Still Recovering

I am still recovering from the Thanksgiving weekend.  My boyfriend had family in town so we pretty much spent the whole weekend with his family.  Luckily, my kids were out of town with their dad so I didn't have to feel guilty by spending a lot of time without them.  Of course, a couple of people had colds over the weekend, so I had it full blown by Sunday.  I am finally feeling a little better this morning.  So now, I have to tackle all the work that needs to be done that I did not do while I was socializing.  I have a mountain of laundry to do, address Christmas cards and set up the Christmas tree and other decorations.  Did I mention that the floor really needs to be mopped.  Oh yeah, and I need to finish Christmas shopping.  Oh my, I am feeling overwhelmed.  I guess it time to get started and get this recovery over with. 

Christmas Shopping

Julie over at Another Chance Ranch had another Fun Monday Sign up.  This week the topic is:

When do you start your Christmas shopping? On Black Friday? Cyber Monday? And, who is the hardest person to buy for?

Well, I unofficially started my Christmas shopping about 2 months ago.  When I would go shopping, I would check clearance items to see if anything caught my eye for gifts.  I have a box of items that I have purchased for my kids, but I still have plenty to go. 

I used to do the whole Black Friday shopping thing years ago, but we had family in town this past weekend, so I didn't go shopping at all.  I will check out the Cyber Monday deals today to see if there is anything that I can pick up. 

I do not buy for that many people anymore.  Everybody out of town, I just send gift cards.  I know, how boring.  I was finding however, by the time I bought a present, packaged it and shipped it, the cost was way too much.  Now I just send gift cards and they can pick out their own presents. 

As for the person that is most difficult to buy for, this year it is my daughter.  She will be turning 12 next month, so she is in that tween stage. I try not to buy her clothes without her trying them on, because I certainly don't want anything that is clingy and would show off a figure.  That has to wait until she is much older.  Also, she is too young for makeup and perfumes.  She has about all the soccer gear she would ever need and does not have too many other hobbies. 

Happy Thanksgiving

On this Thanksgiving, I have so much to be thankful for in my life.  I hope you have the same.  May God bless you with a supporting family, good health and joy.  Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Not Getting Anything Done

My son has been home from school all this week. My boyfriend only worked 1 day and my daughter only had school 2 days this week. Therefore, I am not getting anything done. Why is it that when everybody is home, housework just does not get done? I have been doing laundry, but not much of anything else. It seems that when I go to start something, somebody wants me to spend time with them, or wants lunch, or whatever. Meanwhile, my house is still dirty. I guess I should make the kids help clean on top of their regular chores, but I don't want to make everybody miserable either. I guess I will just have to work twice as hard next week.

The Kentucky Lineman "Walk On"

If you read my "About Me", I stated that I grew up in Kentucky.  Most of my high school years were spent in Danville Kentucky.  One thing I noticed when I was there is that the kids at that school were all extremely talented.  I don't know if it was the water, or the fact that it was a fairly isolated small town, so there wasn't anything else to do, but I had friends who were great artists, singers and musicians.  Our talent and art shows were fantastic.  (On a side note, I got into the artistic scene a little and am thinking of returning to that since I have more free time.) Anyway, I would like to promote some guys that went to my school who are now The Kentucky Lineman.  I was friends with the lead singer and you could not ask for a better guy.  He is down to earth, really nice, and really talented.  They live in Tennessee now and are living their dream. 

A Favorite Beauty Product

Julie over at Another Chance Ranch is holding another FUN MONDAY SIGN UP.  The topic this week is: 

The topic for November 22, 2010 is - What is your favorite beauty product?  And Why?


I had to think about this one.  I do not use any particular beauty products on a regular basis.  I use a moisturizer every day, but I cycle through different ones. It is the same for hair care products too.  I do not wear all that much makeup and there is not any product that I simply could not live without. 

I have lately found a new product that I really like.  I am using the Pure Silk Shave Cream for Women.  Remember the Barbasol shave cream that we used to sneak from our dad because it worked so much better than soap to shave your legs?  You know, that red and white striped can that had the cream that came out looking like whipping cream.  Yeah, that stuff...they make it for women now, same company and everything.  It comes in a couple of different scents.  It is still the same white shaving cream though.  I love it.  You only need a little bit and it covers your leg pretty well, and you know what, you can see what part you already shaved, because the razor leaves little bare lanes in the cream.  I could never tell where I had shaved with shave gels since they are mostly clear.  I would have to run my hand over my leg to see if I shaved a spot, which rubbed the remaining gel off.  I would have to reapply the gel again and shave that spot.  I was always missing spots.  With the Pure Silk, it is easy to see and I am getting my whole leg the first time. My legs feel smooth and silky.  Besides, I feel like I am a teen again, stealing my dads shave cream. 

Blogs I'm Reading: PROBLOGGER

Though I spend a lot of my time on Mommy and Parenting blogs, I also read some other types too.  One type of blog that I read is how to make my blog better. I have found such a site with Problogger.  If you have not checked it out, you need to.  The author, Darren Rowse, is quite well known in the blogging world and gives great advice to other bloggers.  He even has a section set up for new blogger advice.  Problogger is full of tips, monetization techniques, how to drive traffic to your blog, and pretty much every aspect of blogging you can think of.  If I need help with anything, I pick through Problogger to see if the advice I need is there, and often it is. 

RSS Feed Stuck

Yes, for those that are asking, my feed seems to be stuck.  Whenever I comment on someone else's blog it still shows my posting from way back on Nov. 5th.  I have left a message for google on the help boards advising of the problem.  According to the thread for that particular problem, I am not the only one this is happening to.  There are numerous blogs with the same problem.  I guess for now, I am trying to be patient with google.  If anybody knows a fix for the problem, please let me know.  It is frustrating. 

Review: Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson

I just read Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson.  This is considered a young adult literature book.  This book is very powerful, but comes with some warning from me. 

**Spoiler Notice (for this review, I will be disclosing the ending and spoiling the mystery of the story.  Do not read any further if you do not want this book "spoiled")**
Let me start by saying that this book is brilliant and is a National Book Award Finalist, however, this is not a book for everyone.  The main character of this book is a 9th grader named Melinda.  She is a total outcast at school because of an incident where she called the police on a high school party over the summer.  Now that fall begins, she finds that she no longer has any friends except for a new girl in the school, and that does not seem to be going anywhere either.  Melinda is getting terrible grades and is folding into herself in a state of depression (though that is not specifically mentioned) and stops speaking.  The more she is overlooked by others at her school, the deeper and darker her thoughts go.  The only saving grace in school is an abandoned janitor's closet that she claims as her own and her art class. 

As the year progresses, Melinda finds small successes, but mostly failures. She is practically mute and is considered a freak at school when her last friend abandons her.  As the story unfolds, we find out that the reason she called the police at the party was that she was actually raped that night.  She is deeply disturbed every time she sees the boy that raped her, Andy, who happens to go to the same school she does.  As it turns out, her ex-best friend, Rachel, from middle school begins to date Andy.  This puts Melinda in a quandary because Rachel does not speak to her and would not believe her if she told her that she was raped by Andy.  Melinda decides she has to speak up.  Of course Rachel does not believe Melinda, until she confronts Andy at prom.  Andy and Rachel subsequently break up and Andy attacks Melinda in her janitor closet hideaway after school a couple of days later.  Luckily Melinda is able to defend herself and finally speaks up (screams) and a team practicing after school comes to save her. 

Back to the review:  I would say that as a parent, I am glad that I read this book at the same time as my daughter.  There are some very mature themes here and I believe they need to be discussed.  Some items we discussed were friendships, depression, suicide, isolation, rape, and how quickly things can go bad and how you have to speak to people about your problems.  If I had a child that was on the verge of depression, who had a traumatic experience, or is immature,  I would think twice before letting them read this book.

*Please note that I am an Amazon affiliate and will profit from any purchases made through my Amazon links.

Online Memorials: A Growing Trend

I had a friend from high school pass away last year.  He was my friend on Facebook.  No one ever went in to delete his Facebook account so every time I went to give gifts to my peeps in Farmville, his name would be there.  I would give gifts to everybody but skip his name.  Finally, two days ago, I decided that I need to delete the deceased as my friend, because I don't want to be sad and reminded of mortality every time I give out gifts on Farmville.  So, I go to the deceased page, and there is a whole memorial page to him.  He still has 450 friends and many of them are posting memories about him and leaving messages on his page like he is still reading them.  I hesitate, does it make me a cold b%&$# to delete him as a friend?  Am I less caring than the other 449 friends?  I decide no, I don't need an online memorial to honor someone who passed.  In fact, I think it is a little morbid.  I am getting to the age where I have a friend pass about every year.  So, in 20 years, I would have 20 deceased friends on Facebook at this pace.  How depressing is that.  At what point would you have more deceased friends than living friends? 

Is this going to get to a point that a portion of all the pages on the internet will become memorials?  I see memorial decals on cars all the time and I think that is a little out there....is the internet next? How many memorial pages do you know about?  When I googled "Memorial Websites"  487,000 listing came up and the top ones were for companies that will set up memorial websites for your loved ones.  At one point will the internet be populated more by the deceased?  What is your take on this whole thing?

*11/19/2010  -I just received the following in an email: 

In honor of our lost comrades, FIT Aviation has created a memorial website for those who would like to share memories, photos, thoughts, or comments for Jordyn, Kristopher, Jenny, and Kyle. Please share with anyone who you think would be interested. The website is http://memorial.fitaviation.com/.

Review: The Boy Who Dared by Susan Cambell Bartoletti

I often read the same books my kids are reading so that I may discuss the books with them and make sure that they understand everything in the book.  We often discuss the scenarios and themes that are presented and try to apply those to our lives.  I try to make it as much of a teachable moment as I can without taking away the joy of reading.  I decided that since I have a lot of parents reading my blog, I would review these books in addition to the books I read for myself.

I read The Boy Who Dared:  A Novel Based on the True Story of a Hitler Youth by Susan Campbell Bartoletti.  This is a young adult literature book that my 11 year old daughter recently read.  The book starts with the boy at 17 in a prison and flashes back and forth to his childhood starting at age 9 when Adolf Hitler was becoming popular.  The main character in the book, Helmuth, is the youngest of 3 brothers of a single mother.  The author does a good job of placing the point of view through this young boy as he goes through the emotions of the rise of the Nazi party.  At first he is happy because the Nazis are promising that people will not have to work as hard and he feels that his mother is working very hard for very little.  As time progresses and his mother becomes engaged to a Nazi, his opinion starts to change.  He witnesses the unfairness that is occurring with the Jewish in his community and he tries to understand it all.  Eventually, Helmuth, develops a hatred for the Nazis and begins distributing anti-government fliers.  He is eventually captured and sentenced to death.  The flashes in prison are of him on death row, waiting to see if he will be released or executed.

Overall this is a very good book.  The author does a great job of seeing the war and the Nazis through Helmuth's eyes.  We feel for him as he gets caught up in the Hitler Youth and we feel like he is in over his head.  There are generalities about brutalities in the book, but no details, which I think is good for the 9-13 age group.  Once the kids are older than that they would still like the book but could probably handle more of the scary details that are missing from this book.  The general feel from this book is that even though the Germans were run by the Nazis during World War II, not all Germans supported them.  Sometimes, good people get caught up in bad situations.  My daughter came away with a clearer understanding of World War II and the German people.  The brutality of the Jews was understated however and I will expose her to more of that truth when she is more mature. 

-I must admit, I am a little concerned at how this review will be tagged by the search engines and what kind of traffic I may receive with words like Hitler and Nazi in this post.  I will keep my readers updated if I get any adverse comments, etc..., from that. 


*Please note that I have included my Amazon affiliate link on this post and I will benefit from any purchased you make through this link.

Review: The 4-Hour Workweek by Timothy Ferriss

I just read The 4-Hour Workweek by Timothy Ferriss.  This book is a must read!  This book goes into detail on how to create a lifestyle where you only work approximately 4 hours a week. 

Granted, the process that Tim outlines is not an immediate or easy process initially, but it could work nonetheless.  I am sure that most people that read this book will not implement all the steps he recommends in order to live the life depicted. HOWEVER, this book has enough strategies that everyone is bound to find something that will work in their own life.

This book opened up a whole new way to look at work and life to me.  I am still trying to figure out how Tim could be so wise at such a young age (under 30 when he wrote this).  Also, the resources in the book are outstanding.  I read the 1st edition that I checked out from the library.  I will probably buy the updated edition (which has the red-orange cover) for the lists of resources alone. 

Tim's time management techniques are outstanding, including his use of outsourcing.  He also covers mini-retirements that would make anyone envious of his exploits, but also paints the picture of how they can be achieved by anyone.  Well, I am on board and ready for action!  By the way, I have also been reading Tim's blog which actually has a lot of the content of the book on it.  You have to check it out. 

The book I read is pictured below. 


*Please note that I have provided my affliate link to Amazon on this post and will profit from any purchase you make from this link.

At The Beach

Went to the beach today with my daughter and John.  The waves were really huge.  Too cold to go into the water and way to rough besides.  Just a day of walking. 

Sad Day

It has been a sad day for me.  Last night about 6:00 a plane from my Alma Mater, Florida Tech, crashed in West Palm Beach and 4 people were killed.  For those that do not know me, I have an B.S. in Aviation Management from Florida Institute of Technology in Melbourne, FL.  I still live close to F.I.T. and pass it everyday when I drive my son to Florida Air Academy. 

I must say that they have always had a great track record and this is the only major accident I have ever heard of involving F.I.T.  I feel for the families and the current students that have lost someone that they care about.  In fact 2 of the deceased are brothers, so I cannot even imagine how that family will cope.  Here is a link to an article about the crash. 

I try not to dwell on how this could have happened to me or any of my friends while we attended the school and thank God that I did not have to experience anything like that during my studies.  My prayers are with the school, the students and the families.  God Bless them.

Veterans Day Parade

My daughter and I went to the Veterans Day Parade in Melbourne this morning.  The parade was very nice and there seemed to be a pretty good turn out.  Here are some pics from the parade

I Finally Have Pictures Up!

I am finally putting pics on my site.  I just uploaded a pic of me.  I take terrible pics so I had to reach back a few years and pull one that I put on my business cards when I was a Realtor.  I will try to get a new pic soon.  The good news is that I asked for a better camera for Christmas.  The one I have is 6 years old, and we know that for a digital camera, that is ancient.  Anyway, I got my kids' school pics this week and I thought I would put them, up.  I am sure the kids will want to kill me if they knew I am displaying them.  I guess I need a better scanner too because the pics look grainy. Anyway, in case you are wondering, my daughter is 11 (this may be the last pic of her ever because she will be locked in a closet soon!) and my son is 14 (yes, he goes to military school). 

Blogs I'm Reading: Wrestling With Retirement

Well, this week I am featuring Wrestling With Retirement.  Have you checked it out yet?  Well, if you haven't you have to.  I think I have bruises from falling off my chair laughing at the stories, pics and videos on this blog.  Eva is a little bit of a dirty old lady, but man is she fun!!!  If you ever need to cheer up or need a good laugh, this is the place to go. 

I Paid Off My Car Yesterday!!!

Due to my current employment status, or lack thereof, I have been trying to figure out how to reduce some of my monthly expenditures.  One of the best ways is to lower my car insurance.  Of course I was restricted by how much I could lower the coverage because I still had a car loan.  Well, no more, I paid it off yesterday.  I was within 7 payments of paying it off anyway, but I decided to do it sooner.  Luckily I had money saved up for my son's private school tuition, so I borrowed from that money for the time being. 

Now, I feel relieved.  I did not think paying off my car would make any difference in how I felt, but it does.  It's just one less thing.  It's like a weight has been taken off my shoulders.  Now I have to call my car insurance agent to see what all my options are for lowering my insurance rates.  Yes, I actually have an agent. 

I know a lot of you may just be saying, big deal, you don't have a car payment.  But it is a big deal for me. I am one of those that will run a car into the ground.  And with the way cars are built nowadays, I may be able to get more years than that our of it.  So I will be tying to keep this one at least 10 years.  In case your wondering, I have a Scion Xa, and I love it.  It is a tiny car, but it is unbelievably roomy inside.  Also I get 32 miles/gallon in the city.  Woohoo! 

This Mom Has Black Ops of Her Own!

I just got back from picking up, Call of Duty:  Black Ops for my son.  We had reserved it so that we could pick it up on the day that it is released, which is today.  Mind you, this is one of those games that teenagers and twenty somethings have been camping out for yesterday so that they could get it at midnight.  Of course my son asked that I pick it up while he is at school today, so that he would have it when he gets home.  I am thinking that since possession is 9/10ths of the law, then what could I get from him in order for me to hand the game over to him.

Yes, I am devious.  But really, what do you think he would be willing to do to play the game tonight?  I am thinking that he can at least wash my car or something.  Could I go so far as to get the bathrooms cleaned too?!?  Curious minds want to know.  How far should I push it, or should I be a totally nice mom and just hand him the game (I did use his money to pay for it)?  Give me some input and let me know how much of an evil mom I should be. 

*** I gave in and let him play.  I have rainchecks for chores though.  He is washing my car and my boyfriend's truck this weekend.  Also, instead of only doing 1 hour of a Spanish learning program on the computer, he will do 2 hours.

*Please note that I have provided my affliate link to Amazon on this post and will profit from any purchase you make from this link.

Review: Emergency -This Book Will Save Your Life by Neil Strauss

I just completed Emergency:  This Book Will Save Your Life by Neil Strauss and it is a must read.  The premise of the book is that we have reached a point in the U.S. (and the rest of the world) where anything can happen, including government collapse and we should be prepared.  Neil decided to figure out what he would have to do to survive in the case of almost any catastrophie.  He contacted experts in a whole multitude of disciplines in order to survive.  By the end of the book he has received all kinds of training in every aspect of survivorship and is ready to endure whatever is thrown at him, with a legal second passport to boot. 

If you are paranoid already, this may not be the book for you because it may just push you over the brink.  But, if you just want to be prepared, it gives you a lot to think about.  While I was reading the book, I was taking mental inventory of whether I could accomplish the feats that Neil did and whether I would be prepared for any catastrophie.  Luckily I do have a little bit of experience with full blown emergencies and living without utilities, etc...from going through 3 hurricanes in 2004.  I even decided to go through my list of supplies:

Canned goods, dry food  & MRE's
water (bottled) + access to deep well
tents
tarps
generator
gasoline
alternate transportation (car, truck and bikes for all family members)
backpacks
camping stove with propane, grill with extra tank
matches
chainsaw and other tools
first aid kit
flashlights with extra batteries + flashlight that does not need batteries
solar lights
crank radio
chainsaw, axes, saws

Now I just need some training to be able to survive in the wild if necessary.  Hand to hand combat would be good too.

*Please note that I have provided my affliate link to Amazon on this post and will profit from any purchase you make from this link.

Fun Monday: Thanksgiving Day Meal

 

I signed up for another Fun Monday post at Another Chance Ranch. 

Sign Up for Fun Monday - November 8, 2010

Sign up for Fun Monday!
November 8 - Tell us about your Thanksgiving Day meal.  Do you have your menu planned?  Do you have the traditional turkey dinner, or go a bit more non-traditional?  What is your favorite go-to dish for Thanksgiving?  Any recipes you'd like to share?
This ought to be a food filled Fun Monday! I can't wait.  I think I am going to share a recipe as part of mine. :)


I have always loved Thanksgiving.  Ever since I have been with John, we usually go to his sister's house for Thanksgiving.  She always serves a great meal with the traditional turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, gravy, rolls, cranberry sauce and a wonderful vegetable casserole that includes broccoli and squash (I still need to get that recipe).  We always finish with pumpkin pie and/or pumpkin bars. 

The only problem however, is that when I go to someone else's house, I don't have any leftovers. So, I pick a weekend and cook a whole Thanksgiving meal for my family...again.   I know that this drives John crazy, but he has learned to live with it.  Also, my kids are usually with their dad for Thanksgiving weekend camping, so this is their only Thanksgiving dinner.  (We have the agreement that the kids alternate parents each Thanksgiving, but I let them do the fun thing with their dad most of the time). 

For this second Thanksgiving dinner I make a turkey (usually over 20 pounds so I have lots of leftovers), stuffing, gravy, mashed potatoes, fresh green beans, sometimes squash, cranberry sauce and dinner rolls.  For dessert I have pumpkin pie, pumpkin bread, sometimes apple pie (I buy it) and brownies.  Unfortunately, I do not have any special recipes that I use, they are mostly out of cookbooks I have.  I will be checking out the other posts however to see if there are any great recipes that I can use. 

I really look forward to Thanksgiving every year.  It is definitely nice to spend time with family.  Also, this year I will get to spend some time with my son since he has the whole week off and I am not working.  Yay.  In honor of Thanksgiving, I would like to thank everyone who reads this post and wish you a blessed day. 

My Little Pit Bull - Got Yellow Carded

Well, we had 2 soccer games yesterday.  Unfortunately my daughter's team lost them both.  The team was playing really aggressively and my little pit bull got yellow carded.  I was proud of her.  No, not that she got the yellow card, but that she was not letting the other player push her around.  She and one particular player were battling the whole game.  At one point they were running together, shoulder to shoulder, doing the whole lean thing.  Then my daughter's arm came up a little and that is when she got the penalty.  It was definitely a judgement call by the ref, but it was what it was.  I am still proud of her even though she is the first yellow card of the year for her team. 

Christmas is Fast Approaching: Gotta Get My Christmas Mojo

I know, I know, it isn't even Thanksgiving yet.  Why am I thinking about Christmas?  Because it is going to be an interesting this year.  First and foremost, I am trying to find the best deals for the gifts I will be purchasing.  So, I am starting my research now.  And secondly, unless I find a job between now and then, it will be the first holiday season in a while where I will be home.

Once upon a time, before I got divorced, Christmas was a huge thing at my house.  The Christmas season started for us the day after Thanksgiving. That was the day we started decorating and I got my Christmas cards in the mail (yes, I am one of those).   I used to have a HUGE artificial tree (10') that took a couple of days to get all the ornaments and lights on.  For quite a few years even, we had 2 Christmas trees.  I had my huge tree and the kids had a smaller tree (6') that they decorated.  All the handmade ornaments that the kids made at school would go onto the smaller tree.  We would also make ornaments for the small tree too.  The kids loved to make paper snowflakes to hang on it.  One year we tried the popcorn garland, but that did not work too well.  I still have shell ornaments and pine cones that we painted in gold and silver that I use for table centerpieces. 

Then we would either have a Christmas open house or a New Years Eve party or both.  I would provide a buffet dinner for 50-75 people.  I loved to bake so I always had one table of just desserts.  I would make about 7-8 different types of cookies, 2 or more holiday breads and at least 2 holiday cakes.  The amaretto cake was always a hit.  I must say, Christmas was my thing. 

And then the divorced happened (cue sad music) and the parties stopped.  Since I had to go back to work when my main source of income moved out, I no longer had time to have the parties.  Also, now my ex gets the kids every year on Christmas Day (3:00 or so) and keeps them until either New Years Eve or New Years Day, depending on what we work out.  So, Christmas's have not been the same since. 

I am thinking about trying to change that some this year.  The kids will still have to go with their dad, but we have been apart for long enough now that it does not affect me as much (almost 9 years).  I doubt I could pull off a big party with limited funds, and I got rid of he HUGE Christmas tree.  But, I do have time.  I can see what kind of fantastic home made ornaments I can make, I can bake like a crazy person and I can decorate to a point of ad nauseum.  I am sure John will be thrilled (note the sarcasm).  I will have to try to get my Christmas mojo back. 

If anybody has any ideas or creative projects, let me know.

Walking at Turkey Creek Sanctuary

Just about every morning I have been walking at Turkey Creek Sanctuary.  I missed yesterday because of inclement weather, but cannot wait to get there today.  I used to take the kids there all the time when I was a stay-at-home mom and then continued to walk there when I was working from home.  I missed it while I was working full time, so it is nice to get back to it.

Since I have to drive my son to school every morning, I stop on my way home.  It is a good way to get my exercise in every morning since I walk about 3 miles.  Also, the paths are so tranquil and beautiful I really feel calm and centered when I walk there.  The walks really allow me time to think and commune with nature.  I imagine that I probably do my best thinking there. 

Feeling Old Lately...Sometimes

I have been feeling old lately.  No, it's not because I turned 40 this past summer, I probably haven't even lived half my life yet.  And no, it's not because I am finding a random gray hair, they make me look distinguished...lol.  It has everything to do with my memory.  I am developing what I call "Sometimers".  I forget some things some of the time.  It is not terrible yet, but I actually had to break down and buy a pill sorter because I was not remembering if I took my allergy meds any particular morning. 

What is a pill sorter you ask...it is a container that has indications on it for each day of the week so you can put that day's allotment of pills in it.  And I had to buy one!  And I am only 40!  Every time I pull out the pill sorter, I feel like I am 75.  Pretty soon I will be repeating myself (wait, my kids already say I do), using a walker with tennis balls on the bottom (not there yet), and cursing at kids that walk across my lawn (don't witness that too often).  Maybe I should just take up knitting and bingo.  But knitting takes memory I think, pearl 1, pearl -what number was I on?  Crap, I'm screwed.  I think it's time for a drink.  Where did I put that bottle?   

You Can Find Me on Twitter

I broke down and finally did it, I joined twitter.  Why?  I'm not really sure, trying to figure it out though.  I am definitely an old dog learning new tricks.  As one of my bestest friends would say, "I'm confuzzled".  If you want to find me on twitter, my user name is "micsaunderson".  Kinda makes me think of McDreamy and McSteamy on Greys Anatomy.  Now I am Mic Saunderson.  I guess I have work my whole sexy thang...lol. 

If anybody has any tips for me on how to best use twitter, by all means share.  I am definitely a fish out of water there.  So, I guess the invitation is to comment or tweet me.  (God, I'm feeling old)....LOL

Blogs I'm Reading: 1000 Reasons I'm a Crap Mom

I recently read a guest post on problogger by Joshua Noerr about blog karma.  The article is about featuring interesting blogs that you are reading.  This concept helps you in a few way.  It allows your readers to understand you better, because they can see what interests you.  But it also allows for good blog karma as well and may even increase your traffic.  Make sure to check out the article here.

The first blog that I am featuring is one that I keep going back to regularly is "1000 Reasons I'm a Crap Mom".  This blog is just hilarious.  We all make mistakes as a parent, but most people are not bold enough to put them out there for the world to see, but this Mom does.  I find myself laughing and remembering when my kids were younger and way more trouble than they are now.  Make sure you check out 1000 Reasons I'm a Crap Mom, you will be glad you did. 

Election Day: Get Out and Vote!

For those of you who have not gotten out to vote today, turn off your computer and go do it!  We need everybody at the polls today so that we can send a message to the politicians that:

"WE ARE WATCHING YOU AND WE WILL HOLD YOU ACCOUNTABLE". 

I know it is hard to figure out which candidates are the best choice with all the mudslinging going on, but do your best.  Sometimes we just have to pick the lesser of the evils.  This election is very important so please get out to the polls. 

As for you that cannot vote, pray that the voters make the decisions that are best for our country.  We need the economy to improve, jobs to be created and a responsible government that will not give our taxes to companies who simply pass it on their CEOs.  We are surely moving toward a socialist government and I am not sure if that is good or bad, but I hope however it turns out, it is the best for all. 

I am sure the whole world will be watching this election.  The U.S. economy touches nearly every country and our foreign policies have declared us "Big Brother" to the world making this election important to non-Americans too.  I hope those in other countries also pray that we choose well. 

I would like to see politicians elected that actually represent the American people and a decline in corruption in our government.   Let's make it happen!  God Bless America!

Fun Monday Sign Up - Election Day Tomorrow

 

Fun Monday Sign Up - Nov 1 initiated by Julie at Another Chance Ranch

Let's get this party started!!
Topic for Fun Monday November 1st -  I try not to get too political on here.  I've learned that you don't talk religion or politics with people.  That is just my general rule.  It's just not good.  But, we are supposed to vote the very next day, and I am curious about something.  I want to know your opinions.  I want to know what you think about the state of our country.  Or, is there a particular issue being voted on that you feel strongly about?  What are your thoughts?  Keep in mind, I don't want to know whether you are a Democrat or a Republican.  I am just curious as to what is going through your mind.

I voted last week as I signed up a couple of years ago to always get and absentee ballot.  I will say that I voted according to platforms and not along party lines.  In fact my votes are all over the place.  I am concerned about this area due to the high unemployment.  I am on the space coast where the retirement of the space shuttle is looming like a black cloud.  I was just recently laid off and am not looking forward to competing for available jobs with the thousands that have been/will be laid off from the space center.  Already the unemployment rate in Brevard County, Florida is right around 12% and I find that daunting.  Here in Florida we have a major senate race and election for governor.  It should be interesting to say the least.  I am keeping my fingers crossed that things improve. 

Oh He Wanted to Be Gibbs...But He Is In Fact Ducky

At the airshow a couple of days ago, my son did something and my boyfriend, John, called him DiNozzo.  The funny thing is, the description fits.  He is funny, handsome and smart but can seem clueless at times.  Of course, my daughter chimes in, "Who Am I?"  (Yes, we are fans of NCIS).  Well, she definitely is not a Ziva, and is not freaking enough for Abbey, so by default she got Kate.  Then my son says, "What about John?".  John pipes up "Gibbs", but the three of us together say "No, you are Ducky!"  Now John is offended.  He doesn't want to be Ducky, but it fits so well.  Though John sees himself as a tough guy, he really isn't.  He does have a story for everything though and lectures everyone.  And when he gets stuck on a subject, he can just go on and on...the energizer bunny has nothing on him.  John did not want to accept the fact that Ducky is lovable and the show would not be the same without him, he is still holding out for Gibbs. 

As for me, I am closest to Abbey.  Yes, I am freaky, in my own way, without the Frankenstein boots, but also smart and a little emotional at times.  And how I would love having a farting hippo.