I saw this on "Collecting My Thoughts" by Norma and thought I'd give it a shot. Here are 10 very very simple things that make my life slightly easier or bring me a little bit of pleasure -
1. splurging on Seattles Best ground coffee so I can have a good cuppa every day (and occasionally buying a sample size bag of flavored coffee for a Sunday morning special!).
2. Republic of Tea in Ginger Peach.
3. Alka Seltzer Gold (I have issues with portions control...ASG helps me out every so often)
4. Having really cute plastic tumblers with little blue and gold fishies on them for summer time
5. Seeing my kids get wiggly-excited and wave happily when I pull up into the car pool pickup line.
6. Sitting at the dinner table with my family and doing the "what was the best part of your day" routine.
7. The way my house looks and smells after dusting and vacuuming.
8. Driving with my window open.
9. Curling under a fleece blanket on top of my down comforter and taking a little nap with the bedroom window open a crack for fresh air.
10. Petting my cat.
and one more for fun, just cuz it makes me smile to do this...
11. Taking a shower with the lights off and just a dim glow from the bedroom light... very soothing!
Hold me back, I just can't stop!
12. The smell of fresh cut grass.
13. The smell of the summer air at 5 am when you go out to water your flowers or garden bed: wet warm soil, cool crisp air, the scent of the heat to come...
14. Kissing Bears round soft freckled cheek - it's luscious.
15. Holding hands with my husband.
16. Reaching out my foot in the middle of the night to feel my husbands feet - a little "sole" connection just for the sake of being able to.
17. A hot shower
18. Cool fresh clean sheets on the bed
19. Laughing with my daughter.
20. Resting after working hard, feeling good about both things.
Saturday, November 29, 2008
Saturday, November 08, 2008
Do you make your bed? Everyday?
I was running around this morning making the kids' beds and I was wondering why I bothered. If I let them make their own beds, which I do most days, I end up in there to straighten them out anyway. Both Buddy and Bear seem to kick the top sheet all down to the bottom of the bed and then when they remake it, they leave that top sheet all crunched up and hanging out at the bottom. Buddy is as likely as not to leave dirty clothes under the blankets too. And Bears bed will have two million beanies and stuffed animals and books all spread underneath. Chick only makes her bed when I make her do it because we have company coming. Her bed is such a nest of multiple pillows, fleece blankies and a folded-in-half-queen-down-comforter that it doesn't really look any different when it's made than when it's unmade. So, since she mostly keeps her door shut and lives in the celler anyway, I give her more leeway. But Bear and Buddy... their beds I keep tabs on.
My friend Karen gives me a hard time about the fact that I make my kids have top sheets anyway. She said she doesn't bother because her kids just kick them down to the bottom also. So why do I keep using one? I dunno. It just seems so uncivilized to NOT have a top sheet. Not that my kids are civilized by any means but hey, we make up for it with top sheets. My bed? Oh. Well. See, that's different. Sort of. I do make it but I have a method. I fluff it all and pull the bottom sheet nice and taut, but I fold back the comforter and top sheet all the way in half down to the bottom of the bed. Then the pillows get all plumped and arranged and I think it looks so inviting that way. Sometimes I make it all the way... like when company is coming, but this way the bed also gets all aired out and seems fresh each day. Try it, you might like it!
So what about you? Do you use top sheets? Make your bed everyday? Sleep with your dog (ewww, sorry but...yukk!)? C'mon, spill...
My friend Karen gives me a hard time about the fact that I make my kids have top sheets anyway. She said she doesn't bother because her kids just kick them down to the bottom also. So why do I keep using one? I dunno. It just seems so uncivilized to NOT have a top sheet. Not that my kids are civilized by any means but hey, we make up for it with top sheets. My bed? Oh. Well. See, that's different. Sort of. I do make it but I have a method. I fluff it all and pull the bottom sheet nice and taut, but I fold back the comforter and top sheet all the way in half down to the bottom of the bed. Then the pillows get all plumped and arranged and I think it looks so inviting that way. Sometimes I make it all the way... like when company is coming, but this way the bed also gets all aired out and seems fresh each day. Try it, you might like it!
So what about you? Do you use top sheets? Make your bed everyday? Sleep with your dog (ewww, sorry but...yukk!)? C'mon, spill...
Wednesday, July 09, 2008
Secrets Unveiled!
Ok, seriously, there must be a lot of bloggers that golf cuz that was a pretty popular guess... but I assure you, I am NOT a golfer, unless mini-golfing with the kids counts. And, what's the deal with a lawn ornament championship? This is either a very funny joke that I'm just too blond to get or it's a serious sport, like curling, and I just haven't discovered it yet. I'm banking on the blond thing... even though I'm a brunette. I do have blond giggle... but that's not what you want to hear about it is it? You wanna know The Secret don't you? Well, I'll tell you that Katherine, Blurbette, and Colleen all came very close. Do I have to tell you more?
Ohhhkay! I'll tell... (I told you I can't keep a secret!)
Hubby and I are flying out East for a 4 day weekend. He will spend some time chatting with his old boss (did I tell you the job was still open after a year?) and we already have an appointment with our old realtor to view available homes. In the meantime, a lawn service will come and tidy up our yard, weed and mulch and mow and prune in anticipation of a " For Sale " sign going up. I even hired MerryMaids to come in and do a super duper attention to detail kind of clean up for me. Tonight we spoke to a realtor here and got an idea of what we can get for our house here, how long it will take, and what we might need to do to spruce it up a little. A brief aside: she was flippin' brutal! I cried afterward! Sheesh...
We've told the kids. Told them that our other family was leaving town and we had a decision to make and we were considering moving back to our old town. Bears first reaction was a humongous grin and sparkling eyes and saying, "oh! I can see Tee again!" Tee is her best friend and she has missed her nearly every day for the past year. Buddy was both excited, but struck with grief. He did cry, and tried hard to suck it up, but is now actually wanting to move. Chick, at nearly 16, was hard. She has just really finally settled in here and has friends and connections. She too was really sad, but also saw the benefit of going back to old friends and such. All in all... everyone is ready. David told me that although we will not make an official decision until after we come back from our 4 day whirlwind trip, we can probably count on just doing this.
I can't wait to see my friend Karen - we'll stay with her for our weekend there and I sure hope she'll make some of her awesome meatballs and sauce! I hope we can find a house... we did get incredibly good airfare though so that must count as good luck in some way right?
Anyway - you must keep my secret for me cuz I still can't tell my boss or my co-workers or my aunt and cousins yet. I'm so glad I could tell you because honestly, I was gonna explode!
Now I'm off to spend the weekend cleaning closets and cabinets and figuring out what needs to go into storage so the house looks spare and tidy for potential buyers... blech.
Ohhhkay! I'll tell... (I told you I can't keep a secret!)
Hubby and I are flying out East for a 4 day weekend. He will spend some time chatting with his old boss (did I tell you the job was still open after a year?) and we already have an appointment with our old realtor to view available homes. In the meantime, a lawn service will come and tidy up our yard, weed and mulch and mow and prune in anticipation of a " For Sale " sign going up. I even hired MerryMaids to come in and do a super duper attention to detail kind of clean up for me. Tonight we spoke to a realtor here and got an idea of what we can get for our house here, how long it will take, and what we might need to do to spruce it up a little. A brief aside: she was flippin' brutal! I cried afterward! Sheesh...
We've told the kids. Told them that our other family was leaving town and we had a decision to make and we were considering moving back to our old town. Bears first reaction was a humongous grin and sparkling eyes and saying, "oh! I can see Tee again!" Tee is her best friend and she has missed her nearly every day for the past year. Buddy was both excited, but struck with grief. He did cry, and tried hard to suck it up, but is now actually wanting to move. Chick, at nearly 16, was hard. She has just really finally settled in here and has friends and connections. She too was really sad, but also saw the benefit of going back to old friends and such. All in all... everyone is ready. David told me that although we will not make an official decision until after we come back from our 4 day whirlwind trip, we can probably count on just doing this.
I can't wait to see my friend Karen - we'll stay with her for our weekend there and I sure hope she'll make some of her awesome meatballs and sauce! I hope we can find a house... we did get incredibly good airfare though so that must count as good luck in some way right?
Anyway - you must keep my secret for me cuz I still can't tell my boss or my co-workers or my aunt and cousins yet. I'm so glad I could tell you because honestly, I was gonna explode!
Now I'm off to spend the weekend cleaning closets and cabinets and figuring out what needs to go into storage so the house looks spare and tidy for potential buyers... blech.
Monday, June 30, 2008
Thursday Thirteen
Thirteen Things about Straddling The Line (on Wednesday night)
1. I still have a secret, I still have a secret! I'm thinking that Friday feels like a good day to spill my guts... yeah, Friday makes a good "Secrets Unveiled" day... will you come back?
2. I just watched The Biggest Loser. I'm a Loser virgin... I liked it. I hated one of the trainers though. I would have beat her up and then quit. I wonder if they hook you up with someone who you hate or someone who you love? But my husband and I then discussed our own weight and how to be losers... we do have goals... and it would be nice if our goals and our secret all came together!
3. There is some talk about Desperate Housewives and how Gabby kissing Lynnettes husband was either wrong or just plain fun. If I were Lynnette I would have kicked Gabby's skinny skanky ass all over my kitchen. Then I would have made her a pot of tea and talked about it. Then I would have kicked my husbands ass all over the whole house. Really... shouldn't HE take a little responsibility for it?
4. Stupid Parenting Choice of the Day goes to... ME. I let Chick go to the big city with her 3 friends and a mom. But they didnt' leave until 5:30 pm which means they didn't get there until 8 pm and when she called to check in at 9 pm they were just leaving the marketplace for dinner and would be on their way after that... I'm guessing she'll be home at midnight. Tomorrow will be a looooooong day at work I'm thinking.
5. Tonight I cried over something. When did you last cry? Lately I've been doing a lot of it. Unfortunately, I am not a pretty crier. I don't get all pale and wan with big sad wet eyes and full quivering lips. I get bulbous red nose and blotchy neck and swollen eyelids... I get snot all over and then a migraine. I'm so fun, I tell ya!
6. 27 days of rain... but yet today the sun broke through and I couldn't believe how light I felt afterwards... it was all of 30 minutes but it was so glorious! Changed my whole entire attitude and demeanor. I opened all the blinds and that sun just streamed in and shined on all my damn dusty furniture. Sigh...
7. I read all the TT blogroll this week. It took me 3 days, and I only commented on about 1/2 of them (it's delurker week! woo hoo!) Oddly, I tend to read from the bottom up... what does that say about me? Huh.
8. 5 weird things: I listen to the same cd over and over and over for weeks until I get bored. I listen to the same song over and over and over for days until I get bored. I like A1 sauce on my baked potato. I have texture issues with food and there are a lot of things that taste good to me but that I can't eat because the texture is off... and if I am thinking about it too much then ANYthing will make me gag. And finally, when I'm driving, I can't put my seat belt on until AFTER I've started actually accelerating in a forward motion. I can't... really...
9. Should that count as 8-12? No? Yes? Oh well... I saw someones blog had a personality test: which "happy bunny" are you... I took it... not so happy apparently. Oh well... I'll take it again another day.
10. I still can't believe I haven't told you my secret yet! Want another clue? I'll tell the secret on Friday... how's that for a clue?
11. I get to go to lunch with my husband today... I'm so looking forward to Chicken Souvlaki, but mostly I'm looking forward to the chance to make my husband smile, laugh, and look at me with happiness in his eyes.
12. Today I told a client that I may need to call CPS on her. It was so hard to do... so hard to tell her that I could and that I would. I see her next week again. Oh I do NOT want to have to make that call...
13. This is my 7th TT... am I a regular? Please remember that it's de lurking week - comment, it won't hurt I promise!
Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!
The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well!
View More Thursday Thirteen Participants
1. I still have a secret, I still have a secret! I'm thinking that Friday feels like a good day to spill my guts... yeah, Friday makes a good "Secrets Unveiled" day... will you come back?
2. I just watched The Biggest Loser. I'm a Loser virgin... I liked it. I hated one of the trainers though. I would have beat her up and then quit. I wonder if they hook you up with someone who you hate or someone who you love? But my husband and I then discussed our own weight and how to be losers... we do have goals... and it would be nice if our goals and our secret all came together!
3. There is some talk about Desperate Housewives and how Gabby kissing Lynnettes husband was either wrong or just plain fun. If I were Lynnette I would have kicked Gabby's skinny skanky ass all over my kitchen. Then I would have made her a pot of tea and talked about it. Then I would have kicked my husbands ass all over the whole house. Really... shouldn't HE take a little responsibility for it?
4. Stupid Parenting Choice of the Day goes to... ME. I let Chick go to the big city with her 3 friends and a mom. But they didnt' leave until 5:30 pm which means they didn't get there until 8 pm and when she called to check in at 9 pm they were just leaving the marketplace for dinner and would be on their way after that... I'm guessing she'll be home at midnight. Tomorrow will be a looooooong day at work I'm thinking.
5. Tonight I cried over something. When did you last cry? Lately I've been doing a lot of it. Unfortunately, I am not a pretty crier. I don't get all pale and wan with big sad wet eyes and full quivering lips. I get bulbous red nose and blotchy neck and swollen eyelids... I get snot all over and then a migraine. I'm so fun, I tell ya!
6. 27 days of rain... but yet today the sun broke through and I couldn't believe how light I felt afterwards... it was all of 30 minutes but it was so glorious! Changed my whole entire attitude and demeanor. I opened all the blinds and that sun just streamed in and shined on all my damn dusty furniture. Sigh...
7. I read all the TT blogroll this week. It took me 3 days, and I only commented on about 1/2 of them (it's delurker week! woo hoo!) Oddly, I tend to read from the bottom up... what does that say about me? Huh.
8. 5 weird things: I listen to the same cd over and over and over for weeks until I get bored. I listen to the same song over and over and over for days until I get bored. I like A1 sauce on my baked potato. I have texture issues with food and there are a lot of things that taste good to me but that I can't eat because the texture is off... and if I am thinking about it too much then ANYthing will make me gag. And finally, when I'm driving, I can't put my seat belt on until AFTER I've started actually accelerating in a forward motion. I can't... really...
9. Should that count as 8-12? No? Yes? Oh well... I saw someones blog had a personality test: which "happy bunny" are you... I took it... not so happy apparently. Oh well... I'll take it again another day.
10. I still can't believe I haven't told you my secret yet! Want another clue? I'll tell the secret on Friday... how's that for a clue?
11. I get to go to lunch with my husband today... I'm so looking forward to Chicken Souvlaki, but mostly I'm looking forward to the chance to make my husband smile, laugh, and look at me with happiness in his eyes.
12. Today I told a client that I may need to call CPS on her. It was so hard to do... so hard to tell her that I could and that I would. I see her next week again. Oh I do NOT want to have to make that call...
13. This is my 7th TT... am I a regular? Please remember that it's de lurking week - comment, it won't hurt I promise!
Get the Thursday Thirteen code here!
The purpose of the meme is to get to know everyone who participates a little bit better every Thursday. Visiting fellow Thirteeners is encouraged! It’s easy, and fun! Be sure to update your Thirteen with links that are left for you, as well!
View More Thursday Thirteen Participants
Sunday, June 29, 2008
Secrets (and a hint...or two...)
*whispering* Shhhhh... I have a secret, I have a secret! Not gonna tell you, not gonna tell you!
Oy! Secrets are soooo hard for me to keep. Especially if they might actually impact the people I am keeping secrets from. I so badly want to say, "Hey! Listen to this!" Not that I'd tell secrets that someone else told me, but if it's just, say, news or a decision I've made that needs some time... it's so hard.
Like when I was pregnant? Everyone knew as soon as we knew. Everyone!
Do you want a hint? I mean, I do really have a secret...it's not just a random post.
No? OH, yes? I'm sorry, I couldn't hear you correctly... my speakers aren't working.
Ok, get close now cuz I'm going to whisper the hints:
1. it involves lawn service
Thats all you get for now. Any guesses? I don't know how long I can keep a secret like this! Maybe I'll post more hints later. It sort of eases the pressure of keeping the secret y'know?
Geez, that was a lame hint tho' don't you think? Maybe one more... ummm... let's see...
2. it involves a 4 day weekend
Oooh, how about that one? Cryptic eh?
What do YOU think my secret is?
UPDATE: Nope... no golfing! Blech! One more hint? I bet if you read my a few past posts, you might be able to figure it out... and THAT's the last hint for today. Secret Unveiling Soon!
Oy! Secrets are soooo hard for me to keep. Especially if they might actually impact the people I am keeping secrets from. I so badly want to say, "Hey! Listen to this!" Not that I'd tell secrets that someone else told me, but if it's just, say, news or a decision I've made that needs some time... it's so hard.
Like when I was pregnant? Everyone knew as soon as we knew. Everyone!
Do you want a hint? I mean, I do really have a secret...it's not just a random post.
No? OH, yes? I'm sorry, I couldn't hear you correctly... my speakers aren't working.
Ok, get close now cuz I'm going to whisper the hints:
1. it involves lawn service
Thats all you get for now. Any guesses? I don't know how long I can keep a secret like this! Maybe I'll post more hints later. It sort of eases the pressure of keeping the secret y'know?
Geez, that was a lame hint tho' don't you think? Maybe one more... ummm... let's see...
2. it involves a 4 day weekend
Oooh, how about that one? Cryptic eh?
What do YOU think my secret is?
UPDATE: Nope... no golfing! Blech! One more hint? I bet if you read my a few past posts, you might be able to figure it out... and THAT's the last hint for today. Secret Unveiling Soon!
Monday, June 23, 2008
Lalalalalala...I caaaaan't hear yooooo!
Today I had to, again, separate my daughter and her "friend" from each other. At 15, they are not boyfriend/girlfriend, but the amount of physical touching has recently escalated from innocent sitting close to each other or jabbing/tickling each other to... a whole other thing. Though I've asked them before, jokingly and lightly, to ease up, today was.... disturbing. My husband needed a valium! After Kitty-boy (don't ask) left, I took her aside and we had the following conversation:
Me: If I have one or two puffs off a cigarette once or twice a week, can I say I am a NON-smoker?
Chick: NO! *laughing* geez, are you smoking now? (she's a smartass like that)
Me: No! Listen, if I have a few big gulps of a drink a couple times a week can I say I'm technically NOT a drinker?
Chick: NO! Like, a drink is a drink! (rolling of eyes and said with a *duh)
Me: Well, if you and Kitty-boy are ONLY holding hands or wrapping your arms around each other and laying all over each other, can I say that you ARE sexually active?
Chick: WHAT?! GOD! Mom! NOOOOO! (horrified! eyes wide, mouth agape...)
Me: ok, wait, now listen... no, seriously! Look...
and I went on to discuss that their physical contact was A) disturbing to watch and B) it blurred the line between sex and non sex and C) it blurred the line between friends and 'more than friends' and also we talked about the difficulties for boys and hormones and self control and that it may be misleading to Kitty-boy and yadda yadda yadda.
I hope I hit all the important points. I realized though that I can't get by with just teaching about sex, about the mechanics of it, and about morals, but that I have to teach the mechanics of friendships and relationships. I have to teach the difference between boys and girls and I'm not talking about p*nis and v*g*na... but about hormones and drawing lines and crossing lines and love and hope and hurt and desire... and I have to know she will make mistakes, and she will draw lines and erase lines and cross lines and love and hurt and all I can do is turn on a few lights along her path and wait nearby with a hug.
Boy, this parenting stuff is hard.
Ooof, I need a drink (not that I'm a 'drinker'...)
Me: If I have one or two puffs off a cigarette once or twice a week, can I say I am a NON-smoker?
Chick: NO! *laughing* geez, are you smoking now? (she's a smartass like that)
Me: No! Listen, if I have a few big gulps of a drink a couple times a week can I say I'm technically NOT a drinker?
Chick: NO! Like, a drink is a drink! (rolling of eyes and said with a *duh)
Me: Well, if you and Kitty-boy are ONLY holding hands or wrapping your arms around each other and laying all over each other, can I say that you ARE sexually active?
Chick: WHAT?! GOD! Mom! NOOOOO! (horrified! eyes wide, mouth agape...)
Me: ok, wait, now listen... no, seriously! Look...
and I went on to discuss that their physical contact was A) disturbing to watch and B) it blurred the line between sex and non sex and C) it blurred the line between friends and 'more than friends' and also we talked about the difficulties for boys and hormones and self control and that it may be misleading to Kitty-boy and yadda yadda yadda.
I hope I hit all the important points. I realized though that I can't get by with just teaching about sex, about the mechanics of it, and about morals, but that I have to teach the mechanics of friendships and relationships. I have to teach the difference between boys and girls and I'm not talking about p*nis and v*g*na... but about hormones and drawing lines and crossing lines and love and hope and hurt and desire... and I have to know she will make mistakes, and she will draw lines and erase lines and cross lines and love and hurt and all I can do is turn on a few lights along her path and wait nearby with a hug.
Boy, this parenting stuff is hard.
Ooof, I need a drink (not that I'm a 'drinker'...)
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
yeah, finally exams are done.
and i'm going, "Hmm.. what shall i do now?"
[RealOne Player : Petey Pablo - Freak-a-leek]
give it an ear. i love club bangers.
fix, I checked out CSS's webbie again.
and all my assumptions are correct. confirmed.
aight. nu'in to say. peace.
feeling Dilated People.
[RealOne Player : Petey Pablo - Freak-a-leek]
give it an ear. i love club bangers.
fix, I checked out CSS's webbie again.
and all my assumptions are correct. confirmed.
aight. nu'in to say. peace.
feeling Dilated People.
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