so it's like this...

{source}

andrea's post got me thinking.

envy & jealousy have once again reared their ugly heads {i'm totally convinced they are in cahoots with that witch, aunt flo}. i'm honestly not sure why because i am happy. my life is certainly far from perfect at the moment, but content is - indeed - a great word to describe me.

i suppose some of the coveting & yearning comes from the fact that i'm not at the level of certain people. i probably won't ever be. no, scratch that, i know i won't ever be. why? because that's not who i am.

money seems so disposable, doesn't it? well, maybe if you have a crap ton of it. when you're making it work on one income, you come to realize that money is precious. it seems frivolous to spend it on mortgage-priced purses and designer shoes {that will give you designer blisters}. but, do i still want those things? you're damn right i do.

why? 

because i'm human and being envious is part of human nature. but, i know that it's not good to covet. i should be happy with what i have . . . and i am.

if there is something i've learned over the last few years, it's that less really is more. my life may seem like a struggle from time to time {because, let's face it, folks, we're currently living the life we should have been living ten years ago*}, but i've never been happier. my children are getting more of me {and their father, too, for that matter} than they've ever had. we're more of a "family-centered family" instead of a "keeping up with the joneses-centered family." 

*my life is certainly NOT where i pictured it to be. i had a clear vision of how i wanted things to be by the time i hit my mid-thirties. never, ever did i expect to be in grad school, living off a single-income, still paying off debt . . . all the while rooting on my husband who closed a painful chapter in his life & is moving on with honor & integrity {oh, that's so coach wade of me!}.

money doesn't buy happiness. i've seen first hand that money really is the root of all evil. alas, money does make the world go 'round. and, i will always fight off fits of jealousy and urges of "want, want, want."

while my life isn't where it should be, it's certainly getting there. and, here's a refreshing though, i bet there are more people out there who can relate to MY kind of life than there are people who can't.  i also know, too, that somewhere out there somebody might even be jealous of me.

peace out, thirty-three!

yesterday was my birthday.

my thirty-fourth birthday, to be exact.

another trip around the sun, another year wiser, another year closer to forty.

how was my special day?
it was pretty uneventful.
the kids fought.
i did laundry.
i watched some 90210 reruns. {it's an addiction, i tell ya!}

my husband went shopping for my present on my birthday. {that's nothing new. you should see him at christmas. yes, he's one of the many at the mall on christmas eve.}

but...

i was spoiled.

the kids gifted me with not one, but two perry the platypus plush dolls {i love phineas & ferb, y'all}:

and, after dropping some major hints {thanks for calling adam, mom!}, adam gifted me with this:

{i've already exchanged the bracelet for a smaller size, but i think i need to exchange it again.
i'm pretty certain it's now too small. ugh.}

a pandora bracelet! i love the middle charm . . . it is a sea shell. you know, because shell is my nickname & i also love to collect shells. i can't wait to get more beads.

we don't eat out often, so i made a special request for dinner: linguine with clam sauce. here is adam's version of the dish:

it was so yummy! i had leftovers for lunch today.

and, i'm pretty sure you all know what also happened this weekend {if you follow me on twitter}. if not, here is a hint:

i absolutely adore my hair stylist & she squeezed me in for an appointment on saturday afternoon. she & i had a deal that i would grow my hair out until june rolled around. clearly, june came & went. but, i kept my promise.

this is what i looked like on my last day as a thirty-three year old:

my hair was l-o-n-g. well, long for me. it hasn't been that long since i was a sophomore in high school and that was, well, many, many years ago. if there is one thing to know about me & my hair, i don't mind doing something drastic. it's hair . . . it will grow back. except now it's going to take a while for my hair to grow out.

here is the new {thirty-four year old} me:

 {look at those crazies behind me!}

{ok, ok, so technically i'm still thirty-three in these pics.}

i went pixie, y'all. my husband's reaction? "oh, my god." he'll get over it. i mean, damn, we've been together a-l-m-o-s-t eighteen years, you would think he'd be used to my drastic hair cuts by now. i also colored it. mama needed to hide those grays {one day i'll gladly sport nature's highlights . . . just not right now}.

the kids {who went with me to my hair appointment} helped cut my hair, too. my stylist let them both cut a chunk of my hair. they were pretty stoked about that.

all in all, it was a good day. throw in the fact that the redskins won {like i really give a crap about football} and i would say it was a great day!

it's simply okay that i like oldies.

today's post is a mish-mash {if you will} of three link-ups: one that i participate in as often as i remember to can & two that i've never participated in before.

are you ready? here we go.

---

here are the simple things i appreciated this week:

♦ sunday funday with a group of really great friends.
♦ rain. although it ruined some of our fun, we needed it.
♦ $1 containers of strawberries at target {my store recently added produce & meats}.
♦ watching phineas & ferb with my kids.
♦ cooking dinner with the hubby.
♦ puppy breath.
♦ having two {maybe three} bags of clothes & other stuff to donate.
♦ the cooler temps.
♦ knowing that pumpkin spice lattes are just a few weeks away from being back in starbucks stores.
♦ hearing my children laugh.

what simple things are you appreciative for this week?
link up with jesslyn amber.

---

it's OKAY...

♦ that i really enjoy 90210 reruns {even the corny high school episodes}.
♦ that - even though i'm NOT into football - i'm going to my husband's fantasy league draft this weekend {i'm in it for the food & beer, people!}.♦ that my house is not spic & span clean.♦ that i stalk fedex's tracking site daily because i'm way too excited about receiving my erin condren life planner {i just checked & it's on the truck for delivery...today!!}.♦ to have a bazillion things/ideas that need to be blogged about {i'll get around to blogging about it all at some point}.♦ to feel nervous about boarding my dogs this weekend {it's their first time being boarded. it's only for one night, but still. mama's nervous.}.♦ to get excited when i find bags of smarties in the $1 section of target {seriously, y'all, i may need a smarties intervention soon}.♦ that the hubs & i have to budget every last cent we have {such is life on a single-income when your wife -that's me - decides to go to grad school full-time}.♦ to be excited about going to great wolf lodge {really, i think i'm more excited than my kids are. or, maybe it's because i know the outlets aren't far from g.w.l.}.♦ that the laundry isn't put away...at least it's all washed & folded!
it's okay...go link up with neely & amber!

---

last, but certainly not least, i'm linking up with meghan at the perfect compilation tape for top 5 thursdays.
today's topic? top 5 favorite oldies.
here we go {in no particular order}:

 "crazy love" by van morrisonthis isn't the original version, but this ray charles/van morrison combo is straight up awesome.


"suspicious minds" by elvis
live in hawaii, too? hell yeah. {did you know i was born in hawaii? well, i was.}

"ring of fire" by johnny cash

need i say more?

"two tickets to paradise" by eddie money

i'd like two tickets, please.

"take the money and run" by steve miller band

a recent version of a fun song

my taste in music is all. over. the. place.
really, it is.
old, new, pop, rock...if i like it, i really like it.

what are your top 5 oldies?
go link up with meghan.

---

whew!!

TRUE LIFE: i'm a {general} blogger.

general is a classy klassy way of saying random, right?

hey, y'all. i'm michelle. you can call me shell. 

see? i'm klassy.

oh, wait. no, i'm general. or, just generally random.

anyways, welcome to stuttering shell. why stuttering? i don't know. it just sounded good with shell. you know, the alliteration. 

post one {which is a really shitty post, i might add} went live on june 11, 2007. wow, i've been at this for just over four years! i started blogging for me. it was mostly a release for my soul. then, i started blogging about my kids, family life, pets, food, work, etc.
i was all over the place. 

this blog has made connections.

this blog has pissed people off.

this blog has been used against me.

this blog has brought me joy.

this blog allows me to be creative.

this blog allows me to be me.

to quote kenny chesney {since i wasn't at his concert last night...sista girl be broke these days}:

i'm what i am and i'm what i'm not

i'm sure happy with what i've got

i live to love and laugh a lot

and that's all i need...

...and i never wanted nothing more.

what you see is what you get, folks!

no fluff. no drama. no bragging. no looking at life through rose colored glasses.

this blog is me. and, if you ever get the chance to actually meet me, i think you'll agree that i am my blog...and my blog is me.

feel free to browse around. don't feel like it? no problem.
here are some of my favorite blog posts {in no particular order}:

oh, god.

desperately seeking shoes! {because i'm still looking for another replacement pair of these mofos!}

random, useless knowledge about moi

things you don't say to a parent...ever.

Nn is for...

don't wash me...love me instead.

you crazy hobo!

overworked & underpaid {the comments on this post are pretty funny, too}

the sound of the sea soothes me.

wordless/wordful wednesday - tuna fever

gastronome.

feliz navidad.

la-la-la-la-la-la last friday night!

private property

this is for real.

dear creepy man in the green plaid shirt,

us.

funemployment.

bizarre food? yes. good eats? hell no.

moon jellies.

knee deep.

feeling candy corny.

if you made it this far, you can see that i'm generally all over the place. be prepared to see me again later on during this link-up. i'll be pimping out my blog as a mommy blog, food blog, photo blog. yeah, i'll be that crazy girl whoring out her blog. no shame.

so, what are you waiting for? go link-up your blog with fabulous but evil and mrs. monologues and let us all know what kind of true life blogger you are.

i hate to be random again, but...

random, it is!

i'm not really in the mood to blog. i know you can relate. some days, you're all gung-ho about scheduling posts and coming up with witty & meaningful things to write about. other days? yeah, not so much. seems as if - especially as of late - i've been doing a lot of random, brain dump-esque type blog posts. why stop a good thing, right?

so...here we go...

i know last week i promised not to post another bug picture, but i have to. no, i need to. why? because it's a picture of a swallowtail. a black swallowtail, to be exact. remember in july i found swallowtail larva on our dill plant? no? well, click here and here. could this be one of them? maybe!

i had a job interview on tuesday. i'm going back for a second interview on thursday. considering i'm still in graduate school, this job could potentially be a good fit for me, my family & my school schedule. of course, the idea of {possibly} working for a very well-known bookstore could be potentially dangerous. and, that is all i will say about work.

my first day back to school is in 27 days. my first class? algebra...at 8 o'clock in the morning. i know, i know...what in the eff was i thinking? clearly, i wasn't.

both kids are home. summer fun with the grandparents is over. aidan's been home for a week. malia just arrived yesterday. i have a feeling i'll be blogging about the kids soon. one idea in particular has been brewing in my mind for quite some time. i can't wait to share it. even those of you who don't have kids could probably relate to it...espesh if you have a sibling.

i'm certain i'll also be blogging about the hubs soon, too. you know, mostly about all of the annoying things that he does. i'm sure those of you who are married could relate to this. even if you're not married, but have a brother, you'll love it. at least i hope so.

there are many, many, many blog ideas brewing in my head. it's just a matter of getting them typed out. i should break out my {ancient as hell} laptop and work on them tonight. maybe. but, i need to get crack-a-lackin' because i'm taking place in a link-up sponsored by mrs. monologues & fabulous but evil. you should participate, too!

it looks like we may have a tropical storm sitting off of our coast by monday. maybe i should buy bottled water & charge our camping lanterns...just in case. nah. remember, we're complacent people around these parts.

{picture via}

my hair is currently past my shoulders. i tossed around the idea of getting feathers like my sweet beach bum friend & her sissy. but, i decided not to. instead, i'm chopping my hair off. mama's going pixie, y'all. when? probably not until september or so. i kind of want to enjoy having my hair in a pony tail for another month or so since i've never had hair long enough to do that. 

i'm also toying around with the idea of going meatless a few meals a week. it will certainly help cut down our grocery bill every week. i looked through what seems like a great vegan cookbook the other day. i'm planning on buy it when my nook arrives {yes, i finally bought a nook. the nook color, to be exact. and, yes, i bought it from qvc. ha ha!}.

{picture via}

are any of you vegetarians or vegans? got any great recipes, websites, cookbook titles, suggestions you would like to share? we are HUGE veggie fans. we love tofu. faking my family out with meat alternatives like tempeh & seitan might be a stretch, though {but, we love tofu so it should work, right??}. i've also made the decision to switch from cow's milk to almond milk. adam & i don't drink milk at all unless we have a bowl of cereal {and even that isn't often}. i do love my half & half, but i just want a different {perhaps healthier} alternative for my kids. i grew up on soy milk. i can't go there again & i won't make my kids go there either. 

and, i'll end on a semi-exciting note...

adam & i will celebrate our 10th wedding anniversary in february. we were thinking about going to playa del carmen, mexico {our happy place!}, but instead we've decided to throw a party. a big party. it's like getting married all over again...minus the vows, formal attire, gifts, etc. {well, if people want to give us gifts, then who am i to deny, right??} we are just in the planning stages right now, but it's kind of exciting to think about. and, since becky is sharing her love story, maybe i'll share the story of how adam & i came to be. maybe. 

psst...sorry if there are any grammar issues, misspelled words, missing words or if this is just plain confusing. i don't feel like proofreading this post. ha ha ha.

just a few tidbits.

{i totally cropped my sissy out of the picture...this is about me, not her.}

i'm not entirely pleased about where i am in my life right now. things that have happened, things that are happening...most of it has been & is out of my control. but, i've learned to live with no regrets...or at least i try to. even the worst of times have been a blessing in some way {usually in retrospect}.

i'm not the most conventional mother. in fact, i think my parenting style and my lax attitude might actually scare people. i'm definitely not crunchy or anything, but i'm certainly not smothering or overly doting either. but, then again, i tend to micromanage & get bossy. my parenting is kind of schizo {pardon the term}.

i cuss. sometimes, i cuss a lot. my kids hear me. am i ashamed? sure. but do they repeat me? no...not yet. ugh.

my television habits are strange. joke if you must, but i love qvc. i also love re-runs of the nanny & martin. for real. i watch a lot of hgtv and food network, too. and, if there is a harry potter marathon on abc family, yeah, i'll be on the couch.

i am not an alcoholic {seems weird that i'm putting this out there, but i have been accused of being one}. i do love wine. and bud light - bottle, not canned. lemon drops? no, thanks...unless you want to see me puke. and puke. and puke.

i'm unorganized. i procrastinate. i dwell. i worry. i can be a mess. it's a wonder how i can keep it together sometimes.

i am extremely trusting...until you burn me. then, i could potentially become your worst enemy. it's not the most flattering trait for a person to have, but dammit, i'm good a being a bitch.

i've been with the same man for nearly 18 years. i'll be 34 in september. you do the math.

i catch myself wondering, "what if?" from time to time. it's not worth it, but i really do sometimes wonder, "what if?"

i used "aww...skeet, skeet" in a text message. once. really? yes, i did.

washing your hair is overrated. maybe it is a mom thing or maybe it's just me, but it's really not unusual for me to wash my hair maybe three or four times a week...sometimes less than that. perhaps i've just become lazy. i hate blow drying my hair {when i used to do it daily}.

speaking of hair...you see my hair in the picture? that's the longest it's been since my sophomore year in high school {circa 1994}. that's also not my natural color. it's close, but it's definitely from a box.

text me. don't call me. even better? email me. nah, you should just text me.

i'm not a fan of surprises. especially surprise home visits. it's not that i live in a pig sty, i just sit in my jammies all day long...sometimes. hot mess? yep, that's me.

what else? what else?
well, we'll save that for another time.

big thanks to mrs. monologues for giving me the idea to post this. love you long time!

monday musings.

keep love in your heart. a life without it is like a sunless garden when the flowers are dead.

{oscar wilde}

this very moment is a seed from which the flowers of tomorrows happiness grow.
{margaret lindsey}

flowers are restful to look at. they have neither emotions nor conflict.
{sigmund freud}

flowers... are a proud assertion that a ray of beauty out values all the utilities of the world.
{ralph waldo emerson}

happy monday, y'all.

saturday randoms.

it's been nearly a year since we {more like i} was robbed. the police never really did much. they hit a dead end. the fingerprints came up inconclusive. i'm still finding black fingerprint dust on things. my jewelry never did turned up. of course, i never went looking for the missing pieces...until a couple weeks ago. the friend i accused? haven't heard from him since adam confronted him on the phone the week i noticed things were missing. says a lot, doesn't it? i'm glad my {priceless to me} jewelry could get him {and whoever else} high for that day, weekend, whatever. hopefully, somewhere out there, someone is enjoying my {sized specifically for my small fingers} rings & wearing my earrings with pride. as for that friend? my heart has grown bitter & unforgiving in the last couple of years. it's not a healthy way to live, but it's how i choose to live my life at this very moment because when you choose to betray someone who once trusted you, well, you don't deserve my friendship...or my forgiveness.

how's that for starting the blog post off on a depressing, somber note??

---

let's continue, shall we?

the caterpillars i posted pictures of on wednesday have disappeared. here are the last pictures i have of them {taken wednesday morning}:

i'm going to assume that the reason for their disappearance is because it's time for them to transform into butterflies. from what i read on the internet, they will leave the host plant {my dill} and travel a great distance to form a chrysalis. also, finding a chrysalis is like playing "where's waldo." so, i guess i'll be that crazy woman searching high & low in the garden to find these guys. of course, i should just go with adam's theory that a bird ate them and leave things alone. nah.

---

the kids are leaving again. i repeat, the kids are leaving again. yes, my kidlets are headed home with my parents today. how long will they be gone? until they miss me...which could be two days, two weeks or never. i'm just joking about the never...that would never happen.

---

we're currently in the process of drying out the first of our three sunflowers. adam's hoping roast the seeds. i should have taken a picture of it as it's drying out. it's really neat. but, i didn't. so, instead, feast your eyes on one of the two remaining sunflowers:

---

i tend not to post much about work stuff any longer, but i do have a job interview on the 25th. positive vibes, well wishes, crossed fingers, prayers & bribes would be appreciated.

---

and, of course, i can't wait to see this:

{source}

---

there's more, but this is long. tomorrow, i'm posting a tasty recipe courtesy of southern living magazine. if you have peaches & crescent rolls on hand, you're going to want to make it. promise.

lame.

that's me. your very unfaithful blogging friend. i'll spare you the details because people hate reading excuses about why they haven't been blogging {or at least that's what i read last night on twitter}.

yesterday, i was laid off from a temporary job {that i can't really say much about} three weeks before the project was scheduled to end.  apparently we were a little TOO good at bubbling in scantron forms.  it is what it is, i guess.  so, i applied for what seems like a bazillion & one jobs for my city's school system.  all of my fingers & toes are crossed for something to come my way.

are you on crowdtap?  if not, you should be.  why?  well, you interact with brands which earns you points which you can then convert to gift cards for amazon.com.  in addition, you also earn money for a charity of your choice.  still not convinced?  well, how about the fact that i've already participated in two sample shares. the most recent one being for old navy.  yes, old navy.  i received a pair of shorts, a top and an accessory all for free...and so did three of my friends.  pretty sweet, huh?  be prepared for a blog post.

i also hopped on board the shakeology train.  interested in a sample?  let me know.  the shakes are amazing.  

you wanna know where else i've been hanging out?  yes, ladies & gentlemen {because, surely, there are guys reading my blog, too, right??} i drank the kool-aid that is known as pinterest.

{via}

i was warned that pinning stuff is equivalent to a hard-core drug addiction.  um, let's just say that i haven't been to bed before midnight the past three nights because i'm too busy pinning & repinning random stuff.  

school ended a week ago for my kids.  guess where they are?  not here!  happy summer vacation to me!  seriously, though, they're traveling with my parents.  hooray for rockin' grandparents!!

i said goodbye to a friend.  i'm going to miss her a lot.  but, i'm so excited for her new adventures & i cannot wait to visit her {and ikea}.

these guys are pretty excited that they no longer have to spend 8+ hours in their crate monday through friday:

frisco loves his kiddie pool.  buxton...not so much.  at one point even aidan got into the pool. yep, that's how we roll around these parts.

oh, you need to go here.  go.  now.  really.  if you don't, i'll kick your butt. or, mrs. monologues will. besides, she blogged about me & five other FABULOUS bloggers.

i have so much to do & not enough time to do it all.  i do have some post ideas brewing in that dark, cavernous space also known as my mind.  but, for now, a dirty house & unfolded laundry are call my name.  lame.

it's the first {dump} of the month...

i thought i had something clever to post until my internet straight up disappeared on me {shakes fist at cox!!}.  now, here i am with internet access once again and - no offense - i don't feel like talking typing.*

perhaps a lil' brain dump is in order?

first of all...
don't forget to take advantage of 15% off AND free shipping at green mountain coffee.  the code is in my sidebar & it's good until june 10th.

second of all...

enter my giveaway for a sand-off mitt.  and, while you're at it, tell your friends to enter, too.  please.  i'm picking the winner on saturday, june 4th.  odds of winning are pretty good right now.

okay, back to the original biznass at hand...

i had a great holiday weekend. did you?  

it rained a bit on saturday. okay, okay...it poured.  but once the gray clouds parted, i parked myself here:

{let's not talk about the funky tan line on my left leg/foot...that happened the weekend before.}

friends of ours were camping at first landing state park {nothing like a staycation!}, so we joined them on the beach last saturday.  as much as adam wanted to camp right along with them, i'm glad we didn't.  

why?

1.  the mosquitoes were huge.  i've seen big skeeters before, but apparently they grow extra, extra large on the north end of my city.  seriously, those blood suckin' mamas {'cause you know it's just the females that bite, right??} got through my gap jeans.  gap jeans that were covered in about four layers of deep woods off.

2.  there were ticks.  or so we were told.  we did a tick check on friday night because we hung out by the fire for a few hours but, fortunately, we were all tick-free.

3.  we found out on saturday that there was a copperhead removed from the site right next to our friend's site.  you know, the snake...the poisonous kind of snake.

yuck, yuck & yuck.

on sunday, we went to a pool party.  i consumed many banana daiquiris.  now, whenever i see that my bananas are browning i will no longer want to make bread.  nope.  i'm going to want to whirl them in the blender with some ice & a healthy splash of rum.    

sadly, our blender bit the bullet on monday.  adam killed it.  it's his fault.  granted, it was almost ten years old, but still.  now i either need to have it serviced at an "official" kitchen aid repair place or just replace it. 

just a side note:  i also consumed many, many, many bud lights this weekend. 

i'm in the third week of my temporary job.  same gig as last month, just scoring a different {state} test.  and, that's all i can say about that.  i should be busy until mid-july.  extra money is good.

i'm not taking summer classes as originally planned.  long story {most of you know it}.  it's whatever.  i'm actually kind of glad to have the summer off from grad school even though it does push my graduation date back a little. 

the kids have 12ish days of school left.  i'll be glad when school is out so i won't have to deal with the "bully situation" my daughter has found herself in.  that's a long story, too, but the bottom line is this:  my ten year old daughter is not a bully.  i have my opinions about the situation & no i'm not playing the "it can't be my child" card.  trust me, i'm not in denial of the situation.  in fact, i'm very well aware of the situation.  and, truth be told, it really isn't my child who is at fault.

my mom is here.  so far we've either gone out or brought home froyo or ice cream every night.  tonight i had a flavor from handel's called 'spouse like a house.' if i keep up my once a night froyo/ice cream habit then i will be a spouse like a house.

i really need to color my hair & paint my nails.  my favorite beachbum bought me this & i have yet to use it: 

{yep, i hijacked the pic.}

i also have the urge to chop all of my hair off, but it's long enough for me to wear it in a ponytail now.  y'all, i haven't had hair this long since i was, um, a sophomore in high school {and that was like 18 years ago}.

my lilies are blooming.  and, yes, i'm going to show you pictures because a) i like taking pictures of stuff in my yard and b) i don't think you're sick of looking at my "photog wannabe" pictures...yet.

trust me, there will be more pictures in the days to come.  i promise.

one day i'll post pics from our california trip.  one day.  

my son will be eight in less than two weeks.  i told myself that i would bake him a cake that is shaped like a globe.  i also told myself that i was effin' crazy.

there's more, but i suppose i should save it for another dump.  nah.  honestly?  i forgot what else i wanted to write about.

*oh yeah, i straight up lied about that whole not feeling like typing a whole bunch crap at the beginning of this post because - hot damn - this was long!

sunday night brain dump.

i'm thinking i should do this on the regular.  i did it last sunday & it helped clear my head.

okay, here we go...

i start working tomorrow.  i haven't worked since i quit my previous job in august of last year.  i'm excited, but i'm also nervous.  it's only temporary, but the timing couldn't be better {or worse}.  i'll be working full-time for the entire month of april and the first week of may.  the semester ends this month.  finals are the first week of may.  ugh.

while this new job will be nice, what i'm going to miss most is all of the free time i had.  free time that i should have used a bit more wisely on school-related things instead of watching 90210 reruns, stalking crowdtap, coffee-ing with these gals & writing this blog post.  but, i'm not going to complain.  i'm certainly jumping at the chance to earn a decent, steady income for one month and this opportunity could open the door for more {albeit temporary} opportunities in the future.

my mom is coming to live with us for the rest of the month - kinda, sorta.  she's going to give us a hand with the kids so we don't have to scramble for temporary childcare.  seriously, she is a lifesaver!

spring break - for the kids - is in just a couple of weeks and they will be spending that time with my parents at their house.  i'm looking forward to the break.  i'm sure they are, too.  trust me, at ages 7 & 10, they do nothing but bicker and fight all.the.time.  and, quite personally, i'm tired of listening to my son whine.  i could also do without seeing my daughter's eyes roll for a few days, too.

i'm kicking off the first saturday of the kids' spring break by attending sertoma's spring fever with adam & a bunch of our friends.  six hours of drinking...ooh, lawdy!

i had my first etsy shop inquiry.  no sale yet, but still...this is exciting!

i'm still pining away for a new laptop...what else is new?!

did i mention that mondays & tuesdays are going to be my hell days?  well, tuesdays won't be as bad as mondays.  i will go from work to class on both afternoons.  in fact, i'll be late for class for the rest of the semester thanks to this job.  on monday nights, i don't get out of my second class until 9:50pm.  someone find me a coffee i.v. drip now, please.

in a little more than three weeks i'll be jetting off for california.  my cousin is getting married.  the reception is at a vineyard.  i die.  but, my trip could be cut short if i have to come back for training.  what?  training?  yes, training.  i had a telephone interview on friday for a summer job.  i'll know in two weeks if i've been awarded the position.  if i get the job, there is a mandatory training sesh on may 1st in d.c., so my cali vacay could potentially be cut short...drastically short.  keep your fingers crossed,  y'all: either for me landing this job or for me being able to go to disneyland with my kids.

there's more, but i have a presentation to work on.  it's due tuesday, but since my days will be committed to something else now, i have to get crackin'...tonight.  ugh.

sunday night brain dump.

i feel my emotions waxing & waning once again.  in other words, i'm on the verge of a 'freak out.'  it happens from time to time.  c'est la vie. 

i spent the majority of my weekend working on all things grad school:  i wrote an abstract for an article about skinner, i answered four chapters worth of discussion questions related to family interaction, i read skimmed chapters on freud & erikson, i studied for an economics test AND i had every intention of reading the rest of one of skinner's books {but i didn't}.  this coming week isn't going to be any easier considering i have a presentation due and four papers to write.  ugh.  but, getting this degree will be worth it, right?

speaking of grad school...i meet with my advisor on thursday to get my "plan of action" squared away for the summer & fall semesters.  one of the required classes i need is reluctantly being offered this summer.  right now i'm just hoping & praying that i'll receive summer aid or else i can't take the class.  and, let's not even talk about the fall semester.  okay, let's:  um, NONE of the classes that i need to take for my degree program {i only have eight left} are even being offered.  well, not the three classes that are prereqs for the other five, at least.  what kind of bullhonkery is that?  i also told myself that i would decide {on thursday} if i was going to continue in the masters program or jump ship and work on getting my teaching license only.  i thought my mind was made up, but now i'm questioning my decision...

friday night was a happy night.  i had dinner with my family.  my whole family.  not just adam & the kids, but my parents AND my sister, too.  my heart was filled to the brim with love.  seriously, i was oozing with lovey-dovey-ness.  plus, it didn't hurt that we chowed down on pho & followed dinner with froyo.  yep, that's how we roll.

speaking of my sister, i love her dearly and i miss her like crazy.  she was in town {well, on the other side of the water} this past week.  her husband coaches lacrosse and every year he brings his team down to our area for scrimmage matches.  anyways, she comes down to offer support & act as a chaperone.  last year i didn't get to spend much time with her because i was working, but this year i spent two days with her and i loved it.  all we did was shop {which wasn't good for either of our budgets} but it was so much fun.

i'll share the bounty of our shopping spree soon.  promise.  i mean, i feel like i owe it to you all to show off the kate spade wallet i got for $36 and the banana republic jeans that cost me a mere $10.  {that's not all i bought...}

i got my car back.  my lil' altima has been at my parents house since the beginning of the month. 
me + two dogs, two kids, one husband + shopping at costco + my lil' altima = no room for anyone
so, i drove my mom's quest home.  i was a minivan momma once again {we leased a honda hot-essy a while back}.  sadly, my parents picked up their van this weekend & i'm once again whipping emmy the altima around down. 

adam watched his left front tire bounce across four lanes of road last week.  tire, wheel...the whole damn thing.  when i got to the scene, his truck had a gangsta lean going on...it was on the rotor.  what a mess.  i'm very thankful he was able to fix most of it.  the truck just needs body work now.  i'm also extra, super duper thankful that he was not hurt and that no one was involved in this fiasco.  i drove down the road where this happened late last week and saw the mark in the road where his truck slid for nearly 20 feet.  i'd be lying if i said tears didn't well up in my eyes.

i want to move.  i'm ready for a fresh start.  if i were single & childless, change would be easy.  but, alas, i'm not.  the logistics of anything related to a move/fresh start will take some careful planning & a lot of convincing with adam.

i haven't subbed yet.  i'm a chicken.

i DID accept a month-long temporary position and will be working full-time in just over a week.  i'm eternally grateful that my mother has offered to come down & help with getting the kids home from school so we don't have to find or pay for childcare.  i just hope i'm able to juggle work, school, kids, the house, the dogs...

once this month-long assignment is over i'll start subbing.  no excuses.  promise.

and, finally, and probably most important, is the fact that i need to let go of someone.  her "friendship," if you will, isn't healthy for me and her actions {or lack of} indicate to me that she isn't interested, so why should i waste my time.  is this relationship toxic?  to an extent, yes.  were we ever really good friends?  no.  so, why is this so hard for me to do?  i really couldn't tell you.

oh, and everyone who commented on my febreze review {there are 5 of you}, please email me your address. you're all winners in my book!  nevermind the fact that i said i would choose a winner on march 11th...d'oh!

whew.  my mind needed this.  seriously.

the one with no title.

{a view from carr house at proctor academy in andover, nh}

the holidays came & went.
for the first time since having children, i didn't send out christmas cards.  and, believe it or not, i don't feel guilty or bad about it.  i had every intention of sending out a card for the new year and, well, that isn't happening either.  

i've been on a blogging hiatus - over a month long.  it wasn't intentional.  it sort of happened by accident.  and while i had so much i wanted to share with you all, it was kind of nice not worrying about writing & scheduling blog posts.

i suppose we need to get reacquainted.  i need to share with you all what i'm up to, what i'm making.  i have big hopes & dreams for 2011.

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?

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.
    

these are a few of my favorite things.

{sandbridge beach - virginia beach, va - july 2010}

{our lilies - when they were in bloom - full of pink & green goodness}

{frisco's puppy butt - fredericksburg, va - august 2009}

{my amazing children - hatteras, nc - september, 2005}

{this guy - dinosaur land - may 2008}

{korean food - or any food for that matter}

{crafting - should i start making hair bows/clips again?}

{me...just being - who else? - me}