Wow what a year 2008 has been! I went from being married to divorced. I met many new people and made lots of new friends. I have travelled outside of my comfort zone. I used to be terrified to drive on the interstate but that's nothing now! I took a vacation with my life long best friends. I became an aunt-to-be again (you know who you are and I love you!) I turned a year older (don't we all, ha!) I started this blog ~ that was something I was always curious about but never thought I would actually do! And now I have blog followers HAHA. And for those who have paid me compliments on my writing, thank you! It's part of me that was always there but came out with all the changes I went through this year. I have learned who my true friends are. I went from texting just a little on my phone to unlimited texting because my 3000+ messages a month would get expensive if I didn't! I also became one of those cell phone addicts you've read an article about that had moments of panic if I didn't know where my companion was. I won some things from my local radio station and that was a first ~ a CD and some concert tickets! I went to more concerts this year than I have ever been to in my life. I got to see Tim McGraw, Jason Aldean, Rascal Flatts, Taylor Swift, Kenny Chesney, Keith Urban, Leeann Rimes, Gary Alan, Luke Bryan and Neal McCoy all in this year. Even though I saw all these artists live, it does not beat my George Strait ~ he'll always be #1 in the music department! I got my hair cut differently than it has been for years and I love it. I renewed my license (see previous post, HAHA). I upgraded my vehicle to my cute little SUV I have now. And I have put some miles on that vehicle since I bought it in July! I have learned that if you hear a creaking, grinding noise around your tires, your brakes probably need replaced. (Thank you Blondie for that lesson). I have learned that my youngest daughter is a stand up comedian and even though she is cute, she can embarrass me just as easily! I have learned my oldest daughter is growing up WAY too fast and I'd better treasure the moments because the attitude only gets worse the older they get. I learned what Itunes is and am learning how to use it! (So I'm a little slow in the ipod world but I'm learning LOL). I have learned how to drive and take pictures of the sky at the same time (a new obsession year). I have learned silence can speak volumes over words spoken. I have learned the phrase "lyin in the combine" is cute and cracks me up! I have learned that 30 doesn't sound so old anymore...
Not only have I gotten the chance to experience new things and life this year, I have grown up and learned more about myself this year than any other year of my life. I have come out of my shell more than ever. I no longer hold back if I want to say something to someone nor do I tolerate things I used to. I have also learned life is a roller coaster ride with learning experiences everyday. I have learned my mother can be right sometimes. (I'm sure there will be some comment about that but note I said SOMETIMES). I have learned I will listen to others' advice and appreciate their input, but ultimately I will do what I think is best in the situation. And if I fall from my actions, then so be it, I learned from them. I have learned I make my own decisions in this world and others may or may not influences those choices. I have learned to just be me. Be the best I can be for my daughters, myself and for others. There have been some things I have learned the hard way and some things I have been blessed with beyond my imagination.
So here is a huge welcome to 2009 ~ I will welcome this year with my head held high with the openness for my life to be changed, shaken and abundantly blessed. May God bless each and every person as we welcome 2009 with open arms. Remember to give your loved ones an extra hug or phone call just to say hello!
Have a safe and Happy New Year!
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Don't Say Cheese
Well I woke up bright and early yesterday, geared up for the day to begin. As I was getting ready for work, a thought suddenly hit me. My license expired on that day! Uh oh! So my first thought was what to wear. Well I was already dressed so I looked at my shirt to see if it was suitable for my pretty mug shot license photo. Now maybe this is a woman thing. In my opinion, most men would not care what they were wearing for their license pic. So the verdict was well, it was a new shirt but wasn't sure it was "license material." So I started to change and then decided what the heck, I was being too picky about a pic that not everyone gets to see. Only those people that I have to prove I am myself to, or people that do not believe I am old enough to buy goods that I buy on a rare occasion get to see the pic anyway. And 99% of the time, those people are strangers anyway, so why in the world would they care what shirt I chose for my license picture? So after debating on if my shirt was ok or not, and deciding it was fine and refusing to allow myself to change, next thought was OMG ~ the hair! AHHH... was it going to be a good hair day or a bad day for the perfect hairstyle? At this point I had not fixed my hair yet so I was hoping and praying it would be a good hair day! Well after using my straightener and making sure every hair was in place, I decided it was an "ok" hair day. An "ok" hair day is not the best, but could be worse so I was content with it.
So off to work I went all psyched up to go on my lunch break to get my new pretty license and all of a sudden, I had a huge realization...
The day was Monday and the license branch is closed on Mondays. Hmmm... so now all that worrying over the shirt and the hair for nothing! Oh well, at least I looked good for the customers who came in to my office and for the strangers I saw in Wal-Mart LOL.
So fast forward to today. This morning when I woke up I was at least mentally prepared for the big day ahead. The day to have my pic taken to put on a permanent piece of plastic for the next 4 years. Oh my, the thoughts of the previous morning came rolling in to my mind! I must have the perfect shirt, my hair must be fixed just right, oh my!! So while staring at the clothes in my closet, I decided on another new shirt I bought this month. And then came the moment of truth ~ was today going to be a good hair day or a bad hair day? Well... I am happy to say it was a good hair day! Not just a good hair day, but my hair gave me no fits at all. It was as if my hair knew today was the today it would gets its image posted on the new license so it decided to cooperate in a perfect manner!
OH WAIT JUST ONE MINUTE... I left out one VERY important part of the whole getting ready for the pic scenario. The other article of importance would be the jewelry. Yes... the necklace and the earrings because those do accent the face! So I took a moment or two to think about this one. I had accessories to match my outfits the last two days but opted to go with one of my favorite necklaces and sets of earrings. My pretty circle of diamonds matches about any shirt, casual or dressy in my closet. So that was the item of choice and not only did I have to wear it one day, but two days in a row! And to most of us women, that is a no-no. You can't wear the same piece of jewelry days in a row. But I did, and it's ok. I will live with it. Now just don't tell my neighbors or friends because they might think badly of me. Just kidding!
So then lunch time came around and it was time to go get thehideous dreaded jail resembling pic new license pic taken. So I did one more check of the well fixed hair in the bathroom before I left the office, just in case it had changed from 5 hours ago ya know. All was well and off I drove to the lovely place we all dread can't wait to visit each year. Yep if you are like me, you mark the day on the calendar when you can visit those lovely smiling employees at the license branch each year! (Now for my blog followers who know I am a blonde, I also do have a sense of humor and have SOME common sense in there so that was a joke in case ya didn't pick that up) Ha!
So I arrived at my favorite place and only had about a 20 minute wait which wasn't bad considering it was the end of the month. I listened to the nice lady ask me all these questions such as:
"Do you have any other id from another state?"
"Have you ever been convicted of a felony?"
And the list went on and on. I cannot remember all of them but I felt like I was given the "are you a criminal?" interview.
Then the moment I had been waiting for finally arrived. I stepped over and sat in the chair with the blue background behind me. The nice lady gave me my instructions ~ push the hair back off my forehead, sit up straight, and don't smile for the camera! I stopped her right there and told her that was difficult for me to do because I tend to smile alot, especially for a camera flash! So while sitting up straight in the chair and trying not to laugh, she got ready to take the mug shot and I busted out laughing. She couldn't take the picture since I was "smiling." She then started laughing at me because I couldn't sit up and "not smile." I apologized to her and told her it was more difficult not to smile than to smile. The man beside me looked at me like I was from another planet and was laughing at me. I could see what his expression read "wow, that girl must be a total ditz. But she is kinda cute though...." I didn't care though because I was having fun at the moment. So finally I took a deep breath, sat up straight and "didn't smile" for the camera. She snapped the pic and it turned out good on the first try! That was wonderful considering the man & woman before me had to get their shots taken 3-4 times before getting a good picture. They didn't look too camera oriented though! So I was proud of myself ~ after my laughing attack, I was able to take the pretty pic with the first snap of the camera!
And finally at last, I was handed my newpermanent plastic mug shot that identifies me driver's license. Well the end result is my pic turned out ok and you can see the resemblance of a smirk on my face. Oh, I guess the nice lady did tell me I could smile but show no teeth. Now that looks goofy so forget that idea!
Then I noticed something else new about this license. For the mug shot, they zoom in really close to your face now! On my old license, it showed my full head of hair and part of my shirt. Well, not on this new identification! So it was a good thing I had a good hair day even though the pic cut off part of my head that shows my hair. Oh and I can see the earrings so at least that part got in the pic too! And the shirt I wore looks a different shade than it really is, well the eensy weensy teeny tiny bit that you can see anyways.
So all the worrying and fretting over what shirt and jewelry to wear ultimately really did not matter. So my advice to anyone who is going to renew their license is this ~ don't fret over your appearance. Just make sure you hair isn't in your face (for women with long bangs, I have no advice LOL), make sure you don't smile (because that isn't allowed as I learned), and don't stress over this fun activity we get to repeat every 4 years! And if you are like me and have to smile for the camera, practice this move at home before "not smiling" in public. Or else you will give the nice employees and customers something to laugh about! Or is that just me? =-)
So off to work I went all psyched up to go on my lunch break to get my new pretty license and all of a sudden, I had a huge realization...
The day was Monday and the license branch is closed on Mondays. Hmmm... so now all that worrying over the shirt and the hair for nothing! Oh well, at least I looked good for the customers who came in to my office and for the strangers I saw in Wal-Mart LOL.
So fast forward to today. This morning when I woke up I was at least mentally prepared for the big day ahead. The day to have my pic taken to put on a permanent piece of plastic for the next 4 years. Oh my, the thoughts of the previous morning came rolling in to my mind! I must have the perfect shirt, my hair must be fixed just right, oh my!! So while staring at the clothes in my closet, I decided on another new shirt I bought this month. And then came the moment of truth ~ was today going to be a good hair day or a bad hair day? Well... I am happy to say it was a good hair day! Not just a good hair day, but my hair gave me no fits at all. It was as if my hair knew today was the today it would gets its image posted on the new license so it decided to cooperate in a perfect manner!
OH WAIT JUST ONE MINUTE... I left out one VERY important part of the whole getting ready for the pic scenario. The other article of importance would be the jewelry. Yes... the necklace and the earrings because those do accent the face! So I took a moment or two to think about this one. I had accessories to match my outfits the last two days but opted to go with one of my favorite necklaces and sets of earrings. My pretty circle of diamonds matches about any shirt, casual or dressy in my closet. So that was the item of choice and not only did I have to wear it one day, but two days in a row! And to most of us women, that is a no-no. You can't wear the same piece of jewelry days in a row. But I did, and it's ok. I will live with it. Now just don't tell my neighbors or friends because they might think badly of me. Just kidding!
So then lunch time came around and it was time to go get the
So I arrived at my favorite place and only had about a 20 minute wait which wasn't bad considering it was the end of the month. I listened to the nice lady ask me all these questions such as:
"Do you have any other id from another state?"
"Have you ever been convicted of a felony?"
And the list went on and on. I cannot remember all of them but I felt like I was given the "are you a criminal?" interview.
Then the moment I had been waiting for finally arrived. I stepped over and sat in the chair with the blue background behind me. The nice lady gave me my instructions ~ push the hair back off my forehead, sit up straight, and don't smile for the camera! I stopped her right there and told her that was difficult for me to do because I tend to smile alot, especially for a camera flash! So while sitting up straight in the chair and trying not to laugh, she got ready to take the mug shot and I busted out laughing. She couldn't take the picture since I was "smiling." She then started laughing at me because I couldn't sit up and "not smile." I apologized to her and told her it was more difficult not to smile than to smile. The man beside me looked at me like I was from another planet and was laughing at me. I could see what his expression read "wow, that girl must be a total ditz. But she is kinda cute though...." I didn't care though because I was having fun at the moment. So finally I took a deep breath, sat up straight and "didn't smile" for the camera. She snapped the pic and it turned out good on the first try! That was wonderful considering the man & woman before me had to get their shots taken 3-4 times before getting a good picture. They didn't look too camera oriented though! So I was proud of myself ~ after my laughing attack, I was able to take the pretty pic with the first snap of the camera!
And finally at last, I was handed my new
Then I noticed something else new about this license. For the mug shot, they zoom in really close to your face now! On my old license, it showed my full head of hair and part of my shirt. Well, not on this new identification! So it was a good thing I had a good hair day even though the pic cut off part of my head that shows my hair. Oh and I can see the earrings so at least that part got in the pic too! And the shirt I wore looks a different shade than it really is, well the eensy weensy teeny tiny bit that you can see anyways.
So all the worrying and fretting over what shirt and jewelry to wear ultimately really did not matter. So my advice to anyone who is going to renew their license is this ~ don't fret over your appearance. Just make sure you hair isn't in your face (for women with long bangs, I have no advice LOL), make sure you don't smile (because that isn't allowed as I learned), and don't stress over this fun activity we get to repeat every 4 years! And if you are like me and have to smile for the camera, practice this move at home before "not smiling" in public. Or else you will give the nice employees and customers something to laugh about! Or is that just me? =-)
Monday, December 29, 2008
My New Favorite Tune
I was driving home a couple weeks ago and heard a new tune on the radio. I normally flip through the radio stations, especially when there is song I don't know on the radio. Something about this song made me stop and listen and I fell in LOVE with the song the first time I heard it. It's called "Ride" by Martina McBride. It describes my philosophy about life almost word for word.
I did a search on the lyrics and here they are (or close anyways):
You wake up from your dream and, and you don't want to face the day
You can't find a reason to think your world will ever change
You can hide beneath the covers
Or you can run outside head up high and carry on
Life is a roller coaster ride
Time Turns a Wheel and Love Collides
Faith is believing you can close your eyes and touch the sky
so Shine while you have the chance to shine
Laugh even when you want to cry
Hold on tight to what you feel inside and ride...
It brings you up slowly then shoot you like a rocket towards the ground
it twists and it shakes you before it turns you upside down
You can't see what's around the corner
and You can't look back, so just live it up and feel the rush
Life is a roller coaster ride
Time Turns a Wheel and Love Collides
Faith is believing you can close your eyes and touch the sky
so Shine while you have the chance to shine
Laugh even when you want to cry
Hold on tight to what you feel inside and ride...
Shine while you have the chance to shine
Laugh even when you want to cry
Hold on tight to what you feel inside and ride
I love everything about this song. In the beginning lyrics, she says we can hide under the covers or get up and go on with our head held high. That is the absolute truth ~ only we can choose the way we handle situations and carry on in life. We can run and hide from issues, or we can face them so that we can move forward.
The chorus to the song is absolutely beautiful. Life is truly a roller coaster ride up and down through the curves and twists and turns. Whether we want a roller coaster ride or not, that is what life is. Her definition of faith is marvelous. It's believing we can close our eyes and touch the sky. WOW how true is that! Faith is believing in the inevitable or impossible sometimes. If a person has no faith, that person has NOTHING. Even in the worst times, we must have faith that the best is yet to come.
I also love the line about laughter ~ laugh even we want to cry. Crying is good at times because it cleanses and refreshes our minds. But often times if we would just laugh instead of crying, we would feel better about whatever the situation is. Sometimes we have to forth a smile and be brave even though we're dying inside. We have all been there at some point in time or another. On the inside we are weak and ready to cave, but yet we don't want the outside world to know that. We don't want our friends, family or even strangers to see us crumble as if we are some weak soul who cannot handle the situation.
Especially men. Most men are actually sensitive on the inside but they must remain "manly" for the sake of others. I have seen first hand how a man can go for years without crying. But you know what? When he hits a breaking point and lets go of the tears, he will release all of the tension from the years he has been holding on to. And hopefully he will move forward and be able to let himself cry again.
Again, I do like that line of the song. But I also thinks it's necessary to be able to let yourself break and have a good cry every now and again. I know whenever I have a good cry about something I always feel better afterwards. Others might not be so brave to admit that, but I bet if you have a good cry about something you have been holding on to, you would feel totally different after the fact.
Then comes the ending line - Hold on tight to what you feel inside and ride. Enjoy your life and the ride your life is taken through this world. And just ride. Don't fight the ride because it comes whether we like it or not. And it's much easier to flow with the river than fight against it. Ride the waves, enjoy the calm ocean breezes and savor every moment during the roller coaster ride of life!
I did a search on the lyrics and here they are (or close anyways):
You wake up from your dream and, and you don't want to face the day
You can't find a reason to think your world will ever change
You can hide beneath the covers
Or you can run outside head up high and carry on
Life is a roller coaster ride
Time Turns a Wheel and Love Collides
Faith is believing you can close your eyes and touch the sky
so Shine while you have the chance to shine
Laugh even when you want to cry
Hold on tight to what you feel inside and ride...
It brings you up slowly then shoot you like a rocket towards the ground
it twists and it shakes you before it turns you upside down
You can't see what's around the corner
and You can't look back, so just live it up and feel the rush
Life is a roller coaster ride
Time Turns a Wheel and Love Collides
Faith is believing you can close your eyes and touch the sky
so Shine while you have the chance to shine
Laugh even when you want to cry
Hold on tight to what you feel inside and ride...
Shine while you have the chance to shine
Laugh even when you want to cry
Hold on tight to what you feel inside and ride
I love everything about this song. In the beginning lyrics, she says we can hide under the covers or get up and go on with our head held high. That is the absolute truth ~ only we can choose the way we handle situations and carry on in life. We can run and hide from issues, or we can face them so that we can move forward.
The chorus to the song is absolutely beautiful. Life is truly a roller coaster ride up and down through the curves and twists and turns. Whether we want a roller coaster ride or not, that is what life is. Her definition of faith is marvelous. It's believing we can close our eyes and touch the sky. WOW how true is that! Faith is believing in the inevitable or impossible sometimes. If a person has no faith, that person has NOTHING. Even in the worst times, we must have faith that the best is yet to come.
I also love the line about laughter ~ laugh even we want to cry. Crying is good at times because it cleanses and refreshes our minds. But often times if we would just laugh instead of crying, we would feel better about whatever the situation is. Sometimes we have to forth a smile and be brave even though we're dying inside. We have all been there at some point in time or another. On the inside we are weak and ready to cave, but yet we don't want the outside world to know that. We don't want our friends, family or even strangers to see us crumble as if we are some weak soul who cannot handle the situation.
Especially men. Most men are actually sensitive on the inside but they must remain "manly" for the sake of others. I have seen first hand how a man can go for years without crying. But you know what? When he hits a breaking point and lets go of the tears, he will release all of the tension from the years he has been holding on to. And hopefully he will move forward and be able to let himself cry again.
Again, I do like that line of the song. But I also thinks it's necessary to be able to let yourself break and have a good cry every now and again. I know whenever I have a good cry about something I always feel better afterwards. Others might not be so brave to admit that, but I bet if you have a good cry about something you have been holding on to, you would feel totally different after the fact.
Then comes the ending line - Hold on tight to what you feel inside and ride. Enjoy your life and the ride your life is taken through this world. And just ride. Don't fight the ride because it comes whether we like it or not. And it's much easier to flow with the river than fight against it. Ride the waves, enjoy the calm ocean breezes and savor every moment during the roller coaster ride of life!
Sunday, December 28, 2008
Live and Learn
Life is a learning experience. Life is full of lessons we have learned. Life is full of lessons we have yet to learn. And the only way we learn through this life is by experiences we go through. All of the good and the bad situations that have happened to us in this life teach us something about that situation and about life as well. As each day passes in this world, there is something new to be learned each day. It doesn't even have to be something major, but something little can be taken from each day and applied to life in the future.
Each person we meet also influences our life and can impact how we live our life. Each and every person that has come in to my life has made an impact on me somehow, whether it was small or monumental. There have been some who have come into my life for a season, some that have come into my life for forever, but each person has come into my life for a reason. Sometimes we don't always know the reason people come into our lives, but God sends people to us so we can learn a lesson or learn more about ourselves. And sometimes we don't always know if that person if there for a season or for a lifetime, but something is to be gained from every person that enters our life.
This year has had many ups and downs, ins and outs, and many life changing experiences for me. My motto it seems I have repeated to myself over and over again this year has been "Live and Learn." Through every experience or situation I have been through this year, and each new person I have met this year, has brought something I have learned. I have learned who I am through the most difficult of times, and I have become a stronger person because of those trying times. I have also had many good experiences this year and have been blessed tremendously by God above.
So with each positive or negative experience you go through in life, take something from that experience and apply the lesson to your life. Think of a situation you went through that was trying and difficult. When you were in the midst of the moment, you thought your world was over or that your life was just going to crumble. But looking back now, your world was not over and you learned something from that experience you went through. Often times, we must go through difficult times in order to see what we will receive in the future is so much more.
It makes me think of the Carrie Underwood sign that has the line "sometimes that mountain you have been climbing is just a grain of sand." At the current moment when problems are at their max in our lives, it seems as though we are climbing a mountain. We cannot visualize what is over the mountain. When our problems or situation subsides or becomes a problem of the past, we are then able to reach the top of the mountain and look down to the valley. And many times there is a huge blessing awaiting us on the other side of the mountain that we have no idea about. God will never give us more than we can handle. We have all had times we don't see how we can handle our circumstances or move forward. But it's then that God will give us the strength to go on and learn from life's hard times.
So take life's experiences and learn from them. We all gain knowledge as time and life passes each day. It's up to us what we take from our day to day experiences and how we apply them to our life. Take the trying moments in life and learn how to handle trying times in the future with a more positive outlook. Take the wonderful moments in life and treasure them with your heart and your soul. Remember life is a train ride of learning experiences. Live and learn in the life because life is a constant changing tide.
Each person we meet also influences our life and can impact how we live our life. Each and every person that has come in to my life has made an impact on me somehow, whether it was small or monumental. There have been some who have come into my life for a season, some that have come into my life for forever, but each person has come into my life for a reason. Sometimes we don't always know the reason people come into our lives, but God sends people to us so we can learn a lesson or learn more about ourselves. And sometimes we don't always know if that person if there for a season or for a lifetime, but something is to be gained from every person that enters our life.
This year has had many ups and downs, ins and outs, and many life changing experiences for me. My motto it seems I have repeated to myself over and over again this year has been "Live and Learn." Through every experience or situation I have been through this year, and each new person I have met this year, has brought something I have learned. I have learned who I am through the most difficult of times, and I have become a stronger person because of those trying times. I have also had many good experiences this year and have been blessed tremendously by God above.
So with each positive or negative experience you go through in life, take something from that experience and apply the lesson to your life. Think of a situation you went through that was trying and difficult. When you were in the midst of the moment, you thought your world was over or that your life was just going to crumble. But looking back now, your world was not over and you learned something from that experience you went through. Often times, we must go through difficult times in order to see what we will receive in the future is so much more.
It makes me think of the Carrie Underwood sign that has the line "sometimes that mountain you have been climbing is just a grain of sand." At the current moment when problems are at their max in our lives, it seems as though we are climbing a mountain. We cannot visualize what is over the mountain. When our problems or situation subsides or becomes a problem of the past, we are then able to reach the top of the mountain and look down to the valley. And many times there is a huge blessing awaiting us on the other side of the mountain that we have no idea about. God will never give us more than we can handle. We have all had times we don't see how we can handle our circumstances or move forward. But it's then that God will give us the strength to go on and learn from life's hard times.
So take life's experiences and learn from them. We all gain knowledge as time and life passes each day. It's up to us what we take from our day to day experiences and how we apply them to our life. Take the trying moments in life and learn how to handle trying times in the future with a more positive outlook. Take the wonderful moments in life and treasure them with your heart and your soul. Remember life is a train ride of learning experiences. Live and learn in the life because life is a constant changing tide.
Thursday, December 25, 2008
Merry Christmas Ya'll
This Christmas day marks the most glorious day of the year - the birth of Jesus Christ. Today is a day to reflect on the past year, spend time with family and friends, and to celebrate the reason for the season.
Looking back on 2008, this has been a wonderful year for me. I have come a long way this year and plan to keep moving forward as life rolls along. I have had the wonderful blessing to spend time with family and friends today and many times this past year. God has poured many blessings into my life this year. I am so grateful for each and every blessing that has been given to me and my family!
Now for a different twist - a holiday reminder about how Santa makes mistakes too like any other human being:
My oldest daughter always leaves a card for Santa Claus each year. She thanks him for the presents and reminds him to drink his milk and eat the cookies left for him. She also reminded me of a funny story last night. Last year Santa Claus mixed up the stockings and put little one's belongings in older sister's stocking. OOPS Santa must have been exhausted last year and didn't realize his mistake. So in the card was spelled out to Santa which stocking was for which child. He got it right this year. Good job Santa and thanks for the lovely gifts under our tree this year!!!
I want to wish each and every one a Merry Christmas! And Happy Birthday Jesus!
Looking back on 2008, this has been a wonderful year for me. I have come a long way this year and plan to keep moving forward as life rolls along. I have had the wonderful blessing to spend time with family and friends today and many times this past year. God has poured many blessings into my life this year. I am so grateful for each and every blessing that has been given to me and my family!
Now for a different twist - a holiday reminder about how Santa makes mistakes too like any other human being:
My oldest daughter always leaves a card for Santa Claus each year. She thanks him for the presents and reminds him to drink his milk and eat the cookies left for him. She also reminded me of a funny story last night. Last year Santa Claus mixed up the stockings and put little one's belongings in older sister's stocking. OOPS Santa must have been exhausted last year and didn't realize his mistake. So in the card was spelled out to Santa which stocking was for which child. He got it right this year. Good job Santa and thanks for the lovely gifts under our tree this year!!!
I want to wish each and every one a Merry Christmas! And Happy Birthday Jesus!
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
One Day at a Time
It seems as though today's world lives life at a fast pace or in fast forward all the time. Even though I do not like to be on the go 24/7, it always seems as though I am. It seems as if things never slow down. I constantly find myself saying "when this is over" or "that is over", things will slow down. The slowdown time I crave never seems to happen as much as I would like it to. Now I know this is more self inflicted than not. I have trouble saying the word "NO" sometimes to people or tasks that need to be done.
But with my philosophy in life about everything happens for a reason, I should know when to slow down or take a step back at times. I am learning that more and more as time passes. I am learning to slow down and live life to the fullest in the current moment. I am learning to stop planning the next 10 years of my life and where and when I'm going to end up in the future. Many of us are guilty of this exact same problem. Things are going good and we are on top of the world and then BAM. Something happens and our world we had planned or direction in life changes. Then what?
When I have had change occur in my life, I look back on the experience I had and chalk it up to good memories and lessons learned. I have learned something from every situation that has happened to me, whether it was good or bad. I am able to take any situation in my life and see the positive, even in the darkest of times. That would be called being optimistic. If more people would be optimistic in this world, this world would be a much better place then it is today. Today's society is so busy with the hustle and bustle of all the tasks we need to get done each and every day, that we tend to forget the important things in life.
I recently met a couple who came in to my office. They have been married 46 years and the woman found out in the last year or two that she had cancer. She was very positive and her story was very inspiring to hear. She decided the wasn't going to let it get her down and she was going to beat the cancer, no matter what it took. She explained how her faith in God had grown tremendously and how she had been a positive influence to others during her turmoil. She was strong not only for herself, but for others near and dear to her. One of her expressions was that her family members were supposed to be there to support her, but that she had actually give her family members support for what she was going through. Kind of ironic if you think about it. She is the one battling cancer and she holds up her loved ones so they can deal with what she is going through. I was so in awe of her story and her outlook on life. I have talked to her husband a couple times since and he said she was been in positive spirits, even though she had surgery a few days ago. She is very independent and has had to learn to let others help her. This lady's personality sounds so much like mine and I believe that is why I was so drawn to her. I prayed for her and have continued to pray for her each day since I met her. Even though she has no idea, she made quite an impact on my life and the way I have been going non-stop lately.
I have taken time to slow down just a little bit. I have spent more time with loved ones, my kids, friends and doing things I enjoy. I have spent extra time on the little things in life that I normally skip over because I don't have time. Time is what we make of it really. We all have the same amount of time in a given day ~ 24 hours, no more and no less. It's up to us as an individual what we so with that time and how we spend it.
So my vow to myself is to stay at a slow and steady pace as life progresses. I want to make the most of the time I am given everyday. I want to make memories that last a life time. I am no longer trying to plan every second of the future. I will plan for today, and maybe for tomorrow but not the remainder of my life. One day at time ~ that has been my slogan I have said to myself and others so many times this year.
Life is uncertain and none of us know what will happen in the future. It's part of the roller coaster ride of life. You have two choices in this world ~
1) you can sit back and let life pass you by and watch it roll or
2) you can grab on and embrace every second given to you by God above, live life to the fullest and make the most of what you have.
I choose to live life to the fullest and embrace each day as another blessing given to me. For now I will live one day at at time and wait for a sign from God where I am supposed to be next in this world. We never know exactly what journey will venture into our lives. We just have to ride the wave and pray God shows us where He wants us to be in life. Don't try to make your own judgement call in this world. Only one person knows the plan for our life and it's when we ask him for direction, we shall receive an answer. Often times that answer does not come right away so until then, live life one day a time and enjoy the ride while it lasts!
But with my philosophy in life about everything happens for a reason, I should know when to slow down or take a step back at times. I am learning that more and more as time passes. I am learning to slow down and live life to the fullest in the current moment. I am learning to stop planning the next 10 years of my life and where and when I'm going to end up in the future. Many of us are guilty of this exact same problem. Things are going good and we are on top of the world and then BAM. Something happens and our world we had planned or direction in life changes. Then what?
When I have had change occur in my life, I look back on the experience I had and chalk it up to good memories and lessons learned. I have learned something from every situation that has happened to me, whether it was good or bad. I am able to take any situation in my life and see the positive, even in the darkest of times. That would be called being optimistic. If more people would be optimistic in this world, this world would be a much better place then it is today. Today's society is so busy with the hustle and bustle of all the tasks we need to get done each and every day, that we tend to forget the important things in life.
I recently met a couple who came in to my office. They have been married 46 years and the woman found out in the last year or two that she had cancer. She was very positive and her story was very inspiring to hear. She decided the wasn't going to let it get her down and she was going to beat the cancer, no matter what it took. She explained how her faith in God had grown tremendously and how she had been a positive influence to others during her turmoil. She was strong not only for herself, but for others near and dear to her. One of her expressions was that her family members were supposed to be there to support her, but that she had actually give her family members support for what she was going through. Kind of ironic if you think about it. She is the one battling cancer and she holds up her loved ones so they can deal with what she is going through. I was so in awe of her story and her outlook on life. I have talked to her husband a couple times since and he said she was been in positive spirits, even though she had surgery a few days ago. She is very independent and has had to learn to let others help her. This lady's personality sounds so much like mine and I believe that is why I was so drawn to her. I prayed for her and have continued to pray for her each day since I met her. Even though she has no idea, she made quite an impact on my life and the way I have been going non-stop lately.
I have taken time to slow down just a little bit. I have spent more time with loved ones, my kids, friends and doing things I enjoy. I have spent extra time on the little things in life that I normally skip over because I don't have time. Time is what we make of it really. We all have the same amount of time in a given day ~ 24 hours, no more and no less. It's up to us as an individual what we so with that time and how we spend it.
So my vow to myself is to stay at a slow and steady pace as life progresses. I want to make the most of the time I am given everyday. I want to make memories that last a life time. I am no longer trying to plan every second of the future. I will plan for today, and maybe for tomorrow but not the remainder of my life. One day at time ~ that has been my slogan I have said to myself and others so many times this year.
Life is uncertain and none of us know what will happen in the future. It's part of the roller coaster ride of life. You have two choices in this world ~
1) you can sit back and let life pass you by and watch it roll or
2) you can grab on and embrace every second given to you by God above, live life to the fullest and make the most of what you have.
I choose to live life to the fullest and embrace each day as another blessing given to me. For now I will live one day at at time and wait for a sign from God where I am supposed to be next in this world. We never know exactly what journey will venture into our lives. We just have to ride the wave and pray God shows us where He wants us to be in life. Don't try to make your own judgement call in this world. Only one person knows the plan for our life and it's when we ask him for direction, we shall receive an answer. Often times that answer does not come right away so until then, live life one day a time and enjoy the ride while it lasts!
Saturday, December 20, 2008
Forgiveness
FORGIVENESS
Such a powerful word. It means one thing but yet it means so many other things as well. We have all done things in our life that we need forgiven for. We have all had someone in our life we need to forgive at one point in time or another.
Forgiveness must begin by forgiving ourselves of whatever it is we are holding on to. And not only forgiving ourselves of our wrongdoings, but once you have forgiven yourself, you must let go of those mistakes of the past and move forward.
Once you are ready to move forward in your life, the next person to ask forgiveness from is God. He will grant you forgiveness in any situation, event, scenario or problem you have in life. All you have to do is ask Him and be sincere about it. You must truly in your heart want to be forgiven for your past mistakes so you can start with a clean slate and move forward as a better person in life. Many people do not know how to ask God for forgiveness. I have been there in the past. Just pray and ask the Lord to forgive you for your sins and mistakes you have made. That is it. Simple as that.
Then once the Lord has forgiven you, the next step is to forgive others.
We must forgive others in our life who have hurt us, brought pain or misery to our life, did terrible things, lie, or made fun of us about something. Most people in this world carry grudges in life and that itself is a sin. God wants us to forgive others who have hurt us no matter what the circumstances. Now obviously this is easier said than done. The majority of this world's population falls into the category of holding grudges and carries those grudges around with them each and every day of their lives. We have all been guilty of this whether we realize it or not. When someone hurts you, your feelings are hurt. And the normal reaction when your feelings are hurt is to want to get revenge or hurt the person back who hurt you. Not everyone in the world will feel that way, but that is the typical reaction when someone is hurt by another person. Even though this feeling if normal, I present this question to ponder, "What does it solve to strike back at the person who hurt you?" If you seek revenge on that person, it might feel as though you are superior for awhile, but ultimately in the end, you are no better than the person who originally hurt you. And revenge solves nothing. It only hurts the other person in return and the vicious cycle continues.
We can all think of an instance where we have wanted to seek revenge or get back at others who have harmed us. Believe me, I have been there. But God also wants us to be the bigger person in the matter and work towards forgiving others. Again, I repeat this is easier said than done. And it takes alot of courage and strength to be able to forgive others. But when we reach the point that we no longer want to seek revenge or pay back others for their actions, then I believe we are capable of forgiving others. Often times it takes time to get over whatever it is that happened to us. It could take days, weeks, months or even years to get to a point we can forgive others that have hurt us, leave the past in the past, and move forward with the lessons learned from it.
Now on the flip side of the coin, have you ever done something to someone, or hurt someone in some way, or did something you knew was wrong? The answer is yes you have, yes I have, we have all done something to hurt someone or something else at some point in time in our life. Now sometimes our actions that hurt others are not always intentional. And sometimes they are. Whatever the situation or scenario that took place, it doesn't really matter. The fact is at some point in our lives, we have all did something we knew was wrong, or something we aren't proud of, or hurt someone in a way that needs forgiveness granted. So I ask you this - if you know you have made a wrong decision or hurt someone else, have you asked that person for forgiveness? Maybe you have, and maybe you have not. So my challenge to you is this ~ if you are in this situation and need to be forgiven for something, simply ask the person. One must swallow their pride and admit their wrongdoing in order to ask another for forgiveness. We as the human race have a very hard time with the last statement. Read it again.
Now that you have read it again, take a moment to think about.
This means we have to apologize for our wrongdoing. Then once we apologize and sincerely mean it, then at that point we ask others for forgiveness. (And I'm not talking about when you were little and pulled your sister's hair because she took your toy away and your mother made you apologize to each other, then kiss and make up.) Never apologize to someone unless your heart is in it. Anyone can say the words "I'm sorry" but if they do not mean what they say, then the words mean nothing.
There are many different situations where we need forgiveness from others. Sometimes we can accomplish this just by asking. Other times we must show the person we are truly sorry by our actions. Actions speak louder than words. Whatever the situation, often times showing the person you are sorry is more effective than just saying the words. This can be done in many different ways depending on what the scenario is. You just have to figure out what is right for your situation and come up the best solution to show the person you are sincere and need forgiveness.
Depending on the situation in which you ask for forgiveness, it may or may not be granted by the person whom you ask. Forgiveness from someone who has been hurt sometimes takes a long time to give. I have seen many people in this world who are in this exact predicament. They have been hurt and forgiving others is not something that happens overnight. It takes time, patience and sometimes even courage to forgive that person. This brings me back to the point about holding a grudge. Carrying around grudges against someone or something brings a burden to your life. Yes it sometimes takes time to let go of that grudge or anger, but in time you have to let go and move on. Otherwise you will always be stuck in the same place and unable to move ahead in life.
In my personal life I have been on both sides of the fence on the subject of forgiveness. I have been hurt and had to learn to forgive others for their actions that brought pain to my life. It has taken time to work up the point of being able to forgive others, but it can be done. I have also been guilty of hurting others, unintentionally the majority of the time. I have had to ask for forgiveness a time or two. It takes a person back down to a level they have to swallow their pride and admit they were wrong. But often times when a person can do that, all the burdens of carrying grudges or hanging on to whatever it was they held on to for so long suddenly disappears. It's suddenly a refreshing and new positive feeling you can only experience once you let go of the past. And when you can forgive others for the mistakes, that's another refreshing wave of feelings as well.
I am at a point in my life where much forgiveness has been granted this year for different things that have happened in my life. It has taken me time to get past things but it's a nice and refreshing feeling to have been able to do that and let go of the past. I believe the past is the past and that is where it should stay. Do not carry the past forward to the future.
Do you need to ask for forgiveness or apologize to someone for something in the past? Don't wait until it's too late. We never know what this world holds from day to day. Don't put off something until tomorrow that you can do today. Nothing is guaranteed in this life on earth. That is why I live day to day and appreciate all the blessings I have been given. And why I can forgive others in order to move forward in to the future.
Such a powerful word. It means one thing but yet it means so many other things as well. We have all done things in our life that we need forgiven for. We have all had someone in our life we need to forgive at one point in time or another.
Forgiveness must begin by forgiving ourselves of whatever it is we are holding on to. And not only forgiving ourselves of our wrongdoings, but once you have forgiven yourself, you must let go of those mistakes of the past and move forward.
Once you are ready to move forward in your life, the next person to ask forgiveness from is God. He will grant you forgiveness in any situation, event, scenario or problem you have in life. All you have to do is ask Him and be sincere about it. You must truly in your heart want to be forgiven for your past mistakes so you can start with a clean slate and move forward as a better person in life. Many people do not know how to ask God for forgiveness. I have been there in the past. Just pray and ask the Lord to forgive you for your sins and mistakes you have made. That is it. Simple as that.
Then once the Lord has forgiven you, the next step is to forgive others.
We must forgive others in our life who have hurt us, brought pain or misery to our life, did terrible things, lie, or made fun of us about something. Most people in this world carry grudges in life and that itself is a sin. God wants us to forgive others who have hurt us no matter what the circumstances. Now obviously this is easier said than done. The majority of this world's population falls into the category of holding grudges and carries those grudges around with them each and every day of their lives. We have all been guilty of this whether we realize it or not. When someone hurts you, your feelings are hurt. And the normal reaction when your feelings are hurt is to want to get revenge or hurt the person back who hurt you. Not everyone in the world will feel that way, but that is the typical reaction when someone is hurt by another person. Even though this feeling if normal, I present this question to ponder, "What does it solve to strike back at the person who hurt you?" If you seek revenge on that person, it might feel as though you are superior for awhile, but ultimately in the end, you are no better than the person who originally hurt you. And revenge solves nothing. It only hurts the other person in return and the vicious cycle continues.
We can all think of an instance where we have wanted to seek revenge or get back at others who have harmed us. Believe me, I have been there. But God also wants us to be the bigger person in the matter and work towards forgiving others. Again, I repeat this is easier said than done. And it takes alot of courage and strength to be able to forgive others. But when we reach the point that we no longer want to seek revenge or pay back others for their actions, then I believe we are capable of forgiving others. Often times it takes time to get over whatever it is that happened to us. It could take days, weeks, months or even years to get to a point we can forgive others that have hurt us, leave the past in the past, and move forward with the lessons learned from it.
Now on the flip side of the coin, have you ever done something to someone, or hurt someone in some way, or did something you knew was wrong? The answer is yes you have, yes I have, we have all done something to hurt someone or something else at some point in time in our life. Now sometimes our actions that hurt others are not always intentional. And sometimes they are. Whatever the situation or scenario that took place, it doesn't really matter. The fact is at some point in our lives, we have all did something we knew was wrong, or something we aren't proud of, or hurt someone in a way that needs forgiveness granted. So I ask you this - if you know you have made a wrong decision or hurt someone else, have you asked that person for forgiveness? Maybe you have, and maybe you have not. So my challenge to you is this ~ if you are in this situation and need to be forgiven for something, simply ask the person. One must swallow their pride and admit their wrongdoing in order to ask another for forgiveness. We as the human race have a very hard time with the last statement. Read it again.
Now that you have read it again, take a moment to think about.
This means we have to apologize for our wrongdoing. Then once we apologize and sincerely mean it, then at that point we ask others for forgiveness. (And I'm not talking about when you were little and pulled your sister's hair because she took your toy away and your mother made you apologize to each other, then kiss and make up.) Never apologize to someone unless your heart is in it. Anyone can say the words "I'm sorry" but if they do not mean what they say, then the words mean nothing.
There are many different situations where we need forgiveness from others. Sometimes we can accomplish this just by asking. Other times we must show the person we are truly sorry by our actions. Actions speak louder than words. Whatever the situation, often times showing the person you are sorry is more effective than just saying the words. This can be done in many different ways depending on what the scenario is. You just have to figure out what is right for your situation and come up the best solution to show the person you are sincere and need forgiveness.
Depending on the situation in which you ask for forgiveness, it may or may not be granted by the person whom you ask. Forgiveness from someone who has been hurt sometimes takes a long time to give. I have seen many people in this world who are in this exact predicament. They have been hurt and forgiving others is not something that happens overnight. It takes time, patience and sometimes even courage to forgive that person. This brings me back to the point about holding a grudge. Carrying around grudges against someone or something brings a burden to your life. Yes it sometimes takes time to let go of that grudge or anger, but in time you have to let go and move on. Otherwise you will always be stuck in the same place and unable to move ahead in life.
In my personal life I have been on both sides of the fence on the subject of forgiveness. I have been hurt and had to learn to forgive others for their actions that brought pain to my life. It has taken time to work up the point of being able to forgive others, but it can be done. I have also been guilty of hurting others, unintentionally the majority of the time. I have had to ask for forgiveness a time or two. It takes a person back down to a level they have to swallow their pride and admit they were wrong. But often times when a person can do that, all the burdens of carrying grudges or hanging on to whatever it was they held on to for so long suddenly disappears. It's suddenly a refreshing and new positive feeling you can only experience once you let go of the past. And when you can forgive others for the mistakes, that's another refreshing wave of feelings as well.
I am at a point in my life where much forgiveness has been granted this year for different things that have happened in my life. It has taken me time to get past things but it's a nice and refreshing feeling to have been able to do that and let go of the past. I believe the past is the past and that is where it should stay. Do not carry the past forward to the future.
Do you need to ask for forgiveness or apologize to someone for something in the past? Don't wait until it's too late. We never know what this world holds from day to day. Don't put off something until tomorrow that you can do today. Nothing is guaranteed in this life on earth. That is why I live day to day and appreciate all the blessings I have been given. And why I can forgive others in order to move forward in to the future.
Thursday, December 18, 2008
Wagon Teamster
I was talking to my mother yesterday and she introduced a website to me. If you are interested in checking it out, it's http://www.wagonteamster.com/
Bob Skelding has a team of 4 horses that pull a wagon he built himself. He started in New Hampshire on August 16 on a journey down the road with his wagon and 4 pulling horses. 4 months later he is currently venturing through Indiana close to where I park my carevery most evenings. That would be my house of course! So his horses are covering the pavement close to my home town.
So this horse gentleman is on an adventure that many people would love to take. Take a look at the website under the "FAQs" and "The Teamster" tab for more information on Bob and the commonly asked questions. I was very inspired reading about him and his stories. He has a very non-materialistic outlook on life and I agree with many points about his philosophy of life. Check out his philosophy of life (taken from the link off his website):
"Philosophy, everyone should have a little - here’s some of mine." - Bob Skelding
A. Rank your priorities in life and run your life according to the ranking. For example here’s my ranking:
1. Family
2. Friends
3. Wellbeing of my fellow man
4. Self Respect
5. Spirituality
6. Fun
7. Pursuit of knowledge
8. Comfort
9. Material Things
10. Money
I’ve met a lot of people up close on this trip and the ones that are normally the happiest and have the most fulfilled lives are those that place their family and friends above comfort and material things.
Different people will have different things on their list. You notice that I don’t even have a career on mine right now - that’s because I don’t have one at this time.
When there’s a freezing rain and a driving wind I tend to move things around a little and try to push comfort a little higher on the list - ha ha. The list shouldn’t be rigid, just a general guideline.
B. You get out of this life exactly what you put into it (more or less).
1. If you want to be loved, then love others.
2. If you want to be happy, then make others happy and try laughing at yourself sometime. Don’t take yourself too serious.
3. Most everything is a two way street.
C. Nearly every goal or ambition is achievable.
1. Set the goal and make up a list of steps necessary to achieve it. Don’t be lazy. Work the list through to completion.
2. Before you start, ask yourself, “can I make the sacrifices necessary to achieve the goal (there’s always sacrifices to be made.)
3. When you reach a roadblock, and you will, figure out what it takes to go around or over the roadblock - there’s always a way - be creative.
4. Never voice the negative. If you say to yourself, “I can’t do this because it cost too much money,” then you defeat yourself before you even start. These are just roadblocks, there are ways around.
5. Don’t put off your goals too long. You may get 50 years of good health as an adult - if you don’t take advantage of them, opportunity will slip away. Rather than saying, “maybe one day”, try saying, “today”.
6. When you fall on your butt, dust yourself off and push on. There’s an old saying, “you can’t stop a person that keeps on coming.”
7. Having said all this; it’s good to be spontaneous sometimes. Some of the best things in life happen completely unconsciously.
D. When dealing with other people:
1. Be polite and respectful - there’s no excuse for bad manners.
2. During conversations, try to listen at least ¾ of the time, and talk only ¼ of the time.
3. Remember that everyone has there own dreams, desires, experiences, pain and sorrow. Try to look at things through their shoes and empathize with them.
4. “Do onto others, as you would have them do onto you” - often quoted passage from the bible - there must be a reason for that.
E. Morals - Integrity, Honesty, Keeping Your Word, etc.
1. Without these, you have no self respect - enough said
F. Courage -
1. Often misunderstood word. Courage is not the absence of fear, it is having fear and pressing on to do the right thing in spite of your fear.
He is very inspirational and is a positive person from what I can see on the list here. That is the way I am about life and so maybe that is why I'm so drawn to the website and the journey of life he is on right now. It must be awesome to leave all the stress of life behind, take off down the road and not have any particular destination.
Some people may look at this and think he is crazy. I do not think he is crazy at all. He is courageous, brave and strong to set out on such an adventure like that. It's not the most ideal situation because it is different from the everyday routine of life. Most of us go to work each day, come home and do what needs to be done, go to bed and get up and start the next day again. So I admire him for stepping out of the daily grind and taking this giant leap of faith on such an adventure.
So here is to Bob and his team of horses DeeDee, Joyce, Dolly and Doc. I hope this adventure is a success for him. He is truly an inspiration to myself and many others who have heard his story. Maybe if I am lucky enough I'll be able to see this crew passing through my town. Good luck to you Bob and keep up the journey!
Bob Skelding has a team of 4 horses that pull a wagon he built himself. He started in New Hampshire on August 16 on a journey down the road with his wagon and 4 pulling horses. 4 months later he is currently venturing through Indiana close to where I park my car
So this horse gentleman is on an adventure that many people would love to take. Take a look at the website under the "FAQs" and "The Teamster" tab for more information on Bob and the commonly asked questions. I was very inspired reading about him and his stories. He has a very non-materialistic outlook on life and I agree with many points about his philosophy of life. Check out his philosophy of life (taken from the link off his website):
"Philosophy, everyone should have a little - here’s some of mine." - Bob Skelding
A. Rank your priorities in life and run your life according to the ranking. For example here’s my ranking:
1. Family
2. Friends
3. Wellbeing of my fellow man
4. Self Respect
5. Spirituality
6. Fun
7. Pursuit of knowledge
8. Comfort
9. Material Things
10. Money
I’ve met a lot of people up close on this trip and the ones that are normally the happiest and have the most fulfilled lives are those that place their family and friends above comfort and material things.
Different people will have different things on their list. You notice that I don’t even have a career on mine right now - that’s because I don’t have one at this time.
When there’s a freezing rain and a driving wind I tend to move things around a little and try to push comfort a little higher on the list - ha ha. The list shouldn’t be rigid, just a general guideline.
B. You get out of this life exactly what you put into it (more or less).
1. If you want to be loved, then love others.
2. If you want to be happy, then make others happy and try laughing at yourself sometime. Don’t take yourself too serious.
3. Most everything is a two way street.
C. Nearly every goal or ambition is achievable.
1. Set the goal and make up a list of steps necessary to achieve it. Don’t be lazy. Work the list through to completion.
2. Before you start, ask yourself, “can I make the sacrifices necessary to achieve the goal (there’s always sacrifices to be made.)
3. When you reach a roadblock, and you will, figure out what it takes to go around or over the roadblock - there’s always a way - be creative.
4. Never voice the negative. If you say to yourself, “I can’t do this because it cost too much money,” then you defeat yourself before you even start. These are just roadblocks, there are ways around.
5. Don’t put off your goals too long. You may get 50 years of good health as an adult - if you don’t take advantage of them, opportunity will slip away. Rather than saying, “maybe one day”, try saying, “today”.
6. When you fall on your butt, dust yourself off and push on. There’s an old saying, “you can’t stop a person that keeps on coming.”
7. Having said all this; it’s good to be spontaneous sometimes. Some of the best things in life happen completely unconsciously.
D. When dealing with other people:
1. Be polite and respectful - there’s no excuse for bad manners.
2. During conversations, try to listen at least ¾ of the time, and talk only ¼ of the time.
3. Remember that everyone has there own dreams, desires, experiences, pain and sorrow. Try to look at things through their shoes and empathize with them.
4. “Do onto others, as you would have them do onto you” - often quoted passage from the bible - there must be a reason for that.
E. Morals - Integrity, Honesty, Keeping Your Word, etc.
1. Without these, you have no self respect - enough said
F. Courage -
1. Often misunderstood word. Courage is not the absence of fear, it is having fear and pressing on to do the right thing in spite of your fear.
He is very inspirational and is a positive person from what I can see on the list here. That is the way I am about life and so maybe that is why I'm so drawn to the website and the journey of life he is on right now. It must be awesome to leave all the stress of life behind, take off down the road and not have any particular destination.
Some people may look at this and think he is crazy. I do not think he is crazy at all. He is courageous, brave and strong to set out on such an adventure like that. It's not the most ideal situation because it is different from the everyday routine of life. Most of us go to work each day, come home and do what needs to be done, go to bed and get up and start the next day again. So I admire him for stepping out of the daily grind and taking this giant leap of faith on such an adventure.
So here is to Bob and his team of horses DeeDee, Joyce, Dolly and Doc. I hope this adventure is a success for him. He is truly an inspiration to myself and many others who have heard his story. Maybe if I am lucky enough I'll be able to see this crew passing through my town. Good luck to you Bob and keep up the journey!
Monday, December 15, 2008
Safety Tips Follow-up
I was searching for this list of safety tips the other day to post with the parking lot safety information. I searched and searched and could not find it. Thanks to a random chance of luck, it arrived in my inbox today from a friend. Thank you!!!!
Here is the e-mail that has probably circulated your inbox at one time or another. My advice is to print this list and review it on a regular basis. We can never be too safe in today's world.
Through a Rapist's Eyes - Please don't just read this, STUDY IT! This is important information for females of ALL ages. When this was sent to me, I sent it to almost everyone in my address book. Please pass it along. A group of rapists and date rapists in prison were interviewed on what they look for in a potential victim and here are some interesting facts:
1) The first thing men look for in a potential victim is hairstyle.They are most likely to go after a woman with a ponytail, bun, braid or other hairstyle that can easily be grabbed. They are also likely to go after a woman with long hair. Women with short hair are not common targets.
2) The second thing men look for is clothing. They will look for women who's clothing is easy to remove quickly . Many of them carry scissors around specifically to cut clothing.
3) They also look for women on their cell phone, searching through their purse, or doing other activities while walking because they are off-guard and can be easily overpowered.
4) Men are most likely to attack & rape in the early morning, between 5:00 a.m. and 8:30 a.m.
5) The number one place women are abducted from or attacked is grocery store parking lots. Number two is office parking lots/garages. Number three is public restrooms.
6) The thing about these men is that they are looking to grab a woman and quickly move her to another location where they don't have to worry about getting caught.
7) Only 2% said they carried weapons because rape carries a 3-5 year sentence but rape with a weapon is 15-20 years.
8) If you put up any kind of a fight at all, they get discouraged because it only takes a minute or two for them to realize that going after you isn't worth it because it will be time-consuming.
9) These men said they would not pick on women who have umbrellas, or other similar objects that can be used from a distance, in their hands. Keys are not a deterrent because you have to get really close to the attacker to use them as a weapon. So, the idea is to convince these guys you're not worth it.
10) Several defense mechanisms he taught us are: If someone is following behind you on a street or in a garage or with you in an elevator or stairwell, look them in the face and ask them a question, like what time is it, or make general small talk: 'I can't believe it is so cold out here,' 'we're in for a bad winter.' Now you've seen their face and could identify them in a line-up; you lose appeal as a target.
11) If someone is coming toward you, hold out your hands in front of you and yell STOP or STAY BACK! Most of the rapists this man talked to said they'd leave a woman alone if she yelled or showed that she would not be afraid to fight back. Again, they are looking for an EASY target.
12) If you carry pepper spray (this instructor was a huge advocate of it and carries it with him wherever he goes), yell I HAVE PEPPER SPRAY and holding it out will be a deterrent.
13) If someone grabs you, you can't beat them with strength but you can by outsmarting them. If you are grabbed around the waist from behind, pinch the attacker either under the arm (between the elbow and armpit) OR in the upper inner thigh VERY VERY HARD. One woman in a class this guy taught told him she used the underarm pinch on a guy who was trying to date rape her and was so upset she broke through the skin and tore out muscle strands - the guy needed stitches. Try pinching yourself in those places as hard as you can stand it - it hurts.
14) After the initial hit, always GO for the GROIN. I know from a particularly unfortunate experience that if you slap a guy's parts it is extremely painful. You might think that you'll anger the guy and make him want to hurt you more, but the thing these rapists told our instructor is that they want a woman who will not cause a lot of trouble. Start causing trouble and he's out of there.
15) When the guy puts his hands up to you, grab his first two fingers and bend them back as far as possible with as much pressure pushing down on them as possible. The instructor did it to me without using much pressure, and I ended up on my knees and both knuckles cracked audibly.
16) Of course the things we always hear still apply. Always be aware of your surroundings, take someone with you if you can and if you see any odd behavior, don't dismiss it, go with your instincts! You may feel a little silly at the time, but you'd feel much worse if the guy really was trouble.
TIPS FROM TAE KWON DO:
1. The elbow is the strongest point on your body. If you are close enough to use it, do!
2. Learned this from a tourist guide in New Orleans. If a robber asks for your wallet and/or purse, DO NOT HAND IT TO HIM. Toss it away from you... chances are that he is more interested in your wallet and/or purse than you, and he will go for the wallet/purse. RUN LIKE MAD IN THE OTHER DIRECTION!
3. If you are ever thrown into the trunk of a car, kick out the back tail lights and stick your arm out the hole and start waving like crazy. The driver won't see you, but everybody else will. This has saved lives.
4. Women have a tendency to get into their cars after shopping, eating, working, etc., and just sit (doing their checkbook, or making a list, etc.) DON'T DO THIS! The predator will be watching you, and this is the perfect opportunity for him to get in on the passenger side, put a gun to your head, and tell you where to go. AS SOON AS YOU GET INTO YOUR CAR, LOCK THE DOORS AND LEAVE.
a. If someone is in the car with a gun to your head DO NOT DRIVE OFF, repeat: DO NOT DRIVE OFF! Instead gun the engine and speed into anything, wrecking the car. Your Air Bag will save you. If the person is in the back seat they will get the worst of it. As soon as the car crashes bail out and run. It is better than having them find your body in a remote location.
5. A few notes about getting into your car in a parking lot or parking garage:
A.) Be aware: look around you, look into your car, at the passenger side floor, and in the back seat.
B.) If you are parked next to a big van, enter your car from the passenger door. Most serial killers attack their victims by pulling them into their vans while the women are attempting to get into their cars.
C.) Look at the car parked on the driver's side of your vehicle, and the passenger side. If a male is sitting alone in the seat nearest your car, you may want to walk back into the mall, or work, and get a guard/policeman to walk you back out. IT IS ALWAYS BETTER TO BE SAFE THAN SORRY. (And better paranoid than dead.)
6. ALWAYS take the elevator instead of the stairs. (Stairwells are horrible places to be alone and the perfect crime spot. This is especially true at NIGHT!)
7. If the predator has a gun and you are not under his control, ALWAYS RUN. The predator will only hit you (a running target) 4 in 100 times.And even then, it most likely WILL NOT be a vital organ. RUN, preferably in a zig zag pattern!
8. As women, we are always trying to be sympathetic: STOP! It may get you raped or killed. Ted Bundy, the serial killer, was a good-looking, well-educated man, who ALWAYS played on the sympathies of unsuspecting women. He walked with a cane, or a limp, and often asked 'for help' into his vehicle or with his vehicle, which is when he abducted his next victim.
9. Another Safety Point: Someone just told me that her friend heard a crying baby on her porch the night before last, and she called the police because it was late and she thought it was weird. The police told her 'Whatever you do, DO NOT open the door.'
This list has alot of very good points we all need to remember. If you feel the desire, copy and paste this in an e-mail and send to everyone in your address book. It could help someone someday.
Here is the e-mail that has probably circulated your inbox at one time or another. My advice is to print this list and review it on a regular basis. We can never be too safe in today's world.
Through a Rapist's Eyes - Please don't just read this, STUDY IT! This is important information for females of ALL ages. When this was sent to me, I sent it to almost everyone in my address book. Please pass it along. A group of rapists and date rapists in prison were interviewed on what they look for in a potential victim and here are some interesting facts:
1) The first thing men look for in a potential victim is hairstyle.They are most likely to go after a woman with a ponytail, bun, braid or other hairstyle that can easily be grabbed. They are also likely to go after a woman with long hair. Women with short hair are not common targets.
2) The second thing men look for is clothing. They will look for women who's clothing is easy to remove quickly . Many of them carry scissors around specifically to cut clothing.
3) They also look for women on their cell phone, searching through their purse, or doing other activities while walking because they are off-guard and can be easily overpowered.
4) Men are most likely to attack & rape in the early morning, between 5:00 a.m. and 8:30 a.m.
5) The number one place women are abducted from or attacked is grocery store parking lots. Number two is office parking lots/garages. Number three is public restrooms.
6) The thing about these men is that they are looking to grab a woman and quickly move her to another location where they don't have to worry about getting caught.
7) Only 2% said they carried weapons because rape carries a 3-5 year sentence but rape with a weapon is 15-20 years.
8) If you put up any kind of a fight at all, they get discouraged because it only takes a minute or two for them to realize that going after you isn't worth it because it will be time-consuming.
9) These men said they would not pick on women who have umbrellas, or other similar objects that can be used from a distance, in their hands. Keys are not a deterrent because you have to get really close to the attacker to use them as a weapon. So, the idea is to convince these guys you're not worth it.
10) Several defense mechanisms he taught us are: If someone is following behind you on a street or in a garage or with you in an elevator or stairwell, look them in the face and ask them a question, like what time is it, or make general small talk: 'I can't believe it is so cold out here,' 'we're in for a bad winter.' Now you've seen their face and could identify them in a line-up; you lose appeal as a target.
11) If someone is coming toward you, hold out your hands in front of you and yell STOP or STAY BACK! Most of the rapists this man talked to said they'd leave a woman alone if she yelled or showed that she would not be afraid to fight back. Again, they are looking for an EASY target.
12) If you carry pepper spray (this instructor was a huge advocate of it and carries it with him wherever he goes), yell I HAVE PEPPER SPRAY and holding it out will be a deterrent.
13) If someone grabs you, you can't beat them with strength but you can by outsmarting them. If you are grabbed around the waist from behind, pinch the attacker either under the arm (between the elbow and armpit) OR in the upper inner thigh VERY VERY HARD. One woman in a class this guy taught told him she used the underarm pinch on a guy who was trying to date rape her and was so upset she broke through the skin and tore out muscle strands - the guy needed stitches. Try pinching yourself in those places as hard as you can stand it - it hurts.
14) After the initial hit, always GO for the GROIN. I know from a particularly unfortunate experience that if you slap a guy's parts it is extremely painful. You might think that you'll anger the guy and make him want to hurt you more, but the thing these rapists told our instructor is that they want a woman who will not cause a lot of trouble. Start causing trouble and he's out of there.
15) When the guy puts his hands up to you, grab his first two fingers and bend them back as far as possible with as much pressure pushing down on them as possible. The instructor did it to me without using much pressure, and I ended up on my knees and both knuckles cracked audibly.
16) Of course the things we always hear still apply. Always be aware of your surroundings, take someone with you if you can and if you see any odd behavior, don't dismiss it, go with your instincts! You may feel a little silly at the time, but you'd feel much worse if the guy really was trouble.
TIPS FROM TAE KWON DO:
1. The elbow is the strongest point on your body. If you are close enough to use it, do!
2. Learned this from a tourist guide in New Orleans. If a robber asks for your wallet and/or purse, DO NOT HAND IT TO HIM. Toss it away from you... chances are that he is more interested in your wallet and/or purse than you, and he will go for the wallet/purse. RUN LIKE MAD IN THE OTHER DIRECTION!
3. If you are ever thrown into the trunk of a car, kick out the back tail lights and stick your arm out the hole and start waving like crazy. The driver won't see you, but everybody else will. This has saved lives.
4. Women have a tendency to get into their cars after shopping, eating, working, etc., and just sit (doing their checkbook, or making a list, etc.) DON'T DO THIS! The predator will be watching you, and this is the perfect opportunity for him to get in on the passenger side, put a gun to your head, and tell you where to go. AS SOON AS YOU GET INTO YOUR CAR, LOCK THE DOORS AND LEAVE.
a. If someone is in the car with a gun to your head DO NOT DRIVE OFF, repeat: DO NOT DRIVE OFF! Instead gun the engine and speed into anything, wrecking the car. Your Air Bag will save you. If the person is in the back seat they will get the worst of it. As soon as the car crashes bail out and run. It is better than having them find your body in a remote location.
5. A few notes about getting into your car in a parking lot or parking garage:
A.) Be aware: look around you, look into your car, at the passenger side floor, and in the back seat.
B.) If you are parked next to a big van, enter your car from the passenger door. Most serial killers attack their victims by pulling them into their vans while the women are attempting to get into their cars.
C.) Look at the car parked on the driver's side of your vehicle, and the passenger side. If a male is sitting alone in the seat nearest your car, you may want to walk back into the mall, or work, and get a guard/policeman to walk you back out. IT IS ALWAYS BETTER TO BE SAFE THAN SORRY. (And better paranoid than dead.)
6. ALWAYS take the elevator instead of the stairs. (Stairwells are horrible places to be alone and the perfect crime spot. This is especially true at NIGHT!)
7. If the predator has a gun and you are not under his control, ALWAYS RUN. The predator will only hit you (a running target) 4 in 100 times.And even then, it most likely WILL NOT be a vital organ. RUN, preferably in a zig zag pattern!
8. As women, we are always trying to be sympathetic: STOP! It may get you raped or killed. Ted Bundy, the serial killer, was a good-looking, well-educated man, who ALWAYS played on the sympathies of unsuspecting women. He walked with a cane, or a limp, and often asked 'for help' into his vehicle or with his vehicle, which is when he abducted his next victim.
9. Another Safety Point: Someone just told me that her friend heard a crying baby on her porch the night before last, and she called the police because it was late and she thought it was weird. The police told her 'Whatever you do, DO NOT open the door.'
This list has alot of very good points we all need to remember. If you feel the desire, copy and paste this in an e-mail and send to everyone in your address book. It could help someone someday.
Thursday, December 11, 2008
More Inspirational Sayings
I love to read inspirational phrases, quotes or sayings. I received an e-mail with many wonderful thoughts so I thought I would post that list. Here goes...
Take into account that great love and great achievements involve great risk.
When you lose, don't lose the lesson.
Follow the 3 R's:
Respect for self
Respect for others and
Responsibility for all your actions.
Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck.
Learn the rules so you know how to break them properly.
Don't let a little dispute injure a great relationship.
When you realize you've made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it.
Spend some time alone every day.
Open your arms to change, but don't give up your values.
Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.
Live a good, honorable life. Then when you get older and think back, you'll be able to enjoy it a second time.
A loving atmosphere in your home is the foundation for your life.
In disagreement with loved ones, deal with only the current situation. Don't bring up the past.
Share your knowledge. It is a way to achieve immortality.
Be gentle with the earth.
Once a year, go some place you've never been before.
Remember the best relationship is one in which your love for each other exceeds your need for each other.
Judge your success by what you had to give up in order to get it.
Approach love and cooking with reckless abandon.
Looking through this list, I think each phrase offers some good advice. Many of these refer to love, family, friends, and relationship with people whom you have in your life. It is very important to realize it's these people in our life that are what is truly most important. Things come and go, people come and go, friends come and go, loves comes and goes, jobs come and go, but we all must remember to indulge ourselves in the current moment and never take life for granted. Life is too short and we must remember that each and every day. So live in the moment, take an extra moment to do something you enjoy, take an extra moment to play with your children, and don't ever forget to thank God everyday for another day here on earth.
Take into account that great love and great achievements involve great risk.
When you lose, don't lose the lesson.
Follow the 3 R's:
Respect for self
Respect for others and
Responsibility for all your actions.
Remember that not getting what you want is sometimes a wonderful stroke of luck.
Learn the rules so you know how to break them properly.
Don't let a little dispute injure a great relationship.
When you realize you've made a mistake, take immediate steps to correct it.
Spend some time alone every day.
Open your arms to change, but don't give up your values.
Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer.
Live a good, honorable life. Then when you get older and think back, you'll be able to enjoy it a second time.
A loving atmosphere in your home is the foundation for your life.
In disagreement with loved ones, deal with only the current situation. Don't bring up the past.
Share your knowledge. It is a way to achieve immortality.
Be gentle with the earth.
Once a year, go some place you've never been before.
Remember the best relationship is one in which your love for each other exceeds your need for each other.
Judge your success by what you had to give up in order to get it.
Approach love and cooking with reckless abandon.
Looking through this list, I think each phrase offers some good advice. Many of these refer to love, family, friends, and relationship with people whom you have in your life. It is very important to realize it's these people in our life that are what is truly most important. Things come and go, people come and go, friends come and go, loves comes and goes, jobs come and go, but we all must remember to indulge ourselves in the current moment and never take life for granted. Life is too short and we must remember that each and every day. So live in the moment, take an extra moment to do something you enjoy, take an extra moment to play with your children, and don't ever forget to thank God everyday for another day here on earth.
Wednesday, December 10, 2008
A Good Idea... or Not?
I receive a daily e-mail that compiles ideas sent in by people on random things such as how to save money, conserve energy, or be thrifty about certain things. Well they are numerous posts that will send in a picture of their pet and want to know the breed, or people will want to know how to do something, or might be looking for a certain recipe, or whatever they feel like asking the rest of the internet world. Well, one of the ideas posted today was a tip to help you not get lost in the parking lot. Read below:
Take Cell Picture of the Parking Lot Location of your Car
If you've ever tried to return to your car after shopping, and couldn't remember where you parked, then you'll appreciate this simple tip, so you won't spend precious time trying to find your car in a sea of others. Just take your cell phone out, snap a picture showing your location and shop 'til you drop knowing you won't be frantically trying to locate your car--especially in cold or rainy weather. An added advantage of not having to wander around searching is the safety issue. You need to get safely into your car as soon as possible.
Hmmm... so my first reaction to the post was I had to laugh because I did this just a couple months ago. If you need a refresher, click HERE.
Ok so while the author of this idea has a good idea for some, this would NEVER work for me! First of all, my cell phone is full of pictures and songs so I wouldn't have room on my phone to even take a picture of my car in the parking lot. And can you picture that? I mean really take a second to think about that - if a person got out of their car, stood back and was taking a picture of their car, what would you think about that person? My opinion would be is that they were a little wacky, but I would just walk past them and hope the cooky person didn't follow me. The next problem with taking the picture of a car in the parking lot is the fact that a parking lot is a parking lot. To me all the rows look the same and so even if I took a picture of my car, I wouldn't be able to tell what row it was in. And it's not like you can take a picture of the cars around you because there is a good chance those cars will be replaced by a different vehicle when you come out of the store.
Now I will give the author credit and say the person has a good idea about being safe in a parking lot. I make a habit when I am by myself to always have my keys in hand, finger ready to hit my car alarm if needed. I always lock my doors when I get in my car, then get moving as soon as possible. I don't sit there and organize my purse or write down my receipts in my check book, etc. I get the car in reverse so I can be on my merry way on to my next destination. I also pay attention to my surroundings and am cautious about people in a car parked beside mine. And if it is dark, I try to park under a security light. And most important, I usually have my cell phone in my pocket. That is my normal habit to carry my phone in my pocket, but I would at least have easy access to it in case of emergency. And that is what I do to be safe in a parking lot!
Now for my tip to finding your car in the parking lotyou know since I've had lots of experience losing my car when I come out of the store ~ I have gotten in the habit of looking at the row number that I park in. Our lovely local Wal-Mart has a sign up with the rows numbered so all I have to do is make a mental note of what row I am and then my blonde butt is covered!
Take Cell Picture of the Parking Lot Location of your Car
If you've ever tried to return to your car after shopping, and couldn't remember where you parked, then you'll appreciate this simple tip, so you won't spend precious time trying to find your car in a sea of others. Just take your cell phone out, snap a picture showing your location and shop 'til you drop knowing you won't be frantically trying to locate your car--especially in cold or rainy weather. An added advantage of not having to wander around searching is the safety issue. You need to get safely into your car as soon as possible.
Hmmm... so my first reaction to the post was I had to laugh because I did this just a couple months ago. If you need a refresher, click HERE.
Ok so while the author of this idea has a good idea for some, this would NEVER work for me! First of all, my cell phone is full of pictures and songs so I wouldn't have room on my phone to even take a picture of my car in the parking lot. And can you picture that? I mean really take a second to think about that - if a person got out of their car, stood back and was taking a picture of their car, what would you think about that person? My opinion would be is that they were a little wacky, but I would just walk past them and hope the cooky person didn't follow me. The next problem with taking the picture of a car in the parking lot is the fact that a parking lot is a parking lot. To me all the rows look the same and so even if I took a picture of my car, I wouldn't be able to tell what row it was in. And it's not like you can take a picture of the cars around you because there is a good chance those cars will be replaced by a different vehicle when you come out of the store.
Now I will give the author credit and say the person has a good idea about being safe in a parking lot. I make a habit when I am by myself to always have my keys in hand, finger ready to hit my car alarm if needed. I always lock my doors when I get in my car, then get moving as soon as possible. I don't sit there and organize my purse or write down my receipts in my check book, etc. I get the car in reverse so I can be on my merry way on to my next destination. I also pay attention to my surroundings and am cautious about people in a car parked beside mine. And if it is dark, I try to park under a security light. And most important, I usually have my cell phone in my pocket. That is my normal habit to carry my phone in my pocket, but I would at least have easy access to it in case of emergency. And that is what I do to be safe in a parking lot!
Now for my tip to finding your car in the parking lot
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Holiday Humor
It's that time of year again. The sound of Christmas in the air, the cold winter air that takes your breath away, the joyous spirit that everyone carries this season, and the holiday hero to all the children of the world ~ you guessed it ~ Santa Claus.
My little one has been talking non-stop about Christmas and Santa Claus these past few weeks. Her latest famous question is "What do you want for Christmas?" She asks everyone this question ~ me, her sister, all her family members, all her friends, strangers in every store we go in, even the cat! Granny took her to Wal-Mart the other day and had quite the experience. My precious daughter asked everyone in the store what they wanted for Christmas. Most of the people who took the time to respond told her they didn't know what they wanted or hadn't taken the time to think about it. Imagine shopping in the store and a small child asks what you wanted for Christmas - you might not know what to say at first! This famous question has become part of the daily ritual around our house ~ or should I say an hourly ritual! She must ask me this 20-30 times a day ~ and there is no exaggeration there!
So what does everyone want for Christmas? Well my little one wants an oven and a "Dora thing" and a Dora horse. Not quite sure what the "Dora thing" is but I'll have it figured out before Christmas! Older sister wants an ipod, not just any ipod, a PURPLE ipod. And Mommy wants a new blanket for her new bed. Hey, I had to think of something to tell her or the question would not halt! It's not like I can tell her I would love to have that winning lottery ticket, or a brand new big house ready to move in to, or for the world to be in perfect harmony. So a new blanket on my new big comfy bed will work for now! What I REALLY want won't fit under my Christmas tree anyway...
So what is the next famous question? 3 words ~ "Where is Santa?" This has become the other famous question around our house lately. So the obvious answer is "the North Pole." Then comes all the lovely follow up questions - "Where is the North Pole?" "Can we go to the North Pole?" "What is Santa doing?" So after hearing "Where is Santa?" for themillionth time ten thousandth time and giving her the North Pole answer, I decided to attempt another approach. So while driving home one evening and after hearing this question every minute I looked at her and said "Santa is on your lap." She looked at me like the crazy mama that I am I was from another planet! I asked what was wrong and didn't she see Santa on her lap???? She said NO! So I asked her the famous question then "where is Santa?" She responded with the North Pole! So FINALLY she got it - Santa lives at the North Pole. I was so relieved she finally understood and wouldn't ask me where Santa was (at least until the next day). So 2 minutes later she asked me where Santa was...
My little one has been talking non-stop about Christmas and Santa Claus these past few weeks. Her latest famous question is "What do you want for Christmas?" She asks everyone this question ~ me, her sister, all her family members, all her friends, strangers in every store we go in, even the cat! Granny took her to Wal-Mart the other day and had quite the experience. My precious daughter asked everyone in the store what they wanted for Christmas. Most of the people who took the time to respond told her they didn't know what they wanted or hadn't taken the time to think about it. Imagine shopping in the store and a small child asks what you wanted for Christmas - you might not know what to say at first! This famous question has become part of the daily ritual around our house ~ or should I say an hourly ritual! She must ask me this 20-30 times a day ~ and there is no exaggeration there!
So what does everyone want for Christmas? Well my little one wants an oven and a "Dora thing" and a Dora horse. Not quite sure what the "Dora thing" is but I'll have it figured out before Christmas! Older sister wants an ipod, not just any ipod, a PURPLE ipod. And Mommy wants a new blanket for her new bed. Hey, I had to think of something to tell her or the question would not halt! It's not like I can tell her I would love to have that winning lottery ticket, or a brand new big house ready to move in to, or for the world to be in perfect harmony. So a new blanket on my new big comfy bed will work for now! What I REALLY want won't fit under my Christmas tree anyway...
So what is the next famous question? 3 words ~ "Where is Santa?" This has become the other famous question around our house lately. So the obvious answer is "the North Pole." Then comes all the lovely follow up questions - "Where is the North Pole?" "Can we go to the North Pole?" "What is Santa doing?" So after hearing "Where is Santa?" for the
This time of year is so fun with little ones around the house. I love to have help decorating the tree and making out Christmas lifts and shopping for others. We have an annual tradition of baking cookies each year too. We make sugar cookies with homemade icing and they are DELICIOUS! Oh and we always "custom decorate" them each year too. We write names on cookies, draw pictures on some, decorate with multiple colors and make little snowmen, candy canes, bells, Christmas trees, whatever the kids decide to create - ALL this fun with icing of course!
Do you have any family Christmas traditions you do year after year? Holiday traditions are a wonderful thing to look forward to each year. My girls know we will put up the tree the weekend after Thanksgiving each year. We will also visit Santa Claus while he is visiting from the North Pole LOL. We will go to Granny's Christmas Eve and have a nice holiday dinner and celebrate with family. I will usually get to see my two best friends I've had my whole life around Christmas Eve. I will send out the annual Christmas cards that I make each year. We will laugh at the cats that turn our Christmas tree skirt into a nice comfy bed each year. We will each pick out a new ornament each year to hang on the tree year after year. My new ornament is usually a Breyer horse carousel and Breyer horse stirrup ornament. They are so pretty each year ~ Thanks Mom!
While this time of year is fun and full of traditions and supposed to be a jolly time, there are often times people want to fast forward through the holiday and move on to the new year. If you fall in this category, just remember this time of year is only here once a year and then it's over. One time a year people will be nice and jolly and enemies will shake hands and get along for the sake of the season. So remember while presents and Santa and all that are fun, it's not what Christmas is truly about. As always, Jesus is the reason for the season! I thank the Lord for our Christ savior and look forward to celebrating his birthday this year. Please remember CHRISTmas is the best time of year. Take time to kick back and celebrate with family and friends and enjoy the moment while it lasts. Because once it's gone, it's gone and you can never relive Christmas in 2008.
Sunday, November 23, 2008
The Pregnant Turkey
Have you ever seen the story about the pregnant turkey? This is an e-mail I received but it's perfect for Thanksgiving time.
PREGNANT TURKEY STORY
One year at Thanksgiving, my mom went to my sister's house for the traditional feast.
Knowing how gullible my sister is, my mom decided to play a trick.
She told my sister that she needed something from the store.
When my sister left, my mom took the turkey out of the oven.
She removed the stuffing, stuffed a Cornish hen, inserted it into the turkey, and re-stuffed the turkey.
She then placed the bird(s) back in the oven.
When it was time for dinner, my sister pulled the turkey out of the oven and proceeded to remove the stuffing.
When her serving spoon hit something, she reached in and pulled out the little bird.
With a look of total shock on her face, my mother exclaimed, 'Kimberly, you've cooked a pregnant bird!'
At the reality of this horrifying news, my sister started to cry.
It took the family two hours to convince her that turkeys lay eggs!
Yep..................SHE'S BLONDE!
Hmmmm.... since I grew up on a farm I at least know turkeys lay eggs. So I'm one up on this blonde! LOL
PREGNANT TURKEY STORY
One year at Thanksgiving, my mom went to my sister's house for the traditional feast.
Knowing how gullible my sister is, my mom decided to play a trick.
She told my sister that she needed something from the store.
When my sister left, my mom took the turkey out of the oven.
She removed the stuffing, stuffed a Cornish hen, inserted it into the turkey, and re-stuffed the turkey.
She then placed the bird(s) back in the oven.
When it was time for dinner, my sister pulled the turkey out of the oven and proceeded to remove the stuffing.
When her serving spoon hit something, she reached in and pulled out the little bird.
With a look of total shock on her face, my mother exclaimed, 'Kimberly, you've cooked a pregnant bird!'
At the reality of this horrifying news, my sister started to cry.
It took the family two hours to convince her that turkeys lay eggs!
Yep..................SHE'S BLONDE!
Hmmmm.... since I grew up on a farm I at least know turkeys lay eggs. So I'm one up on this blonde! LOL
Tuesday, November 18, 2008
Reasons We Owe Our Mother
I received this in an e-mail and thought it was cute. Now that I'm a mom, I understand these concepts all too well.
25 REASONS I OWE MY MOTHER:
1. My mother taught me TO APPRECIATE A JOB WELL DONE.
'If you're going to kill each other, do it outside. I just finished cleaning.'
(Now my kids would never do that HAHAHAHAHA!)
2. My mother taught me RELIGION.
'You better pray that will come out of the carpet.'
(So maybe I've used this phrase a time or two)
3. My mother taught me about TIME TRAVEL.
'If you don't straighten up, I'm going to knock you into the middle of next week!'
(Think I heard that while growing up)
4. My mother taught me LOGIC.
'Because I said so, that's why.'
(I find myself using this all the time). If you haven't already, check out http://www.becauseisaidso.com/ This is a blog from a stay at home mom of 6 kids who became world famous overnight because of an Ebay auction. She is a writer and her blog is my daily humor therapy. Check it out - Dawn Meehan's blog. It's great!
5. My mother taught me MORE LOGIC.
'If you fall out of that swing and break your neck, you're not going to the store with me.'
(Good logic there)
6. My mother taught me FORESIGHT.
'Make sure you wear clean underwear, in case you're in an accident.'
(You ever heard the joke that if you're in an accident, you'd crap your pants anyway?)
7. My mother taught me IRONY
'Keep crying, and I'll give you something to cry about.'
(I remember hearing this from my mom and my grandma while growing up and I would just cry harder LOL)
8. My mother taught me about the science of OSMOSIS.
'Shut your mouth and eat your supper.'
(Hmm... I think I use this on a daily basis when I have to remind the kids to stop fighting, singing, yelling, or whatever they seem to come up with at the table)
9. My mother taught me about CONTORTIONISM.
'Will you look at that dirt on the back of your neck!'
(Don't quite have that problem yet - mine tend to stay pretty clean or at least I clean them up good!)
10. My mother taught me about STAMINA.
'You'll sit there until all that spinach is gone.'
(And if it takes 2 hours til it's gone, so be it)
11. My mother taught me about WEATHER.
'This room of yours looks as if a tornado went through it.'
(I believe this exact phrase has come out of my mouth more times than I can count)
12. My mother taught me about HYPOCRISY.
'If I told you once, I've told you a million times. Don't exaggerate!'
(You ever heard the phrase "one, two, skip a few... a hundred?" Well a "million time" is along that same line)
13. My mother taught me the CIRCLE OF LIFE.
'I brought you into this world, and I can take you out.'
(I think I've heard that one before too. Thanks Mom)
14. My mother taught me about BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION.
'Stop acting like your father!'
(LMAO - no comment here)
15. My mother taught me about ENVY.
'There are millions of less fortunate children in this world who don't have wonderful parents like you do.'
(I remind my kids daily they are very fortunate to have a house to live in, food to eat, clothes to wear, and toys to play with and a wonderful loving mommy as I)
16. My mother taught me about ANTICIPATION.
'Just wait until we get home.'
(I can remember this as a teenager. My mom would call me and tell me I was in trouble when I got home for something)
17. My mother taught me about RECEIVING.
'You are going to get it when you get home!'
(Read the above comment to #16)
18. My mother taught me MEDICAL SCIENCE.
'If you don't stop crossing your eyes, they are going to freeze that way.'
(Don't have this problem LOL)
19. My mother taught me ESP.
'Put your sweater on; don't you think I know when you are cold?'
(My daughter once told me she was the only one at school who wore a jacket. Well, it was cold in my opinion and Mommy knows best!)
20. My mother taught me HUMOR.
'When that lawn mower cuts off your toes, don't come running to me.'
(Or when my daughter gets her guitar out to play it knowing that her little sister will be trying to play with it too, then yells at her to leave it alone. Still can't quite get this one in her head)
21. My mother taught me HOW TO BECOME AN ADULT.
'If you don't eat your vegetables, you'll never grow up.'
(And we wouldn't want that to happen now, would we? LOL)
22.My mother taught me GENETICS.
'You're just like your father.'
(Not my kids!)
23. My mother taught me about my ROOTS.
'Shut that door behind you. Do you think you were born in a barn?'
(The problem is mine love the barn and would probably sleep in the barn with the animals if I would allow them)
24. My mother taught me WISDOM.
'When you get to be my age, you'll understand.'
(OMG these exact words have come out of my mouth to my oldest)
25. And my favorite: My mother taught me about JUSTICE
'One day you'll have kids, and I hope they turn out just like you.'
(This could be taken a number of ways. All kids have their own individual personality. I just hope their kids are good. If they take after me, they will be!)
So there you have it. Things that you understand as an adult that your mother probably told you while growing up. It reminds me of the famous saying "If I only knew then what I know now." How true is that statement? The older I get, the truer it becomes!
25 REASONS I OWE MY MOTHER:
1. My mother taught me TO APPRECIATE A JOB WELL DONE.
'If you're going to kill each other, do it outside. I just finished cleaning.'
(Now my kids would never do that HAHAHAHAHA!)
2. My mother taught me RELIGION.
'You better pray that will come out of the carpet.'
(So maybe I've used this phrase a time or two)
3. My mother taught me about TIME TRAVEL.
'If you don't straighten up, I'm going to knock you into the middle of next week!'
(Think I heard that while growing up)
4. My mother taught me LOGIC.
'Because I said so, that's why.'
(I find myself using this all the time). If you haven't already, check out http://www.becauseisaidso.com/ This is a blog from a stay at home mom of 6 kids who became world famous overnight because of an Ebay auction. She is a writer and her blog is my daily humor therapy. Check it out - Dawn Meehan's blog. It's great!
5. My mother taught me MORE LOGIC.
'If you fall out of that swing and break your neck, you're not going to the store with me.'
(Good logic there)
6. My mother taught me FORESIGHT.
'Make sure you wear clean underwear, in case you're in an accident.'
(You ever heard the joke that if you're in an accident, you'd crap your pants anyway?)
7. My mother taught me IRONY
'Keep crying, and I'll give you something to cry about.'
(I remember hearing this from my mom and my grandma while growing up and I would just cry harder LOL)
8. My mother taught me about the science of OSMOSIS.
'Shut your mouth and eat your supper.'
(Hmm... I think I use this on a daily basis when I have to remind the kids to stop fighting, singing, yelling, or whatever they seem to come up with at the table)
9. My mother taught me about CONTORTIONISM.
'Will you look at that dirt on the back of your neck!'
(Don't quite have that problem yet - mine tend to stay pretty clean or at least I clean them up good!)
10. My mother taught me about STAMINA.
'You'll sit there until all that spinach is gone.'
(And if it takes 2 hours til it's gone, so be it)
11. My mother taught me about WEATHER.
'This room of yours looks as if a tornado went through it.'
(I believe this exact phrase has come out of my mouth more times than I can count)
12. My mother taught me about HYPOCRISY.
'If I told you once, I've told you a million times. Don't exaggerate!'
(You ever heard the phrase "one, two, skip a few... a hundred?" Well a "million time" is along that same line)
13. My mother taught me the CIRCLE OF LIFE.
'I brought you into this world, and I can take you out.'
(I think I've heard that one before too. Thanks Mom)
14. My mother taught me about BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION.
'Stop acting like your father!'
(LMAO - no comment here)
15. My mother taught me about ENVY.
'There are millions of less fortunate children in this world who don't have wonderful parents like you do.'
(I remind my kids daily they are very fortunate to have a house to live in, food to eat, clothes to wear, and toys to play with and a wonderful loving mommy as I)
16. My mother taught me about ANTICIPATION.
'Just wait until we get home.'
(I can remember this as a teenager. My mom would call me and tell me I was in trouble when I got home for something)
17. My mother taught me about RECEIVING.
'You are going to get it when you get home!'
(Read the above comment to #16)
18. My mother taught me MEDICAL SCIENCE.
'If you don't stop crossing your eyes, they are going to freeze that way.'
(Don't have this problem LOL)
19. My mother taught me ESP.
'Put your sweater on; don't you think I know when you are cold?'
(My daughter once told me she was the only one at school who wore a jacket. Well, it was cold in my opinion and Mommy knows best!)
20. My mother taught me HUMOR.
'When that lawn mower cuts off your toes, don't come running to me.'
(Or when my daughter gets her guitar out to play it knowing that her little sister will be trying to play with it too, then yells at her to leave it alone. Still can't quite get this one in her head)
21. My mother taught me HOW TO BECOME AN ADULT.
'If you don't eat your vegetables, you'll never grow up.'
(And we wouldn't want that to happen now, would we? LOL)
22.My mother taught me GENETICS.
'You're just like your father.'
(Not my kids!)
23. My mother taught me about my ROOTS.
'Shut that door behind you. Do you think you were born in a barn?'
(The problem is mine love the barn and would probably sleep in the barn with the animals if I would allow them)
24. My mother taught me WISDOM.
'When you get to be my age, you'll understand.'
(OMG these exact words have come out of my mouth to my oldest)
25. And my favorite: My mother taught me about JUSTICE
'One day you'll have kids, and I hope they turn out just like you.'
(This could be taken a number of ways. All kids have their own individual personality. I just hope their kids are good. If they take after me, they will be!)
So there you have it. Things that you understand as an adult that your mother probably told you while growing up. It reminds me of the famous saying "If I only knew then what I know now." How true is that statement? The older I get, the truer it becomes!
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
It's a Blonde Mix!
So where are all the blondes in this world? Well for starters, the author of this blog Hmm.. wonder who that would be thinks she is blonde. Or at least I act like one. Just ask my mother! But in this past week, I think my blondeness (is that even a word, maybe I should look it up at http://www.dictionary.com/ and see???) has rubbed off on my lovely mother.
Just the other day she ordered something for me at a restaurant. I wanted a water to drink. So while ordering she ordered a "water plain." I was in the vehicle with her and didn't even think much about it (another example of my blondeness) and then she repeated to herself "water plain." Then she told the person taking the order she meant just a "water." Well once I realized what she'd ordered, I started laughing hysterically. I won't quite let her live that one down for awhile. So I do believe I'm rubbing off on her.
If that wasn't enough, just a couple days later she tried to send an e-mail with a few blonde jokes in it. She was sending the blonde jokes to my blondie (as I call him and yes he is a real blonde) as a way to make fun of me since I act so much like a blonde. Well she cc'd me on the e-mail and forgot to send it to the original intended recipient. So like a good daughter, I forwarded the e-mail on to whom it was supposed to go to originally. So that's instance #2 within 2 days! BTW, I still love you mom.
I received a blonde joke on e-mail the other day. See the pic below. The sign says "Corn Maze for Blondes" next to a single stalk of corn. I thought it was pretty funny so I had to send it on. That is my idea of a corn maze and surely I couldn't get lost! What do you think?
Have you ever done a corn maze before? I did one time probably 8 or 9 years ago. It was actually pretty easy and we didn't really get lost. We had to find the center of the corn maze and then we got a special treat ~ a piece of Halloween candy hanging in a Halloween bucket. WOOOOH all that work for a piece of candy - it was great LOL.
So who else can we add to the "blonde mix?" Oh I don't know, maybe us blondes who lock our keys in our truck. Not that an incident like this happened or anything, but it makes for a good story, right? That's what I thought too.
So here is to all natural blondes, wanna-be blondes, and others who blondes rub off on! People can send all the blonde jokes they want but it doesn't change the bottom line:
BLONDES HAVE MORE FUN! Right, Blondie? =-)
Monday, November 3, 2008
Let's Go Snipe Hunting
Have you ever been snipe hunting? That is something I have never done but I've always heard of it. Never really totally knew what it meant but it sounded like something I would pass on. So after a couple wine coolers the other night, some friends of mine wanted to take me snipe hunting. Of course I declined the offer. Then I had to ask the ultimate question that made me look the idiot from this earth "what exactly is a snipe?" So after a few different versions of what a "snipe" is, I thought I would outsmart them. So I whip out my handy dandy little cell phone and connect to the internet. To be exact, I went to www.dictionary.com Not that I ever use that site because I'm a blonde who doesn't know what words mean sometimes That site is very useful if your children ever need to look up a word for school, yes, your children.
So after looking up what "snipe" meant on dictionary.com, this was the first definition I read:
1. any of several long-billed game birds of the genera Gallinago (Capella) and Limnocryptes, inhabiting marshy areas, as G. gallinago (common snipe), of Eurasia and North America, having barred and striped white, brown, and black plumage.
Well if you read that and understand it, you are better at English than little ole me! At that point, I got that it was some kind of bird. Ok, so after some more laughter from my friends (I still love ya'll though), I thought I would be a genius and google the word "snipe." So I google search it and it takes me to the Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, website. Here is the definition of a snipe according to the encyclopedia site:
"A snipe is any of nearly 20 wading bird species in three genera in the family Scolopacidae. They are characterised by a very long slender bill and cryptic plumage. The Gallinago snipes have a nearly worldwide distribution, the Lymnocryptes Jack Snipe is restricted to Asia and Europe and the Coenocorypha snipes are found only in New Zealand. The three species of painted snipe are not closely related to the typical snipes, and are placed in their own family, the Rostratulidae."
Ok and guess what - it even had a pretty little picture to go along with it to show what a snipe is!
So being the genius that I am, I now had a picture of a snipe and showed to my fellow friends that I now knew what a snipe was! I thought that was great for a moment in time...
What I failed to do was read just a little farther down on the web page where it describes "snipe hunting":
Caution (according to Wikipedia encyclopedia site)
Should anyone ever request your presence at a Snipe Hunting event, it is in your best interest to decline the offer. The true intent of their invitation is to have you out in the wilderness, often a field but woods are not an uncommon location, searching for a nonexistant bird. Thus, the true motivation is to make you look a fool. Snipe hunting is no more than a childish prank, but if the pranksters are talented enough, it is an easy one to fall in to.
Well I didn't fall for it because I wasn't about to get up out of my comfy chair and go in the woods and walk around at night and look for some stupid brown bird. Plus I didn't see how the bird would go into a paper sack with a stick (as mi madre was so inclined to tell me I would need a paper bag and a stick). I might be a blonde but I'm not that naive!
So the first thing that comes to my mind is the fact that I DECLINED the snipe hunting offer. So I did exactly what the dictionary told me I should have done. So that's a good thing! Now if I'd just kept my mouth shut and not asked what a snipe was. Oh well, now I know I will never actually go snipe hunting. Unless I find a clueless person who wants to go snipe hunting with me. Hmmmm..... it's a thought!
Anyone up for snipe hunting? Anyone? Oh come on! It will be fun to go out in the woods with a paper bag and a stick to catch a snipe. Yep. Fun. Promise!
So after looking up what "snipe" meant on dictionary.com, this was the first definition I read:
1. any of several long-billed game birds of the genera Gallinago (Capella) and Limnocryptes, inhabiting marshy areas, as G. gallinago (common snipe), of Eurasia and North America, having barred and striped white, brown, and black plumage.
Well if you read that and understand it, you are better at English than little ole me! At that point, I got that it was some kind of bird. Ok, so after some more laughter from my friends (I still love ya'll though), I thought I would be a genius and google the word "snipe." So I google search it and it takes me to the Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia, website. Here is the definition of a snipe according to the encyclopedia site:
"A snipe is any of nearly 20 wading bird species in three genera in the family Scolopacidae. They are characterised by a very long slender bill and cryptic plumage. The Gallinago snipes have a nearly worldwide distribution, the Lymnocryptes Jack Snipe is restricted to Asia and Europe and the Coenocorypha snipes are found only in New Zealand. The three species of painted snipe are not closely related to the typical snipes, and are placed in their own family, the Rostratulidae."
Ok and guess what - it even had a pretty little picture to go along with it to show what a snipe is!
So being the genius that I am, I now had a picture of a snipe and showed to my fellow friends that I now knew what a snipe was! I thought that was great for a moment in time...
What I failed to do was read just a little farther down on the web page where it describes "snipe hunting":
Caution (according to Wikipedia encyclopedia site)
Should anyone ever request your presence at a Snipe Hunting event, it is in your best interest to decline the offer. The true intent of their invitation is to have you out in the wilderness, often a field but woods are not an uncommon location, searching for a nonexistant bird. Thus, the true motivation is to make you look a fool. Snipe hunting is no more than a childish prank, but if the pranksters are talented enough, it is an easy one to fall in to.
Well I didn't fall for it because I wasn't about to get up out of my comfy chair and go in the woods and walk around at night and look for some stupid brown bird. Plus I didn't see how the bird would go into a paper sack with a stick (as mi madre was so inclined to tell me I would need a paper bag and a stick). I might be a blonde but I'm not that naive!
So the first thing that comes to my mind is the fact that I DECLINED the snipe hunting offer. So I did exactly what the dictionary told me I should have done. So that's a good thing! Now if I'd just kept my mouth shut and not asked what a snipe was. Oh well, now I know I will never actually go snipe hunting. Unless I find a clueless person who wants to go snipe hunting with me. Hmmmm..... it's a thought!
Anyone up for snipe hunting? Anyone? Oh come on! It will be fun to go out in the woods with a paper bag and a stick to catch a snipe. Yep. Fun. Promise!
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