Thankful - Day 30

Day 30:  Today I am thankful that I actually enjoy working out.  My whole body hurts from head to toe.  My hands hurt, my hips hurt, my calves hurt...  every inch of my body feels like it's been beaten up right now because I'm just getting back into working out again.  But I LOVE IT.  And I am thankful that this is the one part of my health that I will always take care of.  It's been a rough year for me, both physically and mentally.  I've decided to fight back.  I've decided to reclaim my health and to reclaim my body and to do everything I can to honor what God has given me and to take good care of it.  I've seen too many friends and loved ones battling health issues - things that are completely preventable like obesity, diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, etc.  These are things that can be reduced or minimized with diet and exercise and good old fashioned common sense. 

Care to join me in this quest?  Want to make this next year the best year ever?  Want to be the best you possible?  I know I do.  I know I am sick and tired of being sick and tired.  I am tired of feeling lethargic and winded.  I am tired of not taking better care of myself.  There's no excuse for it.  So I'm taking action and changing my fate.  I hope you'll do the same.

Clearly I was born in the wrong decade

This was considered perfection in the 1950s.

Tyler Unscripted

This little guy has kept me laughing since the day he was born.  Last night was no exception.  Out of nowhere, he asked if he could have ice cream when we were at Jason's Deli, complete with the head tilt and eyelashes...

The progression of a photo opp

So if you have children you know that it's nearly impossible to take a picture with everyone looking at the camera and smiling at the same time.  If you have BOYS, that difficulty intensifies exponentially.  I luckily have very photogenic children who just LOVE to have their picture taken and the invention of the camera that spins around on the iPhone has only made this easier for everyone involved. 

But check out this sequence of events from last night.  I just wanted to take a nice photo of me and the boys at dinner so I could send it to the grandparents and earn some brownie points.  This is what happened next.  I call it "How NOT to take a photo of you and your kids"...

Exhibit A:

Decide that you want to take a picture of your kids.  Get them both sitting next to you.  Take picture.

Blurry first attempt.  Dammit!  Good job Mom...

Exhibit B:  Try again.

Cut off adorable 3 year old.  And holy FIVEHEAD!  I hate the way the iPhone makes me look like I have a huge head.

Exhibit C:  Tyler requests we do a "scary face".

We look confused more than anything.

Exhibit D: Decide a funny face is more appropriate. 

And obviously 7 year old doesn't know what FUNNY means.

Exhibit E:  Second attempt.

 That's just scary.

Exhibit F:  Attempt another "nice" picture.

Three year old has other plans.

Exhibit G:  Seven year old gives up.

Is this as good as it gets?

Exhibit H:  Last ditch effort.

That's just gonna have to do!

Another quote of the day

You were born to win but to be a winner, you must plan to win, prepare to win and expect to win.

- Zig Ziglar

GPOYT

Warning - scary picture ahead!

After a disastrous surprise video conference call yesterday (thanks Boss - a little warning would have been nice!), I decided that I needed to actually fix my hair.  But being the girl that loves before and after shots, I thought I'd show you what goes into being a fine looking specimen like me.  (I kid, I kid).

So behold...  BEFORE:

No makeup.  Blow-dried my hair with reckless abandon.  That's some poofy shit right there!

And AFTER:

 Nice and sleek.  A little mascara works miracles.  Enjoy!

Quote of the day

Carry out a random act of kindness, with no expectation of reward, safe in the knowledge that one day someone might do the same for you.

- Princess Diana

Thankful - Day 29

Day 29: Today I am thankful for common sense.  I wish that common sense was MORE COMMON.  I am really starting to think that half the world has lost their mind.  I am glad I am not one of the masses that fits into the crazy category on a daily basis.

And I'd also like to apologize for my frame of mind lately.  I am tired.  I am cranky.  I am exhausted. 

If you're a parent, you must read this

My sentiments exactly!

Click here

My day, in a nutshell

Give anything to hear half your breff...

Thankful - Day 28

Day 28:  I am thankful it's almost December.  That is all.

Odd Compliment of the Day

If you ever get mauled by bears, I hope they stay away from your face, 'cause I think you're cute.

Have a Tacky Christmas!

So I decided this year I was going to use up all of the half-rolls of wrapping paper I have in the closet and I declared this year TACKY CHRISTMAS!  In other words, no color scheme for the tree based on the wrapping paper I've chosen for this year.  I let the kids talk me into putting all of the ornaments on the tree.  This is what it looked like:

Isn't it awful?  It's so overwhelming and there's stuff everywhere.  The kids had fun decorating the tree but I don't like it.  It's just TOO MUCH.  And what's worse is that this isn't even ALL the ornaments I have.  This is just the colored jewel-tone balls and the "family" ornaments we had.  I have an entire bin of colored balls for other color patterns.  And white lights.  This tree is dripping in colored lights, which is such a big no-no.  Ugh. 

Oh Pandora

Top 5 Reasons Why I Love Pandora
5.  You can type in an artist and create an entire channel of music based on that style of music
4.  You can email your friends songs or channels you like
3.  It's free
2.  This is the most fun I've had with music lately
1.  I made a Harry Potter channel.  Yep.  HARRY POTTER.  

True Confession Tuesday

I burst into song at least 15 times an hour.  Seriously.  Thank God I work from home.  It's like I have Opera Tourettes.

HA!

Just the comic relief I needed... (in reference to a friend who had just gotten a new iPhone, I was offering to send the apps I had downloaded)

WOW

Linda is lucky to be alive.  Here is the news story from her wreck on Friday morning:

Click here

FACEBOOK RANT

All of the shit that Facebook is actually GOOD for and somehow I didn't see a single post that one of my best friends from high school had been in a serious car accident on Friday morning.  Both her legs are broken, ankle shattered, wrist broken etc and she's been in the ICU.  What good is having a "newsfeed" if the news that's really important doesn't get onto the feed!? 

Thankful - Day 27

Day 27:  Today I am thankful for my kick ass hair dresser.  Finding a good hair dresser is like finding a husband.  You need someone that will always make you feel beautiful, listen to your requests, and keep you on the right path.  And mine is AWESOME.  Her name is Alysia and she works at the Parlor in Raleigh.  And she makes me look pretty.  :)

(Decided to stay a redhead a little while longer...)

Peter Cetera 4-ever!

I've had this on repeat today.  Don't ask... 

Damn, Peter Cetera was awesome!

Quote of the day

An arrow can only be shot by pulling it backwards.  So when life is dragging you back with difficulties, it means it's going to launch you into something great.  So just focus and keep aiming.

Whoa

Song lyrics of the day

I miss the sound of your voice
And I miss the rush of your skin
And I miss the still of the silence
As you breathe out and I breathe in

If I could walk on water
If I could tell you what's next
I'd make you believe
I'd make you forget

-"Come on get higher"  Matt Nathanson

Thankful - Day 22-26

Sorry, I didn't get on the blog much over the weekend.  Here's my list though:

Day 22: Today I am thankful for not having to cook Thanksgiving dinner!  Sure, I made sausage balls and green bean casserole, but no turkey, potatoes, etc.  It's nice to not have to clean up either!  YAY!

Day 23:  Today I am thankful that I am back in the gym.  Even if my first workout was at 6am the day after Thanksgiving.

Day 24:  Today I am thankful for a chance to have a date with my husband.  Our anniversary was back in October and we never had a chance to actually celebrate.  Clearly we weren't in any sort of hurry...

Day 25:  Today I am thankful that I got my paper written early and I was able to go to bed at 8:30pm.  Yes, I love going to bed when the kids do.  Sue me!

Day 26:  Today I am thankful I have a job to come back to.  The first day back after a holiday is brutal.  The first day back after being off for a week is even worse!  But not having a job to go to at all would be unbearable.

You know what sucks?

Dealing with the same old SHIT but a different day.  One broken promise after another.  And me putting up with it every single time.  How many second chances does a person get?  And when do I finally say ENOUGH?  I've been asking the same question for over 9 years now.

Thought for the day

Thankful - Day 21

Day 21:  Today I am thankful for Pinterest.  You think I'm kidding?  Pinterest has helped me be a better cook, try new makeup techniques, attempt to be more crafty, and laugh more throughout my day. 

But let's be honest - Pinterest has also helped me gain 10 pounds from the food I've cooked, feel more inadequate as a mom from the "teacher gifts" that people post and last but not least, made me feel fat because I don't have the washboard abs the girls online do!  haha  All in good fun I suppose. 

Thankful - Day 19 and 20

Day 19:  Today I am thankful for all of the new gadgets in my car.  The butt warmers, the remote start, the power liftgift, Sirius XM radio, and most importantly my backup camera.  I can't believe these aren't standard on every vehicle made in America.

Day 20:  Today I am thankful for the loads and loads of laundry I have done this afternoon.  It means that we have more than enough money to buy clothes and I can keep my family warm.   I know that seems like it's not a big deal, but we have a lot to be thankful for.  I don't forget these things, even if I have been focusing on the crazy stuff for these posts.

FACT

The worst goodbyes are the ones that are never said.

Thankful - Day 18

Day 18:     Today I am thankful for my friends that have a sense of humor.  Like Leah, Jason, Aaron, Heather, Heather, Jenn, Rahul, Erik, Sharon, Vicki (hey family counts right?!), Erin, Ninos and Tom.

Thank you for always keeping me laughing, especially on days when I need it the most.  You guys ROCK.

Warning: major rant coming

I think it is RUDE when someone doesn't respond to a text message for hours on end.  Especially when I see you posting on Facebook and other things.  I mean seriously, am I that unimportant that you couldn't answer my simple question?

GRRRRRR.

True story

Thankful - Day 17

Day 17:

I came across these today when I was putting a laundry away in my son Tyler's closet.

It was incredibly overwhelming and I sat down on the floor in the closet and I just wept and wept.  I walked into the playroom where my husband and my children were playing, just held them up for them to see, and turned around and walked out before my kids could see I had been crying.  My husband just looked at me, smiled and said "Yep.  Wow!"

If you don't know what these are, these are my son Tyler's "shoes" that he had to wear 23 hours a day when he was a baby to correct his clubbed feet.  He slept in them.  He nursed in them.  He lived in them. The one hour a day that he didn't have to wear them were spent stretching his heels and moving his legs so that he could gain range of motion from his short achilles tendons.

I can't believe how far he has come.  You would never had known that my son had a really rough start.  That he didn't get his first "real bath" until he was 4 weeks old because of the casts he wore.  That even though he weighed almost 10 pounds when he was born, that after you added in the weight of his casts, I was holding a 14 pound newborn.  That he didn't learn how to crawl - he learned how to drag himself, army-crawl style.  That he didn't rollover - he used momentum to flip his whole body over, casts and all.  That when he finally figured it out, he didn't walk - HE RAN.

I have no idea why something so silly has gotten to me like it has today, but for some reason I couldn't fight the tears.  And I still can't.  OMG, I have so much to be thankful for.

Today, and every day of my life, I am thankful for DOCTORS and nurses and modern medicine, and those in the medical profession who strive every day of their lives to help people like me and my son live a better life.  A normal life.

I am thankful for Dr. Robert Caudle, who hugged a crying mother like me as they wheeled my son off to surgery, not once, but twice - and told me everything was going to be all right - that he would be a normal child and I had nothing to worry about.  I am thankful for the nurses in his office who were so ecstatic the day I came into the office and told them that TYLER WAS WALKING months ahead of what they had projected.  I am thankful for our insurance company, who never batted an eyelash when it came to things we needed to have done - from casting to surgery to medical devices.  I am thankful for my mother who helped me get through it because she had done it once herself with my little sister.  I am thankful for my father who talked me through it when I found out we were going to be dealing with this when our baby was born, and reminding me that this was NOTHING and we would be just fine.  

I have so much to be thankful for.

Another quiz

"Cause quizzes are fun when you're bored out of your freaking mind.

The things you do when you're bored... 

 

1. First thing you wash in the shower? My face

2. Are you more of a coffee or alcohol drinker? neither really, although I like wine lately

3. Would you kiss the last person you kissed again? every day of my life

4. Do you plan outfits? don't most people?

5. How are you feeling RIGHT now?  Elated, but tired

6. Whats the closest thing to you thats red?  Considering I'm crammed in the window seat on an airplane, I can't see much around me.  And I don't see anything red.

7. What would you do if you opened your door and saw a dead body? Scream out "WHAT THE...?!"

8. Tell me about the last dream you remember having? I had a dream that I got an upsetting phone call and that one of my friends had died in a car accident and I didn't get to say goodbye.

9. Three of your current feelings? exhaustion, anxiety and frustration

10. What are you craving right now? to be honest, I really want spicy chinese food

11. Do you floss? When I remember

12. What comes to mind when I say cabbage? ewww

13. When was the last time you talked on aim?  Years ago.  Although I was fond of it for sure.

14. When was the last time you cried? Why? last night.  Having a difficult conversation with someone I care about and I felt powerless.

15. If you could be a superhero, who would you want to be? Wonder Woman - duh.

16. Did the one person who hurt you most in your life apologize? Not entirely.

17. Do you bite into your ice cream or just lick it? I'm a licker.  I can't bite cold things.  Brrrrr...

18. Favorite movie ever?  The Wizard of Oz

19. Do you like yourself?  I'm the bomb.com

20. Have you ever met a celebrity? Yes, in fact I met one today in the airport.

21. Could you handle being in the military? Absolutely not.

22. What are you listening to right now? The whirr of the airplane

23. How many countries have you visited? a few - three maybe?  USA, Mexico and Japan.  I'm lame.

24. Are your parents strict? My Dad honestly THOUGHT he was.  But no, they weren't.  We were always really good kids though.

25. Would you go sky diving? NEVER, not in a million years

26. Would you go out to eat with George W. Bush? No thank you, I'll pass.

27. Whats on your mind right now? I need to find another car.  Sigh... Poor Brutus.

28. Is there anything you want to say to someone?  There are many things that I would like to say to you but I know howwwwwwww... cause maybeeeeeeeeeeeee You're gonna be the one that saves meeeeeeeeee...  Oh sorry, totally got sidetracked

29. Have you ever been in a castle? No

30. Do you rent movies often? Yes, whenever we can

31. Whats your zodiac sign?  Sagitarrius

32. When was the last time you had sex? Damn.  None of your business.

34. Ever had a near death experience? Yes, I was almost hit by a car while I was standing on the side of the road trying to help someone in an ice storm.

35. Do you believe in karma or predestiny? Yes

36. Brown or white eggs? white.  the brown ones weird me out.

37. Do you own something from Hot Topic? no

38. Ever been on a train? sure

39. Ever been in love? Yes, many times in my life.  I am blessed.

40. If you were paid 1 million dollars to spend the night in a supposed haunted house, would you do it? Yes, but I wouldn't like it.

41. If you could trade places with any person living or dead, who would you trade places with? My sister, so she could be here again.

42. If you could shorten your life expectancy by 10 years to become more attractive, would you do it? Hell no.

44. What was your favorite bedtime story as a child? Didn’t have one, but I have always loved the song my Dad would sing to us.  I sing it to my kids too.

45. You’re walking down the street, you come across a burning building. A woman says her baby is trapped inside, what would you do? Call the Fire department

46. If you could choose the future profession of your son or daughter, would you? No. I want them to choose it so that they are happy.  But as their parent, I will give my opinion and advice when it's asked of me.

47. What was your best experience on drugs or alcohol? do people actually have good experiences doing either? 

48. What was your worst experience on drugs or alcohol? too many to name.

50. As you’re walking down the street you find a suitcase full of money sitting next to a parked car, would you take it? Man that's tempting.  Knowing my luck I'd get caught.

51. If you found that a close friend has AIDS, would you still hang out with them? Obviously, but wow, that would suck.

53. How old were you when you lost your virginity?I was way too young.

54. Do you believe in ghosts, werewolves or vampires? Only ghosts

55. If you could live forever, would you want to? No, I want to go to heaven

60. If you could choose the sex of your unborn child, would you want to?  Yes only because I have two wonderful boys and I would want a girl.

61. Would you rather live longer or be wealthy? live longer

Thankful - Day 15

Day 15:

Today I am thankful that my travel hell is OVER!  Hooray!  I am flying home on the airplane right now, as I type.

Thank God.

Excellent news

I was just on an all-hands meeting for my company.  Shortly after, this was my friends' status update on Facebook:

It's been a long time since I've gotten TRULY good news about stuff at work. In fact, I struggle at times to recall a time when a "surprise all hands" actually ended up to be a positive, happy surprise and internal, pre-meeting scuttle amongst the rank and file was positive, eager anticipation instead of negatives, fear, and dread.

Having said that, our company received a very awesome award yest

erday. I was on our all-hands call with other folks peppered across the country via webcam and it was nice to see everyone so happy. One of our peeps was just this dark mass in front of a window of trees à la one of those 60 Minutes "obscured identity" interviews. One person was even with a client. Someone said, "Stop bursting my eardrums!" because they were "w000000"ing so loudly.

I used to ask folks to imagine how it felt that day at Apple, the day Steve came out on stage with their first 2G iPhone to show it to a flip-phone world. Well, this isn't THAT big, yet, but I have gotten a good reminder of what it feels like to be making a real difference again. And it feels good.

It's wonderful to see the company and team recognized by a consortium of individuals whose mission is to seek out innovation. But the award in and of itself isn't what excites me so much about this. What excites me is the acknowledgement that we are on a good path for both ourselves and our customers.

What they don't know, yet, is that we've only just gotten /started/.

 

Well said Baron.  Well said.

 

WiserTogether Inc. won the Industry Innovator Award for 2012 from the Institute of Healthcare Consumerism.  What an awesome feeling!  We are just getting started!

Sleepless in Seattle?

Not THIS girl!

I had my own personal tour guide today as I got the chance to explore some of the more eclectic and beautiful parts of Seattle.  My coworker Shawn just recently moved here so he was nice enough to take me out to lunch and show me around.

We ate at a cute little cafe called 14 Carrots.  Then we drove to the Troll Avenue Bridge and found this guy:

"I'm the grumpy old trolllllllll, that lives under the bridge!" (only my parent friends will get that one)

Then we went looking for all the house boats where they filmed Sleepless in Seattle.  There were a few little rows of houseboats and they were floating right on the water.  Very cool.

 So many little canals and hidden treasures in between

 On the edge of Lake Union

Walking back up from the waters edge

Then we drove down to the Puget Sound.  There was a cute little park and beach and everything. 

 All that's missing is Jacob from Twilight!  :)

Gratuitous Cheesy Tourist picture

More to come tonight - I'm having dinner with my client at the restaurant on top of the Space Needle.  YAY!

TOURIST TIME!

I'm getting ready to head out of the hotel for the first time today so I can explore Seattle.  I think I am within walking distance of the Space Needle, so I'm going to check it out while it's light out so that I can really take in the view!  Wish me luck!  Pictures to come, obviously...

Thankful - Day 14

Day 14:   Today I am thankful that 37 years ago today, my parents decided (on a whim) to get married.  No they didn't make it to happily ever after and they got divorced, but that love is the reason TJ and Heather and I exist.  And for that, I am truly grateful.

Thankful: Day 13

Day 13 - Today I am thankful for my father.  Yes, obviously parents are wonderful things, but my daddy is FREAKING AWESOME!  I called him this morning to lament about the repair estimate I got for my car, and he told me jokes to make me laugh instead of focusing on my car troubles.  I love that guy.  He's my favorite.

A quiz

(because I don't have much creativity in me today)

If you were a fictional character who would you be? 

Dorothy from the Wizard of Oz.  She's proof that a gorgeous pair of shoes can take you places.

 

Favorite vacation spot/type:  The beach.  ANY beach. 

How did you get your name?  My mom was a fan of the Little House on the Prairie books.  Carrie was the youngest daughter in the stories.

Do you have a signature “something”? (smell, color, style):  My hair is pretty legendary I guess.  But to be honest, I have worn "vanilla-flavored" perfume since about 1994.  Yes vanilla.  And no not vanilla fields - but I'm not telling you what.  People tell me I smell tasty, so I'd say it's a plus.

If you were given $500 that you cannot spend on bills, what would you buy?  20 pedicures.  true story.

Favorite Beatle:  I'm actually not a huge fan.  I mean, I like their music, but I couldn't tell you the words to most of their songs.  Sorry Leah, I know that is like a knife to the heart.


First CD you ever bought:  Pearl Jam - Ten and Paula Abdul's Spellbound

Preference:  I like to cuddle.

Fictional character you most want to marry:  Noah from the Notebook.

Thought for the day

Ha!

Thankful - Day 12

Day 12:   I am struggling today.  It's been a very long day filled with one thing after another, so I will start slowly on this one.

Today I am thankful that my dog wasn't ready to go to doggie heaven, despite the early morning worry and a $400 trip to the emergency vet.

I am also thankful that Jayson was not working today so that HE was the one to discover that my transmission on my car was about to give up.

I am thankful I was already packed when said transmission wanted to crap out so that we could get everything in the other car and leave the house within 15 minutes.

I am thankful that I have no fear of driving a vehicle that is acting possessed.  I actually kind of liked it when it revved to 5000rpms in 2nd gear.  That kind of excitement is usually reserved for James Bond.  I wasn't fond of the way it BUCKED into 2nd gear, however.

I am also thankful that in spite of all of this nonsense today, I was able to make it to the airport on time.

I am thankful I had 3 hours+ to kill in the airport in New York because it allowed me to get a much-needed manicure.

And now I am thankful that there's some awesome mexican food in this terminal because I'm freaking starving.

Yep.

Don't Stop Believin

So after a particularly crappy day, I'm walking through the airport and "Don't Stop Believin" is playing over the radio.  Why do I feel like I'm in a really bad Adam Sandler movie?

Meet the Blogger

Stolen from Leah as usual.

Meet the Blogger

 I love stealing things from her - she also steals them from Tumblr so we're all even. 

Name:   Carrie Ann (Hawkins) Griffin - fact: 95% of my male friends still call me Carrie Hawkins.  I think they are in denial I've been married for almost 10 years.


Height: 5’8"

Eye Color: blue.  sometimes grey - depends on what I'm wearing


Birthday: December 8th - DONT FORGET


Favorite color: purple actually

Mac or PC: Mac.  I'm a covert.  Those that say PC are clueless because they don't have a Mac.

Current shirt color: burgundy

Gamer?:  If by gaming you mean Just Dance on the Wii, then FUCK YEAH.  I OWN that game.


Day or night:  Day. Totally.

Celebrity crush:   Christian Bale.  Or Ryan Reynolds.  They are both on my approved list from J.  :)

Coffee?:   Hell no.  But I LOVE the way Hazelnut coffee smells.  It's actually my favorite smell in the WHOLE wide world.  I mean that.

Favorite Food: Mexican food.    Or Japanese hibachi.

Extras:  Not only can I juggle, I can juggle batons.  And fire batons.  Hell yes. :)

Thankful - Day 10 and 11

Catching up here!

Day 10:  Today I am thankful for my husband and his ability to "hold down the fort" while I'm out of town.  I came home and the house was relatively clean, there was a TENT in the playroom (the boys had slept in it for the past two nights), most of the laundry was done, and everyone was in a good mood.  Those little things make having to go out of town so worth it to come home to.

Day 11:    Today I am thankful to all of our military service personnel.  My father is retired Navy and my brother served in the Air Force, as did my father-in-law.  I have so many friends who are in the military or are married to people in the military, I never forget the sacrifices they make every day to ensure my freedom.  Happy Veterans Day!

Trip to CA catch up

My trip to California was pretty cool.  The event turned out to be a bust and not worth my time, but I did get to see two of my friends that live in Los Angeles.  I even made a quick trip to the Santa Monica pier and got to spend some time watching the sun set over the Pacific Ocean. 

It was super windy on the pier, but I was determined to watch the sunset, so I battled the wind!

How cool is this shot?

Every time I thought I could get a good picture, the wind would blow again and this is what I would end up with.

Finally!  Success!  (and a random sea gull too!)

The pier had an extra platform down below so you could get right on the level of the water.  It was very cool.

The sunset was beautiful, even if my picture-taking abilities weren't stellar.  (Nice horizon, Carrie!)

I really wanted to ride the ferris wheel but they weren't running it because it was so windy.  Wahh!

Tomorrow I leave for Portland and Seattle - two additional places I've never been.  I'm looking forward to it!

Song lyrics of the day

We can live beside the ocean
Leave the fire behind
Swim out past the breakers
Watch the world die

-"Santa Monica," Everclear

*I'm heading to the Santa Monica pier in just a little while.  :)

Julia? Is that you?

I was stopped at a stoplight in downtown LA and I saw this...  

A bit cliche, don't you think??

Thankful - Day 9

Day 9:   Today I am thankful for friends in all corners of the world.  I always thought being a military brat was a good thing, but I'm reminded of that more and more when I go on travel and I can catch up with friends in every place I go.

I will be having coffee with a middle school friend, dinner with a high school friend, and drinks with a former colleague today.  Hooray!

Ugh

The down side to being at a health fair?  Getting your body fat percentage checked and realizing it's 3% higher than last time.

The up side to being at a health fair?  Chair massages.

Note to self

Watching "What To Expect When You're Expecting" after you've just had a serious conversation about having a hysterectomy isn't a smart idea.  This movie is supposed to be funny and I've cried at least 4 times because I know I will never have another baby again.  Sigh...

My coworkers get me

Thankful - Day 8

Day 8:  Today I am thankful for my cleaning ladies.  Yes I work from home.  Yes I can probably clean my house if I really tried.  But sometimes you need to know when to pick your battles!  Having my cleaning ladies come twice a month gives me back precious time with my family on the weekends.  And for THAT, I am truly thankful.

GPOYW

Oh college. 

Thankful - Day 7

Day 7:  Today I am thankful for wonderful inventions like Groupon, which allows me to take pole dancing lessons, get my carpets cleaned, and have 90 minute massages for DIRT CHEAP.  You might think this is a petty thing to be thankful for, but being thrifty is a wonderful personality trait and I get to do so much more than I would if I paid full price for everything.

On that note, my massage is calling me!  Cheers!

I love this kid

How can you not laugh at this little face? 

Thankful - Day 6

Day 6: This is going to be a two for one day.  I am thankful for online shopping so that I don't have to spend 1.5 hours on a Sunday afternoon at the grocery store.  It saves me time, helps me control our money that we spend on food, and forces me to meal plan.  I can't say enough good things about it!

That being said, here is my November photo of the day: At Noon.

Do what?!

OK, I counted at least 12 things that I say on a daily basis from this video.  Here are a few of my favorites:

- My Daddy's gonna KILL me
- SHEE-it
- I'm fixin to fry up some okra
- OMG, I KNOW her.  We used to do pageants together
- Ugh, I'm as full as a tick
- You better come here and give me some sugar!
- Do WHAT?!
- Can you believe that bitch didn't write a thank you note?

But it was only Monday...

(sent in response to a picture of my haircut)

Do my friends know me or what?!  haha

I got a haircut

This post is 100% for AJH because I know he wants to see it.  HA!  AJ, here's your picture!

4 inches taken off and layers added in again

November photo a day catch up

I've been taking pictures for the photo a day thingy, but I haven't uploaded any of them, so here's a quick catch up:

1: Up close

2: Breakfast

3: Table

(the aftermath of my carb-heavy "last meal")

4: Far

5: Pattern

(my PJ pants)

Thankful - Day 5

Day 5:  Today I am thankful for the friends that I have that I can actually speak with about God, and the things that happen in our lives that we can't or don't understand.  I'm not a Bible beater - I grew up Catholic.  But I do know what I believe and I know that God has never given me anything I cannot handle, even if I don't think so at that point in time. 

"My heart and my soul, I give you control, consume me from the inside out Lord..."

My soul cries out...

Good advice

(stolen from Leah's blog)



Make sure you marry someone that laughs at the same things you do.

- J.D. Salinger

So far...

today I have...

1.  Washed, dried and folded 6 loads of laundry
2.  Vacuumed and steam mopped the kitchen
3.  Organized, labeled, and put away two entire bins of adult and child Halloween costumes
4.  Sorted and donated an entire plastic bin of kids toys
5.  Reorganized two kitchen drawers
6.  Gone on a doughnut run
7.  Made three beds
8.  Decorated the front stoop, removed the rotting pumpkins, and put up the new flags and sign on the door
9.  Watered plants
10. Potted two plants



All so that I didn't have to type my paper.  It's practically written, it just needs to be put in order and the bibliography created.  Damn, I'm a procrastinator.

Thankful: Day 4

Day 4:   I am thankful for clean sheets.  There is NOTHING more wonderful than slipping into a freshly made bed, where the sheets are still warm from the dryer, and you can smell the fabric softener still on your pillow cases.  AHHHHHHH.....

Thankfulness: Day 3

Day 3: I am thankful that I've never known what real insomnia is.  I can sleep for 12-14 hours straight and not move the whole time.

ZZZzzzzz....

#1 sign you are deliriously exhausted?   You laugh like a maniac at Phineas and Ferb because, not only is it the most clever writing on TV, but they are singing a song about "Frenemies" and you can relate.

OMG I need to sleep for a week.

Someone explain to me...

... WHY IS IT that on days that you seriously feel like absolute shit and it's pretty much all you can do to breathe, let alone FUNCTION properly, that your children decide THAT'S the day they are going to 1)throw temper tantrums, 2) cry over the stupidest shit, and 3) make you want to just crawl in bed and forget that you are actually the parent and not the child?

OH.  MY.  GOD.

I give up.

Quote of the day

"There is a sacredness in tears.  They are not the mark of weakness, but of power.  They speak more eloquently than ten thousand tongues.  They are messengers of overwhelming grief... and unspeakable love."

-Washington Irving

Thankful - Day 2

Today I am thankful for my childrens' intelligence.  I am thankful that they understand things like math and science and that they don't have to struggle with their schoolwork.  I am thankful that they will be able to excel in life because they can grasp complex concepts.  And I'm so proud of them that they realize what a gift learning can be. 

Thankful - Day 1

I'm a day behind but I can catch up quickly.  The things I am thankful for may be surprising to most - they aren't your typical "Oh I love my family and friends etc"...  brace yourself.

Day 1 - Today I am thankful for being overly in tune with my body.  It has helped prevent a disastrous illness and just recently help me identify a medical emergency.

On that note, if you haven't seen a doctor lately, don't ignore your health.  And don't think something is nothing, when in fact, it could be something that could kill you.

I'm a multitasker

The upside of being on the phone for 4 hours yesterday?  I got my office cleaned...

Two thoughts

1.  IUDs are the devil.

2.  I hate being a woman.

Day #3

More nightmares.  The general theme of the nightmares this week is that terrible things are happening to people I love.  I mean really terrible.  There is nothing worse than waking up SCREAMING.  One person was shot right in front of me, another was beaten by a group of angry men, and now this last one - a phone call you never want to get - someone you love was killed instantly in a car accident.  Sorry, no goodbyes.  They're just GONE.

I don't know what in the world is going on this week but I am almost afraid to go to sleep tonight.  And I'm already so tired I can't really afford to lose any more sleep.