1. What is your middle name?  Marie
2. What size is your bed?  Full
3. What are you listening to?  Television is on MSNBC, but right now its a coffee mate commercial.

4. What are the last two digits in your phone number?  95
5. What was the last thing you ate?  popcorn
6. Last person you hugged?  Amanda

7. How is the weather right now?  windy, spring-like
8. Who was the last person you talked to on the phone?  Mailee

9. The first thing you notice about the opposite sex?  smile and eyes

10. Do you have a bf/gf?  um, my husband wouldn't like that very much...

11. Do you drink?

13. Ever get so drunk you don't remember the entire night?  Yeah, about 15 years ago...
14. Hair color?   dark blond

15. Eye color?  green

16. Fav baseball team?  I don't watch baseball, but my kids would make me say Red Sox
17. Fav animal?  Horse
18. Favorite season?  Spring

19. Ever cried for no reason?  Well, YEAH!

20. Last movie you watched?  High School Musical on Disney channel

29. What book are you reading?  My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult.  My dad got it for me...omg it is so good. 

30. Piercing?  two in each ear...

31. Favorite movie?  On Golden Pond since childhood!

32. Favorite college team?  Has to be Dartmouth here at home...

33. What are you doing right now?  Hello??

34. Any pets?  2 cats, 2 hamsters, 3 fish
35. Dog or cat?  I would love a Golden Retriever..

36. Favorite flower?  Rose

37. Have you ever been caught doing something you weren't supposed to?  Yes, most recently, breaking my diet...nothing TOO major
38. Have you ever loved someone?  of course!

39. Who would you like to see right now?  my nana

40. Are you still friends with your ex's?  never see any...

41. Have you ever fired a gun?  just a BBgun!  I shot out the window in my grandfather's plow when I was 12...never touched it again

42. Do you like to travel by plane?  once I'm there, yes
43. Right or left handed?  both

44. If you could meet someone right now, who would it be?  I'd love to meet any of my online friends 
45. How many pillows do you sleep with?  one

46. Are you missing someone?  yes, but I've never met them

47. Do you have a tattoo?  no

48. Do you watch cartoons on Saturday morning?  only if the kids have them on

49. Are you hiding something from someone?  Yeah, I guess I am...

50. Do you play an instrument?  just my voice

So . . . there were a few things you might not have known about me. Erase my answers and put in your own, then repost in your own entry. Enjoy!

This is nice... I mean, how often do I get to sit here at my computer in broad daylight with complete silence on a Saturday afternoon?  ahhhh...

Amanda had her birthday party last night.  She opted for the slumber party at home, with an hour long swim at the local gym.  6 girls total.  Oh yeah, and minus one little sister.  Poor Mai, she wanted so much to be here.  She is having her own fun at her best friend's house, though, so she is fine.  She will be staying there tonight as well.  Practicing for camp next month.  She goes as a guest with her friend to Clara Barton which is a camp for kids with diabetes.  I've mentioned this friend before.  What a trooper this girl is.  She has been with me when her sugar tested more than 500 (do to a flaw in her insulin pump) and other times it was so low I thought I'd faint just looking at the number on the meter.  "59....um, that's a little low, huh?" (me, trying to stay calm)  "Oh, I've been lower...." (says nonchaulant 8 year old.)  Gee wiz. 

Mailee had her purple belt test Thursday and passed.  She did very well, although she was a bit nervous and tended to look at others rather then focusing just on her own Katas.  I'm still very proud of her though, and know it all will come for her in time.  Next is brown and then black.... yikes.

Anyway, back to the party.  It was great!  I'm so happy for her to have had such a successful party!!  And no one cried!!  That is HUGE for preteens!  Now maybe she will feel more comfortable having friends over and not be worrying so much that her home doesn't measure up to her "rich" friend's standards.  They are NOT materialistic, and she needs to think more highly of them then that.  They all had a blast.  We live in a pretty decent area.  Yes, there are cliques, but she has so much more going for her than that.  She is beautiful, smart, funny, athletic, kind, and a loyal friend.  I can't believe she will be 12 in a couple days.  How on earth does this happen?  Her basketball team got their A$$es beat today, again.  She was trampled on and bruised.  My baby is learning hard lessons, and it only goes on from here.  Gets worse, if my memory serves me right. 

Well, that's it for now I guess.  Sleeping beauty has risen from her nap!  She'd be ticked knowing I said she took a nap!  Wish I could have that luxury!!  Off to fluff and fold!! 

          

 

 

Smelling Roses

 

   (My other pic got zapped..)

Always take time to smell the flowers......

Home today with ill child.... She thought she may be able to stay home by herself today, being almost 12 and all, well, she's practically all grown up ya know.  So she thought.  Her dad was home until 11:00, and she lasted about 45 minutes.  I got the page at school, and knew I'd be home within minutes!  You must know, I am secretly glad she called....shhhh!  I'm NOT ready for her to grow up.  I want to be needed!  I suppose, I will always be needed, just in different ways.  I have to accept that my girls are growing up, and very fast.  They are so different and need their space from each other as well.  We went through that this weekend, discussing Amanda's 12th birthday and her party.  She wants a hotel overnight with a pool party.  No sister allowed.  Well, as you can imagine, this didn't go over so well.  Mailee has always felt neglected by her sis, and the hardest thing is that she will do anything to get her attention, going so far as to be a complete annoyance, just to get her to acknowledge her.  Yeah, I know.  I've mentioned this countless times... I just think I'm trying to look at it differently lately.  I think that Amanda will resent her sister more if we insist she involve her.  She needs her space, I understand.  I still insist on respect and kindness though.  I'm a big fan of the golden rule.  "LAME" says Amanda.... HA!  I think not.

        I'm a big rose fan,  but this graphic is a bit much on the eyes.

                     

Well, that's it for now... feeling happy these days, which is a plus.  Looking forward to a new year.  Happy days to all of you!!  

 

 

Writing Material

Been meaning to write...really I have. We have been so busy lately, that when I am online, I have just about enough time to check my mail and have some short chats via IM. So, I have a few ideas from fellow journalers...

Tina writes: ...we have some really interesting names for journals  here on AOL, and on other sites as well. It got me to thinking:  I wonder how my fellow journal writers came up with their journal titles .... and even more than that.... how they came up with the screen names they write under?  I'm sure there are dozens of interesting stories out there .... Is anybody  willing to share?  I would love to hear your explanations.  You can leave it here in comments, or write it up in your journal and leave me a link.  I can't wait to hear your stories.

This was my comment in Tina's journal:

My SN speaks for itself.... In A Frenzy 247  is a way of life here in our house!  It's not frenzied in a BAD way, just very, very busy!  When we first got this PC and I was trying to think of a screen name, I was trying the ever popular "crazy" names, like "crazy mom" and "BZYMOM"  INAFRNZ just came to me as I was writing down different ideas, and it just happened to go through!

My journals originally was called "Time For ME"  and I never cared for it, so I changed it.  I reflect on life and my feelings about things in almost all of my entries, so I decided to change it to Reflections.  My blogspot journal is called More Reflections.  Go figure!    Michelle

           

   

Secondly, I've been tagged by Stacy for the following info...

....rules of the game: You must write a journal entry listing the 5 things that drive you CRAZY  ~ as well as the rules of the game... Then, you select five people to tag and link their names/blogs in your entry... Go to their journals and leave a comment informing them they have been tagged by you and to read your journal to see in what way they have been nailed. Those five then MUST write an entry listing What drives them crazy and tag an additional five people...      

SOOO.... let's see now.

1.  It drives me crazy when my girls are mean to each other... I know full well how normal this is, and that it's all part of growing up sisters, but never having a sister of my own, I tend to forget that tad bit of information... I want them to care about each other.  I want them to LOVE each other, damn it!  Every time one of them opens their mouth with hurtful words, my throat tightens up and I start to  hyperventilate.  I'm getting better at tuning it out.  Ok, maybe not, but I'm trying.

2.  It drives me crazy when no one will stop and let me out of school #1 in the morning so that we can get to #2 on time.  OK, I KNOW this is my own fault that we are always late in the first place, but all that FIGHTING!!  

3.  When parents spank their children in public.  I know that some people believe in this practice of discipline, and I could write a whole entry on this subject that some may not agree with.  I can not say that I have never, ever spanked my children, and it's certainly something I have envisioned doing at really hard moments, but it is very rare that I ever did, and I never wanted to, as I don't believe that it is right.  When I see someone hit a child, I want to go right over and punch them.  HARD.           

                

 

4.  It drives me crazy when we are at the movies, and there are rows and ROWS of empty seats, and someone very tall comes over and sits RIGHT INFRONT of my 8 year old.    

5.  One more thing.  It's makes me CRAZY when my neighbors turn up their stereo REALLY loud and we have to listen to it while we have dinner/watch a movie/read etc... I'm not good at knocking on doors, and  these people are friends.  I don't think they really know how loud it is, but we got a 700 watt home theater system with surround sound for Christmas, so they know now...  HEH, HEH!   

Okay, now for tagging...

Charley

Tina

HillareeDay

Rebecca

Barbara

 

Don't feel obligated or anything.  NO REALLY!  I know, I know getting TAGGED drives you crazy!!!!

                               Too bad.

 

                           

                                                              AND

 

                                      

 

At My Weirdest...

Ok.... I'm going out on a limb here.  I've been racking my brain, trying to think of the most weird things about myself, and for some weird reason, I am finding it hard to think of five things.... had I been asked, oh, about 20 years ago, I could have given you a MAJOR earful.  I was even thought of as "scary" by some.  Maybe I will add a few past weirdnesses. 

ANYWAY...

These are the rules of the game: You must write a journal entry listing those weirdnesses you possess ~ as well as the rules of the game... Then, you select five people to tag and link their names/blogs in your entry... Go to their journals and leave a comment informing them they have been tagged by you and to read your journal to see in what way they have been nailed...! Those five then MUST write an entry listing their weird habits and tag an additional five people...

1.  I like my coffee EXTREMELY hot... even after I make a fresh pot, after pouring myself a cup of jo, I have to heat it up EVEN MORE in the microwave for about 40 seconds.  And I drink it fast, before it cools off...

2.  I set all the clocks in my house 15 to 20 mins fast.  I really don't understand why.  I mean, I KNOW what time it is...I guess it just makes me move a little faster... well, not really, but it's the thought. 

3.  I chew the corners of my fingers...yuck, I know.  Not my nails, the outside corner beside the nail.  The flesh...yum. 

4.  I have very strange, vividly real dreams every single night.  Some are good, but many are extremely graphic and gory.  Especially after our car accident.  I had terrible bloody dreams about car accidents 3 or more times a week for ages...  I've dreamt like this since childhood, and remember many of my childhood dreams that terrorized me for nights on end..

5.  When I go to sleep, I have to have the covers up over my mouth, but not my nose.  I guess this stems from childhood also, and I always felt "safe" falling asleep that way... I also need to have my feet covered!!!!  I start out this way and then end up on my side.  EVERY night.

 

Ok, so I guess I'm weird after all.  I didn't even need to reach back into my weird 80's faze.  THAT is scary...

If you haven't been tagged yet for this one, and I know many of you have, please consider yourself TAGGED!  NA NA NA NA NAAA NAAA!

                       

Reflect on this....

                                                  Let Life Come...

Let life come to you, the joys and the problems, the victories and the setbacks, the magnificent beauty and the frustrating difficulties. Let life come, take it all in, and make the very most of it.
Don't fight it or force it, don't hide from it or run away, let life come as it will. Let life come and experience the rich, unique flavor of every moment.
Rather than waiting for things to get better or wishing things had not gone the way they did, let life continue to come and live it as it does. Let life come and learn from it, grow with it, become your best through whatever comes your way.
Welcome each new moment and open your eyes to the positive value that it brings. Sometimes that value is obvious, and other times it is hidden, yet always it is there.Let life come, with all its treasures and all its shortcomings.
Let life come, every bit of it, and be truly, gloriously alive.
Ralph Marston

 

        This found me tonight as I strolled through Jland.... we are having a bit of a difficult evening here at home.  I wanted to enjoy our last night before school starts again, but their constant nit picking, name calling and foot stomping has made that impossible.  Their dad had exactly 2 days off in December, all the rest working 10-11 hour days... and yet we are still having money issues.  The marriage issues are a given, with those kinds of hours.  I blew my stack, so I am all alone in level 2 of this little narrow condo, and I needed the long walk... Lord knows my body needs a "real" walk, but it's dark, cold and misty.  I'm just too lazy.  Ok, now I think I will reread that inspiring little piece up there..again.  and again.  and again....  'night!