strangeness

um.  so, it's 1:18.  inthemorning.  we're in the midst of a storm.  i'm only sorta tired.  i'd like to watch about 2 more hours of mylifetime (well, Drop Dead Diva) or What Would You Do?  alas, i fear i won't get to sleep til about 2 as it is, and tomorrow is fixin to be another busy day.  still, i decide to blog before heading to dreamland.


i write because it's me.  there have been (and will be again) days where i haven't blogged, it's true.  but for the most part, i have to write the thoughts in my head or i lose them.  that happened last night - i'd shut down the computer and outside all these thoughts about space and space travel ran through my head & i had to write out a post in my head before i could sleep! (but not the kind of space travel that exists now.  star trek kinda space travel, where you live on a cruise ship in space, essentially, and can travel to different worlds.  sci fi space travel kicks butt.  actual space travel ... not so much.  i mean, not to pooh pooh on the reality of astronauts or anything.  i just have no desire to enter the vacuum of space in the contraptions currently offered up.  cramped shuttles... no thank you!  


so, strangeness #1: recently there are a few blogs that i follow that have suddenly stopped.  like, someone's posting every day or every few days, pretty consistently, and then all of a sudden - nothing for weeks!  i don't understand that.  like, how do you just give up writing?  sure, you're busy.  things in your life have changed and whatever.  but... how do you GIVE UP WRITING?  of course, maybe these ppl are still writing just in a different medium.  a couple of them have recenly posted "goodbye" messages or something.  "well, this has been an awesome blog, but i'm busy with life now, so goodbye!"  *laugh*  i don't get it, but i think it's cool that they would take the time to let their readers know they can take em off their rolls or something!  heh.


strangeness #2: how can something as simple as parking be such a major issue?  parking as in a parking lot at work or church or the store or wherever, not parking as in "let's go to makeout point."  LOL  


strangeness #3: 

he looks happy, right?  we had lots of fun tonight, for the most part.  and yet there were still meltdowns.  over silly, stupid things that ... make no sense, even from a 3 year old perspective!  i had to go to the bathroom.  leyton wouldn't let me.  like he literally threw a FIT w/ gutteral voices and everything because i needed to pee!  what is up w/ that??  i thought maybe he was scared to be alone (i remember sticking my fingers under the door to the bathroom when my dad just wanted 3 minutes of privacy to do his bidness, but i was terrified of being left alone on the otherside of that door.  of course, i think just prior to that we'd been watching tales from the darkside or ripley's believe it or not or some scary ass episode of fantasy island or something.  LOL ) but he said he wasn't.  well, he said he was, then i told him he should have just told me that before and i would have stuck him behind the shower curtain or something, and then he calmed down & said he wasn't really scared.  but his second meltdown was the next time i had to pee, so... idk!!!

you don't really need to go to the bathroom, aunt carrie.  (LOL)

anyway, jen's vb game ended up being a trounament, meaning they play til they lose, meaning she wasn't going to be home til after 11.  so she asked me to ask mom to come get leyton to spend the night there so i could go home.  leyton was all excited at first, and then about to go into fit mode again.  but that one i understood - he was ubertired but didn't want to go to bed.  of course!  (i find it interesting that i have NEVER had a problem w/ him going to bed at mom's. but there seems to be more of a routine there... idk.)


strangeness #4: i... don't remember what this one was going to be.


anyway, that means i've shared all that's sharable for now!  LOL  i leave you w/ a series of bed jumping.  that's right, aunt carrie is a big proponent of (safe!) bed and couch jumping.  i still remember the fun of bouncing all over the place on a bed and/or couch, so why would i deny my kids the opportunity?  : )  have a great wedensday & ttfn!  : )  

get ready... 

get set... 

and ... go!  : )  

Goodnight!  : )   

just a quickie, because it's about 40 minutes past when i should have been in bed!  but i got to chat w/ joy tonight, so that was worth the lateness.  : )  i didn't get to check in w/ april about her first day, but she left me a FB note saying it went well.  yay!  God is good, ppl, God is so oooo oooo good!  : )  


i got to chat w/ aunt judy tonight as well.  she called to tell me about uncle gary's 67th birthday party (well, more of an open house, come say hello & happy day, not really a party) on sunday.  hopefully leyton & i can make it out there!  she's going to look for some pictures for me, and told me one story about how, when my dad came to visit her on leave from the Navy, she didn't recognize him because when he left he was 5'8", and when he came back he'd grown 4 inches!  lol  


today was definitely a monday!  it went really well, just hectic.  i didn't get a chance to do anythink i'd planned as far as my actual work goes until about 4:30.  the rest of the day was all email and phone issues.  not as in i was having issues w/ email or phone.  *laugh*  as in, i would get a lovely email asking me to help w/ an issue, i would help with that issue, and then 3 more would pop into my in box.  i would just be working the last one, when ... you guessed it!  it went along this way allllll day.  i loved it!  : )  (good thing, too...lol)  finally things quieted down around 4:30, & i stayed til 6 to get the paperwork done.  tomorrow, the plan is to complete the rest of my error report that i prepped on saturday!  woot!  


oh, aside from all of that - had to visit the vampires before work.  my appt wasn't until 8:40, and i showed up at 8:20, expecting to have to wait, so i had a book w/ me.  i hadn't even had time to read 3 sentences when they called my name!  i was in & out by 8:35, and to work at 8:45!  how's that for service on an 8:40 appointment?  *laugh*  also, i had a meeting (it was a really interesting and kinda fun one, too!) at 10.  


trish & i met her daughter, megan, at culver's for lunch.  my tastebuds were kinda spotty today, but i did manage to enjoy my ham & swiss on rye.  actually, since it was on rye, it was probably a good thing my buds were only at half mast.  lol  


after work, i headed across the street to hy vee - grocery day!!!  i got the normal things, milk, cheese, OJ, soda, tortillas, cottage cheese, brownie bites...mmmm... and i also found what looks to be amazingly delicious butternut squash ravioli.  i can't wait to make it, with a sweet cream sauce!  i'm thinking lots of nutmeg & cinnamon, but am going to taste one first to see what would go w/ it.  bacon might also be involved in this sauce... : )  i'll post more about it on the menu after i've made it, tho.  WITH pictures!  i thought there was something wrong w/ the camera uncle gene & aunt nancy gave me, but it just needed to be charged.  woot!!  


jen texed to see if i could watch leyton tomorrow, and i said of course.  : )  so, i'll bring my big camera & have some fun pictures of him tomorrow.  he's so cute, and i've helped shape a love of photography in him, i think. or perhaps made him a little center of the universe... hmmm.  the other day, he was riding his horse & said, "do you want to take a picture of me, gramma?"  and he said the same thing to me last week, when i had to explain that my phone doesn't take pictures.  LOL  


good times!  and now i really must be going... oh, but i will leave you with the postcrossing i found in my mail today.  from Canada - ironic, since i was just talking about my love of that country yesterday, right??  : )  

BEAUTIFUL red fox!  : ) 


ttfn!  

snuffy again

grrrrrrr.


i dislike being all fuzzy headed & stuffy & unable to breathe & headachey & blaaaahhhhh!


but do you like being all those things?  


i didn't think so!  lol 


i slept pretty well.  i don't remember what time i went to bed, but i woke up a lot to blow my nose!  and also i had a weird dream about a group of gunmen.  i woke up as i was running from one of them, because i had a leg cramp!  apparently i was running in my sleep?  wth?  


finally got up around 11, i think.  idk.  *laugh*  but i had to go pick up my Rx at WM.  (acronyms are us!)  it'd been waiting for a week.  whoops!  then, i realized i should eat something, but fixing something at home didn't sound appealing.  and of course my head is so stuffy that my taste buds are dampened, so i didn't really want to BUY anything.  still, i decided to pick up a cheeseburger from hardee's, and i needed milk so i got some of that, too.  i'm so glad grocery day is in 2 days!  oye!  


after that outing, i was pretty exhausted, so i watched some Psych, Royal Pains, took a nap, Burn Notice, now i'm catching up on Rookie Blue.


i love cop shows, that's no secret!  what you might not know, though, is how much i love CANADA.  shows shot in toronto are my favorite, because inevitably, i get a bunch of shots of this: 

credits

the CN tower.  you may remember my love of towers from this post.  idk why i love them, i've never even been up in one, that i know of.  but i think it goes back to my love of the Arch in st. louis.  i've been up in that many, many times!  as a kid, it was awesome, because it's a very small space, and there are these benches... as an adult, it's kinda cramped for the same reason!  lol  but the views are spectacular that high up!  


i love the tower rides at amusement parks.  the ones that take you up REALLY FAST or give you the free fall feeling by falling really fast?  yeah.  i love them!  i also always ask for the highest floor possible when staying at hotels that have that option.  i love to look out my window & see the city vista laid out before me.  it's amazing, and awesome, and now i really wanna go to Canada!  (but doesn't it suck that you have to have passports now to get to canada or mexico?  when i was a kid, we'd just go w/ a copy of our bc!  yeesh.)  


anywhoo... my headache is getting worse.  :(  i made some tortillas so hopefully they & the tylenol will kick the headache out soon!  i might resort to night time meds, but i hate to do that because usually i wake up in the morning feeling like i have a hangover!  :(  meh.  we'll see.  LOL  


i hope your day is headache-free & that we all have a great start to the week.  ah, mondays.  thank God for a 3 day weekend coming up!!  : )  


ttfn.

(64)

today, daddy would have been 64.  my post to leyton today was about the surprise party we threw for his last birthday.  check it out, of course!  you know you want to!  : )  


this was the first birthday of his that i've worked.  the past 3 birthdays, i've taken part of the day off.  and today's a saturday even, i know!  and i woke up w/ the full blown sore throat & stuffy head.  : (   but i went in for 4 hours anyway, and it was worth it - i got my error report mostly done!  some of the ladies brought in breakfast, which was nice.  it was a good 4 hours, including the productivity!  : ) 


i left at 1:30 & met mom & leyton at dynasty buffet.  thankfully i still had my tastebuds at that point!  i had crab ragoon, peanut butter chicken, some shrimp, a stuffed mushroom, and some salads (cottage cheese, pasta salad, some veggies).  and ice cream for dessert, cuz it sounded good.  leyton was in a good mood starting out.  unfortunately, he had a meltdown after he ate.  : (  i'm not sure what exactly transpired, but he threw himself into it & ended up getting the family museum taken away (that's where we were headed after lunch), which of course only made it worse because then he was stuck on the "i want to go to the family museum" thing.  and then, as quickly as it started, it was over & he was bright & sunny leyton again!  what annoyed me more than his fit, was the way mom treated me when i was talking to him.  she even pulled the "i spend more time w/ him than you do," card!  and THEN she did the EXACT SAME THING i'd been doing!  (and it worked, so there!  lol)  


so, instead of the museum, we went back to mom's & played for a couple hours.  it was fun, and he didn't miss the museum!  i started to go downhill, tho, and had to lay down for awhile.  he was sweet & brought me the box of kleenex!  and then sat by my head to talk to me.  heh.  it was cute, even if his foot was in my face!  *laugh*


i left a little after 5 & went to red lobster for bob's birthday.  when i rsvp'd for the celebration, it didn't even hit me that they shared a birthday.  i knew it.  i knew it was today.  yet somehow... i think the Lord helped a lot in that!  so, dinner was awesome, since my tastebuds held out thru appetizers & only cut out 1/2 way through my soup!  i'd wanted salmon (duh, when DON'T i want salmon?) and had been craving it ever since i got the invite!  however - to answer the question above - nothing sounded good to me.  :(  even the soup didn't really sound good, but the comfort aspect did, if that makes sense?  i drank about 4 glasses of lemon water, too.  nice!  well, it was nice, but you know what i mean!  LOL  


it was good to celebrate a birthday, bob's birthday, and visit w/ his parents & angie & meet another friend, jenille (spelling?  not sure!).  good visit, good food, good service, and bob's parents picked up the tab!  that was so sweet!!  i need to get their address to send a thank you card... : )  


(instert grumbling about not having a charged camera for pictures... altho, bob's mom did have the waiter take one of all of us, so maybe i can get a copy of that one!  *smile*)


after dinner, there were more festivities planned, but i just wanted to get in my jammies, so after hugs all around, i came home.  oh, wait, first i stopped at WM to pick up my rx that i've had called in forever, but haven't been able to pick up.  did you know the pharmacy closes at 7 on saturdays?  they're open til 9 the rest of the week, but saturday, close up shop early!  *boggle*  so, that was frustrating, now i have to go back tomorrow!!  pooh!  


i've spent tonight going thru pictures of daddy's birthday.  i only cried once... i miss him.  i miss his voice, his smile, his laugh, his hugs.  i miss his funny emails.  i miss his Love ya, Your Dad signatures.  i miss daddy-daughter dates.  


hug your loved ones, even if it's over the internet *HUGS*, even if it's a postcard or letter or phone call or fruit basket.  say "i love you," often.  don't be afraid to shout it from the rooftops.  teach your kids kindness.  protect their hearts - protect YOUR heart - from things they (you) maybe shouldn't see. pet your pet.  and most of all, ENJOY this life with which you have been blessed.  Jesus loves you, as do i, and i wish you a goodnight filled with sweet dreams!  


t
t
f
n

RUDE!

So, Trish & I walked to Uncle Pete’s for lunch. We met Steve & his gf there (she’s really nice!) & had yummy gyros w/ lots of cucumber sauce! : ) It was a good lunch.


There was a black mark on the experience, tho, and I almost flipped some kids the bird. Which, if I’d been paying more attention to them and less to Trish (which would have been rude! LOL), I probably would have stooped to that level. This was a car full of 4 or 5 kids. They seemed to be kids from the HS next door, probably on their lunch break, too. So, the driver had to’ve been a junior or senior, because you’re not allowed to drive w/ more than one other person under 18 in the car when you first start driving, I think. Anyway, the point.


The point is that these kids were RUDE. I heard a high-pitched noise coming from the car, but – as I was paying attention to Trish & not to them – I just thought it was the radio or they were talking to each other loudly or something. So, completely oblivious, and they stopped whatever they were doing. But the HUGE girl in the front seat was cracking up from whatever the driver was saying. Now, I only mention her size in this case because I couldn’t really see around her TO the driver. I think he had crazy long curly hair, tho (think Carrot Top). So, as their light turns green & they drive away, the driver looks around the huge girl and screams again, what he must have been repeating when they pulled up, “Moley moley moley.” At me.


Stupid Austin Powers movie. Seriously. I’m sorry that our society can’t handle the fact that ppl have birthmarks, but shouldn’t parents be teaching their children some tact, politeness, manners, whatever you want to call it? Oh, wait, their parents are the ones teaching them this *BLEEP*!!!!!!!!!


I have a rather large mole on my chin. I have moles and freckles all over. That’s what color my skin is. I don’t have perfect smooth skin. I’m like a multicolored bunny or something. For the most part – other than the fact that ppl talk about moles/cancer in the same breath, which really annoys me – I am happy w/ my skin. Or, with myself. Or, at least used to it! I remember a kid in elementary school – at church, btw – making fun of my mole. It really hurt me, and I was embarrassed for a long time about it.


But that was before I was an aunt. Aunt Carrie is asked questions by her nieces and nephews about her mole. They want to touch it & wonder why it’s on her face. And Aunt Carrie wanted to let them know that it’s not something to be embarrassed about – because the first niece to ask also has moles. When I put on that Aunt Carrie hat, it really changed my perspective on a lot of different things. I want them to feel like ppl w/ different things aren’t to be shied away from. Questions aren’t bad. That I will always tell them the truth. I hear Mom or Phil or someone answering Leyton sometimes w/ what sounds like the short answer or a throw away answer. I don’t want to be that person. I want him (and the others) to grow up knowing he can ask me anything and I won’t lie to him or dumb it down for him.


Anyway, the point is that those kids’ parents should have taught them better manners. I never would have thought to yell out something mean from the car to someone standing on the street. And if I was less confident that I’m loved (I said in myself at first, which I am, but I don’t think I’m hot or anything. I just think I’m awesome and even if my outside is a bit different, I’m still a child of the King and am loved, so I’m awesome! *laugh* ya know? ) that could have really sent me into a depression or something. They don’t know. Maybe their mean, rude comments would have made me go home and chop my face up, or worse. Instead, I’m just writing a blog about the rude kids, and if my camera had been working, I’d show you what they looked like. LOL


*************


so that was about my day.  lol  it went really fast, and for the most part the annoyances were minimal!  


i only stayed til 5:30, because i was tired and i'll be back in tomorrow at 9:30 for a few hours.  


when i got home, i IMMEDIATELY jammied, because i'd been dreaming of jammie-ing for the last 2 hours of work!  *laugh*  and then 5 minutes later, mom texted to see where i was, and then i called her back & then she asked if i wanted t see a movie, and of COURSE i want to see a movie, so i went to the theatre to meet her there.  : )  


we saw Eat, Pray, Love.  i want to read the book now.  and it was a good movie, i enjoyed almost all of it!  there were about 10 minutes in the middle that i thought, "zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz." but then javier bardem came on and ... i didn't think i really liked him, but mmmm.  i did tonight!  *laugh*  

anywhoo... oh!  i had some postal love when i got home, but am too lazy to scan the cards right now.  one was a sea turtle from micaela (THANK YOU again!) and another was a postcrossing of shakespeare's home from great britain.  sweet!  i'll try to be good & scan them all tomorrow... : ) 


for now, i really think sleep is calling my name.  the weather change has caused my sinuses to be all stuffy & weird, and my head feels all icky, and i could sleep for 14 hours.  but i only get to sleep for about 9.  so... heh!  ttfn!  

Love

oh how i love thursdays!  even though my throat is scratchy and it was a long day and i kinda had a headache for parts of it, there was lots to love about today.  i was able to get a lot accomplished, and you know how good you feel when you feel accomplished!!  


the plan had been to meet mom & leyton at dynasty buffet after work, but mom wasn't feeling well, so i just headed to her house instead.  we'll do lunch at dynasty on saturday.  i made mac & cheese w/ hot dogs.  *laugh*  not as good as the peanut butter chicken and crab ragoon and sushi rolls i'd been looking forward to all afternoon, but edible.  *laugh*  and leyton of course wanted me to share w/ him!  : )  we watched big brother & played DS & some w/ the cowboy town, snuggled a bit & then it was time for me to come home!  


it's funny, because i have influenced him to love the camera!  tonight he asked if my camera was still dead & then when i said yes, asked gramma to take a picture of him on his bouncey horse thing.  LOL  how sweet is that??  well, i thought so.  ; )  


in talking w/ april today, we discovered something interesting.  how were you taught to spell dilemma?  like that or like this - dilemna?


that's all i've got for today!  *laugh*  i'm sure there was lots more, but i'm quite exhausted & just wanna go to sleep!  : )  i don't even think i'll finish my chuck norris movie.  but it'd be nice if i'd dream about chuck norris... specifically as walker, as he's my favorite chuck norris character... *laugh*  


goodnight & ttfn!  hope you had a lovely thursday!!  TGIF tomorrow!!!  

beginnings

hello blog buddies!  whatta wednesday!  i finally started my blog for leyton, which will be turned into a book for christmas.  i just have the introduction up, but take a look.  : )  


today was nutty, and busy, and fun, and boring, and then fun again.  lol  


i had a meeting this afternoon - all afternoon - from 12 - 4:30!  parts of it were boring, but only because the content really didn't apply to me or my area.  the instructors were awesome, tho, and one of them i could listen to forever!  i've been to presentations she's given about her travels, and she's very engaging!  also, they provided lunch, and that was tastey.  i still have the candy bar in my purse...that will make a nice breakfast in the morning (because since i'm not going to get to bed til 12:30 at the earliest, we know i'm not going to have time to toast my english muffins before i leave for work!  lol)!  speaking of food... i may have inadvertently given myself a new nickname among some of my co-workers...Pickles.  you see, the ice breaker game was to get into groups of 4 or 5 & write down 10 things we all had in common.  i asked if everyone in the group liked pickles... and apparently on our field trip to dbq last week i may have mentioned a love of pickles a couple of times... LOL  


after work, i met my friends holly & kaylie for dinner at a deceptively fronted neighborhood mexican restaurant, la flama.  i grew up in this town & went to school a few blocks away and worked a few blocks away from where this restaurant is currently.  and yet... i got lost.  well, that's not entirely accurate.  i turned down the right street for the restaurant, but there was construction & part of the road was blocked off.  THEN i got turned around.  lol  but it's all good, i found it finally!  : )  the three of us hadn't gotten together in a long while, altho i see kaylie often, and kaylie & holly just saw each other two days ago!  *laugh*  but the THREE of us hadn't hung out recently, so it was nice.  


and also, i have to say, the mushroom & cheese quesadilla was delicious!!!  i would have pictures... *sigh*  i must remember to order that charger!!  apparently i am the last person where i work to try this restaurant, because when i mentioned where we were going after the meeting, everyone had wonderful things to say about it, and they were all shocked i had never been!  heh.  anyway, i definitely hope to be back, now that i can find it... lol  


i came home & returned sarah & stephen's call from monday.  stephen actually talked (okay, meep'd) to me!  he's verrrry opposite of leyton when it comes to phones!  leyton will chat your ear off on the phone, but stephen is more reserved.  so the meeping was progress!!  : )  got to IM w/ april & joy, and my computer allowed me to watch ONE episode of Secret Life.  gave me fits during the 2nd one i tried to watch, so i switched to safe mode to finish leyton's first posting & write this!  isn't that swell?  *laugh*  


now i must hit the hay!  i sense more OT in my future, and i'd like to meet mom & leyton for dinner, so my plan is to get up at 7 (agh, 7!! *cry*) and go in to work a bit early, then leave at 5:30.  we'll see what happens!  have a terrific night & tomorrow & i'll chat at ya later!  


ttfn!


p.s.
i did have some nice mail today - a post card from russia and a card from my aunt janie and the wedding invite to cousin matt & johnna's wedding in october!  woot!  : )  pictures later!

11:51

that's what time it is as i'm starting this.  whoops!  i meant to be in bed by 11:30!  *laugh*  i had to write a ranty blog first, tho, and now i can write a nice one.  : )  


today was really a nice day.  there was one hiccup, but it was smoothed out & i was impressed by the end result, so it's all good!  and i was able to help on a lot of issues, which always makes me feel good.  i still have a couple out there waiting for answers, but for the most part, i felt really productive today! i could have stayed til 6:30 again to get stuff done, but jen texted to see if i could watch leyton at 6:30, so i booked it outta there at 5:30!  well, okay, closer to 5:45, but that's cuz some random something popped up as i was closing everything out!  lol  


i had lots of fun w/ my lil guy tonight!  i had to bring dinner cuz i didn't have time to stop at home for more than to change clothes!  (oh, btw, the park finally repaired my driveway!  PTL & thank you, park peeps!  *smile*  i'd have pictures, but still no camera charger!!)  so, i brought a cheeseburger & apple pie (one for me, one for leyton) and i shared the cheeseburger w/ him.  : )  we played catch & baseball (w/ a tiny soccer ball) & watched part of Lady & the Tramp.  phil came over to bring some pull ups & hang out for an hour or so.  love love!  he also tag teamed w/ me to get leyton ready for bed - i helped him brush his teeth, phil got his jammies on, and then we went back downstairs to play some more.  


(instert ranty blog here.  LOL)  


jen got home a little after 9, i got hugs & kisses & see you thursday's & i love you's & came home to lots of happy blogs & email!!  : )  


i got an email from a gal in the netherlands, wanting to know if i'd be interested in a direct swap w/ her.  she & her hubs were in the states a few years ago & traveled through my area, and so she wants some cards from here.  they're also huge JD fans, and being in the mecca of JD, i'm going to pick up some postcards from there & maybe send a little tractor as well.  : )  


i didn't get to check my snail mail, but am hoping to have some postcards waiting for me when i do tomorrow!  seriously, my goal is to get to the point where i have some happy mail EVERY DAY!  i love reading about other bloggers' happy mail (like marz & micaela!) and visiting stationary blogs & etsy & i really need to purchase some more post cards... : )  anyone have any suggestions on where to find dilbert cards?  hmmm... 


what else?  oh, i have an afternoon meeting tomorrow because i switched times w/ karen.  which will work out better because otherwise it was going to be a morning meeting on thursday, so now i don't have to come in at 8 on thursday!  : )  of course, i probably should anyway, since i won't want to stay late that day because thursdays are LEYTON DAYS!  : )   : )  : )  of course!  *laugh*  (and now the theme to Mr. Ed is running thru my head... *sings* A horse is a horse, of course, of course!  And no one can talk to a horse, of course.  Unless, of course, that horse is the famous Mr. Ed!  Hello, Wiiiillllbur. LOLOLOL  sorry, it's late!!  i need to sleep!  )


okay, yes, i need to sleep.  hopefully you haven't thrown up your hands & given up on me!  : )  i leave you with a miracle of sorts, and the assurance that God IS good and He does have us in His hands, even for the little things.  i have plans for dinner tomorrow w/ two friends from work.  we're going for mexican, is the plan, and i wasn't sure i could actually afford it.  i'd set aside $10, but wasn't confident that would be enough, really, including the tip.  however, lo & behold, what should i find in my billfold today - $20 i didn't know i had!  : )  PTL!!  


and on that note - goodnight, love, *hugs*, and blessings to you!  yes - YOU!  ; )  


ttfn!  

i'm scared.

of ppl.

of ppl not liking me.

of making anyone angry, sad, or upset.

of unintentionally injuring someone in some irreparable way

again.

of losing
ppl.
angel.
myself.

of pain.

of my breaking point.

of those creepy crawly things.
     (thank You, Lord, for keeping them away.)

of thanking someone too much.

of not thanking them enough.

of never getting back to my reading highs.

of missing moments in "my" kids' lives.

of never getting to take another BIG trip because of being in debt.

of crashing

again.

do you ever just randomly play around on the Blogs of Note?  i've started following so many GREAT blogs that way, i tell ya!  today i found another one, click the link & enjoy!  : )  the first post i read of hers was about marriage & specifically marrying young or waiting til you're older.  heh.  sound familiar?!

today has been just a quiet, relaxing day.  except for the chirping smoke alarm in the guest room.  i forgot to get a battery for it at the grocery store.  whoops!  so, every few minutes, CHIRP!!!!  *laugh*  mostly i can ignore it, tho.  and there are working detectors in the library, kitchen & my bedroom, so no worries!  : )  Lord willing i won't have to worry about that, tho, of course!

i started to watch Burn Notice, but my computer froze (seriously, some days i can watch ALL.DAY.LONG and there are no problems, and other days it won't even let me watch one show all the way thru).  it's all good, tho.  i watched Grosse Pointe Blank & then some chuck norris.  logan's war - starring eddie cibrian.  mmmmm!  ; )  but it'd better be up to speed in an hour cuz i wanna watch Big Brother!

got to chat w/ april a little, which was nice!  made a nice tortilla for lunch w/ sharp cheddar, mushroom & green pepper pasta sauce, cream cheese & honey ham.  april pointed out that i come up w/ some odd food combinations, but it was tastey!  : )

now it's time for dinner, and i just don't know what i want.  i should make some pasta, so i have leftovers for lunch tomorrow... (and i did make pasta, but might not be enough for leftovers!  maybe if i eat some bread w/ it... lol)

anywhoo!  idk if i'm ready for a full week of work tomorrow, but thru prayer, i'll make it through!  : )

ttfn!

saturday caturday

i don't know what that means.  that i get to laze about like Angel?  hmmm.  well, that does sound appealing!  


went to bed at like 1, then was up at 8:30.  i didn't want to be up til 10:30, so i ate some oyster crackers & drank some water & went back to bed!  heh.  then i woke back up at 11!  whoops!  so i moseyed around to get ready & everything, and headed to the PO.  got stephen's package all mailed (finally!  yay!) and then went to WM for some groceries.  was supposed to pick up my Rx, also, but they were still filling it when i checked in.  and the lady was RUDE!  not the normal lady, who is always smiley and polite and very nice.  i mean - it's 12 pills.  i can SEE the pharmacist behind the counter.  if he's filling it NOW, i should be able to wait and  you can just hand it to me, right?  i don't understand what the hold up was.  


anyway, i did the rest of my shopping & then forgot to stop back by to pick up the pills.  so, i should go back over & pick them up today, but ... i might wait til tomorrow.  maybe my normal lady will be back tomorrow!!  heh.  


when i got home, mike was mowing the lawn, and there was grass EVERYWHERE.  i was a little perturbed, i'm not gonna lie.  i don't quite understand how there was that much grass EVERYWHERE. there never is when phil does it... but i think phil's mower has a bag on it.  so that would do it.  thankfully he had a leaf blower & cleaned up the driveway & my porch, but there's still grass everywhere, and idk if he blew off the other porch or not.  and, okay, seriously, it's really nice that he wants to help, and that he mowed.  it really is.  but when i got back, with a car full of groceries, he told me to hurry up & unload them so he could clean off the driveway.  um.  i think he was kidding about the hurry up part, but i was still just... annoyed.  uncomfortable?  idk.  whatevs.  he's a nice guy, his wife & sister-in-law are nice ladies, i haven't met their daughter (or his step-daughter, idk), but she's 3, so i'm sure she's fine.  *laugh*  it is just going to take some getting used to, having a "neighbor."  i mean, i talk to the neighbors on the other side sometimes, but a hi, how are you?, like your earrings kinda stuff.  *laugh*  


when i got inside, i made a PB & tomato & cheese sammich & watched Royal Pains & then my computer froze so i kicked it into safe mode to read some blogs & write one.  heh.  i'm fixin to kick it back over to normal mode so i can finish watching my USA shows, tho!  and others... i have so many shows to catch up with right now, i was counting on today & tomorrow to be able to do so!!  


well, normal mode lasted for awhile!  i got to watch 2 episodes of royal pains & 2 episodes of psych, and almost all of night 1 of this week's AGT.  will try again tomorrow!  i also tried cleaning up some files on the puter... seriously, when i get the cc's paid off, a new computer is so in the works!!  *laugh*  


i had an email from uncle gene w/ a story about a scary car accident he, daddy & another friend were in, during a road trip in the 60's.  in a VW bug.  from his description, i know the Lord had them all in His hands, looking out for them and keeping them safe!  


anyway, i think it's time for some sleep.  ttfn!  : )  

Friday List

** meeting at 7:30 this morning.  mandatory.  i'm not sure why.  don't get me wrong, it these meetings are interesting, and on a normal day i really enjoy going.  but since i was gone yesterday, i didn't feel like i could afford those 2 hours.  


** once i got into my office, i tried to work on claims all day.  however, you know how it is!  as soon as you have something you NEED to get done, everyone & their brother has stuff THEY need done.  *laugh*  on top of answering questions & whatnot for my trainee.  and new claims coming in... i stayed until 6:30 & still didn't get everything done that i'd wanted to.  but i'm okay with that.  i have to be, i guess!  lol


** mongolian grill for lunch.  mmmmm!  trish told me not to eat the eggs (??  did you guys know there was an egg recall?) but matt & i both did and PTL i'm fine.  i assume matt is, too.  *laugh*  they wouldn't put it out there if it wasn't safe, right?  : )  


** met mom at the theatre at 7 & we saw The Switch.  jennifer aniston & jason bateman.  i don't really feel one way or another about JA, but i *heart* JB and he did not disappoint!  also, JG (jeff goldblum - did they cast this movie for all J's? lol) plays JB's bff, quite well!  oh, and JL (juliet lewis) plays JA's bff!  oh my goodness, they really did all have j's!  haha!  anyway, i can recommend this movie, i really enjoyed it!  JB has aged really well, and his smile makes me giddy.  which is really weird, because i've always liked him, but never particularly LIKED him.  heh.  


** popcorn.  mmmm.  oh yes!  


** picked up my mail on my way home & had People & a postcard from Finland!  yay!  

** when i got home, my new neighbors were just getting home, too.  they're chatty and friendly.  possibly a little TOO friendly, and should tone it down a notch.  mike is the one who mowed my lawn - which was cool except for the grass everywhere, but for all i know that would have happened w/ phil, too, so it's alright.  (i'm much less mad when i know who did something rather than just having a random situation, ya know?  idk why!)  mike also informed me that he knew where i worked, which was a little disconcerting - he'd asked the park manager about his neighbors, and she mentioned it.  then he asked me what day i was born in august, and i was like, "uhhh, i wasn't born in august."  he'd seen my LP tag.  heh.  anyway, just a couple of things that i'm not sure i would have mentioned while talking to the new neighbor in the dark, right when they've arrived home and have their hands full.  but that's just me!  like i said, sweet ppl, AND they have a chloe (her daughter).  : )  that was fun!  

** sometimes i am anti-social, but almost never when confronted.  i LIKE ppl, and i like to be social, but after an 11 hour work day & a movie, i just wanted to come inside & jammie up & watch white collar... so mike mentioned that he could mow my lawn, and his gf/wife/gal who lives w/ him said, "oh, he'd be happy to do your yard work."  which, again, very nice and neighborly, and thank you very much.  but i can't pay you.  phil does my yardwork because he's my brother & has a kind and helpful heart, just as i do toward him when he needs $$ or a sitter or something!!  so, then, i felt kinda awkward, because i didn't WANT to be anti-social, and i didn't want to negate their offers or anything, but i was very upfront about not being able to pay them.  

** when i did get inside & the computer up... no new white collar on hulu yet!  booo!  *laugh*  but royal pains was up, so i started to watch that, and then my computer went "phhhhhtttt" at me twice and i gave up til tomorrow!  the beginning of the show was nifty, tho.  : )  


** i need to get up by 10:30 tomorrow to get to the PO, and i really am exhausted.  so, have a great night/day and i'll ttyl!  ttfn!  : )  

dubuque the remix

today was a FUN day out of the office.  we took 2 vans & went to dubuque for a ride & drive (getting to play w/ the construction & forrestry equipment) and factory tour.  i chose not to drive anything, but i had so much fun anyway!  i really wish my camera charger hadn't broken, tho, there were sooooo many fun pictures i missed!  


the ride up was hilarious & fun, i talked with ppl i don't get to socialize with very often & got to know them more, which was cool.  when we got to the site, they had water (and safety equipment) waiting for us, and a couple of the guys moved a bench to the shade for me, which was sweet!  it was interesting to see the four vehicles (a skid steer, articulated dump truck, crawler dozer and backhoe) up close & personal, and in action by different ppl!  some ppl weren't sure about it, and so the machine's movements were slower and more deliberate.  others took to it like they'd been at it for years, and spent a lot of time moving dirt around!  heh.  

the other group met us at the test site for lunch, which was yummy and fun!  and i got extra cookies because someone didn't want theirs.  i'm always happy to have something in my purse for those times when i need an energy boost - even if cookies aren't the best, ya know?  : )  after lunch, group 2 stayed at the site for their turn w/ the machines, and our group headed to the factory.


i seriously love visiting the factories, but would totally NOT want to work there.  the office portions are all A/C'd & everything, but the facilities are just so BIG.  we didn't have to walk it, thank God, we rode around on a trolley of sorts, and it still was an hour & a half tour!  a lot of things i noticed and liked or found interesting - there are a ton of american flags hanging.  i even saw an iowa flag as well!  i love the patriotism!  it was a very clean facility, all the safety stuff appeared to be in order, the break areas were rather big and appeared to have many soda/food choices.  


it was a beautiful day, and there were some nice breezes coming through, but i know on the miserable days it was/is even more so for these workers.  i admire them so much, for the jobs that they do!!  it's nice to be reminded of where it all takes place!  


we opted not to visit the gift shop, which i was disappointed with but didn't argue about or let them know i wanted to visit.  i wasn't feeling very well after the ride around the plant, which i think had several causes, none of which were major - the air was very dry, the trolley, while comfortable for te most part, didn't have shocks at all, so when we went outside to see the waste treatment area (if the fishies are still swimmin, then we're fine) i got a little motion sickness.  and i don't usually get that!  i can ride the spinny rides w/ the best of them... or, i could a few years ago, anyway... LOL   in retrospect it was good we didn't go in, as i'd just want to buy something, and i didn't have checks or cash in my purse!  whoopsies!  someone wasn't thinking when she packed it... heh.  


the guys DID, however, take us to Dairy Queen on the way outta town.  the other group met us there & we had ice cream galore!  : )  yummmmmy!  


we got back to the office at 4:30-ish, and i'd planned to stay for an hour, but i needed to get the camera to brenna & i just didn't have time to stay!  so i left at quarter til & headed to the bank, brenna's (she wasn't there, so i delivered the camera to her mom) & then mom's.  : )  we got to keep our safety goggles, so i gave mine to leyton & he was so excited!  and he looked SOOO CUTE!  i wanted a picture!!  heh.  


the three of us went to IHOP for dinner, and had a delicious meal & a good time.  also, i think next time we go, leyton should get french toast since he seemed to like mine so much.  *laugh*  after dinner, we had to pick up phil's car from somewhere, so mom dropped me off at it & i headed back to her place.  i beat her by 10 minutes.  LOL  that was fun!  hung out there for another hour or so, cuddled w/ leyton & played w/ cars, and then headed home to chat w/ april for a bit.


have a 7:30 meeting at HQ tomorrow, so i'd better get to bed.  (marz, i'm glad i'm not the only one who does the staying up thing - i think i found a cure for it, at least for tonight - pack the day so full it's all you can do to keep your eyes open!  (haha, sometimes that doesn't even work, but i think it will tonight!))  : )  


goodnight & ttfn!  hope your friday goes FABULOUSLY!  : )  

AGH!  Why do I fight sleep when I have to get up early?!?!  What is my damage?  It's one a.m. and I'm not even tired, and I have to be up in 6 1/2 hours, and that just makes me MORE not tired when it should make me want to sleep.

What's the deal?

Anyone else like this, or is it just me?

ttfn.

emotions

well, i guess this will be short, because it's nearly 12:30 & i need to get up early.  do i say that every day??  i feel like it!  there's just so much to DO that i never get to the writing portion til the end of the night!  *laugh*  


i put out a call the other day on FB to borrow a 35mm film camera for my cousin brenna.  nick answered my call & today i got the camera in the post.  or, rather, phil did.  you see, silly, ditzy me asked nick to overnight it so i could get it to brenna a.s.a.p.  however, i did not think of the fact that at 3 o'clock on wednesdays i am generally NOT at home because i am at work!  lol  God was looking out for me, tho, as always - phil stopped by to use my computer & the mail carrier arrived just after he got here!  yay!  : )  i was supposed to bring the camera to breanna tonight, but she didn't get home from youth group til after 9 & i wasn't feeling that great when i got home.  


speaking of - after work (LATE) i met becks at texas roadhouse for dinner.  i had a gin & tonic (it reminds me of dad & i've come to really enjoy it!), and becca had a coupon for a free appetizer so we ordered fried pickle chips, which i'd never had before.  they're GOOD!!  i was going to order a ribeye, because i've never had one before, and you know i like to try new foods!  however, when it came time to order, i went w/ my usual sirloin.  and a sweet potato, loaded w/ cinnamon & marshmallows.  MMMM!  it was the right choice!  *laugh*  as always, it was great to hang out!!  : )  


i didn't get home til late, tho, as i said.  and once i got home, i realized i'd forgotten to pick up TP!  i ran down to mom's to get some, because she had my envelope for stephen's gift & my umbrella.  i almost ran out to brenna's, but my tummy was really not feeling well.  (along w/ my dinner, i ordered a salad as a side, and i picked out most of the iceberg & only ate the romaine lettuce, but i mustn't've gotten it all out!  seriously, ppl, i am telling you that iceberg lettuce = PURE EVIL.  there's no nutritional value, it tastes like musty water, and it messes up my stomach!)  


april & i got to chat for awhile tonight, which was nice!  we talked about dad a bit.  she really helped me work thru tonight's doldrums.  that's not the right word, but it's close.  i miss him, and working on this project for the book is awesome, but also making it harder.  idk.  but i'm going to continue to do it because i like it & i think it's important to make this!!!  plus, i LOVE hearing (reading) uncle gene's stories about dad when they were  younger and he has some amazing pictures!  love love love, focusing on the love!  : )  


oh, trish tried to help w/ my own camera situation, by bringing in her charger, but my camera battery is too big for it.  d'oh!  guess i'll be looking up a new charger this weekend.  


okay, gotta get going!  tomorrow i WANT to get up at 6:30 & go in early to get a couple things done before we leave for dubuque.  but we'll see what actually happens!!  either way i have to be up by 7, so ... goodnight!!  : )  ttfn!

ummm... i don't even know!  i'm tired, and as usual, heading to bed!  : )  


today was a good day for the most part.  BUSY still.  and a couple slight annoyances that were enought to annoy me but not enough to write any details about.  other than to say ppl better start behaving better or i'm gonna hafta scream at them.  in as polite a tone as possible.  LOL  


i got to chat w/ april tonight, which was nice.  and matthew called, so we talked for awhile!  yay!  i was beginning to really worry about him because we hadn't talked in so long!  


mail was good to me today.  post cards from my friend annapeach & a postcrossing from Brazil.  : )  

cute, yes?  : )  


i talked to a very polite & helpful gentleman at the credit card place.  we set up a payment schedule that is slightly more do-able than $400/mo.  and he let me know that the dude who was so rude to me previously was no longer employed w/ them.  hallelujah!!!  maybe he figured out that customer service isn't for him & found something else he was better suited towards!  i hope!  


here's to a sterling wednesday!  take care & ttfn!  i'm off to slumberland!  (no, not the mattress outlet...)  ; ) 

unexpected finds

oh my goodness, today was INSANE!!!  i'd checked my email last night because i wanted to make sure everything was still okay for my taking 4 hours off today.  everything looked normal & easy & like stuff i could handle when i came in at 1.  


so i slept til 9:30 & spent the morning doing bills & writing postcards & letters & the like.  : )  it was mostly a nice morning!  


then i got to work at 1 & it was still nice, but oh my heck the floodgates had opened up!!  slightly uncomfortable.  the email was fast & furious w/ 60 some emails that had come in out of nowhere (well, 1/2 of those were from my other mailbox, which i can't check from home and had forgotten about!).  i was answering questions & investigating and putting out "fires" left and right!  it was exciting and fast paced and maybe a little crazy.  *laugh*  i postponed dinner w/ michelle because i needed to stay til a little after 6.  i might be staying late all week, because there are some things that need to be done!  goodness me!  *laugh*  


anywhoo!  so, since dinner w/ michelle was off, i ordered take out from exotic thai & had pumpkin curry while i watched America's Got Talent (youtube edition) and talked w/ april about her good news (yay april!!!!).  : )  also, my cousin brenna asked if i had a 35mm film camera, and i used to but idk what happened to it!  while i was searching for it, i came across some cuuuuute Keroppi postcards: 

and some st. louis postcards: 

and my favorite find of the evening... this postcard i sent to myself from a daddy-daughter trip, ironically in August of 2002: 

oh, the memories that card invoked!  especially being so close on the heels of our adventureland adventure... : )  


of course daddy is always on my mind, but this being august... yeah.  i need to get going on my emails & letters out to the family who don't have FB, to gather my dad stories and pictures and get crackalackin on my storybook for leyton.  i have the whole layout in my head, i just need to dooooo iiiittttt!  *laugh*  i think i can, i think i can...!  


also, on the camera front - my friend nick volunteered to send me his because he doesn't use it anymore!  way to be generous, nick!!  go nick!  nick's the man!  we <3 nick!!  : )  


for now, blog buddies, i must bid you goodnight.  i hope your mondays were magical, and that your tuesdays are tubular.  (hahaha, sorry, 80's surfer flashback!)  : )  


t
t
f
n
! 
<3

Adventure - Part 2!!!

hello!  well, this has been a fun weekend!  and a little stressful, of course, because i was with family!  LOL    we witnessed the aftermath (traffic/cops/ambulance/fire) of two accidents.  thank God we made it there & back safely!  

if in trouble, use this, aunt carrie!  : ) 


we also got into a bit of a storm.  thankfully no tornado, tho the clouds looked swirly & angry enough for one!  

the car ride to des moines was lots of fun.  and mom got a new toy, which helped show us the way to our hotel, and later, target & other eating establishments, back to adventureland, etc.  it's an awesome investment for mom!!  : )  

our hotel room was smaller than we like, but since it was one of the last weekends for adventureland to be open AND fair weekend, we were blessed to have a room at all!  *laugh*  we went to work straight away making it a home away from homes for leytonbug.  : )  

Mr. Bear enjoys the comforts of every hotel I travel to, of course!  : ) 

Ack, too dark, but he was having fun being spun around in the office chair.  

and then almost immediately went down to the pool for a couple hours!  mom & leyton played & i read my book & took a couple pictures.  thankfully it was an open enough area that i couldn't even smell the chlorine fumes.  i got out of there w/o so much as a headache!  praise Jesus!!!!

we had dinner at bennigan's & then started the bedtime routine.  at what turned out to be 8pm.  lol  apparently whomever was in the room before us had turned the clock ahead an hour, and the cleaning crew didn't notice, and WE didn't notice, and so mom thought it was 9 & started to get leyton ready for bed.  i went down to the hotel computer for a few minutes & outside & when i came back i thought it was 10.  i read for a bit & then went to bed early, at 10:30 or so.  mom figured leyton would be up by 7, which is why she wanted to get to bed early.  we all woke up/got up around 9:30, and thought we were running late & were adjusting the day's plans... then mom turned on the tv & that clock said 9:01.  so, we "gained" an hour!  LOL  it was not the last time time would play a part in our vacation... 


we went to perkins for brunch & then headed to Adventureland.  the Lord blessed us w/ a parking space RIGHT IN FRONT of the entrance!  it was awesome!  : ) leyton rode the carrousel, airplanes, leap frogger, trucks, bumper cars... i only got a few pictures because my camera battery was dying, and of course the first thing i did when we got to the room on friday was try to charge it - and my charger broke!  : (   (right this minute, the battery is completely dead, and apparently you can't buy a charger in the store, you have to order online, so... yeah.)  so, i do have a few cute ones to share, but most of the pictures/video i took with mom's camera, and then i didn't take as many as i normally do because idk how she is about cleaning hers up!!  *laugh*  

Oh yeah - when we got to Perkins, there was a 15 minute wait.  Two older boys (like, college age, maybe) were playing the Grabber game & trying to get this bear.  Guess who actually got the bear??  *grin*  

Oh yeah, and Leyton got an Adventureland hat.  I took a better picture w/ mom's camera, tho... 

leyton started to get hungry and tired, and i was getting hungry and tired, but mom kept saying, "just another hour or so."  finally found out why while waiting for the train - her watch had stopped at 1 & so all afternoon, she thought it was 1!!!  LOL  so, when she finally found out it was about 4:30, we rode the train & then headed back to the hotel for naps.  only, leyton was past his tired point & back to his "boundless energy" point!  so, after 1/2 an hour of fruitless laying down (for them - i got a good cat nap in!), we headed back out.  went to target for some stuff (and found out the charger thing) & then back to adventureland for funnel cake & more rides.  : )  


we got back to the room about 10:30, and i was TUCKERED OUT!  *laugh*  and hot.  i sat right in front of the a/c for an hour to cool down before showering!  oye.  of course, then i got to reading, and didn't take one before bed, but in the morning it was a nice wake-up!  *laugh*  let me tell you, tho, the bathroom... i should have taken a picture!  whoever designed it must've been tripping on something.  the toilet is so close to the sink that you can't even lift the lid if there's a full roll of TP on the side!  seriously, idk what they were thinking.  oye!  and i wonder if they're all like that or if it was just a fluke... LOL  

the trip back on sunday was a little more hectic, just because mom was tired & ready to be HOME.  however, we DID stop at bass pro shops for an hour or so, and that was fun!  i love stores like that, even though i'm by no means an ourdoor sports kinda girl!  i don't enjoy fishing or hunting or camping or any of that at all!  but i love the stores.  there's usually awesome aquariums, and i love the displays. leyton enjoyed riding on the 4wheelers & boats on the display floor.  : )  


i took a few hours of vacation today to sleep in & go to the post office to mail stephen's gift.  unfortunately, mom was in such a hurry last night to drop me off that she forgot to unload my mailer for the game!!  ugh!  so, i'll pick that up tonight and then mail it.  she also forgot to unload one of my bags... hmmm.  


anywhoo!  i must get ready for work now.  wow, this morning went fast!  oh, when i picked up my mail last night, i had my People, of course, and also two lovely postcards, one from the netherlands & one from micaela!  : )  

so this morning i got busy writing back & registering & paying bills & the like.  : )  and trying to catch up on the BB stuff, but oh my heck so much happened over the weekend!!!  


i hope your weekend went well & that we ALL have a fabulous monday!  : )  TTFN!!!