Joke of the Day

Stalled Conversation

Traveling down the interstate and needing to use the bathroom, I stopped at a rest area and headed to the restrooms.  I was barely sitting down when I heard a voice from the the other stall saying, "Hi, how are you?"

I'm not the type to start a conversation in the restroom and I don't know what got into me, but I answer, "Doin' just fine."

Then the other person says, "So what are you up to?"

What kind of question is that? At that point, I'm thinking this is too bizarre so I say, "Uhhh, I'm like you, just traveling."

At this point I am just trying to get out as fast as I can when I hear another question, "Can I come over?"

Ok, this question is just too weird for me but I figured I could just be polite and end the conversation. I tell them, "No...I'm a little busy right now!"

Then I hear the person say nervously, "Listen, I'll have to call you back. There's an idiot in the next stall who thinks I'm talking to her."

Friday Confessional

Okay. I've decided to take another try at this. It felt great and I loved the feedback from people!

I confess...

When people post a response on someone else's blog that is nasty, rude, super opinionated or downright inappropriate and do so as "anonymous" instead of having the "balls" to own it as their own, it really makes my butt twitch and my ears boil. Hence why people don't have the ability to do so on my blog. I'm sure doing so makes it so some people don't or can't comment on my blog. But I'd rather that than allow some d-bag with a superiority complex to be able to speak his/her mind without having to own their words.

I confess...

I have a friend who is getting grief for not wanting to settle down and get married. She is only 19! This annoys me. She dates a lot but isn't serious about any one guy. She wants to do some things with her life before she settles down. She is still so young and has plenty of time! We were talking the other day about it and it reconfirmed to me that I am really happy I waited until I was older to get married. Granted, I didn't have as much control over this as that statement makes it sound. I dated plenty and had a couple of proposals but it just didn't feel right. Honestly, it would have been nice to get married a few years earlier (instead of 32 yrs old, maybe 28). But I'm so glad I didn't settle. I have such a great husband. Perfect for me. And I really feel like, because I had some amazing times as a single person, it has made me a better wife and mother. It has also made me appreciate my hubby and my daughter that much more. I lived on my own for many years, traveled across the world, lived in a couple of different states and in another country, met some people that will forever be my friends and had some fabulous experiences I never would have had if I got married at 18. (Now, I'm not mocking those who did. I'm saying...for me, it was great.) I'm glad I didn't give in to the pressure and marry the first person who proposed just because people told me I was supposed to get married.

I confess...

I haven't checked out my Google reader all week. I also haven't responded to a couple of messages on my blog. This makes me feel stressed. I feel like a lame friend. I will work on it.

I confess...

I love my daughter but sometimes I wish she was a little less high maintenance. She has had some health issues since birth which have caused some developmental delays. She is involved in an Early Intervention program and has a physical and eye therapist who come to the house twice a month. They then give me exercises to do with her every day. That, on top of her 5 doctors, I sometimes feel a wee bit overwhelmed. She is getting better and every day she is learning and getting stronger. I just had no idea that being a Mom would be so hard. But I love her with everything in me. And, if given the chance, wouldn't change her or things for the world! I have learned so much about so many things I never would have known if not for her issues. I have also become a much stronger person because of it. Sure do love my little gal!

I confess...

We still have our Christmas tree up. Yes. Truly. I'm having a hard time putting it away. Last year, with Sophia in the NICU and being born early, we didn't even have a Christmas tree. It has been nice having one this year.

Well, that's probably enough for this week. Stay tuned next week for another installment. Want to play along? Head over and link up with Mamarazzi and/or Glamazon, grab the button, add it to your Confessional post and then link it. Enjoy!

Friday Confessional

Do you ever feel weighed down by all the things swirling around in your head? Things you want to say to people but don't or things that make your bootie itch that you need to get off your chest? Well, I have a few. And, thanks to Mamarazzi and Glamazon (blogs I follow and love), I am going to let it out...in small doses. Don't want to scare/scar you for life. So, on with it...

I confess...

*I don't miss working outside the home. Not one bit.
*I never was a career oriented person. I was good at a lot of things but didn't care enough about it to make me feel fulfilled doing it.

I confess...

*I don't understand why people want to go Vegan. I love meat.
*I could eat Steak and all you can eat Shrimp at Sizzler every day for a week and still want it.
*I love milk. If I could take a bath in it, I would.

I confess...

*Lately it seems like I'm surrounded by Debbie Downers, Christy Critical and Cindy Condescending. It makes me tired to be around/talk to/or whatever. Life is stressful. Life is hard. Sometimes it downright sucks. Accept it and move on. You (and everyone around you) will be happier if you do so. Not trying to trivialize your problems but, you know what...We all have problems. I don't want yours and I'm sure you don't want mine.
*Don't be condescending and tell me I have no problems compared to you. If you really want to win the contest, whatever. You can climb the mountain to be the King. I've got better things to do.
*When people point out my flaws and short comings, it makes me want to punch them in the face. I know I'm not perfect. I don't need you to point them out.
*My landlady embodies all three of the above "qualities". June can't come soon enough! Anyone know of a place coming up for rent this summer? :]

I confess...

*When people use "your" when they really mean "you're", it makes my skin crawl and my butt twitch.
*But I have no problem when people say, "Y'all". Does that make me a hypocrite?

I confess...

*I want another baby desperately but it scares me a little to get pregnant again. Not because of the labor. It sucked but 17 hours went by faster than I thought it would. Especially the last 4 or so hours that I spent finally epidurally medicated. It's the constant nausea and IV therapy for 7+ months of my pregnancy. I'm afraid that if it happens again I won't be strong enough to do it.
*I also don't know how people can muster the energy/stamina/mental capacity to deal with 2 or more kids. How on earth did my mom have 6?!!

I confess...

*I love cheesy TVLand shows like The Nanny and Three's Company. Michael doesn't understand it but he still loves me. So much that he bought me the first season of The Nanny for Christmas. He's sure great!

I confess...

*I have held back from confessing a few things...like how much fun I have with my hubby in the bedroom and I feel bad for women who don't have the same experience with it. (Oops! It's out there.) ;]
*If I get negative comments in response to this post, I plan to erase them. So don't bother hating.
*I've enjoyed this more than I thought I would. It feels good to put this out there.

Phew! Done. Hope I didn't make you pee your pants out of fear or the bluntness of this post. I didn't hear any screaming, so I guess I'm okay. So, do you have confessions you need to get off your chest? Here's what you do...go visit Mamarazzi and/or Glamazon, grab their button, add it to your Confessional post and then link it up. Other than sex and ice cream, it is the best! ;]

Eye Candy

SlideshowGratuitous Shirtlessness: TV's Most Overexposed Men

"Sometimes having a hot guy take his shirt off on TV is crucial to the plot. And other times, it’s just an excuse to get him as naked as possible. Here are the top 15 examples of the latter on television."

I don't know if you have seen any of these TV shows but there is some definite eye candy going on here! My favorite on the list is Captain Awesome (Ryan McPartlin) on Chuck. So glad he got #1. It's true what they say in the article, "If you add up all the screen-time McPartlin has ever had, I'm willing to bet that the shirtless time might be greater than the shirted time." What I love about Captain Awesome is that he is like the big brother...the one who is always rooting for you. Chuck is such a great show! Happy drooling! (Kik-this post was for you!) :]

Miles to Go Before I Sleep

My mind has been so disheveled lately. So many balls in the air and things pulling me in different directions. I sometimes feel like I'm running around like a chicken with it's head cut off. Because of this, I have really slacked in the blogging department and in documenting Sophia's life and accomplishments thus far. After being inspired by my sister, Nikki, in her goal to get caught up, I have decided to do the same before I forget everything. (I'd link to her blog but her blog is private. Sorry about your luck!) Anyhoo. So, I've decided that I am going to blog about life and back date the posts. (I know! That is kind of cheating. But I want to have the blog in order.) But, so you don't miss any posts, I am going to link them to this post. Confused? Hope not. If so, feel free to ask questions. Here is what I have thus far:

Sophia with Her Great Grandma E.
Sophia with Santa Claus

Happy reading!

What I Want For My Daughter

I was checking out my google reader when I came across this short article quoting Matt Damon. The article states:

"...actor and former “Sexiest Man Alive” Matt Damon recently revealed what he likes in a woman.

“I can only speak to what attracts me. What attracted me to Lucy was her strength, her sense of herself. So I’d say don’t worry about what everybody else wants you to be. And don’t be afraid to be all those things I want for my daughters. There are always articles about what men want, but I guarantee you that any man worth his salt wants a woman who is smart and strong and secure in who she is.”

So what is it that he wants for his daughters? The same thing we all want for our kids, I’d guess. “I want them to know that their decisions matter and that their actions matter,” the Bourne Identity star says. “I want them to have a sense of responsibility for the way they treat people. And I want to help them build an ethical framework with which to approach the world.”

I confess, I've never liked him much (other than in the Bourne movies). But I just may change my opinion of him after reading this article.

I've been thinking about this a lot lately. I want Sophia to be "strong and secure in who she is". I want her to know that she can be and do any thing she sets her mind to as long as she works hard. I want her to have a love of self and to be kind and good to others. I want so much for her. I just hope that I can be the mother she needs to make my dreams for her a reality.

I sure love our little gal and I am enjoying this ride of motherhood. My worst day as a stay at home mom is better than my best day as a work outside the home career woman!

Duct Tape...How I Love You

I was online looking for a product to fix my door when I came across an awesome site called Duckbrand.com . It is a site full of awesome products and fun tutorials. That is where I came across the above picture. For those of you that don't know, I lived in KY for about 5 years. So, yes, I became a UK fan. Anyhoo. Upon further investigation I found a unique tutorial describing How to Make a Duck Tape Rose. How awesome is that!? It just may come in handy for all you guys out there!

Just in case the link doesn't work, here are the instructions:

Supplies and Tools
*Duck® brand Duct Tape
*Straw
*Scissors

Skill Level-Beginner
Approximate Crafting Time-20 Minutes

Step 1: Take your straw and cover it in tape (lengthwise works the best). This step is completed best if you roll the straw across the tape, sticky-side up.

Step 2: Cut several strips of duct tape-about 2 inches each.

Step 3: Sticky side up, fold one edge over itself, leaving some stickiness on the side and bottom.

Step 4: Take the parallel edge and fold it over, leaving only stickiness on the bottom of the strip.

Step 5: Roll this across tightly; this is your center.

Step 6: Insert the center piece from Step 5 into the top of your straw.

Step 7: Repeating Steps 2-4 with strips of duct tape, loosely bind the strips around the center (these are your petals). Make sure to adhere the petals to both straw and the center piece from Step 4. Continue until you've reached the desired size.

Step 8: For the leaves under the rose, repeat Steps 2-4 with the same color that you used for the stem. Wrap these pieces around the stem at the base of the flower to cover up the stem.

And the finished project will come out looking like this:

Yes, folks, that is duct tape. How clever, easy and fun! Hope you enjoy it!

A Prize I Must Win!!

While checking out Facebook today, I came across this contest where I could win:

This...

Or this...

Oh my word! May I just say that I must win this! How cute are they!?! If you are interested in winning it as well, head on over to Bird Crafts and enter. Or, if you love me, don't so I can win it. :]

Santa Claus Came to Town

We decided we wanted to take Sophia to see Santa. He was visiting at our local mall. He was so sweet with Sophia. Almost totally worth the 2 hours we waited in line. How cute is this picture! This is so typical of our little gal. She is obsessed with her hands and is teething to boot. So I wasn't surprised when we couldn't get her hand out of her mouth. Hey! At least she wasn't crying, like a bunch of other kids were before and after we visited with Santa. Glad she got to meet Santa and that he was a jolly Old St. Nick!

This Made Me Laugh...

"The test of a man or woman's breeding is how they behave in a quarrel."

-George Bernard Shaw

(Taken from REALSIMPLE)

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year?

This year I have had a hard time getting into the spirit of the Christmas season. Why? I think it is because I am so tired! My sweet little gal has her days and nights mixed up and we are having a hard time getting things switched. (Any ideas? Feel free to share!) After I finally get her to sleep, I'm wired and can't sleep. Bless her cute heart. It's made things interesting. Anyhoo.

The day after Thanksgiving, I kick into the season. (I can't do it before then because I don't want to give Thanksgiving the shaft. Poor holiday!) ;] I love Christmas and everything about it. The lights. Decorations. Music. Family time. Shopping for presents. Gift giving. But I just couldn't seem to get my heart in it until I got an email about a week ago from my Uncle Mike with this video. It warmed my heart and finally made me feel like it "tis the season to be jolly". (fa la la la la) :] Check it out:

I hope you enjoy the video, too. I love that song. The Hallelujah! Chorus has always held a special place in my heart, even before this experience. I would love to talk to some of the people in that food court and hear what they thought about it. Hope it brought a smile to your face and warmed your heart like it did mine.

I Heart a Good Package

( That's what she said) ;] Sorry. Couldn't resist.)

Don't you just love to go to the mail box and, instead of bills, you find a package addressed to you?! That's what happened to me last week. I must admit, it wasn't totally unexpected. As you may recall, I signed up for an ornament swap and blogged about it here. Well, I have to say that Evelyn and Sami, who were the gals in charge of the swap, picked a great swap partner for me. Once we got paired up, I went over to Mimi's blog and knew I had been given a winner when I read this post. (I heart it, Mimi! I laughed out loud.) We exchanged some fun emails and I immediately felt like I made a new friend. I love it when that happens! Anyhoo. Back to the package.

Here are some pictures from my package of ornamental goodness:

Isn't he cute?!! He's made of wood. (She said, "Wood.")


I love monograms. (Does this stand for naughty? If so, that's me! Naughty Nancy! I'm spechul!)

This is funny because when something funny happens or I see something amusing I think, "That would be a funny blog post!" (BTW, the sign was actually larger than it appears. --That's what she said! ;])

So, to sum up, I opened my package to find not one but two ornaments and a really cute sign that she made and sells in her etsy shop. How lucky was I, eh? Loved them! They all were absolutely adorable! Thanks to Mimi, Evelyn and Sami for the fun.

P.S. If you want to see Mimi's post about her spoils, click here.

And Mimi, I wanted to get you this.....

...but I didn't want all the other participants to be jealous. (That and I couldn't find one at the stores near me.) Here's where you can find it. And, FYI, it talks. Hopefully there aren't a lot of nervous pee-ers who buy this or they are in big trouble! Bless my heart!

P.S. Sorry the picture quality is so crappy. My camera is broken so I had to use my phone. :[ If I can get better pics, I will switch them out.