A Heavy Heart

A Heavy Heart 

Hey yalls!  I know I haven't been the best at blogging lately.  I'm a momma of two boys and it's the holidays!  I hope all are doing well!

Today, our country is in mourning.  A mad man went into an elementary school in Connecticut, shot and killed staff and 20 little children... in total, 28 people were killed (as far as I know now).  My heart is so heavy and I can't stop crying thinking about it.  I just keep thinking of my boys... the pain and suffering of those victims and their families.  Earlier today, I saw someone post on facebook that someone went into a school with a gun.  I didn't jump to conclusions yet, but I was hoping no children would be hurt.  An hour later, I read that several children were brutally murdered. 

Nothing will make a parents heart drop and stomach ache to hear such terrible news.  I grabbed my lil spidermonkey, Corbin, and just hugged and kissed him.  No matter how much he tried to push me away and wiggle away so he could go play, I could not let him go.  Seeing video of crying children and panicked parents broke me down.  It brought up a terrible nightmare I had a few months ago, and I still can't get it out of my head.  I need to go to bed, but I just know I won't have a peaceful sleep.  

A few months ago, not long after my oldest started kindergarten, I had the type of nightmare that makes you wake up scared, sick, and sweating.  And so real, I had to literally pinch myself several times to be sure it was just a nightmare.

I had this dream of me taking my Connor to school.  We are talking and laughing and making silly jokes.  I drop him off at the front of the school... we blow kisses to each other, catch them in the air, and lock them in our hearts.  We shout "Love you!" and he shouts back "Don't forget to lock my loves in your heart forever!"  And turns around to walk to his class. For some reason, I put my van in park and just watch him run up to the school with his friends and the teacher is telling me to move because I am holding up the car line.  I drive off and get to the light and wait for it to turn, as I see a grungy van speed through the grass and a man comes out.  He has a few guns and bullets wrapped around him, and he's walking towards the school.  I don't know how no other parent sees this happening and I am just screaming and pointing and yelling and no one is paying attention to me.  I try to turn my van around so I can run him over but no cars are letting me through, and I am honking and screaming madly.  I keep wondering how the hell no one sees what is going on!  I am beating on other cars and no one is acknowledging me.  I go to my van and start throwing anything I can in the gunman's direction and hitting him with tools and he just laughs and keeps walking toward the school.  I am screaming  and freaking out.  Next thing, I hear gunshots, children screaming and running out of the building and I see other men with guns getting out of the van and grabbing children and putting them in the van.  I am screaming for Connor... and then I woke up. 

It makes me cry remembering that terrible dream now.  I wanted to go back to sleep to make sure I save my son, but the other part of me couldn't imagine going back to sleep.  I was so sweaty and I just kept pinching myself.  It was just so real of a dream... The news of that school shooting just makes me relive that dream over and over and I haven't even slept yet!!!  I hate when I have dreams like that!!!  I have had that dream a number of times lately, and I always wake up at the same time and I never find out if my son is safe or what. 

I drove to the school with plans of picking him up early today.  When I got there, the kids were outside playing on the playground and running.  I could hear them laughing and squealing.  I just sat in my van and decided to wait til school let out and let him finish his day.  

The atmosphere at the school as the parents picked up their kids was definitely different today.  As many people as there was, it was pretty quiet.  Connor ran to me and hugged me as he always does.  So happy and excited and I am hugging him so tight, he told me to let go cause I was hurting his face.  Corbin was a bit of a pill so trying to hug my Connor and holding Corbin like a football was not an easy task!  

We went to Sonic for ice cream... well, had intentions for ice cream cone and he talked me into getting him a  corn dog and a medium root beer float.  I let them play on the playground equipment longer than I normally would.  Connor came over and asked me why I seemed so sad.  I just told him I wasn't sad, just blessed and thankful for him and his little brother.  He just said "Well, why cry about that?!  You should be happy instead!"  Yes, he's right.  And yes, I am happy about that, but I can't help but think how fast things happen in life and how those families never thought that they would never see their children's faces again.  

I am sad and angry at the same time. I think of how we parents do everything in our power to keep our children safe and sound.  We take them to school, believing they are safe from harm.  Now we worry about some crazy madman walking in and taking their lives.  As parents, we promise our children that we won't let anything happen to them.  I am angry that we can't promise our children that we will always be there to protect them.  Sure, we tell them that for their piece of mind... but these days?!  Psychotic, sick minded people are going on killing sprees in malls, movie theaters, schools, and even our own homes!  No one is safe anywhere.  I know the world has always had evil-doers and it always will, but today was just too much.  I am so tired of it all.  

People have been preaching about "gun control" and all day today.  I am sick of hearing it.  This is not about "gun control".  This is not about politics.  This is a time that people need to turn to their faith in God, more than ever.  We should always keep our faith in Him.  No matter if we are going through a terrible time or a triumphant time.  I read a post that some asshole wrote on a facebook status today.  They said "So, where is your God when this happens? If he's so wonderful, why does he let this happen??"  ARE YOU F'CKING SERIOUS ASSHOLE?!!?!?  You gonna blame God for the sick-headed psycho for killing 20 children, his own mother (another family member also?), and others?  

I know there are people who do not have the same Christianity faith as me and that's fine.  But look around!  He's given us so much to see that He is real! There are little miracles everyday that you may or may not notice. BUT, He has a way of giving us signs to let us know He is good.  I think of those babies up their with Him tonight...

Anyways, I need to go to sleep... i have had lapses as I wrote this.  

Good night everyone.  I will try to be better about blogging.  But right now, my main concern is not blogging but being with my babies... well, after some sleep.  I am hoping to get shut-eye without that damn vivid nightmare tonight.  I am going to try my best to dream about my boys being loved and playful.  Please pray I do cause I am not sure I can withstand that same nightmare AGAIN.  

Love yalls and God bless!!!!

The Bright Side: PAUL RYAN 2016

Paul Ryan 2016: The GOP Frontrunner!

Sooooo... it was not easy to wake up this morning and see our country is in for 4 more years of Obama.  Overnight the American dollar has dropped AGAIN and the stocks have fallen drastically. That sure didn't take long now, did it?  I am angry and emotional about this.  I can say this much, those who voted for him and praises him will be going to hell in a handbasket with all of us.  No Republican, Demorcrat, Independent is safe because it's not just Republicans who are getting the kick in the nuts, it's every single American.  BUT I am going to look to the future (if there is one) and am already endorsing Paul Ryan for 2016, Republicans have control of the House, and Nancy Pelosi and Todd Akin are cleaning out their offices and about to join many in the unemployment lines.  ;)  

Today I had a doctor appointment to find out the results of my lab work.  Come to find out, I am healthy other than being fat and have serious depression/anxiety.  I was hoping the doc would tell me I have an 85lb benign tumor that needs to be removed as soon as possible.  My blood pressure, cholesterol, red and white blood cell counts, blood sugars, etc are absolutely perfect.  Hard to believe that as fat as I am, that I am actually healthy as a horse while being the size of a horse.  She asked me how I was doing and WHY? WHY is it everytime a doctor asks me how I am doing I break down in tears and cry about anything and everything?  The good thing is that I am not homicidal (yet) or suicidal (not my thing).  My doctor is a pretty, perky, nice, and skinny lil thing that I want to hate but can't.  Her prescription for me is to absolutely and postively give myself 30 minutes to an hour of me-time everyday no matter what, make some local friends and get into some groups to meet other stay-at-home moms, and to go and exercise so I can get my "happy endorphins" up and going.  I know she's right but I still wanted to hit her.  LOL   I never knew how hard being a stay-at-home mom can be.  Don't get me wrong, I LOVE MY KIDS!  I love being able to stay home and be there for them when they need me, but it really is hard to be an attentive wife and take care of 2 very loveable spidermonkeys.  Plus we have moved to a new area.  I have met some really nice girls in the neighborhood but everyone has their own things going on.  My hubby is not military but we have moved around as much as a military family does.  I am so thankful for him though.  He is a hard worker and is an excels in his job.  He moves where he can flourish in his career.  I will always stand beside him no matter what he has to do to move up in his career.  Moving is hard when you make friends who become your family away from your family.  I have such special friends all over the country.  Many who have become extensions to my heart and soul as my real family.  The last few months have been hard.  Moving to a new area and making new friends can be so hard.  I am a people-person.  I need people.  I need friends like a man needs sex!  LOL  It's essential to my well-being apparently.  

So today I took my Corbin to the park so we could go for a walk and get my "happy endorphins".  Let me just say, I did not get "happy" endorphins.  My lil spidermonkey did not want to walk and I had to carry him for 2 blocks and when I got him in the van, he ran to the back of the van and everytime I tried to reach him, he would run to the other side of the van and the whole time he has this little laugh that sounds like "hahahahahaha... try and get me if you can!"  Then when I went around the back of the van to get him, he ran out and I had to chase him around the parking lot.  I just sat down in the middle of the parking lot and was about to just lose it when Corbin comes to me.  He says "I sowwy.  I get in, momma.  See me?  I'm in.  We go bye-bye."  Bless his heart, I think he knew his momma was gonna go bat-shit crazy at the very moment he knew he better get his lil butt in that van.  SO now we are home.  We are chilling out and watching Bubble Guppies. 

I am feeling better now.  Sometimes I need to vent... Once I vent and get it all out there, I am good.  So, if any of yalls don't like my venting and can't love me unconditionally afterwards then F-You!  I am still a good person despite my opinions (politically or not!).  I am human.  I err.  I judge. I sin.  All things that are not good but it's what makes us human.  I know that most of us will never agree on anything when it comes to politics, religion, child rearing, etc...  it's just how life is.  PLUS if I don't vent, then who knows?...Maybe I will go postal!  

Anyways, I think I am going to lay down, let my Corbin waller and climb all over me, and eat this bag of mini chocolate chips.  

Much love to everyone.  I still love most of you... even if you voted for the communist.  <3

My Son Should Be An Actor!

My Super Mario

Hey yalls!  Hope everyone had a wonderful Halloween!  Ours was okay.  We didn't do as much trick or treating as we would have liked but the kids still have more than enough candy!  Connor dressed up as Super Mario and he played the part very well!  I can rarely get this kid to smile for me in pictures, let alone pose!  He had so much fun being Mario, that I got plenty of candid pics!  Corbin was a lil ninja!  A super cute one at that as you can see!

Getting that picture was no simple task of my youngest spidermonkey!  He moves fast!  He wouldn't wear the mask part, as they usually don't want to at 2 yrs old, so I decided to give him a lil moustache and goatee.  ;)    Cute ain't he?  He had a blast getting candy!  

My hubby got in the spirit of Halloween and dressed as a ninja too!  Here is a pic of him and the boys as we are fixing to head out for candy!  

I also dressed up a lil bit... I usually get into the spirit, but this year I just wore a moustache and a bat headband.  I was nothing inparticular.  Last year I dressed up as Mary Kate Olsen post-anorexia.  It got a lot of good laughs!  LOL  This year I was just a moustache mama.  =)

So I have to share with yalls the scare of my life that my oldest son gave me at the store yesterday.  He has gotten to the age where he refuses to use the ladies bathroom in public places.  He's almost 6 yrs old, so I understand where he is coming from.  Our rule is that the whole time he is in the bathroom, he has to sing so I know he is okay.  I know it sounds crazy to people who are outside or in the bathroom hearing it, but that's our safety thing. We have been working on the stranger danger lately.  If someone tries to take him and he does not know them or if he feels scared by an adult he doesn't know, that he is to yell "YOU ARE NOT MY MOM!  YOU ARE NOT MY DAD!  HELP!"  So I was probably 10 ft from the bathrooms.  I could hear him singing and I was looking at milk and eggs, and I hear "YOU ARE NOT MY MOM!  YOU ARE NOT MY DAD!  HELP!"  I got a knot in my stomach and pushed that cart as fast and hard as I could into that bathroom with my fists in the air!  I fearfully go "CONNOR!?!?!" and he says "Hey mom!  I am practicing for strangers while pooping!"  Oh. My. God.  He sounded so real and scared!  My heart was pounding and there was a woman who came running up behind me.  She asked if everything was okay and I told her it was, that he was practicing his stranger danger but scared the hell out of me in the process! She had heard him yell too and saw me run and she came too!  It was a damn good thing there was no man in that bathroom stall, innocent or not, because me and that woman were in Momma Bears Gonna Kick Some Ass mode.  It took 5 minutes for me to settle down... actually longer than that but my hands were shaking soooooooooooooooo bad!  So we had to have a talk about when to practice stranger danger, and practicing in the public bathroom is not a good place.  It's hilarious NOW, but wow, I was scared and pissed and raged and frightened... BUT I am so happy that the stranger danger has finally kicked in with him!  If someone we did not know would jokingly say to him "You want to come home with me?" and he would say "Do you have chocolate cake and soda?" or "What's your house like?".  Talk about scared momma here!  Any weirdo could have tempted my kid with soda and cake!  Geesh!  But we are beyond that now and he knows better than that now.  

Well, it's November yalls!   4 More days to vote!  I hope everyone has done their American duty.... well, the ones who are registered and here in the U.S. LEGALLY that is!  

I have to go.  Corbin has had God only knows how much candy this afternoon (i found his sucker stash in the toybox a bit ago).  There were several half sucked suckers and empty and chewed up sucker sticks laying around the bedroom!

Who knows what kind of stories I will have to share with yalls after this afternoon!!!!!!!  

We Survived the 7-yr Itch!

Charles and Me!  Wow, we are so young here!

Hi yalls!  Hope everyone is doing well!  I have been a bad, bad blogger these days!  What can I say, I been lazy... I ain't gonna lie about it.  This month, my hubby and I celebrated our 8 year wedding anniversary and 13 years together!  Thank you... Thank you!  I have to say, it hasn't been bad at all. We have never had any bad fights.  We had a "break" our first year together but that break definitely did not last long.  We have had the money arguments (mostly me... i was a credit debt queen and still spend too much money! =-P) and the nit-picking arguments of course, but other than that, nothin but love here!  

When we first met, it was winter 1998.  My dad, sis, and I came to NC to visit some family.  Charles was best friends with my cuz, Braden.  First time I saw him, yeah... he was (still is!) hot!  So shy too!  Braden and him were going to the movies and were trying to get me to go with them.  I didn't go even though I really wanted to.  LOL   But that was as far as anything went for about 6 months and then one day I was on ICQ (remember ICQ yalls?!) talking to my cousin and Charles was there.  We were all talking and then Charles went home and got on his ICQ.  Very soon the ICQ conversation became me and Charles and I don't even know when Braden stopped talking.  Charles was fun to talk to.  We talked online a lot and soon started talking on the phone.  Let me tell ya, too bad there was no such thing as "unlimited talk and text" 13 years ago.  There was no cable phone lines where you could call anywhere and not get long-distance charges.  Nope, AT&T charged like .15/min back then I think?  Charles and I had many phone calls that lasted for HOURS!  My dad was NOT happy... his parents were not happy either!  I was having fun talking to him though.  I was going through a lot before I met him.  I was partying too much, hated my job, and men were players and ho-bags.  I didn't think there was such a thing as a man out there who wasn't a man-ho.  I figured Charles was playing me... sending me the most romantic letters, flowers, and calling just because he wanted to hear my voice... Now if I am gonna get played, that how to get played!  Let me tell ya what, those guys back in Monett needed to get their heads outta their butts and learn to treat a girl like this guy!  

I was falling pretty hard for him.  I kept telling myself that I was just setting myself up for serious heartbreak, but he was doing all the things that I was looking for in a guy.  When he was coming to Missouri to visit me, he would send me Roses and Daisies.  Daisies with roses for each week before he was coming.  My former boss at the floral shop and my bestie, Heather, who worked there, always got to make my arrangements.  He would call them personally instead of going through FTD.  He would tell them what to write on the card.  

He asked me "What are you going to do to me when you see me get off the plane?" and I told him I was going to run and kiss him!  LOL  The day came, and I brought Braden and my bestie Sabrina (BEANS!) to meet him.  Because I am such a chesty gal, I wore some lil white shirt that had written on it "GENEVA GIANTS".  When he got off the plane I froze.  I was like "No way... this guy is too hot for me."  LOL   

Anyways, we had a fun week together.  We couldn't do much because I still had to work.  I had gone to visit him 2 months later and fell in love with North Carolina.  We had talked about him either moving to Missouri or me moving to North Carolina.  Well, I think we know how this turned out!  LOL  

Right after he proposed at Atlantic Beach, NC

 Pregnant with Connor!

 Charles and I at the Rain Forest Cafe

 It took me 5 yrs but I finally got that 2 yr degree! Connor was a bean in my belly here!

 My favorite wedding photo.

 Drunk Cheesin...

 we were too cute!

Charles proposed to me February 23rd 2004 at the beach.  It was so sweet, but not what he had planned. I didn't want to go to the beach the night before which is when he wanted to do it. We went the next morning and decided to have a "contest" to see who can find better shells. We met up at and he was already on his knees with shells laid out.  We compared and I was definitely winning in the shell department. And next thing, the sun hit something in his hand just right and seriously blinded me!  Needless to say, I said yes... or I wouldn't be typing this now, would I?  We got married in Las Vegas, October 23, 2004.  It was a great wedding... a lot of family made it to the wedding.  I think mostly because the wedding was in VEGAS!  LOL

I will tell ya though... our poor honeymoon. LOL  I was one sick girl!  The day of our wedding I was feeling kinda blah.  My throat was feeling sore and I was so tired.  I was thinking I was just tired from not sleeping well the night before.  As I was getting dressed, I realized my fingers were MAJORLY swollen!  My engagement ring barely went over my first knuckle!  My dad's girlfriend at the time was there and she was massaging my shoulders and she was like "there are a lot of toxic pockets in your system."  I think she popped those toxic pockets because not long after that massage, I felt so shaky and weak.  At the time I thought it was just wedding jitters.  But I wasn't really jittery about the wedding.  I couldn't wait to marry Charles!  In our wedding video you can see my hands shaking soooooooo bad!  My candle was shaking so much, I am glad I didn't torch the chapel!  Right after the wedding, even though, I was absolutely thrilled to be married, I was starting to feel sicker.  My throat was hurting really bad and coughing really hard.  We had gone to see a Circque Du Soleil show right after the reception.  I coughed through the entire show!  We tried to walk the strip, but I had no breath in me.  I was struggling to breathe!  The next morning, I was feeling TERRIBLE!  When I saw my face in the mirror, OMG!  My face was sooooooo swollen.  I was swollen and so sick.  I had to go to the emergency room.  They did x-rays and came to find out I had gotten pneumonia!  The doc got on to me for smoking, and I told him I didn't smoke.  My lungs were invisible in the xrays.  Those smoke-filled casinos were too much for me. So I spent most of my honeymoon sick and wheezing.  LOL  I think we deserve a honeymoon re-do!!!!!  

Now, here we are.  Still happily married with two very handsome, smart, and loving boys.  We still tell each other "I love you" every day.  He still calls me from work just to hear my voice and to tell me he loves me.    Yeah, we probably make other people wanna puke because we still hold hands, he still opens doors for me, and still show PDA.  ;)   Maybe not as much PDA as we used to... but that's okay.  He's still my man and I love him to bits.  He loves me even though I have gained more weight than I care for... he still loves me even if I am still in the jammies I had on when he left for work... even though I might wear makeup once a month and do my hair about once a month.  He's impressed if I actually have a ponytail that's not lumpy and halfway pulled through.  

Now I need to go and pick up his suitcase that's been laying in the dining room floor for over a week and wash those same clothes that I have told him to pick up and put in the laundry room for me.  AND I need to go on a hunt in his man cave to find dishes.  AND I need to pick up the trash that he lays on the floor next to bed because we all know that walking 2 foot to the trashbin is too much exertion for any man.  =-P

Laters yalls!

What's the Dish?

what's the dish???

Hiya pals!  So, I am starting somethin' new.  I love to cook and people are always asking me for recipes.  I know there are like a billion recipe blogs out there.  I am not goin completely foodie on here yalls.  Once a week, I plan on sharing a meal.  

First, when I go to the grocery store, I am always looking for deals most especially on beef and chicken.  There are like a zillion things you can make.  You can never have too much beer or chicken... oh, and beef.  That was a clever typo.  You really can't have too much beer OR wine... or Captain... or Smirnoff.  BUT anyways, whenever I go to the store, I typically buy the family packs of chicken and beef and I try to go early in the mornings or even later evenings to the store because that's when I find the best markdowns on meat.  

When I get home, I will cook the hamburger ahead of time.  Usually when I use ground beef, I always need it crumbled up, so I go ahead and crumble it up and season it with salt and pepper.  ! Ppsst... I also dice up onion and add it to the beef when I cook it ;)  !   After it's cooked and drained, fill up a sandwich baggie of the crumbled meat.  I have found that one full sandwich baggie full of meat is equivalent to 1lb.  If you are one of those who makes a lot of Hamburger Helper, which always requires 1lb of beef... well, here ya go!  I then freeze them.  

With chicken, i have about the same process.  I will cut it in cubes and season with salt and pepper and put in plastic baggies.  I also bag 2 chicken breasts together, uncooked.  Another thing I do with chicken is bake it, put it in my kitchen aid mixer and shred it.  I fill up a baggie and whenever I want to use shredded chicken I have some already cooked and shredded!  I typically spend my Sundays preparing for meals through the week.  

Thank you to Pinterest, I have also started buying Mason jars.  If you buy a lot of fresh produce and hate to go to your fridge 3-5 days later and find your produce is already growing hair (or leaking... GAG!)... I have found that putting produce in a Mason jar will make your veggies go further.  So I cut up some of my veggies and put them in mason jars.  It works EXCELLENT for onions!  The smell from the onions do not escape and make your whole fridge smell oniony.  You don't have to use Mason jars either!  I have been saving and reusing pickle, salsa, spaghetti sauce jars and they work too!  

Fall time means crockpot time.  I use the hell outta my crockpot in the fall and winter.  Also, thanks to my Pinterest addiction, I have found MANY recipes on there to keep some variety in our meals.  I have particularly found myself freezing ingredients together in a freezer bag, then all I have to do is cut the baggie off and put the meal in the crockpot and WHA-LAH!  8hrs later, my house smells like I have slaved in the kitchen all day long when I have really been playing hot wheels and snuggling with my youngest spidermonkey!  

As a matter of fact, today my crockpot is cookin up the Teriyaki Chicken that I made ahead of time and froze last week.  It really smells so good in my house right now!  Plus it helps that I finally took out the trash which totally reeked of poo-poo diapers!

Please ignore my messy stove!  I had just made a frozen pizza and the crumbs were everyhere!

So, here is what you need for Teriyaki Chicken.  It makes 2 bags worth

2 sm bags baby carrots (seperate... one bag per meal)

1 lg red onion, chopped in large chunks (or if you like onions, get 2 and use one onion for each bag)

2 20oz cans pineapple w/juice (one can with juice per bag)

2 -4 chopped garlic cloves per bag ( i added 3 to each bag)

Celery (it's not shown in the picture because I forgot to take it out)  I used chopped 6 stalks and divided them.

2-3 chicken breasts per bag

1/2 c. Teriyaki sauce per bag (you will want to add 1/4c more of teriyaki sauce the day you put it in the crockpot).

Cook on high for 4 hrs or low for 8 hrs.  

I have read that you can add for extra flavoring brown sugar, garlic sauce, and soy sauce.  

Don't forget to make some rice!  

Top 5 Things About Me! :)

Top 5 Things About ME!

1.  I love to cook and bake.  There are times that I make things that are questionable and sometimes things turn out AMAZING!  I love getting crafty in the kitchen.  My favorite things to make are my white choc. chip craisin cookies, Mexican food, cheesy mashed potatoes with hotdogs cut in it (seriously, that's a family fave here), and casseroles.  From October to January, I am a baker and I love to make goodies to give to neighbors.

2.  I love being a stay at home mom.  Yes, it may seem I don't at times.  I have my days, but I love being able to be here for my boys.  They drive me insane a lot but I love them with my heart and I love watching them grow.  Well, watching them grow is bittersweet.  Seeing my babies growing and learning everyday is a miracle in itself.  I look at them and think "Dang!  They are a part of me and look at them!  They are too cute and too smart to belong to me!"  LOL  

3.  I LOVE to laugh.  I find humor in so many things that I probably shouldn't probably laugh at.  I never laugh to be mean-spirited.  I just see things in life and can't help it.  I don't understand how there are people in life who don't laugh?!  I didn't believe that it was possible but I have met someone who didn't laugh or find humor in things.  People who have no sense of humor, probably don't want to come to my blog or be on my facebook.  LOL  My sense of humor can be immature.  I will always laugh when someone farts.  I can't help it, but any kind of gas passing is hilarious to me!  I know everyone does it and it's no big deal but seriously?!?!  How can anyone NOT laugh when someone farts???  

4.  I love to meet people and talk to people I do not know.  Its not always been a good thing, but I love to meet people.  I start conversations with strangers and I love the things you can learn about people.  Sometimes, if I see someone sitting alone at a restruant like McD's or someplace like that, I ask to sit with them.  Mostly people don't mind.  I have met maybe 2 0r 3 people who have not been interested but those people are missing out.  I am pretty awesome.  

5.  I love reading.  I love several kinds of genres.  I have started reading the old classics that I had no interest in when I was younger.  Most girls read Little Women.  Not me.  I had tried a few times when I was younger, but could not stay interested.  So, I recently picked up another copy of it and trying to give it another shot.  I like to read biographies, novel fiction, non-fiction, and I even at times read some of those teenage genres.  The books they write for teens these days are kinda risque!  The R.L. Stines and Sweet Valley Highs of my days are nothing compared to what the teens read now!  I think some of them are a bit much for the ages they are geared towards, but times have sure as hell changed since I was a teenager!!!

So this is my Top 5 list thingy!  My fellow blogging buddy, Brianna (check her page out @ http://starneslifefamilylove.blogspot.com  ) .  I was supposed to do it Friday, but I wasn't able to do it then.  Anyone who reads my blogs and blogs themselves are more than welcome to join in on the fun!  


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It's Fall, Yalls!

Hi yalls!  It's officially fall feelin' round here!  YAY!  It's my favorite season!  The season for a cool nip in the air, yummy chili, pumpkin flavored yummies, football, halloween, apple cider, harvest flavored beers, and that crisp fall scent in the air.  It takes awhile for that fall feeling to kick in here in North Carolina.  

It's been awhile since I have blogged.  I have missed it.  It seems everytime I would get on here and start that something happens and I would have to stop.  Typically the kids start fighting or MUST need me for something.  It's my life though and I love it no matter how crazy it makes me.

It's almost election time.  I know a lot of yalls are sick of me goin on and on about how I am not a fan of Ovomit... I mean, Obama.  I am gonna be on my reliable ol' high horse, Stan, and we will stand on our soapbox for the next 6 weeks.  

Did anyone see the first debate?  I got a kick out of it.  Obama is out of his league.  I know he had to go and do his job on his anniversary and he would have rather been spending time with his wife than being at a debate.  Tough shit.  I got a kick out of his own supporters making fun of him.  Then those who are still completely clueless on the topics could only talk about the neckties.  That's okay... if you don't understand economics, it's best to talk about neckties than look like a complete farttard.  Sorry if I offend any of you with my political statements.  I have a tendency to be passionate about things I am right about.  

So, I am in the process of pulling out my fall decor and making my house all pretty!   I do have some super cute fall decor.  AND my house smells DIVINE!  It's a Harvest Wonderland here!  I took the kids to get a pumpkin to paint and it was so cute watching my spidermonkeys get creative.  Here's a few pics of that artsy fartsy fun!

 yeah, i am pretty sure more paint ended up on Corbin than the pumpkin!

 Connor is getting the fancy art supplies out!

 He was getting tired of me taking pictures

 Connor is telling me "If I smile one last time, can you not take more pictures, mom?"

 Lil man is serious when it comes to painting his pumpkin!

This past weekend we went boating with my MIL, her pal, me and the kiddos.  I have some water lovin babes.  I think we will have to go buy a boat in the next few years.  They LOVE to go boating.  We went out to Shackelford Island. My back feels nice and toasty and it's starting to itch like most sunburns do.  Here are some pics of the babes out on the boat and on the Shack.

So, the kids have had one of those weeks of 'kids do and say the darndest things'.  One of the first instances, was witnessing my youngest spidermonkey, Corbin, acting like a dog.  Yes, most kids do go through this stage.  They walk around like dogs, bark like dogs, eat like they are dogs... but Corbin took it to a whole nother level.  Let me start at the beginning.

One day, I took Corbin to the Petsmart to see the animals.  He is my lil animal lover.  There was a woman in there with two dogs and my spidermonkey took a liking to them.  One of them would not stop licking itself and Corbin saw so much humor in it.  He would laugh and say "What he doin?" and I would say "He's cleaning himself.  That's how dogs clean their pee-pee's."  He probably asked the same question ten or fifteen more times... like kids do.  And I answered with the same answer as most parents do.  After we left Petsmart, Corbin acted like a dog everywhere we went.  Thankfully Target made an exception for my 'dog' considering their strict rule against animals in the store and I was obviously not blind.  He barked and crawled all over the store.  When we got home, he stripped down naked as he always does when he is home.  I go into my bedroom and found him on MY bed, attempting to lick his own balls.  I would have stopped him, but what are the chances that he's going to succeed?  I watched partly disturbed but mostly amused.  I said "Corbin, honey, what are you doing?"  He answers, not once stopping to find that miracle position, "Kweenin mah pee pee, momma."  Oh, I thought about getting my spray bottle filled with water and spraying him as I once had with a dog who always licked it's balls.  Eh, what's the hurt in letting him try.  So I went about folding laundry as he rolled all over the bed with his tongue sticking out and failing terribly at licking his own nuts.  Then before I knew it, he rolled right off the bed.  Has a pretty little raspberry rug burn on his forehead.  BUT he seems to have officially given up on his quest to "kween" his pee-pee.  I am sure he's not the first kid who has tried this disappointing feat.  He hasn't stopped acting like a dog in other ways, but I am glad he can't lick his own testes.  It's bad that I have to carry a spray bottle of vinegar around to spray the tongue of the oldest spidermonkey that gets mouthy but to have to carry a spray bottle of water to spray my youngest spidermonkey for licking his nuts would be hard to explain to onlookers.  

A few days later, I took the boys to the library.  Let me tell ya what.  My children do NOT know how to behave in a library, no matter what I say or do.  Connor is very loud and his voice carries. I have had his hearing checked on a number of times, and he can hear fine, he just seems to not quite understand how to adjust his voice from indoor to outdoor levels.  A young vet, missing one of his legs, was there.  He had a metal leg and Connor shouted "LOOK MOMMA!  THAT MAN IS HALF MAN HALF ROBOT!"  Talk about wanting to die!  The library is very small and the man was only 2 feet away from us.  Thank goodness the man was kind and had a very good sense of humor.  Connor asked him questions like "Can you put magnets on it?" and "Are you like super man or batman?" The guy told Connor how he could take his leg off and he was hurt in war and that he never thought of himself as a half-man, half-robot before but he liked that idea.  Connor and Corbin thoroughly enjoyed talking to him and they thought it was cool that they could touch his robot leg.  Actually I think the guy enjoyed talking to Connor about it.  It's probably easier for him to talk to the kid about it than to hear the parent embarrassingly tell their child to be quiet.  As we were leaving the library, Connor said "See ya later Robot Man!"  The guy laughed.  Connor told me as we were leaving "That guy was so cool mom!  He is half man and half robot!"  

About a week before that incident, we had another one at McDonald's.  Every Friday, after school, we go to McD's for ice cream.  We were sitting and eating our ice cream when Connor looked up and took off running and yelling "MEME!  MEME!  MEME IS HERE!"  Meme is who they call my mom.  He and Corbin took off running to the front of the restruant.  By the time I caught up, Connor is behind a woman with his arms wrapped around her hips and his face buried in her ass and saying "Meme!  I missed you!  I was going to call you!"  She turned around and looked down at him and was rather surprised.  Then Connor looked up and stood back and said "Oh!  Oops!  Sorry!  I thought you were my meme!  You kinda look like her but i guess you kinda don't look like her.  My meme has white teeth and you have brown teeth!"  Now as I have mentioned before, my Connor has the loudest voice and it carries.  McD's was filled with high school kids and several other customers who heard what my kid said, not to mention they saw him rubbin his face all in her butt.  I felt so terrible... I mean, it's one thing to run to a woman thinking she looks like your meme, but to shout to her and everyone else in the store that she had brown teeth was... well... embarrassing for all of us.  The kids were definitely enjoying the show.  The lady was nice... she even let us sit with them at their table.  Connor goes to school with her daughter and we see them everyday I go to pick up Connor from school.  It's kinda awkward.  

Several years ago, I had done something very similar to that.  My parents, sister, and I had gone to the movies to see Home Alone.  Everyone was waiting in the lobby for the previous showing to let out.  My sister, Cheryl, and I were playing around while waiting.  She was probably about 7 or 8.  I was probably 13 or 14.  She would run past me, and I would reach out and grab her and hug her to me then let her go to run off again.  She had run past me and I grabbed her and hugged her to my boobs. At 13-14 yrs old, I had a rather big rack for a girl my age.  Out of the corner of my eye, I notice my sister staring at me and I looked down and did not recognize the hairbow or the face that looked up at me, completely frightened and I said "Oh my God... You're not my sister!" I let go and that poor child, a complete stranger to me, took off running and crying.  There was probably 50 people who witnessed me unknowingly traumatize a poor child and several people got a good laugh.  I have to admit, that looking back now, it was hilarious.  It still is a funny story, looking back now.  When we went to sit in the theater, I looked behind us and low and behold, we are sitting directly in front of the poor traumatized child.  The theater was completely packed and there was no other place for them to move.  That poor girl jumped and sat as far from me as she could.  I don't know if we were laughing more from the movie or from my sister mixup.  I often wonder what that poor girl is up to nowadays and if she remembers the experience.      

Well, Corbin is awake from his nap and I have to do a quick sweep around the house so it doesn't look like I have been sittin on my ass all morning long.  Hey, I am entitled to sit on my ass somedays!  

Later bloggin buddies!

KEGALS SCHMEEGALS...

Good evening boosom bloggin buddies!  How are yalls doin?  I know... I been pretty quiet lately.  

Fall weather is setting in and as much as I LOVE fall, I always get sick a lot during this time.  This week I got the runny nose, cough, and the sneezers.  AND, when I sneeze or cough, I PEE!  UGH!  Now, let me tell ya... I love my baby boys more than anything but I don't love the weak bladder.  I had two big boys (9lbs 10oz and the other was 10 lbs 10 oz!) so I know that weakened the ol' bladder.  So, anytime I run, walk, jump, sneeze, cough, or laugh then I tee tee!!!  "DO KEGALS!" they say!  KEGALS SCHMEEGALS!  I been doin kegals since I was 9!

Why is a 9 yr old doing kegals, you ask???  Well, I don't know... I just started doing them.  When I was a   3rd or 4th grader, I was going to Catholic school.  We had to go to mass every day.  I know it sounds bad, but it was soooooo boring to me.  I used to see how many kegals I could do during the 45-55 minute mass.  I used to play games in my head and do a kegal everytime we said amen... or with every Hail Mary and Our Father... everytime someone coughed... everytime Sister Mary Dominic would sing out really loud to get the rest of us to sing louder (I don't think she cared about how good we sounded as long as we were loud)... Everytime Sister Eileen would say "NO SKIN OFF MY BACK!" (she said that a lot when she would get mad at us)... I did a kegal with every tile I counted on the wall or ceiling (actually I guess I still do that) I would do kegals when we would do the rosary.  I kegal when I chew.  I'm doing kegals now... with every word I type, I kegal.  Yep, I am pretty sure there is a special place in hell just for me or a straight jacket with my name on it somewhere.  Who else can talk about kegals like this?  LOL

Anyways, kegals are supposed to help you not pee with every move you make?!?!  Bullshite!  As many damn kegals as I do, I should be able to crack a walnut with my vagina!  I don't intend to try this by the way...

Anyways... This week I noticed my clothes getting a lil loose.  I dared to stand on the scale and realized I have lost 21 lbs!  It's been about a month and a half since I last stood on a scale.  I've cut back on sodas...  making Weight Watcher meals... plus I think my thyroid meds are finally working.  This week, I was jumping on the trampoline with my Corbin and my shorts fell off mid-jump!  My poor neighbors across the street saw that.  Bless their hearts!  Both neighbors have seen too much.  I think I am probably the crazy lady on the street. Earlier this week, I was outside pulling weeds and the new neighbor came over and we were talking and she mentioned "Oh, your zipper is down."  Oh hell... really?!  I would rather rip a big ass fart in front of a stranger than to realize my fly is down.  It's so embarrassing... but when I turned around to go back in the house, she said "Oh wait!" and walked around behind me and untucked my shirt.  She informed me that the back of my shirt was tucked into my undies and the panties were sticking out over the top of my shorts... GEESH! I shouldn't be driving a red van, I should be riding the short yellow bus!  BTW, I don't mean that offensively.  

I have to say, if I was neighbors with me... I would sit outside and wait to see what happens to me or what I do next.  One day they saw me pull of some ninja moves (I walked into a spider web).  One day, a frog jumped on my hand and I freaked out, screamed and pissed my damn pants.  Another day, I backed out of the driveway and about took out my mailbox. And they have seen me miss that step off or onto the porch step.  Another day, I was reaching for something in the back of the van and my shirt got stuck on some hook and when I got loose, I ripped my shirt all the way up and I know they got a glimpse of side boob (i didn't have on my bra when I ran outside for what was supposed to only take 10 seconds!).  I know they hear me yell at my kids and my kids screaming bloody murder.  I am honestly not beating my kids.  They sometimes like to scream for no reason at all or they scream because they are in trouble.  

Do you ever feel like there are video cameras watching you all the time?  I do!  You know that movie Jim Carrey was in, The Truman Show, and he had no idea that his whole life was a show for the whole world?  Yeah, I feel like that sometimes.  The shit that happens to me, is so crazy that it's hard to believe that it just happens to me.  Oh well... it's my crazy life and I can honestly say, it's not really a boring life!  

Just a lil over a month ago, I got a smartphone!  And ya know what I did????  I put it on top of the car and drove off and ran over it.  I was so mad at myself.  I haven't put stuff on top of a car in a long time.  I have a van so I can't really reach the top of it anyways.  But this time I took my hubby's car and it's low... I accidentally hit my kid's head getting him in the car, put the phone on top of the car to give him mommy-loves for her mommy-mess-up and wouldn't ya know it, I FORGOT ABOUT IT!  My momma always used to say that if my head wasn't attached that I would lose it or break it one.  She wasn't kiddin!!!  I am such a freakin spazz-ass all the time.  Always rushing and hurrying, even if I don't have to rush and hurry.  Always forgetting stuff.  I can't remember my phone number, my zip code, my ss# these days.  I think it's time for this momma to have a lil mini vacay!!!  

Well, I need to get to bed.  It's pretty late.  I need to catch up on my beauty zzz's.  ;)   

Goodnight my friends...