So...Thanksgiving has come and gone...and with it my desire to eat turkey for another year! I'm not a fan of food that comes attached to bone. Well poultry at least...cause I do love me a good t-bone or pork chop! I have removed all leftovers from the premises and refuse to even consider giblets or turkey breasts for the next 12 months!
I didn't do any shopping...cause I don't like the people. There's just too many of them out there! Worse yet...sometimes they want to talk to you!! So I just stayed home and napped...a lot! It was fabulous! I don't understand this crazy need I seem to have to always be "productive"...or at the very least seem like I'm being "productive"! Like I am somehow being a horrible person if I just lay around once in a while...or once a week! To be honest, that's one of my favorite things about winter...the weather is soo cold/rainy/icy/snowy that really the only thing to do is hang out at home. In my favorite hang-out position...which obviously would be reclining on a soft surface. Especially LOVE Sunday's....cause its THE day of rest AND football happens to be on ALL day!! That's magic!
So...I now find myself two weeks from our trip out west and a holiday which rather requires some gifts...of which I have NONE.
OK...I have one. I've been a good girl so I got myself the Kinect...for fitness purposes of course!
One of the good things about traveling for the holidays is that I have an absolute ironclad excuse for not going to ANY stores. Since I need to ship everything anyway...I just get it all online! And since everyone knows I'm not the most emotionally involved person, well...no one is surprised that all the nieces and nephews get gift cards from us!
So all in all, I'm not to worried about having to do all the Christmas shopping in the next 10 days....
then again...check with me in 8 days!
Tuesday, November 30, 2010
Wednesday, November 24, 2010
Why wont my mouth just shut up!
Ever find yourself at the market talking to the meat department guy who's just asked you if you've got your big turkey yet and you find yourself responding, "We don't really like the dark meat, so I just got two big breasts."?
No? That's cause you're not me.
Poor man...you could almost see him thinking "don't look! don't look! don't look!"
I like to think I'm pretty witty. And I am, if it just randomly comes out of my mouth when not in the middle of an actual conversation, I can be sorta funny...or slightly offensive, depending on your general sensitivity. But if you're actually trying to have a conversation with me, suddenly I'm channeling Pee Wee Herman.
There's one moment that will live in infamy inside my own head....
A few years back I went out with a few girlfriends for a girl's night out. We were all looking pretty spiffy if I do say so myself. However, and this happens ALL the time, while the other ladies will get the occasional guy try to start a conversation or buy them a drink...this never happens to me (which I'm good with, cause that kinda creeps me out...and I'm sure Al wouldn't be to thrilled with either!). My cousin told me its cause I give out this "back away slowly" vibe...I'm not sure if that's a compliment or not...
ANYHOW...so there we are having a great time, poor sad men walking away from the girls in defeat, and not one has talked to me...until our very cute bartender (who probably felt a little sorry for me and thought he'd make my night) came over to me with my drink and a little bowl of limes and started talking to me. Now I suppose this broke some kind of barrier because before long a nice looking guy sat down next to me said hi and then said I must really like lime in my beer...here it was... a never-before moment... a guy trying to talk to me at a bar... what was my great "bar talk" answer? My "I'm super hot and you're lucky to be talking to me" answer?
"Yup! Limes are good! They keep away the scurvy!"
THE SCURVY!!!!
It was like I'd yelled some foul curse word at the man. The girls all kinda slowly turned to look at me with just a look of horror on their faces. And the guy...well he just smiled...like you would at a crazy person...and said "that's good to know" and walked away. The cute bartender was just cracking up. I caught him looking my way while talking to some of the other workers...so I'm sure the entire staff got a good chuckle out of it!
It happens every time...even the people who know me, every once in a while after I say something spectacular like that, will just smile at me a nod with that look in their eyes that says "Wow! maybe someone dropped her on her head!"
Now this is a kind of Jekyll and Hyde thing for me....
One one hand...well there's very little pressure on me to make witty conversation. My people just don't expect it, so if by some miracle it happens, WOW, everyone's impressed! But if it doesn't...well that's just the way I roll! On the other hand... DARN it I am a well educated, intelligent woman with wonderful thoughts and ideas! WHY wont my mouth cooperate? Its very hard to impress people with how awesome I am when I'm blurting out facts about SCURVY!!!
I don't know...I guess its a very good thing I got married so young and we've managed to stick it out...cause there's NO WAY I'd be a successful "dater"...unless I hung out a pirate conventions, they're always worried about scurvy.
No? That's cause you're not me.
Poor man...you could almost see him thinking "don't look! don't look! don't look!"
I like to think I'm pretty witty. And I am, if it just randomly comes out of my mouth when not in the middle of an actual conversation, I can be sorta funny...or slightly offensive, depending on your general sensitivity. But if you're actually trying to have a conversation with me, suddenly I'm channeling Pee Wee Herman.
There's one moment that will live in infamy inside my own head....
A few years back I went out with a few girlfriends for a girl's night out. We were all looking pretty spiffy if I do say so myself. However, and this happens ALL the time, while the other ladies will get the occasional guy try to start a conversation or buy them a drink...this never happens to me (which I'm good with, cause that kinda creeps me out...and I'm sure Al wouldn't be to thrilled with either!). My cousin told me its cause I give out this "back away slowly" vibe...I'm not sure if that's a compliment or not...
ANYHOW...so there we are having a great time, poor sad men walking away from the girls in defeat, and not one has talked to me...until our very cute bartender (who probably felt a little sorry for me and thought he'd make my night) came over to me with my drink and a little bowl of limes and started talking to me. Now I suppose this broke some kind of barrier because before long a nice looking guy sat down next to me said hi and then said I must really like lime in my beer...here it was... a never-before moment... a guy trying to talk to me at a bar... what was my great "bar talk" answer? My "I'm super hot and you're lucky to be talking to me" answer?
"Yup! Limes are good! They keep away the scurvy!"
THE SCURVY!!!!
It was like I'd yelled some foul curse word at the man. The girls all kinda slowly turned to look at me with just a look of horror on their faces. And the guy...well he just smiled...like you would at a crazy person...and said "that's good to know" and walked away. The cute bartender was just cracking up. I caught him looking my way while talking to some of the other workers...so I'm sure the entire staff got a good chuckle out of it!
It happens every time...even the people who know me, every once in a while after I say something spectacular like that, will just smile at me a nod with that look in their eyes that says "Wow! maybe someone dropped her on her head!"
Now this is a kind of Jekyll and Hyde thing for me....
One one hand...well there's very little pressure on me to make witty conversation. My people just don't expect it, so if by some miracle it happens, WOW, everyone's impressed! But if it doesn't...well that's just the way I roll! On the other hand... DARN it I am a well educated, intelligent woman with wonderful thoughts and ideas! WHY wont my mouth cooperate? Its very hard to impress people with how awesome I am when I'm blurting out facts about SCURVY!!!
I don't know...I guess its a very good thing I got married so young and we've managed to stick it out...cause there's NO WAY I'd be a successful "dater"...unless I hung out a pirate conventions, they're always worried about scurvy.
Saturday, November 20, 2010
As a mom, there's nothing harder than watching your kid make a stupid choice with hard, sad consequences. There's nothing you want to do more than turn back the clock and stop them from doing it. You wish more than anything you could just hug them and fix it all...but you can't.
You have to stand there and be serious and tough and lay out the penalties and negative consequences of their mistake when, really, you love them so much you'll forgive anything and all you want to do is make them feel better.
You have to stand there and tell this child, whom you love more than anything in this world and who could never do anything that would make you love him less, that he's disappointed you, that he's damaged the trust in your relationship and you don't feel you can fully count on him to do what's right at this point.
You have to stand there with your arms at your sides when you'd give anything to be able to wrap him up and just hold him like when he was little, you have to hear the anger and defiance in his voice while looking at him and see that his body language is screaming that he really wants you to do just that, hold him and just make it go away.
But you can't.
Because this is his moment of reality.
This is a turning point for him...continue on this path or choose a new one, and he's gotta walk it.
This is where he starts to build the man he will one day be. And no matter what you want for him, you can't make him want it too. He has to want it. He has to discover his potential, his goals and he has to learn that only he can realize them.
In the end all you can do is stand there, arms and heart open wide for him, giving unquestionable love, without strings or conditions, giving support and advice. But that's all...its everything you've got to give and you pray its enough, but in the end...
All you can do is stand there.
You have to stand there and be serious and tough and lay out the penalties and negative consequences of their mistake when, really, you love them so much you'll forgive anything and all you want to do is make them feel better.
You have to stand there and tell this child, whom you love more than anything in this world and who could never do anything that would make you love him less, that he's disappointed you, that he's damaged the trust in your relationship and you don't feel you can fully count on him to do what's right at this point.
You have to stand there with your arms at your sides when you'd give anything to be able to wrap him up and just hold him like when he was little, you have to hear the anger and defiance in his voice while looking at him and see that his body language is screaming that he really wants you to do just that, hold him and just make it go away.
But you can't.
Because this is his moment of reality.
This is a turning point for him...continue on this path or choose a new one, and he's gotta walk it.
This is where he starts to build the man he will one day be. And no matter what you want for him, you can't make him want it too. He has to want it. He has to discover his potential, his goals and he has to learn that only he can realize them.
In the end all you can do is stand there, arms and heart open wide for him, giving unquestionable love, without strings or conditions, giving support and advice. But that's all...its everything you've got to give and you pray its enough, but in the end...
All you can do is stand there.
Friday, November 19, 2010
guerrilla warfare-its the kids you have to worry about.
I am not a quitter! I will not give up!! I will survive....give me a minute...
ok done singing...
Sometimes in the evening hours I am seriously emotionally challenged. I don't have the ability to handle one more whine, cry or petty argument....
SERIOUSLY! Is it really important whether the I Carly chick is a good singer?
Do you have to have a 20 minute argument about it? NO!! NO, IT'S NOT IMPORTANT!!!!
I don't care WHO was in the bathroom first...you're just washing your hands!
STOP TRYING TO PUSH EACH OTHER OUT THE DOOR AND SHARE THE DANG SINK!!
And on and on it goes! I'm not crazy! No really...I'm not! So how is it I find myself doing that crazy lady clenched-jaw-while-trying-to-yell thing? Often. Every once in a while I go to my room and lock myself in the bathroom just so I can have a couple of minutes of peace and quiet.
I LOVE my kids...sometimes though, I wonder about them...
The 11 year old swears she's got the correct information about EVERYTHING and she must impart her significant knowledge on everyone else. So she's very quick to point out when either of the other two are not doing something correctly, or they're not following the rules to her exact specifications, or they just look dorky doing whatever they're doing....she's also in charge of the aesthetic aspect of everything. We're thinking of just handing her number cards...so she can give us our scores!
My boy, who's 8, has a delightful lack of impulse control....did you jump of a high place? WAIT...he'll find one higher! A few days ago my youngest...I'll explain her in a minute...comes running into the kitchen yelling "David's on the roof!! He climbed out the bathroom window!" Yup...that's my Dave! Someone wants to play pool...WAIT! Lets play extreme pool and put our hands on the edge of the table to see who can take the hardest hit!! (To which Angie quickly says "DUH!! that's not a broken finger...its merely a contusion! And it makes your finger look ugly!!") Lets have a race on our bikes.....WAIT! lets make a ramp out of some wood and see who can get the most air jumping over each other...lay down right here Rachel!! He's the reason we buy medical supplies in bulk.
The youngest...yeah, she's a hard one to catch. Clearly, she has a future in the CIA or some kind of stealth secret forces or maybe investigative reporting....cause its AMAZING how she can tell you exactly what everyone is doing, where and why. She would make a wonderful spy. She hides real well...how else is she supposed to catch someone being bad. She has a near photographic memory of everything her sibling have done wrong that week, month, year and will quickly remind me or dad of these transgressions when she thinks the situation calls for it. She is VERY fast...I mean she is in front of me telling me this kid hit that kid before the kid being hit even feels the pain, its uncanny! AND...girl knows how to turn a situation to her advantage...so she's been bugging her brother (very quietly) for the last 20 minutes. The minute he looses it and retaliates...tears, shaky bottom lip, big sad eyes...she's got it down to a science!!
I know what you're thinking...where's the 4th kid? Is he the good one? Never gives his mama trouble? If you're asking that you obviously haven't read the older posts...SHAME ON YOU!
He's hardly ever involved in the actual event... at 14 he's too mature to play with the "kids". So obviously he wont join in the questionable activity...he's merely there as a consultant. You know...just there to lend a hand if people get distracted, so he can helpfully lead them back to their fabulous idea. He's a helper like that..never one to let an awesome idea go to waste...a facilitator...you got a plan? don't know how to pull it off? Not to worry...Al will help. Just remember this was your idea...he'll just be watching from waaay back over here so he doesn't get in the way of your glorious moment! He's the frame...you're the picture. Got a problem? Someone annoying you? Well...he's a man of peace, so he wont become personally involved in any retribution...but he's got some great ideas about how you can deal with that person. AND he's a great problem solver (as long as we're not talkin math) and delegator. Mom said no more snacks its almost dinner time, but there's some great cookies sitting right there on the bottom shelf. Why Rachel is small and stealthy...Dave go do your stuff and act crazy over there to distract mom while Rachel sneaks in the pantry for the cookies. If there's a way HE WILL FIND IT!
So you can understand why, by dinner time, I'm a little frazzled. It takes an unbelievable amount of patience to deal with their skills! And ear plugs...it takes patience and ear plugs! And prayer...patience, ear plugs and prayer.
But when it comes down to it they might get into some crazy stuff, but between the 4 of them they almost always figure out a way to fix whatever mess they're in. They fight and bicker ALL DAY but when the rubber meets the road, they almost always close ranks and stand together. So if I can just keep my sanity, keep them out of the hospital and away from committing any actual crime in their exuberance I have no doubt they'll do just fine!
So really what I'm saying here is that my kids have POTENTIAL!!
It's all in how you look at it!!!!
Thursday, November 18, 2010
The best day EVER!!
I can't believe today is finally here!!
Today is a VERY important day you know! I've been waiting for today my WHOLE life!
Every single moment of my entire life has been spent preparing for today....
Every wonderful friendship and painful betrayal,
Every sweet moment of rest and frantic moment of struggle,
Every wonderful day of health and awful day of illness,
Every life changing birth and mournful death,
Every mountain top of joy and delight and every valley of grief and sorrow,
they have all brought me right here to today. So today must be one heck of a day! Today must be getting ready to bring me something incredible! Today must be the most important day I've ever lived otherwise, why would I have needed such strenuous preparation?
If everything I've ever lived was in preparation for what will happen today, then today will surely change the rest of my life...every tomorrow will depend on what I do with today.
The rest of my tomorrows will hinge on what I do with what today has brought me...I'd better get cracking!!!
And the most wonderful part...the most perfect part is that I can say this EVERY morning!!!
Today is a VERY important day you know! I've been waiting for today my WHOLE life!
Every single moment of my entire life has been spent preparing for today....
Every wonderful friendship and painful betrayal,
Every sweet moment of rest and frantic moment of struggle,
Every wonderful day of health and awful day of illness,
Every life changing birth and mournful death,
Every mountain top of joy and delight and every valley of grief and sorrow,
they have all brought me right here to today. So today must be one heck of a day! Today must be getting ready to bring me something incredible! Today must be the most important day I've ever lived otherwise, why would I have needed such strenuous preparation?
If everything I've ever lived was in preparation for what will happen today, then today will surely change the rest of my life...every tomorrow will depend on what I do with today.
The rest of my tomorrows will hinge on what I do with what today has brought me...I'd better get cracking!!!
And the most wonderful part...the most perfect part is that I can say this EVERY morning!!!
Wednesday, November 17, 2010
hindsight...and other Christmas disturbances.
I warned you!
I told you things would get bad if you didn't change your ways. You've done nothing but make trouble for me from the moment we met. Its been nothing but very short lived joy followed by guilt and years of disappointment. I know I hold some of the fault too. I should have been strong enough to walk away before, but you always manage to drag me back in. You have no right to control my life this way.
Starting today I'm taking my life back! You hold no more power over me! I am a better woman without you and my life WILL be happier without you!
HOSTESS CUPCAKES I NEVER WANT TO SEE YOU AGAIN!!!!!!
At least until the holidays are over! :)
Its that time of the year again...although to be honest I've had a couple of years now to not deal with this. But now its that time again and the pressure will surely make me a little nuts from now until then!!
We are traveling "home" for Christmas...back to visit all our wonderful family in California. Don't get me wrong, they really are wonderful...well, mostly...but I come from a wonderful Hispanic family.
Why would that cause stress? you ask
Well...many of you will understand from experience, but for those of you who don't...
My family is a rowdy bunch of people who love a good party with lots of good food and beverages. So there's a lot of togetherness.
Now before I say this let me stress the fact that its all part of our crazy love...its hard to explain.
But...well not one event goes by with out the post-party recap and a few " my goodness, she sure has gained a lot of weight this year!"
Its comical to me...now that I'm not so self-conscious...but its inevitable. You'll hear it after every gathering.
If fact, I have this aunt whom I haven't seen in many years now who used to great me EVERY TIME SHE SAW ME with "mija, que gordita estas!" ....or for those of you who are Spanish challenged..."honey, look how chubby you are!" she would then, of course, follow it up by telling me I looked beautiful...but chubby! :)
There really is no hatefulness behind it...I think its some kind of weird cultural love thing.
But you can see how this can make a girl stress out a little! I mean I haven't been back a couple of years...so by comparison to then, I'm a couple of years older and the joys of middle age a couple of years more... established.
Which brings me, like most other women in my position, to the "OH MY GOD! how can I lose 15 pounds in the next 3 weeks? And clear up and de-wrinkle my face? And perk up...whatever needs perking?!!"
And since I tend to be a little OCD....well that brings us right back to my breakup with the evil Hostess Cupcake...and any other food I love that falls into that category!
I'd try that crazy Atkins diet...but I don't like steak THAT much...and quite frankly a couple of days of no carbs makes me slightly psychotic! I really though I'd hit the motherload when that guy announced his awesome Twinkie diet...but well, that's just a little scary. I mean...what if I try it and a week in find out I've gained like 10 pounds? Then its really gonna hit the fan around here and I'd rather still be married after the holidays!
So...back to counting my calories, taking my vitamins and working out every day. Which really is something I should have kept doing all along!!
To all my sisters and girl cousins...how bout we all make a pact to tell each other how freaking marvelous we look every time we see each other during the holidays? That will at least mitigate the trauma of knowing the minute you walk out the door someone will mention how big/jiggly/saggy your butt looked on the way out!!!
Bring on the HOLIDAYS!!! :)
I told you things would get bad if you didn't change your ways. You've done nothing but make trouble for me from the moment we met. Its been nothing but very short lived joy followed by guilt and years of disappointment. I know I hold some of the fault too. I should have been strong enough to walk away before, but you always manage to drag me back in. You have no right to control my life this way.
Starting today I'm taking my life back! You hold no more power over me! I am a better woman without you and my life WILL be happier without you!
HOSTESS CUPCAKES I NEVER WANT TO SEE YOU AGAIN!!!!!!
At least until the holidays are over! :)
Its that time of the year again...although to be honest I've had a couple of years now to not deal with this. But now its that time again and the pressure will surely make me a little nuts from now until then!!
We are traveling "home" for Christmas...back to visit all our wonderful family in California. Don't get me wrong, they really are wonderful...well, mostly...but I come from a wonderful Hispanic family.
Why would that cause stress? you ask
Well...many of you will understand from experience, but for those of you who don't...
My family is a rowdy bunch of people who love a good party with lots of good food and beverages. So there's a lot of togetherness.
Now before I say this let me stress the fact that its all part of our crazy love...its hard to explain.
But...well not one event goes by with out the post-party recap and a few " my goodness, she sure has gained a lot of weight this year!"
Its comical to me...now that I'm not so self-conscious...but its inevitable. You'll hear it after every gathering.
If fact, I have this aunt whom I haven't seen in many years now who used to great me EVERY TIME SHE SAW ME with "mija, que gordita estas!" ....or for those of you who are Spanish challenged..."honey, look how chubby you are!" she would then, of course, follow it up by telling me I looked beautiful...but chubby! :)
There really is no hatefulness behind it...I think its some kind of weird cultural love thing.
But you can see how this can make a girl stress out a little! I mean I haven't been back a couple of years...so by comparison to then, I'm a couple of years older and the joys of middle age a couple of years more... established.
Which brings me, like most other women in my position, to the "OH MY GOD! how can I lose 15 pounds in the next 3 weeks? And clear up and de-wrinkle my face? And perk up...whatever needs perking?!!"
And since I tend to be a little OCD....well that brings us right back to my breakup with the evil Hostess Cupcake...and any other food I love that falls into that category!
I'd try that crazy Atkins diet...but I don't like steak THAT much...and quite frankly a couple of days of no carbs makes me slightly psychotic! I really though I'd hit the motherload when that guy announced his awesome Twinkie diet...but well, that's just a little scary. I mean...what if I try it and a week in find out I've gained like 10 pounds? Then its really gonna hit the fan around here and I'd rather still be married after the holidays!
So...back to counting my calories, taking my vitamins and working out every day. Which really is something I should have kept doing all along!!
To all my sisters and girl cousins...how bout we all make a pact to tell each other how freaking marvelous we look every time we see each other during the holidays? That will at least mitigate the trauma of knowing the minute you walk out the door someone will mention how big/jiggly/saggy your butt looked on the way out!!!
Bring on the HOLIDAYS!!! :)
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
Michael Vick- healing families one magical football game at a time.
Last night I had one of the nicest, most meaningful talks I've had with my oldest son in a while. All thanks to Michael Vick.
Last night I loved that man just a little bit...and not just cause I creamed my fantasy opponent and broke 200 points all thanks to his almost 60 point performance...it's hard for me to say that cause I have no respect for him at this time. He's got a long way to go before I'm willing to say he's a good person. Great QB ABSOLUTELY! But a horrible man! And I say that with all the hope that he can use his past mistakes to make a life worthy of the talents, skills and opportunities he's been blessed with!
Anyhow, the Als and I were sitting...ok, they were sitting, I was jumping, hollering and making a general crazy out of myself...watching the game. At one point I said can you believe this guy was in jail like a year ago? Which began the discussion of how long he was in jail and all the stuff surrounding that.
Now we've had a rough couple of months with our boy. He's been testing our boundaries, commitment, love and sanity...on a daily basis. So most conversations with him are...challenging. We've been so busy just trying to keep him from making bad choices and driving us to therapy, that we haven't really sat down to just talk about stuff. That's where Vick comes in...opening the doors of communication!!
I then said to my boy "Did you know a person can be convicted of a felony and face up to 2 years in prison for tampering or damaging a Bald Eagle egg and yet hundreds of thousand human babies die through abortion every year and its ok with our society?" He thought about that for a minute and said, "That doesn't sound right. But what if a girl is raped? She should be able to get an abortion, its not fair for her to have to have that baby."
Now, I know what my beliefs are and my kids know what my beliefs are...but in that moment I realized they know the what, but not the why. I can tell them this or that is right or wrong, but if I fail to get them to understand why...well then its just pointless. Worse, it's exactly what drives us to rebel against out "parent's beliefs" when we're old enough to be exposed to opposing schools of thought. If I can't express to them clearly the whys of what I believe, then I'm not helping them develop the reasoning skills to make these decision for themselves.
I explained to him that only 1% of all abortions are made by women who have been raped or abused. About 4% more are due to health problems of the baby or mother. I told him that in these situations the parents have an absolute right to choose what they feel is best for them.
But that means that 95% abortions are just a means of birth control. ...those I don't understand. There is NO reason why abortion needs to be used as birth control. In a day when condoms are available for free at the school nurse, when family planning clinics are everywhere and provide practically free birth control pills and numerous other birth control methods, for people of any age regardless of parental consent, there really should be no need for abortions. I told him you don't "accidentally" have sex...which, of course, made him giggle...you choose to have sex. So then, to turn around and say " I was too irresponsible to use birth control and therefore the solution now is to kill this baby." is wrong.
I told him I believe God has a purpose for EVERY baby conceived.
It completely blew me away when he replied " well then if God has a plan for them and they're aborted, He must be ok with that."
I said "oh no baby...God never wants that. God never wants us to do wrong, hurtful things...but He lets us cause He wants us to grow. Every choice we make whether right or wrong, He will use it to make us better people if we let Him. We, however, have to be willing to work in the messes we make. We have to be willing to say hey I really screwed up God, help me make it right!"
And this is where the magic happened....
He said, real quietly..." I haven't done that in a long time."
"What?" I asked
"Told God I'm making a mess and asked for His help....its a lot of stuff. I can't really fix it all."
So I just said "You can't always go back and fix it all. But God promised you that tomorrow is a new morning. Where you can start fresh. Once you face God with everything you've done that you think is wrong, He promised to forgive you and, better yet, forget it like it never happened. All that stuff doesn't matter to God, you matter to God. Your tomorrow matters to God. That's why whatever you did yesterday or last week or last month God wants you to face and accept and repent for, not because He decides what your worth is because of it, but because once you face it He WILL use it to make you better tomorrow."
He just laid there quietly for a little while with his head on my lap and then just said "Ok."
God gives us little moments like this, I think, to remind us that its never too bad, too far or too hard. Its amazing to me that, when you least expect it, you can have a conversation that allows you to share your heart and see into your child's.
Now if we could only get him to the point of not driving me to medication!! Baby steps...baby steps!!
Last night I loved that man just a little bit...and not just cause I creamed my fantasy opponent and broke 200 points all thanks to his almost 60 point performance...it's hard for me to say that cause I have no respect for him at this time. He's got a long way to go before I'm willing to say he's a good person. Great QB ABSOLUTELY! But a horrible man! And I say that with all the hope that he can use his past mistakes to make a life worthy of the talents, skills and opportunities he's been blessed with!
Anyhow, the Als and I were sitting...ok, they were sitting, I was jumping, hollering and making a general crazy out of myself...watching the game. At one point I said can you believe this guy was in jail like a year ago? Which began the discussion of how long he was in jail and all the stuff surrounding that.
Now we've had a rough couple of months with our boy. He's been testing our boundaries, commitment, love and sanity...on a daily basis. So most conversations with him are...challenging. We've been so busy just trying to keep him from making bad choices and driving us to therapy, that we haven't really sat down to just talk about stuff. That's where Vick comes in...opening the doors of communication!!
I then said to my boy "Did you know a person can be convicted of a felony and face up to 2 years in prison for tampering or damaging a Bald Eagle egg and yet hundreds of thousand human babies die through abortion every year and its ok with our society?" He thought about that for a minute and said, "That doesn't sound right. But what if a girl is raped? She should be able to get an abortion, its not fair for her to have to have that baby."
Now, I know what my beliefs are and my kids know what my beliefs are...but in that moment I realized they know the what, but not the why. I can tell them this or that is right or wrong, but if I fail to get them to understand why...well then its just pointless. Worse, it's exactly what drives us to rebel against out "parent's beliefs" when we're old enough to be exposed to opposing schools of thought. If I can't express to them clearly the whys of what I believe, then I'm not helping them develop the reasoning skills to make these decision for themselves.
I explained to him that only 1% of all abortions are made by women who have been raped or abused. About 4% more are due to health problems of the baby or mother. I told him that in these situations the parents have an absolute right to choose what they feel is best for them.
But that means that 95% abortions are just a means of birth control. ...those I don't understand. There is NO reason why abortion needs to be used as birth control. In a day when condoms are available for free at the school nurse, when family planning clinics are everywhere and provide practically free birth control pills and numerous other birth control methods, for people of any age regardless of parental consent, there really should be no need for abortions. I told him you don't "accidentally" have sex...which, of course, made him giggle...you choose to have sex. So then, to turn around and say " I was too irresponsible to use birth control and therefore the solution now is to kill this baby." is wrong.
I told him I believe God has a purpose for EVERY baby conceived.
It completely blew me away when he replied " well then if God has a plan for them and they're aborted, He must be ok with that."
I said "oh no baby...God never wants that. God never wants us to do wrong, hurtful things...but He lets us cause He wants us to grow. Every choice we make whether right or wrong, He will use it to make us better people if we let Him. We, however, have to be willing to work in the messes we make. We have to be willing to say hey I really screwed up God, help me make it right!"
And this is where the magic happened....
He said, real quietly..." I haven't done that in a long time."
"What?" I asked
"Told God I'm making a mess and asked for His help....its a lot of stuff. I can't really fix it all."
So I just said "You can't always go back and fix it all. But God promised you that tomorrow is a new morning. Where you can start fresh. Once you face God with everything you've done that you think is wrong, He promised to forgive you and, better yet, forget it like it never happened. All that stuff doesn't matter to God, you matter to God. Your tomorrow matters to God. That's why whatever you did yesterday or last week or last month God wants you to face and accept and repent for, not because He decides what your worth is because of it, but because once you face it He WILL use it to make you better tomorrow."
He just laid there quietly for a little while with his head on my lap and then just said "Ok."
God gives us little moments like this, I think, to remind us that its never too bad, too far or too hard. Its amazing to me that, when you least expect it, you can have a conversation that allows you to share your heart and see into your child's.
Now if we could only get him to the point of not driving me to medication!! Baby steps...baby steps!!
Friday, November 12, 2010
Quick...someone get me a pitchfork!!!
So my brother-in-law is visiting for a few days. Its wonderful to see him since we haven't been back to California in a couple of years.
I know people say this all the time but really...MAN the years go by fast!! If you'd asked me 8 years ago how long I'd be living here in Tulsa, my answer was a very clear "Not real long!" Absolutely nothing in me wanted to leave California and move out to Oklahoma where, as everyone from California knows, there's nothing but farms and cows and tornados.
Now there's absolutely nothing that would make me move back to California. I suppose its all a matter of perspective...you like what you know!
Heck...I've even started giving some thought to getting me one of them farms!
Every year I try to expand my horizons a little. For the last couple of years I've grown veggies in my back yard...my own little organic farm. I've got my little compost bin up and running...and NO its not smelly, in case you were wondering!
This year I desperately wanted to start my own little beehive so I could make my own honey....well ok, so my bees could make me some honey. But Al vetoed that idea. Apparently he didn't feel that having a beehive outside our house in the yard where the kids and dogs play all day was a good idea!! I'm still hopeful I can talk him into it though.
So I'm thinking it would be nice to have a small farm...a couple hundred acres where I can really grow some veggies, maybe have a couple of horses, a cow, some chickens...maybe a goat. Doesn't that sound neat?!!
I could ride around on my horse and do farm stuff!
Ok...so I'm not real sure what farm stuff is, but I do so love the show "The Fabulous Beekman Boys" and its totally educational! So if they can do it...surely I can!
Now...the cow would really just wonder around and do cow stuff cause I'm sure not gonna milk it or anything. So it really would just be there for decorative purposes...you know farm-like...and to provide the organic fertilizer for my organic veggies! The Als can do that job they're both pretty good at spreading that kinda stuff around!! :)
The goats...well I'm not really sure what goats do, they're farm job is a mystery to me...but with a couple of hundred acres, mama will need some help mowing the grass!! And if I can get them fainting goats...that right there is HOURS of free entertainment...so they'll totally earn their hay!!
Chickens scare me a little...cause they're a little nuts, you never know when they're gonna loose their minds and attack you with their evil little beaks and tiny claws. But I think I can take them! And think of the fun I can have "supervising" when I send the kids out to get the eggs....crazy flapping chickens, screaming children...that's where magic happens people! Although knowing Angie...she'll sweet talk them chickens and have them sitting quietly while she puts sassy nail polish and their tiny claws! And if that doesn't work Rachel can wrestle them chickens into submission!!
I'm gonna have to seriously research this farm business...
I did say I needed to find a new challenge... YEEHAW!!
I know people say this all the time but really...MAN the years go by fast!! If you'd asked me 8 years ago how long I'd be living here in Tulsa, my answer was a very clear "Not real long!" Absolutely nothing in me wanted to leave California and move out to Oklahoma where, as everyone from California knows, there's nothing but farms and cows and tornados.
Now there's absolutely nothing that would make me move back to California. I suppose its all a matter of perspective...you like what you know!
Heck...I've even started giving some thought to getting me one of them farms!
Every year I try to expand my horizons a little. For the last couple of years I've grown veggies in my back yard...my own little organic farm. I've got my little compost bin up and running...and NO its not smelly, in case you were wondering!
This year I desperately wanted to start my own little beehive so I could make my own honey....well ok, so my bees could make me some honey. But Al vetoed that idea. Apparently he didn't feel that having a beehive outside our house in the yard where the kids and dogs play all day was a good idea!! I'm still hopeful I can talk him into it though.
So I'm thinking it would be nice to have a small farm...a couple hundred acres where I can really grow some veggies, maybe have a couple of horses, a cow, some chickens...maybe a goat. Doesn't that sound neat?!!
I could ride around on my horse and do farm stuff!
Ok...so I'm not real sure what farm stuff is, but I do so love the show "The Fabulous Beekman Boys" and its totally educational! So if they can do it...surely I can!
Now...the cow would really just wonder around and do cow stuff cause I'm sure not gonna milk it or anything. So it really would just be there for decorative purposes...you know farm-like...and to provide the organic fertilizer for my organic veggies! The Als can do that job they're both pretty good at spreading that kinda stuff around!! :)
The goats...well I'm not really sure what goats do, they're farm job is a mystery to me...but with a couple of hundred acres, mama will need some help mowing the grass!! And if I can get them fainting goats...that right there is HOURS of free entertainment...so they'll totally earn their hay!!
Chickens scare me a little...cause they're a little nuts, you never know when they're gonna loose their minds and attack you with their evil little beaks and tiny claws. But I think I can take them! And think of the fun I can have "supervising" when I send the kids out to get the eggs....crazy flapping chickens, screaming children...that's where magic happens people! Although knowing Angie...she'll sweet talk them chickens and have them sitting quietly while she puts sassy nail polish and their tiny claws! And if that doesn't work Rachel can wrestle them chickens into submission!!
I'm gonna have to seriously research this farm business...
I did say I needed to find a new challenge... YEEHAW!!
Wednesday, November 10, 2010
I'm cool! no...really, I am!
Can I admit to you that I find the teenagers somewhat intimidating?
I know...Its ridiculous!! But I can't seem to help it!
Maybe its cause I was a little nerdy in my own teenage years. I mean I wasn't completely crazy nerdy...but well I wasn't exactly a social leader among my female counterparts and boys certainly weren't lining up for a date with me!!
I know...they were just awed by my awesomeness!!
But I digress...
Somewhere in me this sad little nerdy chick is still a little overwhelmed when faced with the "cool kids".
Sure I'm 36 and can totally take them down...not that I will, cause people keep telling me its apparently illegal...and I'm a successful grownup and all...so how lame am I that I still want them to think I'm cool?
I KNOW! I KNOW...I'm a middle-aged mom of 4, not exactly what a teenager considers cool...but well I at least don't want them to think "UGHHHH!!" when I'm around.
Now don't think I'm running around trying to "act cool"...cause how pathetic is that! I'm just seriously uncomfortable when surrounded by them. I'm really trying to overcome this utter wrongness, so I volunteer at the kids' youth group...hoping maybe a little complete immersion therapy will help! But even then, I tend to just try to melt into the background...you know stealth like.
This whole post is just making me mad! What the heck is wrong with me!! Sheesh!!
God!! maybe I do need some therapy...
Then again I'd probably be too embarrassed to admit any of this to a therapist....so I guess it'll be our secret!
I know...Its ridiculous!! But I can't seem to help it!
Maybe its cause I was a little nerdy in my own teenage years. I mean I wasn't completely crazy nerdy...but well I wasn't exactly a social leader among my female counterparts and boys certainly weren't lining up for a date with me!!
I know...they were just awed by my awesomeness!!
But I digress...
Somewhere in me this sad little nerdy chick is still a little overwhelmed when faced with the "cool kids".
Sure I'm 36 and can totally take them down...not that I will, cause people keep telling me its apparently illegal...and I'm a successful grownup and all...so how lame am I that I still want them to think I'm cool?
I KNOW! I KNOW...I'm a middle-aged mom of 4, not exactly what a teenager considers cool...but well I at least don't want them to think "UGHHHH!!" when I'm around.
Now don't think I'm running around trying to "act cool"...cause how pathetic is that! I'm just seriously uncomfortable when surrounded by them. I'm really trying to overcome this utter wrongness, so I volunteer at the kids' youth group...hoping maybe a little complete immersion therapy will help! But even then, I tend to just try to melt into the background...you know stealth like.
This whole post is just making me mad! What the heck is wrong with me!! Sheesh!!
God!! maybe I do need some therapy...
Then again I'd probably be too embarrassed to admit any of this to a therapist....so I guess it'll be our secret!
Tuesday, November 9, 2010
How is it after all these years of being free and strong you look around and find you've been stuck in the same web. Too stuck to know you've been there for so long. Where does this power come from?
Is it love, selfish love, that binds so tightly there's no room for anything else. That consumes so much there's nothing left?
Is it the quiet words and sighs that wrap guilt around every moment? That make one feel powerless and useless. Forever striving and working and paying, trying to please the one that quietly quietly breaks them?
Is it in the fear of a loud voice or in the punishing silence that declares you're not worth it?
Is it in the insecurity of being told you're almost good enough. If only you'd tried harder. In words that make one curl up and stop trying or words that push one to work so hard their life is wasted, tirelessly spinning in a wheel that goes nowhere?
Is it in how closely they hold you? So tightly you become part of them and lose yourself.
Is it in the complete freedom they give you? You fly so free, never feeling the security of their bond, until you're lost. Until there's so many pieces of you in so many places you'll never feel whole.
Where does this power come from?
How can someone's life be so carefully and completely controlled by another? Why are their words so important that they affect every corner of your life? Why are their needs so much more essential than yours? How can their words strip you of who you know you are and make you into someone else? Why can't you be good enough? Why is it your fault? Why will you never be good enough?
Am I stuck there? Have I not realized it yet? Am I so wrapped up that I can't even see it?
Worse yet...have I done this to someone else? Have I bound someone and just not realized it?
Is it love, selfish love, that binds so tightly there's no room for anything else. That consumes so much there's nothing left?
Is it the quiet words and sighs that wrap guilt around every moment? That make one feel powerless and useless. Forever striving and working and paying, trying to please the one that quietly quietly breaks them?
Is it in the fear of a loud voice or in the punishing silence that declares you're not worth it?
Is it in the insecurity of being told you're almost good enough. If only you'd tried harder. In words that make one curl up and stop trying or words that push one to work so hard their life is wasted, tirelessly spinning in a wheel that goes nowhere?
Is it in how closely they hold you? So tightly you become part of them and lose yourself.
Is it in the complete freedom they give you? You fly so free, never feeling the security of their bond, until you're lost. Until there's so many pieces of you in so many places you'll never feel whole.
Where does this power come from?
How can someone's life be so carefully and completely controlled by another? Why are their words so important that they affect every corner of your life? Why are their needs so much more essential than yours? How can their words strip you of who you know you are and make you into someone else? Why can't you be good enough? Why is it your fault? Why will you never be good enough?
Am I stuck there? Have I not realized it yet? Am I so wrapped up that I can't even see it?
Worse yet...have I done this to someone else? Have I bound someone and just not realized it?
Monday, November 8, 2010
but..but...but...
The last few months have been a great time of learning around our house.
We've realized that as parents learning never stops...ever! Just when you think you've got it figured out...someone catches something on fire, someone's missing a chunk of hair, something important is broken, lost or damaged, good grades become mediocre grades which then become bad grades....it just never ends!
So we decided we'd better figure it out darn quick....or at least sort of, kind of figure it out even a little!!
One of the recurrent themes around our house has always been the great 'BUT'. If there's one thing my kids excel at, its coming up with a great excuse for whatever situation they find themselves in. Which OF COURSE drives me nuts!! You'll find me yelling several times a day "I DON'T WANT TO HEAR AN EXCUSE! YOU KNOW WHAT YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO DO, JUST DO IT!"
However, oddly enough...I'm also always asking them "Why would you do that?" or "why aren't you doing what you're supposed to be doing?" or the ALWAYS popular around my house "WHY ARE YOU HITTING HIM/HER??!"
Which really just opens the door for their ever-ready excuse. I'm literally asking them to give me an excuse!!
So no more WHY's!! I just make sure they know what's expected of them and that's it...there's no excuses. The reason WHY you didn't do what you're supposed to isn't really important. Cause if you break the law, a judge isn't really gonna care why you broke it...he's just gonna hand you your consequence and move on to the next guy right?
And that's what we're trying to do with the kids...and I think its working...I hope!
BUT...well, when it come to excuses, I got a few myself.
I know I should do this or that, but...
If I gain weight...obviously, its cause I have a slow metabolism. Its genetic you know. I can't really do anything about it!
If I don't workout...well, if you had 4 children to clean after, cook for, drive around...not to mention the piles of laundry they leave around...you'd be too tired too. Plus, I'm not sleeping real well. And I just don't have enough hours in the day!
If I overdraft our checking account (sorry babe!)...I just forgot about that one check. And hey, you use your debit card all over the place too. I've just been too busy to balance the checkbook!!
Then there's the random ones that you can use in multiple situations; I've been sick, I didn't get your message in time, I'm on my period, I don't know what that smell is....
I've got them all...and use them quite frequently. So maybe I need to give myself the '"Why" doesn't matter!' rule. I just gotta do what I KNOW I'm supposed to be doing!! Nothing less than that is acceptable. Excuses are just the words that cover up a failure...
My new motto will be:
"The BUT wont get rid of the BUTT!!!"
We've realized that as parents learning never stops...ever! Just when you think you've got it figured out...someone catches something on fire, someone's missing a chunk of hair, something important is broken, lost or damaged, good grades become mediocre grades which then become bad grades....it just never ends!
So we decided we'd better figure it out darn quick....or at least sort of, kind of figure it out even a little!!
One of the recurrent themes around our house has always been the great 'BUT'. If there's one thing my kids excel at, its coming up with a great excuse for whatever situation they find themselves in. Which OF COURSE drives me nuts!! You'll find me yelling several times a day "I DON'T WANT TO HEAR AN EXCUSE! YOU KNOW WHAT YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO DO, JUST DO IT!"
However, oddly enough...I'm also always asking them "Why would you do that?" or "why aren't you doing what you're supposed to be doing?" or the ALWAYS popular around my house "WHY ARE YOU HITTING HIM/HER??!"
Which really just opens the door for their ever-ready excuse. I'm literally asking them to give me an excuse!!
So no more WHY's!! I just make sure they know what's expected of them and that's it...there's no excuses. The reason WHY you didn't do what you're supposed to isn't really important. Cause if you break the law, a judge isn't really gonna care why you broke it...he's just gonna hand you your consequence and move on to the next guy right?
And that's what we're trying to do with the kids...and I think its working...I hope!
BUT...well, when it come to excuses, I got a few myself.
I know I should do this or that, but...
If I gain weight...obviously, its cause I have a slow metabolism. Its genetic you know. I can't really do anything about it!
If I don't workout...well, if you had 4 children to clean after, cook for, drive around...not to mention the piles of laundry they leave around...you'd be too tired too. Plus, I'm not sleeping real well. And I just don't have enough hours in the day!
If I overdraft our checking account (sorry babe!)...I just forgot about that one check. And hey, you use your debit card all over the place too. I've just been too busy to balance the checkbook!!
Then there's the random ones that you can use in multiple situations; I've been sick, I didn't get your message in time, I'm on my period, I don't know what that smell is....
I've got them all...and use them quite frequently. So maybe I need to give myself the '"Why" doesn't matter!' rule. I just gotta do what I KNOW I'm supposed to be doing!! Nothing less than that is acceptable. Excuses are just the words that cover up a failure...
My new motto will be:
"The BUT wont get rid of the BUTT!!!"
Friday, November 5, 2010
blah blah blah
ahhhh...my friends its been a loooong week.
Which is weird cause its been less busy than usual! I guess starting the week off on a candy binge didn't help any!
I'm kind of in a funk I guess...not feeling very motivated, energized or interested really.
I think I need a new challenge
... based on my Facebook activity, yesterday, I guess, was a "see how many people you can tick off in one day" challenge! :) And apparently...I have incredible skills in that area! If there were some way to earn money with those skills...I'd be rolling in it! Which would probably just lead me to more trouble...so I guess its a good thing I haven't found that job yet!!
SOOO...new new challenge (before someone beats me up!)
lets review my manifold skills and abilities....
I will review them quietly in my head so I don't make you all feel so bad...
OK....anything that doesn't involve public speaking, folding laundry or math in any of its formats is a go!!
Maybe its time for me to go back to school for something. I have a whole list of things I want to learn! Sure most of them are not really "career choices"...I don't think Oklahoma has much of a demand for scuba divers.
I totally wanna be a pastry chef! But I already don't make the best eating decisions...and knowing how to whip up fantastic desserts probably wouldn't help me there.
I've always wanted to be an archaeologist...but I don't like getting dirty much and have a short attention span. So I'd get fired real quick when I got tired of brushing the bone of whatever with the tiny paintbrush and busted out the leaf blower!
HEY....If I become a professional scuba diver I can then become a professional sunken treasure hunter...THAT would be awesome!!
But I don't think its realistic now...maybe when the kids are grown-up...
OK...maybe I just need to get around to writing my first book now. Its literally in the top 3 of my life's to do list. I just don't handle rejection well. I mean, I wont go after you with a bat or anything...maybe...but it will surely ruin my week! I'm such a chicken!! Its pathetic!
hmmmm...notice a pattern here? Whole bunch of ideas...even bigger bunch of BUTs!
UGGHHHH....lets not talk about big butts. Now there's a challenge!!! :)
I've gotta really sit down and make a list of goals...short and long term. Although, for me, long term is probably only a few months out tops...otherwise I'd forget what I was supposed to be doing for sure!
First goal for today...time to get back on the evil treadmill! My week of recovery is now over...I gave myself an extra day just to be on the safe side :)...but IF (notice its a big if) I'm gonna do the El Paso marathon in March...I'd better get cracking.
Second goal for today...try not to piss anyone off! That's gonna be a hard one!!! :)
Which is weird cause its been less busy than usual! I guess starting the week off on a candy binge didn't help any!
I'm kind of in a funk I guess...not feeling very motivated, energized or interested really.
I think I need a new challenge
... based on my Facebook activity, yesterday, I guess, was a "see how many people you can tick off in one day" challenge! :) And apparently...I have incredible skills in that area! If there were some way to earn money with those skills...I'd be rolling in it! Which would probably just lead me to more trouble...so I guess its a good thing I haven't found that job yet!!
SOOO...new new challenge (before someone beats me up!)
lets review my manifold skills and abilities....
I will review them quietly in my head so I don't make you all feel so bad...
OK....anything that doesn't involve public speaking, folding laundry or math in any of its formats is a go!!
Maybe its time for me to go back to school for something. I have a whole list of things I want to learn! Sure most of them are not really "career choices"...I don't think Oklahoma has much of a demand for scuba divers.
I totally wanna be a pastry chef! But I already don't make the best eating decisions...and knowing how to whip up fantastic desserts probably wouldn't help me there.
I've always wanted to be an archaeologist...but I don't like getting dirty much and have a short attention span. So I'd get fired real quick when I got tired of brushing the bone of whatever with the tiny paintbrush and busted out the leaf blower!
HEY....If I become a professional scuba diver I can then become a professional sunken treasure hunter...THAT would be awesome!!
But I don't think its realistic now...maybe when the kids are grown-up...
OK...maybe I just need to get around to writing my first book now. Its literally in the top 3 of my life's to do list. I just don't handle rejection well. I mean, I wont go after you with a bat or anything...maybe...but it will surely ruin my week! I'm such a chicken!! Its pathetic!
hmmmm...notice a pattern here? Whole bunch of ideas...even bigger bunch of BUTs!
UGGHHHH....lets not talk about big butts. Now there's a challenge!!! :)
I've gotta really sit down and make a list of goals...short and long term. Although, for me, long term is probably only a few months out tops...otherwise I'd forget what I was supposed to be doing for sure!
First goal for today...time to get back on the evil treadmill! My week of recovery is now over...I gave myself an extra day just to be on the safe side :)...but IF (notice its a big if) I'm gonna do the El Paso marathon in March...I'd better get cracking.
Second goal for today...try not to piss anyone off! That's gonna be a hard one!!! :)
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Surprise!!!!
Had an absolutely fantastic date with Al last night!!
Flowers and chocolate? NOPE
Romantic dinner and candlelight? you ask...NOPE
Some quiet smooching on the couch? NOPE...nosey!
Al and I had the MOST fantastic time last night covering the front lawn of some friends of ours in campaign signs. Signs of all different colors, sizes and probably political sides since I didn't really look to see who they were!! It was like a beautiful Election time wonderland!!!
There we were...at 10:30 at night, sneaking around outside their house in our stealthy dark clothing, giggling like idiots as we put up sign after sign after sign on their lawn...with a lovely note that read:
Don't forget to vote! Love, Al and Gina.
Oh it was magic!! We giggled like little kids all the way there and all the way back!!
I'm sure our friends got a good laugh from it too...as well they should since this was payback from the toilet they left in our front yard a couple of months back!!
But the best part, the very BEST part was how much fun WE had just doing something silly and completely out of our norm!
I know...you'd figure Al and I would do this kinda stuff all the time...since we are a little off the wall. But we don't. At least we DIDN'T....
We had such a good time that we've decided to make this a new family tradition!!
Don't worry folks...we wont go with the typical (and hard to clean up) toilet paper or the evil eggs! We're gonna find new and inventive ways of leaving wonderful little surprises for all our friends (within a reasonable driving distance!) all over their yards!!
My thought is...if you can't remove my surprise in less than 10 minutes because you're laughing too hard to go faster, I did a good job! And since I am an overachiever...sometimes...well, I'm gonna try real hard!
Who needs marriage counseling when you can prank your friends and neighbors together!!!
OH THIS IS GONNA BE FUN!!!
P.S In case "The Man" is monitoring me...all signs were legally removed from un-authorized areas in my housing addition so there's no need to come arrest me!! :)
Flowers and chocolate? NOPE
Romantic dinner and candlelight? you ask...NOPE
Some quiet smooching on the couch? NOPE...nosey!
Al and I had the MOST fantastic time last night covering the front lawn of some friends of ours in campaign signs. Signs of all different colors, sizes and probably political sides since I didn't really look to see who they were!! It was like a beautiful Election time wonderland!!!
There we were...at 10:30 at night, sneaking around outside their house in our stealthy dark clothing, giggling like idiots as we put up sign after sign after sign on their lawn...with a lovely note that read:
Don't forget to vote! Love, Al and Gina.
Oh it was magic!! We giggled like little kids all the way there and all the way back!!
I'm sure our friends got a good laugh from it too...as well they should since this was payback from the toilet they left in our front yard a couple of months back!!
But the best part, the very BEST part was how much fun WE had just doing something silly and completely out of our norm!
I know...you'd figure Al and I would do this kinda stuff all the time...since we are a little off the wall. But we don't. At least we DIDN'T....
We had such a good time that we've decided to make this a new family tradition!!
Don't worry folks...we wont go with the typical (and hard to clean up) toilet paper or the evil eggs! We're gonna find new and inventive ways of leaving wonderful little surprises for all our friends (within a reasonable driving distance!) all over their yards!!
My thought is...if you can't remove my surprise in less than 10 minutes because you're laughing too hard to go faster, I did a good job! And since I am an overachiever...sometimes...well, I'm gonna try real hard!
Who needs marriage counseling when you can prank your friends and neighbors together!!!
OH THIS IS GONNA BE FUN!!!
P.S In case "The Man" is monitoring me...all signs were legally removed from un-authorized areas in my housing addition so there's no need to come arrest me!! :)
Monday, November 1, 2010
yikes!!
You know that one friend?...the one who's lost some weight and suddenly thinks she's ready for the runway?
Come on....you all know one....girl loses ten pounds and suddenly she's wearing clothes that are a little too tight and perhaps a few years too young for her?
I mean you just wanna say....."girl, there should NOT be a bump (or four) there!" or "HEY! you've had a few kids...club wear is not for you!!! And CERTAINLY NOT AT CHURCH!!!!" ;0
Yeah...you know what I'm sayin!!
Well... I was downloading some pictures from our camera this morning...girls...I think I might be this friend!!!
Which really ticks me off! Cause DANG girls...how come none of you said anything!!!
I mean, I know I can be a little scary at times....but its not like I've actually hit any of you!!....
ummm...well...its not like I've actually hit any of you REALLY HARD!!!
So to avoid this happening AGAIN I've developed a very subtle...yet effective...method to notify me when I'm lookin a little whack: (and if we can get other friends on board...this could really change our lives!!)
Should I AT ANY POINT look like I'm wearing something a couple...or a few...sizes two small for me, all you have to do is look at me and say "Five" or "Ten" or "15"...however many pounds you think I gotta lose before I can successfully carry off the outfit. (however...if its 15 or more, feel free to drag me to the nearest bathroom and smack me, cause that's just wrong!)
Same goes for any outfit that you consider past its "use by" date....just give me a year...you know like "1998", "2000", "2005"... you know whenever you think it MIGHT have been appropriate for me to wear this outfit! (as before...if you ever have to say anything prior to 1990...and its not a costume party...drag me to the nearest bathroom and smack me!)
This would really help me...cause there is no excuse for you all letting me open my picture folder and yelling "WHAT IN THE HE..." at my computer!!! There just aren't enough editing tools on Photoshop!!!
I HEREBY FAITHFULLY PROMISE TO NOT SMACK YOU BACK...HARD!!
Come on....you all know one....girl loses ten pounds and suddenly she's wearing clothes that are a little too tight and perhaps a few years too young for her?
I mean you just wanna say....."girl, there should NOT be a bump (or four) there!" or "HEY! you've had a few kids...club wear is not for you!!! And CERTAINLY NOT AT CHURCH!!!!" ;0
Yeah...you know what I'm sayin!!
Well... I was downloading some pictures from our camera this morning...girls...I think I might be this friend!!!
Which really ticks me off! Cause DANG girls...how come none of you said anything!!!
I mean, I know I can be a little scary at times....but its not like I've actually hit any of you!!....
ummm...well...its not like I've actually hit any of you REALLY HARD!!!
So to avoid this happening AGAIN I've developed a very subtle...yet effective...method to notify me when I'm lookin a little whack: (and if we can get other friends on board...this could really change our lives!!)
Should I AT ANY POINT look like I'm wearing something a couple...or a few...sizes two small for me, all you have to do is look at me and say "Five" or "Ten" or "15"...however many pounds you think I gotta lose before I can successfully carry off the outfit. (however...if its 15 or more, feel free to drag me to the nearest bathroom and smack me, cause that's just wrong!)
Same goes for any outfit that you consider past its "use by" date....just give me a year...you know like "1998", "2000", "2005"... you know whenever you think it MIGHT have been appropriate for me to wear this outfit! (as before...if you ever have to say anything prior to 1990...and its not a costume party...drag me to the nearest bathroom and smack me!)
This would really help me...cause there is no excuse for you all letting me open my picture folder and yelling "WHAT IN THE HE..." at my computer!!! There just aren't enough editing tools on Photoshop!!!
I HEREBY FAITHFULLY PROMISE TO NOT SMACK YOU BACK...HARD!!
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