2008 Presidental Election

First off, can I say that this has truly been the longest 2 years of my life (and I have 4 kids and a hubby who deploys for the military LOL so I know long LOL).

I am a registered democrat who supported McCain/Palin. I also supported Hillary Clinton in the primaries. And no matter how I feel about the new President...I can say this with 100% of my heart "we don't know what will happen." I hope for the best and believe in our country.

I also want to say how proud I am to be an American. The history we have made this year is AMAZING and a true testament to what a GREAT NATION we are and will continue to be. This election was what our forefathers wanted it to be....all of us out there exercising our right to vote. I so want the negativity to end and be able to see us move forward TOGETHER. I am PROUD that my son's got to witness this historic election and feel as though they are part of it....so I know that their interest will continue and when they are 18, they won't minimize their right to vote and make a difference.

I will support our Commander-in-chief because that is the right thing to do. Supporting him isn't the same thing as liking it, I wanted McCain/Palin in for a lot of reasons, but in my heart and soul what I hope is that this country heals its wounds, and moves forward. We have a lot to do as a country, and we MUST do it TOGETHER.

Congratulations to the Obama/Biden ticket and all of their supporters, and our country.

Wednesday

Ya know when we were kids Monday was the worse day of the week...I mean the week-end was over and back to school we went. I have as an adult decided that Wednesday is the WORST day of the week. Think about it, its no where near the week-end YET, and you have been busting your butt, or fighting the AM fight with kids to get ready, hurry up, pack your bag....or driving to every activity under the moon ALREADY and its NOT over for the week yet.

Now all that being said, it isn't a big deal because I LOVE my life, and my kids, but HOLY COW, I just realized I wake up DREADING every Wednesday. I have to find a POSITIVE way to enjoy today...but um its cold, and well its cold here in Virginia, and I have TONS of laundry to do, because my lazy butt didn't finish it this week-end LOL.

Oh well better to get it done as opposed to dwell on the YUCK of the day. I have a PLAN...a MISSION so to speak LOL. I am getting phone calls done, laundry done, dinner on, and the house picked up before 2pm today. That's the plan...as soon as I get my feet warm LOL.

Have a Great Wednesday (hump day sounds so repulsive doesn't it now LOL) my fellow bloggers.

Teachers

I have over the years had some really phenomenal teachers for my oldest sons. I don't mean the ones who just come to school, teach, and don't demand of them. No I mean ones who demand of them to be better than they know they are, ones who go that extra mile to reach a child and show them the light in that one class they are lost in, and the ones who you consider family, and just meld into yours and your child's lives.

As you read in an early blog, we are struggling with some Autistic issues with Seth, and some days are better than others. Today was not one of those days for me. See Seth has had a few bad days, and then a good one (he raised his hand and waited...yes waited to answer the question), and today when I got him from school, his teacher said he didn't hurt anyone today (spit and threw a pencil yesterday) but there was just not finding a common ground with him. Now let me say I dearly love this woman, and trust her with my child, and the intervention he needs at school. But when I got home after a really LONG, tiring trip to Peanut Festival with the kids, I found this email (I have taken out her name before posting).

I hope you have a good weekend. You are a good mother and you are doing the right thing. I know it is not easy, but please realize that you are not doing this alone. We are a team and we will get through the emotional roller coaster together.

I tell the students that we are all family, and I do mean it. We are a family. We lean on each other during the storms, we cry together, and we rejoice with each other when the sun shines. Sometimes it is just a ray of sunshine, but it is still warm and fills the soul.

Hang on to the progress Seth has made. He is headed in the right direction. Just remember, he will probably have a few detours along the way, but he will arrive.

Have a great weekend and ENJOY your family, because family is the most precious commodity on earth.

So as I am sitting here feeling a bit LOST and SORRY for myself, when I know so many parents out there have it worse than I do, that a teacher after hours on a Friday (and a day where she wanted to call me twice to come get Seth and take him home :( ) would think of me, not because she had too, because she wanted too.

So for all of you teachers out there who think those little things go unnoticed, and unappreciated by so many, I SALUTE you. I could not get through some of the stuff kids and school toss at us without you. Please keep doing what you do, because our (and I do mean OUR) children and country need you.

HURDLES

funny how the word HURDLES brings different images to mind. For example as a child it was the high school track meet, and whether or team would get first place or go to the state finals.

As a "grown up" HURDLES include bills, and getting a job, and finding a place away from our parents house to move too.

Then we get married and have HURDLES that include....SHARING everything, and usually arguing more than when you dated LOL.

Finally as parents we have HURDLES for our kids, about our kids, and just raising them in today's society. This whole blog centers on how that "God only gives us what we can handle" and "That which doesn't kill us makes us stronger" Well that is all true, but being a parent is tough. I mean we can just beat up that mean kid on the corner who is picking on your kid, or we can't have the teachers all give them "A's" for each class. And we can't predict what THINGS we find out about our kids when they get to school.

The past few weeks have been a roller coaster with my 5 yr old. See he is currently being tested at the school, with a neurologist, a developmental pediatrician, and who knows who else. He appears to have ASPERGER SYNDROME. Which is a form of Autism. So now I have the NORMAL HURDLES to deal with and this. Lots of parents deal with this everyday, and I am in awe of their strength. Today I realized that I now have to be one of those parents. He has good days and bad days, and yesterday he raised his hand in class and WAITED to be called on. OMGosh my heart skipped a beat when I read that, because I had a brief moment where I thought its OK he's doesn't have any issues, he's just misbehaving...see he can do it. I do realize that this is probably not true, and we can't FIX it all. But baby steps here are now praised more than before. We can do this...and I know that this too is a HURDLE we will overcome/adapt too.

I guess today as I look at all I have in my life, I realize that this is just a SMALL HURDLE, and its only that till we have answers and find ways to adapt to the changes we all have to make. I also know "this will make us all stronger" and hopefully ready to face the HURDLES the future holds for them all. I am a strong mom, and I am a good mom, and today I can honestly say that I have put that HURDLE in my life to rest. Now I guess I'll move onto the next one.

To my blogger friends have a great Thursday and know that alone we are strong, but TOGETHER we are all INVINCIBLE, and if you need me I am here for you.

Pollyanna

So today I am feeling a bit "Pollyanna(ish)" I mean I am almost 100% sure that is NOT a word LOL....but none the less, it definatly describes my mindset today.

Ya know I have spent the past 18 months watching and listening to the candidates on both sides...and before anyone panics I am NOT trying to change ANY ONE'S mind. See the reason I feel the way I do today is for a number of reasons and none involve POLITICS (go figure LOL).

I want to address something I saw someone post on another site and it was (not verbatim here) "if you aren't for Obama you must be racist" are you kidding me...couldn't someone just NOT like him. Or how about this comment "women should be ashamed to vote for Palin for VP, she is a step back for women in this country" again I say WHAT to myself. There are tons more that I could address but these two got me thinking a lot the past few weeks...and here is my Pollyanna(ish) coming into play here.

I want to know why their race, sex, or even party matters. I mean can't we vote for who we believe is BEST for the job? I could care if our next president is black, white, pink, or purple....I don't care if they are a man or a women....and I don't care if they are 45 or 85 yrs old. I mean I want who I believe can do the job. All that being said I feel bad for the next president whoever it may be for one reason...I don't think this can be fixed the way it NEEDS to be fixed...and all their promises will be like the Bush's "no new taxes" promise. I realize that life as we KNEW it will change no matter who is in charge. The problems in this country aren't just because of Wall St. or the war, or immigration there are TRILLIONS of issues. I guess what I would hope that this election would do is create a country of "more understanding and accepting" Americans. I also hope that as individuals (man or women) you will VOTE. I don't care who you chose to vote for....nor will I state who I plan on voting for because one of the greatest things about elections in this country is that "when I go in that voting booth, and close the curtain I can vote MY conscious NOT anyone else"....yeah Pollyanna today, but I do believe either will HELP this country but not fix it right away.

One week in....

....well I am finally able to say I FEEL better. I have taken my meds like I am supposed too, and yesterday and today are the first days in a LONG time I haven't woken up with a headache. The burning/hive like feeling in my cheeks was minor yesterday and this morning so I know the high BP medicine is working.

You know how they say change is a good thing? Well it is, and sometimes being FORCED to make change is a GREAT thing. I am down 10 lbs this week....10 lbs can you imagine? Everyday I feel better is one step closer to the me I WANT to be.

So today my POSITIVE is that I am going to LIVE, and be HEALTHIER and HAPPIER than I have ever been. Yes I know there will be ups and downs, but I can't wait to watch my kids grow and make them PROUD of me.

How the heck does this happen....

I started out the year all "POSITIVE" and well I've done better than expected. EXCEPT somewhere along the line I didn't realize I was depressed (about a TON of things) and my blood pressure was skyrocketing (weight has a huge deal to do with that). Anyway after 6+ months of "SOMETHING" daily being wrong with me I finally listened to my husband and made an appointment.

I hate going to the DR's for any reason...I guess I view it as "theres something wrong with me" Anyway on Easter Sunday I had some numbing/heavy feeling in my left cheek. I of course went into the Dr and now I am on meds to help with EVERYTHING. Do you know what though? The things I didn't stress about before I do now....I mean am I taking the meds right? I'm not gonna stroke out because of the blood pressure am I? So that's not helping is it LOL.

Today is day 2 (2nd pill officially LOL) on my BP meds and when I get them into my system I DO feel better. I know it will take awhile for the celexia (Happy/Nerve pills again) to kick in but how come I can't get around the "I'm not really gonna die" thought...holy shit to actually THINK you are facing the END not only creates more stress but makes you think of EVERYTHING you haven't said or want to say.

So today I am OFFICIALLY turning over a new leaf. I am GOING to clean my house like I used too, and I am going to cook like I used too, and that alone will be a HUGE improvement over the past few months for me. I am hoping that by the end of the week I will FEEL like walking and starting to get this weight off of me...this is the heavest I've been (not being pregnant and that was horribly depressing to admit). So My POSITIVE mission has turned into a LIFE SAVING mission....MY own LIFE. I will over the next few months discuss the ups and downs of all of it, and maybe I can even keep it positive once in a while.

Thank you my friends for all your support.

Always good intentions

....ever notice how you start to get a handle on life and your schedule and whoops along comes another illness or ten other activities that HAVE to be done right now? Well such is life here at my house.

I am still trying to be POSITIVE this year, but let me be 100% HONEST Mary Poppins I am not, and I have TONS, yep you read it TONS of NOT so POSITIVE moments. However I don't believe that qualifies me for the "failed your New Years Resolution club" yet as if you remember it was to be MORE POSITIVE...I just thought I could take it one step farther and do it everyday...uh NOPE because even though I find (at least) one thing I am thankful for everyday some days there is just no way around being MAD or just well...MAD.

But that's not today. Nope today I am on the mend physically and mentally. I gotta tell you that life is good, even when its bad. I can't imagine my life w/o the people in it.

Lots of changes on the horizon for this family, and they really scare me, but a new house, new well everything can be really exciting. I am glad my DH got into the Navy and we have the adventures ahead of us that we do....no other job in this country would afford us the luxury of moving, and traveling to another country to live for 3 years, so today I'm thankful for Shayne's job, and all that lies ahead of us.

What are you thankful for today?

Valentines Day

yep I am only about two weeks late but since I got sick on Valentines day night and was out of comission for a few weeks here I am finally updating.

First let me say I LOVE my husband...he never ceases to amaze me. We were pretty low in the funds dept since it was 24 hours before the Navy paid us LOL but we don't ususally do a whole lot for what Shayne calls a "HALLMARK HOLIDAY" LOL but I called and said I cooked spagetti and garlic bread for dinner...can you please stop and get some chocolate for the kids they should get a Valentine from us. Now I had managed to get some Sweet Tea (big spender I am at $2.29 for 1/2 a gallon LOL) for him he LOVES Iced Tea. Anyway, you'll remember a week before Valentines day he brought me home the potted tulips so I figured we were even. Well to my suprise the man brought me in TONS of stuff..he so rocks. I got my roses, Edys Chocolate ice cream, and chocolate milk, and chocolate frosted cake all for me I looked at him like he was nuts, and he said I didn't know what kind of CHOCOLATE you would want. I just melted it was so nice.

And as a side note he brought the kids home HUGE Hershey Candy bars one for each of them...they were all a bit wound up but they were all happy.

~Update on ME~

Well over the next few days I have TONS of stuff to get posted to you all. I got really sick (some flu/cold thing) and then in the midst of sneezing and coughing I lost my wedding band, had to move a bed to find it, and threw out my back...so I was MISERABLE for about 2 weeks. I have a nagging cough that's making me crazy but I am so much better I can deal with extra NyQuil at night LOL.

Tulips....

....Spring, Easter they all remind me of Tulips. But Saturday Tulips represented a wonderfully positive thing for me (not that spring and Easter aren't LOL I just meant a personal memory/moment of ONLY mine). See over the past 16 years, my darling husband had regularly come home with either fresh cut flowers or a potted plant or flower of some sort. However in 2006 after he deployed he kind of got out of the habit of that "smile" he got from me for flowers. So occasionally I get pissy that I haven't gotten any for awhile, and do that "back door" thing and REMIND my kids to tell him LOL. Whatever we all do it if NECESSARY LOL. But on Saturday he brought me home flowers (well a potted Tulip plant) on his own.

So my POSITIVE is that I was once again REMINDED of how much we do love each other, and that the SIMPLE acts we ALL take for granted in our daily lives, that we need to try and recognize more often...because if we don't have those things life gets mighty sad and lonely.

Stop and smell the flowers today!!!!

Fanning the flames....

....of my life. We built a small fire pit in the back yard to have a bonfire and cook out for the Super Bowl, and OMG was it a hit. Not like we haven't always had a fire pit in our back yard...but its new for us here. So we cleaned up the winter dog crap, and crewed up bones, and built our fire pit. And as I sat out there laughing, with a glass of wine, and my kids swinging with the neighbors kids, I found myself once again THANKFUL for my life.

So although out teams weren't playing on Sunday we laughed, watched some of the Super Bowl. We aren't NY Giants fans, but we did root for them...because it has been the practice here over the years to root for the underdog UNLESS your team is playing LOL. And we all know NY was the underdog. We are diehard Cleveland Browns, Indianapolis Colts, and Ohio State fans...anyone else has to be the underdog LOL. I know we make some of our family and friends nuts during football season, but you what I don't care LOL its what we do as a family...and in today's FAST PACED life having any family time together should be treasured. Now don't get me wrong I am GLAD football season is over...it does get long, but its ok...our son starts again in 12 weeks (not that long now is it LOL) to practice.

Anyway, it was a great week-end with lots of laughs, and we look forward to what next week-end might hold for all of us. If you are a state that votes on "Super Tuesday," please get out there, and make your voice heard....we should all participate in the greatest show of democracy in the world. Remember this is what other countries only WISHED they had...and will probably never get a chance to have a VOICE. My friend Snowflake The Angry American has a blog dedicated to the political race if you are looking to read up on some other points of view.

An eye opener.....

....so today I heard a quote by John Lennon

"Life is what happens while you are making other plans"

So I was thinking about this quote and I was thinking how very true this is. I mean we make lists, and post reminders on our fridges, and jot down stuff on calendars and put alarm reminders on our cell phones for what we have to do NEXT. Well that’s fine, and our schedules are fine, but my concern is "what are we missing" while we are worrying about the next thing we have to do? This entire subject came up while talking to my sister this morning about trying to catch time, and then I turned on A&E, and a movie was on using John Lennon’s very quote. Being into signs (as you all know I am LOL) I took this as a topic to ponder.

Well I can tell you that even though I am planning stuff for my little Super Bowl get together tonight, and reminding myself that I have to call my mom before it starts, I want to enjoy today. I want to NOT miss the moments around me. I mean do I want to be 75 years old and realize I MISSED my life; I MISSED my kid’s lives? Nope I want to smile, laugh, and enjoy it. So today, even though I have a MILLION other things to do (I'm sure) I don't care. If the laundry gets done...great, if the floor gets mopped up...great, if none of it gets done well great too, it'll all be there tomorrow waiting LOL.

Take a moment today and FORGET it....I promise the sun will stay in the sky, and the Earth will keep rotating, but you might find a couple extra minutes where you laugh, and enjoy your life...you know the one you've scripted for years to get too. Smile bloggers, and know its all good.

Never underestimate the power.....

....of a woman with a hammer...much less two women with hammers LOL. So since I found out we are likely to have to move this Summer/Fall I have been trying to PURGE the crap I have collected over the past three years (and OMG its a HUGE amount of stuff LOL). Anyway I have finally got rid of my OLD (yep 10 yrs old) furniture (well not rid of it at first put couch in the garage for kids play room area and love seat in boys room so they could use it for video games). Anyway there was no choice but to get rid of the couch this past week. My dog (Max) decided to bury TOYS, BONES, STICKS inside it, and then when they fell UNDER the darn thing she DUG, and I mean DUG through cushins to TRY and find them. So now my couch is NAKED w/o cushins LOL. So after a few STRESSFUL days I called the neighbor and said I wanna just break something down and FEEL like I did something BIG today, so lets deal with the couch. Thank goodness for me she was having a BAD day with hubby and was like "I'm there." So off we were with ONE hammer, two steak knives, and two screwdrivers and we DEMOLISHED the couch. I mean DEMOLISHED in such away that we had one garbage can of material and stuffing, wood frame in a PILE in my back yard for a bonfire on Sunday (thats another blog LOL), and a garbage bag of springs. The garage is MUCH cleaner, the dog can't dig my couch anymore, and well I'm on the road to purging my house LOL.

But the MORAL of this is that WE can do ANYTHING we set our mind too. Wasn't like ripping it apart with a hammer was easy, but we were determined, and we had a TON of laughs doing it. I do have a picture of my neighbor (and friend) looking a bit like Captain Morgan that she said I couldn't post but I am going too anyway LOL and hope when she sees the blog she laughs outloud at herself and the butt heads we were that day. Oh and for the record I did this in PJ pants and there was a picture of me with my butt looking like Resputia's from NORBIT so THANK GOD for the DELETE button....SORRY Amber LOL.

MOMS, we can do anything, and we should NEVER worry that we can't....and just in case you are scared to do it CALL A FRIEND, we will always help. My POSITIVE from this was FRIENDSHIP, and THERAPY LOL.

Thanks for you help Amber!!!

Two right shoes

.....so I decided that today I needed to post a FUNNY story....maybe not POSITIVE but funny none the less. My son Mack just started gym (well P.E. since now its not called gym LOL) and Health this semester (its now a joint class not two separate ones LOL...showing my age aren't I)...anyway he wears a uniform to school everyday (dress shoes too LOL) and he takes tennis shoes and gym clothes to go running/jogging/walking for class. So everyday I say "do you have your clothes for gym" and he says " I think so...I think I got everything" well that's should be enough right, I shouldn't HAVE to check a 12 yr olds bag...so I don't responsibility is a big deal with me. So he goes to school yesterday, and gets off the bus, walks in and says "OMG I am gonna kill either Osten or the babies" I said for what this time? Here it comes....he DIDN'T check the bag for gym and had TWO, yep TWO RIGHT shoes (gives a new meaning to LOW LEFT FEET LOL). So I said why didn't you call...well (GYM TEACHERS NAME HERE LOL) said I'd be fine to run in two right shoes. OMG can you imagine how sore his ONE foot was LOL. I would have given anything to see that because he can be a bit LOUD and DRAMATIC some days LOL.

I guess the moral of this story is CHECK your bag and if not, well it'll be a blog story to make all us MOMS out there smile. Oh and today he DID check his bag and said "I didn't forget anything and I do have two right shoes" Smiled didn't you....TWO RIGHT SHOES LOL.

Happy Wednesday gang!!!

My kids....

....are truly FANTASTIC. I am writing this BEFORE report cards come out on Wednesday but not because they'll be bad...nope I already know one has straight A's and the other one has A's and B's on the grading period and on his finals....so its not their grades, its not even the fact that my freshman is getting a Varsity Wrestling letter this year or that my 6th grade is doing EXCELLENT in Latin, and is the Troop Historian for his Boy Scouts. Its not even that my two little ones (although in some fibbing and blaming each other stage) are learning to clean up their rooms on a normal time schedule (I set the clock for 10 minutes and they HAVE to be done or MOM comes in...and no one wants mom in their rooms LOL). Nope and although all these things are GREAT, its not that, its that I just LOVE them. I would love them if they brought home all F's ( I might not be happy but I'd love them LOL).

Some days being a mom is HARD (whether you are a SAHM or a working mom) its just plain hard. But some days I forget and get testy and bitchy and well just downright mean. I am tired, and its trying to day in and day out do the same things, but I can honestly say that I love how they make me feel, how they allow me to share in their lives. I thought the older they got the more I'd miss out on, and I'm sure I will miss stuff when they get girlfriends (which let me say I am so NOT ready for LOL), but for right now, I am gonna appreciate and treasure the love, the laughter, and the friendship that we share.

If you haven't told your kids today that you "love them" do it, and watch 'em look at you like you have two heads for a second...but they say "love you too mom" right back at you...its AMAZING.

I'm still learning

....yep at my age I'm still learning. I am learning LOTS of things...like I'm old, LOL and I am a bit more computer savvy, and something about graphics and well I'm learning more and more about myself everyday.

I know that I have taken TONS of things in my life for granted, but this year I have been making a conscious effort to PAY ATTENTION, and APPRECIATE my life. I read a passage in a great book Annie Freeman's Fabulous Traveling Funeral that went like this:

"I was just thinking about how much you mean to me...but I want you to know that I never take you for granted and the I remember everything you did for me and without you I don't know what I would do...."

And I thought about this passage for a long time after I read it, and realized that its how we all live or lives, we don't forget or appreciate the things people do for or with us, but we don't talk about it either, we tend to...not take it for granted...but become complacent in what goes on in and around our lives. I don't want to do this anymore. I mean first off I'm not a spring chicken, and I am not the healthiest (as far as being overweight and less active than I should be LOL), that I don't want to mess around and MISS out on my life.

I love my kids, and my husband way too much for that. So I do have my pedometer Walk to Iraq with my fellow blogger Chaos Mommy and I am doing it in support of her, her husband, and my health. I want to be the "all that I can be" I think that was a military slogan at one time too LOL....see how its hard to separate yourself from that life LOL.

So today I challenge you to APPRECIATE your life, and to TAKE CHARGE of what you want in it, and around you. Stop and smell those flowers today (and if its still cold and no flowers are there, just take a DEEP BREATH). Have a GREAT week-end everyone.

its UNDER RATED

...sex that is. I mean we've been having it for 17 years now LOL but as with a lot of married couples sometimes it gets put on the back burner....life just gets in the way. So today I made up my mind IT WAS TIME.

You know we live for our kids, and some days it dawns on me that if we don't work on us, then there will be no us when the kids are gone. So after yesterdays "nasty express" I decided to put forth more effort into being what I WANT to be...you know POSITIVE LOL.

Today came his 1st month of his "beer of the month club" that I got him for Christmas so that, and a great Honey BBQ dinner, and me being NICER helped out A LOT. So do (as a married woman) forget to give yourself YOU time. I mean most days are filled with "HAVE TOO's" and I FORGET to take care of me.

So in the midst of all of it I took an amazing bubble bath, and gave myself a conditioning treatment, and read a few chapters ALONE in the bathroom....and OMG it was as great as the sex LOL, I mean time alone in the bathroom as a mom it almost UNHEARD of now isn't it LOL. But today I got both...was a GREAT Monday...hope the rest of the week pans out as well LOL.

Happy Monday gang.

So here is what I figured out.....

NO matter how POSITIVE I WANT to be, some days its just ok to be pissy. I mean I personally have my OWN insecurities issues but someday I can't no matter how hard I try I can't be supportive. I know hubby is stressed and tired of his job, and the constant PT he has to do (nope unfortunately he wasn't blessed with a small waist and big neck LOL), and the fact, like the rest of the world, we live paycheck to paycheck...but ya know what me too. I mean I would love to be skinnier, and not get disheartened with my life (kids, house, all of it), and I would love not to have to look at a price tag ever. But you know what that is life, sometimes its just what it is, you have to make the best out of life.

So today I yelled, and although I meant it, I do feel bad, I tend to be NASTY and I never just let it die. I mean I keep rehashing it with curt comments and it just fuels the damn fire. So most of the time if I'd just shut the hell up it would help the situation diffuse but nope not me I get it in my damn craw and keep going. So how do I change that? I mean sometimes I feel like if I don't say anything, then I just stew and it isn't gonna get any better...and whether I am right or wrong its all on my feelings and sometimes they are HARD to deal with.

Ok so now that I used my POSITIVE blog to VENT...now what? I mean I am not saying I'm sorry because one, its who and how I have been for 17 years, and two changes need to be made....and not all by me. I remember when he brought home a 6 pack of beer and a bouquet of flowers. Not that this is all that's expected but once in awhile I really WANT...no I NEED to feel appreciated. Guess I'll wait and see where the night goes....please let it be MORE POSITIVE tonight than it has been the past few days.

Off to be a cheese head (only by process of elimination since the Browns aren't in the playoffs *cry*) but on the other hand that Brett Farve is a good looking older quarterback (and yep I tell hubbyt that too LOL).

Happy Sunday fellow bloggers.

I am being POSITIVE

yeah, yeah thats right its what I keep telling myself this week...remember it is my New Years Resolution...to be POSITIVE...but OMG is it truly possible? I mean now I have made it longer than previous resolutions LOL. But 365 days of POSITIVE do you think that is possible at all, or would it be a Guinness Record? Hmmmmmmmm now there's an idea, maybe I could set a record LOL.

Well lets see I do have a few GREAT things from the past week to brag about, lets see the kitchen and living room are DONE still...and are staying clean WHOO HOOO. Osten got an 88% (a high III) on his math EOC (the state proficiency test) so that's EXCELLENT...if you even know he is the person "Math for Dummies" was written for LOL he hates, it, and PANICS...I mean PANICS (white knuckles, sick, head on desk during tests LOL) so he only needed an 80% (a low III) to pass the class, and he did it. Mack will be the color guard next week at a Boy Scout function, and he got a 95% on his keyboarding final....with a great, big, red WOW!!! on it. They are doing great.

Shayne will be home for the next four days and although I do love him, and want him here, OMG I dread it too, I mean the house is always messier when he's here, I NEVER get control of the darn remote, he moves from the bed, to the chase lounge, to the bathroom and then my computer chair, just enough to INTERFERE with my flippen schedule. HOWEVER being POSITIVE (LOL) I will be glad to have him here to talk too (if I want too LOL). He is a good man, so it'll all be fine...besides he does have to go to the ALL day wrestling tournament on Saturday so that'll be like my day off LOL.

Anyway, today I'll be back on CLEANING schedule this AM so I can be ready for the influx of family (kids are off school tonight till Thursday too) this week. Maybe I'll leave the laundry to do, throughout the week, I mean I MAY need an escape to the laundry room LOL

I hope the week-end is great for all of you...we are hoping for the dusting to an inch of snow we MAY get tomorrow afternoon LOL.

Motivation.....

....where does it come from? How do we find it? I don't know where or how to find it sometimes, and the past 18 months of my life I have endured a deployment, a LONG readjustment to Shayne being back home and now to the inevitability of a move this summer. I have slowly become more and more LAZY in my approach to cleaning, and just life in general.

So you'd think with the new "POSITIVE" me that I'd get on a cleaning tear and "GIT R DONE" now wouldn't you? Well you'd think but I was LACKING in that elusive MOTIVATION. I wanted to get moving and clean my house and do my laundry, and play with the babies (well they aren't babies anymore but they are preschoolers LOL so they still play some LOL). But I just couldn't do it. No instead I did what my sister and I lovingly define it as the "HURRICANE CLEAN" and that's just where you tear through the house and toss it WHEREVER you can so it LOOKS clean. I am EXCELLENT at this LOL.

However today I NEEDED to get up and do it. Maybe its one of those signs I am so looking for in life all the time. So I sat down with my sweet tea (OMG gotta love Smithfields sweet tea), and made a list, then I could feel the sheer "YUCKINESS" of the HUGE list, so I sat a little while longer and than from NOWHERE, I got up...I got cleaning and decided to ATTACK this from a different angle. Instead of DOING IT ALL in one day and then feeling like I failed because I didn't' get done, I decided that with a list this long it was time to BREAK it down some. So the game plan is to clean ONE room.....just ONE every day till my house is cleaned back to the point I want it. I figure that one room GOOD is only an hour maybe 90 minutes, then I can "HURRICANE CLEAN" the rest of the house and by the end of the week OMG I'll be able to sit in CLEANLINESS LOL.

Maybe getting back to what I KNOW and was PROUD of will help me continue down the year of POSITIVES for me. I mean look, today I ACCOMPLISHED something BIGGER than yesterday, and I did without whining....OMG I am improving. So to answer the ORIGINAL questions, I don't know where it comes from or how to find it, I just know when we NEED it we can find it.

Happy Monday my fellow bloggers.

How did it start.....

....oh man I just saw the best commercial its a couple kissing, and then rewinding back to the beginning of their relationship (now never mind its some match.com commercial LOL) but it got me thinking about the FIRST time. No sillies not THE first time...that was so LONG ago I don't know if I remember LOL but I am talking about the FIRST time Shayne and I met. Oh my gosh he was so handsome, a big bear, but with those amazing dimples. We met in passing early fall 1991, as he was friends with my sister. Then in January 1992, I met him again, but this time he was BUILT, and I mean BUILT...he had beard (which just so you know you could still see his dimples through), and his hair was cut, and well he was just breath taking....can you say that about a man? I don't know, but it does get my point across LOL.

We did things together that I had never done before, we hiked a hill to a HUGE rock, and walked down by the creek. We parked in a TINY car down by a bridge and the woods (holy cow I was in college and was still PARKING LOL what a hoot), and we walked across these OLD train tressles (what an amazing view that was).

Eventually we got married (yes there was MORE in between the last paragraph and this one LOL), and everything we do is a FIRST. I mean it was the first time we celebrated Christmas in a new state, then apart, then MORE in debt than before LOL, but you get my point. Life is full of FIRST TIMES, and we miss them and take them for granted. I thought I learned that when he was deployed last year, but I guess not since some commercial about dating (maybe that was the sign LOL)reminded me of some very GREAT POSITIVE moments in my life. Gosh do I love that man...even more today than I did 17 (holy crap SEVENTEEN) years ago....he is truly my HERO (wonder if I've told him recently...note to self...tell hubby he ROCKS).

Happy Blogging gang.

My horoscope today......

says "Your home life needs extra attention today. While it could be physical or structural, more likely it involves someones feelings, so be prepared for a long discussion that might not quite reach resolution."

Now I don't really put all my EGGS in one basket on the horoscope band wagon but today's wasn't very POSITIVE now was it? Hhhhhhmmmmmmmm hope this doesn't mean there is a FIGHT brewing, I was just thinking how GRATEFUL I am for my life, my kids, and my husband, and how PROUD I am of all of them.

So do I worry and wait about what MIGHT happen or do I make a conscious effort to NOT fight.....or do I NEED to have an argument? I mean do I follow the stars or just hope bedtime comes fast and quick with no MAJOR issues LOL?

Well my POSITIVE for today is that I am warm with pride and love for my family, my husband and my life....and as far as those stars go, well I hope they stay up in the sky and light my path tonight and not mess around too much inside, I'm really too tired after last night primary coverage to deal with it all LOL.

Happy Wednesday everyone (Hump day just sounds Vulgar now doesn't it LOL)

The smell.....

....you know the one the "Spring Air" you can't describe it, the can't bottle it, its just there and only at certain times. The best is it doesn't have to necessarily have to be Spring. I was looking back at my Missing you blog and about the 1st picnic of the season while my husband was deployed, and the air kinda just hit me. I quickly opened all the windows in my house and sat down....and OMG there it was that "Spring is here" smell. Didn't motivate me to exercise but it did motivate me to REMEMBER another GREAT memory in my life, which leads me to this moment today.

My POSITIVE for today is that We, as a family, are coming out of the FUNK that we have been in as individuals, and as a family. You know the one that gets you depressed, and funny, and lazy, and well just all around funky. I find us starting to TALK more than we have in the past few months, I find us LAUGHING A LOT more than we have. I guess that the stresses of LIFE IN GENERAL can get to all of us.

Isn't it funny how a simple smell, memory, or moment make EVERYTHING CLEAR in your life. Gosh I love that "Spring Air" smell don't you?

A family that

.....Plays together, and Laugh together doesn't have much to worry about right? Well my POSITIVE today is that even though we are 800 miles away from home here we sit as a family watching and cheering and YELLING really loud about the Ohio State game.....and hang on yeah there might even be some swearing if they drop the ball again LOL. But we are having a GREAT time......

So as I sit here listening to my phone ring every couple minutes as my son's friends call and razz him or eat humble pie because LSU messed up, I find myself smiling. I wonder if when they are grown up and gone if they will sit and laugh and cheer with their kids?

The moments like these when we are all DOING something TOGETHER are what make being a family WONDERFUL.

On a POSITIVE note today.....

......um I am looking deep for one at the moment MAYBE it will appear later on LOL. But so far this AM I slept in, well not really in I got up at 2:45am couldn't go back to sleep till 3:30am therefore didn't get up at 4am now did I? LOL I hate to start the day feeling I am behind already...not that I would have done anything major but I MIGHT have LOL.

Anyway, I just dropped off my son for a wrestling tournament (the bus is leaving at 6:30am) and what a nice few moments in my life, I mean he was tired, and REALLY, REALLY nervous but it was just us. We drove, and I teased him and he smiled.....took my money, and then said I love you when he got out of the car. Now its not that the kids and I don't say that to each other all the time....because we do. But this morning I actually FELT the words from him. I miss the days when he'd run and hug me, jump on my lap, and kiss me tons, but I do see the young man he is, and the man he is becoming. He is a great kid with a wonderfully kind heart....I realized today that I just take for granted that they are good kids. I don't want to do that anymore....I mean I miss out on so many moments if I do that. Nope today was another MOMENT I want to remember, and hold in my heart. And it will get me through the fact he just called and told me he forgot his wrestling shoes, and they are leaving in 10 minutes can I get them back down to the school for him...LOL Kids gotta love them.

Guess I didn't have to look too far for my POSITIVE today now did I? Have a great week-end my blogger friends.

Baby its cold outside.....

now I know that's a song and all LOL but my butt is freezing. I moved from Ohio to North Carolina to be WARMER....I am thinking it would be better to have SNOW then I'd be expecting 14 degrees at 8:45 AM.


Anyway today I want to talk about my grandpa who used to say to me "accomplish ONE thing everyday and then you haven't wasted the day." Well I never really put any thought into that I just blew it off as old folks talking ya know. Never mind that as cold as I am today I am feeling like a really OLD person LOL So I gave this some thought and decided it so applies to my BABY STEPPING NEW YEARS RESOLUTION now doesn't it? So today I have picked up the house already, dressed the babies, got the older boys out the door to school, hubby up and out to work, showered, and fed everyone including the dogs breakfast, and I'm blogging TWO DAYS in a row...so I've accomplished SOMETHING. I am sure that isn't exactly what Grandpa meant by this phrase, but it'll do for today.

Now that I have only 2 loads to wash (which I will get done soon) I think I am gonna go appreciate the fact that I have two little furnaces here ready to watch a movie with me, and love the fact that today I get to sit for a little while and laugh with them. Life is too short to be SERIOUS all the time, so today I did SOMETHING and now its PLAYTIME.

T.G.I.F. my fellow bloggers