Winters Coming

Ok, I give up. Winter is going to arrive whether I like it or not (and trust me...I do not like it!). Flurries this morning have proven to me that not all prayers are answered. Or at least, not in the way I'd like them to be. lol

Anyhow, to wave the white flag and attempt to embrace winter, I've changed the background and header for this blog.

*sigh*


Have you noticed the countdown to Spring widget? LOL

Major Random Conversation

If I happen to be home, and bored, and Chelsea happens to be at her place, and bored, it's never good because then we end up texting back and forth and the conversations get more random and more silly as the conversation goes on.

This is a copy of a recent conversation we had, and just how weird we really are:

C: (showing me a picture of someone with a scooter on the back of their vehicle) Look, someone else with a scooter thing.

D: You should have pulled them over and gotten their name. I could be scooter buddies with them.
C: haha they have a blue scooter so you could be primary colors pals (gee does that sound like someone who's an early childhood major? lol)
D: Yes, and we can go to scooter conventions all over the world
C: Scooter conventions? about what? backing up 101?
D: Yes. That is very important so that you don't knock over a mannequin (which I've done). Also they could tell you about the latest accessories.
C: Like what?
D: blinking flags so people can see you when you are scooting in the dark.
C: Yes! and how you can get new scooter horns instead of the beep beep one you have.
D: Yes, ones that can be heard and intimidating. Oooooo, an air horn would be awesome!
C: Wow. I would say one that yells out things like bomb! Gun! Fire! But then again, that might be bad. LOL
D: How about if it yells "Get your big behind outta my way!"
C: That could be offensive if they have a little behind.
D: I don't care what size it is, if it's in my way, it's big.
C: nice. Just get a sign.
D: What good is a sign going to do me if they aren't looking at me?
D: If they aren't looking at me, I'm going to have to shout at them to turn around and read my sign. If I'm going to have to do that, I might as well just tell them to get outta my way!
C: Get a flashing arrow.
D: WHAT? lol What am I supposed to do with that?
C: Well, I would say flash 'em, but that's probably illegal haha
D: Flashing a sign at them isn't illegal, but me flashing them is...and not something either of us would want me to do.
C: Yea, good point.
D: Gee, thanks for the love.
C: Wait. What were were talking about in the very beginning?
D: I was hoping you knew.

My tattoo

I've had my pictures of my tattoo posted on Facebook, but hadn't posted them here yet, sorry about that. I had planned to and then forgot, so thanks for the reminder! :)

Here ya go:

I was in total amazement in the process of the whole thing. I watched what was happening almost the entire time, and my mother was my awesome paparazzi! (Thanks again mom!) Mom, you could have told me to pull my bermuda shorts down a little though so I didn't look like a dork. LOL

She really was incredibly talented at what she was doing, and I kept commenting on how steady her hands were (which of course is a very handy thing to have in that line of work lol).

And Voila! There it is. The meaning behind it is that the butterfly is the symbol for Fibromyalgia, and I knew I wanted that, but I didn't want some cutesy or cartoony butterfly. I wanted it to look artistic. The words come from my sweet husband who constantly says this too me when I get overwhelmed and frustrated with the things I can't do. He reminds me that even on the days I can't do anything "You're enough". :)

I have waited over 30 years to do this, and I'm actually glad I waited as long as I did. I waited out of fear until I turned 40, and then waited until now to decide what I wanted it to be, because I didn't want to get one just to get one, ya know? The time now was right.

So, what do you think of it?

Hello, Dear Blog

Well hello there dear blog. I have to admit I had forgotten about you for a while. I missed you, I really did, but life got in the way and there never seemed to be enough time.

But I'm back now dear blog, and my plan is to make you more of a priority because you really can be therapeutic, as well as enjoyable.

So what's all been going on? Let's see if I can fill you in:

Ashley decided to not be on the college dance team any longer, and Chelsea decided to not be on the college equestrian team any longer. Both feel their classes are getting harder now that they are juniors and they want to allow more time for studying. I totally get that dear blog, but I have to admit that I do miss watching them entertain and/or compete. I've been watching them do that since they were in dance class at age 4. It tugs at my heart knowing that chapter has closed. At the same time I am so proud of them for wanting to work hard to achieve their goals.


Austin has really blossomed this past year. The shy introverted kid he has always been is opening up, and sometimes it shocks us. We hear that he is liked by all his teachers and can be pretty funny when with his friends. Even when at home, he'll start doing this slow-paced goofy dance when a good song comes on the radio. It cracks me up.

As you know dear blog, he was recently accepted into the National Honor Society and we thought we couldn't be more proud of him.

Then he came home the other day and said he had the lead in the school play. To say our jaws dropped is an understatement. He had told us he wasn't going to try out for the play. He didn't. The young man who had the lead quit the play for whatever reason and with only 3 weeks left until the play, the co-directors scrambled to find someone they thought could handle the challenge of learning over 110 lines in 3 short weeks. Austin was told he was their first choice. As he put it "Mom, they were like begging me. How could I say no to that?" What a good boy.

The rest of the kids in the play have been practicing for a month already, so most have their lines learned. I told Austin that if he ever wanted me to run lines with him, I'd be happy to do that. He really shot me down dear blog. His exact words were "Thanks, but K said she'd do it". K is his girlfriend. Okay then.

Fortunately for Austin, he is excellent when it comes to memorizing. Within 2 days he had the entire first scene memorized, and there are 5 scenes total. He doesn't seen frazzled by the challenge at all, and I have no doubt he'll do amazing!

There have been other things going on dear blog, such as getting my very first tattoo, trying new recipes, doctor visits, etc, etc. But I'll leave those for tomorrow.

It's been so good seeing you again dear blog. I promise to do my best to stop in daily, or every other day. Yea, I'd like that too.

Have a great day dear blog. Bye.

The Morning After

We made it home from the State Fair yesterday evening, got attacked by some very excited dogs, relaxed for a bit, and as we sat there, we realized that we were all so tired that we could barely see straight, so we all went to bed early.

This morning the alarm went off at 6:30. Ugh! It's the first time the alarm has been set that early since early in June on the last day of school. I got Austin off on his first day of school, Jay back to work, and then I sat in a very quiet house. A very, very quiet house. I forgot how quiet it is when I'm the only one home.

As I sat in the living room with only my thoughts to keep me company (our dogs are not morning people either, so they were still sleeping), I started to reflect on the past few weeks.

The week before our county fair (the week of 7/12) I committed to being 100% gluten-free. I also committed to being as close to sugar free as I could be (not including natural sugars like fruit). I will allow myself the occasional treat though (what's life without a treat now and then?). I committed to no Aspartame. I now only drink diet coke with Splenda, crystal light or plain water. I committed to no MSG. If I buy frozen meals, they are all natural only. I committed to eating as close to all-natural (all the time) as I can be.

Those have not been easy choices, but as time has gone on, they have gotten easier. I am not thinking of it as a diet, but a total lifestyle change. I'll worry about weight loss later - one step at a time.

Back to my reflections....

This is my 6th week with my new eating lifestyle. The state fair was a real challenge. Most things there are breaded and fried. It'll be much easier now that we're at home again. While it was a challenge, it was doable and that was a positive for me.

"Ruby" my scooter did great! She made it up and down the steepest hills several times day without fail. She struggled at times with the thick mud leading up to our camper, but everyone struggled with that. She helped me go with friends from building to building from shop to shop, from show to show, all the while having so much fun.

My pain levels were better. I only had 2 "bad" days when I had flares. The day after a flare is always a recover kind of day, which usually involves me sleeping a lot. So in essence I had 4 down days. 4 out of 12 is so much better than I have ever had before, and so much better than I ever expected to have.

My energy level was pretty good. Most days I did get tired, but a nap of about an hour or so and I was good to go again. Most nights I was up past 11:00. The days the kids showed I was up early, but other than that I was able to sleep in until 8 or 9am.

I am having some major digestion issues, which I have heard can happen to some people when they go gluten-free. It's enough of an issue that I am researching what to do about it as soon as possible.

Over all the past month has been really good all things considered. I have to attribute it to the new way of eating. There is nothing else that is different, nothing.

I am praying so hard that it's the eating. I don't want to think that it's due to the summer weather. If that's the case, that means it's going to end. The thought of enduring another Winter like last year and the intensity of the pain I had brings me to tears.

For now, I am choosing to think positive and believe that it's not weather related. I will continue to eat and drink the way I have been. I will continue to do small amounts of daily exercise, and I will continue to do my meditating and reflecting.

And who knows.....maybe tomorrow there will be another new positive benefit. :)

The 3 Little Pigs

Remember the story of the 3 little pigs?  While they were able to be safe in their Iowa farm home, the big bad wolf never gave up trying to blow it down. Hammy, Bacon, & Pork Chop got fed up with that wolf trying to constantly destroy their happy little barn. Their fear was at an all-time high, and their swine-esteem at an all time low.

After attending a self-defense course for pigs (no really...they do have them) they decided it was time to take back their lives...or at least, their part of the barn. They formed a gang and called it "Suínos Louco", which is how you say "Crazy Pigs" in Pork-tugese. They set out to prove they would no longer be bullied by the wolf or anyone, and they went on a wild rampage and became bullies themselves.

Hammy was the leader of the Suinos Louco.

The gang ran down the streets terrorizing anyone who got in their way.

Soon they were not happy with just taking back their part of the farm, but other parts as well. They thought the lush green grass in the horse arena looked like a great place to hang out and enjoy the breeze.

Hammy moved slowly, getting ever closer to the horses, while Bacon & Pork chop watched from a safe distance behind the rusty old wagon wheel. Max the horse gave one powerful kick to Hammy who let out a squeal and the gang retreated hastily. They learned to never try to have a turf war with gang members who are a bazillion times bigger than you.

The Suinos Louco showed up at our doorstep one day. Tucker did his best to try to scare them away, but it had no effect.

As I sat on the steps I tried to reason with them, but they wouldn't listen. How could I show Suinos Louco that they had better stop being bullies to all of us or else?

Then it came to me...

 The End

(Editors note: I whole-heartedly apologize for this sad attempt at a funny story. This is what happens when I wake up at 3am and can't get back to sleep. I call it an episode of "Thoughts Gone Wild". :-/  Someday there will be better sleeping medicines that will help keep things like this from  happening ever again. Until then, please bear with me.)

May I Have A Drum Roll Please.....

Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you...... WATER.

That's right, our well is FINALLY finished! We now have good crystal clean water to do laundry in, do bathe in, to drink. Tomorrow night both girls will be home and we are going to dine with real dishes, not paper, and with real glasses and silverware, not plastic. We may even have to break out the candles.

I have to stop talking about it now. It gets me so happy I start to tear up like the Miss America winners do.

Everybody's Free

My niece Jenna's competition dance team did a dance to this song and it was amazing.


You can watch it here. It is 7 min long, but trust me when I say you will find it totally worth your time. Seriously.  If you prefer, I do have the lyrics printed below that you can read with it. Listening to it though will give you a visual as to how Jenna danced to it. Just sayin'. :)






EVERYBODY'S FREE
(to wear sunscreen)

Ladies and Gentlemen of the class of '99... wear sunscreen.
 

If I could offer you only one tip for the future, sunscreen would be IT. The long term benefits of sunscreen have been proved by scientists whereas the rest of my advice has no basis more reliable than my own meandering experience. 

I will dispense this advice now. 

Enjoy the power and beauty of your youth. Never mind. You will not understand the power and beauty of your youth until they have faded. But trust me, in 20 years you'll look back at photos of yourself and recall in a way you can't grasp now how much possibility lay before you and how fabulous you really looked. 

You are NOT as fat as you imagine. 

Don't worry about the future; or worry, but know that worrying is as effective as trying to solve an algebra equation by chewing bubblegum. The real troubles in your life are apt to be things that never crossed your worried mind; the kind that blindside you at 4pm on some idle Tuesday. 

Do one thing every day that scares you. 

Sing.

Don't be reckless with other people's hearts, don't put up with people who are reckless with yours. 

Floss.

Don't waste your time on jealousy; sometimes you're ahead, sometimes you're behind. The race is long, and in the end, it's only with yourself. 

Remember compliments you receive, forget the insults; if you succeed in doing this, tell me how. 

Keep your old love letters, throw away your old bank statements. 

Stretch.

Don't feel guilty if you don't know what you want to do with your life. The most interesting people I know didn't know at 22 what they wanted to do with their lives, some of the most interesting 40 year olds I know still don't. 

Get plenty of calcium. 

Be kind to your knees, you'll miss them when they're gone.

Maybe you'll marry, maybe you won't, maybe you'll have children, maybe you won't, maybe you'll divorce at 40, maybe you'll dance the funky chicken on your 75th wedding anniversary. Whatever you do, don't congratulate yourself too much or berate yourself, either. Your choices are half chance, so are everybody else's. 

njoy your body, use it every way you can. Don't be afraid of it, or what other people think of it, it's the greatest instrument you'll ever own.

 

Dance. Even if you have nowhere to do it but in your own living room. 

Read the directions, even if you don't follow them. 

Do NOT read beauty magazines, they will only make you feel ugly. 

Get to know your parents, you never know when they'll be gone for good.

 

Be nice to your siblings; they are your best link to your past and the people most likely to stick with you in the future. 

Understand that friends come and go, but for the precious few you should hold on.

Work hard to bridge the gaps in geography in lifestyle because the older you get, the more you need the people you knew when you were young. 

Live in New York City once, but leave before it makes you hard; live in Northern California once, but leave before it makes you soft. 

Travel.

Accept certain inalienable truths, prices will rise, politicians will philander, you too will get old, and when you do you'll fantasize that when you were young prices were reasonable, politicians were noble and children respected their elders. 

Respect your elders. 

Don't expect anyone else to support you. Maybe you have a trust fund, maybe you'll have a wealthy spouse; but you never know when either one might run out. 

Don't mess too much with your hair, or by the time you're 40, it will look 85. 

Be careful whose advice you buy, but, be patient with those who supply it. Advice is a form of nostalgia, dispensing it is a way of fishing the past from the disposal, wiping it off, painting over the ugly parts and recycling it for more than it's worth. 

But trust me on the sunscreen.

Everybody's Free

Why Was She Embarrassed?

We helped move Ashley from the campus dorms to the campus apartments yesterday. I was in charge of helping to finish packing, and then helping to unpack. While packing I found a school mascot helmet and decided to wear it while we moved her. From that point on she kept saying the same thing over and over "I don't know you. I have no clue who you are."

Getting Old

You know you're getting old when you don't even consider doing any drugs because you can get the same rush just by standing up quickly.

I've Welcomed Back An Old Friend

I've rediscovered one of my favorite things from my childhood. Juicy Fruit gum. I remember that fruity taste as I'd pop a stick in my mouth. Somedays I would go through an entire pack of 5 sticks in a single day. It was my favorite gum. But then I grew up and moved on to gums that were sugar-free, because that's what grown-ups are supposed to do.

Just yesterday I discovered that Juicy Fruit has grown up as well. It too has gone sugar-free! Woot! Woot!

Am I on the bus that ran late again, which caused me to miss the news or is this really something new???

Random Dozen

1. What is one really fast, know-by-heart "go-to" meal to fix in a pinch?

Goulash - also a family favorite since my children were toddlers

2. What is one item you won't leave home without. (Purse and license do not count.)

Cell phone


3. Where is one place you never tire of visiting?

Our State Fair. We stay the entire 2 weeks every single year, and I love it!


4. Share one factoid of your family's history.

Each of my children have one toenail on their right foot that grows crooked. They all have it on the exact same toe...their dad has the exact same thing. Not necessarily a factoid or family history, but it's all I could think of. ha.


5. Complete this sentence: "Once upon a time I ...."

I prayed I would find a big city man who would whisk me off to live life in the fast lane in the big city. You know the song that says "Sometimes I thank God for unanswered prayers"?  Yeah, that. :)

6. If you could win a one year's supply of anything, what would it be?

A live-in cook/maid. I would love to have my own "Alice". 


7. "One quirky thing you may not know about me is ...."

According to my family, I say certain words wrong. I say "cimmanon" and "ambliance", among others. They sound correct to me and no matter how hard I try, I can't say them the way they tell me I'm supposed to.


8. You have one dollar in your pocket. What will you buy?

Is there anything you CAN buy for just a dollar? LOL I guess I'd probably buy a can of diet coke.


9. "One thing that always makes me laugh is ...."

My husband. After almost 24 yrs together, he can still make me laugh like no one else can.


10. What is one thing you could do today to help yourself reach a personal goal?

Walking just a little bit further, and not let the fear of the pain stop me from doing it.


11. What is one thing you could do today to bless someone else?

I will get my husband an ice cream cake today for his birthday. He hates the idea of splurging on something so frivilous for himself, but he LOVES them and I know he'll love that I got one. :)


12. What is one thing you're looking forward to soon?

Summer!! (and the thought that I won't be having to be up at 6am every day)

It's Been Cold!

I have been saying that it's been really cold lately, and I think this picture of me taken last week does a good job proving it! LOL

Random Dozen

Things have been a little nuts lately, and I've missed joining in on Lid's Random Dozen questions, so I'm back in the saddle again. Not figuratively, because we all know I'm afraid of heights and horses, but anywhooooooo.......on to the questions:


1. Have you ever been so lost that you were really afraid?

I can't think of anything, so I guess my answer is no. But I remember a time one of my children was lost for a bit, and that was terrifying!

2. Have you ever been to an island?

Yes, Nassau in the Bahamas for our honeymoon.

3. Are you more of a thinker or feeler?

I tend to over-analyze e-very-thing. Makes my poor husband nuts.

4. Do you tend to see issues or situations in life as black and white or shades of gray?

I tend to see them as black and white, but I know there are shades of gray so then I get confused because I want to see the gray, but I can't so then I go back and forth like I'm debating it with myself. Boy are you sorry you asked, am I right? LOL

5. If you were stuck on an island, what book would you hope to have with you (Let's pretend the Bible is already there, so you can't say that.)

Gods Blogs. It's a great book and a quick read. I've read it several times and I still like to read it. I love the way it's written as a blog.

6. What are you most afraid of?

Heights & falling from those heights. I get terrified and have panic attacks when I have to go up somewhere higher than a chair. Literally.

7. Would you rather lose all of your old memories or never be able to make new ones?

I think I'd prefer to keep my old memories, because I would never want to forget my parents & siblings, my wedding or the birth of my children.

8. Pretend I'm looking at a scrapbook page about you. There are three spaces for you to drop in individual pictures. What are those pictures of, and why did you select them?

One is a picture of Jay & I. One is a picture of my children and my new son-in-law. My family means everything to me and I am nothing without them. The third would be a picture of my bible, that I am trying desperately to read through (goodness sakes I struggle with all the be-gots and from the land ofs).

9. If you were re-doing your wedding, what would you do differently? (If you're single, tell me one thing you would do if you were planning a wedding OR huge party.)

I'd have the reception/dance in a location that was air conditioned (hot and humid is the norm for July in Iowa and there was no air conditioning? What were we thinking??)

10. Tell me one thing you know/believe about forgiveness.

It can be so hard and painful...whether it's forgiving someone else, or forgiving yourself.

11. You're waiting in a doctor's office. What is your favorite way to pass that time?

I get on my phone and check out the news, catch up on blogs or read emails.

12. If there were a clone of you in a parallel universe what is one way you hope she/he would be the same as you and one way you hope she/he would be better?

I would hope she does NOT have Fibromyalgia of course, but I would hope she would have my same love of laughter.

Head on over to Linda's to join in the fun!!

Random Dozen

1. How do you feel about "Gladiator" sandals, also called "Roman" or "Jesus" sandals? A fashion yea or nay?

Nay - I'm just not a fan.

2. What is your favorite pizza?

Taco or Combo/Supreme

3. There are plans in the works to sell roughly 1,000 items from Star Trek: The Experience in Las Vegas. This means you could buy Picard's chair for your family room. If not a Star Trek item, what prop, background, set, etc. from what TV or movie would you buy if you could?
[Ex: Hurley's "I Love my Shih tzu" shirt from LOST, the plantation home "Tara" from Gone With the Wind, or Tracy's tambourine from the Partridge Family.]

Anything that belonged to Greg Brady. I was sure I was going to grow up and marry him.

4. Name a local food or restaurant that your area is famous for.

Michelle's - the local restaurant/bar....and the only one in town. Not sure how famous it is, but She does serve good food!

5. What is your current favorite snack?

Baby carrots dipped in ranch dressing

6. Hypothetical: You are required to be a reality show contestant. Which show would you choose based on your probability of success? (You cannot choose "none.")

A. Dancing with the Stars
B. Biggest Loser
C. Survivor

Dancing with the Stars would probably be one that would be "easiest" for me because I grew up dancing and went to college for it as well. I still love to dance around the house. That having been said, I'd like to go on the Biggest Loser to learn valuable lessons from the pros.

7. On a scale of 1-10, with 1 being uninhabitable and 10 being cleanliness that meets the standards of OCD, how clean is your vehicle's interior?

9+ - I just cleaned and armor-alled it, as well as vacuumed it this past weekend. :)

8. It doesn't feel like Spring until _________.

My eyes start itching, watering, and looking like I've been on a drinking binge.

9. Something that made you laugh really hard recently is ____.

A very funny short video that my daughter bf shared. It's on my FB page if anyone wants to have a good laugh.

10. Tell me about a goal you're working toward.

Being able to exercise regularly. My FMS has made that a great challenge, but I am working hard to be able to do a little more each week.

11. Share a thought-provoking or inspiring quote this week.

"What the caterpillar thought was the end of the world, the Master called a butterfly." (I honestly repeat that to myself daily)

12. Name one thing that you do as a parent that you absolutely know will make your kids happy. If you're not a parent, feel free to substitute "friend" or nomenclature that works for you.

For my son, it's to buy him Skittles to keep in his golf bag. For my girls, it's to surprise them with a visit at their college and invite them out to eat somewhere that doesn't have a drive-thru window.

Laugh At Yourself-I Do It Often

I recently made a banana bread from a GF mix that was un-be-liev-able. It was so moist and yummy....just like a "real" loaf of banana bread. I was delighted to find they also sold a mix for pumpkin bread, plain bread, and a mix for apple pancakes/muffins. I bought 2 of each....that's how sold I was on the product.

This morning I was wandering around the kitchen after the guys left, trying to decide what to fix for myself for breakfast, and I decided on the apple pancakes.

I start mixing up the pancake mix and was a little disappointed that I couldn't detect the apple smell, but decided to withhold judgment until I actually tried them.

I got my skillet ready and went to scoop up some of the mix. Wow...it seems awfully thick. I don't really care for pancakes that are 3" tall. hhhmmm....let's try adding more milk.

After adding 3/4 of a cup more of milk they seemed better, but my excitement was dwindling. It got worse as they didn't set up like pancakes would. Flipping them was a nightmare and they stuck to the griddle horribly, and tasting them was equally disappointing. Blech!

While the banana bread mix was a hit, these were obviously a miss, and I was sorry I had purchased 2 packages.

I cleaned up the kitchen and grabbed the pancake mix package to throw away....and that's when I saw the big "oops". By mistake, I had grabbed the plain bread package mix out of the pantry instead of the pancake mix.

I laughed at what I'm sure is something only I would do, and then I laughed harder at the thought of the look Jay will give me when he finds out. They say it's good to laugh at yourself. Well, if I could earn money by doing that, I'd be a millionaire, because goodness knows I get the opportunity to do it often.

Ok, excitement was over, but I was still hungry. Do I reach for the right package? Nah, by then my interest in cooking anything was over. I reach for the box of corn chex and go check my emails instead.

This Is Heaven!

An elderly couple had been married for sixty years. Though they were far from rich.

Though not young, they were both in very good health, largely due to the wife's insistence on healthy foods and exercise for the last decade.

One day, their good health didn't help when they went on a rare vacation and their plane crashed, sending them off to Heaven.

They gasped in astonishment when someone said, 'Welcome to Heaven. This will be your home now.' They reached the pearly gates, and St. Peter escorted them inside.

He took them to a beautiful mansion, furnished in gold and fine silks, with a fully stocked kitchen and a waterfall in the master bath. A maid could be seen hanging their favorite clothes in the closet.

The old man asked St. Peter how much all this was going to cost. 'Why, nothing,' St. Peter replied, 'remember, this is your reward in Heaven.'

The old man looked out the window and right there he saw a championship golf course, finer and more beautiful than any ever built on Earth. 'What are the greens fees?' grumbled the old man. 'This is heaven ,' St. Peter replied. 'You can play for free, every day.'

Next they went to the clubhouse and saw the lavish buffet lunch, with every imaginable cuisine laid out before them, from seafood to steaks to exotic deserts, free flowing beverages. 'Don't even ask,' said St. Peter to the man, 'this is Heaven, it is all free for you to enjoy.'

The old man looked around and glanced nervously at his wife.

'Well, where are the low fat and low cholesterol foods, and the decaffeinated tea?,' he asked. 'That's the best part,' St. Peter replied,'You can eat and drink as much as you like of whatever you like, and you will never get fat or sick. This is Heaven!'

The old man pushed, 'No gym to work out at?' 'Not unless you want to,' was the answer.

'No testing my sugar or blood pressure or...' 'Never again. All you do here is enjoy yourself.'

The old man glared at his wife and said, 'You and your bran muffins. We could have been here ten years ago!

Peace & Quiet - Yea Right!

If you have read this blog any time over the past year and a half, you know that I have had many challenges regarding my health. We have been from doctor to doctor. I have been on pretty much every website you can imagine. We have looked into every recommendation given by family & friends. It has been a time of laughter, tears, frustration, denial, anger, and just about every emotion you can think of. But mostly it's been very overwhelming.

I'm one that needs to time to process everything that is a major life event, and I've not had that. Oh sure, I have spent many days over the past year sitting alone all day in my house, whether that be in the recliner or my bed, but still...you have the phone ringing, dogs barking, and people stopping by. Plus, you see things that need to be done - laundry, dishes, bills, etc. Life is rarely without interruptions, and it doesn't care what else you have going on.

For that reason, several weeks ago I decided to plan a weekend away, all by myself. As it turned out, this weekend, Jay & Austin are gone on a golfing trip to the Branson area, so this was the perfect weekend for me to be gone as well. One of my girls had no plans, so I hired her to be my house/dog sitter for a couple of days.

I only went an hour away, which my girls thought was ridiculous. But it wasn't the distance I needed. Those of you who are moms and wives will understand. I needed away from the distractions.

I had let everyone know what I was doing, but only Jay knew where I was staying. That way some sweet, well-intentioned friends who I love wouldn't stop by thinking I may be in need of some company.

I packed the essentials - clothes, toiletries (on a side note, my girls think "toiletries" is the silliest word in the english language lol), my medicines, and some GF snacky foods. Oh and of course, I brought along Diet Coke with Splenda (which I am still trying to get used to).

Then I also packed my laptop, a book, and some movies...by the way, last night I watched "Precious", and I see why it won awards. Very hard to watch at times, but amazing as well.

I was excited to sleep in this morning, but my bladder had other ideas. That meant I was up by 6:36 according to the alarm clock. I went down to the complimentary breakfast after my shower and while waiting for my personally made omelet to be finished, I had a nice chat with "Cory" the nice young man making my omelet.

I learned about how he got fired from his previous job due to the economy (Seriously? Or was there some other reason? Must keep an eye on my omelet!).
I learned about his engagement and how he is living with his parents until the wedding.
I learned he is double jointed in his elbows, which helps him with his cooking (? I didn't ask).
I learned he is allergic to strawberries after asking him to leave the mushrooms out of my omelet due to my allergies.
I learned he has other allergies too, including dogs and cats...and cows.
And most importantly I learned that you can learn a lot about someone in the short time it takes to make an omelet. Thankfully, soon someone else was waiting for an omelet and they became Cory's new BFF.

So I did a little shopping and did a little web surfing today, and was back to the hotel after lunch and settled in to start processing. However, over the next few hours I answered about 50 phone calls from my daughters, that included such classic, super important questions as:

Mom, a package came for you in the mail today. What should I do with it?
Mom, do you know any great places to eat in Chicago?
Mom, the dogs are barking. What do they want?
Mom, what's the weather supposed to be like here tomorrow?
Mom, do we have the stuff here to make cheesy potatoes?
Mom, guess what? This train is really bumpy. Did you know trains were so bumpy?
Mom, can I have the fruit in the top of the fridge? 'Cause it looks really good.
Mom, remember that tv show with the guy who lived with the two girls and he pretended to be gay so he could live there? (Three's company) It was on like, before I was born I think. Remember that? We were wondering, was he really gay, or just pretending?

They have now been informed that I will no longer be answering my phone, even for them. If there is an emergency, they are to text me with the words "Emergency - call immediately" in the text. That, I will respond to. However, there had better be an actual emergency, or one will arise quickly.

We'll see how tomorrow goes.....

Gimme A Head With Hair, Long Beautiful Hair

It was a sad, sad day yesterday. You know how you get an idea that you think sounds like a winner, but in reality...umm, not so much. That was me, and that's what my idea was like.

I decided to try going a little shorter with my hair. Emphasis on the word "little". Nothing drastic, just the normal trim plus an extra 1/2" tops. I've thought about trying it shorter for a while, but am much too chicken to make a major change, so it's all about baby steps. Only it turned out to be one GINORMOUS step. I don't know if she didn't totally get what I meant, or if she didn't get enough sleep last night (she has a 6 mo old baby), but today was not a home run kind of day for her....or me.

You see, I have no hair left. Ok, ok, that's a slight exaggeration. I mean, I do have some hair left. More hair than most military personnel - the male ones anyhow.

It looks like this:




I know....right????



Ok, I kid. It's not really THAT short. It's honestly more like this:



Ok, I know what you're thinking: "What's the fuss about you big baby? That's cute." And you are correct. It is cute. It's adorable! The difference is, I'm not in my 20's, I don't have that long graceful neck, and I haven't had just one single chin since the mid-90's. So that cute adorable haircut on her, looks like a blonde basketball enveloping my head.

What's that? You want me to take a picture of it to show you? No siree bob. Not gonna happen my friends. Cuz I no likey!!

I have decided that I am never going to get my hair cut ever again! At least not until my next appointment in 5 weeks.

Let me leave you with the words to the song I've been singing all day (well, once I googled them anyhow)...



Gimme a head with hair
Long beautiful hair
Shining, gleaming,
Streaming, flaxen, waxen

Give me down to there hair
Shoulder length or longer
Here baby, there mama
Everywhere daddy daddy

Hair, hair, hair, hair, hair, hair, hair
Flow it, show it
Long as God can grow it
My hair

Let it fly in the breeze
And get caught in the trees
Give a home to the fleas in my hair
A home for fleas
A hive for bees
A nest for birds
There ain't no words
For the beauty, the splendor, the wonder
Of my...

Hair, hair, hair, hair, hair, hair, hair
Flow it, show it
Long as God can grow it
My hair

I Always Feel Like Somebodys Watching Me

This past weekend I posted a picture of Tucker that I took as we were on our way to the vet. I made a comment that Tucker always sits in a way that he can watch me during the entire drive. Here is the picture I posted that proves that point:



In case you thought I might be exaggerating, here is a picture taken just yesterday as we were on our way to the doggie spa so he could get groomed.


And, then again on our way home. I am totally serious when I say every single time we are in the car he does this.






Kinda reminds me of someone: