A Frightful List on Happiness

Obviously this blogging thing doesn't appear to be for me. It has been months since my last post and I haven't even really thought about it at all. I have found some really great blogs out there that are seriously a lot of fun, colorful, and just plain great to read. But I tell ya, I find that when I do consider getting online and blogging that the majority of thoughts that run through my mind to write about are all negative...
I WANNA WRITE ABOUT SOMETHING HAPPY! Something happy?

So today I am choosing my children. My two boys. As Christmas has just ended and we are about to head into the New Year I thought that I would post up a few happy shots of my babies from a few years ago and make a commitment to myself to post more as a resolution. (people never keep their New Year's resolutions)

Resolution 1. Loose weight (who is with me?!?!)
Resolution 2. Post more into blog (could be very therapeutic for me)

Things I would like to accomplish this coming year/soon...

1. Weight loss. (Yep.)
2. Be a better mother. (I think I am right up on top here, but why quit trying?)
3. Organize my world. (I recently did this to the meds/first aide cabinet.
It was a true task)

We'll see...

Maybe lend a hand to those who could use it most?

Many many people were affected a great deal by the recent weather on the Gulf coast. Most of us, fortunately, never have to come face to face with the severe damage that these storms can bring to one's life.

Please check out your local Red Cross or go to http://www.redcross.org/ to see how you can help and contribute.

Thanks so much,
Kathleen

Gary Sinise. How could you have not told me Mother?

I recently did one of those “Celebrity Morph” things. You know, the one where you upload a picture of yourself and it searches it’s “database” looking for your celebrity look alike.

I was all excited. I found a picture that I thought I looked halfway decent in and uploaded the file to the site. It brings up your picture and scans it using this…wait for it…Face Recognition Software. Then it compares.

As it would turn out the scan seems to indicate that I am most closely matched with Mr. Gary Sinise among other celebrities such as Quentin Tarantino (Jerod will love that), and that smart, but slightly odd guy from the Food Network, Alton Brown. The only female on the list was Jenene Garafalo.

You can imagine how great my self-esteem is right now. I scanned Jeff from Work’s weasely mug and even he looked like Shakira!

A Dollar Twenty-Seven

Something strange happened yesterday and I thought that I would share it since it seemed to have one of those “Hmm?” moments attached to it.

I needed to go to the bank. Ya know, to do bankly stuff, like pay bills and get cash. (had to cancel my card due to fraudulent activity) So I figured I would do it during lunch.

Julie and I drove over to the Navy Federal Credit Union and she waited in the car for me. Immediately when I entered I noticed that CAPT Mustache (name changed for protective purposes...mostly mine), the Deputy Commander at my work was sitting on one of the chairs directly to the right of the door waiting for something. I at first thought maybe to talk to someone about financial plans as he DOES plan to retire before the new year. So anyway, I walked in, he said hello, I said hello, and I walked on to the first available teller’s window. There was all of this noise from the COINSTAR© machine to my left. It was loud enough to be able to look at it the entire time the teller was organizing my payments without looking like I was staring at someone just sitting there. It WAS okay to look.

The man finishes putting all of his coins into the machine and up on the digital screen it says that he has collected $240.00 this visit. Dang! Now THAT’s a lot of change! I think to myself how I definitely need to bring up our change and put it into that thing. It for sure beats using the ones in the grocery store since those machines take 8¢ to your dollar and THEN ask you to donate the cash on your receipt to one of the many charities listed. He walks away. I turn back to the teller and sign a few things, then I hear the start of the machine again… CAPT Mustache is adding his cash to the coin reservoir.

Only CAPT Mustache has a sandwich baggy with a few coins in it. Nothing like the first gentleman who deposited a HUGE money bag full. The machine runs for just a few minutes and then up on the screen it says: $1.27

THAT’S A DOLLAR AND TWENTY-SEVEN CENTS PEOPLE!

I don’t get it! The man before took a VERY long time and left with a good amount of cash for coins. CAPT Mustache waited a looooooonnnnggg time for just that small amount of change. And why!?! Why would anyone make one paper bill and 27¢ at a coin machine and actually sit there to wait for a turn. Why wouldn’t you just use the change the way it was? Why not leave it in your car and use it for a drink at the drive thru? Why not put it into your money bucket at home and let it accumulate a bit and THEN use the COINSTAR© machine that someone behind you is waiting for? There was a woman behind him. She left with over 100 dollars.

Geez my bank is slow.
Julie and I then did lunch at the China Buffet. Didn't really need that.

When we returned we had a meeting about the CSO’s departure. They announced there would be cake in the kitchen afterward.

He sees me.

CAPT Mustache says, “Hey, I just saw a beautiful young lady just like yourself at the bank a bit ago.”

I smile and say, “Awe, you. *insert little laugh* That is the best Navy Federal I have ever been in. The ones in Hawaii are a mess.”

He agrees and then says, “I used that COINSTAR© machine in there. It’s very nice. Just about once or twice a year I like to go up and shake my change into it.”

Why make what I am assuming would be the 1st trip of the year to the bank to shake your change if it is only $1.27? Gas has hit record highs recently. It costs that much just to drive there.

Who waits in line to dump $1.27 in coins? Does he only have $1.27 in change?

Bar-B-Que and Basketball

Tonight is the third annual Scholarship Dinner, Silent Auction, and Basketball Game (I think that's what it's called) at the boy's school.

Today is the day I realized that I am a suburban mother. I'm even ROOM PARENT for goodness sake! Crazy Exciting for me to get to know the other parents and the boy's friends!

NEVER before today has going to something like this even been remotely appealing to me, but something happened in me this morning. I was poking around on the kid's school's website and sure enough there was the event that the boys have been telling me about. I didn't realize what it was or when it was even though they have been telling me everyday. Honestly, the event looks kind of neat. There is a BBQ dinner and a silent auction. (I am all about those---I'm still sore over last year's loss on a Nativity Scene at a diffent auction)

Well, we're goin! It's going to be pretty fun I think. The teachers are playing basketball and everyone will be having a good time. I think the boys will really enjoy it. I adore their teachers this year and find the small town like atmosphere at the school refreshing. Plus, I'm a real people watcher. NOT a starer... Ok maybe, but going to these types of things will allow me to get to know the other parents better. Sam and Stone are constantly asking me to go over to "So and So's" house and I continuously have to say no because I am NOT about to allow them to go to someone's house whom I do not know. I mean, I am not completely blocking them from all outside of school social interaction. I have taken them to about what seems like 100 birthday parties this year and we have had a child spend the night at our place, but I am not ready for them to venture off just yet. I KNOW I am good. How will I ever know that of others?!?!

Anyway, I have crossed over into being a suburban mother and lovin it! Kennedale has been a great experience so far and am so excited about building a life here with my boys!

The Dangers of Weight Loss

I took that picture on my way back to work from lunch one day in my car... I see it as a sign.

I have been trying my best to be healthier lately. Admittedly I have put on a few pounds since the birth of my last baby, Stone. But HELLO! It has been over six years now... The "I had two babies in a row!" excuse no longer works. While I am not a blob, I am the biggest I have ever been and I'm ashamed. I blame myself completely, I do not work out and I have horrible eating habits. Anyone who doesn't work out says that they never have time. Well, SERIOUSLY I do not.

I get up at 4:45am as it is to make it into work by 6:30am. I stay until 2:30pm and need to bust my butt to get to the boys school before 2:55. From there my entire evening is devoted to them. Playing, dinner, baths, stories, and then bedtime and by that time I am EXHAUSTED just to start all over again the next morning. So unless I get up at 3:45am (an HOUR earlier---not a fan of this idea) I just don't know where I could possibly put a regular work out routine. It is driving me crazy and unfortunately on my mind CONSTANTLY!

I have however been making healthier choices (salads, sandwiches, A LOT of broccoli, chicken, and of course Good Ole Lean Cuisines) and am seeing a difference. It seems my breasts have decided to shrink. Bleh!

I will continue to try to lose weight for those smaller sizes are calling me home.

The Easter Lie

A few days before Easter the boys, like tons of other children, had their picture made with the Easter Bunny. Stone recently has brought it to my attention that there was a man in the costume from this year and that the previous year at preschool the whiskers were drawn on.

I am all about children believing in Santa Claus and the Tooth Fairy because in my mind those seem to be the most believable, but I am not too sure where I stand on the Easter Bunny so I didn't really push the subject with him and try to convince him of anything. Should I try to sell a huge hopping rabbit with pastel covered baskets, hiding hard boiled eggs in the yard to a six year old? I think right about now is the time where the wheels start turning and you slowly figure out that the these characters are fictional and you just pretend in front of your parents for show.

***Please let Sam and Stone believe or pretend to believe for awhile.***

Welp, I did it!

You know that one thing that you just suffer over for days thinking about it and then it happens and it wasn't any big deal at all? That thing that makes you so worried that you start to feel your stomach turning over and it could result in you feeling hot and having a horrible bowel movement? (Okay, too graphic) Well, that happened to me this weekend. Not the horrible bowel movement part, but all of the other stuff.

I have been so worried because I knew that this weekend I would be alone at work. I have been alone before, all the time actually, but not quite like I was this weekend. Not quite under this much pressure. Pressure for me alright. For two weeks now myself and others have been scheduling a VTC that seemed to grow and GROW. From just 14 endpoints to 35 and then wanting more. I haven't done this on my own as of this weekend. Adding to the pressure was that the Admiral was here and there wasn't much for distraction if I made any errors. BUT, I didn't. Everything went absolutely wonderful. At test time it came up and then from then on it was successful. I seriously cannot tell you how much I was stressing. I may however, have my very first wrinkle. So sad.

It tells me a bit about myself.

THE LIST:

1. That I need to work on being more confident.

2. I need to find ways to relax.
and
3. I should stop letting things bother me when there really is no need.

The list seems dang near impossible for me.

HOW I AM/LIST COMPARISON:

1. I have never been a confident person. Maybe I have put forward the appearance of being confident, but really I am a shy person with the same hang ups about myself as others. Are they looking at me? Are they talking bad about me? What if they don't like me?

2. It's hard for me to relax and I'm not just talking about napping or chilling out with time away from the children. I am talking about how I always have a back ache. (I have convinced myself that I am working on a hunch back) I can barely sleep at night because I am constantly positioning my pillow so as not to allow my head to face upwards and help the hump growth process along. (this has been going on for awhile) Without sounding crazy I always here a voice in my head. WoW! Too Late! It's not just anyone's voice, only mine, but I am constantly talking things out in my mind. How can I relax when it is always so noisy?!?!?!

3. I will always be the person who dwells on things. Someone who will never give up or surrender to an argument and I always think that I am right! I let the littlest things bother me from the way people chew their food to the way that people idolize others when I think that the person they idolize is a complete idiot.

DFW Weather makes a not so happy night

The weather was just outrageous last night. Threats of tornados and baseball sized hail. I was up basically all night just tossing and turning. I have to wonder because I have never lived in this kind of weather environment before (I mean the tornados) What do you do when it is the middle of the night? The satelite for the TV doesn't work, maybe the power is out. Do you take cover? Well, I would get my babies and sit in the pantry until the storm passed. Do you wake the children up to take cover when you are not even positive that there is anything truly coming because you have no communication with the outside world?

Texas weather is incredibly unpredictable. They have a saying here that many people have shared with me time and time again from my first stay in Texas that says; "If you don't like the weather just wait five minutes."

Well, I DO NOT like the weather. Not even a bit. I find myself not even enjoying the new weather that arises after the five minutes.

There was no Autumn with trees full of beautiful colored leaves about to fall. Instead it seemed as though the trees went instantly bare and ugly for winter. The Winter does not give you a full bed of beautiful snow. Winter brings a few hail and sleety storms that send everyone here who drives into a "tizzy". Accidents left and right, people dying, schools closing. People who are true northerners just wouldn't believe it. The spring so far has brought nothing but inclement weather. Severe thunder storms, even freezing, rainy weather. I am thankful for LOWES lovely year long guarantee on the flowers that we purchased to landscape our front yard. **If any die as long as we have the receipt we may return them for a new plant.** And Summer is just a stretch around the corner. I arrived in the summer from Hawaii. I stepped off the plane here at Dallas Fort Worth and instantly realized that the heat was up to 110 degrees. The summers are miserable for me. My skin gets blotchy and I get cranky when I am hot. Summer is the season for shorts and tank tops, bathing suits, and flip flops. All of which I DO NOT enjoy wearing.

Alright I am done complaining about the weather. I shouldn't complain about something that I cannot change anyway. I am trying to get away from that. It only makes you seem like a miserable, grouchy person. Oh the things I need to work on.

The First Day

I am starting this blog for the same reason that Kim (my cousin; she can be found at Disney Divas Daily Dish) is starting hers. It'll be a good way to stay in touch a side from Myspace with family and friends...

A little about me:

I am a mother to Sam and Stone. Both are wonderful boys with their own little quirks of cuteness and not so cuteness. Sam and Stone have made me who I am today. And I know that everyone says that about their children, but I mean this 100%! I would still be out partying and having a completely different kind of life if I didn't have them. Hmm.....

I am 28. My birthday is July 7th so that means that I will be edging near the thirty mark here soon. 29 is a year of "Oh my Gods". The year that you think about all that you want and need to accomplish. A year where you think about how maybe you have let yourself down and the year where you try to make a difference to make sure that you are on the right track.

I am a contractor for the United States Navy. My company is SAIC. No, I am not in the military anymore, I was, but that was long ago now. I am on staff at Commander Navy Reserve Intelligence Command in Fort Worth Texas. It is an interesting job to say the least and has been a wonderful tool for me to meet people and make lifelong friends. I meet new people constantly and am always a little moved by the committment of the families and the members of the United States Military. A committment that I would never not want to know and be a part of.

So now you know I live in Kennedale, Texas. Not the place that I would have ever dreamed that I would land, but I did and I'm glad we did. Brought the boys here to be near family. They have never really known family until recently. So I guess though I try to fight the feeling everyday, I am glad to be here. My children have learned what it is like to have uncles and grandparents and cousins! I've bought a house here and who knows?! Maybe this place will be a great place for Sam and Stone to raise their families.

I am an average woman. I would never stand out in a crowd. I am not too insanely special in any area. I am constantly dieting like every American. I can't play the piano with my toes and I am never going to be asked to model for Victoria's Secret. I am not the brightest person and not the most exciting by any means. BUT I am a generally happy person. I love laughing and making people laugh. I care about others with all that I am and I am pretty sure that I am going to live to be 125.

I hope you come back to share my daily life. I promise that from here on out it may not be very interesting, but it may be a little fun to read for just a few minutes. Everyone loves being a bit of a voyeur. Leave me a comment. Let me know you are here. Tell me about your blog. I'll be there.