Paper Addict

spray salad dressing

2006-07-21T12:08:00.000-04:00

I'm not sure if it's working for me.......it's kind of strange. I thought I would give it a try. There are 10 sprays in a serving, 10 calories per serving and 1 gram of fat.......I need at least 42 sprays on a bowl of salad. Even with 42 sprays, I'm lacking a little flavor here.

I love summer. I love everything about it. I wish it were summer all year long here in Northern Indiana. I love fresh garden vegetables, sun tea, laying in the sun. I love washing my car. I love going to the zoo and the park and running through the sprinkler with my kids.

Speaking of washing my car.....I spent the day outside washing my car on Wednesday. After I finished and took my shower, I realized that my back was sizzled. It's as bright as a tomato. I'm finding it difficult to wear a bra.

I have to tell you about this man at the wallpaper place. It touched me so much I almost cried.

Well, first I need to share the news that I AM going back to school in the fall. As burned out as I've become with the day in and day out of teaching, I find myself needing one more year to keep my pension with the school. In the past, I have desperately wanted to quit teaching for one reason or another, and someone has always ended up doing something to lift my spirits and keep me in the game. A student will give me a little gift, or say something sweet, or a colleague will drop me a note or a card, just when I'm needing it the most. Anyway, I haven't been looking forward to going back in the fall. I love working at the scrapbook store. I love the friends I have made there. I love my schedule, my life, being home with the kids. It's been awesome. I've made great strides with Robby (who has autism) and Adam (who had pneumonia 8 times in 7 months the year before last). Dealing with these things are stressful enough, but having to deal with all of the stress of teaching and then being sick, myself, losing my grandpa, and Doug losing his job, I became incredibly depressed. It was such a relief to take this past year off and just focus on what means the most to me. Family and friends and myself.

ANYWAY....Alice thinks I'm crazy, but I am a firm believer that God gives us each gifts that we are to utilize throughout our lifetime. Alice doesn't know it, but I think her gift is to spread joy to people like me who are down about themselves and their lives. She totally made a difference to me in so many ways! God gave me a gift to connect with kids. I'm not bragging....it's just my gift. I'm an excellent teacher. Really, I rock. Kids feel comfortable in my classroom, around me, and they respect me, so I never have discipline problems, never have to yell, very rarely have problems with kids in general. Sure, there are ones that annoy the holy heck out of me and I'm really glad when they leave my classroom, but the funny thing is, it seems like these kids are the ones that come back five years later to visit me.....I like to think it's because I've made a difference. I get depressed because I don't always feel like I'm touching kids in a way that will affect them later on in their lives. I mean really, how many of you remember your Art Teacher from elementary school??
So, I'm getting off the subject at hand......The wallpaper guy......
I went in to the wallpaper store yesterday to buy some clearance wallpaper to put on my bulletin boards at school. I like it because it doesn't fade. I found some really cute blue wallpaper with red and white paislies on it. Not something ANYONE would put in their house, but definitely the kind of bright that kids love. I took it up to the counter and the guy made a comment about it being bright and fun. I told him what it was for and he looked at me.....with all seriousness......and said "Why??? Why do you teach??" I didn't even hesitate in my answer "I like the kids". He continued ringing me up....asked me some questions about where and what I teach....said he loved art....took it all through school and enjoyed every minute of it. Then he stopped and he looked at me again and he asked me AGAIN...."WHY do you teach?" Again, I said, "I like the kids". He said my total was $6,000. I said, "Hey, I don't have that kind of money, you forget that I'm a TEACHER!" He stopped ringing me up and he handed me the two rolls of wallpaper and he said "Here....because your a TEACHER who likes the kids."

I was sooo taken aback. I couldn't believe he gave me the wallpaper......I mean, each roll was only 5.99, but the kindess in his actions were priceless to me. It wasn't even so much the fact that he gave it to me as the lesson I learned from the entire experience. I TEACH BECAUSE I LIKE THE KIDS. Nothing else matters. I can't help but think that God was giving me a message. He forced me to look inside myself to find the simple answer to why I teach. It's not complicated. Thanks God.

MIA

2006-03-23T10:42:00.000-05:00

For those of you who may read my blog and have been wondering where I've been......well, I was abducted by aliens. Seriously. It was an awesome adventure, but I'm glad to be home. I needed to shave my legs. Those scaley little aliens don't have any hair.

Anyone who thought that exersizing would help you lose weight......STOP. I can testify that it absolutely doesn't work. For three weeks I have been sweatin' on the treadmill and doing a pilates tape. After my workouts, I'm STARVING. I eat. I eat more than I did before......and thanks to my dear friend, Jeri, I am now addicted to almond m&m's. They are yummy.

If your wondering why I have been killing myself with these workouts.....here's why. I am going to ride a mechanical bull. Yes. You heard me right. I am. I'm not kidding. My friend, Donna, and I are going to do it. She tried before, but couldn't get up on it. hee hee! I bet that was funny to watch!

I also want to wear a swim suit this summer without looking like a curd of cottage cheese. What is up with that??? Why does that happen??? In my youth....ahem.....I had such smooth beautiful skin. Now that I am entering ancienthood (yes, I made that word up.....you can do that when your ancient) my thighs have these ripples that look a little like....well, the dunes. *sigh* Shut up......you know you have this problem too. It comes with age. If you would shave your legs....you would see it too.

Okay...well, I will see ya all in another three months. Just kidding....although, I don't know when I'll be back again. I'll try to be better. I know your all Jonesen (ha ha....get it???) for some Jones!

WHY??

2006-02-16T08:11:00.000-05:00

Why can't I ever get anything done? Seriously. I don't know what I do all day....but is certainly isn't productive. (for some reason when I press enter on my blog, it doesn't take me to the next line...it just moves my screen up a tad and the curser disappears, so if this appears to be one run on paragraph.....it's really not my fault. .....It's bloggers) Anyway, I am going on a scrapbooking retreat down in ARCADIA, IN. for the weekend with some of my pals on the design team. It's going to be a rockin' blast. I can hardly wait. I packed up all of my scrapbooking supplies a couple days ago in hopes of getting things done around the house before I go. I didn't want any distractions, you know? So what did I do all day yesterday???? I can't tell you. I don't know. I did laundry.....but the rest is a blur. Valentines day came and went without too much excitement. I got a seriously funny card from Doug. On the front is a dog. He has his tongue out and it says "pant, pant, pant" "Is this bothering you?" When you open it up....it says "If it is, just say the word, and I can lose the pants!" That is soooo totally Doug. Our kitchen is probably the biggest room in the house but when he's in there with me....it suddenly becomes closed quarters. I don't understand this. Keisha and I have talked about this. Why do men do that? They think it's really sexy to rub against you for no apparant reason while your TRYING to cook or clean!!! Aggg! Men. Then when I say...."ahem....there is plenty of room in the kitchen....do you NEED to do THAT???" he either gets the "puppy dog look" or he says something corny, like "awe, come on baby, you know you want it".....ummmm.....no.....not really....but thanks anyway. You would think that after being turned down 10, 489 times in 12 years, he would get the hint and STOP doing it.....but nope. He continues to do the same thing...over and over again. I wonder if he thinks that ONE time....just ONCE I might actually strip down naked and we'll do it right there in the midst of a spahgetti dinner while the kids play silently in their rooms. Speaking of naked....my butt is getting large. I noticed it yesterday when my mom came over and took some pictures. I was goofing around and she got a shot of my butt. AGGG! I didn't need to see that. There's a reason it's BEHIND me. I do diet.....but it doesn't work. How can it when I eat donuts and potato chips on a regular basis DURING my diet. Doug (for obvious reasons) thinks that if I had sex every night, my butt would get smaller.....but I think I would rather eat potato chips and watch American Idol. Did you notice that some of the idols are chunky? Maybe "chunk" will be the in thing. I really hope so. I would hate to give up my eating habits and have to give Doug sex.

wow!

2006-02-13T07:49:00.000-05:00

Yep. It's been awhile. I got a little irritated with my blog not too long ago. I wrote a long blog and I went through a lot of trouble to pick out pictures, resize them and then tried to load them. It took me a good hour to do all of this. Instead of loading my pictures, I was sent to a "this website is not responding" and when I pressed "back" everything was lost. I tried again with a shorter blog and resized my pictures so they were smaller....and yet again....this happened. I got mad and gave up for the day, thinking I would return, but everytime I thought about blogging again, I got a bad taste in my mouth. I figure with Valentines Day on the rise and my cropping retreat, I would prepare you all for some good adventures and blog again.

Butt kicker

2005-12-14T06:51:00.000-05:00

Okay....December is kicking my butt. I don't know what the deal is....but it's almost half way over and I swear we just had Thanksgiving. I got reamed by Alice yesterday for not blogging since the second....but I swear....YESTERDAY WAS the SECOND! How has this happened?
I think the main reason is that this house has been infested with microscopic organisms bent on destroying my life. I'm serious. It's been nothing but puke and poop in this house! The thing that drives me batty is that the little hooligans get it and throw up twice and are running around the house like torpedos shot from a sub. I get it and I'm down for five days gasping for air, dehydrated, and shriveled like a raisin, POUNDING on deaths door to let me in, begging for a 15 minute nap! Damn that Reaper. I know he's laughing. Some people hear the trotting of hoof beats as the Reaper draws near......I hear him giggeling as he drives on past while my head is in the toilet for the umpteenth time.
So Christmas is almost here and I'm no further on my list of things to do than I was the last time I blogged. I obliterated a few simply because they won't get done....I'm not sure if that counts. Oh well. I did get up and address my envelopes for Christmas cards today. At least that's done. I was given the guilt trip yesterday because my dad's birthday was on the first of NOVEMBER and I still haven't given him his card. :( My mom's birthday was on the 26th and SHE still hasn't been given her gift. She's coming today to get it. (damn, Reaper....now I'm going to have to deal with her too! I'm blaming him for all of this!)
Well, my tummy is doing loop de loops again, so I better visit the toilet before it visits me! I'll just leave you on that pleasant note! :)

Aggg! Kids!

2005-12-02T15:28:00.000-05:00

Okay, after I picked the kids up from the bus stop we went to Kohls. Let me tell you about the 9th level of hell. There is nothing worse than dragging three boys around a department store. I looked like a crazy woman yelling at them the whole time. The cashier gave me "this look" like I was nuts. AGG! Soooo......while we were there, they had 40% off of geotracks PLUS an extra 20% off of that. WOW! That was exciting! I had just paid $40 bucks for the set I got Ryan earlier at Target. Soooo.....I got him TWO $40 dollar sets AND the ROUNDHOUSE for $50! I was soooo excited. I figured I could take the one I got from Target back and then give him the THREE I got at Kohls. I told him that they weren't for him, of course....but I told him that if Santa brought him ALL THREE of those sets AND another set (that we got the day after Thanksgiving) if he would STILL want the set from Target. Of course none of the sets at Kohls were the same as the one from Target. What does he say? He says YES. He still wants the one from Target because it has an EASY drawbridge. Okay....I say....well, what if Santa brought you all THREE of these and a fourth one that HAS a drawbridge in it......would you still want the one from Target? (the one we got the day after Thanksgiving has a drawbridge) and he says....well, yes....he STILL wants the one from Target instead because THAT drawbridge is EASY. AGGGG! So? Do I take the three back and give him the one from Target or do I keep the three and explain to him when he opens the fourth one at Christmas that the drawbridge IS EASY?? The delimas! I'm keeping my fingers crossed that I win the scrapbook contest I'm entering. I guess I better bust my butt to make an extraordinary project!!

Surprise!

2005-12-01T12:26:00.000-05:00

Yes, I know.....I've been ignoring my blog! I'm just so busy with the holidays! I will try to be better. I thought I would post a layout I did the other day. It's for the front table at the store. Our theme is Christmas for obvious reasons. I love this layout. It's simple. I think it's time to revamp my style a bit. I was really into the shabby chic, but I think it's going out now. I think the bold geometric lines and shapes are in style now. Not only do I like the look, but it's easier to scrapbook. This is Robby. Can you believe it? What a cutie!

Yard decorations

2005-11-19T19:35:00.000-05:00

Okay...is it just me? Am I just a big old grinch? Please....tell me it's tacky to have five of those ginormous blow up characters on your front lawn! Isn't that just pushing it a little? What's up with that?? I mean, one is okay.......but five???
Alright, can you hear the sleigh bells ringing? They are getting closer. I haven't done any Christmas shopping yet. I can't seem to get into the spirit. It doesn't seem RIGHT to get into the spirit until AFTER Thanksgiving, anyway, but I usually have some of my shopping done by now. I'm lagging.
We tried to fly a kite the other day when it was so windy. It was pretty funny. It didn't go soaring into the sky....it did this spinning, out of contol jig, about twenty inches from the ground, and Doug got tangled in the string. Of course he blamed me. Said I wasn't flying it right! It couldn't be the fact that he was STANDING in the way or anything.
I will admit that I was more than just a little peeved to see the snow the other day. I suppose it's time for snow.....but that doesn't mean I can't be ticked about it. I hate snow. I hate cold. I thought we were striving for Global Warming here, kids! Stop recycling! I mean it!
Doug is at the grocery store right now. I made him a list. On the list was Preferance #7 1/2. Hee hee! Do you think he'll bring me back the right thing??? I could end up walking around with Magenta hair! What is up with that anyway? Is there something about getting OLD that makes women want to dye thier hair weird colors? I'm sure they can still read and the color is right on the box, so WHY are there so many old women walking around with BRIGHT ORANGE or BABY BLUE hair??? Do they really think that BURGANDY will make them look younger??? AGGG! There should be a law against selling those colors to old women. It's just not right.
Sooooo.......I have a lot to do.......but I'm sitting here typing on my blog. I havent' blogged lately. I'm sure that all of my fans are having with drawel symptoms, so that is a perfect excuse for me NOT to be doing my "chores". Alright.....the almighty TWO people who actually read my blog have already had their fill. Probably got it back on the second sentence and are now drifting off into a deep slumber as I babble on.....soooooo.......I shall go. Ado!

Cupcake kisses!

2005-11-09T11:04:00.000-05:00

I bought the boys these really big cup cakes at Martins yesterday. Adam dug right into his. It was almost as big as his head! Here I am trying to get sweet frosting kisses from him!

Question

2005-11-03T12:45:00.000-05:00

Do you think our society is becoming a little bit too "stiff" about letting our kids be kids? Do you think we are taking away their creativity by demanding that they only "play" a certain way? Do you think we are making them grow up too fast by giving them 1-3 hours of homework at night starting in first grade? Is it any wonder they grow up to be rebelious and depressed? Is it any wonder that there is more violence in schools now a days? There is too much pressure to be the "perfect" student, the perfect child.

EEEWWWWEEE!

2005-11-03T09:47:00.000-05:00

ADAM! What is in your HAIR?? Why, I think it's a MILK DUD! AGGGG! GROSS!

Darth, Bat and Sir Can't see through my mask!

2005-11-02T12:01:00.000-05:00

Here they are!!!

Halloween Dinner

2005-11-02T08:10:00.000-05:00

This was our Halloween Dinner: Mummy Dogs, Bloody Fingers, and OOOOZING Brain!

Pumpkins

2005-10-31T09:50:00.000-05:00

Here are my cute bittie boys with their pumpkins. Adam's pumpkin has eyebrows now, however. He saw Ryans had eyebrows and of course wanted them added! As you might notice, Ryan lost his top front tooth yesterday. I wouldn't be surprised if he didn't loose the other one by Christmas! How cute will that be?? Robby's pumpkin is a cyclops.....I think he looks a little bit like Mike Wisowski from Monsters! The bat in the other picture is Dougs. I made a witches hat on mine. I just love Halloween!

Mahhha ha ha ha ha ha

2005-10-31T09:43:00.000-05:00

Happppyyyyy Halllloooweeeeen!!!!!
Can I make you a pumpkin Pie????

YIPPEEE!!

2005-10-30T23:14:00.000-05:00

I did it! I did it!!! I finished! It's transfering as I write!! I completed my album!! It's 33 pages!! I scanned each page. I cropped each page. I resized each page. I resized each page again because I didn't have them small enough the first time. I photographed the front and back covers. I resized those too. I filled out the entry form. I wrote a 250 word essay. I wrote an e-mail and attached 40 items! It's going to take 50 minutes to trasfer!! I also worked Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and managed to carve five pumpkins tonight!! I am a demi-God!!

12 shades of red

2005-10-27T12:42:00.000-05:00

I suppose I should write the fine print here......if you visit my blog, I can not be held accountable for anything I might say here at any time!!
Yesterday I was teaching a class at PIT and one of my students told me that she knew ALL about me because she linked to my blog through one of my friends blogs. I was quite shaken by this because I had just described my ability to "burp" with the best of them! I realized that when I started this blog, there might be strangers reading it....I guess I didn't consider that I might have one of them in my class! Soooo......if you are a stranger and you are reading my blog....just keep in mind that this is who I am on the inside and unless you become a close friend or family member, you will probably never experience any of my "wierdness"....rest assured!

Now....the other night when I was working, Greta was teaching a class and she had two of my "regular" students in her class. Pat and Penny. They are sooo funny! Absolutely crack me up! After class, Pat was telling me about some of her ordeals the previous day. I couldn't stop laughing when she told me about this and just picturing it now makes me giggle! She said she was driving home in her new BUG and a car hit a deer. She said there was nowhere for her to go except to run right over the deer. The problem is, the deer got stuck under her car and she just kept driving, dragging the deer until it fell off! I think that is sooooo funny! I can just picture her sitting behind the wheel of her brand new car, cussing up a storm as she drags this deer half way across town! Can you picture being in the car BEHIND her....watching this crazy lady in front of you as she drags a deer under her car down the road! I can just picture her swirving all over the place trying to get the deer to drop. I'm cracking up now! ISN'T THAT FUNNY!!!

Bus Stop Mania

2005-10-26T12:04:00.000-05:00

I wonder what people think as they see me at the bus stop with Ryan and Adam. We pull up in the mini van along the wrong side of the street to wait for the bus. While we wait, the kids are running around the van. Hopping up and down. In the back, in the front, in the middle. The windows are going up and down and the locks are popping as I yell at them to stop it. Today, I got tired of Ryan knocking the back of my seat so I said "The bus is coming, hurry up, give me a kiss and get out." So he did. The bus wasn't really coming. I locked the doors and made him stand out there. I WARNED him to stop. Of course, he stood by the van and made faces in my window. He blew nose air and misted it up. Got spit all over it as he ran his face along the window. Stood out there yelling "let me in" as the neighbors were out getting their mail. It was "crazy hair" day, so he looked maniacal as it was. I rolled down my window and told him to cut it out, but he didn't. He just stood out there trying desperately to get in. Three minutes later, the bus came and he got on as I'm yelling out the window, "I love you!!" I turned the van around as my youngest was in the back "Watch me whirl around", yelling "WHooooahhhh....whoooahhhhh.....Whoooooahhhhh". We pull into the drive way and the dog rushes out to greet us. I have to roll down my window to yell at him to get out of the way. He doesn't......so I have to drive with my door open so I don't run him over. What a site we must be!!

On another note.....Alice doesn't like the word "Booger" and especially hates the word "Fart". I like the word booger. I think it's cute. I don't like BOOGERS, themselves....and I HATE seeing nose pickers......but Booger is a fun word to say. I don't say "fart" very often. We have other names for that stinky sound that sometimes pops out. We call them Poots and Toots and Barking Spiders. Remember.....I AM the only female in a household of males. There is a lot of testosterone around me, so I feel the need to join in. I've learned to toot with the best of them, and you should hear me burp! I'm the lead burper in our family! A title to be proud of, no doubt!

Don't worry. I don't let this side of me out in public. While in public, I appear to be the persona of girlie hood.......so friends, don't run in fear. I won't stink you out and I won't share my talents. They are strictly for those who live with me! They are blessed ones!

Happy Birthday!

2005-10-25T15:27:00.000-05:00

Today is my sisters birthday!

Happy Birthday SUZY!!!

Okay, I don't make very many mistakes.....at least not that I will admit to anyway, but I think I made one yesterday. I went grocery shopping and I bought a bottle of Hoodia Gordonii. I go through spurts where my health and nutrition become an obsession and I read everything I can about natural products and then I buy them. These spurts last as long as it takes for me to hit my PMS time and then I gorge on chocolate and salty snack foods, avoid my vitamins and minerals and laze around without a thought to exersize. ANYWAY.....I checked out a book from the library about hypothyroidism. I have been batteling this problem for five years now and it sucks. I can't even describe how terrible it is to have a low functioning thyroid. Yes, I know that there are things that are worse, but I have THIS, so I'm going to complain about it.
I have to take medication for the rest of my life and I have to get blood tests frequently to make sure my levels are on. I know that right now, they are off. It's time to get a blood test.
Anyway.....I read this book from cover to cover because I wanted to get a grasp on dealing with this and perhaps finding ways to make it easier. In her book, she mentions several supplements that help. One of them is Hoodia Gordonii. She describes how people who take this have an increase in energy and it supposedly supports thyroid function. It's supposed to help with appetite control and has several other benefits. She really hyped it up and said to make sure that when buying it, that it is strictly Hoodia and doesn't have a bunch of other products added in with it. Soooooo........I bought a bottle and started taking them this morning. It was $30 bucks so it wasn't cheap. I decided to look it up on the internet. Well......when I did....I realized that there are lots of "false" hoodia products on the shelves. They claim to be Genuine Hoodia, but aren't. I guess Hoodia is very hard to come buy. One of the things they said to avoid is Hoodia that has a listing of 20:1 extract. Guess what folks, that's what my bottle says! Aggg! I should have done my research BEFORE buying my bottle!! I've been suckered!

Poop!

2005-10-21T16:00:00.000-05:00

Well, Doug is sick. He was going to take the older boys camping this weekend, but can't because he's sick. Poop.
I worked with Alice last night. She's such a great sport about the pictures I posted of her. She said her and her husband got a laugh, although, she isn't fond of the one with her and Anne. She said she looks like Anne's butch girlfriend yelling at me to stop taking pictures of them together!!! Alice, your sooo funny!
Here are some pictures of Pages In Time where I work. It's a beautiful store. We even have a place for men to sit and read magazines while they wait for their wives to shop.

ALICE

2005-10-18T18:01:00.000-05:00

I think that these pictures give a clear representation of ALICE! This is why Alice is sooo much fun! She just cracks me up with her animation! The first picture is Greta and Alice. Look at Alice telling Greta where she can go if she doesn't like her service and notice the look of astonishment on Greta's face. Next is Anne and Alice. Anne is looking all seductive and Alice has her finger going with a look of "if you take ONE more picture!!!" Next we have Alice sporting her "thin" jacket. She looks particularly thin in this jacket and has vowed to never take it off. The next picture is of Alice with the look she always seems to be giving me. I'm not sure why. It looks like a mixture of horror and awe. Finally, we have Alice with her "get out" look. Alice has "signature" lines that belong to her. One is "Get OUT". When working with Alice, I hear this expression at least once an hour. I'm not sure if she's had enough of me and is telling me to "get out" of the store....get away from her......Or she is saying "get out" I can't believe you REALLY exist!! The other expression I hear from her regularly is "WHO ARE YOU???"
I LOVE YOU, ALICE!!!!

Bat Girl

2005-10-18T14:47:00.000-05:00

Ever dance with the devil in the pale moonlight??

Okay...so I ran around the house in a batman mask yesterday. Adam insisted. He gets his way a lot. What can I say? I answered the door wearing this mask. It was my mom. She didn't seem to notice I was wearing said mask. I took it off before I went to work.

Me and Boo!

2005-10-17T15:26:00.000-05:00

This was a great weekend, but it went by so fast! On Friday we had family night. Doug brought me home these flowers for Sweetest Day. We went to Burger King for dinner and then checked out the new Kohls down the road from us. Doug ended up bringing the kids out to the car and when I came out, Robby looked all mad. I asked Doug what was wrong with him and he said that Robby earned five time outs. That's 45 minutes!!
When we got home, we watched the movie Robots and ate candy. Robby got out of his time outs.
On Saturday I had to be to work by 7:45. I worked with Alice again, so we had a lot of fun. I took a bunch of pictures, so I'll post those later after I resize them. Saturday night my mom took the kids so Doug and I went to Olive Garden for dinner and to see a movie at the dollar theater. We saw Skeleton Key. It was different. Glad we only paid a buck.
Sunday I went to the store and worked on some sketches for layouts and met up with some of the girls before going to Mark and Julies for their "party/meeting". It was a good time. I took more pictures and will post those later too. I got a nice one of Katie showing me her butt. (Thanks Katie!)

yummy!

2005-10-14T15:06:00.000-05:00

I'm lovin' banana now and laters. I picked up three bags at Target today and I'm eating all of the banana ones. I'm going to save the rest of the flavors for Halloween trick or treaters. Is that bad????!!!

Two in one Day!

2005-10-14T10:39:00.000-05:00

Soooo......I am down twenty years on my life and have 50 more gray hairs on my head after yesterday. I'm going to have to stop and get a box of Loreal.
After the whole deal with Robby, I ended up having a SECOND heart attack last night at work. Here's what happened.
I worked with Alice. I love Alice. She and I just have so much fun together. We closed the shop at nine and spent some time trying to figure out why her x-report was off. Michelle was there with us and we walked her to the door to lock up after she left. We were having a conversation about the maintenance man coming to look at Michelles furnace. I asked her if she was going to be there when he came. She said that she couldn't because she couldn't take off more work, that the guy would come in and out while she was gone. I asked her if that freaked her out....I mean the guy could be in her room sniffin' her underware and she wouldn't know it. At this, Alice turned into a melted pile of sludge. She couldn't believe that I would say this! It was soooo funny! Michelle said that she thought that she may have actually had things stolen the last time he came in......anyway, this got us to talking about WEIRDOS. We locked up after Michelle left and Alice and I walked to the back to put the money away and to check the bathrooms. We were still talking about Weirdos when I opened the door that leads into the area where the bathrooms are. I got a creepy feeling as I opened the door and as my mind processed the fact that the outside door was opened, and SHOULDN'T be, a man walked out of the bathroom and I started SCREAMING......at this, ALICE started SCREAMING and I could feel her grabbing my arm. We are both SCREAMING and I'm not sure if the guy was screaming too, but we didn't stop until we finally noticed it was the maintanence man who cleans our bathrooms!!! The owner, Mark, had changed his times and didn't tell us! He usually comes in early in the evening, but Mark asked him to come in after the store was closed! Oh My Gosh!!
Alice and I LAUGHED and LAUGHED! Holy cow!!
Two heart attacks in one day! My heart just can't take it!! I'm WAY too old for this kind of activity!!!

AGGGG!!

2005-10-13T14:41:00.000-05:00

Okay! This is the kind of thing that makes me crazy!! I know my child has a "diagnosis" for his problems, but for crying out loud, a mother can only take so much!!
The bus came today and Robby didn't get off of it. I asked Ryan where Robby was and he told me that Robby said he had an appointment and wasn't coming home on the bus. A WHAT??? I didn't know about any appointment!!! So I have all of these things running through my head. I literaly SPRINT home to call the school while I'm having a heart attack! I'm serious. I had chest pains!! I ran threw the door and heard the phone ringing. I grabbed it in time to catch the school secretary who tells me that Robby has a detention for tonight. He was given a slip THREE days ago to give to me and he told her he "forgot". AGGG! He's just lucky I have awhile to calm down before he gets home because I am soooo mad right now I think I would scream so loud I would burst his ear drums and then I would be sent to jail for "verbal abuse". I'm not even kidding. As I sit here with my heart thudding in my chest, my brain is doing a little thud thud thing against my head, my hands are shaking, and I can't even think straight! I can't even THINK of an appropriate punishment that doesn't include me screaming like a raving lunatic for an hour!!! AGGG! Not only THAT, but every day, I ask him what kind of day he has had and he tells me EVERY DAY that he has had a GREEN day! How can you have a GREEN DAY and get a DETENTION!! So he has been lying to me on top of all of this. AGGGG!

Robby

2005-10-11T12:43:00.000-05:00

Look at my handsome boy on his first day of school! He is going to drive the girls wild some day!! We were waiting for the bus stop here.
I'm still trying to resize my pictures so that they don't get a blurry quality to them. I'm not very good at it yet. My layout below even has some of the edges cut off and the quote is too blury to read. Any suggestions for sizing???

I work tonight. It should be fun. I'm not going to say why yet, but I'll blog about it tomorrow. :)

It's so darn gloomy out. It's hard to get motivated to do much. Ryan didn't have school today and Robby only had to go a half a day. I bought apples and caramels, so we are going to make caramel apples today. :) That will be fun! And Yummy!!

2005-10-11T11:28:00.000-05:00

It's been a few days since I've blogged. Nothing too exciting has been going on here. I finished this layout for the store today. I think it needs something, but I'm not sure what.
Adam is such a ham. He is so animated. He's always making faces.

Photo center flip out

2005-10-07T14:42:00.000-05:00

I have major P.M.S. I am totally hormonal. I have been for a couple of days now. My back is killing me, I have heartburn, I have cramps, and I'm crabby. It was not a good day to mess with me.
I decided to travel up north to the Sams club today so I could develop my photos. I planned my time so that I could drop them off, eat luch, get some things at Jo-Ann Fabrics, pick them up and be home in time for the bus.
I have been a member at Sams for years. I used to take in hundreds of rolls of film a year. I'm not kidding! I'm a photo maniac. They have gotton great business from me. The problem was that they started losing my film. They lost a couple of rolls and then they mixed up a few rolls of film and I got someone elses. I never got my pictures back. To me, this is devestating. I am a scrapbooker, a photographer, and it's just not acceptable, so I stopped going there.
When I got into digital photography, I decided to go back. I figured they were less likely to mess up my order when it had to be processed in an hour and I liked the idea of being able to pick the sizes and number of photos I wanted. Plus they are cheaper. That I really like. I spend A LOT of money on photos.
Anyway, they advertise one hour processing. I think I have gotton my photos on time three or four times. Most of the time I have to wait 15 or 20 minutes past the time. Once or twice, I've actually had to go back. I find this annoying. They shouldn't advertise one hour processing if it's not going to be done in an hour and if it's not, they should at least give a discount.
Anyway, that's what happened today. I dropped my film off at noon and went back there at 1:15 to pick up my photos. That's 15 extra minutes. When I got there, the lady said that it would be awhile. I said "how long?" She said probably 45 minutes!!! I said that I didn't have 45 minutes. Would I get a discount for having to come back. At this point, the other lady came over and she got crappy with me. She said that the system was down and that they didn't have enough people working there to get the jobs done that were required of them. Ummmm??? I can feel my blood pressure rising at this point. After my ordeal at Home Depot the other day, and then having to wait for 45 minutes for my food at Don Pablos last night, I've about had it with stupid retail people. What ever happened to the customer always being right??? I work in retail and I would never think of treating a customer with anything but respect even if I KNOW they are wrong. AGGG!
Anyway, I left the store. I knew that if I stood there any longer listening to this woman basically complain to ME about her job, I was going to explode. By the time I got inside my car, I was fuming. I called and asked for the manager. I had to listen to stupid elevator music for five minutes which gave me even more time to boil my anger. By the time this poor sap got on the phone, I was in a rage. I yelled about having to drive a half an hour when gas prices are 3.00 a gallon to pick up my pictures when they should have been done in an hour and that I couldn't stay because I had to be back to the bus stop on the south side of town and that I planned everything accordingly and that I don't know if I'm jinxed or what, but I'm tired of never getting my photo's on time and that if they are going to advertise one hour service, then I better GET one hour service!! I took a breath and then I said that all I wanted was a discount, but the lady at the counter couldn't even give me that. She got crappy with ME because the system was down and that every time I go in there, the system is down, and that it's frustrating. Finally, I stopped and let the man speak. He apologized and said that he would make sure I got a discount. Of course, my emotions turn off as fast as they turn on, and now I"m feeling sorry for this guy who I just yelled at and then I start apologizing to him. Aggg! What is wrong with me??? I am going to have to dye my hair a different color before I go back into Sams again.

Almost Friday!

2005-10-06T22:41:00.000-05:00

I work at the greatest store on EARTH! I'm not even kidding! I love working for Pages In Time!!! There isn't anything I don't like about it! I worked with Alice tonight! I love working with Alice! She is such a hoot! She loves scrapbooking supplies almost as much as I do! We both get sooo excited when there is new stuff!!! She puts all of this stuff in a pile that she wants to buy and then by the end of the night she ends up with maybe two or three things that she actually purchases! I start out with one or two things and end up purchasing five or six things!
I have the most wonderful children in the world! They really are super kids! Robby came home today all excited about a project he read in a book at school today. All I heard was "paper air plane, fire, explosion, at home". I said no. Probably not. Ryan tried to stick up for him by saying "it will just be a small fire, mommy". I said, nope....I don't think so. Hmmmm.....
Adam is going through a sensitive phase. He hates it when anyone is cross with him. If I say anything just a tad stern, he puts his hand over his mouth and cries as though I have broken his heart. How sweet is that? Alice asked me today if I ever have to yell at my kids. I really don't that much. The only time I get super irritated is when they fight, but they haven't been doing much of that lately.
I hear that mouse. He is somewhere chewing on something.........

Busy, Busy, Busy

2005-10-06T12:56:00.000-05:00

I've been so busy, I haven't had time to post in a couple of days! I'm sure you are all very disappointed!
We finally got some answers on LOST last night! Man, I love that show! I wish it was on every night! I'm not into Survivor as much this season. I can't seem to connect with any of the players. I still love CSI. I watched E-Ring last night and it actually wasn't that bad.
I was sitting in my chair yesterday reading my book and I saw something move out of the corner of my eye. I looked into the kitchen area and noticed a blob of "dust" under the closet door. Then it moved so I looked closer and it was this itty bitty teeny tiny mouse looking at me! Oh my gosh! It was soooo cute! Yes, I know...yuck....a mouse! Well, we have a corn field behind us and sometimes they get in when the weather starts to change. Mice don't scare me like insects. This guy was so tiny and cute anyway. I just hate the idea of having to set out a mouse trap. :(
Ryan's birthday was on Tuesday. He is such a character! He took paper and wrapped himself up a couple of "gifts"! I figured he would have wrapped himeself up something cool, but when he opened them, they were the oldest dingiest hot wheels he owns! Silly Boy!
He got to pick where we ate dinner yesteday and he picked Hacienda. He LOVES going there even though he doesn't like Mexican food. I had them do the "Birthday" celebration. The waiters and waitresses came out clapping and singing with a cake and a sombrero and Ryan was so excited he about climed out of his seat! He's such a cutie!!

p-p people

2005-10-03T10:02:00.000-05:00

I got a comment on my blog last night from someone who has a blog dedicated to "penile extenders". Hmmm.....thanks, but no thanks! The funny thing is that I got images in my head of little penis people working out in a gym lifting weights to extend their longevity! Hee! Hee!
I went to Home Depot yesterday to get some paint cans for my class next Saturday. I hate going to Home Depot. It's like the hang out for the people who can't read and don't fit in at Barnes and Noble. Anyway, I went to get my cart and I got behind this WOMAN pushing her kid in one of those gargantuous home depot kid cars. She was trying to maneuver this monstrosity as she sipped a cup of Krispy Kreme coffee. We made it into the store, and she STOPS!! Just STOPS right there in the middle of the isle with this thing. As I'm trying to go around her, she decides to turn! She almost rammed right into me! Then she gives ME this look like "what the hell do you think your doing?" And I give her this look back like "I hope your coffee melts the insides of your stomach" look and I move on. I get to the isle with the paint cans and there are none on the shelf. They are stacked two shelves up out of my reach. There is a ladder there, but it says "For employee use only." I debated getting my own cans, but decided that I didn't want to get kicked out before I had the chance to purchase them. I searched the entire store to find ONE worker standing around with a sheet of paper in his hand. I said "Excuse me sir, I need some help getting something down." He looked at me, then at his paper and he says, "I'm busy". Taken aback, I said, "Well, can you point me in the direction of someone who can help me?" He sighs loudly and says "Show me what you need."
I lead him to the paint cans and he climbs up to get them down. He hands me one and I tell him that I need 10. He sighs again and says "What do you need TEN for? I don't know why anyone would buy empty paint cans!" I didn't feel the need to explain my need so I remained silent. He handed me one that was totally dented, so I handed it back and asked him if I could get a different one. He looked at me and then looked at the can. I am staring at this ASS of a man as he proceeds to "undent" the can. Incredibly, he CAN'T! AGG! Finally, I get my ten cans and head to the checkout. There is only ONE lady checking out and she must be 82. I get in this line and wait 10 minutes. They finally open another line when I am NEXT in the line that I'm already in. The lady checks me out. She is friendly and I like her until she tells me that the lids for the cans won't scan. They don't have a skew code. I tell her that the lids come with the cans and she looks at me as though I'm telling a LIE! She SIGHS (what is it with people SIGHING at me???) and sends me on! AGGGGGG! I will never go back there again as long as I live!!!

weekend

2005-10-02T22:14:00.000-05:00

Well, Saturday was not a great day. I lost my keys. My shoes hurt my feet. I wore long sleeves and it was hot in the store. My belt had too big of a buckle and it cut into my stomache. I did find my keys, but not until after Doug brought me his set. I got home from work and was so totally exhausted that after I stripped off my uncomfortable clothes and put on my jamies I couldn't move off of the couch.
Friday was fun. I wasn't very productive, but I got to spend time with Donna. We don't get together enough.
Today was full of laughter. I laughed a lot today. Poor Alexis. She just doesn't know what to think of me. I sent Katie into a wild uproar. We got pretty loud and actually got shushed. I cropped with the Design Team after work and laughed a lot then too.
We had quite the philosophical discussion about why men do and say some of the things they do. THAT was a roudy conversation! Of course, my cell phone rang during that uproar and Becky answered it with a little quib that Doug always says! Boy! I got in trouble for sharing that one! He hung up on me!!
I did get a lot done tonight. I have almost all of my kits made up for my class next Saturday. That's a HUGE achievement. It takes me soooo long to prepare for a class.
This is going to be a busy week. I have to bake a cake and treats for Ryan to take to school. His Birthday is on Tuesday. I have to work Monday night. Tuesday night we'll have Ryan's Birthday party. Wednesday we have to take Robby down to Riley. Thursday I have to work.
Never a dull moment!

Friday!!

2005-09-30T11:05:00.000-05:00

Yay! It's Friday!
It's FREEZING outside! I'm not ready for cold weather yet! I'm glad it's supposed to warm up later next week! Ack! I HATE winter! It's the worst! By February I just want to curl up and die!
I'm going cropping tonight. This is a major event. I have to spend the entire day trying to figure out what to pack so I don't forget anything. Then I need to decide what to wear. I need to look good, but I need to be comfortable. I will end up spending hours packing my stuff and then I'll get there and end up buying half of what I want off of the shelves because I don't feel like going through all of the stuff that I brought. I should pre-plan pages, but who has time to do that? I tend to be a spontaneous cropper anyway. If I try to plan out a page, it never looks the way I had thought it would.
Anyway, I can't wait! Donna is going with me! Even if I get nothing done, the night should be lively and entertaining! Michelle is going to crop with us too! I hope she doesn't run away scared when she realizes how crazy Donna and I really are! Naomi was going to come along but her man had surgery and she feels obligated to stay home and help him out. Maybe he'll get tired of her and shoo her off and she'll come cropping with us after all!
I have to confess that I bought ANOTHER bag last night. Oh, man, it's soooo cute! It's by "Around the Block" and it's black leather. Anne bought one at the convention and I fell in love with it the first time I saw her with it. I've been waiting for them to come in and they finally did last night. Of course, I caught hell. I only own a million other bags. I am going to start calling Jeri "Cricket". She's like my "conscience". She sees me with piles at the store and knows I SHOULDN'T be buying anything else! I really don't NEED anything else, but WHO can resist??? I need your help Jeri!!! (of course, SHE was the one who told me that the new Making Memories should be in today.....some Jiminy Cricket you are!!! :))

5 quirks

2005-09-29T14:05:00.000-05:00

Here are five quirks about me:
1. I always have to have one foot sticking out from under the covers. I'm not sure why, but if I have them both covered up I feel clausterphobic.
2. If I find hair in my food at a resteraunt, I will NEVER go back there again. The thought of the hair haunts me and produces a gag reflex that I can't get over.
3. I have to be at least a half an hour early to every place that I go, but if I'm going to a party, I can't be the first one there, so I will drive around until I notice that someone else has already arrived and THEN I'll go in.
4. Hearing people on the t.v. talk with their mouths full grosses me out. I'll turn the channel.
5. I have a hightened sence of smell and hearing. I sleep so lightly that even the softest sound will wake me up so I have to sleep with ear plugs in.

Now.....anyone who has just read my five quirks and owns a blog has just been tagged! YOU have to name YOUR five quirks on your blog!!

hmph!

2005-09-28T18:28:00.000-05:00

So Doug reads my blog and the first thing he says to me is, "Your eyes aren't green". I said "I know they aren't green, they are hazel, but sometimes they look green depending on what I wear". He says, "No they don't". At this point my eyes are turning red and this he seems to notice because he takes a couple of steps back and says "But that's a nice picture of you".
Agggg!

Self portrait

2005-09-28T12:13:00.000-05:00

Okay....I'm a day late and a dollar short, but I'm going to do the Self Portrait Tuesday today!! I've been playing around with photo editing. I stink at it, but I might get better with practice.
Here is my first portrait. My head looks HUGE but I wanted to get close so that I could crop out my eyes for the picture below. Out of all of my features, I think that my eyes are my favorite. They change colors with the clothes that I wear, but they look best when I wear shades that make them look green. I think that my eyes are expressive and tell a lot about me. As I've aged, I've gotton crows feet to the side showing my life as a smiler. I try to smile at everyone even when I'm not feeling my best.

My blog about a frog!

2005-09-26T22:36:00.000-05:00

Today was good. Productive. I did some paper work for L.A. and made a couple of calls. I scanned and did photo editing to 15 pictures. I cleaned the boys bathroom. ICK. That was nasty. Work was slow, but Michelle and Keisha were there, so that was fun. We had LARGE Pumpkin Spice Chai's from Boarders! I got them with whipped cream! YUMMY!

I always have a camera with me, but tonight I didn't have one and I wish I would have. Jamie came in and cleaned out her purse right there on the counter. You wouldn't believe the stuff she had shoved into that little thing!
After the store closed, Keisha and I went to the back to lock up and throw out the trash. When I opened the back door this big ugly green FROG jumped up and attacked me! I screamed and did a little dance! The frog got into the store and then Michelle came back and we were all dancing around as we tried to avoid the frog. Keisha called Anne to see if she wanted us to box the frog up for her son. Anne said yes, so when Keisha was trying to nudge the frog into the box, I SWEAR to you all that this frog screamed! YES! It did! It sounded possessed! It was crazy!
I'm going to have nightmares tonight! Soooo.....we taped the box and stuck it in the back office for Anne. Hopefully, anyone who goes back there will read the note we left and not open up the box!

Sunday Again

2005-09-25T08:40:00.000-05:00

Once again, it's Sunday. It's gloomy. It's boring.

I betchya didn't know:

I want to rebuild an old Mustang. I used to have a cute little red Mustang. It was awesome. I loved that car. It wasn't practical for kids so I got rid of it and got the "dreaded" mini van. There is NO WAY to feel cool driving a mini van. Even with the windows down and the music blaring. Anyway, I love Mustangs. I think they are the greatest. I want to get an old one and spend time working on it. I think that once the kids are older, that would be a great project for them to help me with. I don't know a lot about the inside of cars, but my Grandpa used to be a mechanic. He did it more as a second job at his house. I used to watch him when I was little as he worked in his garage. I still remember the smells and the sounds. He used to chase me out when he was painting, but I would sneak back in to peek at what he was doing. I thought the whole process was fascinating. I worshiped my Grandpa in a way he will never know! Anyway, I think I have inherited the genes. Do you remember in high school when we had to take those tests to tell us what career best suited our interests?? Well, mine came back as Aeronautical Engineer! At the time, I thought "How stupid! I don't want to be an "airplane mechanic!" Of course in high school, I think our entire perspective of the world is a bit skewed, don't you? Ironically, I now think it would have been a great job for me.

Men

2005-09-24T16:38:00.000-05:00

There are a few men on the planet who get it. They seem to understand exactly what it is a woman wants and needs. I'm saying this because I am always amazed by the amount of men who come into the scrapbook store to buy gift certificates for their significant others. As a guy walks up to the door, I can see him pause in hesitation. "Do I really want to go in here?" He steps through the door and looks behind him to make sure none of his buddies saw him go into a "scrapbook" store. I watch him as he takes a deep breath and begins to walk. He looks over to decide if he needs a basket. Shakes his head and walks up to the counter. He looks around, lost. I say "Can I help you" and he immediately gets this look on his face like he is trying to purchase a case of tampons and says "I need a gift certificate....how much should I get?" Like I should know how much he should get or can afford! Once we decide on a "good" amount, I ring him up and give him the gift certificate and an envelope. "Wow! A free envelope" look passes over his face and I know that I have just made his day! This is a guy who understands his woman. He is brave. He is courageous. He might get sex tonight AND get to watch a football game! Kudos to those men who "get it!" :)

Layouts!

2005-09-22T14:07:00.000-05:00

I'm so excited! I got a program called Panarama Maker that will allow me to stitch together my 12 by 12 layouts so I can publish them on the web! I thought it was going to be totally complicated, but my friend Jeri told me about this program and how easy it is. She was going to purchase it off of the internet for $40, but she went to Office Depot and found them on sale! I went and got one too. It is soooo worth the money!
Anyway, here is my first scanned layout! It's a "u-pick" for the store using Sweet Water Products. I just love that product line!

The text is a little hard to read because I had to shrink my picture down quite a bit to get it to load. I'm going to have to play with the megapixels and resizing in order to fix that problem.....but overall, I don't think it turned out too bad for a first try!

Suzy

2005-09-22T08:07:00.000-05:00

So now my sister wants attention! Like she didn't get ALL of the attention growing up! :)
Suzy lives out in L.A. now. She's living the free and fancy life. She has a degree in Engineering but she isn't using it. She's flitting around the town looking for Mr. Right to come along with a whole load of money so she can spend her day's at home shopping and looking beautiful with her hair extensions and manicures! So....if anyone reading my blog knows of such an individual, let me know and I'll make sure she gets the information! Just kidding....welll....not really.....she does have hair extensions and manicures.....and she is looking for Mr. Right with a lot of money.....*LOL*

ANYWAY......I love Lost. It was on last night and let me tell you I just sit glued to the edge of my seat when it's on. It's the best! For those of you who know me well, you probably know that I can't watch tv without "doing" something. I have my scrapbooking "palace" set just right so that I can watch tv while I work. When lost is on, I can do NOTHING. I love it! At first, I thought Sawyer was the one for me. He has that bad boy attitude that I just melt over. Now I'm finding that Jack is the guy. He's got a bit of "bad boy" in him, yet he's mysterious and sensitive too. There is something about the tatoos on his MUSCULAR arm!! Ahhhh......I have to say that I found his "Luca" (from ER) hair cut a bit disturbing, however. Did you all see that? It just wasn't him!

Ah well....another day....another diet. I'm determined to walk on my tredmill today. I thought that walking back and forth to the bus stop six times a day would be enough.....but alas, it is not. I notice that my exersize ball keeps ending up in the bathroom.....so someone is using it. What happened to the days of eating whatever I wanted without it showing up??? It simply isn't fair that when a woman hits 30 she suddenly blimps out! What is up with that?? Of course, I have noticed that my reasoning about food has changed as my body has changed. Any of you do that? Ahhh....these fudge pops are fat free and only have 50 calories......I can have another one.....and another one.....and another one.

So....Suzy....you need to find a man before you hit thirty, or that 96 pounds you carry on your frame will suddenly turn into 196 and then your life will be over! You're destiny.....spinster! HA! HA! HA! HA!!!

DONNA

2005-09-21T13:56:00.000-05:00

Okay, I got an e-mail from Donna who was sad and jealous that I didn't mention her on my blog and with life as hectic as it has been, we haven't had the chance to get together lately, so I thought I would dedicate this section to DONNA! Donna is my best buddy! She's one of those people who would do anything for anyone. She has been there for me through a whole heck of a lot! She makes me laugh and I feel like I can totally let loose when I'm around her. We've shared some crazy moments together and I'm sure we'll share some more as we grow older!!
Here's to a lifetime of laughter, Donna! :)

Tagged

2005-09-20T12:19:00.000-05:00

Hey! I've been tagged by my friend Michelle! (I haven't quite figured out how to link her blog to my blog yet!)
She want's me to answer a question and then I am going to ask her a question. I believe that's how it works, anyway! Okay, here is the question she asked me: What traits do you find most appealing in people?

I've been asked this question before and it always throws me. Believe it or not, I'm really quite shy and I have a hard time meeting new people. I have a lousy self esteem and I worry about how people percieve ME. If I meet up with a new friend and I don't hear from them, I assume that THEY didn't "click" with ME. I get nervous sometimes when I'm around new people and I say silly things and wonder later what in the world made me say them.
Scrapbooking has really been a lifesaver for me. After I had my first child, I really closed in on myself. None of my friends were having children yet and I didn't seem to have anything in common with anyone. There was a span of time where it was just me, my husband, and my son. What made it worse, was the fact that my son had problems and I didn't understand them. It was pretty depressing. I had always considered myself a social animal and thought I had all of these "friends" but when I was having problems in my life, I realized that I really didn't have anyone. Everyone had disappeared.
When I started scrapbooking, I came into contact with other people who I had things in common with and I started coming out of my shell. I am still leary of creating close bonds with people because I don't want to get hurt, although I truly long for dear friends who I can count on and who rely on me.
So......after this long speel, I suppose the most important traits I look for in a friend would be someone whom I can count on and trust to be there through thick and thin. Someone who can see through my "facade" and accept me for the way that I am. Loyalty is a big factor for me. I think that friends need to share a common thread, but that doesn't mean that everything they do has to be the same. Sometimes it's the differences between us that make our friendships unique and longlasting. Friendship is about taking and giving. There are times when one person has to be the "listener" and another when one person has to be the "talker", but it should never be the same person doing the same thing all of the time.

Alrighty then......here is my question for Michelle: If you could sit down with one person from your past and have a heart to heart with, who would it be and why?

Country Music

2005-09-19T11:46:00.000-05:00

Okay....okay....I am being flogged by e-mail from friends (and my dad) who have read my profile and did not realize that I started listening to country music about FIVE.....yes it's been FIVE years already. Yes....I know that at one time I said I HATED country music and it would be a cold day in hell before I ever listened to it. Well, I think hell is a bit cooler now, so I reconsidered my position when RAP started playing on U93. I simply can not stand rap. It's just not my thing. I can't listen to it. It grinds my brain into pieces and it seeps out through my ears. I don't dig the country "twangy" stuff where some drunk is singing about his run around wife while his dog howls out the window of his blue pick up truck. I like the new "rock" type country like Kenny Chesney and Keith Urban. My favorite song is Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy. So now that we have that cleared up........
Adam got a new hat. It has Sponge Bob Bob, Patrick, and Squibirb on it.....that's how he pronounces it. He is wearing it everywhere with his shorts and sandals on. He has also taken up the habit of hoarding. See how he has TWO Winnie the Pooh sippie cups?? Actually, I think he comes by it naturally. Hoarding seems to be an inherited trait in my family. My mom hoards everything from 20 year old craft supplies to bottles of expired neehi cola in the garage. (I'm not sure if that's how you spell neehi.....I'm not sure they even make it anymore) I hoard my scrapbooking supplies. I love my scrapbooking supplies and rather than use up my stash, I feel the need to buy more. Of course.....there is the problem that once I buy more, I don't want to use what I just bought because then I won't have it anymore. It truly is an illness. *sigh*

Sunday's

2005-09-18T10:40:00.000-05:00

What is it with Sunday's? I just want to stay home in my bed and burrow under my covers with a good book. I can't imagine ever staying in bed all day. Even on days when I'm sick I will generally crawl out of bed to do SOMETHING. Otherwise I lay there thinking of all of the things I need and should be doing and then I am riddled with guilt and it's so not worth it!

Yesterday was fun! I worked with Alice again. She loves me. She told me so. She thinks I'm "unique"....but that's okay. Nothing wrong with being unique. Have fun on your shopping spree, Alice. Be sure to wear your new clothes the next time you work so we can see them!

I watched the movie "Crash" last night. This got me thinking about my own views on racism. I have concluded that there is no way I'm a racist against people of color. I'm equally scared of freaky people whether they are black, white, yellow or purple. I mean really, people, every race has freaky people and I am going to avoid them like the plague. I guess that makes me racist against freaky people. I try not to judge people by their appearance, but if I see a toothless white woman, wearing a moo moo with a cigarette hanging out of her mouth as she yells at her seven children from her tailer......you can bet your booty, I am going to avoid her. This doesn't mean that I "hate" her for who she is......She could be really nice, for all I know......I am simply not drawn to this type of person. Does that make sense? Anyway, the movie is deep and really makes you think.

I am going to the Apple Festival today. How fun is that? A festival to celebrate fruit! I'm sure there will be some freaky people there. Maybe I will throw apples at them and run! Of course I'm not as fast as I used to be.......

Sad

2005-09-17T09:47:00.000-05:00

I'm getting ready for work! I love my job at Pages In Time (PIT). It's the best place in the world! I am sporting my design team t-shirt that Mark and Julie bought us. We are having a "power crop" today so there is going to be a lot of people and a lot of FOOD! We get to eat whatever they serve at the crop. How cool is that?? I love the people I work with and we always have so much fun working together!

On another note.....I just can't stand seeing the scenes from New Orleans anymore. It totally breaks my heart. I would be down there in a second trying to help out if I could. What really gets me are the pictures of all of the children looking for their parents. AGGG! I can't even imagine. I am thinking that by now, if the parents haven't showed up to claim their children, they must be dead. That is just so sad. I want to wrap my arms around each and everyone of their little bodies and tell them that it will be okay. *sigh*

Well, I'm sure I'll have stories to write about when I get home, so until then......keep it real!

ME!

2005-09-16T12:48:00.000-05:00

Hey LOOK! It's me! After much trial and error I finally got a picture on my blog! How cool is that!?!

I couldn't figure out how to add one to my profile, so I thought I would just start out here with this! Keisha, Michelle and I took pictures of each other at the Japanese Gardens. There is something on my face......I'm not sure what it is.....but it doesn't belong there, so don't look too close!

Cindy......you didn't show up last night! What happened to you? You better not go back, you know where, or I will hunt you down and shove mint meltaways down your throat until you vomit!

Hey....speaking of mint meltaways.....for all of you who were Fanny May lovers.....there is a new store called the Philidelphia that carries similar candies like mint meltaways! I found this out the other night when Cindy and I went out for dinner and she brought me a bag full of goodies....thank you Cindy! :)

On a solemn note, I just found out that my friend's sister in law just lost a battle with cancer. She is leaving behind two young children and a grieving family. Please keep them in your thoughts and prayers! (I'm sorry Becky and Adam for your loss!)

Hmmm....

2005-09-16T08:12:00.000-05:00

Okay, I thought I was this way out there creative type......but I'm begining to wonder. I just had to try SIX....yes, SIX times to come up with a cool creative name for my blog. Not only that, but when I went to create my Web site thingee (yes....I am computer term illiterate) I had to add a 10 on the end because someone had already taken my "cool" creative.....not to mention "unique" name!!! It really doesn't make sense to me. I have always been so different from everyone else.....and now I find that I am really pretty much the same. *sob*......okay.....enough whining. I didn't come here to whine. I thought that maybe I would start a blog and become a famous blogger. No....actually, I decided to start a blog because it seems that everyone else I know has one and I dont......hmmmm......there again with the lack of individuality. Something isn't right here!!!
I don't know how many people will actually read my blog, because I tend to be wordy and I run on my sentences and I talk and talk and talk. My friends all say that I write longer e-mails than anyone else they know. Hopefully having a blog will alleviate some of my e-mail wordiness!!
(Hey, I think I just heard someone cheer! Cut that out!)
Alright....I am going to spend the rest of the day figuring out how to set up my blog so that it looks cool. Actually, it will probably take me the rest of the day just to figure out how to post what I've just written, but we won't discuss that.
Before I sign out, however......I feel like I must apologize to the girl I worked with last night at PIT. (I'll tell you more about PIT later) Anyway......Her name is Alice and I think I scared her. She kept saying "Do I really need to know this?" whenever I would say something. Once I get to know someone, which I feel like I know Alice comfortably now, I tend to say what's on my mind. She made me laugh so hard I almost peed my pants and I think that scared her too.
So, anyway, Alice, if you are reading this......I'll completely understand if I come in to PIT and see that you have rescheduled all of your hours to nights when I don't work! But if you don't.....I promise to bring in Krispy Kremes again and not to talk about my smelly sandals and flatulance!!!

Ta Ta for now!!