Wordless Wednesday

My three wonderful children. Yep, my Timbo put his "frohawk" up!! How cool is that!?

Tweet Tweet

I have begun tweeting on twitter. I must be careful as this could become very addicting... Thanks to my sister-in-law (insert sarcasm). There have been some neat people that I have met and there are contests that go on. I have entered a contest to win a $100 Target gift card. I haven't been to Target in years! Mainly because with 3 children, Walmart is pretty much the only place I go. Convenience is the reason. So - you can go to Ooh La La Mama Blog and check it out. How I wouldn't love to go and get some ear muffs to put over my ears when the little people start whining!

Picture Pages Sunday

This is me when I was little and when plaid was "in." I loved being barefoot outside and rarely wore skirts. Such the tomboy!

Christmas Day Pictures

Meryck opening presents.




Kyle opening presents.




Tim opening presents.





Think they are happy?





Me having been up until 6 am being Santa's helper, then getting back up with the kids at around 7:30am. Not a pretty picture!





Hope everyone's having happy holidays!

Worth Reading

I got an email from my wonderful father today that I'd like to share with my readers. He happened to send it to me when I really needed to read it. Although I have read this email before, but for some reason it really struck something in my heart tonight, hence my reason for sharing. It is as follows:

A MAYONNAISE JAR AND 2 CUPS OF COFFEE

When things in your life seem almost too much to
handle, when 24 hours in a day are not enough,
remember the mayonnaise jar and the 2 cups of coffee.

A professor stood before his philosophy class and had
some items in front of him.

When the class began, wordlessly, he picked up a very
large and empty mayonnaise jar and proceeded to fill
it with golf balls. He then asked the students if the
jar was full. They agreed that it was.

The professor then picked up a box of pebbles and
poured them into the jar. He shook the jar lightly.
The pebbles rolled into the open areas between the
golf balls. He then asked the students again if the
jar was full they agreed it was.

The professor next picked up a box of sand and poured
it into the jar. Of course, the sand filled up
everything else. He asked once more if the jar was
full. The students responded with a unanimous 'yes.'

The professor then produced two cups of coffee from
under the table and poured the entire contents into
the jar, effectively filling the empty space between
the sand. The students laughed.

'Now,' said the professor, as the laughter subsided,
'I want you to recognize that this jar represents
your life. The golf balls are the important things-
your God, family, your children, your health, your
friends, and your favorite passions--things that if
everything else was lost and only they remained your
life would still be full.

The pebbles are the other things that matter like your
job, your house, and your car.

The sand is everything else -- the small stuff.

If you put the sand into the jar first,' he continued,
'there is no room for the pebbles or the golf balls.
The same goes for life. If you spend all your time
and energy on the small stuff, you will never have
room for the things that are important to you.

Pay attention to the things that are critical to your
happiness. Play with your children. Take time to get
medical checkups. Take your partner out to dinner.
Play another 18. There will always be time to clean
the house and fix the disposal.'

Take care of the golf balls first -- the things that
really matter. Set your priorities. The rest is just
sand.'

One of the students raised her hand and inquired what
the coffee represented.

The professor smiled. 'I'm glad you asked. It just
goes to show you that no matter how full your life may
seem, there's always room for a couple of cups of
coffee with a friend.'

The emphasized paragraphs, I highlighted because they are those that mean the most to me. I am sure a lot of you have already read this email going around. I ask that you please contemplate and really think about what the meaning is behind this story. Even if you don't remember it tomorrow, today it could make all the difference in the world - especially to those you love and care for.

Thanks Dad for reminding me to basically stop and smell the wonderful roses I have. They are beautiful and worth every moment, good, bad, ugly and glorious. I love you. xxxxxxxxxxxxoooooooooooooo

Picture Pages

This is my grandfather which we grandchildren called Pupa. This picture was taken while I was first pregnant with my second child, but didn't know yet.

He was a most wonderful man to me. He always had words of wisdom such as "You have a dollar in your pocket, you have many friends. You have no dollars in your pocket, you have no friends." He would always greet you with a "Hello there" which sounded like hello der. He was from Puerto Rico. I looked up to him. Growing up, he would make me breakfast EVERY day, such as scrambled eggs, toast, coffee and orange juice or cereal (even mixed types) with coffee and toast...I had coffee and toast almost every morning (beginning at the age of about 7). He truly believed that milk and orange juice was not a good mix for anyone's stomach and would make you extremely ill.

He was a believer in walking. He taught me how to play tennis and was my coach for many years. There was ALWAYS enough room for me at his home when I had hard times. He would always pay you for any favor you did for him. He spoke mainly Spanish, but when he moved to the US, made it a point to learn English. He learned English from watching TV and reading newspapers. He also spoke French and a little Italian. He was in France during WWII where he picked up French and would use it frequently. His favorite English sayings were "Go fly a kite" and "Go jump in a lake" which he said often and would crack himself up every time.

Unfortunately, he met his untimely (in my opinion) death by collapsing on the corner of the block while on his daily walk to the local store. He had a very high fever but couldn't be stopped. Once taken to the hospital, they found colon cancer (don't ask me how...I have no idea). Things quickly took a turn for the worse with him. We did not put him in a "home", we took care of him AT home until his demise. He would frequently speak phrases that no one else understood (I still remember what you really meant Pupa). At the time, I lived 1 1/2 hour away. I got the awful call that it was "time" and I needed to get down to where he was. Me, my big, fat, 8 month pregnant belly and my oldest child immediately packed up and went to his house. We arrived late at night. My loving Pupa waited until I got a night's sleep before he passed away. In the morning, my mother and aunts said it was that time and we all went into my grandparent's room where he lay in his hospital bed. We gathered around him and held hands. I held their hands, but with my right hand, I held his. I then layed my head on his chest and told him I was there and he could go. His heart stopped beating a few seconds later.

I am grateful to have had not only the time I did when I cared for him so many years prior, but that he waited for me before he passed. I'm thankful that I had my head on his chest and he was not alone at his last moments. I'm fortunate to have had someone so special in my life to be a mentor and inspiration.

Sometimes I miss him so much it hurts. Yesterday, December 20th would have been his 96th birthday. He will be forever remembered, not only by me, but vicariously through my children as well.

Thank you Pupa for all that you've taught me, how you raised me and the qualities in me that are of you.

My Thoughts

Ok, I haven't been around much because I've been working my ass off trying to make money for Christmas. Having to get gifts for 3 children (one being a teenager, mind you)...plus a husband, is not an easy task on our income. I will, however, give you a little insight as to what's going on in my brain where my blog is concerned.

First, I need to do a review of something. What the something is, I really am not sure at this time. I still have yet to find the time to open the box to find out what it is. Hopefully, it will be sometime within the next couple of days.

Second, I'm going to ask a couple people I admire for interviews. I hope they say yes. Not that my blog is so popular (yet) that I get ALL this traffic, but I always say, some is better than none! Hopefully that will come within the next couple of weeks.

Third, I've updated my Autism link for those that are interested in, or have a child somewhere on the Autism spectrum. If you are knowledgeable about the subject, please feel free to contact me (via my "Contact Me" button) to discuss anything that I may be missing or for more information. Few may know, but I have a highly functioning Autistic son who is 6 going on 7. The challenges are many, but none that really can't be overcome with some sort of guidance and love.

Lastly (for now until further notice at least), I feel I may start discussing/posting more every day things about my life as a mother (and more often). Reading back on my posts, I don't feel I fully capture what my original intent was with this blog. I will be keeping my Picture Pages Sunday and my WW, as well as adding a post for Talk to Me Tuesday post mostly because I feel inspirational is ALWAYS good.

So, all in all, I will do my best to be around more often and thank you to all out there that actually read my blog!

Best Early Christmas Gift Ever!!!

My teen and I were in the car and he turned to me and said "Hey Mom, I have a song for you" and proceeded to play this:




Needless to say, it brought me to sobbing tears...I will never forget this gift from him!

Picture Pages Sunday... (albeit late)

These are my paternal grandparents. They were absolutely wonderful people! I loved them so dearly when they were in this earthly world! They were from West-by-God-Virginia. I have fond memories of just sitting and listening to my Grandma talk. She had such a southern drawl it was hard for me not to be mesmorized. I would sit there and say to her "Grandma, just talk. Talk about anything." She would always give me this "You are off your rocker (add southern drawl)" look, but I so loved it. My grandpa was a chewer of tobacci (no, not tobacco, but tobacci). I remember him dipping and spitting and a spitoon. I also remember sitting with him watching Hee Haw, boy he loved him some Dolly Parton! They were wonderful grandparents, but a word of caution with them...beware when it was time to pick the switch stick...don't ever pick the little ones!


I miss you Grandma and Grandpa. What I wouldn't give to hear your voices. I love you Grandma and Grandpa! You are in my thoughts...RIP

This picture was taken with my cell phone. Not very clear, but we were happy to be out on the town!

Winter Social

My wonderful husband and I are going to the Winter Social which is his work's Christmas party. I am so excited! I only get to dress up, and I mean really dress up, once a year...and that is for the Winter Social. My dress is absolutely fabulous! I got it at Ross, no less! It only cost $27.99!! That was a bargain for what the dress looks like on me. The funny thing is that while at Ross, I had picked out a few dresses to try on. As I was walking away from the rack toward the dressing room, I noticed a dress at the end of the junior dress aisle. It was a royal blue dress with these silver (and when I say silver, I mean chrome looking, sparkly, shiney kind of silver, polka dots. It tied around the neck with a low back. The front top looked like a bathing suit type of cut, just enough to hold the breasts. The bodice was form-fitting and at the hips there were four layers of fabric...the top layer was a chiffon type with the polka dots that was cut to a point right below the knee on the left side. The second layer was a heavier royal blue fabric without the polka dots, the third layer was the same as the first only came to a point on the right side just below the knee, and the fourth later was just the same as the second.

The dress looked horrid there on the hanger and I remember thinking to myself - "Oh, what the hell, let's just try it one for shits and giggles." So, in my hand it went and again, I was off to the dressing room.

While in the dressing room, I tried on all the other dresses I had picked out. I'm not trying to be conceded, but MAN, did they look good on me! Other women that were walking out to the three sided mirror were looking at me in awe and literally saying stuff like "Oh, if I had her body, I could wear something like that." Then they would turn to me and say things like "Oh my God, that dress looks great on you!" I could tell by the sharp dagger looks in their eyes that they meant it. Then I decided to try my shits and giggles dress on...it felt pretty good, it was very comfortable, (the others were skin tight and I would have done the knee together walk to get anywhere). This one didn't have any zippers (that was a plus - slip on, slip off). It tied around the neck and hugged what is left of my breasts and I could lean over without anyone getting a peek at my nubles. (I just don't have enough to pop out.) When I went to the big mirror outside of the dressing room, no one was there to advise me, I was left there to fend for myself. This was a great relief because my stomach was starting to hurt from all the daggers! So, as any woman would do when left alone in a dressing room, I twirled around...again and again and again and again. "This was it!" I thought. I couldn't believe myself! Here I had picked out this dress just for fun and it turned out to be the "one."

As excited as I am, I will be going now to get dressed. I will update with photos and you can tell me what you think of my "shit and giggles dress," which is what I call it now.

Wordless Wednesday

Me little.

Straight No Chaser

I love this song!!!

The Stressful Day

Today was a bit of a stressful day. It began with too little sleep. Within 20 minutes of awakening and after Tim took a shower, we left the house to run some errands. The first stop was the cell phone store 30 minutes away. Tim's phone had been repaired and it was ready to be picked up. What was supposed to take a little over an hour, ended up being an ordeal of nearly 3 hours. The head technician in the store broke the car charger that we had and blamed us. When a new charger was bought, it too did not work and the technician blamed it on the car. The charger ws returned and money refunded because there wasn't another charger compatible at the store. It had to be ordered.

We needed sustinance, so off to Waffle House, a favorite spot to eat. Having eaten, stress levels decreased some. Tim had a project to do with his friend for school which is due Monday. He was supposed to go to his friend's house, but because of the delay at the store, there wasn't time to stay at his friend's house to do the project. A different plan was implemented and now Tim's friend was going to spend the night, but needed a ride.

On our way to his friend's house, a police officer pulled us over for speeding. A ticket was given for driving 63 in a 55 (which was a blessing because it should have been 73) and a warning was given about dear husband's tint on the front windshield. The registration was nowhere to be found and the police officer allowed a phone call to dear husband. When he found out about being pulled over, he became upset about the ticket and the warning. Especially since he had bought the car with the tints already on it. Stress levels began to rise again and another snag occurred in what was supposed to be a couple quick errands.

As we neared Tim's friend's house, we noticed traffic was slowing and bright orange cones seperated one lane from the other on a one-way street. As we inched up, we saw that traffic had been redirected because of a parade. Stress levels rose more because time for work was quickly approaching and we still had not picked up Tim's friend. We arrived at Tim's friend's house and began our trek back home. Traffic was worse on the way back and tick, tick, tick went the clock. Once past the traffic, a glance at the gas guage showed very, very, very little gas was in the car, but there wasn't time to stop. We got home with just enough time to get into uniform and put on make-up.

it was decided that the other car was going to be used to get to work. Once at work, there was hardly any guests, so the first hour was spent running food, stocking, helping, standing. One server who got there an hour after the closers got a table before the closers. Needless to say, the closers were a little bothered. It began to feel like it was going to be a long night and the restaurant didn't close until 11:30 pm.

Finally it started to get busy, but not as busy as a typical Saturday. At about7:30 pm, other servers were getting cut off the floor, which is not typical. After all servers, except closers, wer cut, the influx of guests became steady. Fortunately tips were pretty good tonight. As the night wore on, the slow down of guests allowed the closers to do a lot of the necessary nightly cleaning. Finally, the restaurant closed and within 20 minutes, it was time to go home.

On the way home, a realization came...the car had expired tags on it. Heavy duty praying insued that a police officer would not be around to give another ticket in a different vehicle. God said yes to the prayer and grateful thanks was given.

Exhaustion has taken over as it has been extremely difficult to write this without the occassional resting of the eyes...

A day that started out on the stressful side, a couple of planned things did not get done, but overall ended on a happy note and now dreamland is calling...


(Can anyone figure out what is lacking in this post???)

12 Mental Exercizes

I was doing my normal surfing and came across this article written by Gretchen Rubin. She cited an author by the name of Dorothea Brande which includes 12 mental exercizes. I looked over the exercizes and thought - hey I can do these! I like keeping my mind sharp and love changing things up. So, I've decided to try them for a while and see what happens. Here is a quote from the story along with the exercizes:

"Here are Dorothea Brande's twelve mental exercises. Note: she wrote these in 1936, so you need to adapt of few of them.

1. Spend an hour each day without saying anything except in answer to direct questions, in the midst of the usual group, without creating the impression that you're sulking or ill. Be as ordinary as possible. But do not volunteer remarks or try to draw out information.

2. Think for 30 minutes a day about one subject exclusively. Start with five minutes.

3. Write a letter without using the words I, me, mine, my.

4. Talk for 15 minutes a day without using I, me, my, mine.

5. Write a letter in a "successful" or placid tone. No misstatements, no lying. Look for aspects or activities that can be honestly reported that way.

6. Pause on the threshold of any crowded room and size it up.

7. Keep a new acquaintance talking about himself or herself without allowing him to become conscious of it. Turn back any courteous reciprocal questions in a way that your auditor doesn't feel rebuffed.

8. Talk exclusively about yourself and your interests without complaining, boasting, or boring your companions.

9. Cut "I mean" or "As a matter of fact" or any other verbal mannerism out of your conversation.

10. Plan two hours of a day and stick to the plan.

11. Set yourself twelve tasks at random: e.g., go twenty miles from home using ordinary conveyance; go 12 hours without food; go eat a meal in the unlikelist place you can find; say nothing all day except in answer to questions; stay up all night and work.

12. From time to time, give yourself a day when you answer "yes" to any reasonable request.

If you'd like to read a more lengthy explanation of the twelve disciplines, or about Brande's explanation for these exercises, go here and search for Chapter 11 - Twelve Disciplines."

I encourage everyone to try this, either at home or not.

We won!!!!

Thank you Imagination Movers!!!



We won the Imagination Movers bloggy contest, so here's a vlog to thank them! Oh, and the yellow note Kyle is holding up says "We love you guys" which was intended for the Imagination Movers. Awwwwwww