Wednesday, December 31, 2014

Rest in peace, Maximus Sparticus Bimbles



Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.

When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge. There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together. There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable.

All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor. Those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by. The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.

They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent. His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster.

You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart.

Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together....  


Monday, December 8, 2014

Happy Birthday to ME!

Yes it's my birthday today.  And 37 had better be WAY better than 36 was.  I don't know if I can take another year like that.  Lucky for me, all of my "odd numbered" years are pretty dang good.


Side note:  How blonde was my hair??

Thought for the day


Thursday, December 4, 2014

All the feels...

A long goodbye

My sister's dog, Max, is in his final days.  He's had a slow and steady decline for the last year or so, and after a trip to the vet yesterday, I fear the end is near.  He's been in pain from his arthritis and multiple other health issues and has increasingly been more and more disoriented and ornery lately.

Can I just say that this is by far, the absolute hardest decision I've ever had to make in my life?!  I know it's the right thing to do to end their suffering and let them leave this world on a "good" day and not when they are so feeble and miserable that life is not worth living.  It just seems so unfair that we outlive our pets.  The only other pet I've had was my dog Tasha that I had as a child.  She lived a very long life and passed away when I was 20 and away at college.

Watching him get worse is heart-wrenching.


I have no idea how I am going to tell my kids.  I have no idea how I will react when he takes his last breath.  I'm waiting for my father come home from Qatar so he can be with me when we take him for his last walk.


I just hope he'll always know how loved he was and how much joy he brought into our lives.  Max was the dog we never asked for (we "inherited" him when Heather passed away), but he is the dog I will miss the most.

Monday, November 17, 2014

Real conversations


One month to go until 10 years...

...and it hit me like a ton of bricks last night.  I saw this posted on Facebook and it reminded me of the loss like it was only yesterday.

This one was my favorite:

7. She was everything you’re not. Everything you were not was all that she was, and that made you feel like you were part of a whole. You looked up to her for all that she could do, and she did the same to you.

I miss you Heather.

Wednesday, November 12, 2014

Quote of the day

When life throws you curveballs, swing at those jerks like Stevie Wonder with a light saber!

- Jenn Guidry

Tuesday, November 11, 2014

Guess who got a hair cut?

It's amazing how much you can change when you get a simple hair cut.  My hair color got much darker because she cut all of the blonde highlights off.  What do you think?


I bake cookies and shit


Tuesday, October 14, 2014

Thursday, October 9, 2014

Real conversations


Song lyrics of the day

What hurts the most
Was being so close
And having so much to say
And watching you walk away
And never knowing
What could have been
And not seeing that loving you
Is what I was tryin’ to do


- What hurts the most, Rascal Flatts

Friday, September 26, 2014

Quote of the day

“Years of love have been forgot, In the hatred of a minute.”

- Edgar Allan Poe

Tuesday, September 16, 2014

Song lyrics of the day

I'm happy that you're sad
I know that sounds so wrong
But darlin you must know
The pain's gone on too long

-"Come in out of the pain"  Doug Stone

Monday, September 15, 2014

Getting my baby fix!


The best part of getting to go see my family this weekend was getting my baby fix.  I love visiting my niece and my nephew and I got the extra bonus of getting to see my cousin's little boy too.  I love babies!

 Timmy enjoyed chewing on the beads of my necklace.  Love that little redhead!

 The man of the hour (Joseph).  My chunker is getting so big - he's already 6 months old!  

 My niece Ellie is my selfie queen!  She loves to play with my phone and leave me pictures.

Why yes, this was during the Baptismal mass.  Don't judge!  

Thought for the day


Monday, September 8, 2014

Love notes

I seriously have the best friends ever.  They know exactly what I need to hear, just when I need to hear it.  Thanks JDF.  xo


Tuesday, September 2, 2014

Stressed much?

So I spent the first several hours of Friday evening in the emergency room trying to figure out what happened to cause me to have a near-fainting spell at my children's school earlier in the day.  I blacked out, I couldn't move my legs, I almost fell and it was absolutely frightening.

After several tests and a brief stint in this classy hospital gown, they sent me on my merry way, proclaiming that nothing was wrong with me.


Fast forward to three days later and the stress of worrying that I will have that happen again has caught up to me.  These are the new jeans that I just bought, that were actually snug when I bought them (in hopes they would be my new "goal pants").  They are FALLING OFF OF ME.  If that isn't stress weight loss, I don't know what is!


Thought of the day


Truth.


Friday, August 29, 2014

10 Types of Moms that SUCK


I’m not sure if you knew, but I’m pretty much the best, most perfectest mom ever in the history of ever. I don’t need to tell you that’s sarcasm, right internet? Maybe? Eh. Is this satire now? I feel like I used to know what that was but I think I lost it somewhere along the way during my Wild Adventures in Blogging. People seem to have created this new, vague definition. Anyway, back to my perfection.
1. Language Police Mom
Firstly, that sounds like an awesome name for some sort of knockoff Barbie doll; you know the kind made of the same plastic they use for those KoolAid bottle-things that your cheap Aunt used to buy for you years after you’d stopped playing with dolls? Complete with police uniform, perfectly curled hair and a baby under each arm.  
Secondly, I appreciate it when people curb their language for children. That’s real nice and respectful, otherwise known as common courtesy. And yeah, it kind of sucks when some asshole (heh… heheh, irony is fun) is cursing up a storm three feet from my perfect and innocent offspring, but hey, welcome to reality. A mystical place full of things that really suck; like people, for instance. As we step out into this land of people I can’t control with a withering ‘mom’ glare, I watch my daughter’s mounting confusion and horror. Those are bad words, she knows those are bad words because from time to time her mother says similar words and tells her those are bad words. I steel myself for life lesson time, usually by ordering more coffee. 
Dearest child –I begin— cursing can be fun. It can be honed into a fine, enjoyable art. But, like many fun things in life, you typically have to be of an appropriate age to enjoy them. Now is not that age, nor will it ever be whilst you exist under my roof and I am legally responsible for your transgressions. If you happen to express such language in my supreme direction, I will personally ensure that I embarrass you in front of every boy (girl?) you like in the history of ever. 
And lastly, it’s a mom’s job to protect their children, pretty much, but there exists this fine, judgy line between protection and total realistic disconnection. Remember I’m totally perfect, here, so yeah…
2. The ‘I Buy and Make Everything Organic,’ Mom
Kudos, thumbs up and a big smack on the ass for you, lady, I mean seriously, that stuff is expensive. But… could you maybe stop shoving it down my throat like that awful kale smoothie you’re forcing your sobbing child to choke down while I hand my daughter some frozen yogurt? She aced another spelling test, get off my case, bro. Also, it’s a Saturday morning and my will is weak.
I make my kid Kraft Mac ‘N Cheese with frozen chicken nuggets (I do heat them, by the way) sometimes, and I refuse to feel bad about it. I mean, its childhood we are talking about here, I only have so much time to nutritionally ruin her for life like my parents did. It’s the American way.
3. The ‘You’re Doing That, As In Everything, All Wrong,’ Mom. 
I am all about the open mindedness and information sharing. No really, despite my hatred of kale, smoothie form or otherwise, I totally am. But… I just really have a hard time believing there could be another mom as perfect as me out there. Okay, in all seriousness, all the kid one-upping that goes on here kiiiinda makes me want to strangle you with your really cute diaper bag. Your kid is awesome I’m sure, but every time you have to explain how they are more awesome than every other belligerent two year old, you steadily ruin the chances anyone else is actually going to like your kid. Or you. 
4. The ‘My Baby is 57 and a Half Months Old,’ Mom
Your kid is not 20 months old; your kid is over a year old, maybe even a year and a half old, but for the love of sweet, beautiful baby Jesus,   after a year, months should no longer be used to reference the age of your child. That’s like forcing complete strangers to do math the very first time you meet them, and that’s grounds for irrational hatred. And I mean completely warranted, pure, unadulterated, but still irrational, hatred. 
5. The ‘Center for Disease Control,’ Mom
I love hand sanitizer as much as the next working mother with no more sick leave, but I need you to stop forcing it on me every 5 seconds. Do you want me to drink it? Would that make you happy?! Dude, we used to hold each other’s hair in post-apocalyptic bar bathroom conditions, can we just calm down a teensy, teensy bit? Mini you just shoved three pennies and a nickel into her mouth while you were death staring me for licking Cheetos off my fingers, you’ve got bigger problems. 
6. The ‘Always Super Chipper and Well Dressed,” Mom
I hate you. 
No really, I just… hate you. I’m 100% sure you sold your soul to Satan, or maybe Martha Stewart. Nope, don’t even speak to me, I feel more disgusting and unworthy the closer you get. I’m not even sure these Yoga pants are clean, I may have worn them to the gym yesterday, who even knows anymore?
7. The ‘I Lost All My Baby Weight in 5 Hours,’ Mom
From time to time I enjoy playing this game with strangers at the gym where I say I’m trying to lose ‘baby’ weight. This is not exactly a lie. I merely see no reason to inform them my supposed ‘baby’ is almost nine years old (how many months is that?). Not relevant in the least. 
Also— see #6 for further details. 
 8. The ‘I Only Care About Being A Mom,” Mom
Shhhhh, this is a safe place my parenting sister. No one here (okay, well, excluding the entire internet because that’s just what the internet does) is going to judge you for forcing your kid down for an early nap because you wanted to catch up on the last season of Game of Thrones prior to season four premiering. Or, you know, to prevent yourself from being tomorrow’s CNN headline, whichever. All your dreams, hobbies and general sense of self doesn’t have to leave your body at the same time your baby is expelled from your vagina, I mean they probably will, but you should at least fight the good fight. Is that what feminism is about? That’s becoming about as vague as satire. 
9. The ‘We Don’t Use the Word ‘No’ In Our House,’ Mom
And this ‘only positive reinforcement’ thing you’ve got going on prepares your kid for reality… how, exactly? My favorite thing to say to my daughter is no. I even say it before she finishes asking for something. Usually because she asks me for everything she’s ever wanted in her entire life within the first ten minutes after I pick her up from school, but also because life is filed with a whole lot of ‘no.’ I’d rather she learned that early on, from me, than go skipping into the world expecting rainbows and unicorns only to belatedly discover soul crushing disappointment that is in no way positive, or glittery. Soul crushing.
10. The ‘I Write Internet Articles about Other Moms and Its Super Hypocritical,’ Mom
Oh, well hello there internet, fancy meeting you here. 
Suuuuuuuup?


Stolen from:  http://thoughtcatalog.com/brianne-mcdonald/2014/04/10-types-of-moms-that-suck/

Thursday, August 28, 2014

You're the meaning in my life, you're the inspiration!


Song lyrics of the day

That I love you
I have loved you all along
And I miss you
Been far away for far too long
I keep dreaming you'll be with me
and you'll never go
Stop breathing if
I don't see you anymore


- "Far away"  Nickelback

Chicago: In pictures

My work trip this week consisted of:

1.   Chauffeuring my boss around while he napped (bless his heart)


2.  Late night rides in a Maserati



3. The most beautiful sunrises I've ever seen


4.   A Midwesterner's attempt at biscuits and gravy (that was phenomenal)


5.  Being in "timeout" while being tethered to the electrical outlet while trying to charge my phone.