The music of life

Listening to Bret Michaels sing with Jimmy Buffet on I-Tunes .... Funny, before this Bret Michaels phenomena, I was buying his solo albums (do they still call them albums?) all along.
I watched him on Celebrity Apprentice and gained a whole new respect for him. After watching him with the hookers on the Rock of Love shows, he needed to!
It was weird when he had his brain hemorrhage. My sister called to tell me and I felt sad. I guess when you are passionate about music, like I am, it stays with you. Music is a part of you. And growing up with Bret Michaels, his posters on my wall, tapes and CD's constantly on my radio, I feel like he was part of that. Not like I am a weird fan, stalker type ... but, you have a connection to people like that.
He was a part of of my childhood, my dating life (how many times did I make out to Every Rose has Its Thorn????), and even my wedding and my sisters' weddings (at least one Poison song had to be played at them!).
Funny how certain songs, artists, albums, etc can instantly put you in a good mood, no matter what. And, as I have said before, can take you back to times that you will never forget.

Remember the nights we sat

and talked about all our dreams

Well little did we know then

They were more distant than they seemed

Well I knew it

You knew it too

the things we'd go through

We knew the things we had to do

To make it baby

What I am

"I'm not aware of too many things

I know what I know if you know what I mean

What I am is what I am

Are you are is what you are or what?

What I am is what I am"

Wow ... its been a while ... and here we are, mid-July, and life continues to drive forward at the speed of light.

I have been many things in the past few weeks ... and here is my recap:

I am happy:

Happy that I have two healthy children who, despite making me want to pull my hair out one strand by one strand, give me joy from the inside out.
Happy that I am still employed.
Happy that the Hawks won the Stanley Cup! It was so cool to experience the hype and fun! And fun to watch Big J and little j enjoy it with me!
Happy that my baby sister is pregnant (no one knows yet .... so SSSSHHHHH!!!!!)!
Happy that my relationship with E is better than it has been in a while (while his hunger for sex ... sorry ... this is my blog .... drives me nuts!). Who would have thunk?

I am anxious:
Anxious about Big J starting kindergarten next month. Our whole world changes. You wouldn't think it does, but .... No more vacation whenever it works for me .... we are now on "school time." No more keeping the boys home when I have a short day, no more long weekends at Grandma's ...... Vacations, visits, trips will now be with the rest of the world: Spring Break, Summer, and Christmas! And ... my little dude ... he is going to school! My little buddy who was my partner in crime while E was away will be gone at school! My baby is all grown up ... and I totally don't feel old enough to have a kid in school.
Anxious that my results at work could stop any time due to this boob in Office that ruins the economy every day that he wakes up. I cannot go back to that again ... really, I cannot.
Anxious about E's Army fate. We are waiting on a medical board to determine how he will be retired. My "stay at home mom" future all rides on what this Board decides.

I am sad:
Sad because a man, who was like an Uncle to my sisters and I, died this past Saturday. He was a funny man, who was a great friend to my family and will be missed terribly.

I am excited:
Excited that I have lost about 25 pounds and I am nearing my goal. I want to lose about 1o more!
Excited that my middle sister is coming to visit in one month!
Excited that I get to go to Tampa in a few weeks for a quick visit and to drop Big J off for his vacation with Grandma and Grandpa.

I am disappointed:
Disappointed that I have yet to get my personal business any where near getting off the ground. My own fault, completely.
Dispappointed that the Cubs suck this year.
Disappointed that we still cannot seem to get our financial situation where we want/need it.

I am determined:
Determined to start writing in this blog again. Really.
Determined to get a bit more involved for myself ... find a team, group ... something.
Determined to let my family know how much they mean to me every day.

"I yam what I yam

And that's all what I yam.

I'm Popeye the sailor man"

Woo Hoo!!!

Blacks win the Stanley Cup! Yeah!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Dear husband ...

Ever wanted to tell your husband where he can put his opinion?

Yeah ... I want to often .... as in ... right now....

As in ... "hey honey ... shove it."

Where have you been??

Where the hell has time gone?

I have so many thoughts ... so little time to write them!

For now, I will write about what I am proud of today.

I have lost a total of 20 pounds with only 10 more to go until I hit my goal!

Sweet!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Life - 24/7

Been way too long since I wrote anything.

My problem? Every time I sit down to write, something pops up: leaks in the basement (which found their way into our electrical box), yard work (can I just say that trying to remove 15 years worth of mulch lends to many stuffed outdoor bags, and a very sore back the next morning?), children not sleeping (playing Supernanny for one week can wear any sane person down) ....

You name it, I am doing it, have done it or will be doing it within the next 24 hours!

Life happens. Life has been happening.

I am hoping it will continue to happen .... but maybe at a more peaceful pace???

:)

I love my kids .... I love my house (but, have you ever seen the movie Money Pit? That is our home, seriously!) .... my job has even gotten a bit better.

Life is happening ... and it aint that bad.

Holy pain, Batman!

OMG ...

I have a bladder infection. Not just any old bladder infection, but a raging, nasty, horrible infection that is making me feel like my bladder is going to explode and disappear from this earth.

I started feeling the familiar feelings of bladder infection of the past on Friday. I was determined to not take antibiotics, as I always end up with a yeast infection and I so do not want to go down that road again.

So, I researched some homeopathic and health food sites and found this product: D-Mannose. This came with many reviews, most on the positive end of things.

I bought some ... not cheap ... but i figured it would be worth it if I could avoid antibiotics and yeast infection creams!

Well, I tried it, and as of yesterday at 3:00, I gave in.

I am seeing the doctor tomorrow morning at 8:15.

I can honestly tell you, I wish I would have called on Friday.

Being natural is great ... but bladder infections, yep, I will never again mess around.

This pain is the worst I have ever had (and I have had many over the years).

Seriously folks, they only way I would feel better is if I could spend the next 24 hours just sitting in the bathroom. Then and only then, would I feel a sense of relief.

But, since I cannot do that .... I will try and send my thoughts elsewhere while my bladder screams at me to rip it out from where it is hiding!!!!!!

An extra 2 feet for luck?

I bought Big J some new gym shoes last week. He seems to go through gym shoes monthly ... they must drag their toes on the cement when they have outside time at school.
Anyway ... I brought the shoes home and he wanted to play ASAP in them (he thought they were going to make him run super fast).
I put on the shoes, double knotted them (I could have quadruple knotted them) and sent him on his way.
Next thing I know, he is yelling for help and sitting on his bike in the middle of the sidewalk.
When I walked over to him, I noticed that his shoelace had wrapped itself around his bike pedal.
The next day I went to Target and bought new, appropriate length, shoelaces.
Now, I wouldn't think anything if this was the first time; but, I have had this issue in the past.
I buy these children's shoes, for little feet and we get these shoelaces that could tie up combat boots!!!
WTF?
Do they really think we need shoelaces that long? What do they propose we do with all that excess???
Am I alone out there????

Speaking of pet peeves ...

My earlier post got me to thinking about the rest of my pet peeves (and the girl who was shuffling her feet the whole length of the train this morning helped too!).



I know I have posted this before, but it is time to revisit!



Seriously people, pick up your effing feet. if your shoes are too big, buy a smaller size. If you cannot walk in flip flops (and I love, love, love flip flops), don't wear them!!!! Walking involves lifting your feet, heel then toe .... not keeping your feet flat and shuffling forward!



I cannot stand having friends or family that talk a big game. You know the type, "oh, we should get together! We live so close... blah, blah, blah." Look, if you are serious, let's talk. If you are just saying it to be "nice," don't say it! I actually try and make plans with people. I hate those that consistently cancel, decline or ignore me!!



Stay at home moms who love to rub it in your face that you actually have to leave the house to work. The moms that ask if you want to make plans for lunch, when they know you are working. Moms that make comments about "working mothers," as if we have the plague. I am working to hopefully get ahead in our bills and savings plans, so that someday I can be home for my kiddos. This is my life. I don't judge you; do not judge me.

When driving along the highway, please do a few things. 1. Make sure you have a car that has working brake lights. When you have to stop and I cannot see that you are stopping ... well, it gets a bit tricky. 2. The left lane is for FAST drivers. The right lane is for SLOW drivers. Do NOT get them confused. 3. If you are going to tailgate me, I will slam on my brakes. get off my ass. If I am driving at speed limit there is probably a good reason for that, you should do the same!

When I am running errands, I usually have my two boys in tow. After a busy grocery shopping trip I have to unload groceries, buckle to kids in car seats, usually console one of the kids because they couldn't get a toy/treat, and, most of the time, open up a snack that I promised them inside the store as a bribe to keep them quiet. Why, in God's great world, do people find it necessary to sit in their car, blinker on, and wait for us to back out? Why, do they do this when there are more than enough spaces just a few feet over? Will I go to Purgatory for too long because I purposely take a longer time to get the car going for these people?

I was at Potbelly for lunch on Sunday with the boys. They went to sit at the high-top table while I ordered the sandwiches. We have a high-top for our kitchen table, so they, for the most part, know how to handle themselves in the higher chairs. As I turned to check on them, the lady that was sitting near them took it upon herself to pick Little j up and hold him. When I bolted over there, she said, "they should not be sitting here, he could fall." I about flipped my lid. Do NOT, under any circumstances, ever touch my children unless they were in dire trouble. I will kick ass ... seriously, I will.

Of course, I have a myriad of pet peeves I could talk about, but then, I would sound awful. So ... I will leave it at that for now.

What are your pet peeves?

Pet Peeve

OK folks, when you join a pool for anything: Superbowl, a baby's birth date, March Madness, etc, and it costs cash to join, please, please, please .... do not make the person running the pool hunt you down.

Your lack of ownership just makes you look like an ass. Period.

Now, back to chasing down my $10 ...