The Monday Minute - Memorial Day Edition

I hope you all have a safe and wonderful Memorial Day! Take this day to remember the men and women who have died to make sure you stay safe and free in this wonderful Country we call America. The Monday Minute comes in the style of a Memorial Day Edition, so if you want to join in, just head on over to Ian's place & he'll help get you started!



1 - Have you or a family member joined the military?
My Brother joined the Marine Corps about a year ago now, and has gone through Bootcamp, Marine Combat Training, and is now currently training for his Marine Occupational School in which he'll be learning how to operate AAV's (Amphibious Assault Vehicle). I'm one proud Big Sister!

2 - Have you or a family member served his/her country in times of war?
Both of my Papa's served in WWII. My Dad's Dad was actually supposed to be at Normandy when we stormed the beach, but his orders were changed at the last minute. Thank God for that or none of my family would be here today. And I'm pretty sure our Troops won't be out of Afghanistan or Iraq by the time my Brother finishes his MOS, so he'll probably be deployed (God forbid).

3 - What's your favorite BBQ food?
I love just regular ol' BBQ (pulled pork) without any BBQ sauce on it. It's gotta be smoked pretty good though. Love it!

4 - Do you fart in public?
Who doesn't? Sometimes they escape before you can stop them!

5 - What's the one question that if it shows up on a Monday Minute, you refuse to take part?
There was that one time that entire Monday Minute was dedicated to sex, and I just couldn't answer those questions. Not only is it personal, but there are people from church who read my blog and I don't want them picturing me naked, or picture me having sex when they see me in church :)

This Memorial Day...

I remember having to memorize the Pledge of Allegiance in Kindergarten, and then the Star Spangled Banner in Elementary School. I remember chanting those worths, not really thinking of their meaning. It was custom to say the Pledge of Allegiance before class started each day in every grade of school. The Star Spangled Banner was sang during ball games, and other special...American events. I heard the words to our National Anthem, and Pledge nearly my entire life, but it wasn't until April 9, 2010 at Parris Island when I truly, honestly, grasped the meaning and the Patriotism spoken in our flag.

When I think about the men and women who have graciously given their lives to help keep our Country safe and free, and the Flag that keeps their memory and cause alive...it brings tears to my eyes, and an indescribable pride to my heart. To be an American. To have been blessed to live in this beautiful, free, Country. Being an American is truly a blessing; something to be proud of.

How sad that our President, this Memorial Day...will be taking a vacation instead of honoring our fallen soldiers at the Memorial Day Ceremony in Arlington National Cemetery. He is the Commander in Chief of our Armed Forces, and he has chosen to not acknowledge or pay respects to those who have fought AND died to keep this Country our "...sweet land of liberty". I don't usually get political, or talk about our President...but this scares me. Our own President does not want to honor our Soldiers.

Nevertheless, having a Brother now in the Marine Corps, I have a greater appreciation and knowledge of our Armed Forces; all branches of the United States Military. While you spend time with your family and friends on this Memorial Day, remember the men and women who have died to keep you safe, and remember the men and women who are currently fighting to protect us and keep us free.

I've Failed.

I've always thought of someone who kept with the trends pretty well. I mean, I try to keep up with what's in fashion and what's not (note to self: get rid of the Skecher sandals I bought 5 years ago). I keep up with the latest gidgets and gadgets. I keep up with what's popular on television, although I may not really watch it, I try to at least know what's going on.

But, alas, I have failed.

Netflix has been out for a few years now. I used to think it was kind of crazy to pay 10 dollars a month only to have movies sent to your mailbox. Why not just run down to one of those movie machines that you only have to pay a dollar for? Oh, but I was so nieve. There is so much more to Netflix than DVDs in your mailbox! For 10 dollars a month, I can get movies sent to my mailbox AND movies streamed instantly through my Nintendo Wii! People, let me tell you...I have been watching movies for an entire month it seems like. I've been watching Goldie Hawn movies, Steve Martin movies, movies I wanted to see in theaters but never got to...and best of all...the one other thing that I didn't keep with in the trends...

I've discovered Lost

Yes, I know...six seasons later and I'm just now watching the first season. It's amazing! I'm like, why didn't I watch this when it was coming on?!

So...I'm catching up on the latest trends. Hopefully by the time I get through all 5 seasons of Lost the sixth will be on Netflix. If you don't have Netflix, you should definitely look into it. It's amazing!

I'm Going to Burn Down This House!

One, hot Summer Day, my Mom and I were laying out by our pool in the back yard. Suddenly, we heard the back door slam and my Dad came storming out to the pool where we were. He picked up a vacant lawn chair, and chucked it across the yard, his face full of rage.

My Mom and I looked at each other, not really sure what was going on or why he was angry, but we both had the hint of a smirk across our face. To see a lawn chair fly across the yard was possibly the funniest thing we had seen in a while. Nevertheless, my Mom ventured to ask my Dad what was wrong with him.

My Dad replied, "I was hungry, so I went to the kitchen to make myself a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. When I went to scoop me out some peanut butter the jar was empty! Nothing! Nothing left! WHO PUTS AN EMPTY JAR OF PEANUT BUTTER BACK INTO THE CABINET?!"

My Mom and I lost it. We nearly busted our guts from laughing so hard. If you could have heard how whiney his voice was, and how angry he was over peanut butter..you would have died too. Every time I think about my Dad throwing that lawn chair across the back yard, I laugh until I cry. It's one of the funniest stories I have to tell about my Dad. Don't worry, we're not violent people, it's just that throwing things is genetically etched into the part of our brain that triggers anger.

Anyway, I said all of that to tell you about this story I read earlier today. I nearly peed my pants from laughing so hard. Click here to read the story, and then come back and tell me if you peed your pants. If you didn't think it was funny at all...what's wrong with you?!

Stupid People

I don't like very many people. It's no secret. People in general just really get on my nerves. Why? Because most people are stupid. Plain and simple. Stupid. You may recall the conversation I heard between a cashier and bag boy at the local grocery story on Monday? It's that kind of pointless stupidity that drives me batty!

I know that I will be that grouchy, bitchin' old woman in the nursing home, who cusses out everyone that walks past me in the hallway. When my Grandmother was in a nursing home, before she died, there was this old woman who sat in her wheel chair in the hallway, and every time someone walked by she would just start cussing them out. Total strangers, not people she knew and not even the nurses. Just visitors coming to visit their family and friends. One day, as I walked past her, she said"Here comes that ol' whore. She's a little b----". I laughed, because I knew, that one day...that would be me. I wondered if she was like me in her younger days-If she hated stupid people too, until one day she developed absolutely no tolerance for people at all.

That's what stupid people to do normal people like me. They make us crazy! They turn us into that mean old lady that scares kids so bad, they are afraid to retrieve stray baseballs that they accidentally batted into her yard. I'm going to be that woman, except, I won't have a lot of cats like most of them do, and my yard will be clean, and my porch not cluttered (like the mean old ladies they show in the movies).

Anyway, it's a scary thought really. I don't want to be mean, but it seems that stupidity has stretched far and wide among people these days. It's everywhere you look. Politicians, doctors, teachers, oil rig workers, etc. We shouldn't be afraid of the Taliban...we should be afraid of the stupid people living in our own Country!

Have You Ever Seen the Rain?

My morning didn't start off too good this morning, and for some reason this song by Creedence Clearwater Revival a.k.a CCR, popped into my head. This is one of my favorite CCR songs, and I thought I would share it with you. For those of you who can't view the video, I've got the lyrics below it if you want to read them.




Have You Ever Seen the Rain
Someone told me long ago, there's a calm before the storm.
I know, and it's been comin' for some time.
When it's over, so they say, it'll rain a sunny day.
I know, shinin' down like water.

I want to know, have you ever seen the rain?
I want to know, have you ever seen the rain
comin' down on a sunny day?

Yesterday, and days before, sun is cold and rain is hard.
I know, been that way for all my time.
'Til forever on it goes through the circle fast and slow,
I know, and it can't stop, I wonder.

I want to know, have you ever seen the rain?
I want to know, have you ever seen the rain
comin' down on a sunny day?

The Monday Minute - Snort Style!

It's time for the Monday Minute, hosted by Ian. Today we're asking prayers for Ian's friend Daffy. Her Sister died late last week, and their entire family needs your prayers!

1. - Do you *snort*?
I'm not gonna say I've never snorted while laughing, but...it's only happened a couple of times and it's embarrassing :)

2 - Our friend, has a nickname and it's Daffy. What's your nickname?
People generally call me Sam, my Dad though, has several nicknames for me two of which are "Jughead" & "Fathead" Is there something wrong with my head?

3 - Do you know sign language?
Only when I'm angry...

4 - What's a sample convo from your hood?
I guess I could tell you about a conversation I heard in the grocery story this morning.
Cashier: When is hurricane season?
Customer: June 1st through September somethin'
Bag Boy: I'd like to live through a hurricane. I've never done that before. I'd be pretty mad though if I walked out my door and saw a tree laying on my car."
Cashier: Better the car than your house.

Meanwhile, I'm standing here thinking they're all idiots, Bag Boy especially. I personally think that bag boys should be forbidden to speak, especially if they can't say anything anymore intelligent than wanting to live through a hurricane and hoping that your car would be okay once the hurricane passes over. Seriously...he officially joined the Carnival of Idiocy when he opened his idiotic mouth this morning. I thought that I might should take the food that he touched back, just in case his stupidity was contagious. The conversation only got worse when it on to be about tornados.


5 - Do you sleep with electronic devices - i.e. laptop, Blackberry, iPhone, etc?
I used to sleep with my phone under my pillow before I got married. But now, the phone sits on the bedside table. Oh, but I do sleep with a heating pad. I guess that's considered an electronic device!

Just in case you missed my Day 0/Day 30 p90x pictures, you can click here to see them!

They're Here!

WARNING: Before viewing the p90x Day 0 & Day 30 pictures, do not eat anything at least 2 hours before or 2 hours after viewing them.

Okay, so I finally got the p90x Day 0 & Day 30 pictures put together. I'm a little disappointed in the pictures, but at the same time I'm not. I've got some goals set for Phase 2 which I am currently doing. This includes eating better on the weekends. I think that's what hurt me the most in Phase 1. I seriously ate way too much of the bad stuff. I'm doing better this time around though, so hopefully I'll have better Day 60 results. These aren't the most attractive of pictures. In the Day 0 pictures I just felt weird because I was having my picture made, and in the Day 30 pictures me and Paul were fighting (go figure). That's why the Day 30 pictures are blurry. I couldn't figure out why he couldn't just take a normal picture. Anycrappyphotographer, have a lookie. And try not to unfollow me just because of the pictures. I swear I usually fix my hair and look a lot less bitchy then I do in the pictures :)

A Pain in my Neck

A pain my neck...

Litterally.

Yesterday morning before I started my Yoga X workout, I was exceptionally stiff and sore from the previous day's exercise. Somehow, I must have turned my neck the wrong way. It feels like one of those annoying cricks you can get after a weird night of sleep, and at first that's what I thought it was. Except today it still hurts.

I decided to skip my Legs & Back workout today. It hurts to turn my head or to do anything weird. I feel guilty for skipping it, but I gotta do what I gotta do. I hope my neck is better by tomorrow...I've got Kenpo X and I love me some Kenpo! I'm going to try not to feel guilty though. I am seeing dramatic results...finally!

I have a sort of busy weekend ahead. Cookout tonight, a baby shower tomorrow afternoon and then taking pictures for my sister from another mister for her prom. I know I am week over due for getting those p90x day 0 & day 30 pictures to you, but I swear...I'll get 'em up!

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend. Stay safe & enjoy this picture of Breezy & Pistol the Clown from the Character Carnival last week!

36 Hours = Total Destruction

As most of you know, I left early Monday morning for North Carolina to see my Brother graduate from MCT at Camp Geiger. Yesterday, I wrote of my experiences there and today I am going to be writing of my experiences once I got home. The mess that occured in the day and a half that I was gone. The mess my child's hair was in, and I'm still wondering why Bree went through 10 different outfits in less than two days?

Before I left Monday, I made sure all of the laundry was washed, dried, folded and put away. Every article of clothing in the house was clean and hanging in the closets, except, of course, the clothes on our backs. I went through this trouble so that I wouldn't have a mountain waiting to be washed when I got back Tuesday night. Needless to say, this tactic didn't work. The MIL kept Breezy while Paul was at work on Monday and Tuesday. Whenever she keeps Bree, they rarely stay at my house for long...so I didn't expect the house to get too messy. I also didn't expect for all of Bree's clothes to be pulled from the closet, and worn. Evidently, in two days, Bree wore 2 pairs of blue jeans, and 3 pairs of shorts. She wore 4 or 5 tops, one of which was stained with tea, that...by the way...is completely ruined. Not even my beloved Spray N Wash could get the stain out. Ruined clothing is nothing new though. Whenever the MIL keeps Bree, there is always at least one shirt that gets ruined by some kind of funky looking stain. I've tried to stop making sense of this though, and have focused more on being thankful that she kept was even able to keep Bree at all.

One thing I couldn't make sense of when I got home, was why the house was so messy. Paul was supposed to be working all day, and Bree was out with the MIL...so who was home to make the mess? There were dishes stacked up in the sink (a huge pet peeve of mine), my bed was unmade (another pet peeve), everything that had been lying on the coffee table was in the floor, Bree's room looked like a tornado had rolled through, and the dining room table had turned into storage. Before I even began to unpack, I got to work cleaning the house. I can't stand a messy, unorganized house.

While I'm putting up dishes, and picking up trash...I'm wondering how in the world the house got this bad. I was only gone for 36 hours. 16 of those hours, Paul was working & Bree was out, and another 8 hours was spent sleeping. So why and when was this mess made?

Needless to say, instead of laying out by the pool on Wednesday afternoon...I was stuck inside vacuuming, doing a mountain of laundry, unloading the dishwasher, and organizing the bedrooms the way they had been before I left. Paul looked at me when he got home Tuesday night and said, "With you gone, I really realized how much you do around here."

Seriously...

2 Days in a Marine Corps Town

Early Monday morning, I rolled out of bed ready to get on the road and head to Jacksonville, North Carolina. It was waaaay too early to be awake, my contact lenses said so. If you have to wear contacts, you know what I'm talking about. Anyway, we left around 7 a.m, and got on down the road. It was cloudy the whole way to North Carolina, and stayed that way all the way back home yesterday. Anyway, we stayed in a hotel in Wilmington, North Carolina which was about 30 to 45 minutes out of Jacksonville (where Camp Geiger is located). After having to switch hotel rooms (our first room had pubic hairs in the bath tub, and unmentionable spots on the bed spread..yuck), I took a hot shower and we got ready to head on over to Camp Geiger.

Now, I must say that I loved Parris Island way more than Camp Geiger. Parris Island was clean, and organized. The grass was trimmed perfectly, as were the trees. The buildings at Parris Island, looked like they had been cleaned perfectly with a tooth brush (probably had been). Camp Geiger looked older. There were dead spots in the grass, the buildings looked older, and the MCX wasn't near as big as the one at Parris Island. Still, it was a Marine Base and there were lotsa sexy Marines walking around.

My Brother was a bit irritable, or so he seemed, when we first got there. I think he was pretty fed up with Geiger. He talked about the things he did that were fun, like throwing real grenades and doing the 3 day war, but then he talked about the things that aggravated him the most. They a "Buddy-System" in which they were assigned a buddy for the entire 29 days they were there. This buddy went every where with you, including the bathroom. We were a little surprised that they enforced the "buddy-system" even on Family Day. It was kind of annoying that we had to go everywhere with my Brother's Buddy and his family. It wasn't as personal.

Camp Geiger definitely wasn't like our experience at Parris Island, but I don't think that it was supposed to be. We hadn't built it up in our heads like Parris Island either. Even still, there is something about that final dismissal at the end of the Graduation that makes me cry every time. "Aye Sir! OORAH!" From there, my Brother went back to his Barracks, got his stuff...boarded a bus to Raleigh and hopped on a plane to California (Camp Pendelton).

When I got home last night, my house was a disaster. Still not sure how 2 people could make such a mess in 24 hours especially when they were hardly home, but they did. Today, I had hoped to spend some time by the pool, but it looks like I'll be doing laundry, vacuuming floors, and doing dishes all day. As soon as Paul can take my Day 30 p90x pictures, I will get them up for you, but until then...here are some pictures from Camp Geiger!

My Family & then us, the siblings. Wouldn't guess I was the oldest of the 2 would you?


Really cool Marine Corps boots & then me and my Brother :)


The Graduation ceremony!

A Quick Update :)

I know that I promised you all p90x Day 0 & Day 30 pictures by yesterday, and it now it is Sunday....and still no pictures. It's been a rough weekend around here. A good friend of mine passed away in his sleep Friday night, and it's been hard to do much of anything this weekend. Even working out with Tony Horton seemed nearly impossible to get through.

We had planned to do some car shopping yesterday, and lost interest in doing that because of the sad news of my friend. My heart is broken, sad, and heavy...I can't even begin to imagine how his family feels.

Bree was sick all morning and most of the afternoon on Friday. When I say sick, I mean she had a tummy bug. It was not fun, but thankfully...by Friday night she was all better. We took her to IHOP for some eggs & pancakes. She basically inhaled them, and was ready for more food!

I leave bright and early tomorrow morning for North Carolina! I am so excited to get to see my Brother again. Even if it's only a couple of days. From North Carolina, my Brother will leave for California (Camp Pendelton) to train in AAV's (Amphibious Assault Vehicles). We're all a little nervous about this, because AAV's aren't as strong as the tanks that he had initially thought he was going to train for. May I ask you all to keep my Brother in your prayers. Pray for his safety most of all.

I will be back Wednesday, with pictures if I can find my card reader for the memory card. Either I misplaced it, or Bree has hidden it somewhere. My money is on Bree :)

I apologize again for not having my p90x pictures up. Like I said, it's been a very sad weekend and I just haven't wanted to do much of anything. I hope you all have had a wonderful weekend, and have a great start to the week! I'll see you back here on Wednesday!

What's Going On With Me?

Every now and then, I get stuck in these ruts. Ruts where I just want to quit everything I'm doing; including the things that I am passionate about. I feel like a failure, and I feel like that maybe I'm not being all that I can be (I know, cheesy Army line).

One day last week, I deleted my Photography Facebook Fan Page, following it with a "Hey, guys...I can't take pictures for you for free, so unless you're really interested in me taking your pictures...don't bother with contacting me". I know, it sounds mean, which is another side affect of these ruts. I lose my tolerance for people. But you have to understand, when I have a dozen people emailing me a day, asking how much I charge to take pictures for this and that...and then I tell them & never hear from them again, it gets pretty frustrating. I really don't think that 100 dollars is too much to ask for an entire photo session, and the time it takes to edit photos. I don't understand what these people want from me?! So, I quit. Unless, of course, someone is really, interested. Photography started out as a hobby of mine, and I'm not about to let about cheap, stupid people ruin that for me.

While in this rut, I also worry about Bree and whether or not I am doing everything I can to prepare her for preschool, and Kindergarten. I hear other Mother's brag about their child being able to do things, that Bree can't (or won't) do yet. I don't think that there is anything wrong with Bree, because she is very smart and very aware. You can't trick her, or anything. She's even hard to bargain with. Sometimes she can count to five, other times she can't. Sometimes she can correctly identify a color, other times she can't. I do realize that when a child is in daycare, they tend to learn a lot quicker because they're around other kids, but we go over these things. Either she's not listening, or she just doesn't want to right now. I know, that when it was time for her to start walking...she would not budge. She would crawl, or walk on her knees...but by golly she was not going to walk, because we wanted her to. So, I decided to stop pushing her to walk. I just left it alone...and one day, she stood up and started walking. Almost like she could walk all along. There were no stumbles or falls, and within no time, she was running. Maybe I just have an extremely hard headed child...I don't know, but I can't help but worry that she may not be ready when time for her to go to school.

I don't want to stop blogging, because it is a good place to just write...but I may not be blogging every single day. For two reasons: 1) It's time consuming to read/write blogs every day & 2) Comments have greatly declined, and it can be very discouraging

It's Summer time people, we should be enjoying time with our kids and worrying less about our blogs. You all are still my friends, and for that very reason...I am not leaving. I would miss interacting with you too much. Believe me when I say, that I love each and every one of you. I've got to spend some time recollecting myself. I've got to figure out what I'm doing, and why I'm doing it.

I will be gone Monday & Tuesday of next week. My Brother is graduating from his Marine Combat Training at Camp Gieger in North Carolina. We'll be going to see him, because he won't be coming home like we originally thought. Instead, he'll be flying to California for his Job Training, which just so happens to be Amphibious Assault Vehicle, a.k.a. under water tanks. So proud of my little Brother, but ready for his 4 years to be over. I already miss him too much!

Anyway...I hope you all understand what's going on with me. This is a seasonal thing for me I guess; with every new Season, I want to change myself. It's odd...but it will all work out. Just want you all to know that I love you, and I'll be back :)

Post It Note Tuesday - Too Much

I know that it's Tuesday, and that I should write some really awesome intro to Post It Note Tuesday like I usually do...but today, I've got nothing. So, if you want to join in on Post-It Notes then click here & Supah Mommy will help you get started!

A Mother's Day Kiss

I wanted to share with you all some Mother's Day pictures, but my big-expensive-camera was on the wrong setting all day long & since I wasn't taking the pictures myself...I didn't know. Most of the pictures ended up being too pixelated & too dark, or just really funky looking. These types of things make me sad :(

BUT I thought I'd share with you, this picture. The quality isn't that great...but it's too sweet to pass up! Oh, and notice my "getting there" toned legs & butt! Normally I wouldn't point out my butt...but geez...look at it! :)

The "Monkey" Minute

Well, hello again! It's Monday again & time for the Monday Minute (hosted by Ian) only today, we are calling it the Monkey Minute in honor of a baby and her family. Monkey (the baby), has cancer. This family needs your prayers now, more than ever. So, if you would like to, pick up the button below and share it with others on your blog. I know, and I have seen that prayer can work miracles in the biggest way. God listens, and He can heal this baby. So please, take the button and ask everyone you know to pray for this family.



Now, onto the questions for today:

1 - How old do you act?
People have always said that I act a lot older than I am. I'd say I probably act a good 5 to 10 years older than my age. That would put me at 27 to 32. Scary isn't it?

2 - As far back as you can remember, what did you want to be when you grew up?
When I was little, I knew that I was going to be a teacher. I asked for an overhead projector for Christmas one year. Then, I got to college, and my Intro to Education Professor, completely talked me out of it. I don't know why she did, or if that was her intent...but she did. I changed majors after that, and decided I wanted to work for D.S.S so I was going to major in Psychology. Of course, I dropped out because I got married (and got pregnant)...and if I had never dropped out of College...I would have graduated this past Thursday. I'm thinking I should throw myself a little Graduation party anyway!

3 - If you were to write a book based on your life, what would the title be?
"Life in the Fast Lane" although, I'm sure someone has already titled a book that.

4 - What's something that you do that's considered "childish" by most?
I can pitch a pretty good fit if I don't get my way sometimes. I whine too...but not a lot...

5 - The last question isn't a question. Write a story of a time of when you or someone you know overcame great adversity.
When you get married, you kind of forget that it costs a lot of money to keep two people alive...then you add a baby onto that and you're nearly broke. We have struggled constantly with money, and finding Paul a good job. Finally, last June, God opened a door for Paul and we have been able to establish ourselves a little more. We're not rich, but we're not scraping the bottom of the checking out when rent & utilities go out either. I look back on those times, and wonder how in the world we even made it. How did we keep a place to live, and food in our tummies? I know, that the only thing that got us through those times was God. He provided for us every step of the way, and He still provides.

I had planned on doing this weeks Monday Minute as a vlog, but of course...things change. So, maybe next week! Again, keep Monkey & her family in your prayers.

p90x - Week 3 in Review

I just finished Kenpo X not even 30 minutes ago. I can't believe that I have already wrapped up Week 3. Monday I will be heading into Week 4 - the recovery week. First of all, let me say how proud I am of myself...that I even made it this far. There were people who said that I wouldn't and couldn't make it through the first workout or the first week. Obviously, I have gone over and beyond that...I'm almost finished with Phase 1!!

This week was a week of firsts for me. I was able to do things that I had not been able to do the last two weeks. I actually did 7 reverse grip pull ups, where as on the fitness test & first week of p90x, I couldn't even do half of one! I also was able to do a move (I can't remember the name of it), where you lay on your side, arm of the side your laying on...flat against the floor and other arm behind your head. From there you use the arm on the floor to help push your entire upper body, hips & butt off the floor. They're kind of like side push ups I guess...I don't know, anyway, my point is that I had not been able to do these on Week 1, or Week 2...then I attempt them on Week 3 and I pushed out 10 on each side! I swear I was looking down at my arm, and wondering if I really was doing this! How excited was I?!

Next week I will be able to post Day 1 / Day 30 pictures! I know that I can tell a difference in my clothes, but I can't wait to see if there is a difference in my pictures!

I hope you all have a wonderful weekend & to all of you beautiful Mother's out there...Happy Mother's Day!

It's Summer Time! New Look :)

Hey guys...I decided it was about time for a fresh new look with the Summer season arriving! I'm still working with it a little bit, but I hope you all like it!

Let me know if you see anything that looks out of whack, or needs fixing!

Top 3 Thursday - Places

Guess what tomorrow is?! Friday! And that means the weekend is almost here...again. It's time for Top 3 Thursday hosted by the wonderful Elizabeth of Confessions from a Working Mom & Tamara of The (Un)Experienced Mom. If you'd like to join in, just click here or here to get started!


What top 3 places would you most like to visit?

One of the things I want to do when I retire (if I live that long) is to travel. I have a list of places that I would love to go, and see. Since you won't find me on an airplane, I'll just have to settle for the pictures in books of locations like England, Australia, and Ireland, but here are a few places that I would love to visit and they don't require an airplane!

3 - Halifax
I'm a Titanic nerd. In the 11th grade, I did a 10 page research paper on the Titanic, and became obsessed! I would love to visit Halifax to see where they buried all of the victims, including a relative of mine, who by the way was the Chief Officer of the ship. Yeah, I'm famous. Betcha didn't know that now did ya?

2 - Manhattan, New York
I'm sure that this city is even more remarkable in real life. I'd love to see Times Square, visit the Today Show in Rockafeller Center, and pretend like I can afford the clothes, bags and jewelry in the department stores. Not sure if I'll ever make it to New York, but I would love to go!

1 - The Bahamas
My Mom & Dad left this past Saturday on a Cruise for the Bahamas, and I've been a little jealous. I would love to go on a Cruise and hit up the Bahamas. I'm a beach bum, and I know that I would love visit an exotic beach! To my Parent's defense, they're 45 years old and this is their first Cruise. They deserve it...but still...I'd love to be on that boat & that ship with them!

Oh, and you guys totally missed a good post yesterday. I mean really, I went from having 20 comments the day before to 8 yesterday. I'm not usually worried about comments, but that was a pretty big drop. Either I sucked, or you all went on vacation. Anyway, if you want to...you can click here to read yesterday's post. I still love you guys :)

Pour Your Heart Out - A Bad Haircut

Since Mother's Day is on Sunday (oh crap, you forgot?), I thought that I would dedicate this Pour Your Heart Out to every Mother out there. So, before I get started...if you want to join in on Pour Your Heart Out hosted by the beautiful Shell...just click here to get started!

I know what you're thinking, "Oh God, a sappy post about how great every mother in the world is." Well, not exactly. I actually struggled with the different directions that I could take a Mother's Day post. I could easily make it another sappy, cheesy, tear jerking, and oh I have the best Mother in the world kind of post, or I could attempt to be funny, light hearted, and silly. I chose the latter of the two categories. This is for all of you Mother's out there!

I used to be a fat kid (you can read all about that here), but I bet you didn't know that being chunky wasn't my only malfunction. I also had frizzy, half wavy/half curly hair that happened to be thicker than any rope. My Mom always attempted to help my...and I quote..."...rats nest", by blow drying or using a curling iron on my hair. The thing is, I hated sitting still long enough for her to complete this task and I was so tender headed that the thought of a hair brush cruising through my thick hair made me sick. So, instead, I walked around with pretty hair in the front and a rats nest in the back.

And then one day...

My Dad was sick of hearing my Mother and I scream back and forth at each other about my stupid hair, so he took me on a ride one Saturday afternoon; a ride that ended at the dog groomers barber shop. I swear I could hear my Dad laugh evil mwahahaha's from behind me, as the hair dresser cut my rats nest off and gave me a "butch" hair cut. I'm serious. It was the worst hair cut EVER! There had to have been a better way to fix my dysfunctional hair.

So, here I was: a fat kid, with a really really really short hair cut, a fat face and bangs to help enunciate my fat cheeks.

I'm still devising a plan to get each and every picture made during this Butch Era in my life, and burn them until there is no evidence that I ever looked that bad. As Ian always says, "Pictures or it never happened..."

Nevertheless, this horrible hair cut was a turning point in my relationship with my Mother. I knew that my Mama was capable of doing just about anything. She would cut my hair off, and if I still continued to fuss...she would shave me bald! I learned that my Mother was a sneaky one, willing to do anything just to prove a point.

Back then...I thought she was just mean.

But now, I understand. Sometimes, as a Mother, you gotta do what you gotta do to make a point to your kids. If this means telling them something that would only happen in a horror movie, to keep them from killing themselves...then do it. If you have to protect your precious chocolate stash by telling them that they'll fall over and die if they eat it...then do it. If you have to pull over on the side of the road to show them a dead cat, and then tell them that this is what will happen to them if they don't stop going too close to the road...then do it! I know it may sound a bit harsh, but like I said...sometimes you just have to.

So, if you're a mother, I want you to sit back and smile this Mother's Day as you think of all of the crazy things you have told your kids to keep them out of trouble and danger. Take a sip of your wine coffee, and whisper to yourself with a grin, "Happy Mother's Day you manipulative b#$!%"

Post-It Note Tuesday - Random Things

Monday is over, and Tuesday is here! It's definitely a lot prettier here today than it was yesterday, although I don't mind a rainy day every now and then. It gives me permission to be lazy, and laziness is bliss! Anyway, it's Post It Note time, so if you want to join in...just click here to get started!