Do you ever have one of those days? You know the ones, where everything seems to go wrong. I have had one of those weeks. Actually, the majority of it was over the weekend. Even though my weekend was good, it was also full of my klumsy antics. I'm not always klumsy, but it does come in cycles. One thing happens and it snowballs from there.
Monday was an absolute crazy day at work. I love to be busy and I do my best work when it's busy, but it was so crazy that by the time I left work I was exhausted! The rest of the week wasn't so bad and mellowed out.
I took Friday off and had my yardsale. It was pretty successful for the most part. I only had 1 bag of clothes and a small box of stuff left over and I had gotten to that point by about 10 am. The only thing I didn't sell that I was really wanting to sell was my Total Gym. It's not that I have never used it, it's just been a while. I'm trying to downsize, declutter and make a little bit of cash so I was really hoping to sell it. I paid good money for that piece of equipment and it has all the pieces and parts to it, so I was hoping to get a few hundred for it. No one even looked at it. Until the very end that is. My neighbor came over and said her daughter was looking for something she could use to workout with. She ran and got her daughter so I could show them how to fold it up. Now, it's not hard to fold up, it's just kind of a pain in the ass and when you're klumsy like me you really have to be careful what you are doing. Apparently, I forgot that little tidbit of information. As I was trying to make the big sale by showing her how to fold up the Total Gym so she can put it in a closet or something, I smashed my finger. Yep, got it caught and couldn't get it out. I was trying really hard not to panic while I was talking to her and telling her she has to be very careful not to pinch her fingers and the whole time I'm trying to slyly unfold it so I can get my finger out!! I finally free myself and I get it folded up, except for the piece on the back. I didn't snap it all the way in and it fell back and landed on my foot! I'm standing there thinking, "Wow, I feel like half of the Lucy and Ethel show." It left a red mark on the top of my foot, but it didn't hurt as bad as my finger so I didn't think much of it. She looked at me and said, "I'll think about it." Yeah, sure you will...chicken!! haha
Friday night I went to a party, so I was on my feet a lot that night. As the night wore on, the more sore my foot became and the more visible the bruise was. Even my flip flops were hurting my foot. Then, Saturday morning I took my kids to an Easter egg hunt and was on my feet for quite a while there. I then went to lunch with an old friend and by the time I got back home, my foot was throbbing and it was very swollen. Because it didn't hurt quite as bad as my finger (which still hurts by the way) when I did it, I didn't think anything of it, but by that time I was beginning to wonder if I had a small crack in one of those tiny bones. I put some ice on it, propped it up on the couch and promptly fell asleep. When I woke up the swelling had gone down some so I went about my business.
Yesterday I woke up to a sore finger, a sore foot and a pain in my back near my left shoulder blade and up into my neck. Really???!!!!! I didn't do anything! Sheesh I skipped church because of that and because I wasn't sure if I could get a shoe on. Later yesterday afternoon, I started to make mashed potatoes to take to my sister's for dinner. I was peeling and cutting away and next thing I know, I somehow run the knife across the side of my finger...yep, you guessed it. The one that I smashed! OMG! Thankfully it was just a superficial wound and thankfully I didn't get the big knife down when I thought about it because I probably would have cut my finger off! Then at my sister's house for dinner, the spoon fell into the crock pot. When I was trying to fish it out, I burned myself. Not enough to cause any damage, but I decided it was time to go to bed. Maybe I should wrap myself in bubble wrap! My mom used her mom's famous quote on me yesterday. "You just need to face the fact that you're getting older and you just can't do the things you used to do." Oh, you mean like fold up a Total Gym and cut potatoes!! lol
My back is still sore today and sitting in a not so comfortable chair doesn't help, but on the bright side, my foot is slowly getting better. The bruise isn't as purple, it's not as swollen and I got a shoe on today. It didn't feel great, but I got my sandal on my foot. I think this would be a really good time to just hang out in bed for a few days...too bad it's not possible. Oh well, I will just have to be extra careful with everything I do and I am not allowing myself to use sharp objects!
Monday, April 25, 2011
Sunday, April 24, 2011
Grandparents
I think I have the most amazing grandparents ever! Just a short life sketch. My grandpa was originally from UT. His father left the family when my grandpa was a teenager, so he had to drop out of school to work on the farm to try and keep the family afloat. They ended up moving to my hometown and that is where he met my grandma. My grandma was born and raised in that little town. Her grandparents helped settle that town. Her grandmother was the first woman elected into the state legislature and her grandfather was the sheriff. Her father eventually became sheriff as well and was killed in the line of duty. She was very close to her father and had so many fond memories of him. My grandpa was 8 years older than my grandma and she was very young when they got married. In fact, her first child was born on the day she should have graduated from high school.
During WWII, they moved to a town in the western part of the state and ran the airport. My grandma ran the lunch counter and my grandpa ran the airport itself. He had a heart problem even at that young age, so he wasn't able to join the army and go fight in the war, but he was VERY patriotic. My mom tells stories of when they would be driving down the road and no matter where they were, when the National Anthem played at noon on the radio, grandpa would stop, make everyone get out of the car and put their hands on their hearts. My grandpa was very musical. He didn't know how to read music, but he taught himself to play eight different instruments. He would hear a song, choose which instrument he wanted to play, and figure out how to play the song. He was asked to play in a big band, but his family was too important to him so he turned it down. He was a self taught engineer as well. He took an equivalency test and passed it with an equivalant of a 4 year college degree. I was named after my grandpa as well. My three fondest memories of my grandpa are he would sit down at the piano and play nonstop for two hours. He would flow from one song to another without stopping and it was so amazing and beautiful. He also loved the rain. He would sit out on his porch swing in the middle of a storm and revel in the excitement of the thunder and lightning and enjoy the smell of rain washing down the earth. My third favorite memory is, he used to lock up the Dept of Transportation yard and one of the greatest things to do was go walk with him to lock up. We would always find little treasures on our walks and he loved to point out plants and flowers and birds. It was very sad to watch such a brilliant man deteriorate as Alzheimers ravaged his brain.
My grandma was one of the sweetest ladies on the planet. She was also a lady in the truest sense of the word. She was loved and respected by everyone she met, even the local madam! When her kids were growing up, she ran the telephone switchboard in one of the towns they lived in and then ran a bakery out of her home when they moved to a nearby town. She loved to sing and had the voice of an angel. She was also the one that everyone confided in when they had a problem. She loved dirty jokes, but she would get so embarrassed by them! She would put her hands up to cover her mouth and just giggle! When I graduated from High School, one of my classmates put on a woman's teddy and was going to flash our class and flash the audience. I honestly didn't think he would do it and I told him so. After he walked across the stage and got his diploma, he turned and pointed at me, unzipped his gown and flashed everyone! It was hilarious!!! I found out later that my grandma put her program in front of her face and said "Oh my!!!", but she didn't cover her eyes with that program!! lol She also had a favorite swear word....shit! It was pretty funny when she would get upset or would drop something, that was the first word that she would say! Or hell's bells! None of her grandkids' friends ever called her by her name...she was grandma to them too. She was everyone's grandma! She was also so dedicated to her husband and her family. My grandparents were married for over 50 years and she spent everyday trying to make my grandpa's life easier. At the end of my grandpa's life, she had no choice but to put him in a home because she was handicapped herself and it was just too hard to take care of him on her own and it killed her that she had to do it. He died shortly after that.
I had the rare experience of being able to live with my grandparents off and on in my life. The first time was when I was a baby. My dad went to Vietnam so my mom and I moved in with my grandparents. Then we did it again when my parents split up. After I graduated from high school, I lived on my own for a while and then I moved in with my grandma for a while to save some money.
My grandparents were 8 years apart and 8 years after my grandpa died, my grandma died. It was a huge loss for all of us. When my grandma was alive, she would call her kids or her grandkids and say, "Tell me something exciting. I like to live vicariously through you." She always wanted something exciting to happen to her. We had her funeral in the city where she lived, but she was buried in our tiny hometown next to her love. On the day of her burial, everyone was gathered around waiting for the hurse to get there with grandma. We waited and waited and waited some more. Finally, he pulled into the cemetary. The funeral director came running up to my mom and said, "I have something important to tell you." When they were about 5 miles out of town, a small car passed the hurse at a high rate of speed. The female driver overcorrected and rolled her car right in front of them. So the hurse of course pulled over to lend assistance to the people in the car. When the driver got out of the car, she saw the hurse and fainted! lol My grandma finally got her excitement on her burial day and she was late to her own burial! A few years later, I was sitting in a first responder class. I was listening to the fire chief talk about this call he had responded to. It was about a rollover and a hurse stopped to help. The fire chief pulled up on scene of the collision and said outloud, "Wow, they are jumping the gun a bit!" lol Interesting to hear about it from a different perspective!
I love hearing stories about my family, but especially my close family. I see them in myself. There are a lot of things I do that are so much like my dad and yet others that are like my mom. I go to visit my mom and when I sit in her home, I feel that sense of calm and peace that I would feel when I sat in my grandma's home. I just love to go there and lay on the couch, talk to my mom and just be. That doesn't get to happen very often. I see parts of my grandparents in me as well. My LOVE for music, my love for enjoying the rain and I share the same favorite swear word! haha My mom is a lot like my grandma, but I see some of my grandpa in her as well...like going gray prematurely! lol
During WWII, they moved to a town in the western part of the state and ran the airport. My grandma ran the lunch counter and my grandpa ran the airport itself. He had a heart problem even at that young age, so he wasn't able to join the army and go fight in the war, but he was VERY patriotic. My mom tells stories of when they would be driving down the road and no matter where they were, when the National Anthem played at noon on the radio, grandpa would stop, make everyone get out of the car and put their hands on their hearts. My grandpa was very musical. He didn't know how to read music, but he taught himself to play eight different instruments. He would hear a song, choose which instrument he wanted to play, and figure out how to play the song. He was asked to play in a big band, but his family was too important to him so he turned it down. He was a self taught engineer as well. He took an equivalency test and passed it with an equivalant of a 4 year college degree. I was named after my grandpa as well. My three fondest memories of my grandpa are he would sit down at the piano and play nonstop for two hours. He would flow from one song to another without stopping and it was so amazing and beautiful. He also loved the rain. He would sit out on his porch swing in the middle of a storm and revel in the excitement of the thunder and lightning and enjoy the smell of rain washing down the earth. My third favorite memory is, he used to lock up the Dept of Transportation yard and one of the greatest things to do was go walk with him to lock up. We would always find little treasures on our walks and he loved to point out plants and flowers and birds. It was very sad to watch such a brilliant man deteriorate as Alzheimers ravaged his brain.
My grandma was one of the sweetest ladies on the planet. She was also a lady in the truest sense of the word. She was loved and respected by everyone she met, even the local madam! When her kids were growing up, she ran the telephone switchboard in one of the towns they lived in and then ran a bakery out of her home when they moved to a nearby town. She loved to sing and had the voice of an angel. She was also the one that everyone confided in when they had a problem. She loved dirty jokes, but she would get so embarrassed by them! She would put her hands up to cover her mouth and just giggle! When I graduated from High School, one of my classmates put on a woman's teddy and was going to flash our class and flash the audience. I honestly didn't think he would do it and I told him so. After he walked across the stage and got his diploma, he turned and pointed at me, unzipped his gown and flashed everyone! It was hilarious!!! I found out later that my grandma put her program in front of her face and said "Oh my!!!", but she didn't cover her eyes with that program!! lol She also had a favorite swear word....shit! It was pretty funny when she would get upset or would drop something, that was the first word that she would say! Or hell's bells! None of her grandkids' friends ever called her by her name...she was grandma to them too. She was everyone's grandma! She was also so dedicated to her husband and her family. My grandparents were married for over 50 years and she spent everyday trying to make my grandpa's life easier. At the end of my grandpa's life, she had no choice but to put him in a home because she was handicapped herself and it was just too hard to take care of him on her own and it killed her that she had to do it. He died shortly after that.
I had the rare experience of being able to live with my grandparents off and on in my life. The first time was when I was a baby. My dad went to Vietnam so my mom and I moved in with my grandparents. Then we did it again when my parents split up. After I graduated from high school, I lived on my own for a while and then I moved in with my grandma for a while to save some money.
My grandparents were 8 years apart and 8 years after my grandpa died, my grandma died. It was a huge loss for all of us. When my grandma was alive, she would call her kids or her grandkids and say, "Tell me something exciting. I like to live vicariously through you." She always wanted something exciting to happen to her. We had her funeral in the city where she lived, but she was buried in our tiny hometown next to her love. On the day of her burial, everyone was gathered around waiting for the hurse to get there with grandma. We waited and waited and waited some more. Finally, he pulled into the cemetary. The funeral director came running up to my mom and said, "I have something important to tell you." When they were about 5 miles out of town, a small car passed the hurse at a high rate of speed. The female driver overcorrected and rolled her car right in front of them. So the hurse of course pulled over to lend assistance to the people in the car. When the driver got out of the car, she saw the hurse and fainted! lol My grandma finally got her excitement on her burial day and she was late to her own burial! A few years later, I was sitting in a first responder class. I was listening to the fire chief talk about this call he had responded to. It was about a rollover and a hurse stopped to help. The fire chief pulled up on scene of the collision and said outloud, "Wow, they are jumping the gun a bit!" lol Interesting to hear about it from a different perspective!
I love hearing stories about my family, but especially my close family. I see them in myself. There are a lot of things I do that are so much like my dad and yet others that are like my mom. I go to visit my mom and when I sit in her home, I feel that sense of calm and peace that I would feel when I sat in my grandma's home. I just love to go there and lay on the couch, talk to my mom and just be. That doesn't get to happen very often. I see parts of my grandparents in me as well. My LOVE for music, my love for enjoying the rain and I share the same favorite swear word! haha My mom is a lot like my grandma, but I see some of my grandpa in her as well...like going gray prematurely! lol
Traveling
Growing up I never did much traveling. We didn't have the money to go anywhere. The only traveling we did was drive the four hour trip (now it's only 3 hrs thanks to higher speed limits!) from our small town to the big city once a month to see my grandparents. I LOVED visiting my grandparents, but that is my next post! When I was about 14 or 15 years old, I went to Provo, UT to BYU with a church youth group. That was such a fun trip! We also used to take a day trip once in a great while to Flagstaff and during the fall we would take day trips around the mountain to look at fall colors and have a picnic. These were really fun times! Times where we would talk about everything under the sun and enjoy the scenery. When I was a senior in High School, I went to San Diego with my senior class. That was so much fun!
In my 20's, I made friends with some people who had moved to our tiny town from northern California. Sadly, they eventually left that town and moved back to CA. I took several trips to their beautiful home. I loved sitting on their porch, enjoying the green, green 10 acres of land, the pond in their backyard, beautiful large oak trees and wild blackberry bushes. In 2005, I took my kids and my mom to NYC to see my sister when she was living there. That is an amazing city and I wish I could have stayed longer to see more! That is pretty much the extent of my traveling experiences.
After my kids get older, I'm hoping I can start saving money for more trips. There are so many places that I want to go. As much as I would LOVE to go to Italy and Ireland, I have this aversion to flying over large bodies of water. I don't like water that I can't see or touch the bottom sooooo...I would love to stay in the States. I want to go to the Pacific Northwest where there is rain and green! I want to go back to NYC and see all the things that I missed. I want to go to Boston, Savannah, New Orleans and Washington D.C. I really want to take a train ride through New England in the fall and see the gold, red and orange colors of fall and visit the tiny towns there. Towns where they sell real maple syrup, have cobble stone streets, quaint shops and huge trees.
We all have dreams!
In my 20's, I made friends with some people who had moved to our tiny town from northern California. Sadly, they eventually left that town and moved back to CA. I took several trips to their beautiful home. I loved sitting on their porch, enjoying the green, green 10 acres of land, the pond in their backyard, beautiful large oak trees and wild blackberry bushes. In 2005, I took my kids and my mom to NYC to see my sister when she was living there. That is an amazing city and I wish I could have stayed longer to see more! That is pretty much the extent of my traveling experiences.
After my kids get older, I'm hoping I can start saving money for more trips. There are so many places that I want to go. As much as I would LOVE to go to Italy and Ireland, I have this aversion to flying over large bodies of water. I don't like water that I can't see or touch the bottom sooooo...I would love to stay in the States. I want to go to the Pacific Northwest where there is rain and green! I want to go back to NYC and see all the things that I missed. I want to go to Boston, Savannah, New Orleans and Washington D.C. I really want to take a train ride through New England in the fall and see the gold, red and orange colors of fall and visit the tiny towns there. Towns where they sell real maple syrup, have cobble stone streets, quaint shops and huge trees.
We all have dreams!
Saturday, April 23, 2011
Happy Easter
HAPPY EASTER!!!!
I think it is so sad what our country has become. A friend of mine posted on facebook that he saw a sign for a Spring Egg Hunt. He wanted to know if that was like the easter egg hunts he used to have as a kid. What in the world has happened to this country? Everyone is so afraid of offending someone they can't even say Easter????
I refuse to give in to this kind of behavior. I say Merry Christmas and Happy Easter. God bless you and God bless America. I am a christian and I'm not afraid to say it.
Although it is fun to have Easter egg hunts, color eggs, eat candy and have the Easter bunny come visit, I don't really do much for Easter. The Easter bunny brings my kids something very small, but that is not what Easter is about. Easter is about our Savior.
For me it's not just about Him being crusified. It starts before that. I think we have to remember it all. Not just His life, but all the events in the end were very important. The last supper, where He counseled His disciples and then washed their feet as a gesture of love. The Garden of Gethsemane where on His knees He prayed and bled from every pore for not only our sins, but for our illnesses, struggles and pains. It is where He was also betrayed by Judas. This is where He was taken into custody and then endured extreme torture. After the torture and beatings, He was forced to carry His own cross. After He carried His own cross on His back that was covered in deep cuts from being whipped, nails were placed in His wrists, hands and feet, a crown of thorns put on His head and He was left there hanging on that cross to die a very long, slow painful death and even then He asked for forgiveness for His tormentors. After He died He was placed in a tomb. After three days, He was resurrected. He went through all of this so He can be the one that truly understands all that we go through in our life and we can turn to Him for help. He also did this so we can ask for forgiveness of our sins and so we can have eternal life. I am so grateful to all He did for us and I am grateful to our Heavenly Father who had the wisdom to know this was the only way. How hard it must have been for our Father to watch His Son go through those horrible things and having to let Him do that.
So among all the fun times of candy and easter eggs, please remember the reason we celebrate Easter.
I think it is so sad what our country has become. A friend of mine posted on facebook that he saw a sign for a Spring Egg Hunt. He wanted to know if that was like the easter egg hunts he used to have as a kid. What in the world has happened to this country? Everyone is so afraid of offending someone they can't even say Easter????
I refuse to give in to this kind of behavior. I say Merry Christmas and Happy Easter. God bless you and God bless America. I am a christian and I'm not afraid to say it.
Although it is fun to have Easter egg hunts, color eggs, eat candy and have the Easter bunny come visit, I don't really do much for Easter. The Easter bunny brings my kids something very small, but that is not what Easter is about. Easter is about our Savior.
For me it's not just about Him being crusified. It starts before that. I think we have to remember it all. Not just His life, but all the events in the end were very important. The last supper, where He counseled His disciples and then washed their feet as a gesture of love. The Garden of Gethsemane where on His knees He prayed and bled from every pore for not only our sins, but for our illnesses, struggles and pains. It is where He was also betrayed by Judas. This is where He was taken into custody and then endured extreme torture. After the torture and beatings, He was forced to carry His own cross. After He carried His own cross on His back that was covered in deep cuts from being whipped, nails were placed in His wrists, hands and feet, a crown of thorns put on His head and He was left there hanging on that cross to die a very long, slow painful death and even then He asked for forgiveness for His tormentors. After He died He was placed in a tomb. After three days, He was resurrected. He went through all of this so He can be the one that truly understands all that we go through in our life and we can turn to Him for help. He also did this so we can ask for forgiveness of our sins and so we can have eternal life. I am so grateful to all He did for us and I am grateful to our Heavenly Father who had the wisdom to know this was the only way. How hard it must have been for our Father to watch His Son go through those horrible things and having to let Him do that.
So among all the fun times of candy and easter eggs, please remember the reason we celebrate Easter.
Rambling
I very rarely have moments where I have nothing to say. Sometimes I don't say what I'm thinking due to social etiquette...yes, I do have a filter sometimes, but I don't really lack for things to say. However, this week I can't think of a damn thing. Is this what writer's block is? I have been looking for inspiration for a post everywhere I go and I got nothin'!
Last night I drove across the city to a friend's house for a party. The only people I knew were the host and his brother. I enjoyed getting out to an adult only party and making a few new friends. I'm kind of shy when I get around a large crowd of people I don't know and so last night I didn't have much to say. I mostly listened to the others and did some people watching. You can learn a lot about a person just by watching them. :)
This week I did pretty well with the no sweets thing for the most part, but I did fall off the wagon a couple of times. I have really slacked off on the exercise this week though. I have really good intentions, then I get home and they are out the window. I'm trying to start an exercise group in my neighborhood where we meet once a week at the park and do some fun outdoor exercises. That is one night a week where I am accountable to other people and I get to have fun and workout at the same time. Hopefully we can get that up and running! Also this week I have struggled with how I look. This is a fat week for sure! Most of us have those moments where we feel fat no matter what. But, I have also had more compliments this week on how people are noticing my weight loss than I ever have. Pretty funny how those are coming to me on the week I feel fat. They must have a 6th sense that this is the week I needed to hear that bit of encouragement to keep me motivated.
I had a yard sale yesterday. Fridays are excellent days in my neighborhood to have yard sales. I think it's because Saturdays there are a lot and Friday not as many. I was sold out of almost everything by 10 am. I have one bag of clothes and a small box of stuff to take to Good Will, so not too bad. I was trying to sell my Total Gym. I'm really tight on cash right now so not only was I trying to downsize, but I was trying to make a little bit of money. I almost had it sold, but the woman changed her mind. I think it might have had something to do with when I was showing her how to fold it up, I dropped part of it on my foot. Once she saw that I got, "I'll think about it." haha My foot is really sore by the way! I have a nice bruise on the top of my foot and even my flip flops hurt. That's what happens when you're klumsy!
Well, hopefully my inspiration will return very soon and I can start making regular posts again!
Last night I drove across the city to a friend's house for a party. The only people I knew were the host and his brother. I enjoyed getting out to an adult only party and making a few new friends. I'm kind of shy when I get around a large crowd of people I don't know and so last night I didn't have much to say. I mostly listened to the others and did some people watching. You can learn a lot about a person just by watching them. :)
This week I did pretty well with the no sweets thing for the most part, but I did fall off the wagon a couple of times. I have really slacked off on the exercise this week though. I have really good intentions, then I get home and they are out the window. I'm trying to start an exercise group in my neighborhood where we meet once a week at the park and do some fun outdoor exercises. That is one night a week where I am accountable to other people and I get to have fun and workout at the same time. Hopefully we can get that up and running! Also this week I have struggled with how I look. This is a fat week for sure! Most of us have those moments where we feel fat no matter what. But, I have also had more compliments this week on how people are noticing my weight loss than I ever have. Pretty funny how those are coming to me on the week I feel fat. They must have a 6th sense that this is the week I needed to hear that bit of encouragement to keep me motivated.
I had a yard sale yesterday. Fridays are excellent days in my neighborhood to have yard sales. I think it's because Saturdays there are a lot and Friday not as many. I was sold out of almost everything by 10 am. I have one bag of clothes and a small box of stuff to take to Good Will, so not too bad. I was trying to sell my Total Gym. I'm really tight on cash right now so not only was I trying to downsize, but I was trying to make a little bit of money. I almost had it sold, but the woman changed her mind. I think it might have had something to do with when I was showing her how to fold it up, I dropped part of it on my foot. Once she saw that I got, "I'll think about it." haha My foot is really sore by the way! I have a nice bruise on the top of my foot and even my flip flops hurt. That's what happens when you're klumsy!
Well, hopefully my inspiration will return very soon and I can start making regular posts again!
Sunday, April 17, 2011
What is a Parent?
I was raised in a pretty religious home. We went to church every Sunday, did the youth activities during the week, family things at home and a lot of other things. Throughout my adult life, I have struggled off and on with my spirituality. I have gone through times where I did my very best to do what I should be doing and then I have had times where I had nothing to do with it and then I have been in between. One thing I have never let go of is my belief in God and his Son Jesus Christ. That belief has always been a constant in my life.
The last several months I have been little by little trying to improve on my spirituality. I'm not doing it all at once that is for sure and I still have my rebellious moments and attitudes. Usually Sundays, I find some excuse to not go to church, when in reality, it is just laziness. Today I actually got up, got us all ready to go in plenty of time and we made it to church. I must have been inspired that today of all days, I needed to be at church. My kids must have been too because, for the most part, they got ready to go. I am so glad I made it today. I left feeling inspired, uplifted and a little bit scared too. :)
Being a parent is a sacred calling from God. We are put in charge of teaching our children to be the best they can possibly be. We do that with love, example, education, discipline and communication. Our children, as we are, are children of God. We have every obligation to protect the children of God. That is an awesome responsibility. We need to teach them about tobacco, alcohol, drugs, sex, pornography, respect (for themselves, other people, things, country and God), obeying the law, the ten commandments, do unto others, lying, cheating, charity, service, self esteem, cleanliness, not to mention whatever your religious beliefs are. Religion aside, these are all things that every parent needs to teach to their children. No parent starts out by saying, "I'm going to teach my kid to smoke, drink, do drugs, watch pornography and have all the sex they want." We all want to protect our children from these things.
We can protect them when they are around us. We can put the filters on our computers, limit what tv shows and movies they watch, what music they listen to and what people they are around, but what do we do to protect our children when they aren't around us? As a friend pointed out today, we talk to our children and teach them so they are armed with knowledge for when they don't have their parents' protection. Knowledge is power!!!
Knowledge is not only power for our kids, but for us as parents as well. If we are constantly seeking out knowledge on what is going on with kids now and how to deal with their unique struggles, then we have power. Power to help our kids and protect our kids.
I do not profess to be a great and wonderful parent. I am quite the opposite really. I fall short in so many ways. After the reminders that I had today though, I will strive to be a better parent. I will arm my children with KNOWLEDGE and LOVE. When those days come where they are faced with peer pressure and difficult decisions, I can only hope and pray that I gave them enough knowledge and love that they can and will make the right choices and resist peer pressure. I also hope and pray that I was open and honest with them enough, that they come to me and not a stranger or their friends or media who will give them the wrong information. That they will know I am the one that loves them enough to tell them the truth.
At the end of the meeting, we were told this is a great time to be a parent. In some ways that is true. We have so many resources and so much support literally at our fingertips. But, to me, there has never been a scarier time to be a parent. The world has desensitized us all to so many things that are bad for us. I am so guilty of that. It has become so common to see half naked people on billboards, in magazines, tv shows or movies, that it doesn't even register. As a parent I need to be forever vigilant in talking to my kids about these things so they will always know that it's not okay to exploit people that way to sell something. RESPECT!! That is what it all boils down to. Respect and love of ourselves and each other.
The last several months I have been little by little trying to improve on my spirituality. I'm not doing it all at once that is for sure and I still have my rebellious moments and attitudes. Usually Sundays, I find some excuse to not go to church, when in reality, it is just laziness. Today I actually got up, got us all ready to go in plenty of time and we made it to church. I must have been inspired that today of all days, I needed to be at church. My kids must have been too because, for the most part, they got ready to go. I am so glad I made it today. I left feeling inspired, uplifted and a little bit scared too. :)
Being a parent is a sacred calling from God. We are put in charge of teaching our children to be the best they can possibly be. We do that with love, example, education, discipline and communication. Our children, as we are, are children of God. We have every obligation to protect the children of God. That is an awesome responsibility. We need to teach them about tobacco, alcohol, drugs, sex, pornography, respect (for themselves, other people, things, country and God), obeying the law, the ten commandments, do unto others, lying, cheating, charity, service, self esteem, cleanliness, not to mention whatever your religious beliefs are. Religion aside, these are all things that every parent needs to teach to their children. No parent starts out by saying, "I'm going to teach my kid to smoke, drink, do drugs, watch pornography and have all the sex they want." We all want to protect our children from these things.
We can protect them when they are around us. We can put the filters on our computers, limit what tv shows and movies they watch, what music they listen to and what people they are around, but what do we do to protect our children when they aren't around us? As a friend pointed out today, we talk to our children and teach them so they are armed with knowledge for when they don't have their parents' protection. Knowledge is power!!!
Knowledge is not only power for our kids, but for us as parents as well. If we are constantly seeking out knowledge on what is going on with kids now and how to deal with their unique struggles, then we have power. Power to help our kids and protect our kids.
I do not profess to be a great and wonderful parent. I am quite the opposite really. I fall short in so many ways. After the reminders that I had today though, I will strive to be a better parent. I will arm my children with KNOWLEDGE and LOVE. When those days come where they are faced with peer pressure and difficult decisions, I can only hope and pray that I gave them enough knowledge and love that they can and will make the right choices and resist peer pressure. I also hope and pray that I was open and honest with them enough, that they come to me and not a stranger or their friends or media who will give them the wrong information. That they will know I am the one that loves them enough to tell them the truth.
At the end of the meeting, we were told this is a great time to be a parent. In some ways that is true. We have so many resources and so much support literally at our fingertips. But, to me, there has never been a scarier time to be a parent. The world has desensitized us all to so many things that are bad for us. I am so guilty of that. It has become so common to see half naked people on billboards, in magazines, tv shows or movies, that it doesn't even register. As a parent I need to be forever vigilant in talking to my kids about these things so they will always know that it's not okay to exploit people that way to sell something. RESPECT!! That is what it all boils down to. Respect and love of ourselves and each other.
Friday, April 15, 2011
Challenge
Well, this week I have had two more men treat me like trash. I won't go into details like I usually do, but I will say, one of them made me very sad. He used to be a friend that I hadn't seen in many years and he hurt me by doing the same thing all the other men have. I was really hoping he was better than the others. I am most disappointed by that one. Obviously there is something wrong. I've tried to figure out why I attract these type of men. I'm not a piece of trash and I deserve to be treated better. So, I've decided to put my efforts elsewhere for a while.
Some friends of mine are doing a challenge. It is a challenge to become more physically and spiritually fit. I wasn't able to start when they did, so I am a week behind, but I'm starting now. I need a challenge to get me going sometimes. The first week is no sweets or desserts. Since I am addicted to carbs, this is a tough one. I am in constant battle with myself over this. I do really well for a while, then I fall off the wagon. After a week of eating nothing but garbage, I'm back on the wagon and today I start...no sweets!
I went for a walk/run this morning. I love when I'm off work and I can get out in the morning. Something about the morning air that is so peaceful. It clears my mind of all the bad stuff, at least for a little while. I focus only on what is around me, my breathing, my posture and my music. When I'm doing the running part it is focusing on getting one foot in front of the other! ha! I'm a really good walker, but I'm a terrible runner. I'm working on it though. :) I also love when I can go for my walks/runs by myself. No kids to distract me from the peace I am trying to bring in. I like to exercise with friends, but I love to walk by myself. I have a challenge of my own to give to everyone. Take some time to get out and walk by yourself. Focus on nothing but what God has created, on your breathing and bringing peace to your mind. I promise you, it changes everything!
Some friends of mine are doing a challenge. It is a challenge to become more physically and spiritually fit. I wasn't able to start when they did, so I am a week behind, but I'm starting now. I need a challenge to get me going sometimes. The first week is no sweets or desserts. Since I am addicted to carbs, this is a tough one. I am in constant battle with myself over this. I do really well for a while, then I fall off the wagon. After a week of eating nothing but garbage, I'm back on the wagon and today I start...no sweets!
I went for a walk/run this morning. I love when I'm off work and I can get out in the morning. Something about the morning air that is so peaceful. It clears my mind of all the bad stuff, at least for a little while. I focus only on what is around me, my breathing, my posture and my music. When I'm doing the running part it is focusing on getting one foot in front of the other! ha! I'm a really good walker, but I'm a terrible runner. I'm working on it though. :) I also love when I can go for my walks/runs by myself. No kids to distract me from the peace I am trying to bring in. I like to exercise with friends, but I love to walk by myself. I have a challenge of my own to give to everyone. Take some time to get out and walk by yourself. Focus on nothing but what God has created, on your breathing and bringing peace to your mind. I promise you, it changes everything!
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Psychic?
Do you ever wonder if people really do have psychic abilities? I admit, I used to doubt it. There are definitely some people out there that use tricks to make us believe they are psychic, but as I have gotten older I have witnessed some things that have led me to believe that there are people who have the gift. I also believe there are people that have the gift of being able to see and talk with people that have passed beyond the veil. Why not? Everyone has talents and gifts. Some are more traditional, athletic, artistic, etc and some aren't.
When I was a kid we lived in a haunted house. I'm pretty sure I have talked about that experience on here. It was sometimes scary and sometimes annoying. I would never see the aparitions, but I would see other things and I definitely heard things that could not be explained away. I know that others in my family have visits from people on the other side on a regular basis. After listening to their stories, I have been wondering if this gift is like other gifts that can be passed down from generation to generation. I've also wondered if it's true what a lot of psychic/clairvoyants say...everyone has the ability. We just have to learn how listen.
In recent years, I've learned that my great-aunt on my dad's side had the gift of being able to communicate with the dead. I don't know any details, but I am definitely going to see if there are any stories about it. Her sister, my grandma, was diagnosed with pschizophrenia. It makes me wonder, maybe she wasn't mentally ill. Maybe she really did hear voices and had the gift. Interesting idea.
I've watched that show Psychic Kids. Now that is a fascinating show! These kids have psychic/clairvoyant abilities, but don't know how to deal with it. They go spend the weekend with their parents, a counselor and a psychic and learn how to channel that gift and use it for good. Also, they learn not to be afraid of it and how to get rid of the bad spirits when they come along. I love the show! These kids even help the local police solve crimes sometimes. The key is to teach these kids how to use their talent for good instead of trying to deceive, as with all talents.
The next time you happen to be thinking the same thing as someone else, don't doubt it, explore it. Maybe it really is a psychic moment!
When I was a kid we lived in a haunted house. I'm pretty sure I have talked about that experience on here. It was sometimes scary and sometimes annoying. I would never see the aparitions, but I would see other things and I definitely heard things that could not be explained away. I know that others in my family have visits from people on the other side on a regular basis. After listening to their stories, I have been wondering if this gift is like other gifts that can be passed down from generation to generation. I've also wondered if it's true what a lot of psychic/clairvoyants say...everyone has the ability. We just have to learn how listen.
In recent years, I've learned that my great-aunt on my dad's side had the gift of being able to communicate with the dead. I don't know any details, but I am definitely going to see if there are any stories about it. Her sister, my grandma, was diagnosed with pschizophrenia. It makes me wonder, maybe she wasn't mentally ill. Maybe she really did hear voices and had the gift. Interesting idea.
I've watched that show Psychic Kids. Now that is a fascinating show! These kids have psychic/clairvoyant abilities, but don't know how to deal with it. They go spend the weekend with their parents, a counselor and a psychic and learn how to channel that gift and use it for good. Also, they learn not to be afraid of it and how to get rid of the bad spirits when they come along. I love the show! These kids even help the local police solve crimes sometimes. The key is to teach these kids how to use their talent for good instead of trying to deceive, as with all talents.
The next time you happen to be thinking the same thing as someone else, don't doubt it, explore it. Maybe it really is a psychic moment!
Monday, April 11, 2011
How?
How do you move past the one that you thought was the love of your life? As I've been talking to a good friend of mine about his love that did him wrong, I've been thinking about this question. Everyone has that one love they lost and it hurts...bad! I recently talked to another old friend and he is divorced. He said the end of his marriage was like losing someone to death. The pain was intense and horrible. I have other friends that are having a variety of troubles in their relationships.
Here is what I know...although, I'm not sure I'm the one anyone should be listening to since I have some struggles in the dating world. :) We have to grieve the loss of the relationship. It doesn't matter if it was a death, a break up or a divorce, it is still a loss and we have to grieve it. We have to feel those emotions. Denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance. If we skip any of these steps, then we will not heal completely.
I've also realized, no matter how much I try to help my friends that are in their various stages of love problems, bottom line is, it's up to them. I can stroke their egos by telling them they are great and these women are lucky to have them, etc. I can listen to their problems and I can talk straight to them, but it isn't going to change anything. They still have to go through it and they still have to figure it out because they don't believe me anyway.
Oh, and ladies, if you are wanting some reassurance from a male friend about how great you really are and you deserve a decent guy, don't say anything when that friend is feeling bitter!! He won't be very positive! haha
Here is what I know...although, I'm not sure I'm the one anyone should be listening to since I have some struggles in the dating world. :) We have to grieve the loss of the relationship. It doesn't matter if it was a death, a break up or a divorce, it is still a loss and we have to grieve it. We have to feel those emotions. Denial, anger, bargaining, depression and acceptance. If we skip any of these steps, then we will not heal completely.
I've also realized, no matter how much I try to help my friends that are in their various stages of love problems, bottom line is, it's up to them. I can stroke their egos by telling them they are great and these women are lucky to have them, etc. I can listen to their problems and I can talk straight to them, but it isn't going to change anything. They still have to go through it and they still have to figure it out because they don't believe me anyway.
Oh, and ladies, if you are wanting some reassurance from a male friend about how great you really are and you deserve a decent guy, don't say anything when that friend is feeling bitter!! He won't be very positive! haha
Sunday, April 10, 2011
My Pops
So, this week is the 9th anniversary of when I lost my stepdad. I'm a terrible daughter...I don't remember the exact date. I remember every single moment and detail of that day, but not the exact date.
My stepdad was a man of many talents and interests. He had a stubborn Irish temper and kind and gentle heart. He loved his family so much. He was a police officer, fireman, fire chief, civil air patrol pilot and a rescue diver. He had a HUGE collection of books. So big, when we finally convinced him it was time to go through the books and make the collection much smaller, it took us all day! He was the man that held the hand of a truck driver that was pinned in his truck while he died and the man that single handedly ended a bar fight. He was tough and when he was on the job, he never showed he was scared. This tough man also wrote poetry, cried at sad movies and when his children or step children were hurting he would cry with them too. He is also the biological grandfather of my children (long confusing story!)...and they definitely got his stubborn Irish temper!!
He loved my mom more than life itself. They originally met when I was a very small girl and my sister was a toddler. They ended up breaking up and moved on with their lives. Years later, they got back together and realized they had been loving each other for those 17 or 18 years they spent apart.
He and my late husband had a very special bond. It was a bond that was as close as a father and son. When Pops passed away, my husband was devastated. And I know when my husband passed away, Pops was there to take him in his arms.
It's been a rough few days. I've been missing my pops and my husband a lot. This week I made the decision to get rid of some things that meant a lot to me. I won't say what it was or why I did it...it's way too personal, but I will say it was a very difficult decision. But, it is just another step of moving on and I can't take the material things with me when I go.
I love you Pops and I miss you!
My stepdad was a man of many talents and interests. He had a stubborn Irish temper and kind and gentle heart. He loved his family so much. He was a police officer, fireman, fire chief, civil air patrol pilot and a rescue diver. He had a HUGE collection of books. So big, when we finally convinced him it was time to go through the books and make the collection much smaller, it took us all day! He was the man that held the hand of a truck driver that was pinned in his truck while he died and the man that single handedly ended a bar fight. He was tough and when he was on the job, he never showed he was scared. This tough man also wrote poetry, cried at sad movies and when his children or step children were hurting he would cry with them too. He is also the biological grandfather of my children (long confusing story!)...and they definitely got his stubborn Irish temper!!
He loved my mom more than life itself. They originally met when I was a very small girl and my sister was a toddler. They ended up breaking up and moved on with their lives. Years later, they got back together and realized they had been loving each other for those 17 or 18 years they spent apart.
He and my late husband had a very special bond. It was a bond that was as close as a father and son. When Pops passed away, my husband was devastated. And I know when my husband passed away, Pops was there to take him in his arms.
It's been a rough few days. I've been missing my pops and my husband a lot. This week I made the decision to get rid of some things that meant a lot to me. I won't say what it was or why I did it...it's way too personal, but I will say it was a very difficult decision. But, it is just another step of moving on and I can't take the material things with me when I go.
I love you Pops and I miss you!
Saturday, April 9, 2011
Spring
You gotta love Spring weather! There is no other time of year where it can be 100 degrees and sunny one day and 4 days later it's 60 degrees and rainy! I have to say I love the rain! We don't get enough of it for sure, so when it comes along it is a blessing!
The colors are so much brighter, the air is cleaner and smells wonderful, it's cooler (except during monsoon season!) and people are generally happier. When I did the breast cancer 3day walk a couple years ago, I lived for rainy days to do my training walks. There is nothing like a walk in the rain!
Today my kids and I did a short bike ride in the rain. It was chilly and we got soaked, but we had a great time! I would have stayed out longer, but my behind is still not used to sitting on the dang bicycle seat! (Yes, I'm a wuss!) haha On our ride, we ran into a man out for a walk with his dog. He was so happy to be out in the rain. He said he grew up in England, so this was just like home for him! We also saw some ducks playing in the flooded park by our house.
I know that up north is getting hit by snow again. Gotta have that one snow storm in April!
I hope everyone enjoys this beautiful, rainy day!!
The colors are so much brighter, the air is cleaner and smells wonderful, it's cooler (except during monsoon season!) and people are generally happier. When I did the breast cancer 3day walk a couple years ago, I lived for rainy days to do my training walks. There is nothing like a walk in the rain!
Today my kids and I did a short bike ride in the rain. It was chilly and we got soaked, but we had a great time! I would have stayed out longer, but my behind is still not used to sitting on the dang bicycle seat! (Yes, I'm a wuss!) haha On our ride, we ran into a man out for a walk with his dog. He was so happy to be out in the rain. He said he grew up in England, so this was just like home for him! We also saw some ducks playing in the flooded park by our house.
I know that up north is getting hit by snow again. Gotta have that one snow storm in April!
I hope everyone enjoys this beautiful, rainy day!!
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Why Do I Blog?
There are many reasons I started writing this particular blog. I found that I love to write and even though I'm not a professional writer and I'm not always grammatically correct, I still love to do it. This blog is intended to entertain, to share memories, to provoke thought and to vent. If by chance someone reads this blog and gets something out of it that helps them, then I am very happy! I want anyone out there who has had nightmare dates and struggles with kids to know they aren't the only ones that have gone thru it. I know for me it is a great help to know I'm not the only one.
I am a thinker and I am a talker. Sometimes I do both too much. I share a lot, but I try really hard not to use names of places or people. I do that not only to protect the innocent (or not so innocent!), but also so people can put themselves in the stories. Even though I share a lot on here, there is a lot that I don't share.
I don't write this blog to offend anyone or be mean or pick on people, but I do tell the truth. I also have a potty mouth that comes out in my writings sometimes...sorry, that's just how I am and I don't want to pretend to be someone I'm not! I also don't share the struggles that I have to gain sympathy. The only thing I hope to gain from it is, for someone out there who has the same kind of struggle, to not feel alone. So if I share something that seems extra personal, don't think bad of me for sharing it on such a public forum. I think about my posts before I write them and decide to put it all out there for everyone to see.
And sometimes, I just want to make people laugh! Let's face it...I have some shitty luck when it comes to men and dating and it can be damn funny! I have decided one of my first questions to every man I talk to is, "Do you have a pan to cook hamburgers in?" (If that makes no sense to anyone, go find the post about frying pan guy and you will understand!)
For some reason when I try to share my blog posts on facebook, it won't share because it has been marked as blocked for being offensive or spammy. Really?? If I offend someone, I would hope they would either a) come talk to me first or b) just not read my blog anymore. I hope someone didn't say my blog was offensive...because I take offense to that! I do my best to not offend people. This just started today so I'm not sure what is going on with that.
So, I guess my whole point to this post is, I hope no one thinks less of me for sharing so much and if I offend, sorry! Also, if anyone has a topic they want me to talk about, send it my way! I love good, healthy conversation! :)
I am a thinker and I am a talker. Sometimes I do both too much. I share a lot, but I try really hard not to use names of places or people. I do that not only to protect the innocent (or not so innocent!), but also so people can put themselves in the stories. Even though I share a lot on here, there is a lot that I don't share.
I don't write this blog to offend anyone or be mean or pick on people, but I do tell the truth. I also have a potty mouth that comes out in my writings sometimes...sorry, that's just how I am and I don't want to pretend to be someone I'm not! I also don't share the struggles that I have to gain sympathy. The only thing I hope to gain from it is, for someone out there who has the same kind of struggle, to not feel alone. So if I share something that seems extra personal, don't think bad of me for sharing it on such a public forum. I think about my posts before I write them and decide to put it all out there for everyone to see.
And sometimes, I just want to make people laugh! Let's face it...I have some shitty luck when it comes to men and dating and it can be damn funny! I have decided one of my first questions to every man I talk to is, "Do you have a pan to cook hamburgers in?" (If that makes no sense to anyone, go find the post about frying pan guy and you will understand!)
For some reason when I try to share my blog posts on facebook, it won't share because it has been marked as blocked for being offensive or spammy. Really?? If I offend someone, I would hope they would either a) come talk to me first or b) just not read my blog anymore. I hope someone didn't say my blog was offensive...because I take offense to that! I do my best to not offend people. This just started today so I'm not sure what is going on with that.
So, I guess my whole point to this post is, I hope no one thinks less of me for sharing so much and if I offend, sorry! Also, if anyone has a topic they want me to talk about, send it my way! I love good, healthy conversation! :)
A New Thing?
Okay, I'm back to talking about my dating life...or lack thereof. Over the last few weeks I have talked to several guys in the online world of dating. Had a nice chat with a guy and he asked me if I wanted to meet up for lunch. I said sure...I haven't heard from him in over two weeks. After a nice chat with another guy, he asked to meet. I said ok, we started trying to figure out schedules and where to meet. I asked what part of town he lives in, he told me then I asked what his work schedule is and what he did for a living...nada. Haven't heard from him since. I guess that question was too personal!
I was talking with yet another guy. We also had a nice chat, he asked me if I wanted to meet and I said sure. I didn't hear from him for 2 weeks. The other day I get a text msg from a number that I didn't recognize. All it said was hi, so I said hi back. He asked if I knew who I was talking to and I said not a clue. he says, "I don't feel bad now. How do I know you?" Well, you can start be telling me who the hell you are first! Sheesh. He told me his name and I said, "Ooooohhhhhhh...you're the guy that asked me out on a date and I never heard from again so I deleted you from my phone." His response was, "So sorry...I was a total dick. Can you send me your picture?" I don't think so buddy!!
Another guy and I were chatting and he asked to call me. I said sure and gave him my number. We had a really great phone conversation, laughed a lot. He asked me out for Saturday. I love to laugh, so I said yes to a date with him as well. Yeah, you guessed it...haven't heard from him.
There are two other men that have asked me out. One lives about 2 hrs away from me and we are having a hard time syncing up our schedules. The other one I talked to on the phone over the weekend. He asked me if I wanted to have lunch on some saturday. I haven't heard from him, but he didn't give a specific saturday either. I really hope I have the chance to meet up with these two guys.
So, my question is, is this a new thing from these guys? Chat, ask a woman out and then never speak to her again? I mean really...if you're not interested, don't ask!!!!!
As I read back through this, it would seem that I would have had a bunch of dates over the last few weeks. That brings me to another question. I have seen in some of the online profiles men that say, if you are a serial dater, move on. What does that mean? Because a man or woman goes out with one or more people, they are a serial dater? Why should they be expected to be monogomous, for lack of a better word, with a person they have never even met? Isn't the whole point of this is to meet someone, go out and see if they are a good fit? To me it seems, if they meet and get along and they progress to having a conversation about a relationship, then it's time to quit dating other people whether that conversation happens on the first date or the fifteenth date. Just don't be like a friend of mine and drunk call one of them and call them by another's name!! hahaha
I was talking with yet another guy. We also had a nice chat, he asked me if I wanted to meet and I said sure. I didn't hear from him for 2 weeks. The other day I get a text msg from a number that I didn't recognize. All it said was hi, so I said hi back. He asked if I knew who I was talking to and I said not a clue. he says, "I don't feel bad now. How do I know you?" Well, you can start be telling me who the hell you are first! Sheesh. He told me his name and I said, "Ooooohhhhhhh...you're the guy that asked me out on a date and I never heard from again so I deleted you from my phone." His response was, "So sorry...I was a total dick. Can you send me your picture?" I don't think so buddy!!
Another guy and I were chatting and he asked to call me. I said sure and gave him my number. We had a really great phone conversation, laughed a lot. He asked me out for Saturday. I love to laugh, so I said yes to a date with him as well. Yeah, you guessed it...haven't heard from him.
There are two other men that have asked me out. One lives about 2 hrs away from me and we are having a hard time syncing up our schedules. The other one I talked to on the phone over the weekend. He asked me if I wanted to have lunch on some saturday. I haven't heard from him, but he didn't give a specific saturday either. I really hope I have the chance to meet up with these two guys.
So, my question is, is this a new thing from these guys? Chat, ask a woman out and then never speak to her again? I mean really...if you're not interested, don't ask!!!!!
As I read back through this, it would seem that I would have had a bunch of dates over the last few weeks. That brings me to another question. I have seen in some of the online profiles men that say, if you are a serial dater, move on. What does that mean? Because a man or woman goes out with one or more people, they are a serial dater? Why should they be expected to be monogomous, for lack of a better word, with a person they have never even met? Isn't the whole point of this is to meet someone, go out and see if they are a good fit? To me it seems, if they meet and get along and they progress to having a conversation about a relationship, then it's time to quit dating other people whether that conversation happens on the first date or the fifteenth date. Just don't be like a friend of mine and drunk call one of them and call them by another's name!! hahaha
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
I am Woman
When I wrote the title to this entry, I immediately thought of the old Helen Reddy song. "I am woman, hear me roar. In numbers too big to ignore." Yes, I just dated myself! I love the music from the 70's! Anyway, I digress. I wanted to write a post that every woman out there could relate to and every man would maybe get a little bit of insight into a woman. Guys, I warn you, it is very little insight because women are complicated! I am writing this from my perspective, but really, it's about all women.
I am strong! I may not have the physical strength of a man, but I am strong none the less. I can take on my problems, my children's problems, my friends' problems, my work problems and my family's problems and shoulder them all. Even in the darkest and toughest times I can find something to smile or laugh about and I can work on finding a solution. I may not know what it's like to give birth, but I know physical pain and I know sickness. I know joy beyond description and heartache and grief so strong my heart literally felt like it was breaking. I know what it's like to fight for my kids because I have been fighting for them from the day they came into my life.
I am a good listener. I can sit and listen to you tell me what makes you happy, sad, angry, joyful, spiritual. I can learn from it, cheer you up, cry with you or share my insight because I have been through a lot.
I am a multitasker. I can cook dinner, help kids do homework, talk on the phone and clean the kitchen at the same time. I can clean the house, fold the laundry, listen to my kids tell me stories or things in their lives and try to teach them valuable lessons in life at the same time.
I am nurse, counselor, friend, mom, dad, sister, daughter, accountant, provider, referee, bug killer, cook, seamstress, coach, assistant, survivor, lover, fighter, teacher, student, discipliner, mechanic, maid, party planner, gardener and problem solver. It's no wonder I need a nap!!
I am complicated, yet simple. I cry when I'm happy, sad, angry, lonely, frustrated, scared, touched, stressed or watching a movie and I laugh when I have all of these emotions as well. I sometimes scream and yell and other times I don't say a word. I am one of the guys and sometimes those guys forget that I am a woman.
Most days I'm pretty happy, but somedays I just want to have a bad day. I like to be pampered, but not smothered. I like to feel needed and appreciated. I love affection and at the end of the day, I just need a hug!
I'm proud to be a woman!
I am strong! I may not have the physical strength of a man, but I am strong none the less. I can take on my problems, my children's problems, my friends' problems, my work problems and my family's problems and shoulder them all. Even in the darkest and toughest times I can find something to smile or laugh about and I can work on finding a solution. I may not know what it's like to give birth, but I know physical pain and I know sickness. I know joy beyond description and heartache and grief so strong my heart literally felt like it was breaking. I know what it's like to fight for my kids because I have been fighting for them from the day they came into my life.
I am a good listener. I can sit and listen to you tell me what makes you happy, sad, angry, joyful, spiritual. I can learn from it, cheer you up, cry with you or share my insight because I have been through a lot.
I am a multitasker. I can cook dinner, help kids do homework, talk on the phone and clean the kitchen at the same time. I can clean the house, fold the laundry, listen to my kids tell me stories or things in their lives and try to teach them valuable lessons in life at the same time.
I am nurse, counselor, friend, mom, dad, sister, daughter, accountant, provider, referee, bug killer, cook, seamstress, coach, assistant, survivor, lover, fighter, teacher, student, discipliner, mechanic, maid, party planner, gardener and problem solver. It's no wonder I need a nap!!
I am complicated, yet simple. I cry when I'm happy, sad, angry, lonely, frustrated, scared, touched, stressed or watching a movie and I laugh when I have all of these emotions as well. I sometimes scream and yell and other times I don't say a word. I am one of the guys and sometimes those guys forget that I am a woman.
Most days I'm pretty happy, but somedays I just want to have a bad day. I like to be pampered, but not smothered. I like to feel needed and appreciated. I love affection and at the end of the day, I just need a hug!
I'm proud to be a woman!
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
The Things we Learn
The small town I lived in as a kid was a ranching community and most everyone seemed to have gardens and fruit trees where the fruit was plenty! The town was so small, that everyone knew everyone else and knew each other's stories. So, of course, everyone knew my mom was a single mom trying to raise two daughters on a very tiny salary. The tiny salary was a trade off for living in such a tight knit place. There were many, many times people would send my mom $50 in the mail, drop off groceries on our doorstep and it wasn't uncommon for my mom to go out to her car after work and find fresh veggies from someone's garden or fresh fruit from someone's trees. One time someone left a whole ham dinner in her car! Harvest time was the best time. Someone would set up a fire roaster in town and roast green chilies and a local guy would go to Utah and buy several cases of peaches and sell them. He was always so nice and sold them at a discounted rate to my mom.
Because of these wonderful fruits and veggies, we were always canning so we would be able to eat them all year round. We would do apple sauce and apple butter. With the peelings and pits, we would boil those down and use the juice for apple jelly. We would do the same with the peach skins and pits. We canned peaches, peach jam and peach jelly. We canned grape jelly, strawberry jam, green beans, corn, pickles, tomato juice and pears. One year my mom got her hands on cherries. My grandma was visiting us at the time and she sat at the table pitting cherries for hours while I helped my mom make cherry jam. We had cherry pits and juice all over the place and our hands were stained red for weeks, but that was the best jam ever!! For weeks at the end of summer our evenings and weekends were filled with canning and making homemade bread to freeze so we would have plenty to hold us over the winter. What wonderful memories I have of this. My sister is 6 years younger than me so she was pretty small and doesn't really remember all of those things very much. My mom would then take all of our hard work and enter it into the county fair. She would win ribbons on all of her canning stuff and get a little bit of money out of it.
Because she taught me all of these things, I have been canning my own stuff for a long time. I'm not as consistant with it because I have to find the produce in season and find a place to buy it in bulk on the cheap. But, over the years I have canned apple pie filling thanks to my dad and stepmom, pinto beans, salsa, tomato juice, spaghetti sauce, pear butter, apple butter and all different kinds of jams and jellies. It is so great to be able go to the pantry and pull out a bottle of something that I canned. I'm also going to be able to teach my kids what I know and hopefully they will be able to pass it on as they have their own families. It's a wonderful tradition!
This year I planted a garden. It is a slightly raised bed garden, not very big, but I'm so excited to have it! There is something very satisfying about being able to go to the backyard and pick something out of the garden for dinner. So far all I've been able to use is lettuce and chives, but I have a few tomatoes growing and the other plants are starting to get big so I'm pretty sure I will have something soon! Hopefully next year I can make it bigger and plant enough tomatoes that I will be able to can them somehow. My dad has a green thumb and is the garden expert...HE'S impressed with my gardening! :)
Friday, April 1, 2011
Alone Time
It seems that I have spent a lot of time with my kids lately. I try to take time off when they have half days, when they are on break from school, home for them after school, we go for runs as a family, etc. I think my kids are just as tired of being with me on a constant basis as I am. Now, I love my children more than life itself, but sometimes I just need to have my alone time.
I've been a little burned out at work lately as well, so I took two days off this week. I got away from work for a couple of extra days and my kids were at school so I had blessed time all to myself, to do whatever I wanted! Let me tell you, I could use a few weeks of that! I went on a run yesterday...all by myself! Just me and my music to enjoy the beautiful weather. Then I came home, went in the backyard and pulled some weeds and played in my garden. I finally decided to take a shower and then I watched an old movie. I got about a 30 minute nap, which I almost never get naps! Why do kids hate naps so much? Adults have definitely learned the value of a good nap! I didn't even do any house cleaning like I should have. I made my first cream puffs yesterday too. I don't even know why I made them. I was looking for something different to make, but I only have certain things in the cupboard. I found the recipe and tried it...not too bad for a first timer!
Today, I took a drive all the way across the city to go to a friend's house. He gave me a tour of his new house and then fixed my car. What a guy!! I am so grateful to him for fixing my car, even if it was a pain. :) He even fed me lunch! I then made the trek back across the city to enjoy the last of my quiet time. I pulled some more weeds and pretty much did nothing until my kids got home.
Something I have realized, I need to find a way to take at least one day off work a month when my kids are in school so I can have a whole day all to myself where I do whatever I want! Call it me time, alone time, re-energize time...it doesn't really matter...as long as it's just for me!
I've been a little burned out at work lately as well, so I took two days off this week. I got away from work for a couple of extra days and my kids were at school so I had blessed time all to myself, to do whatever I wanted! Let me tell you, I could use a few weeks of that! I went on a run yesterday...all by myself! Just me and my music to enjoy the beautiful weather. Then I came home, went in the backyard and pulled some weeds and played in my garden. I finally decided to take a shower and then I watched an old movie. I got about a 30 minute nap, which I almost never get naps! Why do kids hate naps so much? Adults have definitely learned the value of a good nap! I didn't even do any house cleaning like I should have. I made my first cream puffs yesterday too. I don't even know why I made them. I was looking for something different to make, but I only have certain things in the cupboard. I found the recipe and tried it...not too bad for a first timer!
Today, I took a drive all the way across the city to go to a friend's house. He gave me a tour of his new house and then fixed my car. What a guy!! I am so grateful to him for fixing my car, even if it was a pain. :) He even fed me lunch! I then made the trek back across the city to enjoy the last of my quiet time. I pulled some more weeds and pretty much did nothing until my kids got home.
Something I have realized, I need to find a way to take at least one day off work a month when my kids are in school so I can have a whole day all to myself where I do whatever I want! Call it me time, alone time, re-energize time...it doesn't really matter...as long as it's just for me!
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