to visit their BFFs. However, I don't think Mister would call his friend that any sooner than he would call her his "girl" friend either. I was also able to visit with 3 of my 4 closest friends, my LonDolls. I was glad to find them doing well, living life and overcoming challenges with the style that only they have.

My blogging will likely go from random to sparse in the next while. I am trying to spend less time on the computer and more time focused on life.

Before I go for now, a quick update on my military aspirations. There are rumors circulating among officer candidates, as well as some recruiters, that the next selection board may be cancelled. The first one of this year was cancelled already. An email was sent to some recruiters letting them know that they are looking to cut back on AF personnel. The cancellation has not been confirmed and nothing official is being said, but usually where there is smoke, there is fire. So, it wouldn't be a shock if it was cancelled now...just a huge disappointment. We'll know more on Monday. So, keep this in your thoughts and prayers. Thanks and hope you all have a Happy Easter.

Still alive. Travelled to Utah with the kiddos. They're doing good for such a long trip. Now we're enjoying visiting family and friends. Take care all and have a good spring break.

Some days you're the windshield, some days you're the bug,...and somedays, you're covered in puke.

Since H has started working full-time again, at a job with good pay, I am staying home more with Little Man. And while I love him to pieces, it's been kinda hard to adjust to staying home again. I am still trying to work two days a week. Why would I do this, you ask, since the pay isn't much and the hours would be slim indeed? Well, working this job, I believe that I have found something I really like doing. I am also surrounded by some awesome women at work. And I am gaining skills that are invaluable to my future career plans, both computer skills and office skills.

I've never worked someplace that I could actually say I really loved it. In other jobs, the work was either tedious or boring, or the coworkers were...well, less than desireable coworkers...to put it nicely. But this job has a wonderful blend of good, productive work, great coworkers, and intellectual stimulation.

So, staying home is a bit tough some days. Little Man is getting a jumpstart on his "terrible twos" and his Irish is showing. Of course, I'm often the same kind of stubborn, and I don't have a drop of Irish in me. So, I may have just disproved that stereotype. A-n-y-w-a-y....

Today, he was quite calm, but was also puking all morning. Poor kiddo. His stomach was pretty unhappy with something and it was determined to evict it. We were sitting on the couch, cuddling, and OUT it came again. After he was done, I was scooping him up in his blanket, puke and all, to head to the bath, and he looked back at the covered couch and said, "Ewww." I just laughed and agreed, "Yeah, ewww."

After a long nap, he looked much better and has kept everything down since. Before bed though, he was passing some hellacious gas. At least it's on that end of the works now and there's a diaper there to catch anything spontaneously combusting on that end of things. TMI...I know, TMI.

Who Knew?

Who knew that a tee shirt could cause such a stir?
Let me explain.

Tiny and I went to my new fav, absolutely awesome store Rue 21. (It's probably been around for forever, and I'm likely just late in discovering it, but hey...that's me.) So, we were taking our time, checking out everything in the store and just being girly. They have $2 and $5 sale racks of clothes that I always hit first and then the accessory display of sale items. And I decided that it was time to get myself some cute tee shirts. Now, I have tee shirts, but they usually all fall under two categories.....nice ones that have been ruined by stains or are thaaaaat close to not fitting anymore....or the "cleaning house, don't care how I look" tee shirts. So, I found two that I liked. The first was a Beatles shirt that has their images and "Let it Be" on it, black and white, simple and cute, extra long. Now, the second, is the "I *heart* Barack" one you see above. I thought it was great...and true. I love this president. Say what you will, how you feel, what you think...but when I see and hear him, I feel hope, I see change, and I expect more from, not only him, but myself. So, I love this shirt. I posted a pic of it on my facebook and asked on my status if people thought it would cause a stir if I wore it to church today. (Note: We attend a well known church where the majority are firm, very conservative Republicans.) I'm not a rabble-rouser, but I thought it would be interesting. After posting that, I got a wide range of responses. Here are a few:

Not to the others who voted for him too...LOL

I will wear mine if you wear yours!

Seriously? You have an "I love Barack" t-shirt? And you would wear it in public? Brave woman!!!

Either way, I'm going to find you, then find it, then put it through the shredder. ;)

My response: You can try, but you'll never succeed! And I will continue to wear it proudly.

'round these parts wearing that shirt could get you a few stares, some unappreciated comments, or a punch in the gut. Not a favorite person here! Brave, brave woman! Wouldn't be caught in the shirt myself. (note: This person currently resides in Alaska.)

Oh. My. Gosh. I hope you did! I just about died laughing at this..

My response: Didn't wear the shirt to church, you know...to respect the reverence, but I threw it on as soon as I got home. Wearing it loud and proud.

Lol! I would have given you a high five at church if you did!

I can't believe you own a shirt like that and on top of it your willing to ware it:(

My response: I do and I am.

It was amazing the broad spectrum of responses. I enjoyed it. Sometimes it's hard to be a political minority in a wide sea of opposition to my views. Sometimes, someone will be verbally bashing the President, carrying on, not realizing that I might not share the same views and feelings, even if we are attending the same church or live by the same standards and morals. But, I am glad that we live in a place that we can all decide how to believe, support, and live. I'm thankful for it. And you know who we can thank for that? Yep, thank a soldier.

Back on the Wagon

Not like that, though. I'm not a drinker. I mean the P90X wagon. I missed two workouts this week, but am back on track. I did the Legs and Back workout with the Ab Ripper workout. It felt so good to get back in it. The progress is impressive. When we started, I couldn't even touch the floor with my legs spread out, I definitely couldn't touch my toes while sitting on the floor, and I couldn't do most of the exercises for more than a few reps before my muscles gave out.

Not anymore. I can bend farther, do more reps, and am getting more limber with each day. Oh, also, my muscle tone is noticeably better and I've lost almost 2 inches around my waist. Yep, all that in less than 2 weeks. We will probably be taking some progress pics soon. I'll post all of my pics when I can see more improvement. It's not as fun to post a "before" pic until you have an awesome "after" pic.

H has actually put on weight since we started, but it's muscle. And he is feeling better and stronger with each workout.

It seems that a lot of people are catching the P90X fever.

Funnies and Cuties

P90X

Yeah, that workout program on the infomercial that looks like only an insane person would try? Yeah, H and I are in day 2 of it. And. I. Am. So. Tired. Yesterday, we worked our chest and back and our abs. Today, we did plyometrics (cardio with a LOT of squats and jumping). H and I are doing it together and are pretty sore. But I am amazed that, even as hard as it is, I am able to make it through the whole routine. I am not able to do all of the exercises, or for the whole length that they do it, but I get close and I do my best.

You know the day after, when you're sore from top to bottom? And every time you move, you feel a whole new muscle that you didn't even know you had? And you wince when you move it? I LOVE that feeling. It lets me know that, not only did I work it, I did it right. I think of the pain as the muscle getting whipped into shape. I crave it. But it's also a relief to start the next workout and feel some of that soreness melt away.

So, we have taken our "before" pictures and will take more after 30 day, then 60, then 90. If I do it right, I should be sporting some nice abs by the 90th day. That would be nice since I haven't seen an ab since I was a teenager...maybe not even then. But they sure were a lot closer to the surface back then. I won't dare post my "before" picture for the world to see until I have an awesome "after" picture to put right beside it. So, I will keep you updated on my progress, but the visual will have to wait a while.

And if you are interested in this kick-butt program, check out our friend, and P90X coach, Michelle's facebook page. You can also see her in the new infomercial on Beachbody's youtube videos. She's featured in the video at about 1:50 into it. And don't pass out when you hear her say that she has given birth to 7 kids. It's true. She's an awesome woman.

Watch, learn, enjoy.

Finding a Bliss.

It seems like most of my post are quick updates, sprinkled with a post with some substance here and there. But, in my defense, I've never had a full-time job before...outside of the house...that paid money, and not just hugs and kisses (not that I'm complaining). And while there are MANY bloggers out there that are mommies/employees/everything else and can still manage to blog on a regular basis, this is all still a little new to me.

I am still working for the school district as a secretary in the human resources department. And I am still really enjoying the work and LOVE my coworkers. They are such sweethearts. I work with 5 women that are all very considerate and thoughtful...and hilarious. I've never worked in a place where I am auditing a file one minute and the next, I have to catch my breath from laughing so hard at something my coworker said. It's fun to go to work each day. I am surrounded by awesome people.

The most surprising thing I've found, though, is that I believe that I have found something that I am really good at AND I enjoy. And I wouldn't have thought I would have this much fulfillment doing office work. No offense to all those that work in an office. But I remember watching my mom work in an office and I kinda thought, "Man, this is boring." But I like it a lot. And I have heard a few times from others at work that I am doing a good job. And that makes me feel even better.

Now, there are some things that I would like to change (a little higher pay, more permanent position, etc), but, for now, I am enjoying it and learning as much as I can. This has also led me to decide to apply for Personnel when I apply for the Air Force. So, I will leave this on a contented note, and hope that all of you find something that you really enjoy.

Funniest pic ever!