Are You Ready For Round II?

Just when you think it is safe to stay in your jammies all day.... along comes the New Year celebrations. Are we going out? Are they coming here? Do I have to clean? What kind of food should we serve? Should I make another batch of chocolate chip cookies? How about fudge? STOPPPPPPPPPPPPP!!!!

By keeping up my decorations, I avoid having to clean as much..."I'm going to save the dusting and vacuuming until all the decs are down!" Does that one work in your house? May I suggest that you don't cook anything; use what you have, or buy something already made. Make it as easy as possible for yourself because you are going to need the energy to make decisions, get everyone ready, rent the movies, memorize the football game schedules, shag beers for your spouse, make nice with relatives and/or friends of your spouse, break up fights and finally, eat your way into oblivion! Or not......

Let's just take a moment and think about what is important. It might be the house, it might be entertaining, or it might be placating the kids who are still on their sugar highs from last week. It could also be the fact that we need to pat ourselves on the back for surviving another year, another season and possibly another 24 hours without duct taping to a chair, someone whose been continuously pushing our buttons.

What is important to me is thanking the guy upstairs that my fingers can still type; that for today, I can breathe, see, hear, and "move about the cabin" with relatively little effort; that my children are asleep somewhere in the house, and not laying in a hospital bed getting poked and otherwise abused with procedures to keep them alive; that, although I miss my parents and good friends that have been taken from this earth, I feel confident they are safe, warm and very happy; and, that at the end of the day, I can feel good about something that I tried to do to bring a smile to someone's face.

Oh, and thanks, God, for helping me get one pound closer to my weight-loss goal!!

Wishing you success, prosperity and happiness in the year 2009! God Bless you.

The Lost Weeks

I started this post about two weeks ago. Since then, it's sort of been like "The Lost Weeks" for me. I managed to read a few posts, but couldn't put together enough time or energy to write one of my own. I apologize...I'm back now! The following paragraph is what was started.

Well, the registration for the weight management website went through and I am officially on the books. No turning back now! I had to give my weight (ouch!) and set a goal for losing so many pounds (please don't make me tell you) in six months. They are also asking for my workout schedule. Let's see, instead of bench pressing with conventional weights, I'll just toss my 50 pound dog up in the air, catch her and "lift." IROFL...HA...HA!

I fell off the wagon and went back to old habits of dealing with stress. Like so many others whose blogs I follow, I've let the stress of the holidays and preparations get to me. I've managed to maintain the weight, but the poor eating habits have dropped my energy level to a new low.

Okay, now that it is out of my system....I hope this finds you filled with excitment and anticipation (but not the stressful kind) as you begin your descent into the holidays. I think that my survival depends on my constant chats with God asking for strength and concentration to focus on my family and the "real" reason for celebrating this holiday - the birth of Christ. I'm hoping to be able to discard the junky stuff like cleaning, does everyone have enough presents to open, and will there be enough food!! Oh, and yes, I do ask him for the willpower to resist the foods and beverages that do not provide me with any nutritional value. (Some of you do not know how very difficult this last one is for me!)

The dog and I went out for a little walk and "taking care of business" this morning. This walk was going to be one of my 20 minutes workouts. Well, by the time we got to the parking strip in front of the house, we were bombarded by an ice storm. We will try again later. I'll concentrate on the muscles in my right hand by addressing our holiday cards instead.

I wish you a very happy holiday, however you are celebrating, and that you are safe, warm and able to spend time with loved ones.

Exercising in Cool Weather

Okay, maybe not exactly cool, but how about 30 degrees? Yesterday I chose to chase the dog around the house for 20 minutes instead of going on a walk. I strained a butt muscle! Have you ever done that? You can feel it sitting down, lying down, walking, standing, etc.

"Aaaaarrrrggggghhhhh" screamed Charlie Brown. I thought that by constant movement like walking the dog outside might work out the kinks. Can't say that it did. All she did was pull, pull, pull to get wherever it was that she wanted to go. She doesn't distinguish between dry sidewalk and black ice sidewalk...we both survived.

Well, friends, there are 20 days left until the chaotic wrapping paper wars! We will get the tree up and decorations out this weekend, but there's no promise the tree will have anything on it, or that the decs will make it out of the tubs! Bah, humbug!

Happy decorating, craft show jumping, lunching with BFFs, and the usual fun stuff of laundry, cleaning, grocery shopping, paying bills......!

Challenge Update....

Well, so much for holidays where we consume mass quantities of carbs and sugar! I did very well portion-wise. All 20 meals were small to medium size portions! It's taken a few days of trying to back off from the sweet stuff, but I think I'm on my way. I can, however, still sense a whisper of gorging in the air!

The scale hasn't changed in a week, so I must be outputting enough to equal the inputting. Not eating after 7:00pm has helped tremendously. I just drink...lots and lots of water! Then I have to get up in the middle of the night to take care of that little problem!

I'm reading the book (yes...I do read...when there is nothing good on TV and all of the cherubs are in bed), "Half-Assed a Weight-Loss Memoir" by Jennette Fulda. I'm enjoying her perspective on the "why" and "how". It's interesting to learn the different ways in which we look at our lives and feelings, and how we deal with them. When I feel crappy, food is comfort; when I feel angry, food is comfort; and when I'm really, really angry, only chocolate food is comfort. Then, from the middle of the night through the next day, I have to take care of another little problem!

Baby Steps, I know. It didn't appear overnight; what makes me thing it will disappear overnight? Through it all, I know that I'm loved and I hope to be forgiven for not sharing.

I do not commit to walking the dog tomorrow morning for 20 minutes in 35 degree weather, but I will chase her around the house for the same amount of time. Does that count?

Hope you have a healthy day. Bring a smile to someone and they just may give it back!

Challenge of the Year

It's almost midnight here in middle earth. What the heck am I doing up at this hour? There is a ton of stuff to be done tomorrow! I know why I'm up...I know everything will work out...it always does. Also, Rock is coming home soon and I just want a minute to say good night to him as he trudges up the stairs to his room.

We talked Hero into driving out tomorrow morning instead of tonight. He worked a full day and didn't need to be on the road for two hours...exhausted.

This year's holiday will be a little different. I love making little changes each year... just litty itty bitty ones! We will all sleep in (except for the dog...and Retro.... and me) and have breakfast around 11:00. Since Rock forgot to ask for the day off, he will go into work from 2-6:30pm. We will start cooking mid-afternoon and plan to have everything ready around 7:00. Everyone has a dish to make and the bird will cook itself in the rotisserie. (Well, it looks good on paper!)

We are so thankful to have the opportunity to be together, to eat a great meal, and sit around in a warm comfy house. I know how lucky we are! I pray that in some small way, everyone reading this, and everyone they know, and so on, and so on, will have at least a few minutes of comfort, happiness and a light heart as this day of Thanksgiving unfolds.

A blessed Thanksgiving Day to you!

p.s. The weight management website is down and I haven't been able to register so I can track my progress. It must be a sign.... I commit to eating smaller portions during the day, and walking the dog at least twice! It's going to be a tough challenge, but I'll bring my A game to the dinner table and, with a little help from the Big Guy, I will succeed!

Let's Get Organized - Part Deux

As some of us are beginning to prepare for our Thanksgiving holiday this week, lists and more lists are being made, crossed off, and/or simply thrown out. Whatever works for you is the way to go. Some people like to go out for Chinese or Italian! If the family is together, then you've succeeded. It doesn't matter where you are, even if it is a warm beach in Mexico.

If you are staying home, make a timeline for when certain tasks need to be done. Delegate some of those tasks to other members of the family. In my family, Rock makes the mashed potatoes, the girls prepare the Waldorf salad, and Hero does the vegetable (which is usually something frozen that needs to be heated up). The bird cooks itself in the counter-top rotisserie. This year, Hero and Retro (Dad) will make the stuffing. We tried this stuffing for the first time last year, and everyone loved it. It's made with sweet Italian sausage, fresh herbs and cheeses and a bunch of seasonings that I will never use again. But, it is gewwwwwwwdddddddd!!

Staying focused is another way to improve organization. Don't let the ADD settle in. If you feel it coming, take your meds. If you are not on meds, then chocolate is the next best thing. What? It works for me!!! Find that little spot on the wall that you used during Lamaze...(palleeeeze, I thought I blocked all of that out!) If problems or gliches arise, take care of them immediately. Don't bother arguing about whose fault it was, just fix it!

Keep your communications to a minimum. Telephone calls should have a few ideas scripted out ahead of time, but allow for improvisation, if necessary. Use an egg timer or a song on the radio. When <insert your favorite song here> is playing, end your call as the last note is played.

Learn from your mistakes, and really try not to make them again (unless you are like me and have a memory span of about five minutes). One mistake I seem to make over and over is "not" saying "no" when I should. Try to never take on more than you can handle, even if you are "Super Mom of the Year!" Know your limitations and be humbled by the fact that you really can't do everything....all of the time!

I have many of these suggestions embroidered on my dish towels (not really) so that I am constantly aware of them. I hope that some of you can use these (many of you already do) and find your days just a little less hectic than most.

Happy Thanksgiving!

The Great Change-Up

Boys and Girls, can you tell me what caused this particular reaction in this picture? Is it...

1. Mom, after too much sugar, white flour or chocolate;
2. Mom, after blogging or working on her writings into the wee hours;
3. Mom, the morning after the seventh day of the Seven Day Whoopie Challenge (please see http://www.bettyconfidential.com for explanation);
4. Some, or all of the above.

We all have those days when, no matter what, we end up in this position after some sort of overload. The word for today boys and girls, is: Change in moderation. Just because it takes you 15 minutes on the phone with the the bank telling you to "please say..." or "please press..." before you are speaking to a human being, it doesn't mean that you must reward your patience with an entire gooey cake, two Grands Cinnabon Rolls, a chocolate shake and a custard cup full of M&Ms. Along with the same idea, it's not healthy to eat to suppress your desire to shove the telephone down the throat of the human being on the other end. It really is okay to have those fantasies...the food ones, as well as the shoving ones!

Food, glorious food, is something some of us use on a regular basis to deal with incompetence, anger, frustration, disappointment, sadness and even, joy. We push those puppies down low with food. It's numbing out, sort of like an alcoholic or user would do to avoid dealing with the challenges of life. When we are almost out of room inside, we realize that something's got to give. A change needs to be made. We spend so much time of our lives living with bad habits. For some of us, change requires us to turn inward to find out who really lives there. When we do, we get to know the most interesting and wonderful people.

The most amazing person one can meet is oneself! When we are able to truly see who we are, it is then that we can decide what we need to keep, and what needs to be discarded. Letting go of something we've owned for so long can be heartbreaking... like a favorite toy or book. Once we realize that the things we need to release are the same things that keep us from growing, it doesn't seem like such a hard thing to do. With the negatives out of the way, the possibilites are endless. We could be the Princesses we've always wanted to be!

It's the journey that matters. As long as we keep moving...every day...doing something that brings us closer to our goal, we can feel good about ourselves and our accomplishments. We are still going to have setbacks, but we can deal with them differently. Instead of eating, drinking or otherwise...how about writing, playing, exercising, walking away from the situation for a while, or in some cases, confronting the challenge head on. "You want a piece of me? Come and get it!"

Then, there is always the Big Guy upstairs! Yes, I mean God. Let him help out when we feel trapped. We can give him our frustration, anger, sadness and disappointment. We can then ask him to simply tell us what it is that he wants us to do. The answers will come.

We need to remember that we can change our lives, one habit at a time, and, we don't have to do it alone!

A Better Day

I attended a healthy lifestyle (weight loss) meeting on Tuesday. It's a class that meets once a month. We are supposed to log onto a Weight Management web site and set up an account to track our food and exercise. It looks good on paper, but is this writer up to the challenge? Can she be accountable to a web site? Is she ready to commit to becoming a healthier writer? We shall see!

In the past, being accountable to another person has been helpful for me. I joined a support group about 20 years ago and worked with a food sponsor. I called her the "General." She made me account for every minute of the day, every piece of food that went into my mouth, and every piece of writing I accomplished. The bottom line is that I lost 50 pounds in six months. I've never been back to that weight, that sponsor, or that feeling of accomplishment. But, I have never given up hope that I could make changes. It's just so darn hard!

The way I see it, it's a matter of intake and output. It is really quite simple. Why do we drive ourselves nuts with all the sidebar stuff? If one consumes 3,000 to 4,000 calories a day, one must run a marathon every other day...right? Piece of cake, no?

So, I commit to tracking my bad-girl behavior for the next six months. I commit to lowering the calorie intake, and increasing exercise. Ewwwww...I can't believe I said that!

I would be more than happy to support anyone out there going through this type of lifestyle change, and likewise, would really appreciate anything coming this way!

Hope your day is healthy!

Let's Get Organized - Part 1

I'd like to share some information that I found in a workbook about getting organized. For me, organization is the key to start making changes in other parts of my life.

There are a dozen or so steps involved in becoming an organized thinker. One of the steps involves sitting down at night (after everyone else has gone to bed and it's just you and the dog) and planning the next day. Make a list of things you want to do on separate index cards. Then put the cards in order of priority. Make sure you have a card for shopping, meeting your bff for lunch, and getting a massage by Raul. Some people like to use blank business cards as these are easier to slip into a pocket or purse.

Another idea is the "do-it-now" system, where you don't put anything in a "pending" stack. Deal with paper and phone calls when they are first acquired. This will involve making instant decisions on some matters, but once dealt with, they're DONE! For instance, tell the collection company that is calling, you "just don't have time" to pay the bill! When reading mail or listening to messages, try scanning for major ideas to determine importance. If food, prizes, or gifts are mentioned, it's probably junk mail and you should immediately dispose of it. (Remember to shred anything with your name and address on it so that the info does not end up in the wrong hands.) If a phone message does not need a response, delete it and go on.

A "Lesson in Honesty" is to always do what you say you will do. If you give your word to complete something by a deadline, make sure that you keep it. If you can't keep your word, cry, plead and rant until you are dismissed. Then make a new deadline. Follow through on promises made. People remember who they can count on, and Kids remember...everything!

In communicating with others, be concise. Don't jerk anyone around. Write memos or emails instead of letters. Keep your words in memos and telephone calls to a minimum. Avoid long explanations or reasoning, as it sometimes alters your original idea. Say, "I can't go to lunch," instead of "I can't go to lunch because I've got so much work to do, and I have to make a doctor's appointment and pick up the dry cleaning, and yadda, yadda..."

Lastly, try to not spend your entire day blogging or on Facebook! I know it's addicting, and there is so much exciting stuff going on, but if you set a time limit for the computer (like we do for our kids with games, TV, etc.) AND stick to it, you will feel content that you participated, and still had dinner on the table by 6:00.

Good luck. Let me know what you think!

New Blog!

Please come visit my other blog, bizzymissliz. Just click on my profile, and then on the blog at the bottom!

Ugh! I Think I'm Gonna Be Sick!

Why do I always over-indulge at Halloween? Maybe it's because I don't drink, so I don't over-indulge at weddings, birthdays, game days, New Years Eve, graduations, baby showers, etc. When will I ever learn that this body is just too old for chocolate. I like chocolate, but it really, really, does not like me. I figure it's God's little hint that I should stop at one Milkyway, not 21!

I loved looking at all the cute Halloween costumes that kids were going to be wearing when they went Trick or Treating. Awww...those were the days. The days of coming up with four new costumes every year, and there was always one of the cherubs who would change their mind at 4:00pm the afternoon of Halloween! Lots of hand me downs, my old ballet costumes, old soccer and baseball uniforms torn to shreds so we could be zombie athletes. I'm glad I kept the dress up box, because we could always find something in there to mix and match, and then make it a zombie!

One year we used an old toy container that was a plastic trash can. We cut out the bottom, glued rotten fruit and milk cartons to the outside, and actually won for "most unique" costume in Kindergarten. (If I can get my feeble hands on that picture, I'll post it sometime before next Halloween).

So here are a few of past Halloweens....(please bear with me...I'm so still learning how to do this!)




I actually sewed white felt on black sweats to make this Power Ranger dream come true. This costume was dumped at 4:00pm and "Santa" became the Trick or Treat costume.


This was a fun year; everyone stayed with their original idea. Mr. "white jammies" is Luke Skywalker; "fighting girl" is Zena, Warrior Princess; all black "Kupie" is a kitty; and "red-coated short stuff" is Kenny from "South Park."

Hope your Halloween was a blast!

You're My Hero, Tink!

With the movie coming out this week, it seems like Faeries are the buzz. To me, Tinkerbell is the most famous and likeable.

I grew up about a half hour from Disneyland and would visit once a year. We didn't have all the wonderful advertising products that they have today, so I patiently waited for the trip to see all of my Disney Hereos. My favorites were Sleeping Beauty and Tinkerbell. I would always visit the Castle and couldn't leave until after the Tink's flight from the Matterhorn to wherever it was that she landed. I wanted to be at that spot, but my parents kept me close at hand. The fireworks were the highlight of the whole day. (Little did I know that my future husband would watch those fireworks from his backyard about two blocks away from the park!)

My Faerie interest grew once I had my girls and we would play pretend. With the ability to own movies and watch them anytime, I collected as many as I could that included Faeries: Hook, Peter Pan, Ferngully, Fairy Tale: A True Story, Neverland, etc. I lead a unit for a Girl Scout Day camp where the theme was movies. I chose Ferngully for my group of 2nd grade girls. We made wings, wands and pouches to hold faerie dust. (We couldn't use real faerie dust due to eco reasons, so we used birdseed instead!) We went on hikes to look for faeries and we would fly to the other units and put spells on them. We really did a number on the boys' unit because they were so obnoxious!

I find that keeping the magic alive does wonders for my well-being. I would love to hear your faerie stories!

To Medicate...or Not to Medicate

So, out of four children, two have ADHD. It has made my life just peachy, because it has not allowed me to slack off...at all...not even for five minutes!

With ADHD Child No. 1, I thought it was a "boy" thing. Don't all boys run around in circles, knocking over lamps and tables, and jump into pools thinking it's just like the bathtub at home? It took six years before I heard the first "I think your kid may have ADHD" from his 2nd grade teacher. I was so relieved to hear those words.

In the state where my children were born, no ADD or ADHD diagnosis could be official until the child could read. Like reading skills are the most convincing behaviors of an ADHD child! (NOT!) Way back then, when New Kids on The Block were the hot "Boy Band", there was not as much information as there is now. My son had a missing link in his brain and there was a magical pill that would "link him up." This is what worked for us, having toddler and a newborn in addition to Child No. 1. I had read about diet, and behavior modification therapy, but chose the pill over both because I didn't think he would go along with changing his eating habits or being tested by stark raving scientists!

The pill worked. He could focus, he could study and he stopped knocking over lamps! There were a few minor side-effects, but they were outweighed by the results. He was getting straight A's and he was happy. In middle school, he told me he didn't need the meds anymore. We talked to the doctor, who said "Let's try it without the meds." So, we went off the pill. His grades went down, he couldn't concentrate on homework, and every little noise or slight movement made him anxious. He entered high school with a 2.0 gpa (down from a 4.0 two years prior). At the end of his first year of high school, he realized that he needed some help, so he started up again with the meds. He stayed on the meds until he finished high school. He recently graduated from college "med-free" and shows no signs of his former condition. I just have to remind him to not take his eyes off the road when he drives home....cows can look very interesting from the highway!

I'm glad we have the internet now and the ability to acquire more information. It's a personal choice that parents have to make. What works for one may not work for another. I think we have to find a course that will give our children the best opportunities for a healthy and productive life.

Next post will be about ADHD Child No.2...who is gifted...another peachy existence!

Meet Tootsie!

I took a little time for myself the other day, and tweaked my blog a little bit. I started to click on stuff and this picture came up. Let me introduce you to Tootsie! We rescued her from the Humane Society about three years ago. They tell me she is a Scottie/Basset Hound mix. Yikes! We love her dearly. She has a very calm demeanor, lets us know when she needs something (like food, water, chasing chipmunks or bunnies, etc.) and has a larger bladder than Edwina.

We waited a long time for her...too long, I think. Hero was already out of the house in college. I feel that he was cheated a little. He enjoys her when he comes to visit. Oh sure, the boys had hamsters, lizards, frogs and miniature catfish, but a dog or a cat is beyond compare to these critters.

The boys' hamsters were named Jake and Elwood. We couldn't find small enough sunglasses for them to wear, so we talked about using a permanent marker to draw them on. We chose not to do this in case the boys wanted to change their names. Jake and Elwood make so much noise at night, we had to move them to the garage. Big mistake. Elwood escaped, never to be seen again, and Jake grew a tumor on his ear. We couldn't get near Jake without a little nip here and there, so we took him to a Vet who specialized in "exotic" animals. She wanted to keep Jake overnight for observation. What she really was going to do was to put Jake out of his misery, but at the time, Rock was only 4 and was already in hysterics because of the tumor. We told Rock the next day that Jake passed on to hamster heaven and that he was reunited with Elwood. Now the two soul hamsters could continue their quest with the "Band" to raise funds for the Sisters of Perpetual Gerbels.

Now, the girls have their own "hamster" story, but that is for another day...

Tootsie is telling me to get ready for work! Enjoy your day!

What Season Are We In?

Hooray! We are finally out of the 80's. My goodness, it's been just a little too toasty for me lately! I'm a full-figured girl, so most of my comfy clothes are stretchy and synthetic. Well, my chubby thighs get a little warm inside of synthetic material, so you can sort of see what I'm talking about......I'm looking forward to cooler temps, shorter days (good excuse for not getting some things done..."I just didn't have enough daylight!"), leaves changing color and then dropping, and maybe a little flurry or two.

I just finished organizing my desk, throwing out junk, tearing off our names and address to be shredded (a little paranoid, huh?), made a new "To Do" stack, "To File" stack, and catalog stack. It's only October and I already have a bazillion catalogs! I dog-ear all of the things on my wish list, and then slap the pages that I really, really want. It's just a little tradition we do in our family...it was great fun for the kids when they were little. All those toy catalogs! They would slap their pages and then circle everything they wanted to put on their list. It was hours of fun... a good thing for them to do at the kitchen table while I cooked dinner.

The girls took their PSAT tests today (for those who have little ones only, and have blocked this part of high school from your memory - it's a practice test for the ACT (college) test). If one does really well on this test, they are almost guarranteed some $$$ for college. Edwina has a bladder the size of an M&M. She forgot to go before the test began. They wouldn't let anyone leave during the "stretch" break. It was close, but she survived!

Take a moment to count your blessings, even if they make your life crazy!!

R & R for Mom

I took the day off today to soothe my battered body and psyche. (Whatever that means!) Instead of laundry, errands and cleaning, I went to an event called "The Big Read." Initially, I wanted to go meet Mary Engelbreit, buy her book, and get her autograph. Then I realized all of the other interesting things that were going on. Today was a day that I was sad that my kids were grown up. There was a ton of activities, storytelling, entertainment and sales geared to kiddos betweeen the ages of two and 14.

Instead of my fantasy meeting with ME, I attended two writing workshops. They were both awesome! The first was about how to get published, and the second was how to pitch an idea. I really enjoyed both of them and I came away feeling very motivated...(did I say motivated?) - one of my objectives of this post. Driving home, I thought about redrafting some of my stories. Then, I saw Dairy Queen....the one where Edwina and Katya work. Let's see...I have two bucks...what can I get with their discount? (Another improvement I want to make...I guess that today is not the day for this one.)

Oh, by the way, the owner of the phone came in to the office the next morning to claim it! He is now back in favor with his mom and dad.

Found on Bus 40

One of the job duties I have at work is to manage the Lost & Found Department. I am brought anything from money to phones to hoodies and expensive jackets. The person who brings the item in tells me where it was found. When someone loses something, they fill out a Lost Report and turn that in to me. I send out an email to the staff at the end of the day detailing lost items and found items. When I first started this, the emails were very boring to write, as well as, to read. So, I began to insert goofy humor (I pretend to be a professional critic for American Idol, and a few other Fox shows; I also share funny stories about my kids.) into my emails, and now I can get more people to open them up and read them.

Today a phone was brought to me that was found on Bus 40. I set it aside in a secret hiding place (so no one will take it when I am away from my desk). I have to be careful, though, because sometimes I forget my hiding places! At the end of the day, I opened the phone and looked in the contacts for "home" or "mom." I tried calling "mom", but I couldn't get service. I put the phone away and brought it home. I just tried calling it again from my back porch. It rang (one ringy dingy....) about five or six times and then I got a message that the battery was low and to recharge immediately. With what?....my good looks? It just so happens that Retro has the same brand of phone, so I'm going to charge the battery on that and then try "mom" again later tonight.

Edwina & Katya still go out on Halloween. I'm sure we will be pinning, taping and sewing at 5:00pm on October 31st, but oh, what fun it will be! Their high school football team plays the cross-town rival that night. The costumes are going to be very interesting. Do you think that if someone dressed up as a football player they could sneak out on the field and play?

Thanks for stopping by. Gotta get some laundry done....

Don't Ya Just Love Fridays?

I don't know about you, but Fridays are so much easier to face than almost any other day of the week. Knowing that dress is casual, dinner is pizza and I can stay up as late as I want, really gives me a big smile throughout the whole day!

Fridays, I think, are also a day of reflection. What did I do right this week, and what could I have done right this week? I don't beat myself up anymore, for mistakes, misstates and stupid stuff. I just remind myself that God loves me no matter what, and as long as I keep trying, I will eventually "get it right."

I can remember (yes, sometimes my memory does go back farther than 10 minutes) the days before kids and responsibility...Fridays were meant for going out and (partying)socializing. Yes, I used to do the drinking thing, as well as the cigarette thing, but kids change things. Now Fridays are order out, kick-back, watch TV and fall asleep around 9:00. How sad is that? You know what? That's okay.

It's Homecoming Week for the girls. Edwina played in the Powder Puff game last night. It was Junior women against the Senior women. (The seniors always win no matter what!) Earlier in the day, the school put on a mock drunk driving accident, where students volunteered to be injured victims, as well as, fatalities. It was meant to make a statement about drinking and driving. Kudos to the school administrators! It was very moving for many. One girl watched her twin sibling being zipped up in a body bag. Reality at its best. Did they get the message?

On a lighter note, one amazing thing about my Fridays is that Rock comes home for the weekend. His college is close enough that he can do that. I love this guy! And, if I only see him for 10 minutes, that's okay.

Well, time to pop in another pizza, and feed Tootsie! Have a wonderful Friday!

God Bless

Nuts About the Kid!

Hero arrived yesterday for a visit. He lives about 3 hours away in a cute little college town. I was so happy to see him; it was all I could do to stop myself from squeezing him to death! I get to see him about every three to six months. He just graduated from college and is starting the job-hunting, when-do-I-have-to-start-repaying-my-student-loans phone calls, and trying to figure out how many jobs he has to get to survive on his own. His Wonder Woman is still in school, so he does not want to move back home (there are other reasons why he doesn't want to come back..it can't be me...maybe it's because Edwina has taken over his room and completely covered the walls with posters, and thrown all her girly stuff about the room.)

Many of us moms will make all kinds of mistakes on No. 1, but I think my guy turned out okay. I'm glad sometimes that my memory is bad; I shudder at some of stupid things I did when he was little. For being my "practice kid" he is one awesome Hero. I'd love to hear some of your parenting memories with your first child.

Thanks for stopping by!

I've been away for a while.....

Not that anyone would notice...until now, I haven't had too many visitors. My computer crashed a week ago, and I just got it back today!

I am joining a group at work that meets once a month. They talk about how we deal with life's ups and downs, and how to change the bad habits we engage to handle stress. I use food to deal with everything, but especially with stress. My first meeting with this group will be in two weeks. I'm really excited about it. In the meantime, I am inspired when I talk to or read about people who have overcome their bad habits and learned to live a healthier, saner life.

I am in awe of the courage and tenacity that so many people exhibit when they really want something to happen in their lives. I'd love to hear about successes that you have had, and how you made the journey.

Thanks, and have a great day!

Just Any Other Day

For many, today is just another day. But, if you have a birthday, annniversary or some other special event that is celebrated on September 11th, you will be affected...forever. Maybe this a good thing. There are some things that we should always remember so that history will not repeat itself. Sometimes having a personal event and an historical event that share the same date can be a very special thing. I share one of those events with today's date, and so I try to find something positive to see me through the day. Chocolate helps....a lot!

My 25th wedding anniversary was 9/11/01. We decided not to celebrate that year. A sort of eerie thing happened. The day before, my husband ordered flowers to be delivered to the house. They arrived on the afternoon of the 11th. They were beautiful greens and white Lilys. Of all the flowers in the book, he ordered Lilys. Maybe it was a God thing. When the arrangement finally passed on, I replaced it with plastic and dried flowers. Every year I add another flower and/or green. I now have this beautiful arrangement of Lilys, roses, mums, etc., any flower that comes in white. And, of course, lots of green, leafy stuff.

I remember planning a big party for my parents on their 25th wedding anniversary. My party can wait. If we make it to 40 years, then I will rent a cruise ship. Would you like to join us?

Thanks, and God Bless!

Brand New Day

Good Morning!

Today, I will not make the excuse that I'm too tired, I don't have time, I am not prepared.... I will just do it! Okay, today I am committed to stay on track with the job (be kind to the first time parents who bring up their child's lunch, homework, books, musical instruments or PE clothes) and show the bosses that I'm not too old to do seven things at the same time!

To what will you commit? Don't sweat it, you've got all week. But think about one thing in your life that you would like to improve. Attack it like you would a forgotten closet, or bedroom, or basement!

Hope your day is a great one!