Prayers for Gavin

I believe in the power of prayer. The more prayers being said I believe that God will hear us. One of the blogs that I read posted today about a friend's newborn baby that was born 5 weeks early. This story touched my heart and I am passing this along to my readers. Please take a moment and read the story and pray for Baby Gavin and his family. Let's pray that he leaves the NICU and goes home to his family soon!

Conscience Thoughts

Are you ever presented with a problem or something that you don't agree with that some one close to you is doing or has done? You wish you could say something that let's them know you don't agree but by doing this you risk creating a problem.
I'm not one to create dissension with people and usually just swallow my words. Well that's not wholly true because I am quite outspoken usually when something bothers me. I don't like to keep my feelings in because "bottling things" up will eventually tear you down or worse you will explode with emotions, hate and venom.
This is quite a viscous cycle right now because I can't say what I want to say. Maybe that is just the point and who am I to judge? I am not the eternal judge and that day will come. But ethically what they are doing is wrong (in my eyes) and I'm sure many others and I want to tell them that. I hate dilemmas.
I'm going to take this moment to throw caution to the wind. This is not my problem and I will not let it tear me down. Let their conscience bother them. I'm sure it does but they have chosen to ignore it. Why should I let it bother me? It's not my problem.

A place in my heart

Do you ever wonder who your "real" friends are? I don't think about it too much because it might be just a waste of time. I have had a few recent incidents that gave me reason to reflect on this subject. My sister in law is turning 30 this month and I wanted to make sure the day was celebrated with friends. When I turned 30 four years ago she threw me a party at her house which really was special for me. She invited a few a my friends and several of her friends. I thought the least I could do was try and give her the same kind of thing.
I called her husband about what he had planned and pretty much as far as he had gotten was getting a sitter and going to dinner. I was hoping to keep my ideas a secret but he spoke to her about it. So she and I exchanged some text messages about ideas and she wasn't sure our friends would come. I asked her why not and she said they didn't come to her party last year. I told her " you plan the party, invite them and if they don't come, then eff em." (MY exact words) I told her that they have done the same crap to me. But when the tables are turned and they invite us to something they EXPECT us to show up. And if we don't we get the guilt trip. Friends don't treat friends like that.
I have come to realize, well.. I've known this for awhile...they are not TRUE friends. It really doesn't matter to me anymore. Years ago I would have wept that these people didn't like me and I was lonely and would have done anything to hang with them. Not anymore. I don't have time to waste on petty crap. I think when I met these "friends" that they were different people or at least I thought they were different people and since the years have gone by I have grown apart from them.
It's like that poem..Friends for a reason, a season, a lifetime a year. You know the one? They were stepping stones. They were there when I needed them and they needed me. I have found many more friends and great people from being friends with them. I would not have met two of my best friends if I had not met them. It was meant to be. It's funny how things like that happen.
I have found some real friends through the paths and relationships with other friends. The old friends will not be forgotten, for they will always have a place in my heart, just not on the top anymore.

5QF: 01/07/11

Getting back into the regular routine, or at least trying to I'm feeling like a fresh start on the new year would be to participate in Mama M's 5QF! I have been slacking in the posting department and I've got a whole lotta ideas for posts, but I have to find the time to write them. So getting my feet wet, so to speak, I'm stepping out on Friday! I LOVE FRIDAYS!




1. What is your current favorite book, and why? Simplicity's Simply The Best Sewing Book. I just got this book for Christmas, along with a brand new sewing machine! I have been reading it and can't wait to get to the chapters that get me started on sewing. I attempted to sew some pillows before the holidays and was using a Sewing Genie. What a joke! Now that I'm going to be well read on sewing, I can't wait to finish my pillows and attempt to make my very own apron for the kitchen. Wish me luck!



2. Do you go to the dentist regularly? I actually just started going regularly last year. I went for my first cleaning in almost 15 years. Yep, sad. I went because I was having trouble with a wisdom tooth that needs to be removed and they found a few cavities. So I've been going regularly now.

3. What is your worst memory from High School? I told a deep dark secret (it is now) to a "friend" ad she told other people, one of them being my older brother. He was a senior and I was a freshman at the time. It was pretty humiliating to hear him complain to my mother about it but it was much worse to hear about people gossiping about your secret. Sadly, this secret haunted me all four years of high school. One reason I couldn't wait to graduate.

4. What do you hope to be remembered for in your life? First of all, I hope to be remembered. It's like having a birthday party and no one attending. I know that my family would be there and I know that those are the people that matter most. I want my children to be able to say, she was an amazing, loving mom. That their mother was the inspiration in their lives and was their cheerleader, coach, ring leader and friend. I want them to have the courage to go on when I have left this earth and the good qualities I have taught them to reflect from them.

5. Are you superstitious or do you have any superstitions? Both. I have never broken a mirror for fear of bad luck. Walking under a ladder doesn't creep me out but a black cat crossing my path! Yikes! I've had black cats run out in front of my car going down the road and it freaks me out! Spilled salt on a table? Oh yeah! I definitely make sure I throw some over my back. You can never be too careful. My husband laughs at me when I do that. I've done it in a restaurant and he laughs at me. I gotta watch my back.

Well folks, that's it for Friday! Hope you have a great weekend!

Read The Sign

Do you ever pay attention to the sign in the ladies dressing room when you walk in? The one that tells you out of courtesy of other guests that you should take out the garments you are trying on and put them back on the return rack. I know I'm not the only one who has ever read it, but lately I feel like I'm the only person who abides by it. No, it's not a law but ladies it is common courtesy to remove the clothing that YOU brought into the dressing room.

I went shopping at my local department store the other day and when I went to find an available dressing room I wasn't sure which ones were being occupied or not because of all the clothes hanging on the hooks. Since I had both kids with me and had contained Little E in his portable stroller I would have normally chosen the handicapped, much larger room. It was pretty busy so I squeezed the stroller, myself and Miss K in a smaller room. I hung the clothes I wanted to try on on the last available hook in the room and was disgusted to find clothes on the floor!

It really irks me that people leave clothes hanging in the dressing rooms but to leave them un hung on a pile in the floor?!! Seriously ladies, didn't your mothers teach you anything? I might understand this coming from the rich, spoiled women in some of the wealthier parts of town but not here where I live. I can only gather that the majority of ladies (well lady, might be even a far cry from what they should be called) in this town are a bunch of lazy ingrates.

Just because there are sales personnel that work in these department stores that are paid to put away the clothes that you didn't want, couldn't fit into or just felt like admiring yourself in doesn't mean they enjoy picking up after you. Have a little common sense and pick up after yourselves! I don't enjoy walking into a dressing room and having to pick up the clothes that you left on the floor, the sitting chair and every available hook.

I had to vent about this dilemma because more and more lately this has been a common problem when I go clothing shopping. Most stores can't employ enough staff to have a dressing room attendant to give you a number and keep track of the amount you take in and out. So it's left up to US to remove what we took in. How hard is that? Maybe this just hits a nerve in me because I have always worked in the retail world from gas stations, jewelry stores, supermarkets and department stores. I guess I just have a heart for the ladies who are stuck cleaning out those dressing rooms.

What is this world coming to today? This is just another one of my pet peeves that I had to get off my chest.

I'm bacccck!!!

Whew! I feel like such a slacker. I have been away from my blog for a few weeks, I know. I went away on my family vacation to Colorado and since I have been back it's been a busy, busy life. I had the most amazing time in Colorado visiting extended family, exploring the sites, experiencing Colorado's nature and snow and watching my kids have the best time.
Now that I think about it I have been way from my blog for almost a month! That's awful! I left for Colorado on December 4th and returned on December 12th. As many people say, you need a vacation from the vacation. So the week following our vacation I was busy doing laundry, cleaning the mess of a house that my pet sitter left me and doing the regular routine of taking Miss K to school and going to work. It was a very exhausting week cut short when the school week was only four days. Winter Break started December 18th which meant mommy was going to have two kiddos in the house while trying to decorate for Christmas. Since we left right at the beginning of December and spent the week before preparing and packing for our trip, we neglected to set up our tree.
I love to decorate for the holidays but I wasn't "feeling it" this year since we were closing in on Christmas Eve. By Sunday the 20th we finally set up the tree and got the house looking like it was Christmas ready. That same weekend I finished my shopping, something I haven't done in years! I have always been an early shopper and finding myself wandering the mall and local department stores to find last minute gifts was not my idea of fun. Especially since my hubby watched the kids for me so I could have a kid free day. I can say it was a relief to not have them with me when I witnessed many crying children in strollers and parents with sour faces. I relished in the quiet an not having to hear "mommy can I get something", "mommy I'm hungry".
Before I knew it Christmas Eve was here and I was pretty exhausted from late gift wrapping nights. Finding time during the day with both kids to wrap gifts is nearly impossible.
Again I was forced to head into the crowds to shop for snack foods for the Christmas Eve buffet we were going to at my brother in laws house. I thought I would hit Sam's Wholesale and get all the items on my list. I'm not sure what I was thinking about buying for eight people in a bulk food store.

Who needs five boxes of crackers for 8 people? I only needed a tsp of Cayenne Pepper for my crab dip recipe and they sell a 64oz container of Cayenne. So after grabbing a few items at Sams I had to stop at Walmart to get the rest of my list. Unless you were one the those last minute evening shoppers like myself on the eve of Christmas Eve you have no idea. It is nuts! The traffic alone makes you crazy, it's like they all come out and then the people in the stores have lost all of their manners, as if they had any to begin with.
So I survived the week before Christmas and made it to Christmas Eve. It was a low key Friday for us with the hubby working half day. Except for the fact that my dogs escaped the backyard fence and I had to drive around in my pj's in my neighborhood looking for them.
We attended the Kid Interactive Christmas Eve service at our church before heading to my brother in laws. The service was amazing! When we entered the church each child was given a sealed box to open when that part of the service was announced. Each box contained items to be used during song and story so the children could participate. It was so cute to watch the kids ring their bells that was contained in their boxes and place nativity characters on the paper scene .

We left my brother in laws house later than I wanted to and got the kids to bed as soon as we got home. It took Miss K forever to fall asleep so Santa could come. We had the best time laughing at our dogs who found the carrots left out for the reindeer and ate them all. At least we didn't have to eat the raw carrots ourselves this year. Blech!
We were pretty tired by the time we got to bed around midnight and expected to get up around 6:30 am. Boy were we wrong! Our children decided that they would get up at 3:30am and bang on our door! After my hubby opened the door they yell " Santa was here!!!".
What?!! I couldn't believe they actually had the nerve to knock on my door at this hour like it was an emergency! I told them to march back to bed. That was mistake #2. ( Mistake #1 was allowing Santa to not wrap his gifts) Of course I should have walked them to bed because after I passe back out they came out the tree again. They hovered on the unwrapped gifts and Little E kept coming into to my room and asking me to open his airplanes. By 6:45am I gave up and told the hubby that we should just go out there and do Christmas morning.
It was as if a tornado came through! They had opened at least five wrapped gifts, a few were just half torn paper and the stockings were gone through. I couldn't believe it! Delirious I just laughed and laughed. What was I going to do? I got mad at first and they both started crying and I didn't want to ruin their Christmas morning.
As I think about it now, I didn't take one photo that morning. I'm not sure if I wanted to document that madness or I was just so tired from the kids not letting me sleep. But not one single morning photo. I was glad that we didn't have to be to my father in laws house until noon so I was able to take a nap before leaving the house. The rest of the day was like any other major holiday around here, spend a few hours at one house, load up drive around and go to the next house.
So here I am again, recovering from a long weekend of family, gifts, too much food and overload of laundry not washed. I spent the day today washing laundry and laying on my bed. It was pretty depressing. I am still getting through reorganizing the kids rooms and removing old clothes and old toys to make room for the new stuff. Next task, my computer room. It has become the almighty catch all room. I can't wait to remove my Christmas totes from it and get started on the blueprints on the new drop down bookcase to hold my Cricut and my sewing machine. I got a sewing machine from my mother in law for Christmas! I can't wait to get started!
So here's a little catching up for now. A few more new stories about our trip, the pet sitter and my recent sadness here on the homefront coming soon.......

Writer's Workshop-12/9

This week I am joining again with Mama Kat with her weekly blog carnival Writer's Workshop. This week seems pretty easy considering that the five prompts are one word. Easy? Maybe. The word that jumped out at me was bold. BOLD. Here goes nothing.
If only I could simply say what is on my mind without repercussion. I don't enjoy biting my tongue about things that should be said. Aren't we all friends here? If we are friends than you won't mind me telling you the truth about what I really think. I don't mind if you tell me what you think because it's your opinion and if I agree then fine. If I don't agree then maybe I can use some constructive criticism. It's healthy.
But I am not bold enough to really state the facts and my opinion is just not that, it's the truth. The truth hurts. So I can't go there and poison what I have. Although do I really have anything if I feel the way that I do? If something bothers me that much then I should go there. I should say something and let the chips fall where they will. It could end up like Humpty Dumpty and never get put back together again or maybe it would? Maybe the glue that sticks us together is strong enough for me to go there.
Honestly I may never know. I'm not ready to go there just yet. I like to just sit back and watch. Waiting like a crouching tiger for the right moment. And when that moment strikes, watch out! Because I will BOLDLY go where no one has gone before.