Ladybug.Hill

My grandmother

2009-03-09T17:13:00.001-07:00

One little thing that I had loved for doing for so long and I stopped – I don’t know why – I guess I just wasn’t feeling up to it and walked away. Plus the fact that the IT department at my new job loves nothing better than to look at everything that is done via an IP address has made me a little nervous to post anything in my blog. Now does that mean that I shouldn’t have tried to at least make some sort of effort over the past 14 months to keep it going – that is just wrong – but overall – I’m glad to be back. I have to say my life is probably more interesting now.

It’s hard to believe that it has been almost a month since my grandmother passed away. She left this world for a better place on February 16. She was my mother’s mother and was probably the one grandparent that I was closest to growing up. She is the one that I used to call at least once a week to check on her and my grandfather and tried like hell to let them know that I still cared. I was lucky because was able to have one final call with her before she passed and it was a good one and that will be one memory that I will hold with me forever. I’m not sure the other grandchildren can say that. She left this world with 4 children, 10 grandchildren and 24 great grandchildren at the age of 81.

Now before you go and say she lived a long life and probably had tales to tell – which I know is true – she was still my grandmother – someone I loved and admired beyond words and simple gestures. She never judged me and she always loved me even when I screwed up – which is what grandmothers are supposed to do – however it never matters how old they are or how frail they become – you want them to last forever. You come to believe that even though they are getting older and there are more and more ailments – they will over come these and somehow pull through.

My grandmother went to the hospital about 6 weeks ago complaining of chest pains and other issues. They couldn’t tell us what was wrong with her – they ran tests and the best they could come up with was congestive heart failure. I think that is generally vague term that doctors use when they don’t know what the hell else is wrong. We found out later that her heart was beating harder than it needed to and was basically overworked – but through all of that we still couldn’t get a definite answer as to what was wrong.

I have to say that for the most part I’ve found peace with all that has happened. I was able to say a somewhat goodbye on the phone and I know she loved me and I pray that she knew that I loved her. I still have my moments when I want to pick up the phone and call her – but I can’t – she will no longer answer and tell me that she is just at the house alone and that grandfather went to the store with my aunt to give her some peace. I pray that she is with angels now – making them laugh and filling heaven with her laughter – that could make anyone smile regardless of your mood. She laughed with her whole body and was not afraid to simply show love. I pray to become the woman she was and in some way honor her for all that she showed me growing up. I pray that my children will see how they are a reflection of her and that they will aim to be a better person just to be able to say that their great-grandmother showed them how to handle themselves.

We are not perfect people. If I was perfect I would have visited more and stood up to those who say hurtful things less – but I didn’t and I have to live with that – however at the end of the day I can say that I was loved – unconditionally – by the one person who should show you that kind of love – my grandmother.

Bunch of Beer

2009-03-09T12:04:00.000-07:00

Beer Feast (Fest) Feast – Whatever – bunch of damn beer – and not all of it was good. Some of it was great! This weekend I was invited to go to a beer festival with a few friends. I am not a beer connoisseur by any stretch of the imagination. I like beer in most forms – mostly pales and a few heavier loggers – but for the most part I stay in the German realm when it comes to beer – I mean that country basically invented the one beverage that makes you go from a 2 to a 10 to a 2 all in one night – so why not be loyal to one country. So we get to the festival and have to wait in line for half an hour – which in and of itself was not a bad thing, but it is Phoenix, AZ in March – during a hotter than normal spring – and low and behold it is sunny – so it gets hot. Needless to say by the time the gates open and the beer starts flowing – I am ready for a damn drink. We head to the New Belgium truck because if you are going to get started it may as well be with something you are familiar with and take our 4 ounces glasses (I’m not kidding on the size) to get a “sample” of Fat Tire. I have to say that I am not a huge fan of Fat Tire – but given the fact that I was parched, it was hot and the line was short – I was happy to down a 4 oz pour of the liquor. At the gate – the same place where we got the whopping 4 oz beer “taster” mug – we also got tickets. I guess each ticket was good at the booth for one 4 oz. pour of the beer you would like to sample – needless to say there were many who would just stand right at the counter of their choice and down how ever many pours the sucker behind the counter was willing to dish out. I was partial to a Colorado vendor that came down and had a spicy green apple ale – which I’m usually not a fan of the fruit beers – but when the guy behind the counter says “Stand here and I’ll hook you up” – and then proceeds to get you smashingly drunk and flirts at the same time – how can you resist the spicy apple ale – YOU CAN NOT!

All in all it was fun – not something I would do again on a hot day – because heat plus beer plus overweight men equals – UGH!

I do have to say Hale to Mark – the Colorado brew guy – with a great smile and a heavy hand on the tap!

Better than Ever

2009-03-04T15:57:00.000-08:00

It’s been a long time since I wrote on this blog. Over a year in fact since I have posted anything of substance. I’m sure most of my readers have long since stopped visiting because of the lack of posts and interesting information to read. I don’t blame you – I really don’t. I haven’t made this blog a priority and therefore I’ve lost many that I considered loyal followers and also friends. So here I am pleading with you all to come back. I’m hoping to get a chance to start visiting blogs again soon and leaving comments because that is how you generate traffic – you comment on someone’s blog, they go to yours, hopefully comment back – others see this and all of a sudden you’ve got mail!

A lot has happened to me since my last post on this blog. First and foremost – my second marriage ended. In fact, I was divorced in Dec-08. It has been a blessing and a curse. It has been a blessing because I no longer have to see that man on a daily basis. Luckily we did not have children together and my children from my first marriage have a stable relationship with their father. Secondly, it has been a blessing because there is no stress in my love life right now – we were able to move on and past the hurt and when all was said and done – things ended fairly. It has been a curse because as soon as people find out you are once again single – they want to set you up with every Tom, Dick and Harry they know. Such was the case a few months ago (ex2 and I split in June of last year) when my friend wanted to set me up with her friend that had been divorced for over a year.

I was game because I was ready to have some fun – not have a commitment and to just see what was out there. I’d been out of the dating world for over 8 years and a girl has to try out her options – ya know. So I decide what the hell – why not go on the date – he was an older man (I am 33 and he had just turned 50). I was ok with the age difference – I had never dated someone that was that much older than me – but I figured what the hell. So we met for a drink and had a few laughs. We ended up going to the casino – spending a few hundred dollars at the black jack tables – and later ended up at his house for drinks. I can’t say that I was infatuated, but my interest was piqued because we had a really good conversation and laughs. So we see each other a few more times and then all of a sudden I’m getting the cold shoulder. I thought things were going well – but I guess I was wrong and I then learn that he is getting back together with his ex-wife….ugh the joys of dating. There are a lot of other facets to this story – crazy ex-wife hacking into email – the threats to my friend over the fact that I was seeing her ex-husband – an email directly to me about how sorry she was that she “messed up” my chance with her ex-husband. Needless to say – I’m glad that it ended.

About eight weeks after that happened – I was asked out directly by someone I met while on a GNO (Girls Night Out) with my friends. He was a spunky little waiter and kept the drink glasses filled and the check-out ticket low. So I decided what the heck – might as well give it a try. Now I have to preface this by saying that I was not (and am not) looking for a relationship by any stretch of the imagination. I just wanted to meet some new people. So we go out – we end up clubbing – which is something I hadn’t done in years. This guy took me to several different ones and spun my ass all over the dance floor. We had a great time and decided to meet up for sushi the next week. I got all dolled up and wanted to show this younger guy that I am not old (no comments from the peanut gallery) and can still turn some heads.

The night was going well – the sushi was great – the conversation was awesome – and the drinks were nice. I noticed after about an hour he kept getting text messages on his phone. I was wondering if there was some “waiter” emergency – and asked if everything was OK. He said things were fine – and we kept talking. However, the phone kept going off – more insistently than before – and I finally said “just call whoever is trying to get a hold of you” and excused myself to the ladies room to give him sometime to straighten things out. When I get back the check is on the table and he standing by the table waiting for me – saying he is really sorry – he has to go – and he suggests that I don’t stick around either. We walk to the parking lot and I finally stop and say “Enough – just be straight – what is going on!” Can you guess – CRAZY GIRLFRIEND – not ex-girlfriend – girlfriend as in currently seeing – as in she is having his baby – as in he asked me to go to a place that her friends frequent – as in we were spotted and crazy girlfriend is on her way to the place right now. So needless to say – when MR. WAITER called the next week – I told him to bug off – haven’t heard from him since –

So that is the update on the dating life – I’ll be back later with other entries as to what is going on with the rest of my life – such as having a teenager – having parents that can’t stand each other staying with you for a week during Christmas – my grandmother’s recent passing (it is sad – but there are a couple of funny memories that were made) – to work – to many other things….so please stay tuned.

We interrupted this silence to bring you…..

2008-01-23T16:22:00.000-08:00

What has happened with the world? Britney is crazy, Heath is dead, the writers are on strike and I’m back to having panic attacks. I mean really people, let’s talk about the whole world of Hollywood and how life is so hard for these people.

First and foremost, Heath Ledger’s death was tragic. I think he was a very talented actor and I hope/pray that they are able to determine that his death was a simple mix of pills or something wrong internally. I would hate to have to think about him committing suicide with a young daughter. I loved him and Michelle Williams together. I know that they ended their relationship a while ago, but I really thought they made a good couple and even when they were no longer together it seemed like they were trying to be civil for the sake of their daughter.

Britney – OMG can she get any crazier. I was thinking about it today and I know that she is not in her right mind. What normal person would forgo a mental wellness evaluation to prove you are sane enough to see your kids? NO ONE!?!?!?! Maybe they just need to start slipping her some meds in her cranberry/vodka drinks? I know if I was in the fight with my ex over how/when/where I could see my kids and a mental wellness evaluation had to be done I would be there. Some people just don’t get it.

The writer’s strike…..I hate, hate, hate this. I really don’t know what/why they are striking nor do I really CARE. However, I do know that I hate not having anything to watch on TV. I do have gazillions of movies and I have gotten a lot of use out of them recently, but I am missing The Office, Desperate Housewives and Grays Anatomy. I think that the writers need to suck it up and talk to whoever needs to be talked to and stop crying over the money. They all make gazillions of dollars anyway…..maybe that is not really the point…..I guess MY point is…I need my TV shows back…..and I’m starting to get really PISSED OFF….

In other news, my Zoloft refill has been denied by my doctor. She believes I need to come off of it….and how does she plan to do that….COLD TURKEY….I think I need to find a new doctor because I just can’t live without my mind altering drugs…LOL. I really just need them for my panic attacks….see paragraph one!

Life other than that is pretty good…..well unless you consider the TV and panic attacks….

Damn I need a drink!

New Blog

2008-01-11T11:55:00.000-08:00

I think I have my first subject ready for the He Said/She Said blog. I would like to invite men and women to weigh in on this topic – New Years Resolutions – How are they different for men vs. women.

I know for me every New Year I promise myself I’m going to stop eating badly and start an exercise program. Then I get about a week or two into the routine and say screw it. Then I proceed to go back to the very bad habits I had before and end up at the end of the year making the same resolution. At the end of the day, I really don’t think I’ll ever be a exercise horse….but I could live healthier.

Anyway, if you would like to post a snippet about this subject drop me a line.

I’m Back

2008-01-05T07:17:00.000-08:00

Geez where have I been. I swear I’ve been around, but the last couple of months have been a real doozy in my life. At age 32, I finally have decided “screw the world, I’m going to make myself happy and if you don’t like it, then to hell with you”

As most of my readers know I was having some marital problems about the middle of last year. Adultery lies, and all the fun stuff that goes along with that. In addition, I hated my job, my ex was driving me up the wall and life in general was just getting me down. I was depressed, angry, lonely, hurt, and just plain miserable. About the middle of October, I went to see a therapist about my outlook on life. It had gotten to the point that I was really contemplating suicide or just giving the kids to their dad and running away. Both options, I know now were not smart and were all emotionally based in a non-reality.

After several sessions with the therapist, I was put on anti-depressants. Let me tell you, I love my Wilburton. It makes the whole world look rosy….lol. It took me a few weeks to really feel the affects of the meds, but now I feel more on an even keel. I just was not in a good way….so much so that I wanted to cancel the holidays. Kind of hard to do that when you have a 7 and 12 year old that is expecting “Santa” to visit. So, I pulled myself up and got back into life.

I was told I needed a non-threatening form of therapy…..basically a hobby. Something that I could do that did not involve self mutilation of any kind….damn that takes all the fun stuff away….drinking, smoking, recreational drugs…LOL I was told to sign up for a knitting class. Damn….it was doctors orders to get out of the house one night a week to be with different people and learn a new skill that had nothing to do with kids, work, marriage or outside problems. This was hard for me because while I am a very social person, I was going through so much that I had refused to make new friends, try new things or just live.

I would basically come home from work, make sure the kids were fed, homework was done and then immediately go to bed. There was nothing in my life that was just mine. By force, I was made to go find something that I wanted to do for nobody else but myself. So there I was in the beginning of November surrounded by a bunch of old ladies in knitted sweaters, knitted socks, knitted vest with knitted bags holding their WIP (works in progress) just clicking way with their needles.

I am not crafty by nature. My mom and my sister-in-law can look at a room or look at a pattern and immediately get an idea for some new craft project. I am right-brain dominate. I like structure, order, all the numbers line up. My furniture in my house has never been moved. The dishes in my kitchen are still in the same place they were 7 years ago when I moved in. My bedroom is still the same…everything in my home has a place. Once a room is decorated it very rarely gets an update. Not because I don’t want it to, but because my nature is that once something is placed there that is where it belongs.

I struggled those first few weeks just making conversation. I was by far the youngest in the class. I was also by far the least skilled and had trouble making the stitches. I became frustrated and just overwhelmed. This seemed like another thing in my life that I was just going to fail at and have to go back to my therapist and say…..look see what I screwed up again. Three weeks into the class I had 6 inches of knitting. The other ladies were working away on beautiful projects. I hadn’t even picked a pattern yet. After my third class I went to the instructor and told her that I didn’t think that I could do this. Crafting was not in my blood and I just didn’t think my fingers would ever “do the walking” so to speak.

This lady who was about 70 years old took my hands in her soft wrinkled hands and said “In these hands lies a beautiful piece of work just waiting to be done. Don’t think so hard about it being perfect; don’t worry about your progress in regards to the others in the class. Many of these ladies take this class not to learn the skills but for the social hour it allows them once a week. Many have been doing this for YEARS, you just started. Be patient.” Then she gave me a pattern book and an assignment (great another thing to do) Pick a pattern that you like. Something you could see yourself wrapped up in on a cold winter night or wearing out to a nice dinner. She assured me all the patterns in the book were at my skill level and I would have little problems completing them.

With tears in my eyes and a heaviness that I didn’t understand I took the book and went home. The next day I started looking at it and one pattern just stood out to me. A long wrap with a scarf attached. It looked light but warm and it was beautiful. I took it in the next week and was sent into the yarn shop to find my yarn and needles. An hour later I was sitting next to the instructor learning how to read the pattern. My hands were shaking and I was sick. I just spent $80 on yarn and needles for a project my mind was saying I would never finish. The lady took my hands, put the needles in them and said close your eyes. Imagine yourself wrapped up in this garment, feel the fabric on your skin, now knit.

For the first time in four weeks my mind went blank and I just knit. Stitch after stitch after stitch. For the first time in several months my mind was calm, quiet and relaxed. I wasn’t worrying about what I needed to do when I got home, how long I would have to work the next day or even if the kids were ok. I just knit and it was wonderful.

I’m still not finished with the garment, but that is not the point. The point is that I’ve been given a gift from a bunch of oldies (as they call themselves) of being able to allow my mind to rest. I was (and still am) caught up in the rat race. I have a new job and I love it, but it is very demanding. However, every night I work on my garment for 20-30 minutes knowing that it may take me a year to complete or more, but I have finally found a way to allow my mind to be free….if only for a few moments a day.

That is a gift. I’m still in therapy. My husband and I are still together, the kids are still busy with all of their stuff. My therapist was so right in sending me to that class. She said that anytime we do a repetitive task, our left brain closes off and our right brain takes over. It allows us to see things in a different way, find solutions to problems that we have been struggling with or just to relax and unwind. I’ve found that now if I don’t do some of my knitting each night I get restless. I’m so thankful for the women at the yarn shop and my therapist for giving me a way to just leave this world. If only for a little while each night and the ability to see the beauty that comes in a ball of yarn.

Calling all Writers

2007-10-08T11:54:00.000-07:00

Everyone is invited to participate…and I will be out there recruiting a few of you as well. However, I thought it would be fun to do a He Said, She Said blog. Different topics every week….Everyone who wants an opinion can have one and it will be posted unedited and in living color…LOL.

I would love some feedback on this and would love to have anyone who wants the new blogging address to let me know so I can get things rolling…..

Hope all is well with everyone out there!

Where have I been!?!?!?

2007-10-02T16:38:00.001-07:00

I wish I had some great excuse for where I have been or what I have been up to lately. To be honest, life is just kicking my ass. Between the kids going back to school, trying to figure out if I want/need to change jobs, and overall just life in general I am worn out. I used to be able to post from work, but even that has gotten to the point that I can’t do that anymore because they have cut off access to the internet for only business related items. Which I can understand, but WTF….I mean I spend half my day bored and the only thing that kept me in the chair was knowing that I had the internet to browse or the ability to post a blog entry or two. Anyway, by the time I get home in the evening I just don’t want to get on the computer. Besides that between both of my kids, there is just not time for me to get online.

As an FYI, I have started seeing a therapist again. My ex has officially filed for custody of the kids stating that I don’t give him enough time with them. My lawyer and I have determined that this pretty much has more to do with the fact that he is in debt up to his eyeballs and needs me to pay him child support than him really wanting the kids. As for now, things are staying the same as they have been, but I’m sure a huge court fight and such is in order. Pray for my sanity because I don’t know how I would handle it if I didn’t have a place to go and vent my feelings.

Another thing that has happened is that I barely learned that my oldest daughter is failing in her math class. She is in sixth grade this year and we have been struggling to get her to a passing grade. In talks with the teacher and principle it has been learned that she is now at a 73% which is a C average, but I know she can do better than that. I am hoping to get on the ball with her regarding math and a few other things.

My job sucks. I am currently working to get the heck out of here. I just can’t take things anymore. My boss seems to think I am the backup to the receptionist. Yes, I went ot school for four years and graduate school for two to be able to go get lunch and do banking runs….I DON”T THINK SO! I have had a couple of good interviews with a couple of good companies, but I can’t get out of here fast enough. I did have a job offer a week or so ago, but turned it down because they wanted fifty percent travel commitment…I have two kids I can’t do that.

Let’s see what else….oh my therapist said that I needed to start blogging again. She says that it is the equivalent to an online diary. She wants me to blog about my life and then print off the entries so that we can “examine” them together. Again this is a WTF moment, but I’ll do it. If it keeps me sane I’ll do it. I guess that inside of these entries is supposed to be some meaningful life lesson that I am just not getting.

Anyway, I have been visiting all the blogs on a daily basis. I just haven’t had a chance to comment or not made the chance I guess. I just need to sit down and take the time to get over myself and comment on some of the entries that have been posted. Just know that if you are in my side bar or have emailed me recently I am here and well….just haven’t commented is all.

As far as the fall line up on TV is concerned is anyone else as disappointed as I am with the line-up. In addition, why the hell should I watch it on the next work TV when I can watch Brothers & Sisters, Desperate Housewives and Greys Anatomy all online with only like 5 commercials???? I can not think of a good reason. Top Chef is over this Wednesday and I have grown to love this seasons chefs. I will be so sad to see them go. Project Runway doesn’t start until November….I know Queer Eye is back, but I don’t know if it will be as good as before….and this is their last season.

Oh well, guess life doesn’t have to revolve around TV….but it sure passes the time…LOL.

Have a great rest of the week….I’ll be back more often…Promise!

I have been a bad Blogger

2007-09-19T15:43:00.000-07:00

I have been a bad Blogger

I really wish that I would have come here earlier last week. Things in my life has been horrendously busy this last week. Between life being crazy and getting ready for a big fat custody battle with the ex….my days and nights are spent off the computer as much as I can possible manage.

Anyway, Hope all is well out there. I will be back to regular blogging soon….I promise!

Loves to all…..and thanks for the emails!

Lighting

2007-09-08T18:26:00.000-07:00

There are a few things that can mesmerize me in a home improvement store. I love the garden center, the appliance area and the lighting. Walking through the lighting area I always am amazed at the new things that are available and how many different styles there are in one store.

I recently found a quoizel lighting fixture that I would love to put in my grand foyer….but I do’t have a grand foyer. If I did I would hang this there!

This has been a sponsored post!

Wordless Wednesday

2007-09-05T09:06:00.001-07:00

Out of Town

2007-08-31T13:51:00.000-07:00

I'm headed out of town for the long weekend!

I'll write more when I get back!

I love the beach!

Wordless Wednesday - My First

2007-08-29T19:43:00.000-07:00

Fresh from the bath!

Not a creature was stirring...NOT EVEN A SCORPION

2007-08-29T16:04:00.000-07:00

I am not a big bug person. In fact there are few people I know that truly like bugs. There was that one weird guy in high school that thought he could make a career out of being in love with bugs….but again he was weird.

It is no surprise that here in the greater southwest we have bugs. Most of them don’t fly or bite….but those that do fly or bite are pretty nasty. The ones that have always scared me the most are scorpions for several reasons:

They come in all sizes….extra small to extra large
They hide in all the WRONG places, my shoes, under my desk, in the back of my cupboards
They sting and it hurts
They sting and it hurts….is there more a of a reason to be scared of them…

Anyway, the office building I work for has an exterminator come over every month. He sprays the inside and outside of the building. Because we have this monthly service we generally don’t see a lot of bugs. Occasionally we will see a roach or a cricket, but those are easily killed. However, for some reason this summer has left us with a bigger problem……scorpions in the office. They are all over the place and usually emerge about a week to ten days after the bug guy comes. Now by the time they start crawling out of the walls they are just about dead, but the problem we have is that they crawl into the deepest darkest places they can find to die.

This morning, my boss found one in his shoe that he took off for 10 minutes. Went to put it back on and there was a scorpion in his SHOE people….HELLO that is just wrong. The about 10 minutes later I was picking up something that had fallen on the floor and I look under my desk and there are three more. I freaked out…hit my head on my desk, said about 15 cuss words and screamed like a little girl. I would not go back to my office until some man decided that the coast was clear.

The right after lunch, the receptionist and I are talking about a project and going through a stack of envelopes that were in the storage closet. In the bottom of the box are two more dead scorpions. At that point I had had enough….I called the exterminator and told him in no uncertain terms that if he wanted there to still be a business to come to on a monthly basis he better figure out how the hell to get rid of these creatures.

Then I went to my boss's office and said the exterminator is on his way to deal with the creature problem…I’ll be back tomorrow. He was not happy, but I was thinking OK, six sightings in one day….next time I will probably sit or step on one…NO F-ING way! So, I’ve been home breathing into a paper bag trying to get my wits about me.

You want to know how badly I hate scorpions…..well, read Slick’s post about spiders…and that is how badly I hate scorpions…only difference between Slick and I is that I’m a girl….and he just screams like one!!! (love you buddy!!!)

I am tired...Nice to meet you...I'm Lisa!

2007-08-28T17:13:00.000-07:00

Today was the day from hell at work. I am worn out. I am not even sure if this post will make sense.

Just so you know....keep me in mind the next few weeks. I am thinking about quitting my job. More details to follow.

Right now I want a large drink and a soft bed.

Until tomorrow!

Trip to the Dentist

2007-08-27T15:31:00.000-07:00

It has been years since I had a cavity filled.....to be honest I really thought that cavities were something that only children got and once you became and adult you were exempt from having them again....apparently that is NOT the case. About two weeks ago I went to the dentist and he found a cavity on one of my upper left molars. OK, I can handle that...a cavity…… just a filling right...Yes...OK....got it. Well, I get there this morning for the appointment and I am nervous. I am not someone who gets nervous easily...and here I was just about to crawl out of my skin. I hate that feeling.

Get back to the chair....three shots of Novocain later and I feel like my face is going to fall on the floor. My lips are so numb that when I try to say something to ANSWER the questions the dentist is asking my left side of my mouth doesn't move...then I feel the weirdest sensation in my nose. I'm like OK...what the hell is that...I need to sneeze and when I did and I went to wipe my nose I couldn't feel it...MY NOSE WAS NUMB...OMG.

Ok I can deal with that. An hour later filling is done tooth looks great. I am talking to the receptionist and I think I am doing well when a long spittle of drool crashes on the desk....can you say OMG EMBARASSED BEYOND BELIEF. Moving past that I scared the crap out of a little kid on my way out of the office because I tried to smile at him and apparently I was pretty nasty looking when I smiled because only 1/2 my face worked. I smiled....he screamed and told his Mommy he didn't want to go see the bad man. Way to help the dentist out!

Then I get to the car and look in my review mirror...and my left eye won't blink...it just won't work. I try and tell it "blink" and it just sits there...and my eye starts to water and I try to blink...nothing. I freaked out...I looked like I had had a stroke...1/2 my face didn't work anymore.

Luckily about 2 hours later feeling was coming back...but it is still a little numb. Eating lunchy was fun. I went to a local sub-shop to get some tuna to go...not on bread. I spent 45 minutes trying to hold my mouth closed while I ate. Needless to say I smell like tuna and have a huge mayo stain on my shirt!. Now 6 hours later..……can you believe that...6 hours and I am still feeling a bit numb.

I guess that is better than feeling sore.

I hate the dentist!

Fake Rocks

2007-08-27T14:05:00.000-07:00

Have you ever thought about landscaping with artificial rocks? At Artificial Rocks Factory you can buy rocks molded from actual boulders which bring to life fake rocks that weight about 50-60 lbs but look and feel natural. They are made from construction-grade cast stone--not fiberglass or polyurethane which have been shown to have unfavorable wear/tear track records.
I was thinking about putting some of these fake rocks in my landscaping in my backyard. I think a few fake boulders would be a great addition to my backyard plans because I wouldn’t have to pay the huge prices of having actual real rocks/boulders brought in…I could move them with the help of another person without the help of heavy machinery. They also have rocks that you can put you address on and set out by the street. I think this is just another one of my fantasy home improvement projects, but hey, if I can use it to get things done….bring it on.

I think at the end of the day it is all about placement and in AZ it doesn’t have to be real….just look real. And take a look at some of these rocks on this website and tell me they don’t look real.

Artificial Rocks Factory
This has been a sponsored post.

DraMa and Augs

2007-08-25T09:39:00.000-07:00

DraMa and Augs both posted pics on their blogs yesterday of the storms that they were having in their area. OMG...it scared me just looking at the pics. I was going to post a pic here today for the both of them of snow on the Supersition Mountains that is not far from my house from a couple of years ago....and wouldn't you know it...I can't find it anywhere. I'm going to stop by work to see if I perhaps put it on that computer.

Until then.....here are some pics of the chance of rain today!

I am 11 going on 18

2007-08-24T15:01:00.001-07:00

My eleven year old daughter is such a fashion-ista. She loves clothes, shoes, fashion jewelry, and make-up. Granted she will be twelve in like 6 weeks, but that doesn’t make it any better. She would love nothing more than for me to drop her and her friends off at the mall and come back in 8 hours to get them…unfortunately for her…NOT GONNA happen!!!

Her and I were chatting the other day and I asked her what she wanted to do for her birthday party this year….do you know what this girl said to me….????....!!!! Mom, I want a fashion party at this place in the mall….I can’t remember the name…you can make your own jewelry, your own makeup…have your hair done…and it is only like $40 a person….and she wanted to invite 12 girls….let me see $40 x 12 = $480…so NOT GONNA HAPPEN!

Retirement

2007-08-24T14:42:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite places to visit in AZ is Sedona. I love the red rocks. I love the shopping, the hiking trails and the overall peaceful feeling you get when you visit there. You can’t help walking away with a renewed sense of sprit and understanding.

I recently thought it would be fun to see how much arizona real estate would go for in that area. I found a gorgeous home nestled in the red rocks…for a whopping $1.8 Million dollars….OMG can you believe that? I mean 1.8 million dollars for a 3 bedroom, 2 bath house that I would RETIRE to….I mean it is beautiful – see below – but I think my whole retirement would just be living in that house!

Headache Center

2007-08-24T14:30:00.000-07:00

A lady I work with gets headaches all the time. Mostly I think it is from stress she puts on herself, stress her kids give her and just day to day life. I really think she could benefit from some headache treatment because this lady will get a headache at the drop of a hat. The other day she was just sitting at her desk and I walked up to ask her a question and there are tears in her eyes. I asked what was wrong and she said something about her son doing something and that she just had a headache from all of it. Then she proceeded to tell me that she gets headaches from eating chocolate. Anyway, I really wish there was something more I could do to help her.

OMG...The MEN!

2007-08-24T08:17:00.000-07:00

Augs comment yesterday makes me wonder if he has a brother and if so...does he need a wife...LOL.

DraMa...You are a very lucky lady!

Augs wrote:

I accept the challenege!!! I'm not scum! I'm not sure how the challenge works, but all I can add is that I work all day long. I come home cook dinner and lately have been putting both kids to bed at night. The wife has more than enough quiet time to do her school homework. I do all the grocery shopping by myself early on Saturday or Sunday morning. I keep the outside of the house maintained and and I make a mean blueberry cobbler.Git R Done!!!

Now Lioux and Brian...man you guys stink...Brian you admitted that you are not the man...LOL and Lioux made his female co-worker comment for him...SLACKER!

Augs you saved yourself...but the rest of the male race is still on the SH*T list!!!

Quibblo

2007-08-24T08:16:00.000-07:00

Ever wonder where everyone gets these online quizzes or funny polls on their websites? Look no further than Quibblo. A friend of mine uses this website to put all sorts of funny things on his MySpace page. This website seems to have a load of different quizzes that are already available or you can create your own. I am not that creative, but maybe you are, if so go check them out. If you come up with something interesting let me know and I'll stop by your website!

This has been a sponsored post!

I really wish I could blame PMS…

2007-08-23T16:24:00.000-07:00

I really wish I could blame my bad attitude and general sense of being pissed off the last few days on PMS. I don’t know what has caused it, but PMS ain’t it…because Aunt Flo has come and gone and PMS isn’t due for at least another 2 weeks. I just really don’t know why I want to literally rip off anyone’s head that comes within 10 ft of my person. The only exceptions to this rule are my two kids….they can come and love up on me or just be general brats and I’m cool with that….but everyone else better watch out…

I think most of my irritability can be blamed on work. If I could just get the MEN in the office to actually think for themselves and do something other than assigning tasks to the two women in the office I really think my life would be less stressful. I really believe that the men in the office don’t know how to use a phone and if they do they don’t know how to call for bids on different jobs. Case and point see Exhibit A:

A male co-worker has decided that a mailer needs to go out to a neighborhood in which we are developing property. The reason for this mailer is to let them know of the upcoming changes and general feel of the development that is going to be taking place. There are about 1900 residential units that need to be informed of these developments. Getting a mailing list is easy enough and even putting together a letter with colored maps and diagrams can be done by this man. However calling a local printing company for a bid is out of his realm of possibility….how do you call and ask for a bid? OMG…you pick up the damn phone, you dial the GD number and you tell them I have a 5 page letter that needs to be sent to 1900 residence, how much would you charge? Think he could do that…NOT A CHANCE IN HELL.

Still not enough for you, well let’s see if I can give another example – Exhibit B:

I wake up this morning to my internet, cable and phone all out of service. Not a problem on a typical day, but my daughter is coming home is afternoon to be by herself for about 2 hours. We have an alarm system, but it does nobody any good if it can’t alert the police/fire/emergency without a phone line. A call to customer service answered by a MAN leaves me feeling like a fool because guess what NOBODY else in the area has an interruption in service. I’m told to call back later because it is early here in AZ and they may have others calling in soon…WTF? I call back and literally rip the person’s head off that answers the phone. I know that it is not his fault HE (again a MAN) has nothing to do with the first phone call, but OMG customer service sucks.

Again, need another example – Exhibit C:

My ex calls with a request to find out how far one location is from another location, sounds like a math problem to me. No it’s not a math problem but a job issue. Apparently he has two new job offers and wanted to know from his home how far they each were. He was not near a computer and apparently his wife couldn’t help him so he calls me…..again WTF? So I give him the information and the A**Hole has the audacity to ask me to PRAY for him. I mean really the man has no faith, no religion and laughs at my faith ….OPENLY….and he wants me to PRAY for him. Oh I’ll pray all right…..but not for his job…

So I am sending out a challenge….for one MAN to come to my website and redeem the whole male race. Slick has put out the challenge to all women to try and beat him in guessing who will win college football games this season….I put this out there as a rival challenge….make me believe that not all men are scum…that they can do something besides scratch their heads and their balls….and make me once again want to believe that there is a good man out there…..that DOESN’T need a woman to do everything for him…Slick this is for you man!

Ladybug….who is off to find some damn chocolate!

Memory Walk

2007-08-23T16:21:00.000-07:00

This October I am sponsoring an event that has been near and dear to my heart for several years – Alzheimer’s Associations Memory Walk. You ask if this is a paid post and I have to say yes, but I have to say that I would sponsor anyway regardless of whether or not I was paid to do this post. Every year I give to the Alzheimer’s Association because I have had at least two people in my family diagnosed with the disease and several others that probably had the disease, but never got diagnosed properly. It is a dreadful disease that takes away loved ones minds long before their bodies are ready to leave this planet.

This year I will be sponsoring a local walker. She is local to my area and I am so proud that I can say that I know her and I know she is making a difference in regards to this disease. She was recruited by her Team Captain at work. The lady that is serving as her Team Capitan didn’t think it would be that easy to be a team leader. However, it is quite easy to sign up to be a Team Capitan just go to http://clk.atdmt.com/TGA/go/pyprpalz0030000037tga/direct/01/ and follow the links to sign up. Some of the requirements to be a Team Captain include:

You have to recruit at least 9 friends to participate on the team
You have to register your team and set fund raising goals
You have to coordinate team meetings, keep the team inspired and keep them updated on dates and times of important events
Overall have a great attitude, be an inspiration and encourage others

In order to be a Team Captain, you need to sign up early to make sure you have enough time to build your team and recruit members. You also have to design a logo for your team and you will want to give yourself plenty of time to come up with an interesting logo.

So please take a minute to visit: http://clk.atdmt.com/TGA/go/pyprpalz0030000037tga/direct/01/ to find a walk in your area. Go to the local walk website and sponsor someone you know or someone you don’t know. Even the smallest donations are greatly appreciated and bring us one step closet to helping those we love stay health in body, mind and spirit.

Thanks again!

Cups

2007-08-23T09:15:00.000-07:00

Our church gives away personalized cups and water bottles (depending on the time of year) to new visitors each week. We don’t force them to take the items, but leave them out on a welcome table for the guests to see when they arrive/leave. It is just our little way of saying thanks for stopping buy and remember us as you look for a new home church.

Recently, we were shopping for a new supplier and got several samples from different suppliers all over the nation. As a bonus, we each got to pick our favorite sample and take it home with us (at least those of us on the committee). Now I am the proud owner of several mismatched coffee mugs that have our church name/logo. However, the best part of this is that I get another 4 days of not washing coffee mugs because nobody else in my house uses them…LOL

Office Desks

2007-08-23T09:00:00.000-07:00

I just got word that we will be moving into a new office in about 3 months. I am excited about it because I will get a new office complete with a new office desks, chair, book case, file cabinet and credenza. It will be nice to get out of a stuff office with no window and into something a bit more spacious.

However, with this move comes with a lot of downers. The new location is about 10 minutes further from my house. It is not close to any good eateries for lunch. There is no place to shop on my lunch hour and my office faces west….into the afternoon sun….

Think they are trying to tell me something?

California Dreaming

2007-08-23T08:45:00.000-07:00

I was reading online the other day about the housing market in the US and how it has not made a come back as quickly as hoped by financial analyst this year. I guess here in AZ the housing market hit a slump about 18 months ago and the number of people refinancing also declined. This made me think of all those other states that are probably also experiencing a slow comeback of the real estate market.

I know in California the value of real estate continues to climb, while California mortgage refinance numbers are low. I have a friend that lives in the San Francisco Bay area. She and her husband are in the process of trying to have a baby and just refinanced their home to help pay for the IVF treatment. However, she did not cash out all the equity in her house because between what she paid for it and what it was worth was a huge number.

I can’t imagine what is going to happen with the going mortgage rates, but I’m glad that I have a house that I am somewhat happy with and that I can stay in for a long time if needed.

Miracle Burn

2007-08-23T07:30:00.000-07:00

I got this assignment that I have to write about and it made me laugh when I saw the keyword of Miracle burn….OMG I had to laugh. Before I even went to the website to see what it was about I thought who would want to use a product with a name like that. Apparently, my mind was in the gutter that day. Miracle burn is a diet supplement that actually helps you burn fat. OK, I can jive with that. However, you have to admit that the keyword is funny…..maybe I can give this to my Mom with her other diet pills and the clock can rewind to 1965 when she was young, hot and thin?

Protein Drink

2007-08-23T07:00:00.000-07:00

I haven’t been to the gym in months and months. Everyday when I think that I might actually make it in…I talk myself out of it. The problem is that the gym is full of trainers, and trainers make it their job to make you feel bad about your body. Therefore, you will buy lessons from them and they can make major bucks off of your low self esteem.

In addition, they try and sell you supplements and muscle milk just to boost their overall sales commissions. I mean come on people…..I feel bad enough about the way I look and you want me to take pills and drink nasty stuff and PAY for it. No thank you!

I’m sure there is an easier way to do things than to feel bad about going to a gym…I just don’t know what they are right now!

Bar Stools

2007-08-22T14:41:00.000-07:00

Is it just me or do any of the rest of you watches old programs/shows when they are on early in the morning or late at night? One of my favorite sitcoms to re-watch is Cheers. Not because it was the best or funniest, but I just loved the way the regulars came and sat on their bar stools and everyone knew who they were. I mean there were Norm, Cliff, Woody, Sam, Diane and Carla. Later in the show, Diane left and we got Rebecca….and who can forget Fraiser…which later spun off into its own show.

Man I miss that bar…where everybody knows your name!

Pulse-Ox Stat

2007-08-22T14:38:00.000-07:00

Pulse-Ox Stat

One of my favorite shows to watch in the morning or at least have on as background noise is ER. I was an avid watcher of this show when George Clooney and Anthony Edwards were regulars. However, when they killed off Dr. Greene’s character (Anthony Edwards) with brain cancer and Doug Ross (George Clooney) left his pregnant girlfriend behind to go find himself, I lost interest. Yes, Dr. Carter (Noah Wyle) was cute, yes I loved Peter Benton (Eriq La Salle) was a great actor, but with the leaving of Dr. Ross and Dr. Greene (not in the same year mind you) I left the show behind as well.

However, TNT has it playing in the mornings and I have it on as I get up. They use such long medical terms and codes that I just get lost. I need a pulse ox stat, give me a CBC, chem. 7 and a rapid urine dip….OK…I have no idea what any of that means, but the one I do know is pulse ox….which is measured by a pulse oximeter….that tells you how much oxygen you have in your blood.

Now don’t you feel smarter?

Britney

2007-08-22T14:37:00.000-07:00

As most of you know I am an avid celebrity watcher. I have a three year auto-renewal subscription to People, US and Entertainment Weekly. These are like my bible on celebrity news. In addition, I check all the hot celebrity gossip websites on a daily basis. I will admit that I have a little bit of a problem with being a semi-celebrity stalker….but hey without people like me these magazines would fail to exist.

Therefore, I think I should do something for all of us suffering from Britney overload. I know she just got out of rehab, but I think she needs to go back and have some addiction treatment. Maybe we could go together…..I could get treated for celebrity addiction and she could get treated for drug addiction. Throw in Paris and Lindsey and I’m sure a group discount rate applies…LOL

This has been a sponsored post!

Blinds

2007-08-22T14:36:00.000-07:00

In my back room I have a large arcadia door that opens (slides) I guess to the back yard. This is the only window in my house that has vertical blinds and I hate them. I would love nothing better to tear them down and put up something different.

I have a friend that did some window treatments and got some newer vertical blinds that are not as hard to adjust. I think I would be interested in doing something like she did, but then again it would mean getting off my lazy butt and doing some sort of home improvements….and right now…my butt is just too lazy!

Home Theater Seating

2007-08-22T14:30:00.000-07:00

I have a small family room. This is also the room that is used for most of the home entertainment. Our TV, stereo, DVD and VCR are all located in this front room. The room is about 20 X 13….imagine a rectangle with a door and that is pretty much my family room.

Now my husband has been dying to get a big screen TV for one wall…yes the size he is looking at would take up the entire wall where our current TV resides on a stand. He figures while we are at it we may as well install home theater seating, surround sound and special lighting.

You know what I say……poo on you…let’s buy a masseuse!!!

Plasma Cutter

2007-08-22T14:29:00.000-07:00

Growing up my Dad taught vocational welding at the local High School. During the summers, to supplement his income he would do side jobs welding fences, building barns, or repairing farm equipment. I never really learned how to use any of the tools he had on hand at any one time because I was a girl and girls didn’t do that …..according to, well, according to ME.

Part of being the vocational welding teacher at the high school is that you had this huge shop to work in since you would have anywhere from 12-25 students in a class. My Dad always had one type of project or another going. I think at one point his senior class of 1993 (my grad year…WOO HOO) built a 4 horse trailer. I don’t remember exactly how big it was or how much metal it took, but I do remember a piece of equipment that was kind of cool…it was a plasma cutter and it cut through metal like a hot knife through butter. I could just sit and watch this piece of machinery work for hours and man it was so neat.

Anyway, there is really no point to this post….just needed to write a Sponsored Post!

This is for Slick

2007-08-20T12:15:00.000-07:00

My good buddy Slick always talks about how great his golf game is and how much of a champion player he is compared to the likes of his sister and um…yeah that is about it. I’m pretty sure that most of the time when they are playing she LETS him win..LOL.

Anyway, Slick this sponsored post is for you because, hells bells Margaret, I don’t think anyone needs help with their golf game more than you do…LOL (I’m just poking at ya!) Now when I talk about golf equipment I am not talking about your male tubular appendage as much as you would like for my blog to host a post about such matters…LOL. But I’m thinking you need to check out this site and see about getting your golf game up to par…ha ha. I mean they have cool little toys like these things: I have no clue what any of these is for or what they do, but I’m sure that if you had them you could knock at least two strokes off your game! I mean even the website itself is called World of Golf…HELLO it is just calling to you…can’t you hear it…(Slick…oh Slick come and visit us).
Although I think you are grounded from spending since your last big purchase of an Xbox 360…right???
Ok, this post has become as sick and twisted as I can allow it to become…

Love you Slick!!!! I just couldn’t resist a poke fun at you!

Diet Fads

2007-08-20T11:41:00.000-07:00

The women in my family (mainly on my mother’s side) have always been obsessed with their weight/figure. Growing up, my mother was always on some sort of diet or taking some sort of pill that was going to return her to her pre-child/pre-40 body. The one where she could once again wear that itsy-bitsy-teeny-weeny yellow polka dot bikini…LOL. Needless to say, she never got there and I was always her diet partner. I hated that more than anything else. It mostly started when I was a teen and I was a little rounder than most girls my age…not fat, but I had a “bubble butt” and I guess that was enough to make my mother think that I needed to go on a diet with her.

Anyway, she has now come to me with a new diet drug called ionamin. I have no idea what it does or how it does it, but I guess it is supposed to help you lose weight fast. I am glad that she found it and I really hope it works for her. I just don’t know about taking it because the last time I took a drug she gave me I felt like I was going to have a heart attack. However, if I can get these last few pounds off….it may be worth a look-see!

Remodel – Maybe?

2007-08-20T11:34:00.001-07:00

As most of you know from previous posts I have been getting the new home bug. While I can’t really afford it right now I am thinking there are a few things I can do to help me feel like the house I am in right now is LIKE NEW. I am been contemplating a kitchen remodel…but not like a complete overhaul…just like new appliances, flooring and range hoods. When this house was built about 8 years ago I opted out of the microwave/range hood combo because it was like $500 more in options that I just could see spending at the time. Now however, I regret that decision because I would more than anything love to have my microwave over my stove. I’m thinking that I just need to get a move on with this project….once I start I know that I’ll be happier than I am now…then again…that means work and I really would rather not DIMY (do it myself…LOL)

Sunglasses

2007-08-20T11:22:00.000-07:00

This weekend found me at the mall with my oldest daughter and a couple of friends doing some back to school shopping. We went to several stores and got lots of cute new clothes, shoes, and accessories. One of the places we stopped as we were leaving was the sunglasses store. Now I am not one to spend a whole lot of money on sunglasses because I am just too hard on them. I sit on them, I run over them with my car, I lose them in the movies etc….I just buy cheapies because I don’t want to have to worry about keeping up with them.

However, we stopped because one of the girls had a $100 gift certificate from a birthday party for this store. She wanted to get her Dad some Wiley X sunglasses. I was like OK, what does that mean? I guess he races motorbikes and these glasses are the best kind because they have like a strap that keeps them in place or whatever….$129 for a pair of sunglasses. I about fainted…..needless to say the girl didn’t get them. However, even the cheapest pair of sunglasses for a regular person like me was like $75. I mean really people I can’t be spending $75 every two weeks when I lose them or break them!

I love my readers...

2007-08-20T09:55:00.000-07:00

You guys rock. Just wanted to let you know that a weekend makes all the difference. I got some good rest, got to spend some quality time with the family, and got a nap....

Have a lots of new topics to write about and a whole bunch of paid posts that I got to get out this week.

I'll be here writing this week....I love you all...YOU GUYS ARE THE BEST!

New Luggage

2007-08-18T12:53:00.000-07:00

I immediately thought of Crystal over at Pink Lucy when I was browsing this luggage website and saw this pink luggage sets. I mean really who doesn't love new luggage....of course you have to be going somewhere to have a reason to use it. Although, our luggage sometimes becomes the place "Santa" hides the presents before Christmas Eve. Don't tell anyone!!! This is mainly because the luggage is on a top shelf in the bedroom closet and nosey little sneakers would have to climb up and over a bunch of stuff to get to them…and then they would have to put it all back..almost impossible to do on your own.

Thanks and a Break

2007-08-17T10:33:00.000-07:00

First of all, I want to thank each and every one of you who commented on my boring post the other day. I got some really good suggestions, really good advice and a great kick in the tush (Thanks Matt).

But most of all I want to take a chance to thank Andrew! He drove a lot of traffic to my site in the past two days and I really appreciate his kind words on his blog about my current writer’s block/boring-ness. I really do appreciate the shout out!

Slick you make me laugh so hard!

With that being said, I’m taking a blogging break. I may be back in a few days or I may be back in a few weeks. I don’t know, but I need to recharge. I’ve also decided to take time to really focus on what I want out of life, what I want to do with my life and how I’m going to get there.

I think a change in career may be in order and that is going to take time and effort. However, at this point any forward movement is better than staying where I am right now.

Again, THANK YOU all for your kind words, your support and also your swift kick in the pants. I will still be reading and commenting on all the blogs I normally visit. If I've added you to my blogroll, expect a new visitor!

Love you all!

Ladybug

I'm Boring

2007-08-15T15:39:00.000-07:00

I've decided I'm boring. I don't have any hobbies. My job is boring. My life is not all that. I have run out of interesting things to say. I'm out of topics to blog about. Maybe I should just quit. I don't know....I've been racking my brain thinking trying to think of something to write about and came with NOTHING.

My youngest had three teeth pulled today. I got my teeth cleaned. I came to work. After I'm done here I'll go home. Probably watch some TV, check the kids homework, eat dinner and go to bed.

That is pretty much my day to day life. I don't have anything interesting happening to me. So why am I still here writing this? I have no idea.

My friend EC gave me a writing job lead. I took it and did a few articles for the guy and I haven't heard back from him. I guess my writing just isn't good enough. I guess that would explain why my comments have gone to pretty much zero. I know I have visitors, but what I write is just not interesting enough to keep anyone around.

If you need me....I'll be belly up to the bar.....drinking margaritas and singing with the mariachi band....AY YI YI YI......I need another margarita!

When Mosquitoes Attack

2007-08-14T15:38:00.000-07:00

The time of year has come in AZ when mosquitoes are in full force. They wait outside for you to come out to play and attack without warning. They are smart little suckers (pun intended). I mean they really wait and I think they know that ladies taste better than men and that little girls are the best of all.

I have a few bites, my husband has hardly any, but my kids have bites all over their legs. I have sprayed them with OFF, Skin So Soft and many other things to keep them from getting attacked. However, these bugs are relentless and will kamikaze into my girls just for one sweet taste of their flesh…..

Anyway, just a word of warning….if you see a minor nuclear explosion in the western part of the US….It’s just me….blowing up my house….to get rid of all these damn creatures….

Ladybug….off to get the calamine lotion….

Open Letter to my Mother-in-law

2007-08-14T10:30:00.000-07:00

I need to preface this letter by saying that I don’t hate this woman. She is medieval in her thinking about what a woman’s place is in the home, but I don’t hate her personally. I really do despise the actions that are described in this letter and just needed to let you all know that this entry was done in the hopes that lashing out at this computer screen would keep me from lashing out at her in real life.

That being said….enjoy!

Barbara,

I am writing regarding your phone call to last week to request money once again for your 24 year old daughter that can’t seem to get her life together. It is not that your son and I don’t want to help with this situation, but our feelings are that you and your husband are doing her no good. Enabling her to continue to live a dead-beat lifestyle while she is has four children (by two men that you loved and now hate) is not teaching her any lessons. The fact that your husband is working no less than two jobs at a time to support two households because you want it seems very unfair.

Your daughter has made bad choice after bad choice in her life and yet you continue to support her and the behavior that put her in the position she is in right now. She got pregnant at 17, and you allowed her boyfriend to move in with you. She got married shortly after, and you allowed them to live in your house not for a little while, but for 3 years. You finally build up the nerve to have them out because you have asked them to, you turn to empty nest crazy lady. Wanting them to come back and all but begging them to let you raise their child.

Then we get to the holidays about 3 years ago, when she has cheated on her husband, is pregnant by another man and you want us to be accepting of this. You want us to just allow it to happen and not have an opinion. You loved and supported her with this new guy because he did all the things her husband (and he is not even an ex YET) would not do. You basically told us to shut up or get out of your house because she was having more babies and you didn’t want to upset the chance that you might be able to see those children. Has it not occurred to you that you are basically raising those kids because she CAN’T and WON’T take responsibility for what she has done with her life?

We stayed that Christmas and held our tongues despite the fact that we had misgivings about a 40 year old man being with a 22 year old woman. We decided that if you wanted us to support it we would, but it would be from afar. We had a feeling in our guts that told us this guy was a creep. However, you told us time and time again that he was a good guy. Now what do you think of your daughter’s choice in men, drugged out, lying, into all sorts of malicious acts and you still want to be there to support your daughter in all the decisions she has made.

I understand she is your child. I understand unconditional love, as I have children of my own and I have parents that showed it to me growing up. However, there is a difference between unconditional love and enabling. You can love your daughter and all that she is without running to her rescue all the time. You can love her babies and be a part of their life without having to be their life. That is her job. It’s her job to make mistakes and learn from them….mistakes that she has not learned from because YOU have not allowed her to learn from them. Are you ever going to allow those consequences to come home? Are you ever going to cut those ties and allow her to be an adult? How will she learn to make ends meet if you are always there with a check and a handout?

Do you realize for the past 5 years my husband and I have not gotten a Christmas, Birthday or Anniversary present from you guys? Do you realize that my children have not gotten any sort of presents for their special occasions? Yet, when it comes to your daughter, you both go above and beyond. Present galore and why is that? Why do these kids get all the glory and our children get nothing, except maybe a card. We don’t want your money or your gifts, but I have to explain to my kids why their grandparents care more about one set of grandkids than the other. I don’t’ want that to change, because as far as I’m concerned I am fine with them not getting anything from you and your family.

I hate having to see the look of hurt on my husband’s face when his birthday comes and goes and there is no phone call, no card, nothing….but disappointment. Disappointment is something that your family can never give us enough of on a yearly basis. I can’t be everything to him, I can’t be a mother/father/sister/brother. I can’t make myself all those things to him….and no amount of my overcompensation will make that hurt heal. That is a hurt only you can heal, but you choose not to…ever.

So, at this time I want you to know that neither I nor my husband will be taking your phone calls any longer. There will NO MORE money. The bank of TRUST has been tapped out and I will no longer allow ourselves to be drawn into this mess. Maybe one day, when you run out of patience and time, you will see your daughter for what she really is…..then again maybe you won’t.

Go ahead and delude yourself in to thinking that she is the victim here. Go ahead and make yourself believe that the things you are doing are for the kids. Go ahead and continue to live with your head in the sand thinking you are protecting those kids…guess what your not. Your enabling their mother to continue to do what she does best fail.

We will not be a part of it any longer.

Sincerely,
Ladybug!

Garage Storage Cabinets

2007-08-14T10:25:00.000-07:00

I wish that I could have some garage storage cabinets installed in my garage. Right now everything is either in piles on either side of the garage or in plastic containers that are piled so high that I don’t know if it is even safe. Add to that that I keep telling myself that I’m going to have a garage sale come fall (yeah right) and the mess just keeps piling up. I wish I could have some of these cabinets. At least with these cabinets I would have storage to put all the tools that we never use and probably store some of our holiday decorations. I would highly recommend checking out this website ---> garage storage cabinets.

This has been a sponsored post.

Coming Soon....

2007-08-13T08:55:00.000-07:00

An open letter to my mother-in-law!

Stay Tuned!

Are Diamonds Really A Girl’s Best Friend?

2007-08-11T08:01:00.000-07:00

Recently a friend and I were out having dinner and we starting talking about anniversary and birthday presents. Her 10 year anniversary was fast approaching and she had asked her husband for a new piece of jewelry. They went and looked at diamond rings and several other different pieces of jewelry. She really had her heart set on a 10 year anniversary band. As the date approached she got more and more excited about the upcoming celebration. Her husband was hinting that the gift he got here was really good and she would love it. The big day came and he gave her….a necklace with a beautiful ruby stone….but it was not her diamond band that she wanted……I guess diamonds are not a girl’s best friend….I’m not sure her husband is out of the dog house yet….LOL

Poker Tables

2007-08-11T07:43:00.000-07:00

Recently I have gone to the local casino a few times to play blackjack and just have some down time. I really got into playing blackjack and thought it would be fun to try a new game. I tried poker and man that is a confusing game. Sitting at the poker tables I was very confused and there were people on either side of me raising, calling and betting. At one point I just had to walk away and back to the blackjack tables. I guess poker is just not a game for me.

The Jungle Store

2007-08-11T07:41:00.000-07:00

A family I work with just recently had a new baby. It was a little girl named Ashley and she is so cute. She was actually born on my birthday and I thought that was super neat. Anyway, I went to the couples home to drop off some food and baby supplies mostly as a gesture of kindness, but also so I could see the new bundle of joy. While I was there I got to see the nursery. The mother had done such a great job decorating. She did it in polar bears and had all of these gund animals that she got from an online site called The Jungle Store. I went and looked at the site last night and it was so neat. There was a lot of exotic animal merchandise. So if you are looking for a unique gift or something exotic….check them out.

Realtor

2007-08-11T06:30:00.000-07:00

Are you looking for a realtor? Looking for a new house? If so, these realtors are ready and willing to help. I went and did a search of the houses in my area and was surprised at the number of homes available for sale. I would love a new home, but right now it is not in the budget. I found a couple that I would love to check out, but I’m not sure that it is a wise move right now. But if you are looking for a home, check it out and see if there is something there for you!

Great Weekend

2007-08-10T16:27:00.000-07:00

Have a great weekend. I don't know if I'll be here or not this weekend, but if not see you all on MONDAY!

Intervention

2007-08-10T12:47:00.000-07:00

Tonight one of my favorite shows comes on A&E….Intervention. If you have never seen it I highly recommend watching it at some point. It is basically about people who are addicted to different drugs, alcohol, sex, gaming, whatever and their friends and family do an intervention to get them to go to drug rehab. Now most of the time they end up going, but there have been a few episodes where the person did not go.

One that I can think of that I saw recently was when a lady was put on a plane with her boyfriend to go to detox in some other state. There was a lay over at an airport they were in and they just took off in that state. I mean WOW the nerve of them just taking off after their family and friends wanted to help.

I don’t know how I would react if I had to do an intervention for someone I loved, but I do know that if the time came I would do it in a heart beat.

My half side of beef (well more like a quarter) but whose counting

2007-08-10T10:41:00.000-07:00

Yummy to my Tummy! I grew up a redneck girl. I mean I was part of one of those families that Jeff Foxworthy makes fun of during his “You Might be a Red Neck if…”part of his stand up routine. Therefore, since I was raised on a farm or at least my grandfather owned one I was brought up to appreciate what it takes to get the hamburger from the cow to the table.

I remember when I was about 11 and my Dad told me we were going to slaughter a beef and have fresh meat. I knew what slaughter meant, but what I didn’t know is that the “beef” he was talking about was a heifer I had named Bessie in my grandfather’s pasture. Now as traumatic as it was for me to somewhat witness that event (I didn’t see them actually take the cow down) I fell in love with red meat shortly there after. I didn’t know that a cow named Bessie could taste so good. Ribs, steak, hamburger and roast became objects of love and affection. I got to the point where I would just crave red meat.

Fast forward about 10 years, I am married with a small child and my grandfather asks if I want some beef from a cow they were going to slaughter and butcher (yes, we butchered our own and that is another story, walk in cooler and everything). I was like sure, how much can I get from you. He said about a quarter. I was very excited about that because I didn’t know how much a quarter of a cow really was, but I knew that there would be ribs, steak, hamburger, and roast.

The meat arrives about 10 days after the slaughter and I am amazed at the amount of meat. I mean this is basically for two people because my daughter was too little to eat it. We had beef coming out of our ears forever. I didn’t think it was possible to get tired of beef….let me tell you it is….

Fast forward again to about a week ago and a guy I work for tells me that they have a quarter beef that is available….what did I do…..

I went and bought a new freezer….

Come on over…..Beefs on ME!

I signed up...you should also!

2007-08-10T09:49:00.000-07:00

payperpost

I’m a newbie or a new Postie as we are called at PayPerPost. I am so excited because unlike other sites that pay you to blog you get to choose which posts you want and which you don’t want. So if you are not interested in blogging about auto parts or fishing tackle, you don’t have to. You can choose what you want to blog about and if there is an opportunity to blog about something you love, then you take it and run with it.

Currently, PayPerPost is looking new Posties. It only takes about 10 minutes to read through all the website stuff and sign up. I wish I could give someone credit for referring me to this site, but I can’t….I actually found the site via a Google search. I was looking for a place to be able to make a little extra money per month and did a Google search and found this place at the top. So I clicked and was instantly surprised by the layout and easy way the website was laid out. Then I took a chance and signed up thinking I would be able to get a few writing opportunities a month, well I was wrong. I currently have about 5 that I need to finish and there are tons more out there.

I haven’t taken the opportunity to try and meet any other Posties yet, but I will soon. There is a community area where you can chat with others. I love that their help desk is called Customer Love. I have learned that there are great advertisers out there that just want you to review and look at their website. That is the greatest thing is that you can look and if you don’t want to write a post, then don’t, but if you find something amazing…then talk it up.

Anyway, just thought I would let you all know about this new place and why my site will have new content….have a great day!

80 banks statements in one day

2007-08-09T17:28:00.001-07:00

I work for a Company that owns about 800 different parcels of land over about two counties here in AZ. To break it down for you…that is a lot of damn land! Anyway, to keep these parcels safe and secure we bundle them together based on location, size, value etc into LLC’s. Now this would be great for most places and the smaller real estate investor, but for a company that owns 800 parcels of land that means about 40 different LLC’s. Now when you break down the math that is only about 18 parcels per bank account right? But, you have to remember that some of these pieces of land are 100’s to 1,000’s of acres.

Recently, it was brought to my attention that we would be purchasing some land out of state. OK, great we are opening ourselves up to new opportunities I’m all for that….but guess what…it is about the same as before…and now instead of 40 bank statements to recon…there will be 80…..

It takes me about ½ a day now to recon all of these bank statements because of the system we use and I can’t recon them all together because each LLC has it’s own file with the accounting system….Anyway, I don’t really have a point here….except to say that when 80 bank statements come to your desk in one day it can be quite overwhelming!

test

2007-08-08T12:57:00.000-07:00

test

Gifts for the Kids

2007-08-07T11:15:00.000-07:00

OK, I'm having a hard time now with the holidays upon us...LOL. Not really. Actually to be honest last night I was talking to the girls about what they wanted this year. Of course my oldest wanted a new(er) cell phone (like a $300 cell phone since she won't be eligible for a new one until next year). My youngest wants an iPod?!?!?! She's 7 and wants an iPod...me thinks not.

There is one thing I'm thinking of getting that they have at their Dad's house and I know they enjoy....a PS2...i believe it is. There is one game that they really like called Guitar Hero. I guess it is like a game where you pretend you are playing the guitar, but you have to like actually do something to it or something. See...NOT A GAME WHIZ here people...I'm telling you.

Anyway, that is what I'm thinking about getting since I can get it now and make some payments on it over the next couple of months. Man I need to start really thinking about what I'm going to do for everyone else...LOL.

Linking to My Site #2

2007-08-07T09:47:00.000-07:00

I asked this yesterday, but wanted to ask again! I appreciate the consideration!!!!!

I want to ask each of you that currently have me in your blog roll to please update the link to reflect

http://latibugsworld.blogspot.com/

For you lurkers out there I would reall appreciate a link in your blog roll as well. I'm not asking for comments or anything....just a place on your blog roll would be great....

Again.....

http://latibugsworld.blogspot.com/

Thanks so much to you all!!!!

I signed up for PPP!

2007-08-07T09:36:00.000-07:00

I’m a newbie or a new Postie as we are called at PayPerPost (a blog network). I am so excited because unlike other sites that pay you to blog you get to choose which posts you want and which you don’t want. So if you are not interested in blogging about auto parts or fishing tackle, you don’t have to. You can choose what you want to blog about and if there is an opportunity to blog about something you love, then you take it and run with it.

Currently, PayPerPost is looking new Posties. It only takes about 10 minutes to read through all the website stuff and sign up. I wish I could give someone credit for referring me to this site, but I can’t….I actually found the site via a Google search. I was looking for a place to be able to make a little extra money per month and did a Google search and found this place at the top. So I clicked and was instantly surprised by the layout and easy way the website was laid out. Then I took a chance and signed up thinking I would be able to get a few writing opportunities a month, well I was wrong. I currently have about 5 that I need to finish and there are tons more out there.

I haven’t taken the opportunity to try and meet any other Posties yet, but I will soon. There is a community area where you can chat with others. I love that their help desk is called Customer Love. I have learned that there are great advertisers out there that just want you to review and look at their website. That is the greatest thing is that you can look and if you don’t want to write a post, then don’t, but if you find something amazing…then talk it up.

Anyway, just thought I would let you all know about this new place and why my site will have new content….have a great day!

141 Days

2007-08-06T16:53:00.000-07:00

That is it people 141 days until Christmas. That means that Thanksgiving is only 111 days away and Halloween is about 80 days away. I always hate it when the summer is ending and I’m thinking that I am going to get back into a routine and life is once again going to get simple….

Only to find that a new clock has begun ticking……it’s called Holiday Countdown.

Well, this year is going to be different…I’m not going ot get stuck in lines at the mall, wading through rude parents at ToysRUs or even racking my brain to find my Mom and brother the perfect present…NOPE NOT GONNA DO IT.

I am going to use online shopping as much as possible this year. One thing I’m going to take advantage of is the lists that my girls make each year for Santa. I’m going to go to at least hit up the online stores. I’m thinking that some of these stores are going to have really great deals like Old Navy for my growing tween or Circuit City for my brother or maybe even PetSmart for my new puppy.

Anyway, I don’t know why, but the fact that Christmas is once again around the corner kind of bums me out….but I’m hoping that shopping online will make things easier….I guess we shall see. If you are looking for good deals online go here ----->coupon codes for some really good coupons.

Linking to this site

2007-08-06T16:39:00.000-07:00

I want to ask each of you that currently have me in your blog roll to please update the link to reflect

http://latibugsworld.blogspot.com

For you lurkers out there I would reall appreciate a link in your blog roll as well. I'm not asking for comments or anything....just a place on your blog roll would be great....

Again.....

http://latibugsworld.blogspot.com

Thanks so much to you all!!!!

Manic Monday

2007-08-06T11:11:00.000-07:00

It's just another manic Monday
I wish it was Sunday

'Cause that's my funday

My I don't have to runday

It's just another manic Monday

(The Bangles - 1986)

Ok....so it's Monday and I HATE this DAY with a freaking passion. It has nothing to do with work, home or anything like that. It is just the beginning of the week and I feel like the end is so far away!

This weekend was great. First of all it was my BIRTHDAY this weekend. I had a great birthday.

I didn't get anything spectacular...well I did actually. My best present was this camera I got that records on mini-DVD's. Hello how awesome is that. Kind of big and expensive for a birthday present, but I know that it will get used so much.

My girls each made me a hot plate tile from a local ceramic place that I can put hot pans on....my mom gave me a couple of cute presents. One of them being a wine glass that I have yet to use, but probably will tonight.
Other than that I took a long nap on Sunday, watched endless episodes of Big Love, and was pretty much a bum the rest of the time. I'm now back at work and hating this day. I would rather be in bed, reading a book or better yet, in bed sleeping.

OH WELL, such is life!

Feeling Unloved

2007-08-03T15:10:00.000-07:00

I have not had any comments posted on my last several posts....it is making me feel unloved. I wonder what I have done to the blogging world to make eveyone SOB (scroll on by) my posts.

I mean am I not worthy of a comment....do I not interest you....can I not keep you entertained.

What is it you want people....tell me so I can deliver!

Ladybug......going back to my leaf to sulk...... ;(

{Blogasm}

2007-08-03T15:04:00.001-07:00

Ok I went to EC's website to see what was happening and I find out that Miss Prissy is planning a trip to Vegas next March for a bunch of bloggers and is looking to find out who would be interested......so I said HELL YEAH...Vegas...sign me the hell up.

So if you are interested in getting to know some fellow bloggers or just want to party in Vegas...then hit up this link----->VEGAS BABY...YEAH

Goodbye Harry

2007-08-02T11:56:00.000-07:00

I’ve been putting off writing about this last book because I needed to take a few days to digest what I had read and how I really felt about the series coming to an end. I don’t want this to be a spoiler post for those few of you out there that may not have finished or even read the book. And I don’t want it to be the place that you learn of what happened in the final moments of Harry’s story. If I’m being completely honest I have to say that I’m a little sad to see Harry’s story come to an end. However, given that J.K. Rowling did a great job of ending the story, I have to say that he can now live on in my imagination and heart as a beloved character that I will go and visit again in the pages of the seven books.

I have to say that I really believe that J.K. Rowling did a great job of bringing it all full circle and to a great close. She tied up loose ends, she made me love the unlovable, forgive those that needed forgiving and see that even when you follow evil you may still have a heart. I have never felt such finality or closure with any series that I have read before this one. At the end of the day when I finally read page 759 of book 7 I was satisfied. I was OK with letting the characters go forward and live their lives on their own without me being a voyeur as I have been for the last several years. I felt that they had earned the right to live happily and forever in peace.

It is with that that I say Thank You to J.K. Rowling for giving me 17 years with Harry. I say Thank You to Harry for allowing me to come along for the adventure. I say Thank You to all the other characters that played such a significant role in bringing the books to life. And I say Goodbye to all those who died, all those who lived and all those yet to come……Thanks for the adventure.

School Supplies

2007-08-02T11:14:00.000-07:00

I love this time of year when school supplies go on sale. I love that you can get spiral notebooks for 10 cents each. I love that a pack of new pencils costs 45 cents. Love love love this time of the year. I could go nuts and buy all sorts of cool little gadgets and supplies, but in the end most of them would not be used.

That brings me to this point remember when you were a kid and you would get your school supply list like two days before school starts….usually the same night as you went to meet your teacher and see who was in your class? Well, nowadays the lists get mailed out to the parents.

I remember when I would get the list and look at the things I would need which would usually include:

Crayons (Maybe Markers)
Pencils
Erasers
Notebook Paper
Pens (but only 5th grade & up)
Scissors
Glue (Preferably Paste)
Notebook
Backpack

The only supplies that my parents helped provide the classroom was Kleenex and maybe paper towels. Nowadays, I guess as parents we are expected to fill the teachers supply cabinets. This was my youngest daughter’s lists for this year….exactly as it arrived from the school:

Backpack (only large enough to carry homework)
2 pkgs Black Dry erase markers
3 boxes of Kleenex
10 Spiral Bound notebooks
2 large boxes of pencils (sharpened)
2 packs of pink erasers
2+ bottles of hand sanitizer
3 pkgs of glue sticks
Ziploc bags in various sizes
2 reams of copy paper
2 reams of multi-colored copy paper
Paper Towels/Napkins
2 pairs of blunt nose scissors
5 pkgs Wide Ruled Paper

Now I don’t have a problem buying this stuff. I mean I understand that kids need these things to be successful in school. What I DO have a problem with is buying these supplies for the CLASSROOM as a whole. I mean I am not just buying for my child with a list like that I am buying for my child and probably at least one or two others whose parents can’t or more likely WON’T buy their kids supplies.

I also understand that teachers do supply a lot from their own pocket. Both of my parents are teachers and I know that there were many times when we would hit up the dollar store for paper, crayons, markers etc…..because the kids in the class rooms didn’t have these supplies. I have no problem helping out, but what I would like to see is a list for what a single (MY) child needs and then a note saying anything extra you can provide would be appreciated. I know the reason some parents don’t buy for their children is that they get lists like what I got and figure I can’t afford that or I’m not supplying the whole school.

I don’t want to say that my kids go to a “rich” school, but the families whose children do go are middle to upper middle class families. Many of the kids WANT for NOTHING, so a few school supplies shouldn’t be that big of deal. However, every year when we make the rounds to the first parent/teacher conference I always ask “Is there anything you need for your class?” And I always get some form of response of “Well, I asked all the kids to bring X item (usually tissue, paper towels, and baggies) and only a few of them brought any in. So if you don’t mind could you please send something like that in?” The teachers are always so humble and nice about it…and I really don’t mind running out to Wal-Mart and getting what they need. But if EVERYONE would contribute, then people like me wouldn’t have to buy supplies for all the other kids.

So this year I did something different. I got a medium sized plastic container and over bought pens, pencils, markers, crayons, glue, paper, folders and notebooks. I am going to keep them on hand so that when the teachers ask for X, Y, Z I will be able to go to my stash and send it.
Anyway, sorry for the rant, but for some reason when I was out buying supplies yesterday this bugged me!

More and More and More Bills

2007-08-01T11:07:00.000-07:00

So, I thought I was getting ahead. But then WHAM....more bills.

I really thought that this month would be different and I would start making a dent in the debt...but alas that will not happen.

Why you ask....because of everytime I turn around SOMETHING else is broken.

Oh well, what is next....my house could just explode and I would probably be better off....

(knocking on wood)......

Real Men.....Survive

2007-07-30T10:42:00.000-07:00

Ok...so I've been on a Discovery Channel kick lately and recently came across a few shows that I have to say have got me hooked AND have hotties....see below:

First off we have Bear:

He is from Man vs. Wild and he is nuts. He gets dropped in the middle of no-where with the clothes on his back and a knife...and some how always manages to find his way back to civilization or find some form of human life that saves him. While I don't think he is drop dead handsome....who doesn't love a man that can make a raft from a coconut and tea leaf. He is a modern day MacGyver!

Next we have Mike:

If you have a Dirty Job, he is the man to do it. In fact I have been looking for dirty jobs around my house that he could come and do....and I have not found any yet. About the best I can come up with is cleaning my stove and I don't think that qualifies! Oh well, until then I will just drool over my TV on Tuesday Nights!

Last but not least we have Les:

He is out in the wilderness alone for 7 days....just by himself. He has no camera-crew, nobody following him around...nothing. I mean this guy must really like himself to be all alone for seven days. However, there is something to be said for not having anyone else around. I mean it's up to you to survive and if you don't...guess what...we will watch it on TV. The new season starts in August....so I highly recommend checking it out.

Summer is almost over

2007-07-30T10:17:00.000-07:00

I am so ready for school to start! The kids are starting to get cranky, I need a regular schedule and in addition, I just need a break from the constant...Mom, Mom Mom~!!!!

So here is to all those teachers out there...who are not looking forward to going back to work...

HA HA HA ------> Here come my kids....lol

The Modern Savage

2007-07-30T09:37:00.000-07:00

My friend Matt @ The Modern Savage has done what I'm sure all of us dream of doing one day....his blog has grown so much that he now has to move to his own domain & server.

If you have not gone to visit his blog your really should. I have updated the link in my blogroll and would highly recommend a look-see!

He is a very talented writer and if I ever met him in person I'm sure I would kiss him full on the lips...LOL

Man Vs. Wild

2007-07-29T09:21:00.000-07:00

Just for the record.....this guy who does the Man vs. Wild show on Discovery is

CRAZY!

Pop Culture

2007-07-29T09:20:00.001-07:00

Has anyone been watching the World Series of Pop Culture?

I have been keeping several episodes on DVR and I am watching them today.

It is really good so far...wish I knew how to try out...it would be so much fun!

Dreams

2007-07-29T09:12:00.001-07:00

Don't you wish you could share your dreams with someone. I'm not talking about dreams you have about your life, future or anything like that. I'm talking about your dreams you have at night when you sleep.

The last few weeks I have been having very vivid and real dreams. Dreams that I can really remember when I wake up and sometimes it takes me a minute to realize that they are not real. I wish there was a way to share some of these dreams with others. Not by talking about it, but by somehow downloading or file sharing or something with others.

I'm sure that it would be very insightful for a therapist or some shrink would really be able to tell what is going on in my mind and be able to help me realize what the hell I need to do to fix myself.

Anyway, just thoughts!

BlogLines

2007-07-29T09:06:00.000-07:00

Well, count me as one of the new subscribers to bloglines. I have been keeping all of my favorite blogs in a folder on my favories list in IE. However, it meant checking each blog everyday and sometimes twice a day to see if it had been updated.

Well, no more. I just set up a bloglines account. Now I have marked everyone as read and starting tomorrow I will be able to keep up better with everyone whose blog I read on a daily basis.

Wish me luck!

Thanks so MUCH!

2007-07-28T08:58:00.000-07:00

I want to take a minute to THANK all of the people who took a sec to comment on my last post.

It means a lot to know that there are actually people out there that are caring and kind.

I'm really not sure wshat I'm going to do in this situation. I am hurt, confused and angry....and I don't think that makes for a good time to makes decisions.

I'll keep you all informed as to what is going on!

I need some help/advice….whatever you can give

2007-07-26T13:41:00.000-07:00

I would normally go to my two closest girlfriends for this, but I just don’t want to hear the whole I told you so….and I’m sure some of you here are going to give me that anyway, but please “hear” me out before you decide whether or not an “I TOLD YOU SO…” is in order.

Anyway, I found some communications on the computer the other day that have led me to believe that things are not done. That feelings are not over and that I have been a fool.

How do you admit you made a mistake, if your afraid of failure?

My kids are going to be devastated, my parents will be so upset, and I don’t want to think about being alone.

Al of this is fear I know, but I’m almost willing to stay so that I don’t have to be alone….is it worth it?

I need some advice…..what would you do?

Almost Done!

2007-07-26T09:18:00.001-07:00

I have about 40 more pages and should be done today/tonight.

I think these last few pages are going to have to be read alone with a box of tissue....

I usually don't cry when reading books, but this is hard to say to goodbye

Another FYI

2007-07-23T09:55:00.001-07:00

I will also not be checking emails!

Avoiding Others Blogs

2007-07-23T09:54:00.000-07:00

I am not visiting other blogs this week because I am in the middle of finishing the 7th and FINAL Harry Potter book.

I don't want accidentially come across a post where someone is talking about the book.

I will be back to commenting etc....when I'm done reading...probably by weeks end!

Housing

2007-07-20T11:52:00.000-07:00

A friend of mine works for a large corporation that owns luxury hotels all over the world. Recently she made a trip to Las Vegas and stayed in their corporate housing there. OMG....it was gorgeous. She took pictures, but OMG it does not do justice to what she has told me it was really like.

She has been offered a job in White Plains, NY...and I hope she doesn't go, but if she does her company offers to allow her to buy a corporate house that they have purchased from someone that has either been laid off, retired, or relocated.

She recently went on a scouting trip and found a house that she would really like to buy. She gave me this website -----> real estate and told me to do a search for my area. I did and some of the deals are really good.

I might have to check into upgrading!

The Notebook

2007-07-20T11:42:00.001-07:00

The Notebook.....has there ever been a more romantic movie made? I'm sure there has, but I just don't know what it would be....and in my mind there is no greater love than the love shown between Noah and Allie.

I read the book a few times before the movie came out and while I loved the movie the book made me cry so hard and I was so in love with those characters. I mean Noah loved her.....really loved her. She loved him and was willing to lose all her fortune and future for him....is there love like that nowadays?

Yes.....in the form of movies. I stopped believing in TRUE love long ago. However, if I could have this house...I might reconsider....LOL

nc waterfront property

It's Up to You New York NEW YORK!!!!!

2007-07-20T11:33:00.000-07:00

Old Blue Eyes!!!! Gotta love Frank, baby!

Ok, so this post comes because I am JEALOUS. A good friend of mine is taking a trip to NY, the BIG APPLE, city that NEVER sleeps, etc....and guess what...she got tickets to see...wait for it...wait for it....

The Phantom of the Opera on BROADWAY! So lucky!

She got her tickets on-line here-----> new york ticket broker

To be honest I'm not jealous that she has to fly a million hours to NY (well, that might be a little far fetched). I'm not jealous that she is going to be there during Thanksgiving week when they will have the tree lite in Rockfeller center or that she will be able to ice skate in central park...NO I'm jealous because she gets to see THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA on BROADWAY!

So lucky!

You and Me go fishing in the dark.....

2007-07-20T11:25:00.000-07:00

The receptionist in my office has a daughter who just turned 16. She is a sweetheart of a girl and now has an official boyfriend. She has been working here in our office part-time this summer (filing, making copies, etc) to earn some spending money. She recently told me that her and her new boyfriend went and spent a good chunk of his paycheck and hers too I guess on fishing tackle! Why in the world would you buy fishing tackle when there are much more interesting things to buy like clothes, jewerly...food..etc...

Well, apparently they are going to go fishing tonight in the dark......I don't know why, but it reminds me of that Nitty Gritty Dirt Band Song:

Lazy yellow moon comin up tonite,
Shinin thru the trees,
Crickets are singin and lightning bugs
Are floatin on the breeze
Baby get ready.....

Across the field where the creek turns back by the ole stump road
Im gonna take you to a special place that nobody knows
Baby get ready.....ooooooooooo

You and me going fishing in the dark,
Lying on our backs and counting the stars
Where the cool grass grows.

Down by the river in the full moon light,
We'll be fallin in love in the middle of the night
Just movin slow...
Stayin the whole night thru, feels so good to be with you...

Spring is almost over and the summers come
And the days are gettin long
Waited all winter for the time to be right, just to take you along
Baby get ready.....

And it dont matter if we sit forever and the fish dont bite
Jump in the river and cool ourselves from the heat of the night
Baby get ready.....ooooooooooo.

Cookware

2007-07-20T11:10:00.000-07:00

Crystal from PinkLucy has a link on her blog for a blog called The Recipe Place. Within this wonderful blog is great recipes that people send in from all over the place I'm sure. There is one recipe that I would love to find and had a few years ago, but have since misplaced. It is for Terra Cotta bread. My aunt gave it to me with three terra cotta flower pots. I thought she was crazy, I mean who bakes in flower pots, but little did I know that it would be the best bread I had ever had.

I have since tried to find different websites that have it and have asked my aunt for it but she claims that she no longer has the recipe either. The only other person that would have it would be my grandmother and she died five years ago....so I guess I am just out of luck. But never underestimate the power of Terra Cotta cookware.

Long Term Care/Disablity/Funeral Insurance

2007-07-20T10:59:00.000-07:00

Last night I was talking to my Mom about her living will and Health Care POA. It is not a pretty subject right now with all the crap she is dealing with and all of the decisions that have to go along with these issues she is facing.

During our talk she said that she had bought long term care insurance last year as well as funeral insurance. She said that she didn't want my brother and I to have to come out of pocket with a lot of money to have her remains taken care of in a civil way. This is also the same lady that told me that if I buried her in the ground she would come back to haunt me as she is clausterphobic.....go figure.

Anyway, I was just wondering if anyone here has any types of these insurances and if so, what do you think of them? I know that I need to get on the ball and get my will, POA and such in order, but right now it's just not something I want to think about.

My New Car

2007-07-20T10:00:00.001-07:00

So, my new Prius I got a couple of weeks ago is in the shop getting new leather seats put in since the standard model does not come with a leather package. While dropping my car off on Wednesday I noticed that I had a couple of chips in the paint on my bumper already. Can you believe that...the car is not even two weeks gone and I've already got body damage.

I asked the lot attendant if they did any kind of touch up work at the dealership and he said no, but that they could order some paint and I could have someone else do it.....why order the paint. Because apparently the color of my car is not in stock on the "touch up" paint inventory list yet...Go Figure.

So, in talking to a few friends and driving a dealer issued rental....BTW those are EEEWWW I was told that you can order touch up paint based on your make/model/year of your car. Viola...Google Search and BAM guess what -------> automotive detailing supplies! And they had my paint. I am so excited. I'm not sure what to do at this point, but ordering would probably be a good idea....lol

Lola

2007-07-20T09:15:00.000-07:00

OMG...Love my new puppy....but Man oh Man I have forgotten how much work a new puppy is from the start. She is getting better at night about not whining when kenneled, but for the most part she is still a little fireball.

She had a check up the other day and we were told that because of her breed (mixed small dogs) she would probably have at least some of the bad gene traits from each of the breeds. Therefore, they want us to put her on an all natural diet....um ok.

So at the vet office they have this special food that is all natural, but an 11 pound bag is like $50. Well, guess what I found -----> premium dog food for about $35 for a 15 pound bag. Now you might not think that is a lot of savings, but $15 a month will support my wine habit...LOL. Guess where I am buying my dog food now!!!!

Barney Purple and My 11 Year Old

2007-07-20T08:50:00.000-07:00

My daughter has offically entred the tween years (ages 10-12) where she is not a "kid" but not a teenager. This time period has been hard for me to adjust to and while I love her to death the constant changes in attitude are starting to wear me out.

Most recently we purchased her some new linens from here --->kids bedding. It was quite cute enough and I thought the polka dot pattern we got was so cute and trendy. Apparently I was right because immediately two of her best friends bought similar bed sheet sets. Now, one of the mothers decided her daughters whole room needed a makeover. So she proceeded to paint polka dots on the walks, get new a new bed, shelving etc and I have to say that this girls room rocks. It looks like it belongs in a design magazine.

So now guess what....my daughter wants her room painted in similar way. OK, I don't have a problem with that, but she has an accountant for a mother...HELLO! I don't do creative very well. So, last night we go to buy the base color for her room....and she chooses purple...not lavendar, not violet...PURPLE. Think Barney if he looked pale....yep...that's the color.

So this weekend we will be painting her room purple....and putting polka dots on the walls...pics to follow...I hope I don't puke!

Primitive Attraction

2007-07-20T08:44:00.000-07:00

Tarzan had been living alone in his jungle kingdom for 25 years with only suitably shaped holes in trees for sex.

Jane, a reporter, came to Africa in search of this legendary figure.One day, deep in the wilds, she came to a clearing and discovered Tarzan vigorously thrusting himself into a jungle oak.

She watched in awe for awhile.Finally, overcome by this display of animal passion, Jane came out in to the open and offered herself to him.

As she reclined on the wild grass, Tarzan became aroused. He quickly ran over and kicked her in the crotch really hard.In pain, she screamed, "What the hell did you do that for?".

Tarzan replied, "Tarzan always check for squirrels first."

Tuesday Funny

2007-07-17T10:45:00.000-07:00

After a few days, the Lord called to Adam and said, "It is time for you and Eve to begin the process of populating the earth so I want you to kiss her."

Adam answered, "Yes Lord, but what is a kiss?" So the Lord gave a brief description to Adam who took Eve by the hand and took her to a nearby bush.

A few minutes later, Adam emerged and said, "Thank you Lord, that Was enjoyable."And the Lord replied, "Yes Adam, I thought you might enjoy that and now I'd like you to caress Eve." And Adam said, "What is a caress'? So the Lord again gave Adam a brief description and Adam went behind the bush with Eve.

Quite a few minutes later, Adam returned, smiling, and said, "Lord, that was even better than the kiss." And the Lord said, "You've done well, Adam. And now I want you to make love to Eve." And Adam asked, "What is 'make love' Lord?"'

So the Lord again gave Adam directions and Adam went again to Eve behind the bush, but this time he reappeared in two seconds.

And Adam said, "Lord, what is a headache?"

I stole this....

2007-07-16T17:18:00.000-07:00

I stole this cartoon from Pink Lucy last week and forgot about it...but I think it is pretty funny....

Thanks for letting me steal it Crystal!!!

New Layout and other stuff

2007-07-16T16:14:00.000-07:00

Ok, so I got a new layout...you like?

Also, my lesbian baby shower post is shot.....well, not really, but it was almost done when a monsoon storm hit and I didn't save it...so I'm back to square one...but now that I have an idea is shoudn't be too hard to re-create.

Hope all is well.

More Mouse?!?!?!

2007-07-13T16:38:00.000-07:00

Remember my post a little while back about what I would do if I had only three weeks to live???? You MEMBER!!!

Well, I was just given this link to an Orlando Rental Home. Now that I see these houses screw the beach...I'm renting one of these babies....I mean a house that sleeps 12...I would have room to bring along some of my blogger friends...I mean Slick could come and hit on Minnie, DraMa could bring her kids and we could drink wine....Andrew could come and people watch....EC could come and we would party like it's 1990 something....and I'm sure anyone else that wanted to come...would be welcome.

I like this one the best...but that's just me....

New Dining Room Furniture

2007-07-13T16:31:00.000-07:00

Now as you all know I have signed up for the whole pay to blog thing and so far it has been fun. I have gone to many websites that I would probably not have found/gone to otherwise. So far most of them have not really appealed to me to actually pursue buying something...I mean I live in the greater Phoenix metro area...anything I can find online I can find here right.....but that means having to go out in the 150,000 degree heat (I know I know its a DRY heat) and shop..which I just don't want to do.

So imagine my surprise today when checking my account and I found out it was about home furniture.....who freakin' hoo! I have been wanting to go and look for a dining set for my dining room because we are redecorating it now...and I was getting antsy because what we have in there now should be chopped up and used as firewood this winter...in a place that actually has weather cold enough to need open flames in an enclosed environment.....

Anyway, I was so excited because I found this dining set (see below) and they had free shipping...guess what arrives at my house next week.....

I don't own a truck...

2007-07-13T16:24:00.000-07:00

and I'm sure if I did there would be several injured pedestrians because I just don't know how to drive a truck. I have tried and believe me it is not pretty. My Dad tried to teach me how to drive a truck and my uncle basically sat in the passenger side of his truck with me behind the wheel crying because I just didn't want to drive.

I am used to smaller vehicles, which is one of the reasons I got the Prius. However, in my quest to expand my mind and earn a little $$$ I signed up for PayU2Blog. OK, they sent me a site to review....and I did...and guess what...it is all about truck accessories and parts. It scared the crap outta me just to be on the home page. Blinking trucks, huge wheels, sparkly things that I would have no idea what they are for or what they do....however, working in an office of 8 and 7 of them being men...the minute I pulled this up and one of them saw it there was drool all over my desk.

Now I know I'm cute (come on admit it ya think I'm cute...lol) but drooling come on....wait...they were not drooling over me...they were drooling over these auto accessories, can you believe that?!?!?!?!? I can.

So while I'm not in the market for any sort of truck accessories or any thing of that nature...maybe you know someone who is....if so send them to see these auto accessories.

Harry Potter and The Order of the Phoenix

2007-07-13T11:51:00.000-07:00

I have to give this movie Five Stars because it was THAT good.

This movie is great from the beginning because we see the return of the Dursley’s who have not been in an HP film in what seems like ages. The dementors are also back and they look even scarier than they did in HP3. I have to say that I really liked the special effects that were used in this part of the movie. The dementors are no longer wearing hooded cloaks, so you see their “faces” and to be honest if I met one on the street I would probably faint dead away. The way the patronus charm is shown to work is also amazing with the dementor rolling and flying right off the screen. If this had been a 3D movie it would have landed in your lap.

The movie follows the book pretty closely and if you have a hard time understanding a few things in the movie it would be wise to read the book. JK Rowling has always done a great job at the beginning of every book catching the reader up (as best she can) with what has happened previous. I’m sure it gets harder as the books get more involved and longer, but she does her best.

The best parts of the movie were the battle between Voldemort and Dumbledore, Grimmauld Place, the return of Mrs. Weasley, Lupin and Sirus Black. Plus you get to see some of the new characters from the book. Bellatrix Lestrange is also in the movie, but not until almost the very end. Helena Bonham Carter plays this part perfectly and I would have loved to see her more, but hopefully she will return in HP6. You still have the other regular Death Eaters (Malfoy, Crabbe, Goyle, etc). The scene at the end where Harry and his friends are at the Department of Mysteries at the Ministry of Magic is great. It doesn’t play out quite like the book, but it is really good. You get to see how much each of them has grown and learned in the last five years.

Lastly, I really liked the way the movie showed the Room of Requirement and Harry training the students. Overall, I think this was a great part of the movie and really showed a future for Harry either as teacher or as a Dark Wizard hunter.

I know there is more that I am missing, but overall I have to say that this movie is my favorite so far….in addition with David Yates directing HP6 (which is due out next summer) we should be able to get a better understanding of the wizarding world.

Upcoming Posts

2007-07-12T08:49:00.000-07:00

OK people I have just about finished the post on Lesbian baby showers...it should be up by end of day tomorrow.

Also, I will be reviewing Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix...saw it last night...SO GOOD.

Apologies....to Terri

2007-07-12T08:43:00.001-07:00

I missed a lurker yesterday and I truly apologize. I have been having issues with gmail the last few days. It has been dumping all of my email into my spam folder. So I have been just skimming through it looking for valid emails. Therefore, I missed this new person...

Terri - I truly apologize! I have visited your blog and it very entertaining. I love the way you write and I will be back for more....

Please hit up her blog and leave a comment!

The Ruddell Times