Merry! Merry! Happy! Happy!

WHEW! Christmas is behind us and my behind is, well, behind me more! The Sweets this year have about done me in! It was a total blast making goodies with Lila this year since she was able to do more, but I can't take it anymore. I threw out nearly a dozen cookies, fudge, etc that I know we just will not eat! Sorry poor starving kids in China.

On another note, this Christmas was great fun. Lila has officially entered tween-dom. Her Christmas list was a veritable mixed bag of wishes....iPod (purple none the less), lap top, iPhone, iPod touch, Wii games, Barbie I Design cards for the I design set she was supposed to get for Christmas this year but Dad thought it was forgotten from last year and gave it to her before Halloween, hotwheels, lip gloss and hair clips. Yep, welcome to the wonder world of the TWEEN!

Lila got most of what she wanted, even the purple iPod! She's worth it, too. It was great to see her face light up and her jump up and down with excitement over getting the one big thing on her list.

The other fun thing was the three of us jamming out to Rock Band. My hubby is pretty hot ripping a shred on the guitar!

The only thing that would have made this year's Christmas better would have been if Mom and Ken could have driven up. Unfortunately, the weather did not cooperate and they, having lived in Florida for way too long, don't know how to drive in snow and on icy roads. Maybe next year.

It's been a good day today...no driveway to shovel. It's like it's springtime with everything melting. But, it won't last for long and snow will return. Better practice my mad drum skills to rcok the house!

Happy New Year!

Title change

While posting my last post, my daughter happened into the room. She ever so quietly read my title, asked what I was doing and then promptly stated....

Mom, you are much closer to 40 than 30. Shouldn't you change the title?

OUCH!! I guess she's right, though. Turning 38 in 2009. Realizing I am much closer to 40 than 30. Maybe I will change the title or at least just the numbers.

Then again, maybe not until I'm 39!

I WAS feeling bad.....

for not posting recently but then I checked the other blogs I read regularly and saw that they have not posted in a while either. HAH!

So the Holidays are officially here. I've received the "Getting to Know You" email in the Christmas version. It's funny to me, actually. There was one question about the most annoying thing about the holidays. I initially thought it was how it seems to get earlier and earlier every year. However, now I think the most annoying thing about the holiday season is the rush rush rush I seem to do and how it seems to be every night something else is going on or some other errand HAS to be done.

I know it sounds absolutely "scrooge-ish" but hear me out. Along with the rushing and pushing to make this year's Christmas bigger and better than last years, putting up decorations just means I'll have one more chore to do at the END of the season. Don't get me wrong. I LOVE having a tree up in my living room, smelling fresh baked cookies in the house, listening to holiday music, etc. etc etc. But somewhere around the 22nd of December I'm actually ready to put everything away. Well, honestly, around the 26th.

I personally think the UK holiday of Boxing Day should mean it's the day to BOX EVERYTHING UP! No?

Oh, well. Here's to the holidays! Cheers!

Oh, by the way.....

I did Vote on Tuesday. I was number 504 in ward 4-1 of Clinton, Iowa. However, I was disappointed when I was told the poll workers weren't given "I Voted" stickers. Cheapos! Oh, well. I know I did it.

Where did that time go???

What in the hell! I knew I needed to post but I had no idea I had missed nearly a whole month!! This is probably a clear sign I have bitten off more than I can chew in life. Better go check my plate and see what I can move off for now.

Lots going on. Sick as a dog this past week. Halloween consumed an entire week for me! Our community has a night parade the Monday before Halloween. Then had to get ready for the big night. Lila was Mother Nature (aka woodland fairy costume from store, I know bad mom!). Orchestra demo night before H'ween. WAAAAYY TOO MUCH. Make it stop! Make it Stop!

Wait! Wasn't there some crazy woman in the late 80s early 90s with a catch phrase like stop the insanity or something???

maybe I really am going crazy!!!

Oh, well. If I have voices in my head, I'll at least have someone to talk to in my PRECINCT! (Just for you, Alisa!) ;-)

gotta go Wii Music is calling!!!!

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month

In honor of my mom and the many other women who have fought breast cancer, I've changed my post format. Hopefully, it will remind you to talk to your doctor about your risks for breast cancer and you won't be another woman affected by Breast Cancer!

Here's to your health!

My Mom's a Warrior!

First of all, I finished Breaking Dawn in 8 days! I really liked the series but have to say the last entry started to really reach for me. I was really hoping for a good fight scene. (sorry for no spoiler warning!)

I was stuck in the airport Monday (after visiting and helping mom...see below) so I picked up Son of a Witch by Gregory Maguire (wrote Wicked the novel not the Broadway musical, although equally good!) I'll have to get the O pick later.

Anyway, the title of this post isn't my rants and raves for Breaking Dawn!

MY MOTHER IS A WARRIOR!

I know the big O talked to Jeni McCarthy about mother warriors and all but what about the women that are just plain WARRIORS??!!

Six years ago my mother called to tell me she had a biopsy and the results came back positive for breast cancer. Truly a scary time. She has a lumpectomy and radiation and is doing great for the next five years.

Then she calls to tell me they finally sold the house after over a year on the market (no small feat in the Florida economy either) and they would finally be moving to Georgia. YEAH! Our conversation after that went something like this:

A: So, Mom, when will you officially be in peachy Georgia, I innocently ask.
M: When I get an "issue" taken care of.
A: Oh, yeah, what issue is that?
M: The breast cancer is back.
A: WHAT???!?!?!?

The time to take complete care of the "issue" is still being calculated. All I can say now is my Mom is a warrior and deserves a frickin' medal or something! She's gone through a surgery to remove the rest of her breast and will undergo reconstruction at a future date. Not many people would go through everything she has. I'm so very proud of her and admire her for the courage she is showing in this battle.

Do yourself a favor do a breast self exam every month. There has been recent research to show that Breast Self Exams (BSE) don't lower death rates, I know. But if every woman did one regularly, she would know what is normal and not normal for her breasts! Doctors do not spend enough time examining patients breasts during the yearly exam. If you have a question, ask your doctor! Don't stop until you get an answer!!!

Also, ask about your family history of breast cancer and other cancers. Talk to your doctor about it. Be your own best advocate! Don't let a doctor tell you not to worry about it....EVER!

If you do have a history of breast cancer DEMAND a mammogram as soon as possible. A baseline at 35 is best. I'll be asking for another one now that my own mother has had a recurrence!

We have seriously reached a point where the question won't be how did a person die but what cancer did the deceased have!!! We cannot let this continue. We have to find a way to stop it NOW!!

Breaking Dawn

So, as I stated in a previous post, I'm reading the Stephanie Meyer Twilight series. I absolutely LOVE it. I've started the final book, Breaking Dawn, this weekend and am having a hard time putting it down. (I'd rather see what Jacob, Edward and Bella are doing than actually post but I know I won't post for a while if I don't do it now and then Alisa will jump for it. wink! wink!)

I've already gotten my next book picked out to read, too. And, no, Alisa, it is not Skinny Bitch. (I thought from the title it would be about something completely different, though!). O's new pick is Edward Sawtelle and it looks like a great one. I'll keep you posted. no pun intended.

One More Thing

Ok, so I really wanted to post tonight about my new FAVORITE SHOW!

It's on Fine Living Network and it's called WHATEVER, MARTHA!

I finally caught it last night and totally LOVE it! Martha's daughter, Alexis, and her friend (I'm assuming life long) sit on a couch and, this is the best part, say everything everyone else does when they watch (or even hear) what Martha is doing on her show. They go way back to the early shows, too!

It is totally worth the 30 minutes to hear Martha's daughter totally crack on her mother and how ridiculous it is to "whittle" your own birch sticks for s'mores, drill a hole in each stick to tie "wax covered linen string" to the stick so you can hang them by your back door or something, AND tie them all up in a neat little "bundle" with read gingham check ribbon!

Excuse me? where we come from you grab a stick, palm frond, wire hanger or any other skinny sharp long object, shove on a marshmallow and roast away. If the stick is flammable, when you're done you throw it in the fire. Heck, even if it's not flammable....in the fire it goes!

Ah, it does a soul good to hear out loud the thoughts I have in my own head about crazy Martha and her ice making lessons on a TV SHOW! (yes, I actually saw her showing how to make ice on a show once!)

Go, Alexis!

Where in the Hell have I been????

Someone really should hold a gun to my head or something to get me to remember to do this. I'm sure my hubby would say, as usual, you have bitten off more than you can chew!

Oh, well. Here's a recap of my life since my last post:

1. sister-in-law fell in her bathroom and broke her hip causing mass hysteria for other in-law family members
2. returned to building and facilities task force meetings for school district; trying to decide what to do with two decrepit middle schools and one really old high school and how to pay for what ever it is we decide to do with said buildings
3. weekly rehearsals at church for praise band, LOVE the break each week to focus on music and singing (really missed this for a few years)
4. two job interviews that resulted in one offer but not the offer I really wanted so I turned it down to stay put
5. looking for not one but two half time students to fill AmeriCorps volunteer positions, which has me bewildered why a college student wouldn't want to do something like AmeriCorps for REAL WORLD work experience and a FREAKIN' FANTASTIC item to have on their resume????? WTH!!?!?!?!?!?!?
6. mom back into surgery for BC....after almost 5years clear. thankfully, it doesn't seem that she needs chemo now, just major radical surgery
7. help mom figure out where to stay during her recuperation because, YEAH, they finally sold their house just at a sucky time!
8. purchase plane ticket to come to FLA for a QUICK visit with mom, I doubt I'll even see the gulf this trip :-(
9. continue search for new job
10. sign daughter up for soccer
11. sign daughter up for orchsetra, which yeah for me has 7:30am rehearsal times twice a week for two weeks then once a week for the rest of the school year! (insert sarcasm here)
12. help friend through loss of her mom, funeral tomorrow, sign at funeral, hope voice holds up

SO................that should catch me up. I'll do better to keep this updated. Oh! I forgot something. (Carol will love this.) I've also blazed through Twilight and New Moon; about 2/3 of the way through Eclipse and should be onto Breaking Dawn within the week! AWESOME series, even if it's for teen girls.

But, if my theory holds true about men (they are all really 8 year old boys deep inside NO MATTER HOW HOLD THEY ARE) then women are all really just 14 year old girls deep down, just most of us get a little wiser and nicer with our friends....or at least I hope so.

carry on and MAKE IT WORK! (whatever it is you need to make work)

WHEW!

The office move is officially completed. My duaghter is now officially 9. I am officially tired of the drama associated with familial relations and am officially just plain TIRED!

I was told recently to repeat to myself over and over again.....boundaries are a good thing, boundaries are a good thing...... I've said it so much in the past two days, I think I finally get it!

Boundaries ARE a good thing. They keep us in check and help us keep others around us in check. They keep us safe and feeling good about ourselves and any situation we may find ourselves stuck, placed or otherwise rooted.

While I help prepare my daughter for 4th grade, I'll help myself by building some boundaries and strenghthening them up as strong as I can. Does anyone know, can avoidance be a personal policy??

In the meantime, I'll also repeat to myself.....I'm a tree. I can bend. (Roz speaks!)

Ok, I've been slacking a little and not posting. My office finally moved at the end of the month and it's been pretty crazy. Man, is it about time! I've been working for five years in a 601 square foot building! My excuse for an office measured EXACTLY 112 inches by 106 inches. You know you don't have a lot of space when you can say it in inches!!!

Now, I have an office that measure 15 feet long by 10 feet wide!!! Yeah, me! Such a coup to get the approval to move, too. Major accomplishment for me.

The other big focus is Lila's 9th birthday. It's been a tough decision for her on what to do for her birthday. Big party, little party, overnight, no overnight, on her birthday knowing her best friend wouldn't be there or on a different day so she could be there.......My head hurts!

I can't beleive she will be 9 this week! It all seems so fast and such a short time ago that she was born. She's such a joy for me and Bob, though. Totally worth the headaches and heartaches to get pregnant. Just wish I could have had one more that probably would have looked more like me instead of Bob, but then again, probably not!

The first day of school is fast approaching. FOURTH GRADE HERE SHE COMES! I've really enjoyed watching her learn and discover new things through school and Girl Scouts. Her friends are a hoot and listening to them discuss "major" topics is very eye opening, to say this least. I can only hope it stays this way. It's very fun!

For the Love of Family....

It has been a pretty stressful couple of weeks here in the heartland. Family issues have raised their ugly head yet again and somehow everyone is just supposed to "grin and bear it" and I just can't help but wonder how much can anyone possibly endure.

I know we do lots of things for family members. Take granny to appointments, grocery store, etc. Help mom clean out the closets, pack up old trinkets and childhood treasures. Maybe even, (as in the novel I just finished reading) consider hosting a sibling's embryo in your own uterus (something I would NEVER do, BTW). But isn't there a line SOMEWHERE???????

I'm thinking maybe it's at the point where a family member tries to have you arrested or the point where it sure seems like the member committing the offenses KNOWS what they are doing. It is completely understandable that the cheek must be turned and the offense overlooked occasionally....but COME ON!

Oh, well. I guess for now, I'll continue to sit on my hands and look the other way. It's probably better I keep my mouth shut anyway and keep my place secure on the"blacklist".

The Ghosts of Boyfriends Past and Future

My daughter is having a friend sleepover tonight, which I absolutley love. They are playing so well together and really enjoying each other's company.

I'm grinning as I type this post because they are playing "dress up". Not in the 3-4 year old way but in the Tween way. They have put on the fanciest dresses my girl has and pretending to go the prom. When I asked them about their "dates" their reply had me chuckling.

"We're going to the dance and will meet our dates there!" Perfectly reasonable response.

So, of course, with my 20 year HS reunion looming in the ever so close distance, I'm remembering my own Prom/dance experiences....the good, the bad and the ugly.

My girlfriend said last year, her oldest now had a steady boyfriend and she was of course concerned about actitivies HS kids engage in during time alone.....

Enough said. While I am delighted my little girl is growing up so confidently and sure of her self. I am not looking forward to the upcoming years of trials and tribulations that accompany the years of middle school and high school.

I suppose I can always get her dad involved. He's pretty excited about getting to "play" a little with the boyfriends/dates.

Welcome!

Welcome to the totally random ramblings of my 30-ish female mind. (Well, ok. That was the title of the book I was going to write in my early 30s. Except now, I'm not in my early 30s anymore. It still counts, right?? I mean I am still in my 30s.)

So, here we go. Hold on for some fun reads, hopefully.

No animals were harmed in the making of this blog.