In all shapes and sizes

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.

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!!!

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

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

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!

Just Inching Along

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!

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

Castle Calendars

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

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

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?

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

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

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...

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

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

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...

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.

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.

Time to play catch up on some posts, while I have a few minutes anyway. First, my birthday last month. I turned 29. My last year in my 20s. While there were some great blessing this last year, I told H that it was also the hardest year on me physically. Having a baby at the end of my 20s is a bit harder on the body than having a baby was at the beginning of my 20s. I was already carrying around about 15 extra pounds of stress weight before I got preggo and it was just compounded after that. The weight is not the only sign of our recent stressful situation. I have added more wrinkles to my face than I have ever noticed before. Wrinkles and aging, I don't mind. I just don't like that they came so quickly in such a short amount of time. The loss of income and some stability in our economic outlook has increased these unwelcome developments much more than I like.

So, the last year of my life has been full of blessings: a new baby, a healthy family, a roof over our heads, food, warmth, friends and family. And I try to choose to dwell on these things, not the extra 20 lbs. or the lines around my eyes and across my forehead. Yeah, I could still do without those though.

My birthday, itself, was a good one. H made me a cake, made dinner, and I got a nice, long nap. The kids sang happy birthday to me and it took all my lung capacity to blow out the candles, and there were only about 12. But I enjoyed a relaxing day and some great cake for a couple of days.

Mother's Day. We went to Nag's Head Beach for Mother's Day. Sunday is the only day of the week H has off, so we briefly attended church and then headed east. The beaches on the outer banks are about 3 hours from us, so we arrived there at about 3 p.m. We changed into our swimsuits and since the ocean was really cold, we only waded in up to our knees. The kids collected hundreds of sea shells and we strolled along the beach, squishing the sand in our toes and savoring the feel of the tide rolling over our legs again and again. It was gorgeous. Little Man did not like the sand on his feet and it took a while before he would even touch it with his hands. One dip of his feet in the water and he shivered enough to let us know that it was too cold for him. It was great to see him reaction to the ocean though. I think that he thought it was a big bath. He also sucked on some of the large seashells. After the beach, we drove by the Bodie Island lighthouse. It was already closed for the day, but it was beautiful to look at. We are hoping to go back soon and spend more time up and down the outer banks.

So, that is an update. Also, Bree is finally here and it's nice to have such a wonderful friend nearby. We are planning a trip to the science museum tomorrow. Tiny is off-track for the next 3 weeks, so I am trying to come up with ways to entertain her. Both the kids love that Bree is here. They adore her. I am hoping to upload some videos and more pics soon. Take care.

Heaven Help Us

Little Man is cutting his second tooth. And can climb. And just figured out how to open cabinets. Oh boy.

Exercise+Brownies=Not a lot of progress

Sorry, I have not had another opportunity to sit and let myself muse the next bit of my story. The stars were really aligned the other night when I wrote that. The kids were playing, Little Man was asleep and the house was clean. So, I'm hoping that I will get to write again soon.

I did get up and exercise this morning, something I haven't done in a looooong time. It felt really good. H and I are working out an exercise schedule so that we are both assured some workout time each day. He is now in the 190's and I am back below 140, thanks to the long cross-country trip without the luxury of brownies and cookies. My goal is to get down between 120 and 125...and I want to be comfortable in my bathing suit. Of course, I say this as I'm snacking on homemade brownie. But I'm not shooting for supermodel status, I just want to lose a few pounds and still be able to eat the things I like. I love my husband, but I couldn't take on his diet of only fruits and veggies.

Little Man cut his first tooth Saturday and proceeded to bite my chest on Sunday. A surprising "ouch" and "no no" from me stopped that though. He can also climb on low things. This makes me glad that we're not in a house with steep stairs anymore.

Mister is enjoying his classes, has made friends and is proud of the budding hairs above his upper lip. Yep, he's fitting in well at the middle school.

Tiny is still sporadically homesick and misses her BFF. She was invited to a campout sleepover this weekend though. She had a lot of fun.

The weather here is getting VERY warm and I think the humidity is creeping closer to 100% everyday. I'm afraid of how hot the summer will be. The pool is supposed to open soon at our apartments though. Can't wait. Little Man is proving to be quite a water baby. I know he will love the pool.

Yesterday, we attended church and were then invited, along with a few others, to an ice cream social at a church member's house. It was great to meet some new people, chat, and let the kids run wild and play.

Well, I better go before Little Man wakes up. Have a beautiful day.

The beginning of something

The following is something that came out of me when I had the sudden urge to write. Please let me know what you think. This may be the beginning of something.


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.

INTERNET...Beloved is thy name.

Not to sound sacreligious (sp?), but I have offered a thanks heavenward for our new internet connection. I've felt a bit cut off not being able to read the news, check my email, and update my facebook. On top of this wonderful development, we have also obtained a washer/dryer, and have finally been paid some of our travel reimbursement money. Things are looking up a bit.

H has begun installing alarm systems and is actually going to try his hand at sales. Sales has always been his preference and he feels that this will fit him better. At this point, the installers can't do anything until a sale is made, so I think he will be able to do more selling. We'll see, but I would request some good thought from you all that he will make a go of it and we may actually see some income. I have faith in him.

Let me tell you a little about my days here in NC. I wake up at 5 a.m. to get Mister up and ready to catch the bus before 6. In our area, there are really only year-round schools. You have to travel to another area about 15 minutes out to go to a traditional school. Well, we toured both versions of the middle schools and elementaries. Mister decidedly resolutely that he wanted to go to the traditional school farther out because they offered more electives and it seemed to be a nicer school. Even after we informed him of the really early bus pickup and even earlier wake up time, he insisted that that was the school for him. So, he is finishing up his first week there and is taking Orchestra Strings (cello), Painting, and a NC myth and folklore class as his electives. The last two were not his first choices, but he's pretty happy with them.

Tiny wanted to also choose the farther away, traditional school, but I couldn't make myself comfortable with the idea of her so far away. Her schedule would also have been 2 whole hours behind Mister's because of bussing. So, I chose for her to go to the year-round school right next door to us. The track she's on will not end until the end of June, and Mister's ends at the beginning, but I felt better with her nearby...and Mister is getting old enough to make these decisions for himself.

So, back to our days, after he catches the bus at 6, I am sometimes lucky enough to slip back in bed for another hour. At 7, I wake Tiny and walk her to school a little after 8. After, H and I have been taking Little Man on morning walks with the dog. We found a great trail with a large pond hidden behind a cemetery down the street. We actually saw a salamander, tons of fish, an easygoing turtle swimming to us, and a mother duck with her ducklings. We see something new each time. We then run errands or I clean around the house. H heads to his meeting and then off to work at around 2 p.m. He usually doesn't get back until after 9 or 10 p.m. I pick up Tiny from school at 3 and Mister usually gets off the bus and is in the house when we get back. We hang out, cook dinner, take walks, and they play. The last few days I have been heading to bed earlier and earlier. Getting up at 5 a.m. is not easy.

But I have found some great blessing in our early mornings. I am able to chat and spend time with Mister while we wait for the bus and I get to chat with Tiny on our walks to and from school. I find that I am enjoying my family a lot and counting my blessing more. We live in a great area and the weather and landscaping are incredible. I am really liking it here.

I will post some trip picks in my next post and some of our new surroundings. Take care and hope you are all doing well.

Alive and Well

We are still alive. We made it to North Carolina and it is beautiful. Green and trees everywhere. I told H that this state probably started out as a land of endless trees and they had to clear patches just to build each new place. Our apartment is really nice, brand new and fits us well...especially with 90% of our stuff in storage in Utah. We don't have internet yet, so we have to traipse to the library right across the street to use it or I can access a few sites on my phone. The kids are getting underway with school and we are settling in. H should be starting work any day and I am trying to get our apartment in order.

The people here are really friendly and it's a great neighborhood. I am, however, experiencing a little bit of culture shock and homesickness. I'll live...which is a good thing because that means I will be back soon with lots to update you with and pics from our cross country trip. Take care, all!

FYI

We are in the great state of Idaho until the weekend. That is why I am so sparse. Is that even grammatically possible? Anyway, I'm not sure if I will post again before we take off on our long adventure to North Carolina. If not, take care and I will post pics of our trip as soon as we settle in. Later.

Music expresses that which cannot be said and on which it is impossible to be silent. --Victor Hugo

I rarely watch American Idol. Usually the auditions are enough for me and I already know who is going to be in the top 3. But I happened to catch it tonight and I'm glad I did because they were covering Motown hits. And it got me in the mood for some oldies. Also, Smokey Robinson was on there too. I love that man.

Those who know me well, know that I can sing old country and old R&B songs like nobody's business. The reason? As a kid, we took a lot of road trips and before the wonder of individual CD players, and waaaaay before mp3 players, we had to listen to the tape (yes, I said tape) player. And who was in control of those dials? You guessed it, Mom and Dad. And what did they like? Country and oldies. And they had tapes like "Greatest Hits of..." and "Best Country Hits". So, after 4 hours minimum of these tapes, I had a strong grasp of every word of every song. And I loved them...but I don't know if I ever really admitted that to them.

“Like all great travellers, I have seen more than I remember, and remember more than I have seen.”--Benjamin Disraeli

I have not liked moving since I was 15. I have moved about 15 times in my life. Sometimes to new towns, sometimes to new houses, and sometimes back to previous ones. I was born in Alamogordo, NM. We moved to Spain when I was almost 2, then TX less than a year later, then to Clovis, NM when I was 4. We stayed in Clovis for 10 years and then moved back to my mom's hometown in NM when I was 15. I hated it. I had planned to graduate with all the people I had started kindergarten with, but didn't.

At 16, I moved to TX to live with my sister and moved back to NM less than a year later. After marrying H, we lived in one house for 2 years and then another for 2 more. At 23, H and I, with the kids, moved to UT and have been here for 5 1/2 years. Within that time, we have lived in 3 different places. And now, we are moving again. We've been in this house for 3 years, the longest we've lived in one house since we married ten years ago. The kids have been in their school for 4 years, the longest they've been in the same school.

So, to say that leaving will be hard is an understatement. But I am looking toward our trip as a great adventure. A sojourn that few people with three kids get to take. A flight of fancy, if you will. Ok, that may be taking it a bit far. But it will definitely be an adventure in that it will be something very different and far away from all we know.

I am tackling the packing with a renewed vigor and am making some headway. I am getting tired, but at least the sealed boxes are multiplying and the stuff in each room is diminishing. We will visit some family in Idaho for the first few days of April and then we will set out on our trip to NC. We are giving ourselves a full week to get there and we will have a long weekend to settle in before H has to start work and the kids start school.

The trip will be from UT to Cheyenne, WY. Cheyenne to Lincoln, NE where we will stay with some cousins. Lincoln to St. Louis where we hope to sight-see a bit. St. Louis to Louisville where we will stay with some friends. Louisville to Charlotte. And then Charlotte to Raleigh. It will be a long trip and I have no delusions that it will be easy. One trailer, two cars, three kids, a dog and over 2,000 miles. Not the easiest of equations.

In the meantime, I must finish packing this week. I also have a baby shower to help with, a potluck, a bbq and many goodbyes. It's going to be a busy week. I will try to post again, but if I don't, you know why.

Life's a garden. Dig it!

Corny, but "Joe Dirt" is funny. I bought it for H a couple of weeks ago because we've seen it so many times and I figured we should have it. Another movie I like is "Sahara". Not because it's a great movie, or even because Matthew McC could melt the buttons on the remote. No, I love the soundtrack. Songs like "We're an American Band" and "Sweet Home Alabama" make me wanna rock out.

Moving on...I had a pretty successful yard sale yesterday. We still have some extra stuff to get rid of, but definitely less than before. Having a yard sale isn't as fun as it was before. It's hard to keep an eye out for yard-salers when I'm trying to play with, feed, and put Little Man to sleep. The kids helped a lot though.

So, we're about T-minus 3 weeks from heading to North Carolina. We finally got to look up what apartments we'll be staying in and they are really nice and brand-spanking new. We'll be getting a 3 bed, 2 bath and it also has washer/dryer hookups. Anyone that has had to haul laundry for 5 people back and forth to a laundry room knows how much it sucks and how great it is to have the hookups. The complex also has a theater room, a volleyball court, a workout room, and a dog park. I'm looking forward to seeing it. I'm really glad that we'll be able to take the dog. I can't imagine how lonely it would be without her.

Today was a nice slow Sunday. After church, the kids and I hung out while H was at work. Later, we headed to the park and fed the ducks and geese. Tiny had brought her basketball and, of course, managed to bounce it in the lake. Thankfully, the lake is mostly drained right now, but it still landed in a good-sized amount of water. Mister and I were trying to figure out how to get it out and noticed that it was not stuck and was floating. So, he and I started throwing large rocks behind it and created enough ripples to move it where we wanted it to go. It took a while and I still had to step one foot in the water before the ball floated into a drain, but we saved it. The things we do for our kiddos. It was fun though, trying to figure something out and working with Mister to get it. I've got some smart kids. And finally, that elementary science came in handy. Now, if only the math was useful...joking.

sahara

Green, the color of hunger.

Nothing new to convey. Just living day to day. Sorry, didn't mean to rhyme. Little Man is closer to crawling. He's doing a kind of crawl scoot. He also said his first deliberate word. We were in bed the other morning and he looked at H and said, "Dada, dada." He is also saying "nananana". I think he is saying "nononono" because I have been saying that to him lately when he is getting into something he shouldn't.

Speaking of that, I was holding him in the kitchen a couple of days ago and while I was washing a bowl, he got his little hands on a glass full of water. It fell to the floor and shattered. We've all been on a roll lately with breaking plates, bowls, and cups. So, I decided that with little hands on the loose, we would need more durable dishes. So, I am chucking all of our plates, bowls and cups and I bought new ones from Target. They are all plastic (melamine, polypropylene, whatever). They are also a great green color. The plates look a lot like this pic and the cups are these same ones, only the ones I bought are green, not brown. The bowls are also the same green. I also only bought five of each thing. That way, it will be easier to keep up with the dishes and everyone can be responsible for washing and taking care of one each. It will also make for lighter packing when we head to NC.












The packing is going very slow. I am only packing a little at a time. I am hoping that it will all add up to enough when the time to leave closes in. But, that is all I can do somedays while having to watch Little Man. I am also weeding out stuff we don't need and selling it online. I sold two lamps and a coffeepot today, my pool cue last week, and the kids' dirt bike. A few things gone, a million more to go.

Us LonDolls are planning a baby shower for Liz. I'm really looking forward to it. I hope she gets everything she needs. I hate that I won't be here for her when she has her baby, but you can bet that kids is going to be seriously spoiled when I get back.

Well, if you don't hear from me for a while...look for me under a pile of boxes and masking tape. But don't wake me. I'm tired.

Two Thumbs Up

I just finished this book and I have to say that I loved it. It was very well written. The characters were interesting and many. When there are many characters in the story, it's easy for the writer to not represent each individually and well. But, Lisa Jewell made each character as interesting as the next. I was anxious to know about each person and how things turn out for them. Each person's story is unique and, in some cases, even painful. However, the story is not heavy. It's a great read, easy to stick with and ends well. I will definitely be looking up more books by this author. And I highly recommend this book if you enjoy a story with diverse characters, a solid story, and a satisfying journey through the pages. I give it two thumbs up.

(I don't know who this kid is...but he's cute.)

North Carolina is the place you wanna be...

That's where we will be spending the summer. H is taking a job with APX installing alarms and it will be in Raleigh, NC. This is good news for a few reasons. One, it's work. And as our friend Dave said, steady work with a steady paycheck ain't nothing to sneeze at right now. It will actually pay well enough to help us get back on our feet. Two, we'll get to travel to a new place. I love traveling. I'm sure it will be a long trip with Little Man, but I'm excited. And three, we will get to spend the whole summer with some of my favorite people, Bree and Ryan. If you know Bree, you know this will be fun. She's like sunshine to be around. Love you, girl.

So, we have a LOT to do before we leave. H can start work around mid-April and that is when we plan to be there. So, I have two months to sort and pack the entire house. I plan to sort it all into three categories: stuff to sell or donate, stuff to store while we're away, and stuff to pack to take with us. I am a bit overwhelmed just looking around and thinking about it. We are hoping that the house will have sold by then. If not, then we will likely still be losing it about that time. So, this job is good timing.

Since we will be leaving in April, we will need to transfer the kids to a school in Raleigh to finish out the last 6 or 8 weeks of the year. I'm pretty sure that this will be tough for them since they've been at the same school for about four years, but I'm hoping we can make it as painless as possible. Apparently, I found out after talking to my dad, this will not be my first visit to NC. We were there when I was a baby. He said that I wouldn't go near the ocean when we visited the beach until I was safely on his shoulders. I remember seeing a picture of this, but didn't know that it was in NC. And now, I'm going there with my own little one...and his twol cute siblings. It's funny that when we went to D.C., Tiny was the same age as I was the first time I went there. Maybe, if this pattern continues, I'll also be taking them to London and Ireland, hopefully before the age that I was when I went.

So, that is the main event in our lives right now. If I am not posting as much, now you know why. I will be trying to pull off a miracle in the next two months. Wish me luck.

Book Update

I finished "The Man Who Loved Jane Austen" by Sally Smith O'Rourke and I have to say that I kinda enjoyed it. It definitely didn't ring my bell, but I thought the concept of the story was an interesting one. I can't elaborate without giving the story away, but I could recommend it for a light, fun read that isn't completely engaging or engrossing.

As for "The Bronte Project" by Jennifer Vandever...I must warn you to run away, quickly. The book started with an interesting grasp, a woman searching for lost letters from and to the Bronte's and how they would shed unseen light on their works as writers. The book was interesting in the first part, confusing soon after, and then completely worthless. The characters were fleeting, shallow, and uninteresting. I knew it was time to quit reading when I was skipping whole paragraphs and couldn't care less about what happened to the main character. It became littered with casual, meaningless sex, recreational drug use, and aimless wandering by the characters and the story. I only made it half way through the story, something unheard of for me. I hate quitting on a book, but I knew that if I kept reading I was going to be confused, frustrated and bitterly disappointed to have lost the time and energy spent to finish it. I read the reviews on the back cover and wondered if those quoted had actually read the book, or even got past the first few chapters. Because, if they did, their quotes betray them as either liars or completely without knowledge of what constitutes a good novel.

Sorry for the rant. Hopefully I will have better reviews with the next two books I just picked up at the library. More to come.

What do we do? We swim, swim, swim.

I figured that I had better post while I had a chance. We got an offer on the house and it was significantly lower than our short-sale price. But, it's up to the mortgage company to approve the amount. If it's approved, we'll likely be somewhere new in the next month or two. I can't tell you how my stomach flip-flops when I think about this. Everyone says that they are impressed with how calm I have been about everything. I think I would call it resignation, not calm. Most times, I am pretty mellow, resigned to the fact that all I can do is go with the flow and take things as they come. And then, sometimes, it all catches up with me...all the worrying I'm not doing on those other days hits me all at once. My stomach knots up, I get easily frustrated, and really depressed. I stop talking in full sentences. I feel the need to cry, or yell. I know that given the situation, it's understandable how I feel on those days. But I hate feeling like that. I constantly remind myself that life could be sooo much harder than what I am experiencing right now. I should be constantly thankful that we are all healthy, well, and whole. And besides some stress, we're actually doing really well. We're fed, sheltered, warm, and comfortable. Just stressed. These are my mantras.

The future is looking blurry. I don't know where we'll be living in a couple months. I don't know if H will be working in a couple months. But I'm thankful we have some options. We have a loving family with spare rooms available anytime for us, even if they are in NM, 14 hours away. H has a summer job that is being offered to him with the chance for us all to travel for a few months. Our family and friends are really supportive and understanding that things are tight and unsure. I am just trying to get past the bad days of worry and focus on the positives. I sound like a Tony Robbins recording. But it's like Dory said, "Just keep swimming, just keep swimming, just keep swimming, swimming, swimming."

Outside of a dog, a man's best friend is a book. Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read. --Groucho Marx

I have been trying to keep up a steady pace of reading. One book I just finished is "The Go-To Girl" by Louise Bagshawe. I loved it. The story was great, the characters were believable, and it ended well. I recommend it for a fun read.I am now reading "The Man Who Loved Jane Austen" by Sally Smith O'Rourke. It is also proving to be very enjoyable. It toys with the idea of Fitzwilliam Darcy having been a real person in Jane Austen's life. I'm about halfway through it. Lined up next, I am going to finish reading "The Bronte Project: A Novel of Passion, Desire, and Good PR" by Jennifer Vandever. I began this while in NM and didn't finish it. But it also seemed promising. I'll let you know how they are.

I feel a story coming on...

Not much to report. Comp cord is still kaput, H's comp went kaput, now we're using Mister's comp. Also, our cell phone is kaput. Fun. Little Man is rolling everywhere and is trying to scoot a bit too. He managed to unplug the Gamecube while Tiny and Mister were playing it. Tiny brought him to me and told me what happened and all I could do was laugh. This, I'm sure, is only the beginning of the mischief.

WE HAVE A NEW PRESIDENT! Whether you're political or not, whether you like him or not...I am so excited. I told H that anytime I see Pres. Obama, I feel proud...and full of hope. I loved the inauguration, bloopers and all. I felt like I was witnessing something very important. I can't wait to see what he has in store and I hope to play a part in making a better tomorrow.

And the last update, I am beginning the first steps of writing a story. I'm hoping it will grow up to be a book, but I am excited. I'll just tell you that my research will be centered in familiarizing myself with the works of Jane Austen. It's a tough job, but someone has to do it, and I'm glad it's me. I have read half of her works and will reacquaint myself with them and introduce myself to the others. I will let you all know more as it progresses. Wish me luck.

Cord Troubles

Just putting in a post letting you know that my entries will be sparse for a bit. I have just killed my third power adapter for my laptop and will need to send it to Toshiba for it to be replaced. It sucks less to have it die when it's still under warranty.

Things are much the same here. I'm missing my family down in NM. I loved visiting them. We have the house up for sale and I am trying to weed through the extra crap we've accumulated during our time in this house. The realtor wants to have pictures taken soon and I'm trying to make it look like someplace a person would like to live in, rather than run for the hills screaming. You think I joke, but I'm dead serious. I have not had a handle on this house in quite some time. I hope I can weed through it til it hurts to give up anymore. That will help keep it presentable...for now. I also dread the idea of having to box all this stuff up and moving it to a new place half this size. Ugh.

H is working hard at the ski resort and losing weight. He weighed three days ago and he's down 27 lbs. I'm impressed with how disciplined he's been. The kids are enjoying their Saturday with a friend over, and avoiding any housework. Little Man is finally over most of his cold and can breathe through his nose again. He's still not back to sleeping through the night though. Not fun for me. H got a new (to us) car for $600 bucks. It just needed a few things repaired and works great for him to get back and forth to work. It's an old Crown Victoria police cruiser. Thankfully, it doesn't have any markings from when it was a cop car. It's really decent.

Well, that's all for now. Better try to clean something else before Little Man wakes up.

Pottery Barn Dreams

I remember the first time I received a Pottery Barn catalog. It was the Christmas 2003 catalog. I know this because I still have it. When I opened the pages for the first time, I nearly swooned. It was warm, it was comfortable-looking, it was beautiful. I loved everything in there. I wanted to go broke decorating my house with every little item. And I still feel that way every time I look at it...except the going broke part, we're already there...and, without one item of PB furniture.

I believe that it is very hard to find what your true style is. You can look at home magazines and like one style and you can window shop at furniture stores and admire a few of the items. But, it's when you walk into a room, be it literally (in a store) or figuratively (in the pages of a catalog) and what you see takes your breath away and simultaneously makes you feel all warm and fuzzy...you've found your style. So, as cliche as it may sound to some of the more eclectic or traditional decorators, Pottery Barn is my style.

Since that Christmas 2003 catalog, I have tried to receive as many of their regular catalogs as possible. Hey, they're free. And I have to say that my level of infatuation for their products has had ups and downs. I still love the warm colors of the fall and winter lines, but find myself picking and choosing from the spring and summer items. While I love bright colors, I prefer them as accents, not main designs. But, no matter the season, I can always pull out the PB catalog and feel my heart melt looking at my comfy, cozy ideal living room, bedrooms, bathrooms, etc. I think it's the clean, uncluttered spaces and fun designs that capture my heart and hold my attention. Maybe one day, I will be able to afford to leaf through each page and order to my heart's desire. Or maybe, I'll have to content myself to poring over each new catalog and at least match the wall colors the best I can and taking joy in a freshly painted room that mimics the ideal. Oh, to dream of clean rooms, beautifully decorated and wonderfully organized.

AT LAST!

I am so glad to be home. You wouldn't believe the weather and traffic we had to fight through on the way home. Usually, the trip from my parent's house to ours is a 14-hour drive. Well, it took us 14 hours to drive half the total distance. The snow wasn't so bad, but the road was a sheet of ice and the traffic was backed up for miles in some spots. We actually took a service road to get around the stalled traffic. There were a few accidents along the way and I'm thankful that we were safe.

We stopped at midnight last night to stay at a hotel and then got underway again this morning. Little did we know, we were only a little ahead of another big snowstorm. We stopped off at H's dad's house to visit and ate a bit before heading home, normally a 40-minute drive that took 2 hours. The storm had caught up with us. But, we made it home, safe and whole. The kids tore into some gifts that were waiting for them, played with their new things, ate some dinner, and headed to bed. They have school in the morning.

Little Man tolerated the trip pretty well. But I'm sure he won't want to see the inside of the car for a while. He won't sit in his carseat without fussing right now. The change from warm to cold weather on the trip seems to have caused him a slight fever. He was a little grumpy and generally feeling a bit yucky. But, hopefully, the tylenol will help and he'll be good to go soon. He is almost 6 months old and this was his first big trip. He seems to share his daddy's sentiments on travel; the shorter, the better.

I missed my house more than I thought. Right now, it looks like the van upchucked all our luggage into the livingroom. But I hope to get it all sorted soon. Thus will begin my "weeding" of the house. Since we are so behind on our mortgage, it will come down to either selling or foreclosure. We have the house listed in hopes of short-selling it before the mortgage company comes calling. So, either way, we'll likely be moving within the next couple of months. I am going to start "weeding" through our belongings in order to minimize what we will be needing to move to the next place.

On that note...H is still working at the ski resort. He is getting a lot of exercise and has lost 20 lbs. in the last month. He is also eating really well. He looks really good. You can see the difference in his face and his "glow". He looks healthier. I mistakenly weighed myself today and was dismayed to find that I did, indeed, gain weight on our vacation. I am now 25 lbs. heavier than I want to be. I am making a goal to lose this weight. I am not going to obsess or worry excessively about a time table. I have found that while I am breastfeeding, I am content that I have some extra weight that is helping to meet Little Man's needs. But I would like to be healthier and I am going to slowly start to work toward my goal. I already have an exercise regimen that I can start up again and, with the holidays over, I will be able to avoid some of those food temptations that I fall victim to. I will post on my progress as I make it.

Well, I better get some things in order for tomorrow and get some sleep. I don't think Little Man will sleep through the night while he's still getting reacquainted with his surroundings. Hope you are all safe and well too and enjoying those last few bits of holiday treats.

Fudge Hangover

I didn't know it was possible to have a fudge hangover...but it is. I indulged in my aunt's fudge two days in a row and woke up this morning with, what I can only describe as withdrawals. My pounding brain was telling me I needed caffeine and I needed it right away. So, after a lot of water, some Pepsi, and a couple of Tylenol, I was feeling much better. Did I learn from this little episode? Apparently not, because I indulged, yet again, in that fudge tonight. Seriously, her fudge is worth tempting fate.

We had a really great Christmas...except for missing H. The kids were blown away when they opened new mp3 players, wireless game controllers and quite a few other things that they had on their lists. They've been plugged in, listening to, wearing, and reading what they received every minute since. So, I'd say that happiness was achieved. Little Man is also enjoying his new teething rings and other assorted toys. I received new earphone buds (the memory foam ones), a beautiful bracelet from H via my parents, a small mirror with a "sister" poem on it from, well, my sister, and a shower radio that I've been wanting for about two years.

We spent Christmas Eve at my grandmother's house, eating posole and tamales. Yum! In the morning, we opened presents at my parents' and then the kids opened more at Grandma's. We followed that up with some delicious food: turkey, sweet potatoes, mashed potatoes and gravy, fruit salad, and much more. I ate two of everything...so good. It's been really nice visiting my family and spending time here. But I also can't wait to see H and see home. I love the city we live in. It's so green and vibrant. I love seeing my kids in their school. I hope we can find a nice, new place to rent. H will be heading this way after New Year's Day to bring us all home. I think it will be hard to say goodbye to my folks. I've really enjoyed staying here.

Well, I'll post more later. Got a lot on my mind and I'm sure I'll want to share some of it.

The Reason

Merry Christmas

Tired, but blessed.

Just thought I would post an update. Nothing new, just staying with my folks and hanging out with the kids. We've been to the library twice in the last week. Being away from the stress at home is a plus, but I miss my husband, and my friends, and Utah. I love my family here, and I could probably live here if I needed to, but I'd rather be back home. I hope we can head back after the holidays. H is trying to work things out quickly with the house and the bills. I have to say that all of this has been a great trial, but I would rather go through all of this than any number of other, more tragic, trials in life. I feel really blessed. Tired, but blessed. I hope you are all feeling blessed too.

New Mexico: The Land of Enchantment

Growing up here, we used to call it "The Land of Entrapment". We couldn't wait to leave. And now, I find that it has become a haven. I was deliberately vague in my previous post about the reasons behind our trip. Well, I'm going to lay it out flat. We're struggling, a lot...financially. It looks like bankruptcy is in our immediate future, and that includes losing the house. H is also still out of work. Real estate ain't what it used to be. So, in the hopes of sparing the kids and I from some of the stress and worry, H suggested that we head down to NM to stay with my folks for a bit. He is returning home today and will be starting a job on Saturday and looking for another in the meantime. He will be taking care of the necessary arrangements regarding the bankruptcy and trying to take of the rest while also searching for a new place for us to dwell.

So, that is the truth. We have been struggling all year, but it has come to a point of constant worry. Creditors finally can't call anymore, a mixed blessing because it is due to our phones being shut off. Anyway, our families and friends have been such a blessing to us. They've been looking out for us, asking if we need anything, and actually following through on that with small gifts and loans that have helped us meet our needs. I am so humbled by their service to us. I hope that I can do the same whenever I am called upon.

H left this morning, really early. The whole situation hit me hard when I reached over to his side of the bed and it was empty. He had said goodbye, but I was half asleep. I hope things will work out quickly so that we won't be apart for long.

Before I leave this post dripping with sadness, know that we are okay. We are strong people with loving families. We will not be left without anything. The kids are enjoying the month-long "vacation" at my mom and dad's. We are looking forward to Christmas and New Year and spending time with family. I hope you are all faring well in these tough times. I am off to start the day. Love to all.

FYI

Just thought I'd let you all know that the kids and I will be headed out of town on Sunday to stay with my mom and dad for a bit. Don't worry...H and I are not separating or anything like that. The kids and I are going to get a jumpstart on our holiday vacation while H stays home and works. I will continue to post while we are gone. Hope you all have a great weekend.

I survived.

I survived. I survived Thanksgiving and Mister's 12th birthday party, all in the same week. My baby is now 12. A preteen. It's hard to believe. I won't say time has flown by, but I clearly remember holding this tiny being in my teenage arms and thinking, "It's just me and you, kid." I'm so glad that he is growing into such a good person, and has a wonderful father to guide him and be an example. He is healthy, happy, and smart. And today, he had a great day.

He had about 15 guests over for some games, cake, and hanging out. That kid ended up with a few toys and $62 in his pocket. I'd say he did pretty well. I made his cake with icing light sabers and lego star wars men atop it. It was all chocolate, inside and out. I keep wondering at what age he will tell me that homemade cakes and games are too "little kid" for him. I hope not too soon. I do, however, sense that it won't be long before his birthday parties have the word "dance" on the invite and I'll be banished to another room for the duration. I think I did that at about 13 or 14. My mom was a good sport though.

Thanksgiving also went great. We had dinner at H's brother's house with his family, another brother and his family, and a friend from church. The food was worth the wait. I made my deviled eggs, candied yams, and mashed potatoes. Can't go wrong with any of those.

I hope you each had a great holiday too and didn't stress on Black Friday too much. And I hope you have plenty of turkey leftovers.

What's your blog's personality type?

I found this fun website, Typealyzer, that is like a personality test for your blog. I found it through the lovely and hilarious Lemon Gloria. Just type in your blog's web address and voila...you have your blog's personality. Here's mine:

ISFP - The Artists

The gentle and compassionate type. They are especially attuned their inner values and what other people need. They are not friends of many words and tend to take the worries of the world on their shoulders. They tend to follow the path of least resistance and have to look out not to be taken advantage of. They often prefer working quietly, behind the scene as a part of a team. They tend to value their friends and family above what they do for a living.

Yep...they grow up so fast.

Little Man actually slept through the whole night last night. This is significant. Even if it doesn't happen every night from now on, it's still pretty big for me. I still remember when Tiny started sleeping through the night...almost 8 years ago. It's sort of like a milestone. And the beginning of much more uninterrupted sleep. And, of course you know what comes next...driving, shaving, and college.

Just so you know

I am so tired. I am tired of this economy. I am tired of the sucky housing market. I am tired of fielding off creditor's calls every day. I am tired of putting $10 of gas in my van at a time. I am tired of the stress and worry. I am tired of putting the bills in a pile, knowing that I don't know when they'll get paid. I am tired of wondering what will happen next. I am tired. I'm not going to elaborate on all of the above because I am the kind of person that keeps such personal things just that, personal. But I needed to put this out into the cosmos...I AM TIRED OF IT!

Did you know...

that I still cry when Cedric Diggory is killed in "Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire"? Yeah, I'm a dork. :)

Turning over a new...er, another leaf.

I am pursuing a new interest. Tiny has a BFF whose mother, I have come to find out, also graduated with an English degree. And like me, she also found that there was an abundance of uses for that degree in the job market...(sarcasm intended). Anyway, she decided to look into graphic design. The more she discussed it, the more my interest grew. It sounded like a job that would make good use of my English background and my creativity. So, she lent me a book that she used to begin learning photoshop. I have already started fiddling with it and have to say that I am having fun. My perfectionism might cause me to spend quite a bit of time on it, but I like what I've worked on so far. I have been following the tutorials in the book and have made these:
I just followed the instructions and the examples and it was pretty simple. The hard part will be remembering all the tools and ways to change things. I'm not even finished with the first chapter. I'm sure I will be learning a lot. Who knows? I may be able to use it for something lucrative...like a job.

Measuring my excitement and gratitude...

I meant to post about this exciting news last night, but, alas, I once again fell asleep while trying to put Little Man to bed. Anyways, I WON SOMETHING!!!

DIYdiva had a contest for her readers and I won! The prize, you ask?

This awesome diy 100% stainless steel tape measure, with two-sided grip and numbers on BOTH sides. I got so excited when I saw this on her blog that I posted a comment immediately and won! I can't wait for it to arrive. I am mentally measuring things all around the house already.

And to prove that I was meant for this measuring tape...a DIY job popped up this morning. Could be good news...or bad, depending how you look at it. The upstairs shower seems to be producing a small leak that is dripping into the downstairs kitchen when someone takes a shower. Now, my first thought was...."No, we really can't fix this right now!" However, when mentioning it to H, he seemed excited for an excuse to replace the prefab shower stall with a new tub/shower. I must admit that I would love to see an old fashioned tub in there, with the claw feet. Maybe it'll come true. In the meantime, I'll wait for my new tape measure and then measure every inch of the bathroom for the new tub.

OH MY GOSH!!!

I awoke to this headline on the internet:

"'Girl Next Door' Engaged"

Turns out that Hugh Hefner's ex, Kendra Wilkinson, became engaged to Philadelphia Eagles wide receiver Hank Baskett. I hardly ever blog about anyone famous, so what's the big deal, you ask???












Well, I went to school with Hank Baskett. He and my brother were close friends in elementary school. My brother even broke his arm in Hank's front yard. So, it's just a bit weird to see this guy we grew up with engaged to a Playboy Bunny. A little odd. But it's also a bit odd to see him as a big, buff, famous football player when the last time I saw him he was still a skinny kid, all knees and elbows. But I wish them much happiness and luck. Hank was always a nice guy.

I am so proud...

to be an American. And I am so excited and full of hope for our new President-Elect Barack Obama. I feel like my vote contributed to an important part of history. I think that so many of us are looking toward the future with a renewed hope and prayer. God bless this nation and its leaders.

Carpe Diem

I thought I would seize the moment to post while Little Man snoozes in his swing. There's so much on my mind.

It's November now and, besides it being the beginning of the feast and thankful seasons, my Mister is turning 12 this month! It's hard to believe that 12 years ago, he came into my world. I will definitely post a mushy message closer to his day.

It's Election Day! Did you vote? You NEED to vote. I think this will be a close one and every vote will count. Not to drop hints of who I voted for, but:

Doesn't matter who you like....EVERY VOTE COUNTS!

Tiny went to the orthopaedic specialist yesterday and did great. She now has a purple cast that is already donning some extensive signatures...with a silver metallic marker, of course. She really wanted me to buy her the marker before she headed back to school so all her friends could sign it. While putting on the cast, the doctor put some pressure on her arm to help straighten out the bones. According to the x-ray, it seems to have helped and he will check her again in 3 weeks. She didn't make a peep, just took some deep breaths and squeezed my hand. She's a tough cookie.

H is plugging away at his new job. It's a start up venture capitalist company that is owned by a man that has made a mint in many businesses. H is doing sales, recruiting small and large businesses for capital loans. He seems to like it and it's keeping him really busy.

I better go...Little Man is saying my time is up.