Computer Issues

I'm not sure what our problem is, but for some reason, my family can NOT keep a cord to my computer in decent shape!  I have had my computer for at least 5 years now, and gosh darn I've been through at least 4 cords!  This last week, my cord would not charge my computer so I was out of communication for a week.  I was lost and terribly behind.  Over 900 emails!  UGH!  

I am back, I have a good cord, and I will try my best to keep this cord in good, working condition. Because you see, I think it breaks every time my kids trip over it as they're setting the laptop down and getting up.  I see the problem:  kids touching what they really shouldn't.  I might have to put a stop to this.  Perhaps by buying Kindle Fires for both of them so they can have internet access to play games and such.  Then they won't touch MY computer.  Mine, mine, mine!  Don't I sound like a spoiled brat?  Well, when you have a "toy" that costs this much, I really SHOULD be selfish!  I'm thankful my computer still works after this many years.  What a good computer.  I love it!

Depression Hurts

I'm calling it depression.  What else can it be?  I have never felt better in my life as I felt this week.  Then?  My husband starts yelling at me today once again because I'm spending more time than he deems necessary cleaning the house AND I wasn't cleaning the area he thought should be cleaned first.  Seriously.  I even told him this, "I'm damned if I do and I'm damned if I don't!"  His response?  "Well, I guess you're damned then because I look around and the point of entry to our house isn't cleaned!"

I made it through most of the day (in which he thankfully was gone at a football game) but as soon as he walked in the door, it was like my face was made of wax and it melted.  I can't smile, my head hurts, I don't want to talk to anyone, I'm tired and I couldn't battle the forces that are battling within me.  I ate some beef and rice casserole I made for the family.  Then I ate some brownies my daughter and her friend made.  Then I ate some pizza the girls made.  And you know what?  I feel worse then I have felt in months.  I can't believe I did that.  

Stress is terrible for fat peeps.  And talk about depressing:  I saw an ad on television for a pill that is supposed to act like "liposuction" in a pill.  The depressing part was the example they showed of a human body with the fat cells in the stomach, flat as a board, barely visible.  Then they show a tummy after babies were born.  A little more yellow fat showed up.   THEN they showed a tummy after work and stress and life was factored in.  HUGE.  And it looked like mine.  And I wonder why I'm feeling depressed?  Nah, not really.  I don't wonder at all.

I'll be back on the wagon first thing tomorrow morning with my Shaklee Cinch Detox (probably starting from the beginning, but it's a beginning I'm looking forward to start again) and all next week should be a wonderful week.  My husband is leaving early tomorrow morning for a business trip and won't be back until Friday.  I can detox to my heart's content without a massive level of stress.  Here's to healthy eating and good feelings starting tomorrow...

11-11-11

Whoops!

Forgot to wish everyone in the military, past and present, a Happy Veterans Day.  I always want to wish my Daddy a very happy 70th birthday that he celebrated today, too!  I love you SO much Dad!  


By the way, did you make a special wish at 11:11 today?  I missed the a.m. option so I made myself stay up for the p.m. option.  I ended up praying to God instead of making wishes but it was special at 11:11 on 11-11-11!  

Monday Blogs

Yup, I'm back on the schedule to post a "My Memories Suite" blog post over at The Memory Boutique.  Every Monday.  Had a snafu already, though...I scheduled it to post at 7:00 on Monday and it didn't work.  I can't figure that one out.  Mary??

So my Monday post actually posted on Tuesday.  Go figure.  In any event, I'll share it here, too!  Well, I'll share the LINK.  Won't you go check it out?  Thanks!  =)

The Middle

For the 30 Days of Thanks, I'm thankful for my big sister (the middle child), Sherry.  She has ALWAYS been there for me whenever I needed her.  She has shown me how to be selfless and to give rather than to receive.  I could not have asked for a better sister!  Thank you, Sherry!  Love you!

Dino Pinata

Yesterday my sister asked if I'd dog sit her newest addition to her family:  a chihuahua mix named Dino.  Dino was a rescue dog so they know very little about his former life.  He now lives with a family that dotes on him, takes him every where they go if possible and they rarely leave him home alone.  My sister will drive 40-50 miles out of her way to go pick him up before she goes somewhere.  I say "bah", but she loves this little guy!

In any event, they had to go out of town for an evening awards banquet  and Dino came over to our house.  He pottied outside before he came in so I thought all would be good for at least an hour.  As soon as they left, he ran around and around the house looking for them and whimpered.  Then he peed on my carpet.  Oh yeah, I was not happy about that.  So I decided to take Dino and our dog, Sadie, out for a long, long walk.  My son and daughter went with and it was beautiful outside.  Jon stopped at a friend's house so it was just me walking Dino and my daughter walking our dog.  Turned out to be a nice walk until some dude let his three dogs outside to go potty....

All of a sudden, three big dogs came running around a bush, saw Dino and came rushing toward us.  I yelled to Maddie to pick up Sadie.  Dino's a very scaredy doggy so he started screaming well before they even got to him.  I tried to pick him up, but being the scaredy dog, he was even backing away from me.  In a split second, the three dogs were between me and Dino, going after him.  Not in a vicious, kill-the-dog way but in an aggressive/beat the crap out of him/play-type way.  Dino screamed, Maddie screamed and the only way I could get Dino was to pull him straight up out of the middle of the three dogs.  I tripped on a dog and fell to my left knee.  I looked up at my hand that I was holding way above my hand and saw Dino swinging back and forth like a pinata as the other dogs were trying to get him and poke him with their nose.  He was still screaming.  I almost wish I could've been standing off to the side watching this...it probably looked hilarious!  Not for me at the time, though.  I'm laughing thinking about it right now!

I finally shoved to my feet, grabbed Dino and wrapped him in my arms under my jacket.  Those damn dogs continued to follow me and were jumping up trying to get at Dino.  He was just shaking like a bowl of jelly.  This whole time I'm not entirely sure what my daughter was doing while all of this was going on, but I can tell you she was scared to death and cried all the way home.  It was actually very sad.  The guy who owned the dogs?  Yeah, he was yelling and yelling at them but they didn't listen.  I yelled to Maddie to cross the road and to get away and those stupid dogs followed us.  Finally the owner ran out into the middle of the road and grabbed his dogs.  Had I had the presence of mind, I would've turned around and gave him a piece of my mind but my biggest concern at the time was to get my daughter and our two little dogs to safety.  

What am I thankful for today?  Well, I'm thankful that Dino didn't get killed by those nasty dogs.  I happy my daughter wasn't more traumatized by seeing a dog being ripped to shreds and I'm MOST thankful my daughter wasn't injured!  

And to dog owners?  Please keep your dogs on a leash or at least have underground fencing to keep the general public and their pets safe.  Seriously.  What were you thinking???

Harvest Hoe Down

Tonight, our church celebrated an annual get together in which the parish community meets after mass to have a hoe down.  Weeks ago there were sign up sheets asking parishioners to make and donate crock pots of chili.  They line up tables around the outside of the gym and the crock pots are lined up.  Simple!  You walk in and there are larger bowls and smaller bowls...you can try any and/or all of the chili if you'd like using the small bowls for samples or the large bowls to make a meal.  Where hoe down came from I do not know.  There's no dancing.  Just a lot of eating and chatting!  

The tables also have large baskets of corn muffins and other muffins to enjoy with the chili.  For kids who are a bit picky?  Well, they have hot dogs for them.  Even some of the adults grab a dog and cover it with, what else?  Chili!  

It's a fun event and a great time for parishioners to sit with each other, chat and have wonderful fellowship.  Today, I'm thankful for our church family.  We've met a lot of people and made friends with a great group from young to old and every age in between!  We are blessed to be surrounded by these fantastic brothers and sisters in Christ!

Made in the U.S.A.

I've been raised by two parents who believe so strongly in America that since I can remember, we were buying only goods "Made in the U.S.A."  Let me tell you, this hasn't always been easy as we went without at times because everything we saw was made in China!  And Christmas gifts for my Dad?  Almost impossible.  We'd go through his entire wish list and not find a single one made in the U.S.  It's getting a little easier but not much.  It's going to take every American to get the message across to corporate America:  we not only WANT to buy American, our country NEEDS us to buy American made products and services to save our economy!  And not just American made products, but purchase them from American businesses - the locally-owned businesses (like The Memory Boutique!).  These are the businesses that keep the money in the local economy.  Don't believe me?  Read this article that shows 73% of the money spent locally stays locally whereas only 43% (less than half!) stays local if you shop at the big-box stores.  There's also a $20 challenge that I have been faithfully following since I read this article.  You think little ole' you can't make a difference?  Bologna.  You can.  And it only takes $20 a week.  And if you get a friend to do it, and they get a friend to do it, and THEY get a friend to do it, etc., exponentially it makes a HUGE difference!  We can change our economy, a $20 bill at a time.    

A friend from school posted this on her Facebook page.  I don't know who the author is, but I applaud him/her!  And yes, a New Tradition has been born at our house:  Christmas 2011 will be about Christ's birth, love, laughter, together with family and gift giving with a purpose:

Christmas 2011 -- Birth of a New Tradition

As the holidays approach, the giant Asian factories are kicking into high gear to provide Americans with monstrous piles of cheaply produced goods --merchandise that has been produced at the expense of American labor.

This year will be different. This year Americans will give the gift of genuine concern for other Americans. There is no longer an excuse that, at gift giving time, nothing can be found that is produced by American hands.

Yes there is!

It's time to think outside the box, people. Who says a gift needs tofit in a shirt box, wrapped in Chinese produced wrapping paper?  Everyone -- yes EVERYONE gets their hair cut. How about gift certificates from your local American hair salon or barber?

Gym membership? It's appropriate for all ages who are thinking about some health improvement.

Who wouldn't appreciate getting their car detailed? Small, American owned detail shops and car washes would love to sell you a gift certificate or a book of gift certificates.

Are you one of those extravagant givers who think nothing of plonking down the Benjamines on a Chinese made flat-screen? Perhaps that grateful gift receiver would like his driveway sealed, or lawn mowed for the summer, or driveway plowed all winter, or games at the local golf course.

There are a bazillion owner-run restaurants -- all offering gift certificates. And, if your intended isn't the fancy eatery sort, what about a half dozen breakfasts at the local breakfast joint. Remember, folks this isn't about big National chains -- this is about supporting your home

town Americans with their financial lives on the line to keep their doors open.

How many people couldn't use an oil change for their car, truck or motorcycle, done at a shop run by the American working guy?

Thinking about a heartfelt gift for mom? Mom would LOVE the services of a local cleaning lady for a day.

My computer could use a tune-up, and I KNOW I can find some young guy who is struggling to get his repair business up and running.

OK, you were looking for something more personal. Local crafts people spin their own wool and knit them into scarves. They make jewelry, and pottery and beautiful wooden boxes.

Plan your holiday outings at local, owner operated restaurants and leave your server a nice tip. And, how about going out to see a play or ballet at your hometown theatre.

Musicians need love too, so find a venue showcasing local bands.

Honestly, people, do you REALLY need to buy another ten thousand Chinese lights for the house? When you buy a five dollar string of light, about fifty cents stays in the community. If you have those kinds of bucks to burn, leave the mailman, trash guy or babysitter a nice BIG tip.

You see, Christmas is no longer about draining American pockets so that China can build another glittering city. Christmas is now about caring about US, encouraging American small businesses to keep plugging away to follow their dreams. And, when we care about other Americans, we care about our communities, and the benefits come back to us in ways we couldn't imagine.

THIS is the new American Christmas tradition.

Forward this to everyone on your mailing list -- post it to discussion groups -- throw up a post on Craigslist in the Rants and Raves section in your city -- send it to the editor of your local paper and radio stations, and TV news departments. This is a revolution of caring about each other, and isn't that what Christmas is about?

My Sweet, Sweet Girl

Today I am so unbelievably thankful for my daughter, Maddie.  She's been a blessing since before her birth and continues each and every day to bring joy and laughter to our lives!  She's just like her brother although she has a lot more feistiness than Jon does.  It makes her special and unique!  But just like her brother, she's a very friendly, sweet, compassionate young girl.  She's a friend to all and recognizes who's real and honest versus those who aren't.  It's a gift at this early age to have wisdom like this and I pray that she'll continue to use this gift for good! 

Keep up the good work and continue to stay strong in your faith, Maddie.  God loves you and so do we!  

Squirrel Nuts

I love cooking with walnuts.  I really do.  I tried to re-create a whiskey-walnut chicken recipe from a local restaurant and did pretty good if I may say so myself.  Of course I throw walnuts into my homemade breads like pumpkin and zucchini; it's too plain without them.  I even love throwing walnuts in my rice and quinoa dishes.  Salads, too.  Yum!  But when they're all over my yard and hitting the roof of my house (which made the dog bark each and every time the wind was blowing!), that's when I decided I don't like them THAT much.  

I was entirely certain someone would sprain their ankle on these small, hard orbs of pain strewn all over the lawn.  Truth be told it really did happen to me so that's why I was certain.  It hurts!  I spent an hour loading and hauling bucket after bucket into the woods behind my house.  They're not bad if they're still in the "skin".  Once that skin starts breaking that's when the hands get all stained (believe me, walnut stain looks much prettier on a nice table or night stand than on hands).  After weeks of being walked on, the skins were off and laying all over the yard.  My hands may be brown for a few days, but it's a good reminder of a job that's almost finished!

If I was smart, I would save these nuts to crack myself and save big bucks, but I've found the only way to get into these shells is to have squirrel teeth.  Since that's not an option, I decided to let the critters have them (Happy Thanksgiving, Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to the critters who live in our woods!) and I'll buy the ones already shelled and bagged for me.  No one can say I don't take care of wildlife.  They get pretty expensive squirrel nuts from us!  


So today, I'm thankful for the beautiful weather.  I was able to be outside without a jacket and it was sunny and beautiful!   

Thankful Even More!

Today I'm thankful for my son.  I am so proud of the young man he is and continues to be.  He's so unbelievably compassionate and accepts every person for who they are - who God created them to be.  He looks at people and will remind himself that God created that person and He thinks they're perfect.  Who are we to find fault with a person God thinks is perfect?

He'll leave his friends at the lunch table to sit with the "Asperger's" kid no one else wants to sit with, he takes the time to teach new kids trying out for basketball (who have never played or have played very little) necessary skills while others choose to laugh at and ridicule them and he chooses to give positive, uplifting and friendly comments to the kids that are verbally kicked down and rejected in the hopes of bringing them back up and maybe giving them a good feeling for the day.  

My son's amazing and I thank God every day for choosing ME to be his mom!  I am blessed more than words can express!