How ya been?

Me? I've been running around with my head chopped off. As usual. Isn't that a normal mommy type thing to be doing? :0)
To catch you all up to speed.....I'll go through it real quick......

I only have three weeks left of class and then I will be officially done with my associates program. I will have an actual college degree. I'm pretty sure there may need to be some celebrating going on at some point around the end of July to commemmorate the occasion. The bachelor's program starts up only three weeks later, so there isn't much "free" time to spare.

I chopped most of my hair off, and because I'm hoping that blondes really do have more fun, I went back to my old blonde hair. It's fun to watch people not recognize me for a minute until they realize that it really is me, it's just not "my" hair. :0) Good stuff.

Jaysen will be leaving me for the second time in two months to run off to some fabulous spot for training in his field. This time he's gone for almost the entire week. :0( We are going to miss him.

Took a friend shoe shopping and ended up convincing her to buy four pairs of shoes. The hubby was not too thrilled about the dollar amount spent, but he does think her sassy cute new plaid ballet flats are wicked awesome. :0)

Four weeks of swimming lessons have finally been taken care of. Now we are on to basketball camp for my son and still getting through dance and tumbling for my daughter.

Work is getting tedious and ridiculous. The hubby knows....he's my boss. :0) Well one of them anyway. My workload has practically doubled, and I am continually harangued by those who could get the information themselves, but are too lazy to do so. I think I need a raise. :0 ) I'll go tell my boss.

Sigh.

Life just keeps on trucking along. So far I seem to be able to keep up with all of it. We'll see how long that lasts.

Toddler for sale.....

I wish I could say she was cheap, but that would be false advertisement. Between swimming lessons, dance class, and a shoe fetish like her mother.....this little one can take a huge chunk out your pocketbook.

But after today.....I would be willing to simply hand her over to you. For free.

This girl is going to give me gray hairs I tell you. Since when did the terrible twos become the terrible threes and soon to be the terrible fours? When does the terrible go away? I don't remember my son EVER being so dramatic. And the temper tantrums she can throw....holy cow! It's like the flick of a switch too. She can turn it on or off at will. My mommy brain is fried. Is it bad that I wanted to just lock her in her room today? Of course, no such thing happened. But the thought did pass through my mind. :0)

Sigh.

I need a margarita.

Sh! It's a secret!

It's June. I'm sure you knew that already....

but did you know that it also means that my birthday is coming up in just a few short weeks? This year marks my 30th birthday. But....

SSSHHHHHHH! Don't tell anyone.

Because honestly......I don't want anymore birthdays. I knew this birthday would be different from the others for me, but I didn't think I would be having this hard of a time with it. I don't feel old, nor do I think that 30 is old. I just feel like I'm in between places right now. I know it sounds random....but I'm wondering.....does a new decade mean I can't try to pull off "Young and sassy" anymore? I'm not going to be in my 20's anymore. The 20's are fun and exciting...right? Except for that I became a mom at 20 and so my fun consisted of Blue's Clues and Spiderman. Now that I don't have an infant in the home any longer....I feel the urge to act a bit more immaturely and want to just have some fun. You know, be crazy.....{as crazy as a mom can get anyway}. But then I remember.....I'm going to be 30. I told the hubby that I felt like I couldn't pull off cute and sassy because I felt like I was supposed to look a certain way now. What certain way you ask? Not a clue. I'm not old. But I have a kid who's almost 10 years old. So, how do you mix motherhood and being young and sassy?

Random thoughts....I know.

I also told the hubby that he was forbidden to celebrate my birthday this year. The present is still expected :0), but nothing else. I don't want the birthday. Maybe if there is no birthday we can all just pretend like I stayed 29. :0)

What do I want for my birthday you ask? Why....what every woman who has had children wants.....

My 18 year old body back!

A little lift and a little tuck.....put everything back into place. I'm not talking sucking or sculpting.....just no more sagging and excess skin. Sheesh....

The hubby says it's not going to happen. He did perk up when I told him I may be willing to enhance certain features if he would fork out the cash for the lifting and tucking. In fact, his exact words were, "Really? So how big we talking?" Such a pervert he is. :0) Alas....he still said this was not the year for any sort of enhancing. I may have to settle for something else.

As long as I don't have to turn 30. But, you all know how to keep a secret anyway right? Just remember.....

Ashlee is 29.......Ashlee is 29......Ashlee is 29......Ashlee is 29.......

Let the chaos begin!

May the HORSE be with you

Morningside Mustangs 2009

I put this on a white tshirt for my son for his last day of school today. His elementary school's mascot is the mustangs and he is obsessed with Lego Star Wars, so I found this quite fitting for him. I sent him off armed with a fabric marker so that all of his friends could sign his shirt.

What does the last day of school mean? It means summer vacation officially has begun. It means my baby is in the 4th grade now. It means......keeping a nine year old entertained for the next three months. I've tried to keep it pretty low key, but after filling in the calendar it seems like I wasn't quite able to pull that off. Go figure. Between swimming lessons for both kids, dance and tumbling for the daughter, basketball camp for the son, golf clinics for the son, and I'm still in school myself.....not to mention that the hubby is going to be gone for part of the summer taking his own set of courses at various locations. I feel tired already......

Oh Happy Day!

Did you see my boyfriend win American Idol tonight? Yes, it's true....I have a slight crush on the boy. I've loved him since Week 1, but when he broke out "Falling Slowly".....I was his forever.

Don't worry....my hubby is fully aware of my obsession with Kris. Though I'm married to the hubby....Kris sings TO ME. Wait...you thought he was singing to you? {stiffling giggles} Well, he wasn't. He was singing to me all these months. What am I going to do now that I can't get my Kris fix on tv every week? Good thing I've bought most of his songs off of iTunes already.....he can sing to me all day, every day.......

Kudos to me!

I'm totally going to brag in this post...just a forewarning. :0)

I am in week 8 out of 9 in this set of classes. These two are the hardest ones in my program, and therefore have been quite challenging. Thankfully, the subject matter has to do with my major and so it interests me. Anyway, as most of you know I am a titch OCD. :0) I like things to be just so. I like schedules and sticking to them. I like knwoing what's going on WELL in advance and don't handle last minute changes well. I also am a bit freakish over my homework assignments. I am a perfectionist in this area. The wording, phrasing, EVERYTHING must be just so. The thesaurus has become my best friend.
Well, I just got back one of my papers from last week and my professor left me a happy little note at the bottom of the grading rubric.

Ashlee, I see in your work a student who should consider graduate school.

OK, so it wasn't like she was chanting my name or anything....but the little pat on the back was so rewarding. The other notes and tidbits she left throughout the paper as well as her praise of my thoughts on the subject matter within the paper didn't hurt either. She said that I offered especially GOOD ADVICE to my mock patients because I offered them a positive outlook and extended hope without passing negative judgments. {Ashlee is beaming}
It hasn't crossed my mind that I just WOULDN'T go to graduate school, but the added bonus of praise from a teacher who has been so nitpicky about my assignments made me so proud of myself. I know, I know....not supposed to be prideful. But poo on that! I'm proud of myself. Juggling school, kids, work, family, and life in general has been quite a challenge for me. There are honestly some days I would really like to just stay in bed because of what was on my to-do list for that day.
So, a pat on the back for me today. I will need it as I am approaching yet another finals week.

Bridge Over Troubled Water

Ok, this is going to be totally random....but that is the point of this blog right? :0)
As many of you know, my friend has been in the hospital all week. She was finally able to go home today. I've been just a tad bit preoccupied by it. :0) This isn't the first friend to be rushed to the emergency room these past few weeks either. It is almost surreal to see some of my closest friends having such a hard time. I honestly can't remember the last time I actually CRIED "for real", but I've done that a couple of times here recently. Life is so fragile and it scares me. One moment the world goes by as it usually does, and the very next it's almost as if you are in a different reality.
Anyway....I was thinking about all of this and looking at my "circle" and I kind of wondered....have I formed actual lasting relationships with people? I don't usually let people get too deep into my freakishness :0). I'm pretty sure I would scare off most people. Sure, I let them see glimpses, but for the most part I try to keep it pretty low key. {Low key according to Ashlee that is}
In my classes it is mentioned over and over again about how one of the major aspects of the healing process is the love and support that is offered. Having that support system relieves a lot of the excess pressure and lets the person know that they are not alone in their struggles. I'm not talking Relief Society love and support either {not that I would ever turn down a free meal from the Relief Society} :0)
For me, that almost seems like assigned support. I'm talking about the love and support from people that really know you....but they still love you anyway. :0) It's made me wonder....in my attempt to stay somewhat "aloof" in my relationships, have I prevented myself from having the kind of relationships that I would hope for if I was put in the position that my friends are in right now?
I know....another "deep thoughts" post here. My brain is on overdrive right now. I feel like I've been running around with my head chopped off. But honestly, I can't say that I would change any of the chaos. :0) I think I have put more miles on my car in this last month than I have in the last year. I have truly enjoyed having a sense of purpose though. I would do it for any of you....and I'm not even kidding. You need me....call me. I'm there.
Anyway....sorry for another late night rambling from me. Enjoy a bit of Simon and Garfunkel. They are truly a classic duo. :0)

Happy Mother's Day

http://news.cnnbcvideo.com/?nid=8CI3l4RuDmp9bSfV3zmVZTEyNjk2MTgx&referred_by=16143513-_r1gS3x&p=moveon

My sister-in-law sent this to me. My son thought it was for real and was amazed that I was on the news. :0) I did eventually let him in on the joke, but only after he truly believed that I was the Mother of the Year for at least 5 whole minutes. :0)

Happy Mother's Day to all of you!

17 Again

Yes, I went to see this movie tonight. Yes, it was kind of a tweenie movie. BUT! I will say, Jaysen and I did get some laughs out of dear old Uncle Ned. More importantly, it was a warm and fuzzy movie. I am seeing so many kids in high school, or just getting out of high school that are having such a hard time. It breaks my heart for them. This movie was different from some of the other tweenie kind because it pushed for what was good and right.

Mike O'Donnell is the main character. He is the father of two teenagers, but ends up getting turned back into a teenager. The only person that knows about the transformation is Uncle Ned. The quote is from teenager father who is talking to his teenage daughter because her boyfriend dumped her. Apparently the scum told her that if she wouldn't show him how much she loved him then he would break up with her. So, she was heartbroken even though she was so great for standing up for herself. Then teenage daddy comes along to make her feel better

Mike O' Donnell: When you're young everything feels like the end of the world. But it's not it's just the beginning, you might have to meet a few more jerks. but one day you're gonna meet a boy who treats you the way you deserve to be treated. Like the sun rises and sets with you.

Teenage dad helped give his son the courage to try out for the basketball team. Helped him to stand up to the school bully.

Anyway....blah blah blah I know....but I thought it was a cute show. Was it wicked awesome and everyone should run out and watch it? Maybe....maybe not. I will tell you that Zac Efron has a killer 6 pack. WOW.....Not that I was looking or anything. {Love you Jaysen!}

My apologies....

I totally suck at posting lately....time is not something I have in excess. :0) Besides....we have happened to have a few gorgeous days mixed in with the freaky random hailstorms and so I have lived part of my days outdoors. I'm craving me some more sunshine.
Moving on.....

Can I just tell you how excited I am about girls night for May? Why? Because it's 80s night. "Oh yes it's ladies night,
and the feelings right,
oh yes it's ladies night,
oh what a, OH WHAT A NIGHT."
Oh yeah! I am currently gathering all of the essential 80s fashions so that I can look my 80s best. You know, totally radical stuff. Wanna see one of my best finds so far?....

That's right people.....I'm going Madonna/Cyndi Lauper style. {mine are the pink ones BTW}

What was interesting to me though.....was that these things are actually being sold in stores right now. I mean....seriously. Are these really coming back in style?

Anyway.....now I just need someone to tell me where I can find a radical pair of jelly shoes. Any suggestions?

Wordless Wednesday

I took the kids down to Shoshone Falls last night so they could see the waterfalls. Apparently they are the biggest they have been in about 10 years. It was so gorgeous down there I could have stayed all night.

That is not fog or smoke in the picture, it is actually the mist coming from the waterfalls to the right. Crazy, huh?

Moulin Rouge

The hubby and I just watched this movie again the other night and honestly, I just can't get enough of it. I LOVE THIS MOVIE. I know it's not for everyone.....and it's a musical.....but really....it's awesome.

These are two of my favorite songs from the movie.

Anyway...just thought I'd share...

are you for real?

What is wrong with this picture?

How about the fact that there are several inches of snow covering everything outside.

How about the fact that it was in the 70s just a few days ago.

How about the fact that my hubby mowed the lawn two days ago.

How about the fact that it is freaking April 15 and not January! Is this for real? Bring back the sun! I'm ready to play outside again!

Wordless Wednesday

Unique Freak

I slept so crappy last night. Of course, this means I wake up groggy and still tired. Because I am a mommy I still have no choice but to get out of bed. I have work today, the sprinkler man starts today, and I have a parent/teacher conference after school. Busy stuff. I'm half blind and so I wear contacts. I've worn them for 15 years. Nothing new right? Over the years my eyes have grown tired of being suffocated by contacts and so I have been forced to buy/wear the slightly more expensive daily contacts. Honestly, even though they cost a bit more, I LOVE them. Before dailies my eyes were always sore and I felt like I had rocks in my eyes. Actually, it ended up being irritated eye lids. Weird huh? Yeah...apparently the insides of my eye sockets HATED contacts and wished to let me know by forming small bumps on my eye lids. I'm a freak.....I know. So, dailies it was and I love that every morning I get to put in a fresh pair of contacts and then I just throw them away at night. No washing, no storing, no stressing over a lost contact.
This morning, as with every other morning, started with a fresh pair of contacts. I always put the right contact in first. Why? No idea. But that's the way it's supposed to be.....just go with it. Moving on to the left eye here....OUCH! Put in contact, searing pain in eye....so, pull out contact. Rinse with contact solution and put back in eye. A bit better, but the eye is still a bit sore. I chalk it up to irritation from the initial insertion of said contact.
My morning progresses....off to work. Eye is still bothering me a bit. I rub it, put eye drops in, and scan the surface of my eye ball searching for a fleck of WHATEVER the crap it could be that is making my eye have a boo-boo. Eye starts to feel worse. What the heck?!?! Go home....am so irritated I move straight to the pantry to look for chocolate. Dang me and my decision to NOT buy sweets so I wouldn't be tempted to eat them.
Rub eye.....
HOLY HECK! Burning! Eye pain! Can't see out of my left eye!
Run to the bathroom....check the eyeball. Contact is MIA. Finally find it underneath the lower eyelid. Only problem is that it is only half of the contact. Eye is still burning. I dig out the other half of the contact. Eye is now oozing watery tears. Dang it! Now I can see out of one eye and am half blind in the other. Just what I need.....
It hurts to blink. So, the obvious choice is to just NOT blink. Right? The pain will eventually go away. Of course, what do you do when your eye is oozing and stinging like poison ivy? You check your email! Duh! Coincidentally {or maybe it was fate......} my friend was online too and sent me an IM about girls night. Being the good friend that I am, I change the subject and whine about my eye. Friend freaks, tells me to go to the eye doctor before I scratch my eye and cause damage.
WHATEVER CRAZY FRIEND! I am just fine, it just hurts a litte bit {A LOT} and it will feel better soon.
Phone rings....it's the crazy friend. :0) Apparently I have no choice, I MUST call the doctor and I MUST drop my daughter off at her house whilst I go to the doctor. Gentle nudging she calls it. So, I call doc, get appointment, drop off daughter to the crazy friends house :0) and go see doctor. The office lady looks at me like I'm a weirdo. Is my eye red? NOPE. Do I look like my eye is under SEVERE duress? NOPE. But hey....I just really wanted to go see my eye doctor. I've missed him terribly so. So, office lady....BACK OFF!
I am led into the examination room and climb into "the chair". Explain my sad story to the doctor man. He wants to shine a light into my eye. He is humoring me.
After being blinded by extremely bright lights he tells me, "Yeah, it looks like you've scratched your eye somehow."
HAH! All you eye doctor people! Poo on you!
My eye is still hurting like the dickens....even moreso now that the eye doctor man drips some yellow crap into my eye to get a "better look" at the scratch. Nothing like having something poured into an open wound on your eyeball.
He wants to know if I was sure I got all of the pieces of the contact out of my eye. Um, I think so. I didn't really line up the two pieces to see if they fit together like a puzzle. My eye was kind of oozing at that point. So, he figures he better check to make sure that there isn't anything left in my eye.
Have you ever had your eyelid flipped inside out? It doesn't hurt, but it definitely feels wierd.

Just so you are following here....scratched eyeball, yellow crap poured into scratch, and eyelid turned inside out. "Look down" he says. I do and then hear, "Oh, here's the problem. Hold still, this might feel wierd." I'm thinking wierd like having my eyelid turned inside out. Yeah...no. He takes some tweezers, pokes them into my eye and literally PLUCKS out something from inside my eyelid. Then I hear, "Wow. I have never seen anything quite like that before." What? What haven't you seen? I'm still strapped in with my eyelid inside out looking down. He checks for anthing else, but at this point I am apparently free and clear.
I blinked. It didn't hurt. Hallelujah!
Then I hear, "Yeah, I just have never seen anything like that before." {Didn't he just say that?} I ask him if it was some huge thing he found. He grabs the tweezers and holds them up in the light for me. A little plastic sliver.....that's what it was. I had gotten a sliver embedded in my eyelid. How does one do that? Seriously!
I think he tells me he has never seen anything like that before three more times before I leave his office. Apparently it's NOT normal to get a sliver inside your eyelid. I can safely assume that this means that not many people have had a doctor shove a freaking pair of tweezers inside their eye to pluck a sliver out. You know, like you would if you had a sliver on your finger. Can I just tell you that it hurt like a mother! Sigh.
Apparently if something NOT normal is going to happen, it's going to happen to me. I also had to have my jaw, neck, upper back, and rib put back into place by my chiropractor today. I'm feeling really old people......
For my crazy friend.....
The doctor said he was really glad that I came in so quickly to get it taken care of because it could have caused a lot more damage to my eye than it did. So, you can tell me I told you so all you want. My eyeball thanks you. :0) And thanks for taking my daughter. I appreciate your willingness to help out this one-eyed unique freak here.
Thankfully I should be back in tip top shape tomorrow. If not, eye doctor says the scratch will end up infected and I'll have to go and visit him again. Good odds right? :0)
I'll keep you posted. :0)

The Sky is Blue?

Sadly, I had almost forgotten the sky was supposed to be blue and not gray. :0) This weekend has been so gorgeous. Fifty degree weather with just a slight breeze and today....not a single cloud in the sky.

Now all we need is for the trees to grow some green and we'll be set!

growth

I bought some seeds. I'm going to grow this year. I had to get the proper tools first. Good soil. Read the instructions. Soak soil in water, put seed on top, do not cover with soil. Mist with more water daily. Keep in well lit area. Keep it warm.
The first sprouts came quickly. Though I added a misting of water daily, the soil began to dry. I added a second misting of water each day. It was no use, the sprouts died almost as quickly as they had grown. The soil was not up to par.
I was told to mist.
The instructions said to mist.
The instructions were wrong.


Added cupfulls of water to the soil. Waited patiently and kept the soil in the warmth of the sunlight shining in the windowsill.
Weeks later the newer, stronger sprouts appeared. Carrots, cucumbers, green onions and tomatoes.....growing. Healthy. Strong.
They grow visibly taller from morning to evening.

Drinking cupfulls of water.

Perhaps the instructions aren't always correct. A misting cannot grow something that requires cupfulls. We cannot always assume that the generalized ideas can instruct every seed in every environment.

I am a gardener. I have planted seeds. Sometimes I feel like all I can offer is mist. Will the days that I am able to pour cupfulls of water on my seeds make up for the days I cannot offer more? What if my soil dries up? If my seeds sprout will I be able to keep them growing? Am I offering enough warmth and sunlight?

Do you ever wonder who is going to pour cupfulls on you? I've read the instructions, but sometimes I think I'm only getting misted and my soil NEEDS MORE if I'm going to keep my sprouts growing. My soil is drying up. I'm thirsty.

I can't find a glass of water.

What?

Have you ever felt like you were at the end of your rope, but you weren't sure which end you were at?

Yeah. I get it.

Girls Just Want to Have Fun

Ignore the video....listen to the song. The words are familiar...the arrangement is not. I'm in love with it.

Hello?

Just wanted to let you all know that I am still alive. I wouldn't say that I was alive AND kicking....but I am alive. I haven't had much time for the blog world as of late. School is getting harder with each new set of classes, which means I have been spending more and more time sitting at this computer doing boring stuff like researching ROCKS. BUT!

Finals week is officially over for this set of classes! I had a little chocolate party tonight. :0) I'm not kidding. Chocolate cake, with chocolate ice cream that had bits of chocolate brownie in it. The hubby gave me bit of an eyebrow raise as he saw me fill my LARGE bowl. I told him I was celebrating. Because seriously....

I NEVER have to take another STUPID science class EVER AGAIN!

{hallelujah chorus}

Wouldn't you be celebrating with chocolate too?

Anyway...I can't promise that I will be able to be more attentive to you...my adoring fans. But, know that I am wishing I could spend more time with you. My next classes start tomorrow. Thankfully they are about something I actually care about so maybe I won't mind reading six chapters this week. :0)

And if you knew what the title of one of my classes was.....you might want to learn a little something something yourself. {tee hee}

Get your mind out of the gutter! This here is SCHOOL learnin'! About the way people think and feel! So........shush!

Lucky

Hope you all had a great St. Patty's day!

Wordless Wednesday

I know it's not Wednesday, but I don't know if I'll have time to post tomorrow and I really wanted to share this picture I took of my little girl today. She has been taking dance lessons for a bit now and is just loving everything about it. She loves to dress up in the leotards and tutus and prance about the dance studio with all of the other little girls. I was having her pose for me so I could get some pictures of her in 1st position, 2nd position, and 3rd position {ballet poses} and she got kind of tired of me. So, she plopped down and said, "I just can't do it!"

Honestly, I think it's my favorite one. :0)

John Schmidt

As most of you know, I can't live without music. Whether or not that sounds dramatic, it's true. I need it. Like water.
A friend of mine just introduced me to this guy and I am so sad that I have missed out on his music for so long. It is beautiful, amazing, and soothing. As I listen to it I swear I can literally feel my soul healing. So, I thought I would share this with you. He has such an amazing gift, perhaps it is my awe of him that makes me stop and think. No matter the reason, I just bought two of his CDs on iTunes. :0)

The Google Game

Virginia posted this meme and it looked like fun, so I figured I'd give it a go. Obviously, because I share a name with a celebrity my answers were a bit "different". It did make it fun though.

Here's how you do it: Go to Google. Type in your name + the words in the rest of each category. For example, if your name was Sally, you would type in "Sally looks like" and then see what Google could find for you. Of course, sharing is caring, so I want to see your answers as well! Have fun!


Ashlee looks like:

A Grandma (I knew I felt old....)
A Playmate (I don't know if this is much better!)
She is about to cry....

Ashlee Likes:

Skunks? (Gross!!!)
To shop cheap (doesn't everybody?)
Brit's partying (as opposed to Italians of course....)

Ashlee says:

She's not heavy, she's my sister (meaning Jessica of course. Did you not know we were sisters?)
No to Playboy (see...just because I may look like a playmate does NOT mean I have to pose for playboy)
Yes (I'm not sure to what, but apparently it's not to playboy)

Ashlee wants:

To be forever young (who wouldn't?)
a bigger butt (it's true...mine is just WAY too small...)
marriage and children (whew! I can check that one off the list!)

Ashlee hates:

work (I work for the hubby...so NO COMMENT)
eating dirt (rocks are so much chewier)
bananas and coffee (kind of random don't you think?)

Ashlee can:

see the future (sh! don't tell!)
read (yes, I've got mad skills!)
dance! (What a feeling!)

Ashlee goes:

dark again (actually, my hair is still the same.....for now)
on a shopping spree (with who's money?)
white trash (I might be a redneck IF.....)

Ashlee is:

Growing by the day (I'm assuming this is a reference to my growth in wisdom and not in weight)
in love (awww.....)
super cute (dang right! And sassy too!)

Ashlee loves:

herself (but not in an egotistical way or anything...)
her baby body (I think I'm being mocked here...)
themed parties and costumes (actually, this is very true)

Ashlee, the:

Cutest gravedigger (should I take this as a compliment?)
streaking sasquatch (I know my feet are kind of big....)
new body for Victoria Secret (even with my big feet)

FREE FOR ALL!

I got this off of my sister's blog and because I treasure a challenge and love anything that I get for free....I thought that it would be kind of fun to do. The first five people to respond to this post will get something made by me! My choice. For you. This offer does have some restrictions and limitations:
1. I make no guarantees that you will like what I make!
2. What I create will be just for you.
3. It'll be done this year (might take a while).
4. You have no clue what it's going to be. It may be a story. It may be poetry or an article. I may draw or paint something. I may bake you something and mail it to you. Who knows? Not you, that's for sure!
5. I reserve the right to do something extremely strange.

The catch? YOU must repost this on YOUR blog and offer the same to the first 5 people who do the same. The first 5 people to do so and leave a comment telling me they did win a FAB-U-LOUS homemade gift by me! I know that you all want to join so hurry fast, remember it is only the first 5 people to respond and then put it on your blog. If you don't put it on your blog then you don't count!! :)
Oh, and be sure to post a picture of what you win when you get it! Good luck!

Sassy!

That's right people.....that's how I felt last night. :0)

SASSY!

Normally there is not much to do around these parts. So, when we got notice that there was going to be a Valentine's Day dinner and ball the hubby and I jumped on the chance for a fancy night out. Of course....this meant I needed a new dress. With the help of my friend Montay and my handy camera phone so I could text pictures of me trying on the dresses to her....I found the perfect one.

I am now the proud owner of a "little black dress".

{BTW....my handsome son was the fabulous photographer here}

Addiction

I think I need to join a 12 step program.

This is me. At least it's the back of my head. My son snapped this picture of me. Perhaps he was trying to help me to see how bad I have really gotten. My head is hanging out the window, my hand is gripping the steering wheel in anticipation.....I can't seem to help myself.

Sonic is my ultimate drink stop. Here they create the BEST cranberry limeades I have ever had. {Ok, so this is the only place I've had a cranberry limeade...but still!} The lady at the drive through window has come to expect me at least four times a week now. If I'm going to work....I need a drink. After my daughter's dance class.....I need a drink. On my way back from the grocery store....I need a drink. It doesn't help that I pass by Sonic almost every time I leave the house. One is conveniently located less than 2 miles from my house. There is another one on the main strip in town.

What is even more sad is that I have contaminated my children too. My daughter begs for pink sprite all the time. My son....he wants an ocean water. Even the hubby craves their yummy deliciousness and grabs a grape limeade. And seriously....half price drinks between 2 and 4 pm! Can't beat that!

You should go try one. You won't regret it.

I'll see you at the Sonic Drinkers Anonymous meeting.

Until then....you can find me at the drive through window.

He's Just Not That Into You....

Um...went and saw this movie last night and thought it was AWE....SOME. Just watch this little clip to see what I mean. :0)

I ate sushi...

I just wanted to let you know.....

I almost threw up too.

Who eats that stuff anyway? Weirdos!

Lucky Number Four

I got tagged by Sister Sassy.

1. Open the fourth photo folder of your computer.

2. Choose the fourth photo in that folder and publish it in your blog.

3. Explain the photo.

4. Challenge four bloggers to do the same.

This is my son. August 2007. First day of school pictures for the 2nd grade. He was obsessed with camoflauge, all of his teeth were finally growing back in, and his feet were as big as ever. {He's going to be a tall one}. He looks so innocent and cute in this picture....and little. He has gotten so much bigger since I took this shot and it makes me so sad.

Wanna play along? Consider yourself tagged. :0)

Opinions needed!

My kitchen is covered in roosters. I have decorated my kitchen this way for seven years. Yes, seven. There have been

additions over the years, and some items have been removed from the walls and shelves. But, honestly....

I'm getting tired of roosters. I want to do something else. I just have no idea what to do. I'm needing some ideas and insight, so I'm looking to all of you for help. My walls are a brick red in my kitchen. I love my red walls. So, I would need something that coordinated with that color. Other than that I'm pretty open for suggestions. The budget is small and my time to get crafty is non-existent. It makes it hard to fill the space. I would like to get away from the country look though.

Your help is always appreciated. I can't wait to see what you all come up with!

8 Things Tag

8 things
I got tagged by Tess....so off we go!

8 shows to love
1. Chuck
2. Heroes
3. American Idol
4. Fringe
5. Game Show Network!
6. Food Network Challenge
7. Ace of Cakes
8. So You Think You Can Dance

8 Favorite Restaurants
1. Olive Garden
2. Chili's
3. Zulu Bagels
4. Johnny Carinos
5. Tomatos
6.
7.
8.

8 Things I did yesterday
1. Went to work
2. homework
3. blogged
4. took Landon to piano lessons
5. dishes
6. cleaned the bathroom
7. went to a jewelry party
8. planned February's menu and made grocery list

8 Things on my wish list
1. Sell my old house
2. A self cleaning house :0)
3. My pre-baby body back
4. be done with school
5. naturally straight hair
6. obedient children
7. go on a caribbean cruise
8. a bigger kitchen

8 things I like about this season
1. Are you kidding me?
2. This is my least favorite season
3. It's miserably cold
4. driving in the snow STINKS!
5. Walking on ice in heels is HARD
6. everything is dead....
7. The gray skies are kind of depressing too.
8. But I guess Landon was born during this season..so there is one good thing. :0)

8 weird things about me
1. I can't touch the shopping cart handles. Germs! I usually put my hands inside my coat or wipe the handle down first.
2. I have a hard time with complete silence.
3. I can't share a blanket with the hubby. We have separate ones. I'm a blanket hog. :0)
4. I LOVE shoes, but would rather go barefoot
5. I dance in my car while driving....
6. I like to watch figure skating.
7. I can't wear scarves or turtlenecks...my neck gets claustrophobic.
8. I don't celebrate Valentine's Day with the hubby.

Deep Thoughts...

It's midnight.....I'm tired....

But I can't sleep.

I'm stressed. A lot of stuff going on around these parts....but I thought I'd share a few thoughts that have gone through my mind today....

The other night it was 3 below zero here. That's crazy cold! At least for me. I prefer warmth and no snow. But....in the middle of the night when it was that cold....I was warm and snuggly in my bed and completely oblivious. There are those who spent all night shivering, whether due to no blanket, no heat, or no house....they did not experience the comfort that I did.

As most of you know, man evolved from apes. :0) Kind of a strange thought for me. Though I guess I do call my daughter a monkey. What was "refreshing" to learn today was that some scientists have proven that at least we weren't around when the dinosaurs were. Whew! I'm relieved. I was worried about our ape ancestors fighting with the Tyrannosaurus Rex. Now I don't have to worry any longer.

I need chocolate. I cannot survive without it. 'Nuff said.....

Three year olds CAN and WILL twist open fingernail polish bottles if they are allowed access to them. Don't even get me started on this one.....

Experience does not equal wisdom. Knowledge does not equal wisdom. It is how you apply your knowledge and experience that helps you to make wise choices. What is a wise choice for you may not be wise for another. You cannot force your opinions on others, either.

Should I cut my hair?

True happiness cannot be given to you. You have to find it within yourself.

Dora is an amazing Explorer. In our house alone she has saved the Mermaid Princess and the Snow Princess AT LEAST 20 or 30 times. Talk about perseverence. I would have given up on them by that point.

This has ended tonights feature presentation of "Deep Thoughts". Stay tuned for something hopefully MUCH more exciting.....

It's official!

Yes, it's true...

Today I officially submitted my application for the bachelor's program. Sure, I haven't even

received my associate's degree, but apparently, they don't care. OK, so if I completely bomb my last few classes here they'll deny my application, BUT! it's done. It's in. There's no backing out now.

August 18 I will officially be starting my journey towards my bachelor's degree. CRAZY! Who'd have thunk it? Not only will I have graduated from college with an associate degree in arts, but I will be moving forward toward my degree in brain shrinking. :0)

Honestly, though I thought I'd be nervous or scared, I am elated. Though I know we're not supposed to be "prideful", I am so proud of myself for pressing forward. After I went back to school last February there were all sorts of things that happened that would have normally sent me running. I would have had a perfectly acceptable excuse for withdrawing. But I didn't. And I'm still alive...ok, so nothing was life or death. :0) It has helped me to learn a lot about myself though and the kind of person I have the ability to be.

Wish me luck as I continue my journey!

Benjamin Button

I went and saw this movie tonight and I really enjoyed it. Would you like to know why? Because dear Benjamin Button shared some warm and fuzzy deep thoughts with me. So, I thought I'd share....

"Your life is defined by its opportunities... even the ones you miss."

"Along the way you bump into people who make a dent on your life."

"It's a funny thing about comin' home. Looks the same, smells the same, feels the same. You'll realize what's changed is you. "

"Sometimes we're on a collision course, and we just don't know it. Whether it's by accident or by design, there's not a thing we can do about it. "

"For what it's worth: it's never too late or, in my case, too early to be whoever you want to be. There's no time limit, stop whenever you want. You can change or stay the same, there are no rules to this thing. We can make the best or the worst of it. I hope you make the best of it. And I hope you see things that startle you. I hope you feel things you never felt before. I hope you meet people with a different point of view. I hope you live a life you're proud of. If you find that you're not, I hope you have the strength to start all over again."

"Benjamin, we're meant to lose the people we love. How else would we know how important they are to us?"

"Life isn't measured in minutes, but in moments"

See? didn't I tell you? Good thoughts.....deep thoughts.....insightful thoughts.....

No, this movie isn't for everyone. Yes, this movie was really three hours long. BUT! In the end I left the theatre feeling GOOD. Why? Because Benjamin reminded me that sometimes life can SUCK. And sometimes life is AWESOME! What is important to remember, is that it is up to us to decide if we are going to let the bad things in life change US. We are going to screw up, but it's up to us to learn and grow from our experiences so we can be better tomorrow.

No one is perfect....

We shouldn't expect ourselves to be.

Blueberries!

Yes, that's right!

I saw this at the grocery store the other day and knew I HAD to try it. {Plus, it was on sale, so I kind of had to right?}

I love blueberries. Not just a little bit...but A LOT. Blueberry muffins....blueberry scones....blueberry waffles...blueberry cheesecake....oh yeah!

As many of you know, I have been attempting to eat healthier. These last few weeks I have really been struggling to keep to my goals. Every night after dinner my sweet tooth kicks in and it's been hard to stay strong. In fact, last night I ate a bag of M&Ms. {They were SO good!} BUT! This is not good...once I get started I often have a hard time staying strong and it snowballs from there.

Well, this cereal is going to save me! {I hope}

Considering that most candy bars/chocolate items contain super large amounts of carbs, I figured why not swap them for a nice bowl of blueberry cereal goodness instead? What is the difference you ask? Well...let me tell you.

0 grams of fat in my cereal....10 grams of fat in a package of M&Ms

100 calories vs. 250 calories

7 grams of sugar vs. 30 grams of sugar

Plus, the cereal has Vitamin A and C, and contain 45% of your daily needs for iron.

My sugar craving is gone...and I didn't blow it for the day. Hallelujah! Both my brain and my tummy can be happy.

Dreaming of the ones you "love"

I am a night owl. I'm usually up until about midnight every night. Sometimes I am reading, sometimes I can be found blogging, other times I am stuck doing homework till the wee hours of the morning.

Last night was no different. Though I desperately wanted to get back to the new book I just started, my other new books {meaning textbooks} had been staring me in the face all day. Four chapters of reading. It's only 140 pages right? Just for this week...because next week I'll have closer to 200 to read. But....hey! I love reading...so this should be enjoyable right? Too bad half of my reading is about rocks and plate tectonics.

BORING!

Anyway...back to my reason for posting. Last night I was trying to get through my assigned chapters in my Geology textbook. For me, the most comfortable place to read is in my bed propped up with multiple pillows. So, at 10:00 last night I grabbed my book and walked upstairs to find my hubby snoring soundly in our bed. The hubby doesn't stay up late. Every now and again he will, but for the most part he calls it a night at about 10:00. So, it wasn't odd for me to find a dark bedroom and the hubby's toes peeking out of the bottom of his blanket.

This was NOT going to deter me however. That's what the bedside lamp is for. :0) So, I clicked on the lamp and got comfy with my pillows and began learning all about ROCKS. About 30 minutes later, as I was getting my highlighter "ON", the hubby shifts sleeping positions.

Now, I realize that it is fairly normal to do this while sleeping. I shift sleeping positions quite a bit. What ISN'T normal is when your husband rolls over and mumbles

"Jack Bauer"

What?

That's what I said to him. I figured he had been woken up by the light from my lamp and was trying to tell me something. I didn't get a response from him. So I said it louder....

"What are you talking about?"

He turned and looked up at me and said "I didn't say anything."

Um...yeah....you did hubby dear. And I told him so. :0) Followed by letting him know whose name he was calling out in his sleep....

All I got as a response from him was, "Really? That's funny."

Sigh.....

You know it's sad when your husband is dreaming of someone else, but it's even more sad when they are dreaming about Jack Bauer. I know they have been having a secret affair ever since Santa brought the hubby Season 1 and 2 of the series "24". He was so obsessed with his new boyfriend Jack that he borrowed Seasons 3, 4, and 5 from our friends so he could get "caught up". He's almost done with Season 5 now. I knew it was serious, I just had no idea it had gotten this involved. :0)

Let this be a word of caution for you ladies out there....

Jack Bauer will take your husband away! He'll be the name that is called out in the middle of the night. If you are toying with the idea of letting Jack in your home....he will NEVER leave. So, be prepared to make up the guest bedroom for him, or put blankets on the couch for him. He'll be sticking around for a while. :0)

Unique

HowManyOfMe.com

There is 1 person with my name in the U.S.A. How many have your name?

That's right people...there's only one ME! How many of you are out there?

Just say no to country music! :0)

So, as many of my close friends know....I'm not a huge fan of country music. This is not to say that I HATE country music, or that I NEVER listen to country music, it simply means that I prefer other genres.

OK, honestly...."real" country music drives me batty. There are a select few that sound more like "regular" music than country and so I find myself able to listen to those. Otherwise, I'd just as soon have silence. {And that's saying a lot for me!}

Seriously, just read some of the titles of country songs past and perhaps you will understand my distaste for the twang....

Get Your Tongue Outta My Mouth 'Cause I'm Kissing You Goodbye
I Don't Know Whether To Kill Myself Or Go Bowling
I Flushed You From The Toilets Of My Heart.
Billy Broke My Heart at Walgreens and I Cried All the Way to Sears
I Don't Care if it Rains or Freezes 'Long as I Have My Plastic Jesus Sittin' on the Dashboard of my Car
If I Can't Be Number One In Your Life, Then Number Two On You
I'm Here To Get My Baby Out Of Jail
Queen Of My Double-Wide Trailer
Redneck Martians Stole My Baby
You're The Reason Our Kids Are So Ugly

Don't those songs just sound so heartwarming?
OK...so I'm being a bit stereotypical here....but seriously! People actually wrote these songs, and someone thought they'd be great to share with the public. It's crazy!

And, now that I have offended my country loving friends.....

Are you kidding me?

I went to the dollar store today. I have a love/hate relationship with stores like this.

I LOVE the price. I love that when I take my kids there I can "splurge" and let them get something without feeling like I've wasted a large sum of money. The kids feel like they've won the lottery and I can feel better when I see the item tossed aside knowing I spent a mere dollar on it.

I HATE how dirty some of them are. I feel like I need hand sanitizer after pushing a cart from there. :0( I HATE knowing that even though it's called the "dollar" store....I spend far more than ONE dollar. It's inevitable...I can't resist the "deal".

Today, though....my frustration was magnified exponentially when, in line at the check out counter, the little 4 year old boy in front of us flipped off my daughter. My innocent daughter who has NO idea what a middle finger being waved at her means held up her hand in an "OK" symbol. This is how she tells everyone she is three. :0) To her, the only reason a kid would hold up fingers would be to let others know their age.

Well, the kid kept flipping her off, and she kept holding up her three fingers....him first, then her, then him, you get the idea. Apparently the little boy was not pleased that my daughter was not understanding the meaning behind his "naughty" finger and so instead he decided to TELL her.

Yes, you heard me.

He said "F*%# you" to my daughter. I looked at his father who surely had heard him...right? Nothing.

How does a FOUR YEAR OLD not only KNOW that word...but also know HOW to use it? I could go on making all sorts of assumptions about his parents, siblings, or home life...but that's all they would be. I have no idea what this kid experiences on a day-to-day basis.

Sigh...anyway, the mom pays, and dad and son and mom all start walking away. I sigh a breath of relief, though apparently I did this a tad too early. Since he still got no reaction out my daughter {who has never heard that word before} he decided to tell her again.

What did my daughter do? She smiled and waved goodbye to her new "friend". She still had no idea what he was saying to her, but she was sure that they had somehow "bonded" over hand gestures.

I should have said something. The problem is...I don't think the parents would have cared. So what was the point? Thankfully my daughter was left unaware of what had really happened, but I was ANGRY!

I'm trying not to make rash judgments about these people. I'm sure they're very nice, right? But how in the crap does their son know about fingers and "F words" at four years old? I realize that kids hear their parents swear sometimes. I am not immune to this. I slip...I'm human. But my kids are NOT allowed to use profanities. Sure, they'll get older and do whatever they want anyway....but right now....when they are still young and moldable...bad words are BAD. In our house bad words are things like stupid, butt, ugly, and stuff like that. Words that are part of most people's vocabulary but that can be gross or hurtful.

Sorry for my rambling here....but seriously...am I the only one shocked by occurences like this? All of these little kids with potty mouths? It's sad.

Eric Hutchinson

Here is a new song for you all. I just grabbed this one from the Free section on iTunes and fell in love with it. It has a great message and an easy rhythmn. Good stuff. I thought you might be in need of something new to listen to to help you get going with your New Years Resolutions. :0)

Taking the good with the bad

Life is all about choices. Our choices directly affect what our future will hold. It's 2009...is anyone else shocked at how quickly last year went? A whole other year has flown by and I'm finding it hard to remember what I accomplished. :0) What decisions did I make that will affect this new year?

I went back to school....I will graduate in July!
I said some hurtful things....I will need to mend bridges this year.
I went back to work for the hubby....I have more to do and less time for extra curricular this year.
I formed some wicked awesome friendships...I have a wicked awesome support system for the rough patches this year.
I turned 29....I will turn 30 this year!!!!
I learned more about faith...where do I go from here?
I chose to change my Christmas routine for years to come....Christmastime will never be the same again.
I chose to face a few of my fears....will I continue to cope?

These are just a few of the many choices that I made last year that I know will affect how this next year plays out. As I get older, and life gets more complicated I start to wonder why I feel the need to further complicate things with my constant worrying. I over-analyze...overstress...and end up overwhelming myself with doubt. I think this will end up being a constant as far as New Years Resolutions go. I need to learn to take things as they come and not worry about the 40 million possible outcomes. There will be good, there will be bad. Some people will never change and I may never be able to please them or make them happy or even become friends with them. And I need to learn to accept that. For me...this is easier said than done. :0)

Anyway...to start the year off right I want to give a shout out to all my interpeeps! Thanks for stopping by and leaving me warm fuzzy thoughts. Keeping up in the blogosphere has been hard lately as my classes have become more difficult. I'm glad you haven't forgotten about me. :0)

Hopefully this new year will be full of lots of good times for me to post about.....or perhaps just more randome thoughts. Who knows....

This is me we're talking about! :0)