My Little Corner of the World

Love, and all good things to you.

2010-10-24T20:44:00.000-07:00

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

2010-09-21T08:22:00.001-07:00

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.

2010-08-29T20:20:00.000-07:00

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

2010-08-28T11:51:00.000-07:00

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.

2010-08-19T15:36:00.001-07:00

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.

2010-08-04T23:27:00.000-07:00

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...

2010-07-21T13:42:00.000-07:00

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.

2010-07-06T14:09:00.000-07:00

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

2010-06-22T22:01:00.000-07:00

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

2010-06-09T20:01:00.001-07:00

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

2010-06-05T23:23:00.000-07:00

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.

2010-06-04T14:25:00.001-07:00

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.

2010-05-28T22:25:00.000-07:00

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!

2010-05-27T21:57:00.000-07:00

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.

2010-05-13T22:22:00.000-07:00

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

2010-05-02T20:52:00.001-07:00

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...

2010-04-20T23:17:00.000-07:00

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...

2010-04-20T22:06:00.000-07:00

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

2010-04-16T22:09:00.000-07:00

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

2010-04-15T21:12:00.000-07:00

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:

2010-04-11T22:16:00.000-07:00

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:

- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- How the in the heck are you supposed to fold a fitted sheet?
- I would rather try to carry 10 plastic grocery bags in each hand than take 2 trips to bring my groceries in.
- I think part of a best friend's job should be to immediately clear your computer history if you die.
- The only time I look forward to a red light is when I’m trying to finish a text.
- LOL has gone from meaning, "laugh out loud" to "I have nothing else to say".
- I have a hard time deciphering the fine line between boredom and hunger.
- Answering the same letter three times or more in a row on a Scantron test is absolutely petrifying.
- How many times is it appropriate to say "What?" before you just nod and smile because you still didn't hear what they said?
- 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!
- While driving yesterday I saw a banana peel in the road and instinctively swerved to avoid it...thanks Mario Kart.
- MapQuest really needs to start their directions on #5. Pretty sure I know how to get out of my neighborhood.
- I find it hard to believe there are actually people who get in the shower first and THEN turn on the water.
- Shirts get dirty. Underwear gets dirty. Pants? Pants never get dirty.
- 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!
- If Carmen San Diego and Waldo ever got together, their offspring would probably just be completely invisible.
-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....
- 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.
- Can we all just agree to ignore whatever comes after DVDs? I don't want to have to restart my collection.
- 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.
- "Do not machine wash or tumble dry" means I will never wash this ever.
- I hate leaving my house confident and looking good and then not seeing anyone of importance the entire day. What a waste.
- 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.
- Sometimes I'll look down at my watch 3 consecutive times and still not know what time it is.
- I keep some people's phone numbers in my phone just so I know not to answer when they call.
- Even if I knew your social security number, I wouldn't know what do to with it.
- 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...
- 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.
- I wonder if cops ever gets mad at the fact that everyone they drive behind obeys the speed limit.
- I think the freezer deserves a light as well.
- 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.

2010-04-07T21:07:00.000-07:00

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?

2010-04-06T21:23:00.000-07:00

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.

2010-04-01T22:18:00.000-07:00

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.

2010-03-24T10:57:00.000-07:00

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.

2010-03-19T22:01:00.000-07:00

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?

2010-03-07T21:35:00.000-08:00

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

2010-03-06T23:56:00.000-08:00

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

2010-03-05T17:31:00.000-08:00

P90X

2010-02-23T21:27:00.000-08:00

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.

2010-02-15T22:20:00.000-08:00

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!

2010-02-09T22:34:00.001-08:00

Need Some Help.

2010-02-01T21:28:00.000-08:00

Reading my some of my posts that ramble on and on, you may not know that I actually have an English degree, can write intelligibly (I have college papers covering literary theory to prove it), and have a life goal to write a book. Well, I am working on that goal and am going to need the help of all you lovely people.

I want to do some research into how people decide what career they would like to go into, what they do to get there, and what happens once they are doing it. So, here are some questions that would help me out if you want to answer and contribute to my research. Thanks in advance.

1. What did you want to be when you were little?

2. Did you end up doing it?

3. Were your natural talents/skills/abilities a deciding factor in your choice?

4. What did you do to prepare for your career? School? Training? Internship? Anything else?

5. How do you like it so far?

6. What are the positives and negatives of your career?

7. Is there anything you would have done differently in preparing for your career? More training? Earlier experience? Less focus on unnecessary schooling? Etc...

You can answer these as a comment or you can email me at rjp.arch@yahoo.com. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks.

Sick, Sick, Sick

2010-01-24T11:20:00.001-08:00

Will be back when I can breathe through my nose again. Take care and stay healthy.

Today was a Good Day

2010-01-17T21:19:00.000-08:00

Today was a good day. Nothing tremendous happened. Just a good day. We woke up and went to church this morning. Little Man is starting to go to the nursery during the second and third hour of church. Yeah, we go to church for three hours. Anyway, he's 18 months now and can go to nursery. And he does great in there. He sits, he snacks, he plays well with everyone. He does great...as long as he can still see that I'm in the room. And he checks about every 5 minutes or so. Just a quick glance, sees that I'm there, and goes back to playing. If he looks up and can't find me or I've left the room for a minute, there are tears and sadness...until I come back. So, for now, I am staying with him until he gets used to it. I actually walked out for a couple minutes today and he didn't even notice. So, maybe he'll get used to it sooner than later and I can actually attend the adult classes again.

But today, H came in and took over for a bit so I could attend the women's class. And then after church, we had a new friend come over for dinner. I met her at a church activity this last week and found out that she is applying to Officer Training School the same time I am. So, we quickly struck up a conversation and I really liked her. So tonight, we all talked each other's ears off. It was great to have a long conversation with someone new, get to know them and enjoy their company. I think it will be great to cheer and help each other along on our journey to OTS. Thankfully, we aren't going to be competing against each other, since she is currently enlisted military and I am a civilian applicant. So, we can help each other along. She seems really great and I like her a lot. I haven't made many good friend since coming to NM. I've been missing my LonDolls a lot lately and I'm glad to have met someone new.

So, we talked so much that we didn't finally say goodbye until almost 10 p.m. I am now just chilling out and enjoying the good day buzz. Hope you all are having a great weekend and will have a happy MLK day.

Great Movie Moments

2010-01-15T21:49:00.000-08:00

Just To Be Clear...

2010-01-12T20:26:00.001-08:00

In the post I did about resolutions, I made reference in some of the resolutions that I was expecting. To be clear, these were resolutions I posted in 2008, when I actually was pregnant. A friend missed that part and I got a text at 8 a.m. asking if I was preggers. So, no...I'm not pregnant. Thanks for the thought though.

So addictive.

2010-01-10T21:48:00.001-08:00

I was all set to head to bed and turn in early. But then I made the mistake of venturing over to Hooked on Houses, and came across TV/Movie houses that she features every Monday and I was hooked. It had some of my favorites including Sense and Sensibility, What Lies Beneath, and my personal, all-time fav...Something's Gotta Give. It broke my heart when I found out that the beach house was a sound stage structure and not an actual house. Oh, if I had the money, I would have it built. It's gorgeous.

So, head over that way and waste away an hour ogling the beautiful houses of tv and theater.

A Look Back and Forward

2010-01-06T21:46:00.000-08:00

I was looking back on some old posts and came across this one that I did at the end of 2007. Here you go:

I've never really been one to make New Year's resolutions. Usually because I never keep them. Reading other blogs, I've noticed that I'm not the only one with this dilemma. So, many people are compiling resolution lists of things they know they won't have a problem keeping and achieving. So, I will attempt to compile my own list of goals that I know I will achieve.

1. Go at least one day a month without t.v. It's bound to happen on its own due to blackout or something.

2. Read constantly. No worries there.

3. Blog post regularly. "Regularly" is a wonderfully loose term.

4. Gain weight. Yes, gain. That should be easy with a little person taking up the middle of my body.

5. Travel home, at least once. Better do this before I get too big.

6. Hug my children and husband.

7. Decide on a career path. A whole year to decide should be enough.

8. Buy new clothes. Unavoidable anyway due to expanding belly.

9. Spend time with friends. Easy, since I have some of the best friends in the world, nay, the universe.

10. And finally, not because ten is all I have but because it's a good number to end with, I will use more lotion and sunblock. Any amount of increase will easily top my previous efforts.

So, there you have it. Ten resolutions that should be easy to keep and achieve with minimal effort or change. Sounds good to me. Good luck with yours.

Looking back through these, I believe that I actually managed to accomplish every goal on this list. That is a first for any New Year resolution I've ever made. So, I thought I would do another one of these for this New Year. So, here's a few.

1. Keep blogging. No matter how blocked I get for post ideas sometimes, I will persevere.

2. Travel to another state this year. This might be a given since we may visit H when he goes away for training. But I am still going to hope that we may be able to venture back to Utah for a visit. I miss my ladies, oh so much.

3. I will not bite my nails more than once a month. Easy, I'm already doing that. Better than how I used to chew them to the nub when I was younger.

4. I will drink less soda. This is a necessity...according to my dentist...unless I want to have dentures before 40. This one kinda sucks, but I hope it will be worth it.

5. I will try to remember that Mister is a teenager and not be shocked when I hear him used words like "crap" and "freakin". Honestly, it could be sooo much worse.

6. I will try to still tickle my kids at least 5 times a week, even the moody teenager...cause he's still a kid too.

7. I will work on my books. The ones in my head. The half-formulated ideas that are screaming to be put down on paper. Yeah, all of those.

8. I will try to love unconditionally those few people that completely bug the crap out of me. I may need prayer to accomplish this, but that's fine. Couldn't think of better help than that.

9. I will write to a friend, with a pen and paper, and put it in the mail.

10. I will try to consciously do at least one kind, thoughtful thing a week for my husband. Big or small.

So, there they are. What are yours? If you keep them simple, they are so much easier.

Great Movie Moments

2010-01-05T21:51:00.000-08:00

Dry Spell

2009-12-28T10:29:00.000-08:00

As you can tell, I'm going through a blogging dry spell. We all experience it. I do have a lot I could blog about, but it's hard to find the time, paired with the energy, and the coherent thought to post anything other than the occasional update. I know it won't last. It's just that life is taking up most of my energy and intellect, and nerves and patience to boot, to have to worry about writing about it. So, please excuse the hiatus. But I will be back with something worthy of updating you on. Hope you're all enjoying your holidays and each other's company. Happy New Year!

Merry CHRISTmas

2009-12-24T13:02:00.000-08:00

Just wanted to wish you all a Very Merry Christmas. I hope you all travel safely, enjoy those you love, and, most of all, remember in your hearts the reason for the day, the birth of Christ, our Lord. Love you.

Stolen from Not Always Right.com

2009-12-04T22:07:00.000-08:00

The Fourth Is Not Strong With This One
Hotel Traverse City, MI, USA

Me: “Thank you for calling the [hotel]. How may I direct your call?”

Customer: *in a British accent* “I need a room for tonight.”

Me: “I’m sorry, sir, but we are booked.”

Customer: “Why?”

Me: “It’s the 4th of July. We’re always booked on the 4th.”

Customer: “I know the date! Why are you booked?”

Me: “Um, it’s July 4th.”

Customer: “Listen, just give me a room!”

Me: “I’m sorry sir, we are sold out. The entire town is sold out.”

Customer: “The entire town? Why?”

Me: “Sir, it’s the 4th of July. Independence day.”

Customer: “Independence from what?”

Me: “Um, England.”

Customer: “Oh bloody h***!” *click*

Time is a figment of the imagination.

2009-12-03T18:43:00.000-08:00

I know, I know. The date stamp on my pics is off. I'll try to remember to fix that next time I pick up the camera. Thanks for pointing it out.

It's Snow!!!

2009-12-01T20:53:00.000-08:00

I bet you didn't know that it snows down here in NM. Sure, it's not comparable to the snow in Utah, which comes hard and often. But, once in a while, we get surprised. In Utah, we would drop the kids off at school in a foot of snow. Here, it snows 7 or 8 inches, and school is cancelled. And since I am working for the school district, work was cancelled too. But the timing was fortuitous because Little Man has been running a fever and it peaked today at 102.2. Thankfully, the doctor was able to see him and he prescribed some medicine which should help.

But, before all the fever drama, Little Man and Tiny enjoyed a little of the snow. He was too little to enjoy it last year, but he didn't want to leave it when it was time to come in. Tiny has been hoping for snow for a while now. Looks like she got her wish.

Starting the Season Off Right

2009-11-29T20:36:00.000-08:00

As we were decorating the Christmas tree tonight, we were listening to Christmas songs. My favorite came on and, after we were done decorating, I had to go in and play it again. I love this song so much and feel that it is the very definition of what the season is all about. Christ and the love that God has for us. This version by Martina McBride is also my favorite because it has an air of reverence to it. The video has the words of the song and I think it is so important to pay attention to those words. They are so beautiful and mean so much to us as children of God.

My favorite part is when it says:

Long lay the world in sin and error pining.

Till He appeared and the Spirit felt its worth.

A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices,

For yonder breaks a new and glorious morn.

Fall on your knees! Oh, hear the angel voices!

O night divine, the night when Christ was born;...

So beautiful. Please enjoy and welcome the wonderful spirit of the season.

13...and Cute!

2009-11-28T22:32:00.001-08:00

Week Full of Blessings.

2009-11-28T21:00:00.000-08:00

As I mentioned before, Mister is turning 13 tomorrow. It amazes me. He still seems like a little boy to me. I can see the internal struggle in him sometimes, that pulling between boy and young man. Halloween, for example. he was reluctant to say he wanted to trick-or-treat, like he was starting to feel like he was too old for it. But once he saw a costume he really liked, he jumped on the chance to go. And while we were out treating, he steered clear of a house because there were some older teenage boys in front. Ah, the struggle of childhood and growing up. I catch glimpses of maturing in him from time to time. But I'm glad he still plays and has fun.

He chose to have a family party for his birthday and we did it last night. I think we had almost 40 people over for it. The kids ran wild while the adults talked up a storm. Mister made out like a bandit with a pocketful of cash, a lot of Star Wars toys, a Wii from my folks, and Guitar Hero from me, H, Little Man, and Holly. It would be an understatement to say that he was happy with the day.

After everyone left, we hooked up the Wii and the Guitar Hero, well....I hooked it up because I was a little anxious to give it a try. I've only played it once, and it was the drums, not the guitar. When it was my turn, I was pushing the buttons on the guitar arm and the notes weren't playing. I couldn't get it to play. After about a minute of this, Mister came over and let me know that I needed to strum the front too. So I said ok and it worked. Tiny looked at me and said, "Yeah, Mom. If you were playing a real guitar, it wouldn't make noise if you just did the notes with your left hand." Oh yeah, she's a smart one. I had a rioteous laugh with that one.

Other than Mister's bday party on Friday, we had a great Thanksgiving on Thursday at my grandma's. We also had a surprise baby shower today for a cousin. It's been great to get together with the family, especially two cousins that came to visit with their families from out of town. I've felt really blessed this week.

So Much

2009-11-27T22:32:00.001-08:00

Oh, I have soooo much to blog about. My Mister is turning 13 on Sunday. 13! We had his party today and I will post about that, Thanksgiving, my family, and my first attempts at Guitar Hero. So much fun coming your way, soon. Too tired. Must rest. Goodnight.

Wow

2009-11-21T21:09:00.000-08:00

We got soooo much done today. My mom and I cleaned, painted, and rearranged two bedrooms. The kids will now have their own room and we all have a little more room. For those who didn't know, we've been living with my folks since July. At the same time, my older brother and his girlfriend have also been living here. So, that's a total of 9 people in the house. Yeah, a bit tight at times, but do-able. Anyway, my brother and his girlfriend were finally able to get a place of their own this week. So, that is why we were redoing the rooms.

My mom picked out a brown color with a slight rosy-ish tint for the rooms. It, quite honestly, looks like makeup in the can. But, on the wall, it's a pretty warm color that looks good, especially with the southwestern decor they already have going on. It's pretty amazing how much difference it makes. I'll see about taking some pics and sharing them with you. I'm just really glad that the kids have a room to themselves now, a place to store their toys. They won't have to sleep in the den, although they do like the couches a lot.

My poor mom will likely decide to stay in bed all day tomorrow from all the work she did today. She always overdoes it. And Little Man and his cousin both passed out when it was bedtime, didn't even put up a fight. They had a busy day.

The kids and I will all be home for the next week. They don't have school and, since I work for the school district, I don't have work. I've been working consistently for about six weeks now and am still enjoying it. I am in the human resources office for the district and I really like the ladies I work with and I like the work. I do a lot of filing, application intakes, database updates, copying, and helping everyone catch up on and organize their workloads. It's satisfying work. But this week, I get to relax a bit with my family. We have some cousins coming in from Nebraska and some from Arizona. We will likely be getting together a lot over the next week, and eating a lot of really great food.

In addition to all this, Mister will be turning 13 next Sunday. The big 1-3. We're going to have a birthday party for him on Friday, followed by a movie night/sleepover. I hope it goes well. He's such a good kid and he deserves it. I don't know if I mentioned this, but when the school year started, he was bringing home a lot of grades below the C-level, including a F. Well, after a few talks and some teamwork, he has really kicked it into gear. Last week, he brought home a progress report with all A's and B's. I was so proud of him, I almost burst. I have such good kids.

Well, I hope you all have a great Thanksgiving and can enjoy your families and friends. Happy Thanksgiving.

Cha cha cha

2009-11-20T17:48:00.000-08:00

The other day, I was in the kitchen and Tiny and her cousin were playing. Something her cousin said reminded me of a commercial and I said, "Cha cha cha chia." You know, for the chia pet. Tiny looked at me and asked, "What's a cha cha cha chia?" Too funny.

Word for Today

2009-11-15T19:42:00.000-08:00

Ever come across a word over and over and you don't know what it means and it bugs you to no end that you can't figure it out? Well, I do, often. So, that is why, occasionally, you will now find a Word for Today post. Today's word:

Peripatetic: (adj.) 1. of or relating to walking. 2. of or relating to the philosophy or methods of teaching of Aristotle. (n.) 1. A person who walks from place to place; itinerant. 2. A follower of the philosophy of Aristotle; Aristotelian.

New Look

2009-11-15T14:39:00.000-08:00

I was toying with my blog layout a few nights ago and that is why it looks a bit different. I didn't plan to change it, but I was catching up on the Fab 4, some friends from our previous military lives, and I was admiring her layout. It reminded me of the scrapbook pages I always admire, but never have the budget and time (and patience) to do. So, I followed the very noticeable link on the corner of her page and perused the many fancy layouts. After picking one, I couldn't find a banner that I liked. So, I found one of my own by just doing an image search. I found the typewriter picture and had to have it...for a little while anyway.

I'm not sure if I will keep it the way it is or change it up again, but Heidi at Fancy Feet likes it...and I like that.

I think

2009-11-04T19:04:00.000-08:00

Our house finally sold yesterday. All the papers are signed, recorded, and filed. It is a short sale, so we were basically just getting out from under it. We haven't been able to afford it for almost a year now. The lady that bought it seemed to really want it for her own. She even chose to repair the roof, replace the carpets, and make some minor repairs...all before she was even approved for the loan. All I know about her is that she teaches piano, and that she now owns our house.

I told the kids that the house finally sold. One of them asked, "Is that good news?"

I said, "Yeah." And while I walked away, I whispered, "I think."

Funny Bone Tickler

2009-10-30T22:37:00.000-07:00

Gonna be a tear jerker.

2009-10-30T22:23:00.000-07:00

Halloween Preview

2009-10-29T20:05:00.000-07:00

The kids got dressed up in their costumes to go to the Fall Festival at Tiny's school. Little Man is Superman, Tiny is a Clone Trooper, and Mister is Jengo Fett. They had fun playing games and eating a lot of sugar. I would have taken pictures of the festivities, but the camera batteries didn't last long enough. Some highlights of the night were Mister creaming the principal with a whip cream pie, right in the face. It was great. Also, Mister and I played Guitar Hero, he was on the guitar and I was on the drums. I've never played it before and can see why it is so addictive. We rocked out to "Eye of the Tiger" and it took me most of the song before I could consistently play 3 notes. Before that, I could only play two. The kids complimented me on my skills and said I did great for my first time. They're the best.

Bringing home the bacon...the cheap brand.

2009-10-24T21:33:00.000-07:00

Just a quick update. I'm substituting now and for the last week I've been working at the school district HR office. I am helping the ladies in the office catch up on filing, typing, and any other extra work they are behind on. It doesn't pay as well as the teaching, but I really like the work. I stay busy all day and it's a lot of organizing, which I like. The ladies are really nice and they seem to like my work because they want me to come back next week, and they said that they would see about the next week after that. I never considered that I would like office work, but I do. I don't think this will turn into a permanent job, because there is a hiring freeze in the school district right now for new jobs. But, I'm liking it for now.

Not much else going on right now. Just watching Paul Blart: Mall Cop with H and chilling. Hope you're all having a good weekend.

Loved and Blessed One

2009-10-22T18:58:00.000-07:00

Some friends of ours have lost their dear little boy, before he was able to greet the world. Our thoughts and prayers are with them.

“In my leisure moments I have meditated upon the subject, and asked the question, why it is that infants, innocent children, are taken away from us, especially those that seem to be the most intelligent and interesting. . . . The Lord takes many away even in infancy, that they may escape the envy of man, and the sorrows and evils of this present world; they were too pure, too lovely, to live on earth; therefore, if rightly considered, instead of mourning we have reason to rejoice as they are delivered from evil, and we shall soon have them again. . . . All children are redeemed by the blood of Jesus Christ, and the moment that children leave this world, they are taken to the bosom of Abraham. The only difference between the old and young dying is, one lives longer in heaven and eternal light and glory than the other, and is freed a little sooner from this miserable wicked world.”Joseph Smith, Teachings, p. 196-197

In Loving Memory of Thomas, Jr.

You're not gonna believe this.

2009-10-16T15:42:00.000-07:00

I got an email from my recruiter last night to let me know that the AF Commission Board has moved the next admission board from January 2010 all the way back to July 2010. Yep, I won't even be able to apply to the AF until next summer! Just when you think you have some control over the course of your life, it kicks the legs out from under you and says, "Haha, that's what you thought!" So, 7 months has been added on to the deadline I was working toward, studying for, getting excited about. And what can I do? Just live with it and hope that I am able to use this time wisely and productively towards my goals.

Any ideas?

2009-10-14T10:58:00.000-07:00

Hope you all enjoyed your long weekend. The kids had a four-day weekend from school and it was a nice little break for them. I started substitute teaching on Friday and I, unfortunately, picked up a bug my first day. So, my weekend was spent hacking up a lung and feeling cruddy. My throat is finally clearing, but now my nose is dripping like a faucet. Nice. Tiny also came home today with the early signs of everything I've had. Hope it's not as bad for her.

Other than that, we've been spending every Saturday for the last 5 weeks celebrating birthdays for family, oh, and one Sunday too. And I don't think we're done. Did I mention that we have a large family? Well, now you know. Better go for now...naptime is upon Little Man.

Blech

2009-10-12T21:19:00.001-07:00

Been sick. Throat hurts from all the coughing. No fun at all. So, here's a beautiful song to tide you over.

Ugh.

2009-10-09T21:08:00.000-07:00

I got an email from my recruiter. The medical folks want me to request some medical records from when I was 2...way back in 1982. Ever wonder where your medical records go after 27 years? Well, if you were a military dependent, they are now stored in Washington D.C. So, I have to see if they can track down a record from 1982 that is likely thicker than a great American novel. Not sure how long that will take to find, copy, and mail to the recruiter, but I can't get my physical without the "all clear" from MEPS. My biggest worry is using up all of my application prep time hunting down said medical record and then waiting by the phone to get a simple physical. I was sincerely hoping that this long ago hiccup in my medical history wouldn't come up, but it has and it is apparently not enough for them to look at my recent medical history that says I am very healthy and normal (well, physically normal, anyway). So, once again, I ask that you please keep sending good vibes my way. I may really need them.

Tick Tock, Chocolate, and Dismembered Mannequins

2009-10-07T21:13:00.000-07:00

Still waiting for the recruiter to call to schedule my physical. He was going to check on it this morning, but since I haven't heard from him, I'm guessing that it's not time yet. I am so anxious.

I will be finishing my required observations tomorrow in order for me to start substitute teaching. The process to do it in NM is a lot more involved than in UT. But, I think it will only help me be a better sub. I am hoping to start subbing on Friday.

Tiny is participating in a school fundraiser, selling chocolate bars. I gotta say, selling chocolate is a LOT easier than all of that other fundraiser crap (i.e. gift wrap, candy tins, cards, etc). We went up and down my parents' street, knocking on neighbors doors, and she sold the whole box (50 bars @ $1 each) before we finished the whole street. So, tomorrow, she is going to bring 2 boxes home, 100 bars. Her goal is to sell 30 boxes of chocolate by the 22nd. If she accomplishes this, which I think she will, she will get every prize that the company offers. She's amazing! No fear, she just walks up, tells them what she is doing, presents her chocolate offerings, thanks them (whether they buy or not), and walks back to me with cash in hand and a smile on her face. She's a natural at everything when there is a goal she wants to meet. I loved being with her to see her accomplishing the steps to her goal. Sometimes, one moment can compensate you for every day of this job we call parenting. It's awesome.

She told me that there is a boy in her classes that has already sold two boxes ahead of her. She also let me know that it's the same boy that has the highest score on an internet math game that the class participates in (she is in 2nd place). I told her, "I guess you have some competition, huh?" and she smiled and said, "Yeah." Too funny sometimes.

Little Man and I walked about 2 miles this morning, just strolling through neighborhoods nearby. I definitely need to bring the camera along on these walks though. If you would look at some of these streets as a whole, they look kinda shabby and old. But, if you look carefully at each house, you can find some real gems. They are some of the oldest houses in town and they have a lot of Victorian influence. Some are not so grand, but are well taken care of. And then you also have the oddball houses that seem normal, until you notice a full-body mannequin stylishly posing in the corner of the yard, or a disembodied mannequin head peeking out of an attic window. Yeah, expect some blogworthy pics soon.

Hee hee.

2009-10-04T20:58:00.000-07:00

From notalwaysright.com:

Hard Drugs And Harder Pharmacists
Pharmacy Mount Holly, NJ, USA

(A teen approaches my cash register very slowly.)

Me: “Can I help you?”
Customer: “Gimme all the medicine!”
(Teen pulls out an airsoft pistol with orange tip still glued to the front.)
Me: “The pharmacy is in the back of the store.”
Customer: “Oh…okay.”
(He holsters the air-soft gun in his belt and darts down the aisles to the back of the store. My manager comes out of the back room because of the commotion.)
Manager: “Who was that?”
Me: “Some kid looking for drugs. He went back to the pharmacy.”
Manager: “Why didn’t you call the police?”
(The teen runs screaming from the back of the store out of the front door followed closely by the pharmacy technician, a 35 year old boxer built like a fridge.)
Me: “Doug started working today.”

Update

2009-10-02T15:24:00.000-07:00

Amazingly enough, the recruiter did receive the medical record, at the right address. The hospital must have just put the wrong address in their computer, but still sent it to the right one. So, he submitted all of my files and information to MEPS for review. They usually take 3-4 days to review it all and approve me for a physical. He will call me as soon as he hears that I can schedule the physical. Keep your fingers crossed for me.

We Will Dance Our Truth

2009-10-01T21:41:00.000-07:00

"We Will Dance Our Truth: Yaqui History in Yoeme Performances" is a new book that has just been released for sale. It is written by my cousin, Dr. David Delgado Shorter. You can read all about the book here and you can learn about David here. We're pretty proud of him. He is currently teaching at UCLA. He is the first to receive a PhD in our family, but certainly not the last. I have another cousin who is working on her degree as we speak. Did I mention that she also is a mother of 4 and teaches kindergarten? Yeah, we have some pretty impressive folks in our family.

TMI...in the mail.

2009-10-01T21:19:00.000-07:00

Minor setback. The last medical record that I was waiting for my recruiter to receive? The last one I needed before I could FINALLY schedule my physical? Yeah, the hospital mailed it to the wrong address.

So, somewhere in the 5000 block of Patterson Way in El Paso, TX, someone is looking at an ECG of my heart and wondering why in the world someone would mail that to them. They are probably calling the police, thinking that someone is sending something obscene in the mail. Hopefully not. I'm hoping they will simply notice that it is not addressed to them, that they are not the listed AF recruiter on the envelope, and they will just return to sender.

On the positive side, the hospital is doing a redo and will, I hope, be mailing out the record to the proper address in the morning. I won't hold my breath. Ironically, the hospital said that I needed to fill out a new release of information in order to be HIPAA-compliant. Makes me wonder if it's HIPAA-compliant that some stranger in El Paso is having my medical information hand-delivered to them. I might find this all funny when the recruiter finally receives it.

On the lighter side of youtube

2009-09-29T22:16:00.000-07:00

Sometimes, you're so deep in the hole, that all you can do is laugh.

Don't watch this video if you don't like to be scared!

2009-09-29T21:04:00.000-07:00

The new remake of Nightmare on Elm Street. Looks terrifying.

Living in Limbo

2009-09-27T20:43:00.001-07:00

Anyone who really knows me, knows that I'm not one to sit around and wait patiently when something I want is right in front of me. I want to act, work toward it, and seize it with both hands. But, this is something that I am learning to do. I am really excited about my application to the Air Force, but there are still a lot of steps between now and the finish line...and right now, they involve waiting...and it won't be the last time.

I am still waiting to schedule my physical. I am waiting for my recruiter to call and let me know that he has received the last medical file that I requested for him, and then MEPS (the doctor people :) ) will need a few days to review my medical prescreen and my medical files. Then, I will be able to schedule the physical. Thankfully, if what I've been told is correct (and with the AF, you have to ask a few times to be sure), I should be told the same day if I am physically fit to serve. I will let you know when this is all finally scheduled so that you can PLEASE send some good vibes my way, since they worked so well last time.

After my physical, I will start putting the actual packet together, which will include, but is not limited to:

5 letters of recommend

my AFOQT scores

personal statement

transcripts

application forms

credit check

medical evaluation

...and so much more, I am sure.

Whenever I start thinking about my future career, I want to jump up and say, "All right. Let's get this going. Let's get on with it. I'm ready."

But, for now, I must wait. I hope it will get easier to do.

In the meantime, I have other things to entertain me, like my nephew setting the clothes on his bedroom floor on fire with his hookah pipe and the fire department hosing down his room and his clothes on the front lawn. Yeah, that's something he will never live down...especially in our family. I should start carrying a camera with me everywhere I go. Hee hee.

My Little Man...with a little less hair.

2009-09-23T20:46:00.000-07:00

Just You Wait

2009-09-23T13:31:00.001-07:00

Little Man has experienced a huge milestone...his FIRST HAIRCUT. Just you wait...I will post pics.

One of Many Firsts

2009-09-21T21:31:00.000-07:00

While we've been staying with my folks, Little Man has been experiencing a lot of firsts. His most recent is his first donut. He had a glazed donut and he first licked the glaze off of his finger. Then he immediately grabbed the donut out of my hand and went for it. He loved it.

I would say it was a successful introduction.

2009-09-13T14:05:00.000-07:00

Not Always Right

2009-09-10T10:41:00.000-07:00

I got this off of notalwaysright.com. It's a blog of customer stories. Some of these are really funny.

Hell Hath No Fury Like a Pregnant Woman Scorned

(A man comes to my register with a mint chocolate candy bar.)

Me: “Anything else?”

Customer: “Can you break a $100 bill?”

Me: “Actually, I can’t. We just opened and I haven’t gone to the bank today.”

Customer: “Oh, no! Do you know anywhere I can get change? I need this candy right away!”

(At this point I notice his panicked look. Coupled with the fact that he’s buying the most unappetizing candy in the store, I jump to a conclusion.)

Me: “Sir, these aren’t for you, are they?”

Customer: “No.”

Me: “Did your pregnant wife send you out at 8 in the morning to buy this candy?”

Customer: “Yes.”

Me: “For the love of God, man! Get these home to her before you’re in even more trouble! You can come back and pay me later!”

(The customer bolts out the door. He later came back, visibly calmer, and paid.)

Jon Reep

2009-09-09T10:43:00.001-07:00

Hee hee...The News

2009-09-07T21:26:00.000-07:00

So Neglectful

2009-09-06T18:40:00.000-07:00

I've been neglectful with my posting. I don't have any big updates or much time. So, enjoy this trailer for a very charming movie, "Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day".

In all shapes and sizes

2009-08-26T21:28:00.000-07:00

Have you seen this picture that has caused so much buzz lately? Glamour magazine had an article recently about women's body confidence and this model is Lizzi Miller. She is a plus-size model (by the industry standards...by real standards, she is the same weight as the average woman today) and she is comfortable enough in her image to pose for the article, imperfections and all.

And I love it. I love that she is not airbrushed. She is not hidden. She is not cinched into a corset. And I love that she is smiling so confidently, as if she is saying, "This is me. All of me. And I love it."

I especially love her stomach. It's a real stomach. It's not the airbrushed 6-pack you often see in so many articles. I think I also love it because I have one just like it.

I won't lie and say that I love my stomach. But I am comfortable with it. It helped me carry and nurture three healthy babies. It's the stomach of a woman, not a little girl.

So, I shared this article with someone close to me in the store the other day. I had mentioned it previously to her and she agreed with me about the need to portray women more realistically in the media. But as soon as I showed her the picture a couple of days later, the first thing out of her mouth was that the woman was pretty but "the only problem is her stomach." It made me sad to hear her point that out so quickly. But that is how we've been trained by years of "perfect" bodies in movies and print. We point out the negative immediately.

The articles that followed after this picture was released stated that the magazine was receiving hundreds of positive letters from women, thanking them for finally portraying women as they really are...flawed, beautiful, and confident. Let's just hope they take it to heart and keep this as as a standard. I know I would rather have my daughter read a magazine that shows women come in different shapes and sizes.

Life...I'm loving it.

2009-08-21T17:48:00.000-07:00

Not much to report. The kids are back in school and seem to like the new schools okay. Mister was able to get into Orchestra and will be playing the cello for the third year in a row. He enjoys it. Tiny is in a class with two of her cousins and seems to like that. She also has another cousin in the school that is a teacher. Little Man is making up for the two others being at school by getting into EVERYTHING, all day. He's doing well too. Learning new words and the fine art of temper tantrums. He's got it down; the pouty lip, the tears, and throwing himself on the floor. Ah yes, he is my child.

As for the AF application process, I am awaiting some medical records to be delivered to my recruiter before I can set up my physical. Will let you know when I set that up and how it will go. The physical may be the biggest obstacle I face. Not that I'm not healthy. But I had an illness when I was 2 that put me in the hospital for a bit and caused some things that may scare off the review board. Hopefully, they will focus on the tests and exams that I have had recently that show no current problems from that long ago illness and that I am in great health. Pray for me, cross your fingers, and send me good vibes. I know it definitely worked when you did it for me before my test. Love to all.

I DID IT!!!

2009-08-16T21:25:00.000-07:00

AFOQT update: I NAILED IT!!!

There are 5 main sections to the AFOQT: Pilot, Navigator, Academic Aptitude, Verbal, Quantitative.

The first two sections don't matter much since I'm not trying to become a pilot. But I needed a minimum combined score of 150 in the last three. The recruiter told me to shoot for 220-240 to be competitive in my application process. My score........................drum roll please....................235!!!!!!!!!

That felt awesome to see those scores. Those are some hard-earned numbers and I'm really proud of them. I hope they will give me an advantage. Just wanted to share.

Walking Tall, Feeling Proud...and REALLY Tired

2009-08-11T18:02:00.000-07:00

A quick post to let you know how I did. I won't get the actual results for 10-12 days, but I can say that I feel that I did pretty well. There were three sections that were the most important for my application, and I feel really confident about those sections. Thanks again for all your well wishes and prayers. I'll let you know when I get the actual score.

AFOQT

2009-08-10T11:04:00.000-07:00

I will be heading down to El Paso, TX tomorrow to take the AFOQT. I have been studying for over a month now and feel about as ready as I can be. My math skills are good, just slow. The test gives you just over a minute for each math question and I'm taking much longer for some of them. But I have practiced as many as I can and will just hope for the best. My vocabulary has expanded exponentially in the last few weeks and I am more confident about taking that section of the test. There are other sections of the test that I will be taking, but will not have much impact on my application since I am not trying to become a pilot, navigator, or mechanic. But, just for the record, I was pretty proud that I scored well on the mechanic's practice test. I guess being a mechanic's daughter, and driving my share of clunkers, has paid off. So wish me luck as I jump off this cliff as prepared as I can be. Love ya!

Tingles

2009-08-05T23:28:00.000-07:00

I love to hear this man laugh. It makes me tingle and go weak in the knees.

George Strait - The Seashores Of Old Mexico
Uploaded by UniversalMusicGroup. - Music videos, artist interviews, concerts and more.

Just Inching Along

2009-08-03T21:18:00.000-07:00

Not much new. Still studying for the AFOQT. I'm focusing on the vocabulary right now and can't believe how many words there are that I just have never heard. And there are a ton of words that I have heard and thought I knew, but now know that I was very mistaken. I really hope that I can do well on this test. Standardized test are not my favorite.

The kids are doing well. Little Man said Tiny's name today, but I couldn't get him to do it again. He is a lot more vocal lately and I'm sure he will be talking a great deal.

There have been a few new developments in the area of H's job search, but I won't elaborate right now. I will wait until something is more concrete. Prayers for direction would be really appreciated.

Hope you're all doing well.

OWW!

2009-07-29T20:37:00.000-07:00

Brain...hurts....from...all...the...studying.

How Fun Is This!!!

2009-07-24T14:30:00.001-07:00

Little Man's First Birthday

2009-07-24T14:11:00.000-07:00

Castle Calendars

2009-07-22T20:38:00.000-07:00

Some great friends of ours have started their own business selling baby scrapbook calendars. They make it easy to scrapbook and document your baby's first year. Not the crafty type? These calendars make it easy to record your baby's first holidays and milestones. They make great baby shower and birth gifts. Check out their Etsy site, CastleCalendars, enjoy, and spread the word. We'd much appreciate it.

34 and 1

2009-07-20T20:45:00.000-07:00

My brain is tired. I promised myself that I would study every day starting this week for 2-4 hours a day for the AFOQT. And I successfully studied for 3 hours today. But now my brain and my eyes are killing me because I tore my last pair of contact lenses on Friday. And my glasses are about two prescriptions behind. Apparently, my prescription expired in April, so I have to get an exam before I can order more contacts. Have you tried to schedule an eye exam recently? It's ridiculously booked...even in a larger city an hour away. The soonest appointment I could book is on August 3rd. And do you know how much it's going to cost?!? Let me just say...thank goodness for parents that care or I would be part-blind for a long time.

But, on to the happy things. Last week was H's and Little Man's birthdays. For H's 34th, we visited the NM Museum of Space History. It is in the little town that we are staying in and I have never been there. Mister was really excited about it. Everyone enjoyed it. FYI, at the museum, HAM, the first astrochimp, is buried under the American flag. There are also a lot of different rockets and spaceships components on display. We all stood in front of two separate, large satellite dishes. If you whisper into one, you could hear it in the other as if the person is talking loudly right next to you. It was really awesome. Later, we had dinner with my family and H ordered some Chinese that he likes. I usually make a cake for the birthdays, but I thought it might be hard to find one H would like to eat that doesn't have eggs, milk, butter, or oil (part of his diet). I'm sure you can see the dilemma.

The next day was Little Man's bday. He woke up in the morning and had a huge smile on his face. I sang him "Happy Birthday" and couldn't believe that my little guy was one year old already. Later, we had a party with a bunch of family over. We had bbq, potato salad, chips, dip, cake and ice cream. I was going to make the large cake, some cupcakes, and a mini-cake just for LM. However, halfway through decorating the large cake, I realized that the hot NM weather was not conducive to successful cake-decorating. The cake was too sticky, the icing was melting and the layers kept sliding. So, after creating a large crack in the cake, I gave up. We bought a cake for everyone else and I had better luck with the mini-cake. So, if you ever find yourself baking and decorating a cake in NM on a hot day, here are the instructions:

1. After baking cake, stick in freezer to chill.
2. After chilled, spread icing between layers, then stick back in freezer to chill icing.
3. After chilled, spread remaining icing all over cake. Stick back in freezer to chill whole thing.
4. After chilled, decorate quickly. Then stick in fridge until ready to serve.

Now, I know why Tiny's cake did the same thing on her first bday. A castle cake doesn't look quite right when it's turrets are sliding sideways.

LM really dug into the cake and ate a lot of his lunch. He got a lot of new clothes and toys. Three gifts into it, he just wanted to sit and play with the new toys. He partied and played and shared with the other babies. And at the end of the day, he was pooped. He had a good birthday. I will post the pics in the next one for you to enjoy.

"Old Person" Camping

2009-07-10T11:02:00.001-07:00

I am learning something really important from my studies for the AFOQT...I don't know nearly as much as I thought I did. I may have an English degree, but I don't know a lot of words. And I may have a lot of math practice from helping Mister with his algebra, but I can't figure out how to determine the uneven number of dimes and nickels in $2.20. I found myself asking the same question that plagued me through high school...when am i ever going to need to know this stuff? Well, I guess I have my answer...I will need it when I decide to apply for officer commission in the AF. So, I have a lot of studying ahead of me.

As for the title of this post, my parents had a camping trip planned this weekend and we are going to tag along. Now, when I think of camping, I think of tents on the ground, sleeping bags and a campfire for all the cooking. My parents, however, have decided that camping for them will be a large cabin, hot tub, pool, and beds. In other words, a bare-bones hotel. But, hey, I ain't complaining. I was never terribly fond of using leaves for toilet paper and sharing sleeping space with a moose (yes, it's happened). So, this weekend, we will be high in the mountains, enjoying the air and catching some fish. Catch ya later.

Do I Dare?

2009-07-07T19:43:00.000-07:00

I have decided to apply to the Air Force as an officer. I'm almost afraid to put that out there because I have so much to do to apply and qualify and it will be quite a while before I know anything. I had to travel to El Paso to talk to the officer recruiter, which is 2 hours away. The recruiter was really friendly and helpful. Right now, I need to study to take the AFOQT, the officer candidate test. As soon as I feel prepared enough, I will head back down to El Paso to take the test. I will also need to pass a couple of checks, have a physical, get some letters of recommend, and put everything together in a packet. Then we will submit the package to a board for approval. That will take a few weeks. So, as you can see, there is a lot to do. I will have until the end of November when the board meets to submit everything.

Now that you know that you know the what, I will tell you the why. First, I have always wanted to join the AF. I had planned to join after high school, but life took a different route and I chose to stay home with my kiddos. And now I find myself in a position to try to fulfill that goal. Second, the benefits are impressive...full medical and dental insurance for me and my family, free base housing and utilities, free tuition assistance, GI Bill, and quite a bit more. I will also get job training and experience. We did a pro/con list of my joining the military and the only con we could come up with is the possibility of deployment, which varies with each career, and the fact that I won't be a full-time stay-at-home mom anymore. But the work schedule would be very manageable and consistent. Military also gets weekends and almost all holidays off. They also get a lot of vacation time off.

So, there are a lot of pros and I will be working hard for the next while to apply. So, wish me luck, keep your fingers crossed, send good vibes, etc. I would really appreciate it.

FYI

2009-07-06T11:53:00.001-07:00

We are now in NM. We decided to head back west since the job in NC seemed that it was not going to add up to much money for all of Henry's long days, working hard. So, we are spending some time with my folks and trying to figure out our next move. We have a couple of ideas that we are toying with and I will probably share more on that soon.

In other news, our house didn't sell. After four months of trying to sell it to some friends, it fell through at the last minute. So, our agent is listing it again...bless her. And it seems to be a waiting game now to see if it will sell or if the mortgage company will just decide to foreclose. We'll have to wait and see.

Despite all of the upheaval and uncertainty, we are doing well. Safe, fed, healthy, etc. Hope you're all doing well too.

Update

2009-06-22T14:46:00.000-07:00

Heya! Quick update. We are headed to South Carolina in July. The company is sending the team to a different office in Greenville and so we are pulling up the stakes and heading south for the last month of the summer. H is contracted to work until the end of August, so we'll be in SC for about 6 weeks. It's only a four hour drive from our current abode and the kids will both be done with school. So, I'm hoping that it will be a smooth move.

Other than that, the computer is still kaput, but we have a tv now. H is working hard. Little Man is working on his 5th tooth and is walking everywhere. Tiny is finishing up school. Mister has begun his summer relaxation. And I am taking it all day to day. I get a bit homesick sometimes, and definitely feel cooped up most days. But the other ladies here are great and the kids keep me plenty busy. I'll try to update with more pics later. Hope you're all doing well too.

Lest you believe...

2009-06-14T19:53:00.000-07:00

that I have succumbed to all the bad news in my last post, I figured I should update. Nothing has really changed, other than successfully staving off mastitis. Which I give no small amount of thanks for. But, I'm hoping that my outlook on everything else will be changing for the better. I've noticed more and more lately that I am becoming a very negative, whiny, unhappy person. And I realized, after reviewing some recent conversations during which I complained quite a lot, that I would hate to have to be around me everyday. People that only focus on the negative and constantly complain would definitely get my sympathy and a prayer of hope that thing turn around for them, but it might cause me to avoid them every once in a while. Because, let's face it, they bring you down.

Well, I certainly do not want to be someone that even I wouldn't like hanging around. So, I am going to be trying harder to better at this. So, if I put up any whiny posts, call me on it.

Big news: Little Man is officially walking. He's been taking random numbers of steps for the past few weeks, but something just clicked for him today while we were at church. It was like he figured out that he could do it and stood himself up and went for it. He went longer than ever before without falling or having help. And when he did fall, he's stand righ back up and do it again. It was awesome. I'll have to post a video of it soon. He'll be 11 months in a week.

He is also putting the phone (toys, bottles, brushes, and his hand) to his ear and saying, "e-loooo." (That's "hello" for those not fluent in baby.) It's so cute. He is also waving hello and goodbye. He's becoming such a little man.

Happy update: Tiny turned 9 this week. She is growing into such a wonderful person. On her birthday, we had a special breakfast with pancakes and bacon. She got a new outfit and new coloring books. Then she had to go to school, but after, we surprised her with a huge dollhouse that her Mamaw and Papaw send her. She was so surprised and I got it all on video. We took her to the science museum, one of her fav places. H took the day off to spend it with her and she liked that a lot. That night, I made her fav dinner, chicken and dumplings, and we had carrot cake. She went to bed with a smile on her face. Saturday, she had her party. We rented the theater room here at the apartments and she had four friends over for a movie, popcorn, pizza, cake and ice cream. They had a great time. I think she was pretty pleased with her celebrations this year.

I have so many more pictures that I want to post, but it's 11:24 p.m. and I need to head back to the apartment. I sooo miss my computer.

Roller Coaster Ride

2009-06-06T17:12:00.000-07:00

Good news: I may be able to salvage the computer if I can get a new monitor to hook it up to.

Bad news: Our house isn't selling, like we were told last week. Instead, the buyers are scrambling to get a new loan approved.

Good news: I sold H's car and have a little money for Tiny's bday this week.

Bad news: I am trying really hard to not succumb to mastitis. If you don't know what it is or don't have kids, don't look it up. The search result pictures will be burned into your brain.

Such is life.

Quick Post

2009-05-29T08:22:00.000-07:00

Little Man is getting ready to cut his third tooth. And he took his first solo step yesterday. We're on a non-stop train now.

Just so you know...

2009-05-26T08:15:00.000-07:00

The computer is completely dead. Let's just say there was an unfortunate incident involving a frustrated kiddo playing a computer game for way too long and that in the anger, the computer lost and is now no longer functioning. So, posts will be even fewer and far between. Hope you are all doing better than me.

Letting myself feel a little at a time.

2009-05-17T03:46:00.001-07:00

I miss my house. I can think of so many reasons why I shouldn't be missing it, but right now, with people drinking and talking loudly out in the hall at an unthinkable hour this morning, I miss my house. Most of the other employees that are staying in this apartment complex are young, in the 18-21 range. So, I can understand that they are just blowing off steam from the week and having some weekend fun. But I just wish that I could put up a sign or put out a flier that informs them that there are 3 kiddos in the house trying to sleep and so is their overworked, stressed-out mother. And to please BE QUIET!

The first sign I had that I was feeling the pangs of separation from my house was when we visited the library. I wandered through the aisles, familiarizing myself with the layout, and I stumbled on the home decorating/design section. Normally, I would plant myself on the floor and peruse each shelf in this section, load up on at least 7 or 8 books and enjoy them slowly at home. I would search eagerly through the pages to find some new inspiration, interesting color palette or unique space-saving technique to apply to my own home. As I stared down the long shelves of the decorating books, it hit me...hard. I don't have a house any more, no home to decorate, to paint the walls whatever color I choose. I can't even hang a picture in our place without fearing a fine. What would be the point of checking out any of those books? It would just be a reminder of what I no longer have. And, for the first time, the weight, the heaviness of what we have been and are going through settled on my chest and heart. I have not let myself feel the full weight of it, I have not let myself wallow. But for that moment in the library, I did. And all I could do was shake my head in acknowledgement of my pain and move on to the next aisle...which was gardening. Not much better, but getting there.