Living, Loving & Laughing

This is Gonna Hurt...the truth usually does, doesn't it?

2011-04-14T07:49:00.000-05:00

I never read "The Heroin Diaries" or was even a Motley Crue fan, but I am well aware of who Nikki Sixx is and how far he has come in his life. I got "This is Gonna Hurt" in the mail yesterday and started reading it at 9pm. I was done by 11:45 pm that same night.
He tells you from the start that "This is Gonna Hurt". He lays it all on the line, from societies perception of what is deemed beautiful to his take on music royalties and love and life in general. The truth hurts but as you read this book you know that whil it hurts, he speaks the truth.

Hie photographs are beautiful in a way I never expected. The book has inspired me and touched my heart and my mind. I know I will look at life, and people differently now.

Throughout the book are the lyrics to the songs that Nikki and his fellow Sixx:A.M. band members wrote for their upcoming album that goes along with this book. One of the songs is called "Skin".

Paint yourself a picture of what you wish you looked like. Maybe then they just might feel an ounce of your pain. Come into focus. Step out of the shadows. It's a losing battle. There's no need to be ashamed.

They don't even know you. All they see is scars. They don't see the angel living in your heart. Let them find the real you buried deep within. And let them know with all you've got That you are not your skin.

When they start to judge you, Show them your true colors, and do unto others as you'd have done to you. Just rise above this, Kill them with your kindness. Ignorence is Blindness, they're the ones that stand to lose

How many of us are guilty of what they talk about in the second verse? Judging people on their outward appearance? Nikki tries to show us that beauty is eveywhere and even more so in the people deemed "ugly" by society because they are not perfect.

This is definitely a book I will recommend to others and that I will share with my kids who are 22 and 18. I've tried to raise to love everyone and to be tolerant and to never judge, but you can never teach that enough.

Nikki writes in a way that you feel like you are sitting down and having a conversation with him. You can feel his pain and you pray for him to find the happiness and peace he is looking for.

Relay for Life

2011-03-12T15:13:00.000-06:00

As I have done for the past few years, I am raising funds for Relay for Life. One ay I am doing it is via sales from my Avon business. I am donating 10% of all my sales through June 1 to the cause. All you have to do is visit my website and click on the "Online event" tab for the code to use at checkout.

The other way is through direct donation. Even $1 can make a difference and I would appreciate your help very much! Check out my personal page, and make your donation today

All I have to say is

2011-02-27T11:07:00.000-06:00

I love these!

Because it's Friday...

2011-02-04T06:44:00.000-06:00

Grief is defined as keen mental suffering or distress over affliction or loss; sharp sorrow; painful regret. But, grief takes on many levels, each painful in it's own way.

In the past few years, I've said goodbye to both my grandmothers and my niece. When I think of my grandmothers now, it's always with fondness and strong wonderful memories that we had together. I remember the trips we took with them and the holidays we spent together. I remember how Grandma Ruth always liked to have her dessert first, and how Grandma Lois would always get the chicken at a restaurant. Both lived full lives well into their 80's. Both lost husband's early and went on to raise their families and have careers and show us, their family, how to be strong, independent women. I'm very thankful to have known these women and I miss them very much.

But....

And perhaps it's because my niece was just 8, or her passing was so sudden and unexpected, but I find that...

-- I hear a Miley Cyrus song and I cry
-- I see a child with Down's Syndrome and I cry
-- Because it's Friday, I cry (we lost her on a Friday)
-- For no reason at all, I cry
-- When I read my sister-in-laws Facebook page or blog and feel the pain she lives in each and every day, I cry.
-- Because I miss my daughter and I know that my daughter is just a couple of states away but my sisterinlaw has to visit her daughter at the cemetary

I could go on and on about the things that will get the tears flowing. Sometimes, its just a random tear on my cheek. Not all the tears are sad, sometimes it's because of a wonderful memory and the tears are happy. I cry for all the memories. I cry because I remember how much this little girl endured in her short life, and how much she taught all of us about love, patience, tolerance, and life in general. I remember the times we prayed for her health, and for God to spare her...for the worldwide prayer circles we held for her and how she got through each crisis, and still smiled.

Does it mean I miss any of these three any more than the others or that I loved one more than the other? No. But I beleive it's because my grandmothers lived such a full and long life that I could let them go with the peace of knowing that their work on earth was done and their weary bodies were ready to heal and be with the loved ones that passed before them. Was Carly's work done? Perhaps. It depends on what you believe and how you look at things. I think she was sent to teach us so much, but it's been hard letting her go. It's been hard waking up and knowing that when we go to visit our family that we won't get one of her special hugs or get to hear about another milestone she passed as she learned more and proved every day that nothing could stop her.

I am told that crying is good for you. And honestly, I feel refreshed after a good cry. When I cry, I pray...and I thank God for watching over these loved ones, for holding them in his loving arms until we meet again.

The tears last a short time, and they sometimes hit out of the blue...like at work. Or driving in the car, and usually, in the shower.

Grief, to be blunt, Sucks.

And ir's Friday....

What to Read Next..

2011-02-03T08:43:00.000-06:00

I have a pile of books on my nightstand that I want to read so I can move them on to a good home and use my Kindle more. Since I just finished a book, I am staring at this pile of books trying to decide which one will be next.

-- Straight Up by Deirdre Martin (Contemporary Romance)
-- Son of a Witch: Volume Two in the Wicked Years by Gregory Maguire
-- A Man for All Seasons by Heather MacAllister (Harlequin Romance)
-- Where Mercy is Shown, Mercy is Given by Duane "Dog" Chapman

I think I am leaning towards the latter, which is also a Bookcrossing book, and I've been wanting to read it since I got my hands on it, so I think it may be the winner this time.

Yesterday saw the husband, I and our son stuck in the house courtesy of the Blizzard of 2011. Living out in the country with all this wind means the snow from the field across from us, ends up in our driveway. Thank goodness hubby bought a snowblower this year...even then it took him 2.5 hours to clear the driveway!

Hope everyone stays safe and warm...spring cannot come soon enough if you ask me!

Look what I did!!!

2011-01-27T14:13:00.000-06:00

Since one of my side projects has been scanning photos to store on an external hard drive that goes in my safe (basically I lost 5 years of family pictures once so now I back them all up), I have hardly any pictures left on my computer. This frees up my computer's memory a bit as well. When I backed them all up, I made sure to sort them into folders for example the year and then from there Spring, Summer, etc. Some are even broken down with a folder for each kid. When I need a picture, its easy to find one then.

I picked up my new printer today. I bought an HP Photosmart Wireless D110 series All-in-one that prints, copies and scans. I can also, send photos from my Android phone wirelessly to the printer, which is really a cool feature. I can't see that I will use that often since I take the majority of my pictures on my small digital camera, but still, it's nice to have. This is even better since my old HP portable scanner stopped working a few months ago, I didn't need to replace both.

One of the pieces of software that came with the printer was HP Photo Creations. Seeing how I really didn't have a lot of photos saved to my PC, I used a picture that was stored there to play with.

The subject is my beautiful niece Carly who, loved her music. She was our little rock star and sadly she was taken from us last April.

It looks a little faded because dummy (me) forgot to save it, so after I printed it (and it's technically a 4x6 greeting card but printed on regular paper), I scanned it. The scan quality is really good and I have so many more old photo albums to scan, so I am looking forward to getting some them done soon.

I am not very crafty, but I do enjoy photo editing so with my photo editing software and this program, I can't wait to see what I might come up with.

Time for a new printer

2011-01-26T18:32:00.000-06:00

My printer is dead I think...the power light flashes and when we researched it, the response seems to be that the printer is no longer talking to the PC. It's a good little printer, Lexmark P707 but since we tried everything to bring it back without fail, I will be heading to the closest Walmart tomorrow to pick something up. I don't need anything fancy, but since I do use it for my Avon business, I do need want that does color copying as well and isn't really slow. Other than that, all the bells and whistles are not necessary. Unfortunately for us, the nearest Walmart does not have a good selection.

Any recommendations for printers from my faithful readers?

Safe Haven

2011-01-20T15:26:00.000-06:00

I finished this book the other day. I am a big Nicholas Sparks fan. I pretty much know when I start reading his books that I won't want to put them down.

This is the story of Katie, who mysteriously shows up in a North Carolina town with a secret past, and about Alex, the widowed store owner with a kind heart who tries to help Katie out while at the same time building her trust up with him.

The book deals with grief and loss; domestic violence and there is also a bit of mystery in the story, which if I reveal here, will ruin the book, so I won't share that with you.

Instead of offering this book up on paperbackswap.com, I am registering it with Bookcrossing.com and sending it to my daughter as a controlled release then letting her choose what to do with it when she is finished.

If you are a fan of Mr. Sparks books, I believe you will like this one as well.

On my Kindle I have started reading, "Don't shoot! I'm just the Avon lady" by Birdie Jaworski. Birdie is a single parent, and Avon lady (when the book was written) and this book covers her search for Mr. Right as well as Avon related stories such as emergency lotion deliveries in the middle of the night. I've only just started it, but I think it will be a rather quick read.

I've also started "Jack with a Twist" by Brenda Janowitz which is a continuation of a story started in the book "Scot on the Rocks" which I read last year. I picked this one up via paperbackswap.com so will be offering it back up there when I finish it.

I hope you find a book on here that catches your eye. Happy Reading!

-- Michele

I've come to a decision...

2011-01-20T14:02:00.000-06:00

I need to blog on a more regular basis. I've seen some blogs that have daily themes. And I like that idea, but with my work schedule, I don't know if I can keep up with it, so I was thinking perhaps I just need to set one day a week aside as "blogging day" and start from there. What do you think? LOL

I also want to redesign my page but will get to that eventually.

I'm so addicted to....

2011-01-05T18:53:00.000-06:00

My Kindle! I got it for Christmas and have been playing with it and looking through all the free books available on Amazon.com. I did download some games (Scrabble and Monopoly) that cost a little but all the books I have downloaded so far have been free. My To-Be-Read pile of non e-books is still quite large so I will have to still try to get those read and re-released via paperbackswap or bookcrossing but now I don't have a book in my purse anymore, just the Kindle, so my purse is a little lighter....okay, just a little, because, I am an Avon lady too, and I carry brochures, samples, and an order book in my purse too as well as the normal purse items.

Amazon just announced book swapping via kindles too, although I don't see doing much of that. I already know what I want for Christmas next year...Amazon gift cards so I can buy more e-books! LOL

Last year I got a NuWave Oven for Christmas. I use it a lot, but mostly just for cooking the chicken, steaks, etc. Never really branching out and trying to do a meal. Tonight I did. I made a Chicken Pot Pie. It tasted yummy too.

Easy Bake Chicken Pot Pie (4-6 servings)

4 fresh boneless, skinless chicken breasts

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 bag frozen mixed vegetables, defrosted

1 can cream of chicken soup

1 10" pie crust (I used one roll out sheet of pie crust)

Rub olive oil on the chicken breasts. Place on the 4" rack, and cook on power level HI for 6 minutes per side. Allow to cool. Either shred or cut into cubes. Combine mixed vegetables, soup and chicken in a large bowl. Mix thoroughly until mixture is well coated. Pour mixture in a 10" pie pan or oven safe dish. (I use the baking pan from the extender ring kit). Top with pie crust. Lightly pinch the edges to form flute and to seal. Place pan on the 1" rack, and cook on power level HI for 25 minutes or until the crust is lightly browned.

For a creamier pot pie, add 1/2 cup of milk when combining ingredients into large bowl. Foil can be placed over the crust to prevent over browning. You may substitute any over safe casserole dish that fits on the 1" rack of the NuWave.

The crust was perfectly browned, and flaky. I want to tweak the soup/milk so it's creamier. We served over a bed of rice, and it was very filling. Next time, I will try with maybe beef or turkey.

Books, books, and more books

2010-12-26T09:20:00.000-06:00

I love to read. Anyone who knows me, knows this. I am a member of paperbackswap.com and bookcrossing.com which is how I get many of my books. I also challenge myself to read 50 books a year over at 43things.com . There are a few other book sites I am a member of as well.

I recently acquired 5 new books from paperbackswap much to my husband's dismay. I do remind him that those books cost me nothing and when I am finished with them, I will be putting them back on the available list for someone to take off my hands, with the only cost to me being postage (mediamail) to mail them to their new owners.

Now, I am the proud owner of a Kindle! Yes..I can have more than one book on my possession at any one time. Already I have downloaded 2 books (both free ones) from authors I had not read before. My Kindle is a wi-fi one, but not 3G and man, I am impressed with how fast books are downloaded. I can't wait to really start using it, because honestly, I think I should probably try to read the books on my nightstand so I can move them on to new homes soon, then start getting deep into the Kindle, but who knows.

I've been perusing message boards and such looking for tips and advice on Kindle use to get the most out of my reader. I love the fact that it will fit into most of the purses I have and I won't have to worry about losing my page. I just won't be able to take it into the bathtub with me to read. I'll have to stick to paperbacks for that. LOL

I hope all of you had a very Merry Christmas!

Blogging how to's?

2010-12-15T06:30:00.000-06:00

I like to think that I am pretty smart when it comes to the internet, however, when it comes to this blog, I feel I am not doing all I can be. Besides the fact that I need to write in it more often, I would like to make it so I can reply to comments left to my blog, but I have yet to figure out how to do that. Any thoughts on that?

One of my goals for the New Year will be to use this more often...perhape I will consolidate my Avon blog with this one, to simplify life for me a little bit.

Now, off to catch up on some seriously neglected blog reading! Thank you for sticking with me on this.

Proud to be a veteran

2010-11-12T07:22:00.000-06:00

I spent last weekend watching my oldest graduation from Air Force Basic Training down in San Antonio, Texas. I couldn't be prouder especially as yesterday was Veteran's Day. It takes a special person to take that oath of office...to raise their right hand and agree to protect our freedom and defend this great nation from all enemies, foreign and domestic.

I am honored and humbled to have served this country for 13 years. Blessed to be a Air Force wife and now and Air Force mom.

A picture of two will be coming soon, as well as a better post.

God bless America...and all of our Veterans.

October already????

2010-10-06T15:31:00.000-05:00

Where has the year gone? Well, I guess with everything that has gone on this year I just didn't really notice the pages of the calendar flipping over yet once again.

Our daughter is in her 4th week of Basic Training for the Air Force. So far she has gotten to call home 3 times and letters are starting to come more regularly. She sounds so excited about the experience and we are so proud of her for making the choice to enlist and follow in our footsteps. It's not a decision that everyone can make, and, I believe, it takes a special person to raise their hand and volunteer to serve their country. Her graduation is set for the first week of November.

Recently we bought a female German Shepherd puppy who we have named Schatzie. She is a real sweetheart and fitting in quite well to our home. Ginger, our 6 year old Aussie Shepherd/Blue Heeler mix has adjusted well to her new sibling and we find that at least once a day they are playing and wearing each other out.

We got our son's senior pictures the other day and it was a big dose of reality for me. I guess it's had me a little quieter on the 'net lately. Both my babies are grown. He will be 18 in December and she will be 22 in November.

When I am not working I am busy with my Avon business and I am trying to whittle through a long list of projects I want to do. One of the major ones is cleaning up the basement. There are still a lot things down there that never got put away when we moved here 3 years ago as well as a great majority of things to sort and either throw out or get ready for a garage sale. I just need to come up with a plan...or schedule some time on each of my days off in which to do it.

Organizing has never been one of my strong points and I find myself sometimes getting further behind on my days off because there is so much I want to accomplish. If anyone has some tips or advice on how to get organized (my business and my home) I would greatly appreciate it.

Fall has arrived in Central Illinois, although today we are back in the low 80s. The leaves are starting to change and we've had to turn the heat on at night. Right now though, the windows are open and there is a nice light breeze blowing.

Until next time dear readers....hopefully I will have something a little more interesting to write about!

Michele's Avon: October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month

2010-09-29T16:07:00.000-05:00

Michele's Avon: October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month: "Add caption In Campaign 21 we have a new Breast Cancer Crusade Novelty Tote for just $5.00. This little tote is made of reusable polyes..."

My blogging is slacking off

2010-09-16T14:27:00.000-05:00

I finished this Debbie Macomber book this afternoon. It was book #20 on my "read 50 books in 2010" goal at 43things. Now that I have finished it, I will put it up on my paperbackswap bookshelf so that someone else can read it.

Better update coming soon....

2010-09-06T15:09:00.000-05:00

Today we drop our daughter off at the recruiter's office so she can begin the next journey in her life. The van will take her to the MEPS station in Chicago and sometime tomorrow she will take the oath of office and board a plane to San Antonio, Lackland AFB, where Air Force basic training is held. I will be driving up in the morning to watch her take that oath and give her one more kiss and hug.

I am so proud of her for making the choice to serve her country. So proud of the woman she has become, and I look forward to seeing what the future holds for her. I know a lot of tears will be shed today and tomorrow, and they are mixed tears..happiness and sadness. It's so hard to let your children go, but they need to spread their wings and fly away.

Stop the Merry-Go-Round, it's time for me to get off....

2010-08-30T06:18:00.000-05:00

Life is crazy. Full of ups and downs. Sometimes more of one, than the other. You try to handle them the best that you can, but you sometimes falter, and sometimes you realize that there is just nothing that you can do but sit back and wait for the ride to end.

Our youngest is back in school. Senior year of high school started on the 24th of this month. Our eldest is just...as of today, 8 days away from the airplane ride that will take her on the next journey of her life.

I won't lie and say that it isn't affecting me. I've always been somewhat of an emotional person. I think I am quieter these days and maybe a little more withdrawn than usual. Not because I am sad or unhappy, but because I am thinking, and reflecting on life and how different things are going to be after September 7th.

One of the things she wanted to do before she left was go to Shedd Aquarium in Chicago. So last Wednesday (8/25) she and I drove to the Amtrak station and hopped a train to Chicago. We arrived about 9:30 am and proceeded to walk from the station to the Aquarium. I have absolutely NO idea how many blocks we walked, but it was a lot. We did a lot of window shopping, even stopping into the historic Hilton Hotel on Michigan Avenue to look around. Seeing Kitty O'Sheas restaurant inside, we decided then that if we didn't find anyplace else we wanted to eat, that w would be back for some good Irish Food and beer.

The Aquarium was amazing. They have a terrific show called "Fantasea" which stars their Beluga Whales; Penguins; Dolphins and their Sea Lion. Very interactive, in that the penguins get up close and personal with the audience and a child becomes part of the show. Very beautiful. Very memorable. Probably the most 'memorable' part for me was not the show (which I watched through tears, which I will explain next) but for what happened before the show. As we were walking down the pebbled concrete stairs to find a place to sit, I stepped off wrong and lost my balance. Twisted my ankle slightly, and righted myself, or so I thought. I hadn't really and momentum (and the fact I am carrying a few extra pounds on me) took over and I continued to fall, almost taking out the man on the next row who grabbed me and tried to pull me up, but I kept falling, pretty much, rolling, to a stop on the next row. My left ankle was under me and I sat there, embarrassed and in pain throughout the whole show. I was not about to take off my shoe and see the damage, but I did scrape my knee pretty good. I limped and hobbled my way through the rest of the day. We took a water taxi over to the Navy Pier and shared a Seagram's Watermelon Snow Cone (yummy) then visited the USO for some air conditioning and then continued our walk. I was in pain, but I didn't feel I was in enough to call it a day and go home. This was our day...perhaps one of out last mother/daughter excursions and I was not about to spoil it.

We made our way back to Kitty O'Sheas (we couldn't find any other Irish Pubs) and ordered drinks and an appetizer. She had a small pint of Guiness and I had a small pint of Killian Red. Our appetizer was "Loaded Irish Potatoes". These were FANTASTIC. Fries made with Irish Potatoes and covered with a corned beef gravy that had melted Irish Cheddar Cheese in it and topped with green onions. Oh my. For dinner, she had fish and chips and I had steak and chips.

Loaded Irish Potatoes


Fish and Chips

Steak and chips

Once we got back on the train at 8 pm we were worn out from the sun and all the walking. I had stopped at Walgreens and picked up an ice pack and put that on my foot. Once I removed my shoe I was shocked at how bad my foot looked. I could see the black and blue on the top and side of the foot. But it was dark on the train, so I just closed my eyes for the ride home.

The next morning, I woke and saw my foot. Clearly I needed to call my doctor. My foot was double its normal size and black and blue (more black than anything) on the left and top. Xrays showed no break but I have had my movements restricted with orders to elevate and ice my foot as much as possible. I go back to work this morning so that will be interesting.

It's been so warm here in Central Illinois and our little part of the state just can't seem to get any rain. It's like we have a bubble over us. The corn is ready to be harvested already and the farmers were out all weekend getting their combines ready to go. Across the road from us, a few rows of corn have already been harvested. What I think I like most about living around here is the ever changing landscape. As the crops grow the view changes, and then again as things get harvested they change again.

Don't forget to go over to "His Little Mrs" and get in your entries for her Women's Week Giveaways. There are a lot of great products available to review and/or win.

A week of Giveaways

2010-08-22T14:31:00.000-05:00

My friend Tiffany over at "His Little Mrs" is holding a week of Give-a-ways starting September 4th. If you want to know more about the contest and how to get some early entries before it starts, go check out this post on her blog.

I'm one of the sponsors of the contest and am very excited about the opportunity to participate in it.

Make sure to let her know I sent you!

Books, books and more books....

2010-08-05T10:59:00.000-05:00

My Mt. TBR (To be read) is growing again, but I have to say I have 3 books going in the mail this afternoon thanks to paperbackswap and I hope the reader enjoys them!

CURRENTLY READING:

Certain Girls by Jennifer Weiner

WAITING TO READ:

One Night by Debbie Macomber
Son of a Witch by Gregory Maguire
Military Daddy by Patricia Davids
A Mother's Story by Betty "McMom" Trimble

This is probably not real huge by the standards of others, but for me it is a lot. I log my books at Goodreads, Shelfari and 43things where I am on a goal of reading 50 books this year.

I welcome book suggestions. I LOVE to read and really don't have any set genre that I stick with. If it catches my interest, I will read it. I also love swapping books with others. It keeps my husband happy because I am not buying new books (well, okay, I do sometimes LOL) but I also try to not request too many new books until I have swapped out some of the ones I have, so my bookshelves don't get overflowing like they did a few years ago. Granted, there are some books I will never swap, sell or anything, but it's not really a large number of them.

What's for dinner?

2010-08-05T10:07:00.001-05:00

One of the things I have the HARDEST time with is making up a meal plan for the week and sticking to it. I swear we are in a rut when it comes to meals. 25 years of the same things and I for one am tired of it. I don't plan well enough and on my days off I sit here looking for something to fix for dinner..something delicious and new to try. If I am this tired of it, I can only wonder how my family feels. They don't complain about it, but I am sure they would like something new every once in a while.

I've been working so many hours lately that really, a meal plan/menu would be the best thing for me, but I just can't seem to stick to it.

So I will be reading blogs every chance I get; going through my cookbooks and trying to find something new..trying to get more organized.

One of my favorite websites...

2010-06-30T14:09:00.000-05:00

I haven't done much Bookcrossing since we moved to Illinois as there doesn't seem to be a whole lot of other people doing it, so I got a bit discouraged. If you, my reader, is a member, please feel free to check out my bookshelf or add me as a friend. Perhaps I have something you are interested in.

Your pile of paperbacks is taking over your living area and it's time to clean house. What to do?

1. Go to BookCrossing.com, open an account and register your surplus titles.
2. As you get a registration number for each book, type in where you plan to "release it." You can "release it into the wild," which means leave it so a stranger can find it or you can do a "controlled release," which means hand it to someone you know.
3. Paste a BookCrossing label and the registration number onto the book you are about to release. If you don't want to spend money, and buy labels, the site can show you how to mark a book. It's all very simple.
4. Release the book.

Since your book has a registration number, the person who finds it (receives it) can look it up on BookCrossing and see where it's been. When the new reader is ready to release the book again, they can go to BookCrossing and type in the new release location. You'll be able to follow your book as it travels the world with assorted readers. According to BookCrossing's homepage, they currently have 724,017 registered humans and 5,215,158 registered books all around the planet.

I am a sap...I admit it.

2010-06-30T08:33:00.001-05:00

My daughter and I recently went to see Toy Story 3 in 3D. I cried.

I watched Deadliest Catch last night, knowing darn well that Captain Phil had died in February, and that the next few episodes would take us, the fans, through his journey, and I cried. Even after knowing it would be sad.

Extreme Home Makeover has me crying during the opening video where you meet the family.

The National Anthem makes me cry.

Pretty much everything...

So what makes you cry???

I wish I was better at this whole blogging thing.....

2010-06-18T22:43:00.000-05:00

It's been 8 weeks since our lives changed forever. Sometimes I wake up and think it's all a dream. But it's not. I see the proof everywhere, but most especially in my sister-in-law's grief. I feel so helpless, and on the good days, I feel guilty. There is a heaviness in my heart that won't go away but I know that even when I am smiling, or doing something that distracts me, that she is always with us. Always in our hearts and minds. I am so very grateful to have had her in my life these past 8 years. She taught me so much. About strength, and hope and life. She will be missed forever.

On another note....

Summer is upon us and it is hot and wet here in Illinois. The corn field across from our house is already hip high, so we are hoping that it's a good harvest this year for all the farmers. I still have not gotten used to the humidity and I wonder if I ever will. I know the extra weight I carry on me, doesn't help either.

So I've come to the conclusion that I am peri-menopausal. I am hot all the time. No one else in the house is hot, just me. I want a fan blowing on me all the time, and no one else does, in fact they all want them turned off . My face feels flushed. I can't get comfortable. Sometimes it is an all day feeling and sometimes just random times of the day. At work I have a fan blowing on me, just a little table top one, you know, but it sure helps. My family doesn't understand and from what I was reading, this could go on for years! Oh my gosh...I might as well just move out now. LOL

I have an appointment with my doctor next Friday, so of course this is just one of the many things I need to bring up to him. Today was the annual mammogram and labwork for my upcoming visit and refills on my thyroid medication. Some days the joints in my fingers and knees are stiff and achy. Some days I wake up and feel about 90 years old.

Well there is some nasty weather upon us...more rain...just what we need. LOL

2010-05-07T15:09:00.001-05:00

more free stuff on Listia

Life...broken hearts and the healing sounds of music....

2010-05-01T19:09:00.000-05:00

I have so much on my mind and I am not even sure I can get the words out. It's been a deeply emotional week for our family.

Last Thursday (4/23/2010) my husband drove home to Michigan to pick up some furniture his parents were giving us. (2 recliners a couch and a loveseat). He was due to come home on Sunday afternoon. Life threw us a curveball on Friday morning when our 8 year old niece died suddenly. She was a special girl..our little miracle. She had heart surgery as an infant (and was given a 10% chance of surviving); she had Down's Syndrome, and then, leukemia, which she survived. Her death was sudden and unexpected and our hearts are broken. Her mom (my sister in law) has been blogging for the past few months about her life, and especially life with Carly, and you can read her story here if you have the time to read back some. The kids and I left Sunday morning to head to be with the family. Public visitation was on Tuesday and there were SO MANY people that passed through the doors of that funeral home. Our little angel was loved by so many people. On the way back to the house Tuesday night a deer appeared suddenly in front of our car and we hit it. My car, is still in Michigan for repairs, while I am back in Illinois. Wednesday was the funeral. The funeral home was packed. People everywhere...even outside. What a beautiful service. So many tears, but so much love everywhere. After the service we drove to the cemetary and we all let go of some balloons. There was a good breeze but the balloons all stayed together! It was so weird...then as they passed through the first cloud, it dissipated and the balloons kept climbing higher and higher..and, even in the wind, they stayed together. Never seen anything quite like it.

We came home on Thursday...heavy hearted. Such a long drive home. We were emotionally drained. As bad as I felt, I knew Carly's mom, dad, and brother and sister felt even worse.

Thursday night, my daughter and I headed to Champaign for a concert. She had already bought the tickets weeks prior, and was unable to sell them. Not wanting to throw away $170 (these were great floor seats) we decided to go. The concert was Chris Young; Josh Turner and Alan Jackson. Little Carly loved to sing and dance (but she hated slow songs) so we sang as loud as we could and danced in our seats. A few songs really got to us and had us in tears, but it was a 'nice' little diversion. We got home after midnight and went straight to bed. Too exhausted to even undress, although we did.

Some may say it was morbid to go to the concert or insensitive. With the financial restrictions we have had to impose this year due to car repairs; septic problems and paying Uncle Sam, we really hated to not go after paying for the tickets. Yes...it was a bit of normalcy, which her parents will not have for a very long time, but we carried Carly with us to the show and we felt her presence in our hearts.

My daughter ran a 5K for the Illinois Marathon today. Just her 2nd 5k race. She ran in honor of Carly. She was quite proud of her 30 minute time (not bad for a new runner) and is eager to find another race to run in. Brittany finished 134 out of 2700. Just as she was coming near the finish line "The Climb" by Miley Cyrus came on her Ipod which was the last song at Carly's funeral and one of Carly's favorite.

Speaking of races, thank you all who participated in my Avon fundraiser to benefit "Relay for Life of Ford County". I will be sending a check for $90.00 to RFL. I will be doing more fundraisers down the road. And remember, I can host an online fundraiser or even an eparty with me here in Illinois and you, wherever you live. Just let me know how I can help, and I will get it all set up for you.

Now, it's cheesy Sci-Fi night, and I am going to settle in with some movies on the SyFy channel. It's become a tradition for my husband and I and let me say, some of these movies are REALLY bad. Oh...and they are torturing me with a commercial for Hershey's chocolate and s'mores. I may be raiding the cupboards before too long.

I got this really great cookbook in the mail the other day from Allrecipes.com for being a supporting member. It's filled with thousands of recipes, so hopefully I can find some great things to incorporate into our weekly meals since things are starting to get a bit boring in that department.

In honor/memory of my niece

2010-04-24T17:24:00.000-05:00

Carly Elizabeth George

January 2, 2002 - April 23, 2010

My face may be different
But my feelings the same
I laugh and I cry
And I take pride in my gains
I was sent here among you
To teach you to love
As God in heaven
Looks down from above
To him I'm no different
His love knows no bounds
Its those here among you
In cities and towns
That judge me by standards
That man has imparted
But this family I've chosen
Will help me get started
For I'm one of the Children
So special and few
That came here to learn
The same lessons as you
That Love is Acceptance
It must come from the heart
We all have the same purpose
Though not the same start
The Lord gave me Life
To live and embrace
And I'll do as you do
But at my own pace

New Auction Site I am trying out

2010-04-18T14:02:00.000-05:00

It's called Listia and you bid on auctions with the credits you earn. Everything is free (sometimes you might have to pay shipping and handling).

I hope to have something listed on there this week if I get the chance!

Charity begins at Home

2010-03-25T16:13:00.000-05:00

I've been supporting numerous charities and foundations over the years. When I was still active duty, I contributed via payroll deduction and the Combined Federal Campaign. As an adult, my charities of choice have been cancer related; diabetes related and military/veterans related.

One of my earliest memories was my mom letting my sister and I call in our pledge for the Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon every year. Oh how much pride we had making that little $5 donation. Years letter I still get that pride. My children used to participate in all the St Jude Children's Hospital Math-a-Thon's that the schools held. They really enjoyed doing that and today, St Jude's is one of the charities we hold dear to our heart

I've been fortunate to have been blessed to know many people who have needed the support of these organizations. And, as an Avon rep, I enjoy holding online fundraisers throughout the year to benefit the organization of choice. I either hold it myself, or one of my customers will ask to hold one, and I will set everything up for them. One of the nice things with the online fund raising is, the event does not need to be held for a major charity. We can set one up for the family in your town that lost everything to a fire; or the local food bank...the possibilities are endless.

Through the end of April my fundraiser on my website is Relay for Life. 20% of all my sales will go to the cause.

But, as I have done in years past, I am also supporting Relay for Life via the American Cancer Society. It's a great cause.

Why I participate
I participate for the following reasons:
My niece Carly George (8) who is a cancer survivor.
My husband's grandmother Daisy Butler who was a cancer survivor.
My husband's cousin Daisie who is a cancer survivor.
My aunts: Carole Hamideh and Pat O'Conner who are breast cancer survivors.
In memory of: Matthew Armijo who lost his life to double lung cancer in June 2009 at the age of 23.
In honor of: Josette Armijo (Matthew's Mother) who was recently diagnosed with Breast Cancer.
In honor of an unnamed friend who is on her 3rd year battling a rare pancreatic cancer and was not expected to live 6 months after diagnosis.
And in support/memory of countless and nameless others.

Good food.....

2010-03-10T17:50:00.000-06:00

Today, my daughter and I and her best friend went on a drive to Arthur, IL which is "The Heart of the Illinois Amish Country". We stopped for a bite to eat at Yoder's Kitchen. They have a lunch buffet as well as regular menu items. We each chose to order from the menu. I ordered the Noodles (Chicken and noodles over mashed potatoes)

This was delicious! And the brought us some slices of homemade bread to eat while we waited. With the bread they brought us apple butter and their homemade peanut butter. I do not like peanut butter but had a bit of that on the warm fresh bread and thought it tasted quite well.

My daughter ate what they called the "Horseshoe Platter". It was two slices of toast topped with french fries, cheddar cheese, and your choice of bacon, ham, ground beef or chicken strips. (Picture forthcoming). The cheese was...wow. I've never had melted cheddar cheese quite like this. My daughter said it was "A heartattack on a plate". It was very good though.   She had hers with the chicken strips. I cannot imagine this with the bacon...it really was too much cheese.

They had a nice little giftshop area where you could purchase their homemade goodies, so we bought some apple butter and peanut butter (which I have since found out is actually a marshmallow spread with peanut butter in it, which explains why I liked it so much)! All the goodies can be ordered online from their shop.

The weather today reached 69 degrees which was great after all the snow and rain and really cold temperatures we have been having. The sun was shining great and it really made us feel great to be out and about.     We took a drive around the village, and there were some Amish families out and about in their buggies. There will be a craft fair there the next 3 days but I am working so we went today when the town was less busy. I did see some lovely quilts hanging in the restaurant and quite a few furniture and quilt stores that I would like to check out sometime. For a small village, they had a lot going for them.   A highly recommended diversion if you are in the area. Only about 45 minutes from my house.

The above is my daughter in front of an Amish buggy. She is carrying our goodies from the store!

A great giveaway of Breast Cancer Awareness Products

2010-03-04T14:18:00.001-06:00

I have a contest going on at my other blog. I am giving away some Breast Cancer Awareness Goodies. Please check it out and pass it on, if you wouldn't mind! Thank you!

Big Blueberry Eyes: Spread The Word To End The Word

2010-02-11T08:32:00.000-06:00

Big Blueberry Eyes: Spread The Word To End The Word

This is a "must-read" post. The "R" word really must be eliminated from our vocabulary.

Contest (with purchase) and help support some great organizations

2010-02-03T12:11:00.000-06:00

Check this post out to find out how you can support the Avon Breast Cancer Crusade AND Relay for Life plus get your name into a drawing to win a prize!!

Life and all of it's up and down's.

2010-01-24T14:12:00.000-06:00

Wow..it's been crazy around here. I've wanted to blog but haven't taken the time to sit down long enough to do it. Right now I "SHOULD" be stamping Avon books and getting them ready to get out to my customers this week, but instead I am browsing blogs and playing games on facebook. And avoiding laundry. Yeah..that one will get me fussed at later today. I will do it, I promise, I promise!

It's going to be a very hectic week this week at our house. We are a three car family, with 4 drivers. Depending on our eldest's work schedule, our youngest can usually take the car to school and home before the eldest needs to go to work. Well, she has been working lunch shift for the past two weeks, so that hasn't been working, but he gets to school usually by me, and someone gets him after school. Now, it's going to be even more hectic. Because Friday night, our son had a car accident. Everyone is fine. The car doesn't look too too bad (fixable), but until the appraiser looks at it and it gets fixed its not to be driven. The steering is doing something funky. Plus, the hubby is going out of town Tue-Thurs. So that leaves one car...three schedules. I have to get to work by 745. The son to school by 8 and the daughter to work by 1030. Then School is out at 315. Son has Physical Therapy at 345 and I get off work at 4. YIKES. Our daughter will be home in time to pick everyone up but it's going to be crazy. I will be brown bagging it to work for awhile as there are very few places to eat in this little town for lunch that are close to my work, and the two there are only take checks or cash. I never have cash. And I always leave my checkbook at home. Luckily there are usually plenty of leftovers for me to take to work.

No one was hurt and thats the best part of it. Sure, we will be inconvenienced for a few weeks, but you know, if life didn't have it's little inconveniences, it would not be interesting, and who really wants a boring life? God gives us as much as we can handle, and I have to say he's handed me a lot lately, much of which I have not addressed on a public post.

I took some pictures at work the other day. Just some random shots of the housewares/gifts department. Our staff there does an AMAZING job with the displays and decorating. I work at the local ACE Hardware and it always amazes me the things we carry in that department. The joys of a small town I suppose.

On the AVON front. I am trying to get some online fundraisers and eparties set up, so if you are interested in raising funds for a cause that is near and dear to your heart, visit my page and hit the contact me button. I would love to do this for you.

Our snow is gone. Not because it melted, but because it rained, no, poured, all night last night. There was even rolling thunder at one point. Made me do a double take. It's been days since we have seen the sun. I miss it. And as I wrote that, I song popped into my head, one my daughter sang when she was little. I think it went something like this....

Oh mister sun, sun, mister golden sun

Please shine down on me

Oh mister sun, sun, mister golden sun

Hiding behind a tree

These little children are asking you

To please come out

so we can play with you

Oh mister sun, sun mister golden sun

Please shine down on me!

There is more to it, but I think you get the drift. Come on mister sun, its not just the kids that want to see you. So do I. I can tolerate the cold more when you are shining your light down on everything.

Okay, so I think I avoided my chores long enough. Time to get some laundry folded. Dinner is thawing. Have some delish looking steaks to make. The kids are "bonding" at a WWE Event in Champaign this afternoon. They just texted me a picture of where they are sitting. 2nd row. They are going to have so much fun. You know...seeing my kids, at 21 and 17, actually enjoying each other's company, may just be the "sunshine" I was looking for!

This is so cool!

2010-01-24T13:35:00.001-06:00

Jen at 11th Heaven's Homemaking Haven, 365 Days of TV-Free Toddler Time, and Mega-Family Blogs is giving away a flippin' waffle maker...

To enter, go HERE!!

NuWave Infrared Oven

2009-12-27T19:05:00.000-06:00

For Christmas my in-laws gave me a "NuWave Infrared Oven" which you may or may not seen via infomercial on TV. I had done some research as my mother-in-law wanted one for Christmas (which all her kids and spouses went in on to buy her). So can you imagine my surprise, as I sat next to her on Christmas and unwrapped the very same thing she had unwrapped.

This product advertises you can cook, base, broil..basically do anything....even with FROZEN food in less the time and without getting your kitchen hot.

So tonight, I put it to a test. I got out 4 steaks I had gotten the day before at the grocery store. Tossed a little seasoning on them and put them in the oven. Per the directions, based on the size of the steaks, they would cook 5 minutes per side. So I set the timer for 5 minutes and the temperature knob on the highest setting and I watched.

I could only get two to fit at a time, so while these cooked, I started on the noodles and vegetables I was also serving. A few minutes later, the steaks were looking and smelling delicious.

After the first five minutes, the timer went off and I flipped them over and set the timer for the remaining five minutes and these yummy steaks are the final result.

I can't wait to try some other recipes with this handy gadget. My mother-in-law wanted it after a friend of hers (fulltime RVers) cooked them a meal in one, and I was looking at the recipe book (and some online recipes) and seeing just what all I could do with this. I can even bake cookies in this. And, best of all, cleanup is a cinch!

My Holiday Baking list

2009-12-19T15:32:00.000-06:00

This year I am going to make an attempt at something other than Chocolate Chip Cookies; Sugar Cookies and Rice Krispie Treats.

So I sat down this morning with my "Taste of Home Best Loved Cookies & Bars" cookbook; as well as allrecipes.com and my printer to make my selections before going to the grocery store.

What made the list:

Chocolate Chip Meringue Kisses
Peanut Butter Blossoms
Chocolate Pretzel Rings
Fudge
Microwave Peanut Brittle
Oatmeal Cookies
Chocolate Chip Cookies
Peanut Butter Cookies
Sugar Cookies

I'm running out of days to get these done, and admittedly, I am not THE most patient person in the world, but I want to send cookie's to my husband's office so I need to get moving.

The holidays wouldn't be the holidays without Chocolate Chip Cookies and Rice Krispie Treats. I'd love to collect more recipes for cookies and other sweet treats from everyone out there, so if you have something you think I might like, let me know.

Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe

2009-12-10T16:43:00.001-06:00

Pumpkin Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting Recipe

Posted using ShareThis

Awesome Contest

2009-12-10T16:20:00.001-06:00

Check out Kelly's page to find out how to enter and win a computer!

They grow up too fast...

2009-12-02T06:41:00.001-06:00

On November 20th, our eldest turned 21. Seems like just yesterday she was playing with her dolls and playing dress up and now she's a grown woman who is smart and beautiful and patriotic, choosing to follow in our footsteps with a career in the military and pursuing a medical career of some sort.

On December 6th, our "baby" will be 17. Our almost 10 pound little man is now 6'5 and towers over me. I don't believe he has yet chosen a career path (or if he has, he hasn't said anything) but he's got a lot of determination and is very strong willed.

I wish I had more pictures from the past year of them, but here are a few.

Easter in New Mexico

Disney, February 2007

2009

I'm very proud of them both. Being military "brats" is not easy, and they have handled it well, and proudly!

Fundraiser in memory of Noah

2009-11-26T12:36:00.001-06:00

Please check out my other blog and get the details on a fundraiser for the Children's Oncology Department of University of Michigan in remembrance of Noah.

Thank you.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Images of the Season

2009-11-11T17:32:00.000-06:00

Recently I took some photos of the fall colors around my home.

I wish I had gotten out and taken more, but now all the leaves are pretty much on the ground and things aren't as pretty. The crops are all coming in too so where there was soybeans and corn are now just barren fields.

The following pictures are from my job. I work at the local Ace Hardware, and my boss does a terrific job getting things in for our Home Decor department. I wish I had all the money in the world because I would love to have this tree and all the decorations. I think the black and white looks stunning.

I will have to see what catches my eye next time. I apologize for the blurry pictures. Maybe I will get them redone on Friday when I go to work again.

I've been TAGGED

2009-10-21T08:41:00.000-05:00

I've been tagged by Joany to play along in the name game.

I don't have alot of people on here to tag, so instead, I will leave it up to all who do read this, to take this challenge themselves.

Brittany - our eldest. We had no idea if she was going to be a girl or a boy. I told my husband once in the short time we dated that I always wanted to name a girl "Brittany Rochelle". Once we married and got pregnant, we tossed that idea out as well as a few others, that I can't remember anymore, but the one that stands out was Kirsten Elayne, which my husband picked out. We eventually agreed with Brittany Rochelle and I said he could name the next one. She was, ironically, born in England almost 21 years ago, and that's what her name means. What's funny is I picked the name out at least 6 years prior. When she was born, we didn't know anyone else with a "Brittany" so we didn't think there would be a lot of them when she got to school. We were very wrong and she always had at least one other Brittany (In some variation of spelling) in her class and her last two years of high school in South Carolina, her two best friends were Brittany's. They called each other "the triplets" and the three are still very close.

Travis our youngest child will be 17 in December. When we found out we were pregnant with him, we wanted to know if he was a girl or a boy because we had soooo many girls things in the house and I wanted to know if I needed to buy anything. Another girl would mean I wouldn't need much at all. My doctor didn't originally plan to do any ultrasound because there was no medical reason for one. We tossed around different ideas for girls and boys. The name Bradley came up as that was the name of my husband's brother who died at a very young age. But, Joany's son was Bradley and we thought that one Bradley was enough. At the time there were just the 4 grandkids (2 girls and one boy and with our Travis on the way, the possibility of both grandsons having the same first name).
Then I believe we came up with the name Michael Bernard Irvin Risner naming the baby after bother grandfathers. Well, my father-in-law wasn't too keen on naming the baby Bernard after him, and then my husband wasn't too sure about giving the baby 2 middle names. So we debated and tossed around more names. Nothing seemed to suit us. At some point I did get an ultrasound done to check for twins as I was carrying very large. Only one baby, and he cooperated, his legs wide open for all to see the goods. So we sat back down and worked on names some more. We eventually settled on the name Travis Jeffrey. My husband's middle name is Jeffrey. But, because I have seen ultrasounds be wrong before, we called him TJ and decided that we would use those initials for a girl if it turned out that way. I think we agreed to use Tiffany Janelle for a girls name. I developed kidney stones in my 7th month of pregnancy and an ultrasound confirmed that TJ was going to be a big baby. The kidney stones caused me a lot of discomfort and a few trips to the hospital. He did however arrive one day early and was 9lbs 10oz and definitely a boy.

Welcome to October

2009-10-04T14:09:00.000-05:00

Yesterday was cold. And damp. And cold. Did I mention that it was cold? I needed a sweater and a jacket to go grocery shopping. It's too early. I don't like it. *stomps feet* Go away cold.

The one think I like the most about being back in the midwest is the colors. In New Mexico and Arizona, the leaves didn't change color. We had none of the vibrant colors that I associate with the falls of my childhood. Okay, so bagging leaves, I don't enjoy at all. And I'm not fond of the snow. But the colors, yes!

When we moved to Texas in 1982, my parents drove us to the Hill Country so we could see the colors. After high school I went into the military and to Arizona. The 5 years in England...well, I honestly can't remember, but I "think" the leaves changed color, but I don't remember. 15 years in New Mexico...well, you don't really have a fall in the southern part of the state. You live in a desert. Snow is a rarity, unless its in the mountains. Now, South Carolina we had the colors and the leaves but we were busy and couldn't enjoy them and I guess I never really took the time to pay them much attention.

But when we moved here last October 1st, it's the colors I remember. Seeing the yellow leaves on the soybeans and the corn starting to turn brown. The red and orange leaves on the trees in our backyard. The whole move from South Carolina was a smorgasbord of imagery. Driving through North Carolina and Tennessee..the colors just were stunning.

I will have to be sure to get some pictures taken. I always carry a camera in my purse. I will be sure to post them when I do.

Until next time!

Enjoy Life!
Michele

A contest

2009-09-30T09:25:00.000-05:00

Just wanted to let you all know about a contest I am running on my other blog. Check it out, pass the link on to a friend. I love my bracelet and wear it all the time, and the soap smells yummy.

Also, since we do eParties and Online Events now, I am looking to host some events. I would love to help a fellow blogger in need with an online fundraising event. Contact me via my Avon website for more information.

Thursday Thoughts

2009-09-24T19:22:00.000-05:00

I got my work schedule for the next two weeks and it has balanced out to be more part time and it looks like I will work every other Saturday. Works just fine for me. Homecoming Saturday my boss only scheduled me until 3pm in case I need to do some running around for last minute things for the dance. Yes, my little boy is going to the homecoming dance. He says she is just a friend, but that matters not to mama. Only thing mama cares about is that she's nice and good to him and of course, mama is not real thrilled that her baby is growing up.

Football season is going fairly well. Travis was supposed to start last week but was academically ineligible to play. He's fine to play this week (tomorrow) so hopefully they will let him start as well. We're real excited. Small town football is great fun. Every game is so exciting.

Brittany heads back to the MEPS in Chicago on Sunday to go over job choices so hopefully she will be getting a basic training date real soon. We are so excited for her and proud of her for making such a big decision in her life and for following in our footsteps.

My Avon business is picking up and I am very excited about our new feature which is Online Events. Essentially an online fundraiser for any cause, big or small. We set up the goal, time frame to run it in and I set it up on my website. I've already been in contact with a local woman who has a young daughter with ALS. We walked through the process today and she will be getting back to me about setting up a fundraiser. The joy of this is, the fundraiser can go global! I can also do eparties, so I am looking forward to getting some interest in that as well.

Today was my day off. My feet are killing me every day after being on them all day long, but I still had errands to do, so Brittany and I got out and about in the rain and did all of our errands. Had a little lunch at the local DQ. She may not see it like I do, but I see every opportunity to spend with her, as possibly the last one I have before Basic Training, and I am grateful that she wants to spend the time with me.

Dinner tonight for the husband and I was surprisingly good, and unplanned. My daughter and I ran into the local grocery store to pick up some things that couldn't wait until my major trip on Saturday. Saw a special on stuffed chicken breasts. So I picked up a package of 2, cooked some butter noodles and peas. YUMMY. These were HUGE pieces of chicken too. And just under $4.00 for the package. Our store has great specials, so I sometimes alter my meal plans for the week depending on what is on sale.

I have no idea what I want to write in this blog but I will keep coming up with things to put in here.

I'm working again!

2009-09-16T14:11:00.000-05:00

I just started working on Monday at the local Ace Hardware/Radio Shack store. It's part time, and so far, I like it.

I'm a cashier plus I run the photo machine. Let me tell you, that machine is intimidating. Knowing that one tiny mistake (letting light into the room when you change paper; not opening film canisters right) can ruin someone's day (and their pictures) is a little scare. My new boss assures me that I will get it and that the trick is not to rush no matter how many there are to do. Not everyone who drops their film off wants it back that day.

My hours this week were:

Monday 8:30 - 4
Tuesday 7:45 - 4
Thursday 7:45 - 4
Friday 7:45 - 4
Saturday 9-5

And yes, that is more enough hours to be full time, but we can use the money, so I will take all the hours they give me. I do enjoy the job. I've never done retail before in my life so it's a new experience. My feet are killing me at the end of the day from all the standing, but I know it will get better in time.

Neglectful

2009-08-20T16:32:00.000-05:00

Wow, I have really neglected this blog. I am not even sure what to put in it. I just know I need to use it more than I do. I have all this...stuff..in my head and I need to put it someplace.

Honestly, haven't updated my Avon blog either. But I will try to do that one tomorrow. I need to work on a product review. I do also need to get some readers to this blog. Maybe knowing someone reads this will give me some incentive to update it more than I do.

School is back in session as of Tuesday. My son is now a Junior in high school. He's been busy getting ready for football season, not getting home most nights until after 6:30 pm. He struggled with school last year, so we are trying to keep him on task without riding him too hard. His coach will help quite a bit as each missing assignment means running 2 miles. Yikes. Travis does have study hour last hour of the day which should help him get much of his homework done. He really needs to learn some organization skills and we are working with him on using his planner and managing his time better.

Our daughter has not signed up for any classes this term yet. She is planning a trip to Alabama the first week of September to visit her best friend and also waiting for her Air Force basic training date but she is hoping when she gets back from her little vacation that she can slip a class or two in. The problem is, that with no classes this semester she has no health insurance. Luckily she is healthy and we wil just have to suck it up when it comes to renewing her prescriptions or hope she leaves for Basic sooner rather than later.

I'm still busy applying for jobs and crossing my fingers for an interview. Money is really tight and it stresses me out a bit, but I try not to let it. My weight is another concern. Working out is hard because of the pain in my feet and the fact I tire so easily, and not working, I really can't use the "I have no time" excuse. So I really need to document a starting weight and get my rear in gear and work on getting myself a bit healthier. I will be 44 in November and would like to be in better shape by the time I hit 45. Any tips would be greatly appreciated.

It's so hard to say goodbye....

2009-06-19T11:28:00.000-05:00

At 9:00 we said goodbye to Cinder. It was the hardest decision I have ever had to make in my life but I knew in my heart it was the right decision for her.

She turned 15 on 6/15/2009. We had adopted her when she was a puppy. There was a lady in Alamogordo, NM (where we were living at the time) who rescued animals and then put them up for adoption. I don't remember the details of why she was rescued, but that she and her siblings had been abandoned. She was the runt. Her daddy was a Weimaraner and her momma was a German Shepherd/Black Lab mix. I remember my husband bringing her home, pretty much surprised us with her. My daughter was 6 and my son was 1 1/2 at the time. We named her Cinder because her fur was this beautiful bluish/black shade that reminded us of ashes.

She was skittish; and quite the worrier. She hated when we left her and she hated being touched on the feet, but other than that, she put up with just about anything. She would let Brittany lay on her and never minded.

Last week, we noticed she wasn't eating and was having a hard time getting up and down the stairs. We took her to the vets for her shots and an exam and the vet told us her lymph nodes were enlarged as well as her spleen and she was pale. The xray machine was broken so she could check but said she had more than likely developed tumors. The plan was to get her to eat and build up her strength. Cinder had other ideas. We tried all the recommended dietary changes, but she just turned her head.

Last night she didn't want to go out before bed, but when she finally did had to be carried in the house. It was like carrying a limp rag doll. I knew. My son knew. This morning I called the vet to let her know Cinder had deteriorated. She gave me the options..send her to Oncology at the University of Illinois to be treated for the tumor/s was one of them. I spoke to my kids and cuddled with Cinder and we knew...we knew what we had to do.

This morning my daughter and I took her to the vets. We didn't need a leash as she wouldn't walk. Brittany carried her in and they took us to a room. Cinder laid on the table with me at her head and Brittany holding her and cuddling her as always. We had a good 10 minutes with her as we talked to her and told her how much we loved her and were greatful to have her in our lives. Once the doctor came in we held her and she never fought us. Never uttered a sound or flinched. I felt her breath on my hand until it was no more. After the vet left, we stayed with her a few more minutes as we said our final goodbyes.

She lived a great life...was a great friend and companion to us all. She moved with us from New Mexico in 2005 to South Carolina, and then here to Illinois in 2008.

She will be missed.

RIP Cinder. 6/15/1994 - 6/19/2009.

Today Ginger (our other dog) is 6.

2009-06-08T18:38:00.000-05:00

I love surprises in my garden! We just recently moved in, and the yard was very well landscaped. Well, we have no idea what is growing so I take alot of pictures as things grow to make somewhat of a scrapbook for documentation purposes and as I identify things I will write them down so I know what is what.

After being gone a few days, I went to check on my back garden this evening and found these beautiful lilies growing in what we "think" is a bed of ground cover.

I wanted to reach down and cut them out and bring them inside to enjoy them, but at the same time, I want to just leave them there as they look so stunning as is. I have posted the photos on facebook and already am getting compliments on the way my pictures turned out. My kids laugh at me because I tend to take a lot of pictures, and its just a small digital camera that I use, but I enjoy doing it, and love it even more when a picture comes out great!

It's D-Day

2009-06-06T05:58:00.000-05:00

Well, it's the 65th Anniversary of D-Day and also my husband's 50th birthday. It is also the anniversary of my grandfather's death which was not long after my mom, his daughter, graduated from high school. My grandmother (his wife) passed on Jan 31, 2009 after a long battle with Alzheimer's and we are heading to Ohio today for delayed grave-side services/memorial service. We wanted to wait until it was warmer. Then it hit me last night that my grandfather died today (1962) so it seems a little...weird I guess.

Everything is in bloom and beautiful. The farmer's have gotten their crops in after a bit of a delay thanks to a lot of rain. Soon I will be able to look out my front window and see the corn growing instead of the empty field I have been watching all winter long.

I will have to post some pictures posted soon of my garden.

End of May already?

2009-05-31T16:45:00.000-05:00

Well my youngest has his driver's license now. I took him after school on Friday to take the road test again. Figured 3rd times the charm, and it was. So he does have his license although I have to take him back because they have his DOB as 12/10/92 and not 12/6/92.

Beautiful weather here today. Hubby celebrates his 50th birthday on Saturday, but we'll be in Toledo and not home. My grandmother's memorial service is on Sunday afternoon. She passed away on Jan 31st after a very lengthy battle with Alzheimer's. At her wishes, she was cremated and buried with my grandfather and we chose to wait until warmer weather to have her memorial so no one had to stand graveside in the cold.

Moved the bedroom furniture around yesterday. Looks like we have more room now. I like the way it looks, but I still have a lot to put away. Maybe I will take a picture tomorrow.

First Post

2009-05-27T17:12:00.000-05:00

I already have a blog for my Avon business but I thought I would try another one for randomness, pictures and whatever. I "hope" I can keep up with it, but I won't promise anything at this point. LOL

I took this picture in South Carolina. I had these two flowers pop up by my front porch. Nothing else is growing there, and I have no idea what they are. Anyone got a clue?