thursday randoms.

it's been a week since i blogged about my not-so-pleasant encounter with a rude friend. thank you for your sweet comments. it's unfortunate that someone had to say something about my hair cut, but whatever. as ron white says, "you can't fix stupid."

now, on to more pressing issues...thursday randoms...

• i missed practicum this week. sad. but, considering part of my rotation is in a toddler room and i woke up with a sore throat & congestion on monday morning, well, i think i made the right decision by staying home. i suppose i should mention, too, that i was in bed by 8pm on sunday {midnight is usually my bedtime} and i had the chills, too. fast forward to wednesday morning when i nearly barfed all over myself. yeah, spending the day in a first grade classroom would not have been smart. i'm really hoping that i start feeling better by the weekend.
  
• and, just so we're straight, this {what seems like} week-long illness does not indicate in any way whatsoever that i could be pregnant. no way, jose.
  
• adam has been laying tile at a friend's house in the afternoon after work & on the weekend. her house flooded during hurricane irene and, unfortunately, she & her family are still trying to get the house back in order. i'm glad adam is so generous with his time and is able to help.
  
• it's hard to believe that i have a month left before final exams. the fall semester seems to be zipping by! i'll be receiving my masters degree in no time! {four more education classes, two general ed classes & 14 weeks of student teaching is all that i have left...}
  
• i replaced my daughter's TOMS {they fell apart after three weeks & nordstrom gladly exhanged them for me} and i also exchanged my pair {they were unworn, but the same style that fell apart}. now i'm thinking about taking mine back. i still have not worn them. they seemed like a good idea at the time...
  
• writing my 2 on tuesday post made me sad. and mad. i'm still pissed that some of my jewelry is missing. still no explanation. still haven't heard from the friend i accused. actions speak louder than words, huh?
  
• my erin condren order arrived on wednesday afternoon. that means i'm no longer stalking the fedex website for my package's whereabouts.
  
• our family photo shoot was postponed to this weekend. last weekend the weather was awful. well, it was partly cloudy, but it was windy as hell. i kind of wish we would have taken at least one photo on the beach. you know, getting sand blasted. it would have made for a very funny holiday card, don't ya think??
  
• i learned a new knitting stitch this week. it's pretty & a nice change from the seed stitch that i usually knit. and, because learning one new stitch isn't enough, i'm also trying to master a different, more complicated {to me} stitch as well. you know, while i'm juggling grad school, being sick, my own kids...no wonder i am sick.
  
• i plan on posting pictures {and prices} some of my scarves at some point over the weekend. to see one that i recently knitted, check out this post at life with the haas'.
  
• i went to the eye doctor last week. i'm getting reading glasses. they should help out with the headaches i've been having lately. 
  
• did you enter my tiny prints giveaway yet? if not, you better. i'm choosing a winner on saturday morning!

and, because i feel i should include a picture, i'll leave you with a {crappy cell phone picture} of a pretty magical spot in my city. whenever i meet this girl & that girl for coffee at one of our favorite local coffee shops, i take the back roads which allow me to drive past a marshy area. one morning on the way to coffee, i noticed the birds. on the way home, i stopped {yep, i put the quest in park in the middle of the road} and took this picture from the driver's seat...

seriously, it's magical. the amount of snow white egrets & herons & other feathered friends hidden in this swampy part of the woods is amazing.

happy thursday, y'all!

thoughts on thursday.

• traffic was bananas this morning!  i live just a few minutes from one of the many naval bases in our area.  operation solid curtain {or whatever they're calling it} is causing huge traffic backups.  good thing there's more than one way to get around this city. 
• yesterday was my 9th wedding anniversary.  adam took a half-day off from work. the kids had early dismissal.  the four of us celebrated by having a low-key lunch at margie & ray's. 
• i also spent $$$ on my car yesterday.  ugh.  but, i gotta keep my '01 nissan altima, emmy, running {jules named her!}.  she's purring like a kitten now.  i'm so glad i finally had my {dry rotted & cracked} alternator belt replaced...among other things.
• we're getting a new boston terrier puppy this weekend.*  we pick him up on saturday.  he's red.  he was sired by the same dog as frisco.  his name will be buxton.
• the flu visited our home.  thankfully, malia headed back to school yesterday after being sick since last thursday.
• i have yet to take a sub job.  i'm still wondering how to make it work.  so far, it hasn't.
• i ordered a pre-made blog design yesterday from designer blogs.  it should be loaded in a week.  if you check them out & decide to get something, please let them know i sent you.  thanks.
• my sister will be in town next month.  i really cannot wait to see her.
• i woke up this morning seriously thinking it was friday...only to be disappointed when i realized that it's really only just thursday.

* i hate to put this out there, but please spare me with the "you should have gone with a rescue" lecture.  my husband & i are going with what is best for our family.  while i appreciate the passion that some folks have about rescues, please be respectful of my decision.  i don't shove my opinions down your throat, so please don't shove your opinions down mine.  {for those that are curious, YES, i caught some flack on twitter because we decided NOT to go with a rescue.  to each, his own.  if you don't like it, then i kindly ask you to stop reading/following my blog.}

this is where we catch up.

{via}

this once a week blogging thing has got to stop.  i have too much running through my head. 

i owe y'all photos & a recap of my g.n.o. with four fabulous {bloggin'} friends!

i should probably share the one & only {crappy} photo i have from halloween, too.

i spent most of last saturday with this gal & even had her a bit worried when a detour threw me off - slightly - while driving on some back roads in camden county, north carolina.  {who needs a gps when you've got a driver with a b.a. in geography?!}

speaking of last saturday, we drove by a car.  the car was overturned in a ditch & the engine was smoking.  the tire marks & mud that went across the two-lane road was bizarre.  we didn't stop {because another car did} and we don't know if there was anyone in the upside down car, but 911 was called.  of course, it reached authorities across the state line.  fortunately, police & fire arrived shortly after the botched phone call.

there is a funk going through our house.  this congestion, sore throat, coughing bullcrap can take a hike.  not sure if it's allergy related or if it's icky fall germ related, but whatever it is...it's gots ta go.

it's time for me to get crack-a-lackin' on some homemade goods for the holidays.  ornaments need to be painted.  a crafting idea needs to be created {instead of just concocted in my mind}.  i received a twenty-minute crash course in knitting last sunday {thanks, mom!} & i'm hard at work trying to knit a scarf for my sissy.  i've managed to botch up some of the stitches, but i think it's lovely nonetheless.  {i guess i owe y'all a picture of that, too, huh?}

i'm going to hobby lobby for the first time ever this weekend. {i'm sure there will be pictures...ha ha ha!}

looking forward to tappin' my toes to some newgrass bluegrass this weekend...adam & i are going to see jackass flats {who else?} at the otter house.

registration for the spring semester starts next week {thank goodness i just remembered that i am meeting with my advisor on wednesday morning!}.  if i have things my way, i plan on taking only one education class next semester...and knocking out a math & an economics class.  oh, boy.

what else...what else?

ya heard, sucka?

yeah, i'm not the greatest when it comes to channeling my inner gangsta. 

anyways.

it's fall break for me.  yippee!  i am not going to even think about grad school for the next couple of days.  why?  three things.  no, wait, make that four. 

1. i have a ridiculous amount of kids clothing to list on ebay.  i kind of regret not registering to consign at a used kids clothing event this weekend, but the idea of taking on such a daunting task {washing, ironing, hanging & tagging clothes} this past week was not attractive to me at all.  so, my goal?  to get about half of three rubbermaid tubs worth of clothes listed on sunday.  somebody, just shoot me now.
2. i need to overhaul this blog.  i've been yearning for a new layout design for quite some time now, but we're so effin' broke.  therefore, i'm going to make the changes myself.  thank goodness blogger has a template designer now. 
3. i attempted to open an etsy shop.  what a bust.  but, it's whatever.  i'm thinking about resurrecting the shop.  not sure what i want to focus on.  well, i have ideas, but it's just a matter of moving forward with these ideas.  seriously, if you knew about all the crap that buzzes around inside of my head you would probably think i'm crazy -- borderline, but not certifiable.
4. i'm going to find me a job {i speak southern}.  just a simple part-time job.  ha!  is there such a thing as a simple job?!  if i land a "real" job, that would be great.  but, some stores are hiring seasonally and i'm going for it.  why not?  any extra money coming in would only enhance & benefit our already tight and oh, so strained budget. besides, some of these places i'm applying to are a whopping five minutes from the house.  whoa.  what a commute.

so, aren't you thrilled that i just told you four things that you probably don't give a hoot about?  yeah, the blogging - my blogging - is getting bad these days.  am i the only one with the blogging blues?  honestly?  i'd rather stuff my face {to prepare for a hibernation that will never happen} than type out what's happening in my head life.

as for these four things?  i bet not a single one of them happens, takes place or gets worked on this weekend.

that's {probably} fo shizzle, yo.

hi friends!

whether you are new to my lil' slice of the internet pie or if you've been watching my blog evolve...

{source}

i figured it would be fun to share a few things with my readers.  some of you may already know these juicy random tidbits.  others may not.  and, yes, i am totally copying what rachel did because imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, right?

1. i get lazy on the weekends.  i mean, really lazy.  if we're not headed out or if we're not having people over, then don't expect me to shower, wash my hair or put on makeup.  i may not even change out of my pj's.  don't worry, though, i still brush my chompers.
2. i am about as unorganized as they come.  but, there is a method to my chaotic mish-mosh.  too bad i'm the only one who can figure it out.  and, now that i'm returning to school to become a teacher, well, i need to mend my unorganized ways.
3. as much as i love the summertime, i love autumn even more - there's something about that cool, crisp fall air.  it's cleansing & refreshing for the soul, i think.
4. i have dimples.  it cracks me up when people ask me, "did you know you have dimples?"  um, i've only been staring at this same face in the mirror for close to 33 years now...
5. i am half chinese and i am very, very, VERY bad at using chopsticks.  when we go to eat dim sum {or yum cha} or go to eat at any asian restaurant for that matter, i always ask for a fork.
6. i mentioned in point #2 that i'm returning to school to become a teacher.  grad school starts in less than three weeks.  i'm nervous as hell.  i'm also excited.  i've been putting off the inevitable for so long now.  if i had not dropped out of grad school back in 2007, i would be teaching by now. 
7. i have this thing about my nose.  i mess with it all the time.  it's like i've got some rogue nose hair or something.  someone even asked me if i dabble in the nose candy because i mess with my nose so much.  um, no.  aside from breathing {which is some vital shit}, this nose is 'exit only.'
8. i have a potty mouth.  it's bad.  it's so bad that i can't even do one of those 'drop a quarter in a jar each time you say a bad word' deals because i would owe money to the jar.  my favorite cuss word rhymes with duck.  i also say shit a lot.  shit, shit, shit.
9. i enjoy road trips.  especially road trips in the spring/early summer.  windows down.  sunroof open.  radio blasting.  not a care in the world.  just pack up the car, buckle up the kids & go.  it's even better when the destination is hatteras island, nc.
10. this blog as seriously veered off of the mommy blogger path it was originally on.  i guess it's because my kids have been at my parents house since father's day {jealous??} & i haven't had any good material to exploit them with.  don't worry...this, too, shall pass.
    

hold on a sec...

many apologies about yesterday's not exactly nice just plain mean post. i had to get it out of my system. nothing new has transpired as of late, but the sad reality is that the hubs & i are still dealing with a very unfortunate situation. and, we will be for a while.

some of you know about 'the situation.' some of you don't. some of you are brilliant enough to read between the lines. it's too personal for me to discuss in detail here on le blog...mostly because of the legality of the situation {yeah, it's that serious} and mainly because the person i currently love to hate reads this blog {hey, thanks for quoting an excerpt of my blog during my unemployment hearing...i'm flattered}.

besides, why should i bring you guys down by bitching about my drama and other dumb shit?

i shouldn't.

so, from here on out {or until i feel another bitchy spell come over me} i'm moving forward...back to the land of happiness i will go...

work it.

today was day two for me.

two days on the job. woo hoo!

so far, so good.

i enjoy getting 'dressed up' for work again. and, this part-time schedule kind of works to my benefit because i only need to get 'dressed up' three days out of the week. ha! it's kind of like a win-win situation because i get a long weekend & i can still act like a professional career woman.

where this job will take me...who knows. i'm hoping it will turn into something more {you know, like a full-time gig}. i think it will. i know it will. i've got breathing room. i've got room to grow. i traded in my own private office and inflated salary for a cubicle, a pay cut & a monster commute.

but...

i'm happy, i'm secure, i'm welcomed, i'm appreciated.

they smile. they say hello. they take time to get to know you. they shake hands. they stop by just to say 'hey.' they are patient. they are kind.

i love that i'm in an office that's full of men & women, young & older and of all different backgrounds & cultures. i love that i have my own space to decorate. i love that i'm not the only part-timer. i love that i'm not the only parent. i love that i'm surrounded by people who value work & family...and recognize that family comes first. i love that i am part of something wonderful.

wow...and i only just completed day two. sounds crazy, huh?

post-holiday jeer & hopes for the new year.

christmas has come & gone and it's amazing to think that in a few short days we're going to kiss 2009 good-bye and ring in a new year.

2010.

a new beginning. the start of a new decade. eek. i don't know about you, but when i start talking about time in terms of decades i feel really old {when i'm really not...at least i like to think i'm not}.

anyways.

this is my 'the funk that always comes after the holidays' post. this is also my 600th blog post.

i'll admit it...i'm a bit down in the dumps, y'all. not really sad. not really super happy. just blah. don't get me wrong, i had a very lovely, very enjoyable christmas with my family. i couldn't be happier with the gifts i received & my heart swooned with joy as i watched my children giggle, gasp & get giddy with excitement as they opened their presents.

i wish i had pictures to share with you all, but i killed my not even one month old camera on christmas effin' eve. as i hastily cleaned my kitchen on christmas eve, i accidentally knocked my camera off the counter and the lcd screen shattered. the good news is, the camera is repairable. the bad news is, it's going to cost me nearly half of the camera's original purchase price to fix.

additionally, being unemployed has me stressed, but i know things will be okay. something will come along {i have an interview on wednesday & i aced my census exam}. the hubs' salary will sustain us. it's just the uncertainty of not knowing how long the hubs' job can or will sustain him that worries me...and that's all i am going to say about that.

and, we received some disappointing news the day after christmas. very disappointing. all i want to know is - when will people learn?!

but that's all besides the point.

i know in my heart of hearts that things will be okay. i know that He will provide for us & show us the way. adam & i have love & support from most of our families {i only say most because there is one individual who seems to be pushing family away rather than keeping them close...adam said things were quite weird when he & the kids were over at this person's house on christmas day...i didn't go so i'm sure you all can figure out who i'm referring to}. i know that my parents & my sister are rooting for me...to follow my dreams & listen to my heart. i've got good friends standing next to me. i am healthy. i have a cozy, albeit small home. my needs are fulfilled.
you know, it's funny how once before i used to thrive off of the negativity, but now it pains me to even get all "debbie downer" on y'all. i guess there really IS a big part of me that isn't so pessimistic anymore. hip, hop hooray.

so.

let's end this post by talking about some of my hopes, dreams & goals for 2010, shall we?

1. to find a job. not just any job, but my dream job. a career. the opportunity i've been waiting so long for.
2. to open an etsy shop & become successful at doing what i love...which isn't much, but why should i deny the world of my crafting abilities {yea, just needed to pump up my ego a bit...it's okay}.
3. to return to school. i'm not sure if i want to finish my graduate degree in elementary education or go for something completely different. i'm also not 100% certain if this is something that will happen in 2010 or 2011. we'll see.
4. to end any & all toxic relationships in my life. i've pretty much accomplished this goal already.
5. to let any & all negativity roll off my back. for the most part, people talk smack only to make themselves feel better about some short-coming...yep, that's right.
6. to excercise more often. so cliche for a new year's resolution, but what the hell.
7. to move. i haven't talked about this ever before, but we've been talking about possibly moving. where? we don't know for sure just yet. all i know is that we want a bigger home {because we really need a 4th bedroom} and i want more bang for our buck.
8. to say adios to our credit card debt. it's going to take a bit of time to zero out those student loan bills, but it's my wish to be 100% credit card debt free by the end of 2010.
9. to celebrate the 2010 holidays somewhere warm & tropical...perferrably playa del carmen, mexico
10. to love, honor & cherish the man that i love, the family we've created & the family we both come from 1000 times more than i do now.

what are your hopes, dreams & goals for the new year?

psst...stay tuned. in celebration of my 600th post, i have a small giveaway for you all to enter. it's nothing big. trust me. but it's still fun & cute & perfect for anyone who wants to be a bit more organized in the new year. i'll post the deets later this week.

ho ho ho hum.

i'm taking a break from wrapping presents. i don't care for wrapping presents. at all. i'm weird like that. of course, had i not purchased so many strangely shaped items then, perhaps, i wouldn't feel this way. nah. that has nothing to do with it. i just hate wrapping presents. at least i am on the ball and actually wrapping them before christmas...and not on christmas eve when i'm usually trying to wrap 43904630576457 things all the while mumbling every variation of a certain {filthy} word that rhymes with cluck.

i finally managed to get all of my christmas cards out in the mail {even the ones promised to those of you who emailed me}. i also braved the post office to mail the two surprise packages, one swap package & a small package for my sister. i have one more package to mail for mrs. potts' cookbook swap, but that lovely thing will be picked up from my front porch because I lurves the USPS's package pickup request thingie on their website. {you can also print out your postage for packages from home which i love.}

i hit ignore on my phone a lot. random, i know. but i've done it twice today. i'll do it again. i just don't feel like talking.

i'm taking a test this afternoon. i haven't taken a test since before i dropped out of grad school. yeah, i dropped out. one day i'll go back & ask if i can re-enroll. for now, i'm hoping to land a temporary gig working for the 2010 census. if that doesn't work out, i'll just hope & pray that the interview i have next week does. i'm still hoping for a phone call from a certain company and that phone call is supposed to happen after the first of the year. my fingers are crossed.

today is the last day of school for my kidlets. i really thought they had a half day of school tomorrow. adam did, too. we must be the only parents in our city who thought that. fortunately for us, and this is gonna sound bad, at least their holiday break is only for a week and NOT almost a month {like it was in previous years when their school operated on a year-round schedule}. a month-long holiday break when it's cold & dreary outside is tough, people...especially when you're trying to entertain kids from the elementary school set. of course, this year is different 'cause momma's unemployed so i'm sure we'll have fun. at least the stress of "who in the hell is gonna watch my kids while i try to go to work because there's no way i'm schlepping them to the office with me" is {temporarily} gone.

i really, really, really tried to avoid cooking a christmas dinner, but it looks like we're going to after all. damn. this means i'll be headed to wally world tomorrow {along with every other last minute shopper} to stock up on food & drink. for those curious, we decided to eat a local chinese buffet on christmas eve. i was looking forward to crab legs & general tso's chicken. but, twist my arm, prime rib & yorkshire pudding *have* to do. {yorkshire pudding is my favorite!}

my baking & crafting streak has hit a brick wall. i'm not in the mood. i have a headache. {and every other excuse for getting out of doing it could also apply.}

you know, for a while i was actually all merry & jolly and crap. all of a sudden, i'm not. i'm sure i'll snap out of whatever this funk is. it's just weird.

and, on that weird note, i need to get back to wrapping these funky shaped presents before i get busted by the hubs & kidlets!

quirky. partie deux.

• i prefer green grapes over red grapes. but, if you have black grapes, then move on over green & red grapes!
• don't give me any yoplait yogurt {sorry, yoplait lovers!} - i want the greek stuff. preferably this, this or this {not necessarily the honey flavor, though}.
• i heart cashmere sweaters. i do. i also heart v-neck sweaters & cardigan sweaters.
• it's time for me to break out my birkenstock boston's {all five pairs of them}, but i really need to 'update' my fall - casual - show wardrobe; therefore, i am coveting a pair of these and these.
• dinner isn't dinner at our house without some sort of veggie or veggies. really.
• my car is in serious need of a good wash. most people drive around with "wash me" written on their cars...i'm going through town with my son's name on my car {i caught him writing his name on the car door the other morning...there's that much gunk on my car. ew.}.
• i eat tripe. only when it's in pho or at dim sum. remember, it's that asian in me. *wink*
• speaking of tripe, we got our son to try a piece of it a few weekends ago when we went out to eat {pho, of course!}. he thought it was calamari. he he he.
• my mornings usually start with me breaking up some sort of tiff between the kids. ugh.
• while most of my friends are getting into the holiday spirit, i have a tendency to be more of a scrooge. bah humbug.
• i want to finish my masters degree. well, i do, but i don't...
• i am very good at wasting time. especially my own!

quirky.

• I sleep with three pillows - one for my head, one to lay against and one to put over my head. Don't ask. I've always covered my head when I fall asleep.
• I have a semi-ridiculous addiction to these.
• I mess with my nose a lot. A lot. I don't like that whole 'booger in the nose' feeling. I actually had someone ask if I did cocaine because I mess with my nose so much. Really? {Don't worry, I listened to Nancy Reagan in the '80s and I 'just said no.' Oh, and I do wash my hands & use hand sanitizer...}
• Punctuality is not one of my strong points.
• I haven't been without an eyelash curler since I was 14.
• Organization? What's that?!
• My daughter is so much like me it's scary - just ask my mother.
• I fell of the 'no soda' wagon a month ago - some people turn to booze when they get stressed, I just happen to turn to Coca-Cola. Ice cold. And, in a can, please.
• I can be pretty damn dense sometimes. I was told by a friend once that I am "the blondest half-Asian" he's ever known. {many apologies to my blonde friends...}
• The hubs made a comment recently about my legs & how smooth they were. Um, those bad boys haven't seen a razor in about a month {around the time I fell off that 'no soda' wagon}. Good thing I am half-Asian, but, yeah, I know...TMI. Sorry.
• I really like ketchup. And mustard. And mayonnaise. Sometimes I like to mix ketchup & mustard. Sometimes, it's ketchup & mayo. Yep. I love condiments.
• Sometimes I wish I was single & childless. Is that selfish of me? No. I think this thought crosses every mother's mind at some point.
• I nap only on Sundays.
• I hold the Wii Fit super hula hoop record in my household. Really.

i'm trying...i really am...

{source}

i'm really sorry for the 'debbie downer' posts lately. it's just been a very stressful week...month...year. the doo-doo hit the fan today. i don't know what i am going to do. i've been asked not to give up, but it's too easy to do when you've been let down in so many ways.

i don't forgive easily. i don't easily forget.

but i truly hope that this situation i've been thrown into fixes itself soon. or else.

i'm alive

this song warms my ♥.

not only because it's two of my faves singing a duet - kenny chesney & dave matthews - but because it's a very meaningful song. especially for me right now. of course, i'm not quite at the point where i can actually breathe a sigh of relief, but still. i'm slowly getting there {i really am trying to learn how to just "let go"}. i just feel that it pretty much sums up the feelings swirling inside of me - especially the verse that is in bold {see below}.

{source}

So damn easy to say that life's so hard
Everybody's got their share of battle scars
As for me I'd like to thank my lucky stars that
I'm alive and well

It'd be easy to add up all the pain
And all the dreams you've sat and watch go up in flames
Dwell on the wreckage as it smolders in the rain
But not me... I'm alive

And today you know that's good enough for me
Breathing in and out's a blessing can't you see
Today's the first day of the rest of my life
And I'm alive and well
I'm alive and well

Stars are dancin' on the water here tonight
It's good for the soul when there's not a soul in sight
But this boat has caught its wind and brought me back to life
Now I'm alive and well

And today you know that's good enough for me
Breathing in and out's a blessing can't you see
Today's the first day of the rest of my life
Now I'm alive and well
Yeah I'm alive and well

Still exhaling.

Just over a month ago my nerves were shot. They still are. I hate it. I absolutely, positively hate it. But, I'm just going to keep on keeping on & move forward with my life.

I have to.

My children need me to.

My husband needs me to.

I need me to.

I'm the eternal pessimist. The glass is always {and I mean always} half empty. There is no bright side. There is no silver lining. These evil ways need to change.

I don't like uncertainty. I can't stand it when there are no answers. I despise surprises. But, the reality of it all is THAT'S LIFE. All I can do is be brave & let go. If not, I'm going to be a freakin' ulcer with legs.

I don't know what is going to happen. I have a feeling I know why things are happening. Do I know when or how things will happen? No, not really. But, what I do know is this...in order for me to shed that pessimistic side of me, I need to re-evaluate the people in my life & why they are in my life. I hate to say it, but cleansing my soul of those who eat away at me is probably going to be the best thing I can do for myself {and my family} right now.

Wish me luck.

Clearing my head...

• Fall is quickly approaching - my fall wreath is hanging on the front door {spiked with the scent of cinnamon}, my pumpkin "WELCOME" sign is hanging on the porch & two beautiful mums are gracing my front stoop.
• I can actually see some bits of dark brown iris in Frisco's left eye {the one he had surgery on} - thank God!
• A pumpkin spice frappuccino from Starbucks really hit the spot over the weekend...yum!
• R.I.P. Patrick Swayze - we'll never put Baby in the corner.
• Finding ants in my pantry on a busy Monday evening? Oh, hells no.
• We've loaded up on the orange juice & vitamins - and we're praying for a friend whose husband & little girl are sick with that flu. So sad. Sending good thoughts & get well wishes their way!
• Ben & Jerry's Phish Food - need I say more?
• One week of school down...many more to go! The kids have transitioned well & we're on track for a wonderful year!
• Finding our rosemary plant underneath a crazy pile of weeds & wildflowers that invaded our flower bed by way of the neighbors behind us was ridiculous...finding out that the rosemary plant was still alive and doing well was exciting! Cannot wait to saute up some fingerlings in fresh rosemary...mmm!
• I didn't watch the VMAs but seriously, K*anye, you really ARE a d-bag, aren't you?
• Grey's Anatomy starts in just over a week...aaaahhh! Even more exciting than that is a new season of Survivor starts THURSDAY!
• I need new front brakes. Thank goodness the hubs can handle this himself!
• I'll be 32 on Friday. *sigh*
• Our pineapple sage plant has beautiful red blooms. So pretty & so striking against the green leaves.
• I can't believe my 10 year college reunion is next year. Wow.
• I have managed to avoid the mopping & vacuuming tonight...I guess it will get done tomorrow.
• Laundry is calling my name...no fun!
• Did I mention that I'll be 32 on Friday?! At least drinks with friends will take the 'sting' away. ;-)

Bound for Beantown

I'm headed to Boston this week, so I'll have some blog posts scheduled for your enjoyment {at least I hope so!} - mostly product reviews & giveaways.

Oh, and maybe a funny anecdote from one of the kids tossed in for good measure, too.

What would you do?

If someone has made it perfectly clear that they do not care for you & that they do not wish to even acknowledge your existence, YET they still want your children to come over and play with their child...what would you do?

Not to get into *cough*family*cough* drama, but this is an ex-family member I am speaking of.

The hubs says that I'm being mean...that I should let the kids play because the kids are just innocent victims in this unfortunate situation. While I agree to some extent, I remain firm about my decision and I stand my ground. There have been a few times when I RELUCTANTLY let them go, but I absolutely cannot stand them being over there.

I don't think I am wrong. I don't think I am being mean. I don't think I am robbing my children of any precious moments. I believe that I am proving a point. I believe that I am "sticking to my guns."

As stubborn as I may sound right now {and petty, too} I truly feel that it's NOT in my children's best interest to be around someone who has made it blatantly clear that my husband & I no longer exist. Our family is one package...you take us or you leave us. You can't have the kids without the parents. What you see is what you get and if you don't like it, well, tough.

Desperately Seeking Autumn

I am over the excessive heat.
I am over the ridiculous humidity.
I am over the influx of flies & other annoying bugs.
I am over sweaty pits (ew!).
I am over having to shave my legs all. the. time.
I am over running the air conditioner.
I am over {what seem like} never-ending days.
I am over the heat sucking the life out of anyone & anything.
I am over the traffic.
I am over the tourists.
I am over summer vacation {no, the kids aren't back in school...yet}.

While I will miss the impromptu cookouts, carefree schedules, camping trips & other random family fun, I am definitely READY for a change of seasons {a big change from this past February when I was ready for summer}.

I am ready for cooler weather.
I am ready to open the windows.
I am ready to put on a pair of socks.
I am ready to smell the crisp, autumn air.
I am ready to see the leaves change colors.
I am ready to go to the pumpkin patch.
I am ready for crock pot cooking.
I am ready for earlier sunsets.
I am ready to 'fall back.'
I am ready to put mums out on the front porch.
I am ready for nights by the fire pit.

I am desperately seeking autumn.

I realize there's still over a month of summer left, but I really hope we transition straight into autumn without any of the "Indian summer" ridiculousness.

Exhaling...

Thank you so much for your sweet words yesterday. Your words of reassurance & encouragement meant a lot. A whole lot.

I have a tendency to overreact and I sometimes do get a bit overly dramatic, but when stress & uncertainty starts encroaching upon my family & our state of well-being I feel fully justified in how I am acting.

However...

Praise the Lord......He's definitely looking out for us...all of us.

Within the last hour, I truly feel like a weight has been lifted off of my shoulders. I'm thankful. I'm appreciative. And, I'm hopeful.

It all started at the dentist...

I needed not one, but TWO, shots of novacaine this afternoon at the dentist. I'm ashamed to admit, but I needed a filling. Like I told my kids {thank you, Dr. Heff, for the dental lingo}, "Mommy has a sugar bug that needs to be moved out and replaced with a silver star." But, yes, it took two shots for me to finally NOT feel any pain while my dentist was a-drillin' away at my molar. And, ew, can I just say that the smell of freshly ground tooth is nasty?! Yuck.

So, after the dentist, the boy & I ventured on over to Wal-Mart {affectionately known as Wally World in our home} for some random things like frozen veggies & ice cream. While in the checkout aisle, I fell victim to the Coca-Cola laden freezer that was at the end of the aisle. I grabbed a 20 ounce soda and put it on the counter to pay for it. The cashier, who knew I had just come from the dentist because I told him so, proceeded to tell me that it probably wasn't a good idea to have a soda if I had just visited my dentist. And, he kept on talking about how soda was bad for me and that I must be having a "fat day" judging by what I was buying. Had I not had my child in tow, I would have gone {forgive me for my potty mouth...my mouth is numb, I can't control it} apeshit ghetto. I suppose I should have asked to speak to a manager, but I wasn't feeling up to making a big scene about it...besides, this guy kid was a good 10+ years younger than me and probably only working there for summer break.

Oh, you want to know what I bought at Wally World {you know, since I'm having a "fat day"}??

Sliced turkey, provolone cheese, whole wheat rolls, frozen brussel sprouts, orange juice, organic 2% milk, canned veggies (peas & green beans), frozen sweet potato fries, Edy's Rocky Road (oooh, so scandalous) and a couple frozen pizzas.

There were some other things, too, but it was just a DVD for the boy and a placemat for the cats. "Fat day" my ass.

Nevertheless, since I was having a "fat day" I decided to go to Sonic for something cool & refreshing {and easy to consume since a half numb face isn't conducive for eating solid food}...the boy got a chocolate shake & I got a cherry limeade chiller. Of course, my time at Sonic wasn't without some irritation.

Let me preface this story by saying that I live in an area that takes great pride in the military. I live 10 minutes away from TWO naval bases - one of them being Oceana. I might also add that I love jet noise. And, it's a good thing I do because jets are flying around all.the.time.

Anyways...

I pull into the drive-thru at Sonic. The guy comes on the speaker, "Welcome to Sonic...would you like to try a blah-blah-blah? I can take your order whenever you're ready." I barely heard him because a jet was flying overhead. I proceeded to order and he says to me, "Can you wait until the jet flys by?" Um, weren't you already speaking Mr. Sonic Order Taker Man??

*sigh*

I give up, y'all. It's been one of those days. I'm irritated beyond all reason...and for no reason...and everyone is just getting under my skin today. The hubs says I need to just relax. I think I need to open that bottle of bubbly in my fridge.