Things That Annoy Me...

Boy, do I miss blogging! The idea for a blog of things that annoy me hit me yesterday while shopping. So here goes... my list of things that annoy me (and I know some of you can relate to some of these):



1. The squeaky shopping cart (and also what triggered this blog). Yes, the cart that squeaks and weebles and wobbles all throughout the store. I was the lucky recipient of THAT cart yesterday. The one that nobody ever wants to get because you are the center of attention. And not by choice, but chance. Of all the carts to choose from, I chose the one who was the loudest of all. It felt like I was in a parade with all the stares I received from people thinking to themselves 'Yep, glad that isn't me this shopping trip!'



2. You are leaving the grocery with stuff in the cart that cannot be bagged and get stopped at the front door because they "need to check your receipt." Ok, I understand that not everyone is totally honest and people try to get stuff for free these days. But I am not one of those people, and I hate the fact that I have to prove I have paid for my items. This happened to me twice in the past 4 days! And I never get stopped when I am on leisure time; it's always when I am in a hurry!



3. People. Yes, I just said that people annoy me. Do people annoy you? I'm guessing that they do. Now, not everyone annoys me. But I am set in my ways so I tend to get annoyed with people easily. I also know no one is perfect, and we all make mistakes. But sometimes there is a limit to what you can tolerate. So now for a list of the kinds of people that annoy me:



Conceited people - God created us all equally so why do some people think they are high and mighty and that their poop doesn't stink? We all know someone like this, or maybe you fit into this category. People who are conceited and arrogant are no better than others; they may think they are but that's just to boost their ego that much more. There are definitely people who have made alot of themselves or make more money then others, and that's great and all, congrats to them; but it does not mean they are actually better then others.



Lazy people - this is one of my pet peeves. I am very active and constantly doing something, whether it's at work, home, or for recreation. I don't see how people can sit around and do nothing for hours or days on end. It's nice to have a lazy day every now and then, but God didn't create us to be like that 24/7.



Slacker people - oh yes, we all know someone like this. Unfortunately we have to deal with them whether we like it or not. You know how these people are - they float and do the bare minimum that is required. They let others take charge and sit back and don't do their fair share. They are the type to sit back and watch instead of jumping up to help and taking initiative. I could go on and on about this one, but enough said!



Not dumb, but not overly intelligent-people (did I word that nicely without sounding conceited??) - You ever heard the saying "so-and-so has the brains that God gave us a goose." That's what I think about when I think about these kinds of people. There are those out there who are nice and good people, but sometimes they just don't make the best decisions. They may do things they know are wrong, but don't worry about the consequences until it's time to pay up. You get the idea here!



Mean people - some people are just plain mean. They do things to hurt others, they aren't honest, and they make fun of others. Remember the bully on the school playground? That person was mean then, and probably still is. It's sad but people are mean for no reason often times.


Overtalkative people - you know the kind. You see them calling your phone and then you check your watch to see how much time you have to talk. Because once you pick up the phone, you won't get a word in for 30 minutes. And even then, it might be 2 words. Some people just talk too much and don't know when it's time to shut up.



Braggy people - which can also be overtalkers. Yep, their son or daughter did this, that and even more crap that you don't give a care about. Oh, and you must know the latest and greatest on what the person's latest accomplishments are! It's all about ME, ME ME ~ know someone like this? Someone needs to invent an on/off switch for overtalking braggers because then you could shush them at your convenience. Now that's a thought for an invention...



Gossipy people - no explanation needed here. Gossip brings nothing but trouble to all those who are involved in it.



Dramatic people - come on now. Once you hit the age of 18, drama should cease to exist. Drama is brought on by gossip so they go hand in hand. There are some people just born drama queens (or drama kings), and they love every moment of it. They want to be center of attention and make a massive deal out of the smallest issues. I despise drama and steer clear of it, and if people were smart, they would too.

Really happy morning people - and don't take offense if you are one of "those morning people." I am not a morning person, and I doubt I will ever become one. I like my sleep, I like sleeping in even though it almost never happens, and I don't want to be bothered first thing in the morning about anything. No joking, no serious talks, no complaining or any of the sort first thing in the morning! NO! I cannot handle it. And I'm not one that must have my coffee because well, I am not a coffee drinker. It usually takes me a couple hours after waking up to really be awake and happy. Sometimes more, sometimes less. But anyone that knows me knows not to bother me with nonsense first thing in the morning. Or they might not like the response they get!


That's just a start on people that annoy me! Now back to the list...




4. How about when you turn on the radio station and catch the very tail end of your favorite song? Darn radio stations should be in tune with my schedule of when I start my ignition! LOL



5. When I am in a deep sleep and get woke up by something or someone (usually my youngest one). And then there is initial jump of being woke up and then the head rush when you realize where you are and what just happened. And then the fact it's impossible to get back into that good sleep. Sigh...



6. That I can NEVER seem to be to bed before midnight. Oh, I can try my best, but it never happens. It's as if the clock beside my bed has a magical power that refuses to let my head hit the pillow before 12:00 AM. Some nights it's generous and maybe I am down by 11:30 PM but there is still something that must keep me awake. Maybe the new day wants to greet me personally or something. I just don't know what it is, but I have come to the conclusion that bedtime before midnight just doesn't happen for me. Maybe one of these days I will get back in the habit of getting to bed at a decent hour!



7. Voicemail. Yes, voicemail gets on my nerves. I'm such a texter these days that I don't talk on the phone much. Unless it's a lengthy or important conversation, I'd rather text anyday! Let me clarify something ~ I don't mind voicemail if I do not know the phone number. That is fine; that way I can check to see if I even want to return the call or not. It's when I receive a voicemail from someone that knows I will call them right back. You know the old "Hey, I was just calling to talk. Give me a call back as soon as you can." Why take the time to leave that on a recorded message? I think most of the time people don't even check voicemail before returning a call anyway. I don't the majority of the time. So that is my thoughts on VM!



8. How about when you are driving in a parking lot and some idiot cuts across the parking lot the wrong direction that the aisles run? OMG that gets on my nerves! And normally these people are not checking aisles as they cross them. They believe they have the right of way and you must abide to them since they are the parking lot masters! Or people who drive the wrong way in an up or down lane. I am in the habit of looking both ways before I back out just in case. And I couldn't count the number of times it has happened. The driver is going the wrong direction in an up or down aisle, and you have to wait on their not-so-smart self to pass your vehicle, then you hope and pray they go the correct direction down the next aisle they pick. It happens way too often and can cause an accident over someone's stupidity. I just think some people need a bumper sticker that labels them as "Stupid Driver Aboard."



9. This could fall under the people annoyance category. But how about when you say something to another person and they don't respond? Nothing, nada, zilch! You sit there wondering if they even heard you, and if they did, why don't they take two seconds of their time to respond? It's like having a one-sided conversation. I have been around people where I will say something of great importance or of little value, and they don't answer. Not only is it just plain rude, but it makes the "talker" feel like what they said doesn't matter and is not worth discussing. I will at least acknowledge someone if they speak to me, even if I am not in a chatty mood.


10. When my checkbook balance is off, even just a penny. Yes, I am anal in that sense :)



11. Anyone else ever use Redbox? I do but not all that often. I barely have time to do all the necessary things on a daily basis so my movie watching time is very limited. But when I use a Redbox, I want the thing to work! There have been a few occasions where it doesn't. Or they don't have the movie I really, really wanted to see. BOO! That is what online Redbox is for and I learned that a few months ago



12. How about the fact there are not more than 24 hours in a day? I think we could all agree to this one. But even if there were more hours in a day, we would still find time to fill those hours and then complain that there still wasn't enough time. I have written it over and over, there are only 24 hours in a day and we must make the most of them. On a good day (that I go straight to work and straight home), I am still gone almost half of the day. Throw in a few hours to feed the kids, bathtime, homework, playing with them, and all the extra activities you do every week, that leaves little time for sleep. I am happy if I get a full 7 hours sleep per night!



13. What about when we are working on something and can't get it to work properly (this could be alot of things), and then someone else walks over to take a look at it, what usually happens? It works the second they walk over there. Yep, always works that way! It could be a computer problem, a jar that won't open, really anything. But as soon as another person's eyes are on the problem, it is not longer an issue. Murphy's Law, I guess! This has happened to me alot at work; something is wrong on my screen or the computer is acting up. As soon as I call a co-worker over to look at it, it works perfect! GRRR.....



14. For those who have kids, you will understand this one! Kids love to play toys so they drag out this and that and before you know it, the whole room looks like a tornado went through and dropped down baby dolls, blocks, barbie, etc. But that is not the worst part. That comes when it's time to clean up their mess. "But I'm tired" or "help me" or "these are too heavy" or "but I really want to go to bed" or "Sissy played with these too so she has to help me" excuses ~ that is what really gets on my nerves! They can play and play to their little hearts desire, but come time to clean up the mess, they never want to. And they always think since you are the parent, that comes in the job description that you must help them. The rule in our house is that they can get one collection of items out to play, but when they are ready to move on to the next thing, those must be picked up first. At least that's the way it's supposed to happen. Our floor has been covered in Littlest Pet Shops, Barbies, kitchen items, and whatever other random miscellaneous crap junk they find to drag out. When it gets to the point I can't see my floor, there is a big problem and Mommy isn't happy! My kids are pretty good about picking up, but they must be reminded and re-reminded at times. And yes, I usually end up helping because I am just a sucker. Not to mention it's late and I want to go to bed, so I do help them sometimes. But there are also times I don't too so it all balances out!


15. My best friend and I just talked about this one a few minutes ago -> How about when your jeans or pants don't fit as good as they used to? You know, you pull those pants out of the closet and try to button/zip them up only to find out they have shrunk since you last wore them? It's not you, NO. It's the pants, blame it ALL on the pants! How dare the shrinking fairy put a spell on them when you hung them in the closet. In all fairness, that may be true. Sometimes we wash clothes in hot water or dry them a little too much, and they do shrink. At least that's the excuse I like to use :). Or it could be the alternative, and we have put on just a bit more body mass than we used to have. I'm not as thin as a stick, but I can't complain. But even I have some pants I would love to be able to wear again. Something about turning 30, metabolism slows down, not enough hours in the day... But I do have to workout at least 3-4 days a week or I go nuts. I must say I am a fan of Zumba and would love to do it 7 days a week if I could! I even have my daughter loving Zumba too!



16. Crowded places and I do not agree. I hate to go somewhere I know is going to be crowded. All of those people in a confined space, yucky, germy, you can't breath without smelling someone else's weird scent. Crowds didn't used to bug me that much, but they do now. If I don't have a clear path to walk somewhere, I don't want to be there!



17. What about the times you are trying to watch one of your favorite shows (or a movie) and someone keeps interrupting you (normally kids yelling), and it makes it impossible to see and hear the show? I am not a big TV viewer anyway and rarely watch movies (see #11 above), so this doesn't pertain to me often. However, there are a couple of shows that I love to watch, and when I actually get time to watch them once every 3 months if I am lucky, I want to be able to see and hear them. That's normally about the time the friend you haven't talked to in awhile calls, or someone will stop by to say "HI." Or your kids will not allow you to watch the TV. Ever notice how that works? During their shows, they are in tune with the TV, and we parents do not exist. We can say the same thing 5 times and they will still not hear it! Oh, but when it's time for Mommy to watch the TV, they can't be quiet enough, or they need this/that right now, or they decide they want to have a long talk at the moment. It's always something, happens every time a show of mine comes on! But they also know that if I don't get my 15 minutes of TV time per week of something I really want to see, they will be in trouble. Therefore, I have signed all rights to my TV over to them until they are grown. Cartoons are destined to be on my screen for a very, very long time!



18. When the power goes out. Yes, when the electricity flickers off even for just a second. Want to know why? Because it makes every single clock in the house blink 12:00 when it comes back on. That means resetting every.single.clock back to the correct time. I guess I only have 4 clocks to reset which include the oven and the microwave so that isn't bad, but still a pain in the side when you have to do it. And when the power flickers more than once in a day and you have to reset the clocks you just reset, don't even get me started on that one! LOL

19. My current annoyance: the fact that summer is almost over :(. It has been a great summer with my kids, but it flew too quick. My kids are growing too fast. Time moves too rapidly, but it always does. I absolutely love summer because of the warm sunshine and beautiful days. I refuse to say goodbye to summer because that soon means hello winter. And I must say winter is the most annoying season of them all! Maybe I should just move to Florida where the weather is warm all year around. Thinking, thinking, nah! I think I'll stay here in great ole Indiana and complain about the cold snowy days in a few months. At least I have a 4x4 truck to get around this winter :)

20. Twenty just seems like a good number to wrap up my annoying list. Hmmm... well, I love to blog. Just don't get enough time to write. But I haven't had a comment in a long time! And that is ok, but it is nice to get a comment now and then on my fabulous writing ability. Ha! Just kidding. But I do love to get comments so keep that in mind, blog readers :).

I hope you enjoyed my list of annoying things. I am sure there are many more, but that is what came to mind while writing. Enjoy your day and remember to do something nice for a loved one today :)

Goodbye Summer, Hello School Year

I must say summer really flew this year. I know we all say that every year, but it did! Normally by this time of year, I am beyond ready for my kids to go back to school. Well, guess what? Not this year! I feel like the summer slipped out from under my feet and just flew away. So how did summer fly by so fast?

I sure would like to know the answer to that question! The length of any given day is 24 hours, no matter what season the day falls. But it seems like the entire summer was over in 24 hours. Maybe I can say that now that our fair is over. Oh yes, the fair. Our family usually loves the fair every year. But this year was a little different. Why? Maybe I shouldn't say that it was different, I guess it's the fact that my daughter can now do any 4-H project that she desires. But some projects take much more time than others. Like... the dog. Don't get me wrong; I love the dog, and I love the fact my daughter loves her dog and that dog is her ultimate favorite project. BUT when you add on the goats, the sheep, the horses, (and don't forget the guinea pig), it makes for a very busy summer. With an average of 3 nights of practice a week, most often 4 nights a week between Monday and Thursday with all the different animals, it made me a very tired mommy and two tired little girls! On a positive note though, my daughter did very well with all of her projects and with all of her animals she showed so that made me the tired, but very proud mommy! On a second positive note, it's all over! No more practices with animals until next year... Well, except for the State Fair practices this week... Grrrrr!!!! *Grin!*

With the ending of summer break comes the beginning of the school year. The kids are always excited, nervous, scared, glad, happy and sad all rolled into one! Glad to see their friends again, sad that summer has come to an end yet again. This will also be a year of big change for me ~ instead of one child in school, it will double and make it two kids in school. ='( ='(. Yes, it saddens me just a little. I have always said I would be so glad when they both went to school, but I am recanting those words at the moment. I know it's all part of kids growing up, but it's still hard when the "baby" goes to kindergarten. No, she is not a baby, but yet she is still "the baby." The youngest is always the baby no matter how old they are! Can I get an amen?!?! At least for now, she is still the baby!

Let's do the math here. Since my youngest is in kindergarten, add on five years and that makes the oldest in 5th grade. Here at our school, 5th grade rules the school. So she is excited about being the top dog this year! Let's just see if she can have yet another year of straight A's and get her name engraved on the plaque hanging in the school hall again :). I am just grateful for the fact they will be in the same school one year together and big sis can guide little sis and show her the ropes of the big, scary school.

As another summer comes to a close, we will soon welcome fall and all that comes along with that. Our kids will turn another year older, and so will we. It's just another reminder that we get older each and every day. We may not feel it (and we might some days) but it's the truth of reality. I am that happy our family had a wonderful summer even though it may have been stressful at times. I am glad my girls were able to have fun and soak up some summer sun. Once school gets back in session, I will eventually find the gratefulness in school days again. At least the routine will be back. Oh, but with routine comes the homework. And since I will have double duty this year, I will say a prayer that we can accomplish homework successfully and in a timely manner this year. That is to be determined, I suppose...

Good luck to all the kids out there who have gone back to school and those who soon will. Before I know it, I will be writing the fall and winter blahs blogs again! LOL. I know my kids will be fine in school this year, but I will probably shed a tear or two after the school bus leaves. I think that's just a Mommy thing, but it's ok because I know God will take care of them while they are not in my care! Have a blessed day, adios for now :)

Another Reminder of Our Blessings

Well, well, one of the last times I remember writing was over the fact I was ready for spring. Now summer is here, and already half over it seems like! Time just flies so fast anymore. We age just a little each day, but yet it doesn't seem like it. Our kids grow a little more each year, each month, each week, each day and before we know it, time has really flown by and they aren't babies anymore. Yes, time flies whether we like it or not. Life has been so busy for me lately that I haven't had time to blog. I miss it; I really do! But as the old saying goes, when all is well, there isn't much to say. Life is grand, kids are great, job is booming as it always does, and everything else is just swell.

I was reminded recently of how important life really is and how we should live each day to the fullest. I love making the most of each day. Sometimes that's easier said then done. I love summer, but then again, I don't like it. We are gone almost every night of every week doing some 4-H activity, or something. It's fun but it's tiring. And at the end of the day most days, I am beyond ready for my head to hit the pillow. Life is short and I want to make the most of it, but sometimes relaxation is nice too. An acquaintance of ours was killed in a motorcycle wreck a few days ago. He was 45 and left behind a wife and 3 kids. It shocked me when I heard even though I did not know the man very well. He was driving down the road I live on when he died. I was not a witness to the scene; nor would I have wanted to be. That would involve a wrecked vehicle and that is just not something I can look at without flipping over the top. But the point is, he was here that morning, and gone by the next morning. Life can change at the drop of a hat, and we must accept what comes our way whether we want to or not.

I thank God every day that I have been blessed with all that I have in my life. And I also know that if something is in God's will, it will happen when the time is right. One of the greatest things about the future is the unknown surprises that God has in store for us that we do not even know about yet. Or we could call it God's blessings of the future. Even if you have your "future" planned out, things can change. Life changes all the time and we must roll with it to stay sane. That's just my little reminder for today. As I always say, life live to the fullest. Love is one of the greatest treasures of all. Do not take life or love for granted. Appreciate all the blessings in life because you never know when those might be gone. Good night and God bless!

It Was Quite a Rude Remark!

Have you ever been guilty of putting your foot in your mouth? Have you ever said something you wish you could take back? Or even worse, have you ever said something not-so-nice about someone, and then it get repeated to that person? Unfortunately we have all been there before. We have all said things that we wish would have never said. We have all made comments that we wish other would have never heard. And how have you felt when you were the one that said something and couldn't take it back? Probably not real great. This very scenario happened to me a week ago; however, I was on the receiving end of the hurtful comment.

School is coming to a close for the summer (thank God)! It has been a long year and all the students, parents and teachers are ready for their well deserved summer break. At least my daughter is! Well, with the end of school comes the close of extra curricular activities for the year. I was in charge of a girl scout troop that has been together for 4 years and will be for one more year. We were in the midst of celebrating our year end awards party. We all had a nice pitch-in dinner to start the evening, followed by a couple girl scouts activities, some games, and then the long awaited ceremony to receive their badges and prizes they have earned for the year. Things in the girl scout troop have been a bit stressful the past couple of years, but I felt like this year had been a success. Our troop is very low key because of busy students and parents that are just as busy. I loved our little group of girls and they had a ton of fun together this year. Well, all was going well until one little girl spoke up and notified me that she would be switching troops and then proceeded to tell me a not-so-very-nice comment that her mother had said about me. I will not reveal what the comment is because that is irrelevant. The point is that I have devoted alot of my personal time, gas for driving all over the place for various reasons this year pertaining to troop related activities, fundraisers, etc, and alot of hard work into the troop this year. When the words rolled off the girl's tongue, I froze for a minute and had to let what she said sink in. Because the comment she made does not describe me at all. I was deeply offended and had to walk away from the group of girls for a moment to collect my thoughts and to keep my cool.

Even worse, the comment came from a mother who has been with the troop the entire four years, and who has not done a whole lot to contribute to the troop. This person stays at home and has tons more time than I who works 9-10 hours everyday at my job on top of everything else I do. So not only was the comment extremely rude and offensive, but for the person who put not much effort forward to the group to say such a horrible thing, it was pretty low. Very very low. So there it is, one of my biggest pet peeves ~ someone being judgemental. Judging others is a sin, and I despite people who judge others. Until you are in someone else's shoes and know EXACTLY what their life is like or all that they do, I think people should keep their mouths SHUT and not made rude remarks until they have been there and done that and can relate on a 100% level.

I am proud to say I made it through the rest of the meeting all the while biting my tongue (and it hurt a bit to bite it but I accomplished it), and didn't say a word to the mother that made the rude remark. I understand people have different views, but what was said was uncalled for and was extremely hurtful to me who took the negative comment personally. I guess I should add that I was not at all upset with the girl who told me what her judgemental mother said. I was upset with the mother for saying such a mean thing, considering she hadn't made a fraction of the effort I had all year long. I was always open to suggestions and ideas but she didn't seem to have many to add throughout the year.

The mother was sitting a few seats down from her daughter when the comment left her lips. I do not know if she heard her daughter tell me the negative news about what her mother thought or not. And personally, I don't care. It would have been wonderful if the daughter would have said it with the mother by her side, but unfortunately that wasn't the case. There were several girls and other parents that heard the comment, so I'm sure she knew before the night was over what her daughter had said to me. I have a strong feeling she knew but was too chicken to apologize to my face. Isn't that funny how that works ~ it's so much easier to say something behind someone's back, but not to their face? We are all guilty of that, just some more than others.

My point of sharing this story is to make others think before they speak. You might think negatively about something or someone, but be careful what you say or what you write because once mean words leave your mouth, it's hard to take them back. I'm just advising, take a couple seconds to think about something before it's too late. It's fine that the mom felt that way, she is entitled to her opinion. However, it was not ok to blab to her daughter (who tells all anyway) and then humiliate me in front of everyone else. It was very hurtful and I have to admit I resent the mother for what she said. I will not stay hung up on it or lose sleep over it, but the scar is there. As far as I am concerned, I have no use for her and don't really care if I ever talk to her again or not. However, I do hope she learned her lesson from this whole incident and learns to keep her mouth shut before blabbing her useless opinions of others while she sits on her butt. It's like the saying goes ~ if you think you can do a better job, than do it! Don't gripe about how someone else does something if you haven't even made an effort to begin with.

So today's lesson: think before you speak or act. It just might save you from tasting your foot in your mouth and save someone else's feelings from getting hurt. This doesn't only apply to this scenario, but life in general. We all say and do things in the spur of the moment, and then later on sometimes regret what we have said or done. But we can't take it back. We just chalk it up to lessons learned and move on and try to apply what we learned in the future. It's simple really: If you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all. We always tell our children that, but maybe there are some adults that need to be told that to.

Until next time, live and love happy!

That Day Comes Again

Wow, how life has been busy lately! Just like you, I am consumed with work, kids, and everyday life. I have missed blogging and I hope to start blogging more. I need some inspiration! I need some ideas! Send me a title and we'll see what blog comes of it! It may not happen for a few months, but it could eventually become a blog. All in all, I cannot complain. God has blessed my life abundantly, more than words can say. I am just thankful for each and every day that I am given a fresh start. I am thankful for all the blessings he has given me over the years. But most of all, I am grateful for the chance we have at eternal life. When we turn everything over to God and trust in Him completely and wholeheartedly, amazing things happen. We grow in our faith more and more and we worry less. Well, the day I celebrate every year is here again. I celebrate the birth day of my daughter even though she is not physically here to celebrate it with me. She is smiling down on me from Heaven Above. She knows how dearly loved and missed she is, even though she is in a much better place than we are here on earth. Mindy Grace would be 7 years old today. It is hard to believe it has been that long because it seems like just yesterday. I have moments forever frozen in my memory of my time with her.

God was good to bless us with Mindy. God is good all the time even when good things don't happen. We just have to look for the good in all aspects of life. I look back on these 30 years of my life and realize how truly blessed I have been. I am grateful for all things that have happened to me; I am grateful for where I am today. Just like everyone else, I have been through alot in life. Some times were wonderful and other times weren't so great. But I made it through! I found the silver lining in every cloud of every storm and made it through to see the sun shine again. These last two years have taught me alot about life. It's funny how I can look back at where I at 3 years ago at this time, 2 years ago at this time, and 1 year ago at this time. My, oh my, how I have changed during each of those years! Not only have I gotten 1 year old each year, but I have learned enough to last me a lifetime. But the best thing of all, is that no matter how much I went through, or what I have learned, there is still so much more to explore, accomplish and learn along the way! There are so many things that God has planned for my life that I don't even know about yet. I just have to pray and wait to see where my path leads me. I have a pretty good idea of where I'm going to be, but only time will tell what will happen...

I attended a fashion swap at my church this past weekend. There was a guest speaker there who gave a very uplifting and warm message. One thing that she repeated numerous times was "I am a unique, unrepeatable miracle of God." She made every one in the room say it over and over throughout her talk with us ladies. Try this, say it aloud, right now. Don't worry about who is around, say it so you can hear your mouth speak the words: I AM A UNIQUE, UNREPEATABLE MIRACLE OF GOD. Now for those of you that just read it and did not speak it out loud, go back and say it! If you are in an environment you cannot talk to yourself because people might think you are a little nutty, at least write it down and say it to yourself out LOUD before the day is over. Since you are fortunate enough to be able to read my blog, at least do it for me!

I am a unique, unrepeatable miracle of God ~ that I am. That you are. And every unique individual that God created is. A unique unrepeatable miracle of God. Every one has their own mind, their own body, their own life, their own family, their own friends, their own car, their own email, their own favorite things, their own everything. Yes, people share things all the time, people share family members and friends. But there is not another person that has your name, your likes, your dislikes, your look, your voice, your smell, your hair, you get the idea. There is no exact replica of YOU because God created us all to be different in our own unique way. For those of you that have a Facebook account, their is no other person that has the same list of friends that you do! Want proof of that? You cannot be a "friend" to yourself on FB so therefore, no other person can repeat your list of friends exactly.

So there it is folks! We are all different from each other, but yet we are alike in so many ways. I am thankful for the friends I have; the friends that compliment me, the friends that listen to me, the friends that I can meet for lunch, the friends that know me better than I know myself, all the friends I have. I am especially thankful for the bestest friends that I have, there are just a select few. And I thank God for helping me find my best friend, that I can tell everything to and be who I really am, just last year.

So I hope you understand my point. Every one of us is our own person. We all see, hear, touch, feel and smell the same thing, but the end result differs in everyone. We don't always think alike, and we never will. If we all thought alike, how boring would that be! Everybody has their own "thing" they like to do. Everyone has their own interests. I love to go for a ride on tractors and combines but most people do not share that same spark of interest as me. So next time you are having a rough day or hard time, remember that you are a unique individual that is unrepeatable.

God makes each and every one of us for a different reason; a different purpose. Have you ever wanted to be famous? Be an actor or a famous singer? Well, God has chosen a select few to carry on those roles and entertain us. We all have a reason, or multiple reasons that we are put here on earth. We just have to pray to Him and ask what it is that He wants us to do. We must ask God where he wants us to go. We should ask God what he wants us to be in life. If we seek guidance and follow what He wants us to do, then God is pleased. For when we follow Him, He will bless us with we need. He will never leave us. He will provide us during our times of need. But we must keep the faith and know that He will provide for us when the time is right.

The other message our speaker wanted us to remember was that "God loves me." God loves me, God loves you. God loves everything He created. No matter what we have done, no matter where we have been, no matter what negative things our past holds, God still loves us anyway. He will never turn His back on us. He is there at all times. But again, you have to believe in Him. Remember to always believe and trust in the Lord.

I will conclude this post by saying this: Life is short. God is good. Count your blessings and be thankful for what you have. Give credit to the Lord for all good things because those are blessings from Him. Seek guidance in storms of life, and during the good times. He will never steer you wrong. Love others as you wish to be loved. Be happy and give to others. You would be amazed at how blessed you feel when living happy and being a positive role model for others.

If you have any blogs you would like to see written, leave me a comment! No promises, but it could happen. Have a blessed day. Laugh, love and live happy because that is what we are supposed to do! And Happy 7th Birthday to Mindy Grace in Heaven. You are never forgotten, and I am so thankful she is in the best place of all and has eternal life. We Love You Little Girl.

Cruising on the Speedboat or the Sailboat?

First of all, I would like to officially welcome spring! I am so glad it is finally here. The warmer temps are on their way and so are all the leaves and pretty flowers. I can't wait to see all the pretty scenes of spring!!

I received a very awesome message at church this past Sunday. Our pastor was talking about living life right and knowing our Lord and Savior through the Holy Spirit. Well, one phrase that I loved was that those who go through life while sailing are often more happy and at ease then those who speed through life. Take this example: if you had to choose between a sailboat and a speed boat, which one would you choose? The majority of people are going to choose the speed boat, including myself at times. The speed boat is the quick route, the fun route to get to where we need to be. The sailboat requires time and patience because you must set your sails to whichever direction the wind is going in order to move anywhere. And the sailboat is obviously going to move at a much slower pace than a speedboat would.

That is a perfect example of life. So many times we move full speed ahead when we get an idea in our head or follow a direction we want to go. Rather than stopping to listen to God and what He wants us to do, we pick a point, set our sights on that point, and do whatever it takes to get there. Sometimes we hurt others or knock people out of the path along the way, but as long as where we get to where we want to be, that is all that matters. Let me say that is a very selfish and negative approach to the way people should handle life and everything that matters to each person. So when we are riding the speed boat, we are bumping over the waves fast and furious and missing alot on the ride we are taking. However, there is a solution if you are riding on a speedboat in your life...

Take a look around you and decide that you would like to take a stroll on the sailboat. Decide that you are ready to follow God's path for you and not YOUR path for you. The sailboat might take awhile to get to where you want to go; it may seem very slow but that is ok. When you are riding on the sailboat, you have an opportunity to relax and enjoy the slow rhythm of the waves. You don't have to worry about hitting a big bump and getting thrown off the boat. Because when you sail, you see so much more than when you are cruising fast. You are able to appreciate the little things, see things with detail and not blurred as if you were flying by. The sailboat is actually the best boat to choose because you are not in control of the direction you go. You set sail and see where the wind takes you. Just like in life ~ let God be in control and see what direction it takes you. Let Him be the wind that guides you and you will go so much further in the journey of life.

Ask yourself this ~ which boat are you riding on? Are you moving in fast forward and cruising fast and furious at such a pace that you cannot control? Or are you moving slow and steady and letting things happen as they will? I pray for each person that reads this blog, that they are riding on the sailboat of life and not the speedboat. It's so much prettier, so much more detailed, so much more peaceful, and the ride that God wants us to choose when we are on the sailboat. So slow down if you are moving too fast and appreciate those little things of life. Take time for things you enjoy. Stop running at an excessive amount of speed; take time to stop and smell the flowers. Riding on the sailboat is so much better then riding on the speedboat. The speedboat might give you a thrill for a short while but eventually the thrill ends and you are back at the dock, back at the beginning where you must start over. But enjoying life on the sailboat will send you travelling farther than life on the speedboat. Take my word for it. Try it today! You will never know what you are missing until you slow down enough to take a cruise on the sailboat. It's what God wants us and needs us to do in order to get to our destination in this world. May God Bless You Today and Everyday! And I pray you choose to sail on the slowboat of life.

COME ON SPRING!

I would like to take this opportunity to welcome the month of March. It certainly has been a long and dreary winter with very little sunlight for what we normally are given. Or at least it seemed that way this year. I read somewhere that the sun was only out 6 or 7 days in the month of February. That statistic just seems crazy to me! I didn't actually count the days we had bright sunlight but it was very few.

Spring is in the air and it's just a few days away. I can almost smell it, it's so close! But not close enough! I, like most of the world, am quite sick of the long winter days and am ready for some pretty and sunny ones. I just have to remind myself to be patient and the sun will soon shine bright enough on the majority of days we are blessed to have. Not only am I looking forward to the sunshine, but I am especially excited about the warm weather that will be here before we know it. I am ready to kick the long sleeves back in the spare closet and wear all of my lovely warmer weather clothes! Just a few more weeks.... GRRR! (Patience is virtue, I know.)

Along with spring will also come the birds singing again, the trees blossoming, the flowers sprouting out, the whole look of pastels and pretty colors again. I am also ready to see the mud dry up from the thousands and gazillion feet few feet of snow that dumped on us in February. That was just some crazy snowfall if you ask me! HOPEFULLY we are on the upper end of that and won't be cursed with any more snow until next winter. (Hint, Lord, Please!!) But soon enough all will be perfect and pretty again in the lovely outside world.

So here comes the countdown...
16 DAYS UNTIL SPRING!! ONLY 16. And tomorrow when we wake up, it will be 15 DAYS UNTIL SPRING. Even better!!! I'm just happy the temps are supposed to bring the 50 degrees mark this weekend. They cannot come fast enough for me!!!!

So join me in counting down the days until spring. We will all welcome spring with wide open arms in 2010. At least I will! Until next time, God Bless!

Life is Good Today; Life is Good

There was a phrase I had stuck in my head last week and for some reason, it still remains in my head today "Life is good today; life is good." Now people will look at that phrase and probably think they cannot say that every single day of their lives. But I am here to say, yes you can say that every day of your life, starting today! Life is full of blessings, but sometimes we have to look for them or be reminded at times. Yes, some days are harder than others, that is just life. But there is good in everyday if we search for it.



Life is good today and is good everyday we are blessed here on this earth. This popped into my head one afternoon while I was at work. It had been a busy week and a busy day especially. And I am one that loves to stay busy. Give me work and more work and I will complete it as fast and accurate as I possibly can. But this day wasn't so much about completing paperwork, it was about helping others. I had a few customers that day who really brightened my day even though they did nothing out of the ordinary. I love being able to help people, whether it be at work, family, friends, a complete stranger, whomever. I absolutely love helping others. And I thank God each and every day for the opportunities he has given me in my life. I have the most amazing daughters, a good family, wonderful friends, a great man in my life, a job that has turned into my ultimate dream job, the list goes on and on. But something hit me that day and just really made me realize how much I am truly blessed. I get paid to do what I love, and in return I get to help others everyday.



Sometimes even the smallest gesture can make such a big difference in someone else's day. I was at a meeting the other night of a group I have been a leader for 4 years. One of my new girls this year handed me a little box and said "Happy Valentine's Day." It was a small box of chocolate cracker treats with sprinkles on them. It was truly sweet! Even though it wasn't a big gesture from the girl, it made my day to know that what I do for the girls is appreciated. I never expect any type of gift for volunteer work because I like to do what I do; otherwise I wouldn't put forth all the effort that I do. But that was the first time in 4 years I had ever gotten a small gift from anyone in the group. I am happy even if I get a "thank you" at the end of the year. I am not a leader or take on extra roles because I want some glory or fame. I do it for my daughter, and for those kids who I have the privilege of helping and getting to meet. I always try to be the best positive role model that I can, and pray that I can help others in some way, even if it something small. But my point is that small gesture that the member of the group made put a big smile on my face and brightened my day. And it made me think of something that is common sense but now always spoken. Maybe if we each took the time to do something little for others once in awhile, we would brighten others lives or make them smile. Think about it ~ when is the last time you made a small gesture of kindness for others? It's kind of like the pay-it-forward theory. Do something nice out of the kindness of your heart just because. You don't always need a reason to do something nice. It would make you feel warm inside and benefit the person on the receiving end as well.



Life is not always easy, but there is something in each day to be thankful for. Even if you have the worst day ever, be grateful for at least one thing in your life. I am grateful each night that I get home because I am with the two lights of my life ~ my kids. Even if I've had a not so great day, or I'm trying to get things done around the house, or the kids are squabbling, even in the most hectic times, I am still grateful that God chose to bless me with my little girls. I am grateful for the house I come to that I call home, for the car that I drive each day because it enables me to travel, for the endless people that have come into my life whether it be for a season or for a lifetime. I am thankful for all the blessings in my life. I just wish more people would see that my theory on being grateful and thankful for what we already have and not for what we do not have.



I have written a couple times about a lady I met in my office who had cancer. She was given a couple weeks before Christmas to live, but God blessed her with a few more days and she peacefully went to be with the Lord on January 6, 2010. Even though I wasn't close to her, I went to pay my respects and express my condolences to her husband and family. Her husband is such a sweet man whom I've had the privilege of meeting through my job. He said he was right beside her when she left to be with Jesus and she was ready. She had finally come to the realization that she could not beat her cancer and so she wouldn't fight it anymore. Then he laughingly said she didn't want a big fuss during her viewing/funeral, and that she didn't want people to have to get out 2 days just for that, and that nobody would even be there. Let me just say the parking lot was full and we waited in line for at least an hour before talking with him. The first thing he said to me was "she must have really made an impact on you" and yes, she certainly did. I can remember she told me to take extra time for those "little things." Again, it comes back to the little things in life, not the giant monumental things that we go through.



Life was good the last few days because I was blessed to have a couple of snow days to stay home with my girls. Don't get me wrong, being cooped up in the house for two days because of snow, then leaving for a day for a normal routine, then being cooped up another two days can drive us all a little nuts. So 4 out of 5 days we were all snowy blanketed in our house together, but you know what? It was wonderful and I wouldn't change it for anything! We got to play together, eat together, bake cookies together, just have fun together! I hadn't played playdough in years (I think I forgot how). We completely cleaned out and revamped my daughter's room so she can enjoy having friends over next weekend for her birthday. We spent quality time together and that's what counts. So yes life was good yesterday, life is good today, and Lord willing, life will be good tomorrow.



I will say it again "life is good today; life is good." But I should change it to say "life is good everyday" because it truly is. Let's count our blessings today and thank God for what we have been given. Let's stop worrying about the future so much and live in the here and now because we miss so much of life if we live in constant worry or planning every step of life. The truth is we really can't plan every step of our life the way we think things will happen. Life just happens whether we are ready for it or not. We have to be prepared for whatever life throws at us. We should be grateful for our blessings. It's simple really. Be happy with what you have and try to roll the best you can in life. Life is Good Today, Life is Good <- Notice it doesn't just say "today" but the phrase ends with "Life is Good." And yes it is, Life is Good. Have a wonderful day and a wonderful week!

25 Heavenly Phrases

Give God what's right...
not what's left.

Man's way leads to hopeless end...
God's way leads to an endless hope.

Alot of kneeling will keep you in good standing.

He who kneels before God can stand before anyone.

In the sentence of life, the devil may be a comma, but never let him be the period.

Don't put a question mark where God puts a period.

Are you wrinkled with burden?
Come to the church for a facelift.

When praying, don't give God instructions...
just report for duty.

Don't wait for six strong men to take you to church.

We don't change God's message...
His message changes us.

The church is prayer-conditioned.

When God ordains, he sustains.

WARNING: Exposure to the Son may prevent burning.

Plan ahead... it wasn't raining when Noah built the ark.

Most people want to serve God, but only in an advisory position.

Suffering from tooth decay?
Brush up on your Bible.

Exercise daily... walk with the Lord.

Never give the devil a ride...
he will always want to drive.

Nothing else ruins the truth like stretching it.

Compassion is difficult to give away because it keeps coming back.

He who angers you controls you.

Worry is the darkroom in which negatives can develop.

Give Satan an inch and he'll be a ruler.

Be ye fishers of men...
You catch them and He'll clean them.

God doesn't call the qualified...
He qualifies the called.

Happy New Year 2010!

It's that time of year again. The last day of the year and the welcoming of a new year to arrive in just a few hours. The day we all make resolutions and then stick to them for a couple weeks and then forget what our resolutions were. I don't really make resolutions, but I set small goals for myself that I would like to accomplish each year. 2009 has been a great year for me and my girls. I started out 2009 with no clue what would happen during the year. I am happy to say it's turned out to be a pretty good year. There were hills and valleys like there are in everyday life, but the good news is that it was more on flat ground this year!

Last year was my big year of change in 2008. I learned so much about myself in that year. I have still learned alot about myself in 2009 but in different ways. We all have things we need to experience so that we can learn lessons in life. That goes both ways for good lessons and hard lessons. . I have met some wonderful people this year that have touched my life in so many ways. It can even start as early as January 1 of the new year. And it did. January 1 was a new year, a new beginning for me to experience 365 days of excitement, craziness, good times, sad times, and to learn even more about what direction God wants me to go. Looking back, this year was more leveled out than some others years I've had in life. I'm starting and ending the year the same person I was on December 31, 2008. I have changed a little but not near as much as last year.

Did I mention that time took away the 2 and left me with a 3 for another decade. I can't exactly say the word "thirty" yet. But I'm working on it. Really, I am. But let's not talk about age right now...

This has been a year of fun with the best things that have ever happened to me ~ my girls. They are both growing up so fast. My little one took a mature turn when she started preschool and is much more pleasant to be around most of the time =). Lately she will look at me and say "Mommy, I love you so much" and it almost brings tears to my eyes every time! That brightens my world when I hear that from my baby and makes me forget about everything else at the time. My oldest is also becoming more grown up in her own way too. She is no longer the "little girl" even though she is still my little girl. I do believe the pre-teen thing has hit our house this year and some days I like it, other days I can't stand it. Regardless, she has become a little adult in her own little way and it's nice. I can actually talk to her more than I ever could and she understands more. She is still the same sweet daughter she has always been; that is something she will never loose. She is quite mature for her age and it's nice to be able to sit down and snuggle with my baby who will hit double digits next year.

Reflecting back, it's been a good year. I would like to thank each person who changed my life this year. I am grateful for each and everything that happened to me this year because it made me into a better person and molded me into who I am TODAY. I have been wonderfully blessed in my job, in my family, with my friends, in my life. I cannot thank God enough for all He has done in my life, and my daughters lives. So here is a big welcome to 2010! Thank you 2009 for such a great year, but it's time to move on and allow the next year and the surprises it holds to arrive. I want to wish each and every one a Happy New Year! Be safe, live happy, laugh often, love much, and don't regret anything you ever did because at one point it was exactly what you wanted. Toodles until next year and may you have a blessed new year in 2010!

Merry Late Christmas to You!

Life is busy. It sometimes never seems to slow down. There is always something going on, somewhere to go, something to do, someone that needs something. The bottom line is life is a constant merry go round of excitement, happiness, sadness, and craziness with its ups and downs. But it is also what we make of it too.


There will always be wonderful, good and great times in this world. Cherish those times because they don't come around as often as they should. Or is it that we don't make the time for good times like we should? There are times when we need to take a step back and force ourselves to slow down. Yes, literally force ourselves to take a little break or lift our foot from the accelerator pedal just a bit.


As I always say, along with those good times come the not so good times. Cherish those times as well because those are the times that teach us about life, and we can really learn alot in our down times. Those down times allow us to appreciate the good times we are given. We also need to make time for the not so good times because sometimes we are given those terrible times to make us learn a lesson, or to take a different direction that God wants us to take. Just remember, we must take the good with the bad in all aspects in life.


This time of year is a time for families and friends to gather. A time to appreciate our loved ones and those close friendships we have. Christmas time always brings out the good in people, but it can also bring up sad memories as well. People tend to be a little bit nicer and jollier than they normally would any other time of the year. It's sad that Christmas is only one day out of 365 because if you do the math, that means people are less friendly more days of the year than not. Not everyone falls into this category, but many do. I try to be happy and nice 365 days a year but even I have my moments. Speaking of sad memories around Christmas, sometimes the holidays are something we want to skip because of the loss of a loved one, or because something bad has happened to us that year. I always say to cherish every moment because we never know what will happen from day to day. I found myself looking at the picture of the daughter I lost 6 1/2 years ago for a moment on Christmas Day. Even though we have been 7 Christmases without Mindy Grace, she is always remembered on Christmas. But rather than tear up and be sad, I simply remember she is an angel in Heaven and is no longer in pain.


The holidays have came and will soon be gone but please remember to try to keep the Christmas spirit from this day forward. It's easier said than done and many of us will go back to our normal daily busy lives and fall into our routine once January is here. It's just a simple thought, but a good one at that. Take it for what it's worth, but wouldn't it be nice for people to be happy more often then they are sad? Just remember to pray each day, live life to the fullest, and be the best person you can be for yourself, your family, your friends, and for God. He wants nothing but the best for us, but we have to choose to take the happy path and live it the best way we can. Since I did not get to post before Christmas, Merry Christmas to all, even if it a couple days late! =-)

To Realize the Value...

Maybe you have seen these words before in an email or somewhere else, but they are very true. Too often, we take life for granted. We take the little things we are accustomed to for granted. We take our family and friends for granted because we think they will always be there. Life is too short not to live happy and healthy. We all should take a little time out of each day to thank God for our blessings and hug our loved ones a little tighter. We should speak what is on our mind and let people know we care. So I will start with saying enjoy the words below, and do something different day, something you don't normally do. Call up that friend you haven't talked to in awhile, spend a few minutes with your child or children just talking to them, pay it forward and do something nice for a total stranger. Hope you enjoy these statements and realize the value of how precious life and all that it contains is. Have a wonderful day!


To realize the value of a sister or brother, ask someone who doesn't have one.


To realize the value of ten years, ask a newly divorced couple.


To realize the value of four years, ask a graduate.


To realize the value of one year, ask a student who has failed a final exam.


To realize the value of nine months, ask a mother who gave birth to a stillborn.


To realize the value of one month, ask a mother who has given birth to a premature baby.


To realize the value of one week, ask an editor of a weekly newspaper.


To realize the value of one minute, ask a person who has missed the train, bus or plane.


To realize the value of one second, ask a person who has survived an accident.


To realize the value of a friend or family member, lose one.


Time waits for no one. Treasure every moment you have.

Life is Short

Life is short. We never know what will happen from one day to the next, sometimes even one minute to the next. I always preach to live life to the fullest and grab every opportunity that comes your way. Do you wish you had a crystal ball that could tell you your future? Tell you exactly what was going to happen, when it was going to happen, how it was going to happen? Many in this world would answer Yes to this question. I probably would have wanted to know my future a few years ago, but my answer would be No at this point in my life. Life is full of surprises and we never know what is coming our way, and that's half the fun of life. We all have good times and wonderful moments in life. But we must take the good with the bad and have those moments that aren't so great in our life as well.

I wrote about a lady who inspired me about a year ago. I met this lady a little over a year ago, she has done business in my office a few times. She was diagnosed with cancer but she wasn't going to let it get her down and she was fighting that battle tooth and nail with everything she had. Her husband has been in the office a few times since and I always ask about her because she truly had an impact on me. I came back from lunch today and was informed he had been in while I was gone and heard the tragic news that she has been given two weeks to live. My heart is breaking and I barely know this woman. Her personality reminded me so much of mine and maybe that is why I am so sad over this. This is heartbreaking, but I know from talking to this lady, she has a spot at Heaven's gates waiting for her. She has so much faith in God and has grown with Him since she was diagnosed with cancer. Even though you do not know this woman, I am asking you to please pray for her and her family. She is such a sweetheart and I can almost bet she will be in good positive spirits these last few days the Lord gives her on this earth. But please pray for this family, they are going to need extra comfort especially around the holidays.

We always question why things happen. But there are no answers to those questions. The only answer is to keep moving forward and ask God what the next chapter is in our life. I have always said life is like a book and there are many chapters in the storybook of life. I want to know that I did things to the best of my ability, that I was the best person I could be, and that I lived a full life with no regrets when my time comes one fine day. I wish everyone could have that same attitude, but that can't and will never happen. If I can influence one person to become a better person, or become right with God, or to do more good in their life, then that is worth it all. I want to be a positive rode model for all those that know me, and those that have never even met me. I will never shake my positive attitude about life and everything that happens. I will always be an optimistic person because I choose to be.

I will say it again - life is too short. Do you know how many times I hear that on a weekly basis? You have probably even said it yourself a time or two. This time of year people tend to be a little jollier, a little more upbeat, a little nicer, a little sweeter than the rest of the year. My question is why can't people be like that all year long? People tend to show their nice and giving side this time of year. But if you think about it, if people could be nice and more giving all year long, life would be alot better and easier than it is. Do you agree? There wouldn't be as many fights or as much negativity floating around as there is today. I know I am speaking in a wishful tone, but it is the truth. We just never know what life will throw at us from day to day, so remember to make the most of it and never let an opportunity pass you by. Grab on it and hang on because life has ups and downs everyday. It's the surprise and mystery of life that makes it worth living.

A Story of Two Wolves

TWO WOLVES

One evening an old Cherokee told his grandson about a battle that goes on inside people.

He said, "My son, the battle is between two wolves inside us all. "

One is Evil - It is anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego.

The other is Good - It is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith.

The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather:

"Which wolf wins?"

The old Cherokee simply replied, "The one you feed."

Random Things In Our Head

I read the following in an e-mail and found myself laughing at several of these. Most of them are true if we think about it! I know I found myself nodding in agreement to some. Enjoy!




RANDOM THINGS WE ALL THINK IN OUR HEAD, BUT DO NOT SPEAK OUT LOUD:



- More often than not, when someone is telling me a story all I can think about is that I can't wait for them to finish so that I can tell my own story that's not only better, but also more directly involves me. (Depends on who is talking!)



- Nothing sucks more than that moment during an argument when you realize you're wrong. (OOPS! I will say to my blog readers that I will admit when I'm wrong no matter how difficult it is. That is something most people cannot or will not do.)



- Have you ever been walking down the street and realized that you're going in the complete opposite direction of where you are supposed to be going? But instead of just turning a 180 and walking back in the direction from which you came, you have to first do something like check your watch or phone or make a grand arm gesture and mutter to yourself to ensure that no one in the surrounding area thinks you're crazy by randomly switching directions on the sidewalk. (This one applies to me walking around the Wal-Mart parking lot looking for my beloved car. And on average, it happens about once a week month. That's why I am nicknamed Blondie!)



- I totally take back all those times I didn't want to nap when I was younger. (Oh Lord yes! I would give my left arm somedays to be allowed to take a nap...)



- Is it just me, or are 80% of the people in the "people you may know" feature on Facebook people that I do know, but I deliberately choose not to be friends with? (Amen to this one)



- Do you remember when you were a kid, playing Nintendo and it wouldn't work? You take the cartridge out, blow in it and that would magically fix the problem. Every kid did that, but how did we all know how to fix the problem? There was no internet or message boards or FAQ's. We just figured it out. Today's kids are soft. (Today's society is totally different. I miss those old Nintendo games =(. I had alot of late nights with that system. Why do we have to grow up?!?!)



- There is a great need for sarcasm font. (Uh, YA!!!)



- Sometimes, I'll watch a movie that I watched when I was younger and suddenly realize I had no idea what the heck was going on when I first saw it. (Um hmmmm....)



- I think everyone has a movie that they love so much, it actually becomes stressful to watch it with other people. I'll end up wasting 90 minutes shiftily glancing around to confirm that everyone's laughing at the right parts, then making sure I laugh just a little bit harder (and a millisecond earlier) to prove that I'm still the only one who really, really gets it. (I'm not dramatic, but I will run my yapper during my favorite movies to make sure others understand why that part was SO important!)



- How the hell are you supposed to fold a fitted sheet? (Very carefully)



- I would rather try to carry 10 plastic grocery bags in each hand than take 2 trips to bring my groceries in. (I do this every day of my life. With 2 kids, I have to do this. And I am so stubborn that I will make a point to see how few trips I can get the stuff in and then look at all my treasures I piled high to obtain that goal!)



- I think part of a best friend's job should be to immediately clear your computer history if you die. (I think we can all agree with this. Or burn that box of stuff that no one should be allowed to find!)



- LOL has gone from meaning, "laugh out loud" to "I have nothing else to say". (I have encountered this a time or two with men who lack in conversation.)



- I have a hard time deciphering the fine line between boredom and hunger. (That is why I have a snack drawer at work and take an M & M break every afternoon!)



- Whenever someone says "I'm not book smart, but I'm street smart", all I hear is "I'm not real smart, but I'm imaginary smart". (Uh, explain this one to the blonde one. Just kidding! My theory is people are either common sense smart or book smart. I used to be more book smart, but over time I have become more common sense smart which is the better smart to be, I think. LOL)



- How many times is it appropriate to say "What?" before you just nod and smile because you still didn't hear what they said? (I did this just the other day at Subway when I could not understand the foreign guy. I just looked at my bf and shook my head and rolled my eyes).



- I love the sense of camaraderie when an entire line of cars teams up to prevent a dick from cutting in at the front. Stay strong, brothers! (That line of cars on the highway that gang up on the jerk. Yep, I want to be right in the middle of that and not the "jerk" that they are being mean to!)



- Every time I have to spell a word over the phone using 'as in' examples, I will undoubtedly draw a blank and sound like a complete idiot. Today I had to spell my boss's last name to an attorney and said "Yes that's G as in...(10 second lapse)..ummm...Goonies". (D 'as in' dragondaffodilfly, S 'as in' supercalifragilisticexpieledocious. Hee hee!)



- What would happen if I hired two private investigators to follow each other? (If I only had the capital to hire private detectives!)



- While driving yesterday I saw a banana peel in the road and instinctively swerved to avoid it...thanks Mario Kart. (I can say I have never done this one... yet.)



- I find it hard to believe there are actually people who get in the shower first and THEN turn on the water. (I grew up in an old farmhouse where I had to do this. And I was lucky if I got a shower everyday because of the stupid water. Thank God I don't have that problem today or I would cry. Literally. Cry.)



- Shirts get dirty. Underwear gets dirty. Trousers? Trousers never get dirty; you can wear them forever. (I don't have to wash any trousers as of right now but I will remember this one in case I ever need it. LOL)



- I can't remember the last time I wasn't at least kind of tired. (So true when you're a hardworking mom with kids to take care of. If I get home before 6:00 p.m. anymore I am shocked!)



- Bad decisions make good stories. (Oh yes!)



- Whenever I'm Facebook stalking someone and I find out that their profile is public, I feel like a kid on Christmas morning that just got the Red Ryder BB gun that I always wanted. 546 pictures? Don't mind if I do! (Never done this one, nope, never!)



- Why is it that during an ice-breaker, when the whole room has to go around and say their name and where they are from, I get so incredibly nervous? Like I know my name, I know where I'm from, this shouldn't be a problem... (I always worry I'm gonna forget what I'm supposed to say. Like they give you a list of 3 things to say and sometimes people have to be reminded of what the third thing was. How embarrassing!)



- You never know when it will strike, but there comes a moment at work when you've made up your mind that you just aren't doing anything productive for the rest of the day. (That's a given. Some days are bust butt get 20 hours worth of work done in 10, and others are get 1 hour's worth done in 9. Those days are great.)



- Can we all just agree to ignore whatever comes after DVDs? I don't want to have to restart my collection. (I can never keep up with the current "in" right now so update me that happens, k?)



- There's no worse feeling than that millisecond you're sure you are going to die after leaning your chair back a little too far. (HAHAHA! Oh wait, I'm not laughing. HAHAHA! Karma will get me for laughing at this one.)



- I'm always slightly terrified when I exit out of Word and it asks me if I want to save any changes to my ten page research paper that I swear I did not make any changes to. (Yeah, hate it when that happens)



- "Do not machine wash or tumble dry" means I will never wash this ever. (I will add do not dry flannel shirts. I learned this when I was 15. OOPS.)



- I hate being the one with the remote in a room full of people watching TV. There's so much pressure. 'I love this show, but will they judge me if I keep it on? I bet everyone is wishing we weren't watching this. It's only a matter of time before they all get up and leave the room. Will we still be friends after this?' (This is true because you want to please everyone but as always, you cannot please everyone all the time. The children rule the TV in our house most of the time anyway so I usually just settle for cartoons. Because sometimes Dora is my saving grace and allows me to get some housework done!)



- I hate when I just miss a call by the last ring (Hello? Hello? Darn!), but when I immediately call back, it rings nine times and goes to voicemail. What'd you do after I didn't answer? Drop the phone and run away? (When this happens, it plain irritates me. Or what about this one - you have a missed call from a number you don't know? Do you call it back? Do you just let it go? The suspense drives me crazy and I usually call the number back. I just can't stand knowing someone called me and not knowing who the mystery caller was!)



- I hate leaving my house confident and looking good and then not seeing anyone of importance the entire day. What a waste. (Amen. Or the opposite happens ~ you decide to make it a lazy day and all these visitors show up on your doorstep unannounced. Or an ex husband stops by at 5:00 in the afternoon and you and the kids are still in jammies. Not that that's ever happened or anything! I rarely get these lazy days but they are nice every once in a great while.)



- When I meet a new girl, I'm terrified of mentioning something she hasn't already told me but that I have learned from some light internet stalking. (Have you ever been guilty of internet stalking? Never, right? Why don't I buy that for one minute?? Google has many uses these days!!)



- I like all of the music in my iTunes, except when it's on shuffle, then I like about one in every fifteen songs in my iTunes. (Considering I don't have an ipod and can barely work my daughter's, I can't say this fits me to the T. However, I have made CDs ~ you know those circle shiny disks that play music ~ CDs. I have made some with my fav songs on them and now those songs get on my nerves. I can listen to a CD of 20 songs in like 5 minutes!)



- Why is a school zone 5 mph? That seems like the optimal cruising speed for paedophiles... (Yup. Not to mention how hard is it to drive 5 mph. Not that I'm a speed demon or anything...)



- Sometimes I'll look down at my watch 3 consecutive times and still not know what time it is. (Can't say I do this one. But I will look at my watch 3 times in 2 minutes!)



- I keep some people's phone numbers in my phone just so I know not to answer when they call. (Enough said!)



- Even under ideal conditions people have trouble locating their car keys in a pocket, hitting the G-spot, and Pinning the Tail on the Donkey, but I'd bet money everyone can find and push the Snooze button from 3 feet away, in about 1.7 seconds, eyes closed, first time every time... (This is me every morning when Taylor Swift starts singing to me! What can I say? It's a song loud enough guaranteed to wake me up every time. That is the only time I will cuss my beloved little cell buddy.)



-My 4-year old son asked me in the car the other day "Dad what would happen if you ran over a ninja?" How the hell do I respond to that? (My 4 yo daughter asks me the most random things, often times in the car. The other day we were in the drive through of a restaurant behind several cars and she yelled "Oh come on lady. You can't take so long lady." I busted a gut while trying to order!)



- I wonder if cops ever get pissed off at the fact that everyone they drive behind obeys the speed limit. (I am sure they do. Even if it looks like a police car behind me, I slow down and obey the speed limit. Maybe that is why they drive with their sirens on sometimes, so they can speed too, and it would be legal. Just a thought.)



- I think the freezer deserves a light as well. (Yeah, what's up with that anyway?)



- The other night I ordered take away and when I looked in the bag, saw they had included four sets of plastic cutlery. In other words, someone at the restaurant packed my order, took a second to think about it, and then estimated that there must be at least four people eating to require such a large amount of food. Too bad I was eating by myself. There's nothing like being made to feel like a fat butt before dinner. (Maybe they were trying to be nice and supply your home with extra silverware??)