Traditions...

So, in class this week we were talking about Christmas traditions from around the world. They simply defined a tradition as something that you do every year: birthdays, holidays, vacations, etc. And while that's true, it seems that me slacking off on my blog has become a weekly tradition. Sorry.

Nonetheless, now that my vacation has started, I'm here. (On a side note, you may have noticed my love for commas. I am a bit comma-happy, and I tend to overuse them. I just figure that anyplace I would pause in conversation deserves a comma...if only for dramatic effect. Oh, and I realize I overuse ellipses too...but whatever.)

As the countdown to Christmas is nearing an end, I thought what better time to talk about Christmas traditions (not around the world, but among our friends and families).

When I was young, Christmas always started the weekend after Thanksgiving. That's when we would buy our tree and decorate the house. It was also usually when Advent would start. We would spend the next 4 weeks getting things ready for the big day. We would buy and wrap presents, bake cookies, and write letters (or in my case, terrible poems) to Santa. But we would also light the candle on the Advent wreath, read Bible stories, help out and church, and celebrate the true meaning of the season.

Sometimes we would go to South Dakota to be with our extended family, but I don't remember much about those. What I do remember are the ones we spent at home. We always went to the children's mass on Christmas Eve (they do a short little reenactment at that mass). We would eat supper, and after we got the kitchen cleaned up we would open presents. We all had our own spots around the living room (Brad at the table in the corner, Mom on the love seat, Jaime on the bricks between the fireplace and the TV, Dad and Josh on the couch, and me on the floor next to the piano). We would get the gifts from under the tree and pass them out to each of our designated spots. We would then try on any clothes we got, play with the toys we got, set out cookies and milk for Santa, and go to bed. When we woke up, we would go down stairs to find our stockings full, a gift for each of us under the tree, and that the cookies had been eaten!

When I met Kevin, it was just another sign that we were meant to be together when I found out that his Christmas traditions would fit like a puzzle piece with mine. They always opened all of their presents on Christmas morning, which left him available to spend Christmas Eve with my family, and I was available to spend Christmas morning with his.

And now that we're married, not much has changed...theirs just a little more travel involved. We still buy our tree and decorate our house the weekend after Thanksgiving. We still celebrate Advent as a way of preparing ourselves and our kids for the celebration of the birth of Jesus. We still buy and wrap presents. Then in the days right before Christmas, we drive home to Abilene so we can enjoy the time with our families. We still do Christmas Eve with my family (including the Children's mass...only now it's my kids who participate in the reenactment). We still have our spots in the living room...only now we have spouses and children to fill out those spots. And after the gifts have been opened, clothes have been tried on, toys have been played with, and cookies have been set out for Santa, we put our kids to bed. The grown ups get to stay up late watching movies and/or playing games, eating Santa's cookies, and filling stockings. In the morning, we get to watch our kids wake up and be amazed by the fact that Santa ate his cookies and left more presents. Then we go to Kevin's side of the family and open presents with them. But more importantly we play games with, talk with, laugh with, and spend the day with them. And when we get back home, we get to see that Santa remembered to visit our house, too!

Kevin and I are so blessed to have both of our families in the same town. It truly makes holidays so easy. We get to share the joy of gift-giving with everyone, while not missing out on quality time with anyone. This year is sure to be one of the best Christmases ever! All of my siblings will be together with spouses and kids in tow. But this year we will also be joined by a newcomer to our family...my baby brother's fiance. I'm so excited to be able to spend so my time with my family (both sides), get to know my future sister-in-law a little better, watch Hannah and Mason spend time with their cousins (all 11 of them), and celebrate the birth of our Savior with everyone I love most.

So Merry Christmas! What are some of your traditions?!

Albums...

So, the Grammy nominations came out Wednesday night. And I think that I'm pretty pleased overall. Eminem got a stellar 10 nominations. Lady Antebellum, Bruno Mars, and my boy Jay-Z got several as well. I could definitely pass on Lady Gaga, but I think it should be a good show!

In honor of the music, I thought I would do a blog that I never really thought I would do before. I've always heard people who talk about "albums that changed their lives". And I would always think, "Really? It changed your life?!" I mean I am a music lover to the core, but I never really got that statement. But now, I think I was being a little too broad, or a little to literal...or something. A life changing moment, or album for that matter, doesn't necessarily have to be something huge or noticeable to others. So keeping that in mind and keeping in the spirit of the facebook thing (that I somehow missed), this post is going to be about: Albums That Changed My Life!

Here's the criteria: any number of albums that either literally changed your life somehow (even in a small way) or the way you look at life (or looked at life at the time). They sucked you in and took you over. These are the albums that you use to identify time, people, places, memories, and emotions.


In an attempted order by date (of my appreciation, not necessarily it's release):


1) Ropin the Wind by Garth Brooks = This is the first album that I remember loving (I'm thinking around 5th and 6th grade). I can remember individual songs that I thought were awesome long before this, but we're talking albums here. I remember listening to this tape (yes, cassette tape) over and over. It was then that I made my life goal to see Garth Brooks live in concert. It's still a goal that I have, by the way...just in case you ever get an extra ticket. :)

2) the Forrest Gump Soundtrack = So we're flashing forward a few years to around 8th grade. I went to see this movie with my dad and my sister. I enjoyed the movie, but I didn't fall in love with it until high school (when it became one of my all-time favorites). But I was able to instantly fully appreciate the music. The music spanned the 50's, 60's, and 70's without being corny or cliche.

3) the 1996 Grammy Nominees compilation = I didn't actually get the CD until the summer before 10th grade, but the music was a showcase from my Freshman year. I can't even give this album a review that will do it justice, so check out this one on Amazon. That was a great year for music!

4) Big Ones by Aerosmith = So a lot of Aerosmith was before my time. I remember getting this CD for my cousin, Jeremy. Then a year or two after that I finally got my own, and I was in rock heaven. I would do some serious jamming out in my bedroom. But more importantly, this album got me interested in finding and listening to their earlier stuff. And it inspired me to make another life goal to see Aerosmith in concert. (So, ideally Garth Brooks and Aerosmith need to put on a show together...that sounds likely doesn't it?)

5) Crash by Dave Matthews Band = Ah, this is Junior year. I was 16, and I was sure that all the guys who had asked me out since middle school (who I had always turned down, because I wasn't old enough to date) would be ready to try again. I was sadly mistaken. They all had girlfriends, and so did the guys I actually liked...and so did just about everyone (or so it seemed). I spent many a night shut away in my room feeling sorry for myself and seeking solace in the unique music of DMB.

6) Conspiracy No. 5 by Third Day = This was still my Junior year. When I wasn't busy being depressed about my lack of dates, I was very involved in and loving my Life Teen youth group at church. It was the year that solidified my strong faith and the year of my confirmation. We went to a Third Day concert in Abilene, and it was the best thing I had ever been to. I bought the CD and never looked back. It is still one of my favorites: singing praise and rocking out at the same time...pretty awesome.

7) A Place in the Sun by Tim McGraw = Skip ahead a little to the summer after I graduated. This album was pretty much the soundtrack of my first year with Kevin. Virtually any time Kevin and I drove anywhere, this CD was playing. I vividly remember him singing the songs as he walked throughout the Pizza Hut while we were working. I would just rest my head on his shoulder and listen to him sing. Of course, I would also pretend to be Faith Hill and sing an awesome duet, but whatever. This one still makes me smile.

8) Monster Ballads by various awesome 80's rockers = So even though I grew up in the 80's, I was a little young to appreciate the sheer awesomeness of the rock from that decade. But it was at this point when my love and devotion to this music started. I remember playing Here We Go Again by Whitesnake over and over on the juke box at Pizza Hut. There's nothing like a good power ballad to help you really belt it out!

9) Country Grammar by Nelly = This was the summer after my Freshman year of college. I already had a general appreciation for rap and hip-hop from people like Snoop Dogg and Tupac. But this album, with it's sweet beats, smooth rhymes, and entertaining lyrics spoke to me. This was the beginning of my love affair with hip-hop. I don't do gangsta rap, but this album paved the way (for me) for: Jay-Z, Kanye West, Eminem (not slim shady), BOB, and others.


Now that I'm thinking about it, it seems rather strange that I don't have one for the last 10 years. Maybe I'll do some more thinking and save that for another day. But anyway, how about you? Do you have any albums that changed your life?

50 Favorite Things...

No, I'm not Oprah. And I don't have one of those fancy blogs that has sponsors who do give-aways. So, don't get your hopes up. There will be no things given away for free here. Sorry.

But I was inspired by a friend and parent of a former student of mine to come up with a list of 50 of my favorite things. It can include anything from the simple everyday things to the more rare or extravagant things. I think the purpose of this is to help give yourself a reminder of all of the good things you have in life that bring you joy. You should also have a goal to do at least one of those things each day (the more, the better).

So, here we go. In no particular order:

1) playing with my kids
2) reading
3) baking
4) watching movies at home
5) laughing (probably my #1 fav. and it goes hand-in-hand with many of the things on this list)
6) going to church
7) watching tv
8) visiting my family
9) playing board games (something I don't get to do very often anymore, but have loved since I was a kid)
10) staying in a hotel (I get relaxed just thinking about it)
11) date night
12) a good cry (you know, via a book or movie...or song or commercial...)
13) going on vacation
14) family pictures
15) hanging out with friends
16) singing
17) dancing
18) listening to music
19) doing anything or nothing in particular with Kevin
20) catching up with old friends (via facebook or get togethers)
21) blogging
22) doing small acts of kindness (just a little something to brighten someone's day)
23) brainstorming (I'm much better at coming up with ideas than I am acting on any of them)
24) word play
25) doing crafts with my kids
26) being pregnant (I never felt healthier than when I was pregnant)
27) short hot baths (so hot they hurt at first)
28) looking at old pictures
29) writing
30) listening (Ever since middle school, I've kind of been the one that people have come to with their problems or stories. I've always liked listening. I've felt honored to be the one they come to. I don't pass judgement, and I don't offer suggestions/solutions unless I'm asked. I think sometimes people just need to vent or get things off their chests and that sometimes that in-and-of-itself is more help than anything I could say anyway.)
31) taking a nap
32) passing on traditions/childhood favorites to my kids
33) holidays
34) pedicures (I've only had two in my whole life, but they were both wonderful.)
35) getting complimented
36) road trips
37) coloring (yes, in coloring books)
38) finding new clothes or shoes that actually fit
39) giving gifts
40) praying
41) sitting in silence
42) taking care of others (Even in high school, I was known as motherly.)
43) happy hour/girl's night
44) weekends away (whether with Kevin or with the girls)
45) watching movies at the theater
46) eating cereal at night
47) watching my kids sleep
48) cooking with Kevin for our friends and family
49) sleeping in a freshly made bed
50) watching football (I've watched the Cowboys since middle school. In high school, I was one of the few in the band that actually watched the games. I loved watching my little brother play when I could. As time consuming as it was, I was stoked to be able to start Mason down the football path this year as well.)

So, that's that. It took me much longer than I thought it would to make that list. I'm sure there are things that I left off. I'm sure that this list will change as time goes by. But for now (until I can think of anything better) this is it. So let's say that rather than being a list of my top 50 favorite things, it's really a list of 50 OF my favorite things. And at the very least, it has shown me just how much joy I take in doing the things that I do every day.

Any thoughts? Do you have a list of your own? The ball is in your court!

When I Grow Up...

Now how cute is that?! Have I mentioned that I have baby fever? Anyway, I digress...

This is something that we've all thought about hundreds of time in our lives. When we're really little, it's usually the fantastical (super hero or princess). A little later, it's a little more practical (firefighter or ballerina). By the time middle school rolls around, we're starting to get a more realistic idea of what we want to be when we grow up that is actually based on our strengths and interests. Then comes High School and College. That's when we either solidify our previous aspirations, or completely change our minds.

For me, it went a little something like this:

Elementary School: (I can't seem to remember what I wanted to be before that) I always wanted to be a mom. I just idolized my mom (and still do). I wanted to have 4 kids like she did. I wanted to make Halloween costumes like she did. I wanted to sing and dance in the kitchen and make cookies like she did.

Middle School: Due to an assignment we had at school that required us to design, decorate, and make a scale model of a bedroom we'd love to have, I got it into my head that I would like to be an interior designer. Also due to that assignment and reflection on the kind of teacher that would give an assignment like that (and my other favorite teachers over the years: Mrs. Webb and Mr. Coffee), I figured I could also be a teacher. I didn't think the teacher/interior designer/mom was unrealistic at all.

High School: The prospect of having to decorate people's houses with gaudy florals or other things that weren't my taste kind of turned me off of the whole interior designer thing. But with having 2 more of my favorite teachers of all time (my band director, Mr. Gibson and my AP European History teacher, Mr. Thomesen), I was pretty sure that a teacher is what I wanted to be. I was either going to teach 1st grade or high school. I figured that in 1st grade they're still cute and sweet, and in high school they'd be able to understand and appreciate some sarcasm.

College: By this time, I was certain that teaching was what I wanted to do. But I still wanted to be a mom more than anything...I always did. And that dream came true a little sooner than planned. Then I finally narrowed it down to Elementary school and after observing in Kinder and 1st and student teaching in 3rd and 5, I was hoping for a job in 2nd grade. That dream, too, came true...at the last minute.

Now: I am so, SO lucky. I am so blessed to be able to say that I have become what I wanted to be when I grew up. But at the same time, I find myself asking, "What do I want to be when I grow up?" I know I've blogged (and ranted) about this before, but there it is. And I'm pretty confident that I'm not alone in that. I think that a lot of people love a career that they've chosen, but still come to a point when they want something different, too. So I still don't know the answer to that question: baker, nurse, lottery winner...who knows?! But I have faith that the answer will come soon enough. :)


So how about you? What did you want to be when you were little? How did that change over time? Is there anything else that you want to be now?

Absence...

Is it true? Does absence really make the heart grow fonder? If so, then you must REALLY love me now. Sorry, it's been so long since I've blogged. Things have just been...well...not great lately. Work has been overwhelming, extra-curriculars for the kids have been exhausting, and my health (although still stable on the leukemia front) has been iffy at best (upper respiratory infections, an ear infection, acute gastroenteritis, and just overall yuckiness). Suffice it to say, I haven't had blogging on the brain much. Not that I haven't tried. I've sat and stared at a blank screen on many occasions. I've even started numerous blogs that I just didn't think were blog-worthy after all.

Work is still overwhelming, I'm still not feeling great, but we're on a bit of a hiatus from the extra-curriculars for a while, so I thought I'd try to catch up a little bit.



Some thoughts on absence:

Absence can be a breath of fresh air: a break from your kids that you love, the rare day that the most difficult and annoying child in your class is absent (because those are always the kids that have the best attendance), the moment your pain (physical, mental, emotional) goes away

Absence can be a strain: having your spouse work an opposite schedule and not be around to help with the kids and chores (I don't know how single parents do it), taking a day off of work (even if it's truly needed, it's such a pain to prep for a sub), the absence of money

Absence can be annoying: absent-mindedness (especially your own...it's so frustrating when I can't seem to remember anything), the absence of manners

Absence can be heartbreaking: the absence of faith (I think that would just be a very sad and lonely way to be), the death of a loved one

So, is it true? Does absence make the heart grow fonder? I think it depends on the situation. What do you think?

Movie Mash-Ups...

So a while ago, there was this episode of Cougar Town (one of my favorite shows) where they played this game called Movie Mash-Ups. Of course, they used it as a drinking game, but I still thought it was a pretty awesome idea. Basically, you pick 2 movies that have a shared word in the title. But one of the movies has to have the word at the end, while the other has to have it at the beginning. Then you briefly describe the plot of the new combined movie for people to guess. For example: A single woman tries to stop her friend's wedding from being disturbed by 2 uninvited guests. ....(My Best Friend's Wedding Crashers)

Here's a clip you can check out if you want.

http://www.hulu.com/watch/180222/cougar-town-movie-mash-ups

So, I thought we could give it a shot. I'll try to come up with some for you to guess:

1) An arrogant and outrageous leading man on a San Diego news station covers the story of a disfigured recluse who befriends and mentors a young boy.

2) A group of middle-aged men create a college fraternity that leads a group of children to compete in a battle of the bands competition.

3) Three bachelor's are left with the task of caring for a new baby who is then adopted by a successful business woman who moves to the country and develops her own brand of baby applesauce.

4) A group of office workers hate their jobs and while facing layoffs, they decide to rebel against their mono-toned boss. But then they must rescue a princess from another planet before the villain sucks all the air out of her planet's atmosphere.

5) A aging patriarch of a mafia family passes control of his empire to his reluctant son whose plans for his daughter's wedding get out of hand with the help of a flamboyant wedding planner.

6) A depressed middle-aged father gets a crush on his daughter's beautiful friend who has been held in an enchanted castle and has fallen for her beastly captor.


Now you give it a shot. Post your answers and some movie mash-ups of your own!

THE Moment...

So, I was watching one of our many TV shows last night. The younger brother was asking his older, wiser, married brother, "How did you Know?" You know, when was the moment when you knew that the person you're married to was the one you wanted to be with for the rest of your life. The older brother, of course, replied with a story about an ordinary, nothing special moment when he "just knew" she was the only woman he wanted to eat chili dogs with for the rest of his life. Totally cliche, but still very sweet.


Here's my moment:

It was the summer of 1999. Kevin and I had been dating for 3 months. I don't even think we were Cakes and Cakes, yet.
We went to see Notting Hill at the movie theater in the mall in Abilene. (I know, romantic right?) It was the first of many Hugh Grant movies that we would enjoy together. Something happened during that movie. I don't know if it was the scene where Julia Roberts said, "I'm just a girl, standing in front of a boy, asking him to love her." or the one where Hugh Grant was reading to a pregnant Julia Roberts on that park bench at the end...or maybe the one where we get to see half of that really weird roommate's butt hanging out of his underwear. :)

But when we came out of that theater and got to the car, there was a moment. Not just A moment...THE moment. Call me a walking cliche, but we both just KNEW. Yes, it had only been 3 months, and it's not like we didn't wait another 15 months before getting engaged, but it is the moment that we both knew we'd be together forever.


So, how 'bout it? When was YOUR moment? How did you KNOW?

October...

October is a very important month for 3 reasons that have a special place in my heart. The first of which we are all very aware of:

Breast Cancer Awareness
This is a cause that is very important to most of us. It can be seen everywhere from batteries to yogurt and from soda to professional football. Susan G. Komen is practically a household name. I think it is WONDERFUL how aware we all are about this disease, especially given the statistic that 1 in 8 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer at some point in her life. My Godmother, Eileen Roth was diagnosed with it 5 years ago. Thankfully, they caught it early, and she is cancer free now. My mother-in-law, Beth Prickett, died from it 19 years ago...when Kevin was only 14. I think about her often, never having met her. I can't imagine what it must be like for Kevin, his brother, and sisters (and everyone else who has ever lost someone to this disease, or any other for that matter). We must continue to pray for and support this cause.


The next 2 causes are not as well known:

Domestic Abuse Awareness
This covers so much more than just a husband hitting his wife. Yes, that is the most talked about. But it technically covers a much broader spectrum: physical and/or emotional abuse used by one person in a relationship (married, dating, friends, family, living together, or not, any age) to control the other. Going with this definition, I'm sure that many of us know people or may even be people who have been affected by this type of violence. 3 years ago this month, my Aunt Pam was shot and killed by her husband...a tragic end to a long abusive relationship. It has had an imeasureable affect on my family. My mom, sister, and I will be participating in a walk-a-thon to help raise money for this cause on Saturday, and thanks to many of you, we have each met and surpassed our fund-raising goal. Thank you for your continued prayers!

Diversity Awareness
As an educator, I see the importance of diversity awareness and acceptance in the school setting. And as a human being, I see the importance of it in life on a daily basis. This typically isn't something that people raise money for or wear ribbons for, but it is something that I believe in. Most of us know about the Beatitudes from the Bible (Blessed are the poor in spirit, etc...), well these "Beatitudes for Diversity" were included in my church's Sunday bulletin, and I thought they were quite moving:
~Blessed are you who take time to listen to difficult speech,
for you help us persevere until we are understood.
~Blessed are you who walk with us in public places and ignore the stares of strangers,
for we find havens of relaxation in your companionship.
~Blessed are you who never bid us to “hurry up,” and more blessed are you who do not snatch our tasks from our hands to do them for us,
for often we need more time—rather than help.
~Blessed are you who stand beside us as we enter new and untried ventures,
for the delight we feel when we surprise you outweighs all the frustrating failures.
~Blessed are you who ask for our help,
for our greatest need is to be needed.


So during the month of October let us remember our losses; pray for awareness, progress, and healing; and celebrate our successes and differences!

A Blog About Nothing...

So, I'm sure many of you remember the show, Seinfeld..."the show about nothing". Well today's post is going to be a "blog about nothing"...pure randomness. ENJOY!


* Seinfeld was a show that I didn't fully appreciate when it was on. I watched a few episodes here and there, and then I finally started watching it every week towards the end. I always thought it was funny (I mean, pirate sleeves, the Elaine dance, Kramer winning the Tony Award, and the soup nazi?! Super funny). But it wasn't until I started watching reruns, that I truly began to appreciate the brilliance of that show.

* If I was pregnant, I would have a lot more to blog about. (There goes that baby fever thing, again!)

* My sister-in-law was recounting the slumber party she threw for her 11 year old daughter and said that she heard enough "I know, right's and OMG's" to last a life time. I remember when I was in middle school, it was "like this...like that...like totally...like, like, like"

* That reminds me of that Snoop Dogg song lyric, "It's like this and like that and like this and uh. It's like that and like this and like that and uh. It's like this." I know, lyrical brilliance isn't it?!

* I saw Charlie St. Cloud a couple of weeks ago, and I must confess...I've got a bit of a crush on Zack Effron. I never got what the hype was about when he was all High School Musical. But now...he's older, buffed up, and quite dreamy!

* I am in desperate need of a date night.

* Who decided that football games at 8:30 on a Saturday morning where you have to be across town by 8:00, which means we have to leave the house by 7:40 were a good idea? Did I mention that it's a Saturday morning...the one day that I'm supposed to be able to sleep in? Ugh.

* I wonder why Mason feels the need to inform me every time he needs to poop. He can be in the middle of doing something in another room, and he'll just stop and yell, "Mommy! I need to poop!". Not that he needs help or anything. Maybe it's just because he takes so darn long that he doesn't want me to worry if I don't see him or hear from him for a while. Who knows.

* So, I did my 30 days of excercise with my DVD. I really liked it (Not the excercise part. But just the knowing that even if it didn't show in numbers, I was doing something good for myself). I even did it for the first week of school. But I haven't since. And I don't feel bad about it. So unless you: have 2 school aged kids who aren't old enough to drive, work 50 hours a week, have to cook and clean when you get home, have more work from your job to do at home, have football practice & church class, have groceries to get for home and work, and have leukemia...I don't want any lectures about it.

* Wow! That was much more attitude-y than I had planned for it to be. Oh well. I meant it to be light-hearted snarkyness. So, please take it that way.

* I'm $14 short on my Domestic Abuse Walk-a-thon goal. So, if you're reading this and you're interested, you can send me a check made out to "Noah Project Walk-a-thon".

* I am really wanting to settle down and read a good book. I can't imagine when in the world I'll actually find time to do that in the near futures, but I'm feeling the need to. I can't see it happening before Christmas, but who knows...

* I've got to go...Grey's Anatomy just started. Peace out!

An Ode to Fall...

How do I love thee? Let me count the ways (in no particular order):

1) Football: OK, so maybe my Cowboys lost last night, but that's OK. It was a crappy game, and #71 (whom Jerry Jones needs to fire, by the way) was probably about 1/3 of the problem. If not for his penalty on the last play of the game, we could have (would have) won. That's not to say it was all his fault...there were a lot of mistakes made. But anyway, at least the Longhorns have won both of their games. Even my high school team, the Cooper Cougars, has won both of their games. It's early, and I have faith in the Cowboys. I just love the excitement of it all!

2) New TV: Yes, I watch too much of it, but I don't care. It makes laundry, grading papers, and even the rare times I get to just lay on the couch much better. Although 2 of my all-time favorites (LOST and 24) are not coming back, I am still looking forward to the return of: Grey's Anatomy, Brothers and Sisters, Parenthood, The Middle, Modern Family, Cougar Town, How I Met Your Mother, Desperate Housewives, Community, Fringe, Private Practice, Glee, and I'm sure there may even be more that I'm missing. I'm so excited!

3) Cooler Weather: Don't laugh. I know it's still plenty hot. But at least we're not in the triple digits anymore! And besides, this is only the beginning. I love a crisp chill in the air and wearing jackets & sweaters. So yes, it's not cool yet, but it won't be too much longer...I can't wait...I hate being hot!

4) Soups: I can eat canned soup and soup from restaurants all year long, but I just don't feel right about making my delicious homemade soups until Fall and Winter. My stand-by's are Bacon Cheeseburger Soup and Chicken Tortilla Soup. But last year Ialso found pretty good recipes for Creamy Chicken and Wild Rice Soup and Broccoli Cheese Soup. I just love all of the chopping that's involved. Yum...I can almost taste it now.

5) Holidays: 2 of my 3 favorite holidays are in the fall...Halloween and Thanksgiving. I just love how excited the kids get at Halloween. I enjoy planning and making (at least partially) their costumes. And I love the colors and decorations, too (although I don't have much). As for Thanksgiving, it's a close 2nd to Christmas. It has all of the same good food and the same good family time, but it's a bit more relaxing...plus it's got the Cowboys. (But Christmas is just Christmas, and it just doesn't get better than that.)

Those are some of the reasons why Fall has become my favorite season (and let's not forget the colors and scents that come along with this season...they're delightful)! Yes, I know it's not technically Fall yet...but it's close enough.

So now it's your turn...tell me about your favorite season and why you love it.

4 Years and 7 Days Ago...

I know, it's a clever title isn't it? But it's not exactly accurate. I just thought it sounded better than 4 years and 11 days ago (that doesn't have the same Gettysburg Address feeling, does it?). And it also goes to show you that in the hustle and bustle of the first two weeks of school, I let my 4 year anniversary date go by unnoticed. Now, that's not to say that I forgot that I have Leukemia. It's just that I was too busy to notice the technicality of it being 4 years since I was diagnosed.

This realization has made me reflect back on that day and the week that followed.

I briefly summarized that day on my second ever blog post (along with the months that preceded and followed it), but I'm feeling the need to reflect in more detail. But here is what I posted then: August 25, 2006 = The first day that our new insurance goes into affect, I get myself to the doctor. I'm not that worried. I get in at 3:30. I tell him about the mass and about my bruising. He starts asking me questions: "Have you been having headaches?"--yes, but I haven't had my eyes checked in 2 years...I probably just need glasses. "Have you been having night sweats?"--sure, but isn't everyone...it's been 104 degrees outside. "What about fatigue?"--of course...I'm a teacher and a mother of 2. By 4:00, he's testing my blood (so they can rule out anything serious). By 4:15, the hematologist/oncologist is telling me that I have leukemia. By 4:30, I am being admitted into the hospital to have my first bone marrow biopsy done.

This time, I'd like to start at 4:20 on that day: So, I had just been told that I had Leukemia and that I had to be admitted into the hospital. The doctor's office was connected to the hospital, so a nurse was just going to walk me in to the ER. What's the first thing I think? "Wait, what about Kevin and the kids?" Kevin had dropped me off so he could take the kids to the pediatrician down the street. He would be back soon to pick me up. (Looking back, I'm still not sure I went about this the best way, but I still can't think of an option that would have been better either.) I knew I didn't want him to get there and have to be told by a nurse about what had happened. I didn't want him to hear it from a stranger...I wanted him to hear it from me. But they wouldn't let me wait for him. They said I had to go right away in order to get the necessary tests done that day. So, I decided to call him. (Now, I'm thinking about my husband who had already had to deal with losing his dad to a heart attack and his mom to breast cancer. How do I possibly tell him that now his wife has leukemia? It seemed like too much.) I didn't know how else to do it, so I just took a deep breath and tried not to cry too much when I told him. The pediatrician and nurses kind of kept the kids while he collected himself, and then they met me at the hospital while I was getting ready for my first bone marrow biopsy (having no idea what to expect, or really even what that meant). When I remember the look on his face when he saw me, it makes me cry every time. I had just laid so much on him, and then I had to leave him to call in to work, keep the kids, and call my parents to let them know. (I can't imagine what that conversation must have been like...having to tell your mother and father-in law that their daughter is sick...getting that call from your son-in-law.) But throughout all of that, I never really thought much about me. I had a very peaceful feeling about that for myself. My fears and sadness only came in when I thought about how much this was all going to affect the people in my life. I can only imagine how I would have felt if the situation had been reversed, and I'm so sorry about that.

That evening, I was told that I would have to be in the hospital for at least 5 more days (Saturday through Wednesday). I wasn't worried about the kids. (My parents, my sister, my little brother, Kevin's sister, and Kevin's brother were all on their way. And my parents were going to stay at least until I was home.) I was worried about school. The next week was only going to be the 3rd week of school, and you just don't miss days like that at the beginning of the year. I didn't have anyone's phone number, so I just had Kevin call my friend, Tosha, because I knew her number was in the phone book. And that very night, I was visited by my her and some of my other besties from school who assured me they had everything taken care of (lesson plans, copies, helping the sub, and anything else that would come up that week).

In case I had forgotten, or had taken it for granted, I was vividly reminded during the days that followed my diagnosis of how blessed I was (and still am) to have such wonderful people in my life who care so much about me. I truly don't know how we would have gotten through that week without everyone. From taking care of the kids, the house, and groceries, taking care of school things, keeping our spirits high, keeping our minds occupied, and even decorating my hospital room, Kevin and I really couldn't have done it without our friends and family.

So, here's a big THANK YOU to everyone who helped us through that week and who continues to help us in any way they can...the biggest of which is prayer! But I'd like to give a special shout-out to a few (in no particular order): Kevin, Mom & Dad, Sheila, Jaime, Josh, Joel, Tosha, Katie, Karen, Kristin, Melanie, Angela, Lisa, Micah, Elliott, Sandy, Sheila W., and many others. I love you all and appreciate everything you did (and still do) more than words can say.

Chicken Vagina...

Ok, due to a sheer lack of brain power left for anything other than nonsense, I thought I would devote an entire blog post to something that I've mentioned several times in passing: mistaken lyrics.

Some of you might remember the story of my mom mistaking the Barenaked Ladies lyric, "Chickety China, the Chinese Chicken" for "Chicken Vagina the Chinese Chicken" and her shock and horror after hearing it. But I have a few others that I can't remember if I've posted on here or not.

But first, I have a link for a wonderful song for which almost none of the words are understandable (which allows for a rather hillarious and random translation)...Yellow Ledbetter by Pearl Jam.


Much to Young by Garth Brooks = I heard "lonely women and baboons" but it was actually "lonely women and bad booze".

If I Didn't Have You by Randy Travis = I heard "I'd be floundering around like chimpanzee" but it was actually "I'd be floundering around like a ship at sea".

Don't Stop Believin' by Journey = Hannah heard "the smell of wine and sheep buffoon" but it was actually "the smell of wine and cheap perfume".


So that' it for me. I'm keeping it short and sweet today. But I'd LOVE it if you would post some of your own mistaken lyrics.

Go for it!

Positive Thinking...

Ahhh.....the power of positive thinking...

"I think I can. I think I can. I think I can." ~The Little Engine That Could

"I'm good enough, I'm smart enough, and doggonit, people like me." ~Stewart Smalley (SNL)

"A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but it might annoy enough people to make it worth the effort." ~Herm Albright



As I sit at home recovering from a long day that was capped off by Meet the Teacher Night, I am forced to acknowledge the fact that summer is really over...that a new school year is really starting. And as I consider the fact that my 7th year of teaching is about to begin, I realize that I am left with two options: I can dread it and fret over it and think about how trying it will be, OR I can think about how great it's going to be to see my friends each day and how fortunate I am to have a job like this. And since I am typically a "glass half-full" kind of girl, I'm going with positive thinking.

SO, how about this:

~Instead of thinking about how I have 20 kids to reign in on a daily basis, I can think about how those 20 kids are giving me a much needed escape from my own kids.

~Instead of thinking about how many papers I'm going to have to grade, I can think about how it will give me something to do while baseball season drags on.

~Instead of thinking about all of the paperwork that has to be done in a given year, I can think about all of the opportunities I'll have to improve my handwriting.

~Instead of thinking about dealing with 20 sets of parents, I can think about getting in good enough with 20 sets of parents to get some pretty decent gifts.

~Instead of thinking about how I'll be out of the house for 10-11 hours a day, I can think about how Hannah and Mason will be out of the house for that long, too...which hopefully means less mess. (I mean as long as I have postivite thinking, I might as well throw in some wishful thinking, too!)

~Instead of thinking about how incredibly worn out I'm going to be, I can think about how at least now I'll actually have an excuse for not getting things done around the house.


Seriously, though, I am going to think positive thoughts about this year. It's a fresh start and a new beginning. Now that doesn't mean I'm not going to gripe and complain from time to time (oh, trust me, I will), but as for now I'm going to focus on my mantra for the year, "It's gonna be great." Nothing fancy, no bells and whistles. Just something short and sweet that I can say over and over again if needed: It's gonna be great...it's gonna be great...it's gonna be great.

Do any of you have any positive thoughts to share (instead of thinking ___, I can think ___)?

Come on...you know you want to...

Just Feeling Snarky...

So, I thought about doing something deep and insightful (cuz, you know, I'm a pretty insightful person), but I thought better of it. I'm just in the mood to be snarky, so here we go...



Dear Summer,

I have such split feelings about you. While I love not having to work and being able to get some color back on my pasty-white skin, I just can't stand this heat! So I'm torn. Part of me is saying, "Summer, please stay", because I'm just not ready to go back to work. But the other part of me is saying, "For crying out loud! I'm SO tired of sweating!!"

Confused and Sweaty,
Cakes



Dear Football Season,

I'm SO glad you're back! I can't wait to see what you have in store. I don't want to jinx anything, so I'll just leave it at "How 'bout them Cowboys?!" and "Hook 'em Horns!"

Excited and Hopeful,
Cakes



Dear Sinus Infection,

Please go away. I really don't like only being able to breathe out of one nostril...it's quite annoying. My head hurts, my nose is raw, and how much snot could really be in there anyway. I mean, really?! Ugh...

Stuffy and Whiny,
Cakes



Dear Fall TV,

I'm counting down the days. There are only so many Rangers Games and Wipeout shows (which I do actually enjoy) that I can watch. But there's just nothing else on! I mean, you can't actually expect me to do anything productive rather than watch TV, can you?

Ready and Waiting,
Cakes



Well, I guess that's enough for now. If you have sarcasm you'd like to contribute, go right ahead!

Live From New York...

Yes, Saturday Night Live has been around for what seems like forever. Yes, there have been times when it sucked (OK, maybe a lot of times). But there have also been a lot of times when it did its job and made me laugh. Here are some of my favorites (some of the few that I could actually find clips for anyway) from the old school to the new school...and in between. I've got them organized by actor...check 'em out!


~ Will Ferrell: Ah, as I'm sure Mom would agree, there are just too many to choose from! I'll give it my best shot and just pick a few. How about Jeopardy, Cowbell, Hot Tub, and many, many others!

~ Val Kilmer: I know, I know...not who you usually think of when you think SNL, but he did an episode in 2000 that had a couple of gems! Unfortunately, there is only one clip available online. The one that I was not able to find was Behind the Music: Rock and Roll Heaven. It was all about dead rock stars in heaven with people like Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, Buddy Holly, and Jim Morrison (played by Kilmer). He put together this super band and Will Ferrell played Jesus (head of the record label in Heaven), and when he heard the band, he was like "Oh my Dad!" Anyway, the one I did find was the Iceman sketch.

~Amy Poehler: I really enjoyed her on the short lived reoccurring sketch, Appalachian Emergency Room, but once again, I couldn't find any clips for you. But there's always Kaitlyn (you know, the annoying girl with her step-dad, Rick), and one legged Amber.

~Alec Baldwin: Schweddy Balls....need I say more? And what about this one?

~Chris Farley: Here are some classics...Van Down by the River, and Chipendales.

~Justin Timberlake: No, he's not a cast member, but he never fails to crack me up: Plasticville, Single Ladies, and perhaps the best skit ever (right, mom?)...D*** in a Box!

~ Miscellaneous: Landshark, McGruber, Debbie Downer

The Power of Prayer...

"Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened." ~Matthew 7:7-8

I actually started typing this post on Saturday night. When I got to church on Sunday, that same Bible verse was part of the gospel reading. Our priest said his homily (sermon) all about prayer: it's many forms (spoken, silent, going to church, the act of helping others, etc.), and how it is essentially just time spent "hanging out with God" in one way or another. I am taking that as a sign that I am right on track...this is the post that I should be doing (focusing on the verbal aspect of prayer). So let me continue...

I am a firm believer in the power of prayer. I have seen it work wonders. And as the scripture says, I believe our prayers (whether big or small) will be answered in one way or another at some time or another. Now, sometimes our prayers may not be answered in the way we wanted them to be, but I have to trust in God's plan, because I have also seen how that plan (however different it may have been than mine) has worked wonders, too. There are things that we can't understand or explain...and there are things that are so unspeakably hard, that all we have left is prayer and faith in God. That being said, I've always figured that the more people you have praying for something, the better. So, I'd like to use this as kind of a prayer chain. If you have any specific prayer intentions you would like some help with (whether big or small), just add them as a comment, and we can all start praying.

As always, I'll get the ball rolling...

**A very dear friend of mine has a cousin whose son has been battling cancer for some time now. After getting to enjoy his Make a Wish trip together, the doctors told them that his cancer spread and is incurable. Please pray for this family during this unimaginable time.

**For all those who have gone before us: Francis Roth, Don and Irene Mason, Pam Huber, Bob and Beth Prickett, Jimmy Prickett, sweet Reagan, Teena Wood, Art Lantzy, and many others...

**

Fill Ins...

So, in honor of my fun new background, I wanted to have a fun new post. Now, I've seen some other blogs do "Friday Fill-Ins" posts before. But since it's not Friday, I won't use one of the "Friday Fill-Inn" pictures. And since I've never really found one that I wanted to take part in, I'll just kind of pick and choose some of my favorites and add some of my own. For those of you who don't know, all you do is copy the "fill-in" promts and post them in a comment using your answers to "fill in" the blanks.

Here we go:

1) _______ is/are the food that most reminds me of my spouse/significant other.

2) I've always wanted to ________.

3) I laugh every time I see ________.

4) When I think about my childhood, I often remember ________.

5) ________ was in my thoughts today.

6) My dad always said ________.

7) I could use a ________.

8) The smell of ________ makes me think of ________.

9) Friends don't let friends ________.

10) ________ never fails to make me smile.

So, here are mine...

1) Sandwiches are the food that most reminds me of my spouse. (Not only does he enjoy eating a good sandwich, but he is an awesome sandwich maker! He makes special sauces and just makes really unique and always delicious ones.)

2) I've always wanted to go on a cruise. (And I figure the best way to do it would be with a big group of families. You could have your own family time, group time, date time, whatever. One of these years, it'll happen...)

3) I laugh every time I see that Orbitz chewing gum commercial. (You know, the one where the 2 ladies are yelling at each other and calling each other names. And the one chick calls the other one a "lint licker". It's hillarious. If you don't believe me or don't know what I'm talking about, you can check out the link. You might not think it's funny, but it gets me every time. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NjQZCq8CTvk&feature=related )
4) When I think about my childhood, I often remember playing outside. (During the summer, we would just play outside and stay there until it started getting dark. I don't ever remember being bothered by the heat. But these days kids (yes, my own as well) are just so sensitive to the heat.)

5) School was in my thoughts today. (As much as I don't want to think about it, and as much as I love spending every minute of every day with my own kids (did you sense the sarcasm?), school is getting closer and closer.)

6) My dad always said "When you're hot, you're hot...when you're not, you're not...and when you're snot, you're slippery." (OK, so maybe he didn't ALWAYS say it, but whenever he did, it always got a chuckle out of me. I know...it doesn't take much, does it?)

7) I could use a little bit of liposuction. (Nah, I'm just joking. But I have ordered an exercise DVD set, and will be starting it soon. I'm not telling you what it is, yet. But I'm hoping that just the very act of going from doing nothing to doing something will have a positive affect on all of my jiggles.)

8) The smell of chlorine makes me think of the time spent at the Fairway Oaks pool when I was too young to be self-conscious. (Ah, good times. Back when pools had actual deep ends and diving boards.)

9) Friends don't let friends have saggy boobs. (A good friend of mine had to have a bra intervention with another good friend of mine (who shall remain nameless)...her "girls" were much perkier after that.)

10) My kids never fail to make me smile. (Even though they sure know how to pull out all of the annoying stops, they are pretty sweet and funny...and generally good kids.)


Now, it's your turn. You don't have to elaborate like I did (I do tend to be a bit wordy), you can feel free to just simply fill in the blanks. By the way, what do you think of my new background? Is it "me"?

Baby Fever...

I'll start with a short little parody of Van Halen's "Hot For Teacher":

I've got it bad, got it bad, got it bad,
I got baby fever.
(guitar/drum break)
I've got it bad, SO bad,
I got baby fever!

So, there it is. I've had it for a while now (about a year), but it's been particularly strong in the last couple of months. I just can't get babies off of my mind. They seem to be everywhere I turn! Sometimes it will be cute babies at stores, church, or restaurants. Sometimes it will be pregnant women left and right (even friends and co-workers that I'm super excited for...and maybe a little bit jealous of). Now that both of my kids will be in school, I guess it's only natural. But still....as I said before, I've got it bad.

To make matters worse, the kids have a bit of baby fever, too. They've been playing with Hannah's dolls more frequently. Hannah keeps saying how she wishes she had a baby sister and Mason, of course, is wishing he had a baby brother. They've asked why I don't want more kids. I've tried to explain that I'd love to have another baby...that I always wanted to have more than 2 kids. But I just can't right now...that the medicine I have to take won't let me have another baby. You know how there memories are, though...they can't seem to remember, and they keep asking.

For those of you who don't already know, the medicine I'm taking is an oral chemotherapy drug. It is designed to target out any rapidly multiplying cells. This is great for destroying leukemia cells, but sadly, it would also have the same affect on a pregnancy. So, almost 4 years ago when I got diagnosed, Kevin and I accepted the fact that we would be a 2 child family for a while. (And we are SO incredibly blessed to have our 2 healthy kids.)

Anyhoo...the urge is there. As Yoda would say, "The force is strong with this one". Yes, there's always adoption. And I have always been very open to the idea of adoption. In fact, ever since seeing some 20/20 or 60 Minutes episode about Romanian orphanages where they were literally rolling in babies on bread trays...and babies that were old enough to sit up would just rock back and forth in their cribs, because they didn't have anyone to rock them, I've even half-joked about adopting a Romanian baby. Adoption, however, is expensive and not at all anything that we are in a position to do any time soon. Which brings us back to baby fever.

It's even playing a role in future career endeavors. I've been toying with the idea of going back to school and becoming a labor and delivery nurse. There's not really any other kind of nursing that I think I would like to do...maybe pediatric, but I still think labor and delivery would be my calling. But then I think, "Do I really want to be a nurse, or is it just that pesky baby fever talking"? I think it's too soon to tell.

But either way, I'm SO looking forward to working in the nursery at VBS in 2 weeks. That way, I can get my baby-fix. At least temporarily... :)

Childhood Toys...

So today, we went to see Toy Story 3. I loved the first 2, had heard nothing but great things about this one, and I was not disappointed. It had the same clever humor and sentimental sweetness the first 2 movies had and then some (yes, I cried...did you really need to ask?). But more importantly...it inspired my post today.

I know we all had favorite toys when we were kids, and I can't wait to hear about yours, but I'll get the sentimental ball rolling with some of mine.

Barbies
My favorite doll was a redhead from the Barbie and the Sensations set, but my favorite clothes (store-bought) were from the Barbie Jeans set...totally 80's chic! But I LOVED all of the homemade clothes that my mom and aunts made (being no stranger to sewing and sewing machines, I can't imagine how time consuming and intricate those little clothes must have been to make...but I really appreciated the variety and the amount of clothes it allowed me to have!) Does anyone remember the disappointment when you put the scissors down, let her hair out of the ponytail hold, and saw "the layers" that Barbie had? I just couldn't understand why it didn't work out to be the cute "bob" that I wanted it to be. I also remember that since we didn't have her Dream House, we had to take their heads off and make them stay seated in order to play with them in our doll houses. Sure, maybe it was a little morbid, but it worked for us!


She-Ra Dolls
Ah, She-Ra...the female counterpart to He-Man. I'm pretty sure I wasn't that into the cartoon or anything like that. I actually don't think that any of the dolls were mine, but Jaime (my sister) and I would use them in our doll houses. They were small enough that we didn't even have to take their heads off! We would be happily playing when all of a sudden, their would be an "earthquake" or a military invasion of GI Joes, courtesy of Brad and/or Josh (my brothers). Good times...

Pound Puppies
These were the cutest little puppies! We never had the big ones, but we had several of the little ones. They made great pets for the Cabbage Patch Kids. And even though the scale was way off, Barbie loved them, too. My favorite was the little dalmation-like one. "Dalmation-like", because it still had the same droopy face as all the others, but it was white with black spots. I think it was Jaime's, but it was still my fave.

Cabbage Patch Kids
Between my sister and me, I think we had 4 or 5 of these (including 2 preemies) I can't quite remember. I know we had a blond-haired one and one with brown hair...I could be making up memories of a red-headed one (my memory's not what it used to be). Though I loved the store-bought and home-made clothes, my favorites were our old baby clothes (some of which were home-made, too)! My very favorite was my Cabbage Patch Preemie. Her name is Stacy. Notice, I said "is". She is the one toy that I held onto and passed on to my kids. Periodically through High School and home visits during college, I would pull her out of the box she was stored in and make sure that she was still OK and give her a wardrobe change. She was one of the first dolls that Hannah had, and she is still taken good care of. I just couldn't let her go.


As I got older I started loving board games. At first it was games like: Life, Parcheesi (both of which I only really played at my BFF, Jenn's, house), and Girl Talk. But then it grew to games like Outburst, Scattergories, and Taboo (which are still some of my favorites). Well, I hope you enjoyed this little trip down memory lane. Now, it's your turn...what were some of your favorite childhood toys?

Spiritual Favorites...

This post was inspired by my high school youth director (shout-out to Cathy). She posted one of these verses (the first one I listed) on her facebook page today. I was first introduced to that scripture in the weekly Bible study that she would have, and it has been one of may favorites ever since. Anyway, I thought I would post some of my other favorite scriptures/songs today, so here we go:

Bible Verses/Passages

Rejoice in the Lord always. I shall say it again: rejoice! Your kindness should be known to all. The Lord is near. Have no anxiety at all, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, make your requests known to God. Then the peace of God that surpasses all understanding will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus. ~Philippians 4:4-7

I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me. ~Philippians 4:13

I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.
~Philippians 1:3-6

Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good. His love endures forever. ~Psalm 136:1

Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth. Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled. Blessed are the merciful, for they will be shown mercy. Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God. Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called sons of God. Blessed are those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. ~Matthew 5:3-10

God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble. ~Psalm 46:1

***As half of these are from Philippians, you may have guessed that it is my favorite book of the Bible. Even though Paul was in prison, he was just so thankful, joyous, and positive!


Songs
***Some of these are traditional hymns and some of these are the more modern "praise and worship" songs, but they are all worth a listen (or at least a Google for the lyrics).

: We Are Many Parts (goes with 1 Corinthians 12)
: On Eagle's Wings (goes with Isaiah 40:31)
: Lead Me Lord (goes with Matthew 5:1-12)
: As the Deer Pants for the Water (goes with Psalm 42:1)
: Your Love Endures: by Third Day
: Awesome God: by Michael W. Smith
: I Can Only Imagine: by Mercy Me
: Lord I Lift Your Name on High: by Sonicflood


I apologize to any of you who thought that this post was a little too "preachy"...that was not my intent. But for everyone else, I'd love it if you shared a few of your favorite verses/songs (or maybe even some thoughts about mine). I intentionally left off some from my lists (in what will probably prove to be a useless attempt at getting more comments), so please...share away!!

BTW...

Text speak is everywhere! It's gone beyond actual texting and has invaded facebook...and actual conversations. Does it make me old, that I just can't get on board with all of the text speak going on? Well, that's not completely true...there are a very select few that I will actually bring myself to use (and I will translate for anyone out there who does even less text speak than I do):
~BTW (by the way)
~OMG (oh my gosh)
~WTF (what the f***)...not anything I would ever actually say if it were unabbreviated, so I'm not sure why I'm OK with this...like it doesn't still mean the same thing, but whatever...
~IDK (I don't know)
~BFF (best friend forever)

One that I never use is LOL (laughing out loud). I don't know why I'm so against it. Maybe it's because its so overused, or maybe it's because it's misused, IDK. But rarely, will I actually laugh out loud at something I read. And I understand that it doesn't have to be used literally, but I still just can't bring my self to use it. Oh, well.

Here are some others that I know, but don't use (not for any particular reason...I just don't):
~ROFL (rolling on the floor laughing)
~LMAO (laughing my a** off)
~CUL8R (see you later)
~TTYL (talk to you later)
~ILY (I love you)
~2GTBT (too good to be true)
~B4 (before)

Kevin and I had a rather hilarious conversation with a couple of my cousins earlier this week at a family reunion about this very thing. We came up with a couple of new text phrases that we think might catch on.
~TAC (taking a crap)
~INS IJS (I'm not saying, I'm just saying)
~SOS (sh** out of service)

What do you think?! Feel free to start using these whenever you want...pretty soon the whole world will be TAC whether they're SOS or not. INS IJS. :)

I'd love to hear your thoughts on texting. Are there any you use all the time, or any that you refuse to use? Any that you know about that I left off my very short list?

TTYL :)

Daddy's Hands...

OK, who out there remembers The Judds? Well, when I was a kid, they were pretty big (if you listened to country, anyway). I remember jamming out to one of their cassette tapes while swimming in my friend and neighbor, Chrissy Cruise's, pool. But I also remember their song, "Daddy's Hands". I remember even at that age how much it made me think of my Dad. And as I've grown up and matured (well, grown anyway), I've gotten an increased appreciation for the lyrics and how well it applies to him. So, today, in honor of Father's Day, I'm going to post the lyrics so that you can appreciate them, too. Then, you can check out the link at the bottom to watch a youtube clip and listen to the song (it's not quite as good as The Judds' version, but it's still very touching).


I remember Daddy´s hands, folded silently in prayer.
And reaching out to hold me, when I had a nightmare.
You could read quite a story, in the callouses and lines.
Years of work and worry had left their mark behind.

I remember Daddy´s hands, how they held my Mama tight,
And patted my back, for something done right.
There are things that I´ve forgotten, that I loved about the man,
But I´ll always remember the love in Daddy´s hands.


Daddy's hands were soft and kind when I was cryin´.
Daddy´s hands, were hard as steel when I´d done wrong.
Daddy´s hands, weren´t always gentle But I´ve come to understand.
There was always love in Daddy´s hands.


I remember Daddy´s hands, working 'til they bled.
Sacrificed unselfishly, just to keep us all fed.
If I could do things over, I´d live my life again.
And never take for granted the love in Daddy´s hands.


Daddy's hands were soft and kind when I was cryin´.
Daddy´s hands, were hard as steel when I´d done wrong.
Daddy´s hands, weren´t always gentle But I´ve come to understand.
There was always love in Daddy´s hands.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nX4QVGykIA4&feature=related


HAPPY FATHER'S DAY, DAD!! I am so proud to be able to call you my Dad and to have had you as an example of loyalty, work ethic, and integrity. I've just got one question, "Are you happy to me?"
~~I love you!!

Love and Marriage...

And He answered and said to them, "Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning made them male and female", and said, "For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh"? So then, they are no longer two but one flesh. Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate.
~ Matthew 19: 4-6

9 1/2 years ago, Kevin swept me off my feet by asking, "So, what do ya' think?" (No, really...that's how he proposed.) And 8 years ago, today, we got married. It was truly the best day ever! We planned for a year. And when I say we, I mean my mom and me. Pretty much the only input that Kevin gave (not that I was controlling...and not that he wasn't asked for more) was just that there was to be NO Kenny G allowed! It was a simple, but beautiful wedding at my hometown church. We were surrounded by friends and family, I had a beautiful dress, and my dad stopped crying long enough to take some decent pictures after it was all over. You can't ask for much more than that! Aside from the flowers being, shall we say, not quite what I had in mind, everything else was...perfect!

After that we went on the best vacation ever...our road trip honeymoon! We drove to New Orleans, ate at Bubba Gump Shrimp Co. (took our picture in front of Forrest and Jenny's wedding attire), and stayed the night. We drove along the coast into Florida. We stopped for a couple of hours to enjoy the beautiful Pensacola beach, swam yards away from dolphins, and went to a dock to take a picture of ourselves "Sittin' on the Dock of the Bay". We continued to Orlando, had the most amazing time getting rained on at Sea World, and went boogie boarding at Cocoa Beach. We drove down to Miami, stayed in a cute Art Deco hotel, drove down "A1A, beach front avenue" and ate in South Beach. We drove across Alligator Alley, saw an actual alligator on the side of the road (sure, it was a baby, but whatever), and drove all the way up to Tennessee. We went to Nashville and stopped at the Country Music Hall of Fame, but we didn't want to actually pay to go on the tour, so we just took our pictures next to autographed pictures of Tim McGraw and Faith Hill (because we sound just like them, of course). Then we went to Memphis, had some great Bar-B-Q, and went to Graceland...pretty awesome. Finally, we drove through Little Rock (didn't stop and see anything there...not such an exciting place) and made our way back to Lewisville. 4,000 miles and not a single fight! We had a few missed turns, but we had A LOT of laughs, and had some baby names picked out (good thing, too, because a month and a half later, I got pregnant)!

I have my parents to thank for setting such a wonderful example of what marriage should be like. I don't ever remember seeing them fight. Sure, there were arguments (or as my dad would call them..."discussions"), but they always seemed to either resolve it or let it go for the time being. Their bedroom door was always left open...so it was just kind of an unspoken thing between us kids to stay away on the occasion that it was closed. Although they were never afraid to gross us out or embarrass us by telling us stories about "Tarzan and Jane", or kiss in front of us, or give little pats on the behind. (You remember the stories, right Jenn?) I know...gross, right?

People often say that marriage is hard. I don't think that's necessarily true. It's all the stuff that comes with it that's hard: money (or the lack thereof), parenthood, and other responsibilities. And sure, there might be a couple of things that Kevin does that annoy me (I know...just a couple...that's funny, right?!), and maybe I might have some things about me that aren't always so wonderful (although I can't think of what they would be), but I think all of those hard things in life would be infinitely harder if I didn't have him. I'm just so blessed to have my best friend with me every day! (I love you, Cakes)...OK, everyone can stop gagging now...the mushy stuff is over.

WOW! Once again, I have kind of rambled and made this post a bit longer than I had anticipated. Oh well, I think you've come to expect that from me. Anyway, I'd love to hear some wedding/honeymoon/marriage stories of yours, too. Happy Anniversary to me!!

Summer Book List...

Since I tend to be quite busy during the school year (both actually, genuinely busy as well as just preoccupied with too much TV), I usually save the bulk of my reading for during the summer. I might find time to read a book or two during the year or over Christmas or Spring Break, but for the most part, summer time is reading time.

I don't really know that I have a specific genre that I love. I really enjoyed the first few Janet Evanovich books (which are mysteries with some comedy and a love triangle thrown in). My favorite author is Nicholas Sparks (I won't call those books romance, because that brings to mind tawdry Harlequin romance. I will describe his books as love stories.), but I'm all caught up with him...I've read them all. As you all know, I am a big nerd. This, of course, means that I have also loved the Harry Potter and Twilight series (which, just in case you have fallen off the face of the planet, are fantasy...magic, vampires, suspense, and love). Last year, I was introduced to Dennis Lehane (he wrote Shutter Island and Gone Baby Gone), Jodi Picoult (she wrote My Sister's Keeper), and Jennifer Weiner (she wrote In Her Shoes). So, I'm kind of all over the place as far as genre is concerned.

Right now, I've got a list of books/authors that I have in mind. Here's what I've got so far:

~ The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo: by Stieg Larsson
~ A Drink Before the War: by Dennis Lehane
~ Good in Bed: by Jennifer Weiner
~ Handle with Care: by Jodi Picoult
~ Bitter is the New Black: by Jen Lancaster

If you have heard anything about these books (or have ever read them yourselves), please let me know. If you have any recommendations for me, please pass them on as well. I know that some people swear by Jane Austen. But I figure if I've never enjoyed the movies, or even thought they were that interesting, that I wouldn't enjoy the books either.

I am relatively new to this whole "reading for fun" business (I didn't really start doing a lot of it until about 4 years ago). But I am SUPER excited about hearing what you guys are reading...or what you think of any of the books/authors on my list...or if you have any suggestions for me. So help me out, and let's get our READ on!!

Bizzle Dizzle...

For those who may not keep up with Snoop Dogg the way that I do (you know, we're BFF's, right?), Bizzle Dizzle is just his way of saying "Birthday". There, now that everyone has had time to picture me and the D-O-double G hanging out, I'll move on...

Birthdays were always a big deal in our family. Now, they weren't the super expensive extravaganzas that people seem to have these days. But they were always done up right. We always had a theme with decorations and a cake to match. Mom was SO creative! I LOVED seeing what she would come up with. There were a few times that we got to have our parties at a place (our favorite party place was Crystal's Pizza), but for the vast majority of the time, we had our parties at home....and I loved every one of them. I've tried to carry on Mom's birthday party philosophy with my own kids, and so far I think I've done pretty well.

But right now, in honor of my 29th birthday, I want to take a little trip down memory lane with some of my favorite birthdays (I was going to have pictures, but unfortunately my scanner is not working. So, we'll just have to use our imaginations!):

~9 years old~ It had "the right stuff, baby". Yes, that's right...it was a New Kids on the Block theme!! We had plates and napkins to match, and my mom decorated the cake to look like the album cover. It was pretty awesome...

~10 years old~ Beach theme. The cake was a life buoy. The table cloth was a big turquoise beach towel. We had pails with all kinds of water/sand toys as favors. And what's even better is that the pink plates with the turquoise towel TOTALLY matched my pink and turquoise school t-shirt. Yeah, it was pretty rad.

~11 years old~ One of my all-time fav's. It was a black/white/polka-dot theme. The cups, plates, and table cloth were all white with black polka-d0ts (they had some color around the edges so they didn't all just blur together). I had a domino cake (white with Oreo dots), and we scattered black dominoes all over the table. It just turned out super cute!

~12 years old~ Summer theme. The cake was a giant pair of sunglasses. We handmade place mats in the shape of orange and yellow suns. It was on a back drop of a sky blue table cloth. We had fun plastic cups that we drank lemonade from. It was so sunny and happy...totally fit my personality, right?!

~13 years old~ Picnic theme. We had a table cloth made out of this cute material (red/white checkerboard with black ants all over it). The cake was a watermelon, and we drank out of mason jars.

~14 years old~ Cooper Cougars theme! It was the summer before I started high school, so we decorated with everything Cooper High School! I had a cougar paw print cake. We had the traditional cougar head with the mouth open, making a "C" place mats. We decorated with pennants and red/blue painted cowbells for making noise at the football games. It was greatness!

~18 years old~ It was oh-so-maturely decorated in lavender and sage green (which were the colors I was going to be using in my dorm room). And so, naturally, the decorations were all things that I would be using in the dorm: posters, bed spread, pillows, cups, etc. It was SO not a kid's birthday...it was just pretty!

Now, my kids know what their birthdays are like, and they've seen the pictures of my childhood birthdays. They just don't understand what happened. Why is it that grown-up birthdays are SO boring?! They just can't believe there are no decorations, no presents (well, maybe there will be one every once in a while), and if there is a cake, it certainly isn't a fun cake! I try to tell them that we just want their birthdays to be that much more special. But they're not buying it. They are SO not looking forward to being grown-ups...just for the boring birthdays!

Anyway, I'm sorry I didn't have pictures for this trip down memory lane. But hopefully some of you (Mom and Jenn for sure) will be able to remember, and hopefully the rest of you will be able to picture them. Either way, thanks for letting me reminisce as I get one year closer to the big 3-0!

Fascinating...

Yikes. First, let me apologize for the long absence. The last few weeks of school tend to leave a person with their brains fried...zero creativity. But as I sit here watching Scooby Doo Alien Invaders with the kids, I'm feeling a bit inspired. I've mentioned before, that there are a couple of things that I believe in and find completely fascinating: aliens and ghosts.

With as awesome as I know God is, and as vast as this universe seems to be, I find it pretty naive to think that we're the only ones out there. Don't worry, I'm not going to get into any scientific or theological discussions right now...my brain just can't handle it. Instead, why don't we just talk about movies?! I know there are many others that I'm leaving off, so if there are any you'd like to add...with an antecdote of your own, please feel free!

Alien Movies

~ The Abyss = Not your typical alien movie, but it is pretty amazing, and it is one of my favorites. But the only way to watch it is if you watch the director's cut.
~ Close Encounters of the Third Kind = Not one of my favorites, but it is a classic. My 6th grade science teacher was also my homeroom teacher. During study hall he would play this movie (when he wasn't playing documentaries about JFK's assassination).
~ Contact = Again, not one of my favorites, but I did find it very intriguing.
~E.T. = A classic! And now, my kids like it, too!
~ Independence Day = Oscar caliber....no. Awesome....yes! "We will not go quietly into the night! We will not vanish without a fight!"
~ Star Wars (the entire collection) = Do I even need to say anything?
~ War of the Worlds = I'm SO not a fan of Tom Cruise, but I did really enjoy this movie!
~ Signs = One of the best! I jump every time!!
~ Spaceballs = Pure comic genious!!! "I see, your schwartz is as big as mine."


Ghost Movies

~ The Changeling = No, not the one with Angelina Jolie. This is an older movie. And it's a Halloween theater viewing tradition in Abilene. Cheesy and old...but a classic.
~ Ghost = Awe, I cry every time.
~ Ghostbusters 1, 2, & 3 = Good ghost watching, family fun. (not yet for my kids, though)
~ The Shining = Oh, man...am I right?! "Redrum, redrum, redrum!"
~ The 6th Sense = Really only awesome once. Still good to watch, but it will never be the same. Simply the best surprise ending ever.
~ The Amityville Horror = The old one is better, but the remake is more worth watching... just to see Ryan Reynolds chopping wood!
~ The Blair Witch Project = O. M. G. This was amazing when it came out! Kevin and I went to see it together, and we totally bought into it....totally thought it was real.
~ Beetlejuice = A classic. "oooOOOOooooOOH....uuuh, uuuh!" (Mom and Jaime, please tell me that quote made you laugh!)
~ Watcher in the Woods = Aahh, my first horror movie. And it was made by Disney! I watched it while on a Girl Scouts sleepover party at Embassy Suites. It was scary, and I LOVED it! Come to think of it, I need to watch it again. I don't think I've watched since I was 8 or 9. Oh, memories!


Alright, that's it. Here's hoping I get my blogging mind back quickly. But like I said at the beginning, please feel free to add to the lists. It's always fun to hear what everyone else has to say.

In Case You Were Wondering...

WARNING! This post is not for the faint of heart. This post is for those of you that have been curious (maybe morbidly curious) about what a bone marrow biopsy involves. And after just having had a doozy of one today, I thought what better time than now to get into it.

First a little background info...
When I got my first one almost 4 years ago, I didn't know what to expect (and I think it was better that way). I had just gotten diagnosed with leukemia 30 minutes earlier, so I guess you could say I had a lot on my mind. But anyway, while it was a bit painful and quite uncomfortable, I think I was in too much of a shock to focus on that. All I really remember from it was feeling the rocking back and forth, the strange (but very quiet) sounds, and the mental image of a cork screw.

Now for the details...
Well, now I know what to expect each time...and it stresses me out. And I even have bad dreams for a few nights before. But anyhoo, back to the cork screw. Well, that's basically what it is! It makes perfect sense. They have to get into your bone, but they don't use a drill (I guess since this is a procedure that gets done over and over, a drill would leave far too big of a wound). So they use this tool that looks like a long and very thin cork screw. They numb the area (the back of your hip, right at the top of one of your butt cheeks) as much as they can, and then the Dr. starts twisting and screwing it in (hence the rocking back and forth I remember from my first time). As they go deeper, it becomes more painful (sometimes very sharp and sudden), and they stop and add more anesthetic. The sounds are the sounds of metal on bone, and you can't hear it as much externally as you can internally. Once they're in there, they take an even longer needle/syringe and send it down through the hollow center of the cork screw thing. They suck out a sample of marrow and remove the syringe. Then they insert another needle thing (which is best described as one of those things you see on the Sargento cheese commercials where they stick it in a wheel of cheese, twist it, and remove a cylindrical sample of the cheese) and they use that to remove a sample of the bone.

And as for today...
First, let me tell you about my Dr. He is a very kind middle-aged, Middle-Eastern man. Every time I see him, he asks about my parents whom he met maybe once, my sister and her twins, my brother who went to Afghanistan, my brother in the Navy (all of whom he's never met), and Kevin. He remembers those things very well and that is very comforting. However, he can't seem to remember saying the exact same things to me every time. For the first 3 years, every time I got a biopsy done, he would comment on my dense bones by saying (verbatim), "Wow, it must be that West Texas beef!"...every single time! Now, for the last year, the last 2 procedures I've had, we talk about Kevin Costner movies. It sounds completely random (and it is a little), but it all starts when he asks how Kevin is liking working for the post office. And then he says, "You know, Kevin Costner made that movie, The Postman..." And then he goes on and on about how weird and boring he thought it was, and so was Waterworld; but Dances With Wolves, JFK, and The Untouchables were great. Maybe he thinks he's taking my mind off of what he's doing...but he's not.

Once again, I digress. So we went throughout all of those conversations, was the biopsy itself. The numbing medication is never quite enough for my "dense West Texas" bones. I always have sharp, blinding, bursts of pain where he has to add more medication. The first couple of attempts were unsuccessful. There was apparently a lot of scarring on that area of bone which made the marrow very difficult to extract (that in and of itself was painful enough, but nothing I'm not used to). So he numbed a new spot and had more luck there. However, in order to do so, he had to climb onto a stool to get more leverage and use a larger/longer "cork screw". After he got in a little ways, I told him it was hurting quite a bit. He asked if I could just hang on, because he was almost there and it would be over soon if he didn't have to stop and get more anesthetic, so I said OK. So I closed my eyes, gritted my teeth, and tried to take deep breaths while he extracted a good sample of marrow (This, even on a good day, is the worst part. It's a painful, foreign sensation...like the opposite of a thick painful shot. You can actually feel it leaving your body.) A couple of tears came to my eyes, but I made it through. After that, they re-numbed for the removal of the bone sample, and that went off without a hitch.

So anyway, that's about it. I don't say all of this to complain at all...it is what it is, and I can take it. I don't say all this to get anyone to feel sorry for me, either...I'm very blessed, and I know that things can always be worse (and I'm thankful they're not). I just know that there are some people out there who have wondered and have never wanted to actually ask. So there it is. I'll be sore for a good 5 days, and I should hear something back in a week or two.

That's all for now...in case you were wondering!