Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Emulation At Its Finest
In the spirit of plagiarism, emulation, aping, copycatting, etc, etc, etc...I have decided to give my friend, Danielle, a hard time! Note to self......this is only because I know she can take it, not be offended, give some 'hard time' back to me, and find the most minuscule things to laugh and/or make fun of at her discretion. God love ya!! Mean it.
So, in the spirit of making other people's things ones own....I have decided to copy things she does at my discretion. This particular post (her last one) was an homage to her favorite commercial. Funny as it may be....my favorite commercial has a different flare. Some may even say derogatory to women...to that I say....sometimes the truth hurts and it is what it is. Women talk more than men..PERIOD! We truly are from different planets and I attest to that more with every day that passes. With that said.....this is my favorite, most meaningful, real life, my god I have asked Mike this a thousand times when I feel he is being too quiet.......
http://link.brightcove.com/services/player/bcpid1315793544?bctid=1556072155
Please take a look, I think it will give you a good laugh......we have all been there!
Yes, I Am A Slacker
With that said, I am taking Danielle's advice about what my next entry can be. I got an award, look at me! She sent me a friend award. Unfortunately, I don't have a lot of people to send it to because I don't follow that many blogs. Without further adieu, here is the award, the paragraph that comes with it, and the ones I am nominating to send it to.
“These blogs are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in self-aggrandizement. Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated. Please give more attention to these writers. Deliver this award to eight bloggers who must choose eight more and include this cleverly-written text into the body of their award."
Danielle: http://donttouchthecactus.blogspot.com/
Mandi: missmoon@wordpress.com (I'll Take That Shantung Sofa Now!)
Crystal: http://butterfly80.blogspot.com/ (My So Called Life)
I know my list is quite small but I don't follow many of them simply because I don't take the time to do it. Thanks to everyone who finds the time to follow mine however mundane it can be sometimes.
Friday, April 24, 2009
Friday Fill Ins
2. I will enjoy every sunny day.
3. 2009 has been different, but tolerable so far.
4. The offer was made and that was it.
5. For too long I've been worrying about what other people think about me.
6. I am not obsessed with trying to look young; I am not!
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to a weenie roast at the cabin, tomorrow my plans include spending all day on the lake and Sunday, I want to spend all day on the lake!!
Thursday, April 23, 2009
I Love Impromptu Vacations
Let me give you some insight on our boating repertoire .....we built our house, literally from the ground up. The builder gave us a plan and we changed this, and this, and this......then asked.....how much will that cost??? These changes were separated into 'negotiables' and 'non-negotiables' and Mike and I had different lists. One of Mike's 'non-negotiables' was the garage....must be at least 24 feet deep to accommodate the boat... 1000 sq. ft garage later....yes, the boat fits. I guess my point is, water activities are important to us, seeing as we built our house around it.
The problem with Cookeville is..water is very hard to come by. You are looking at a 30 minute drive minimum to get to any body of water. (We are very spoiled, we came from Hendersonville)
To remedy this issue, we decided to rent a cabin for the weekend that is located on Dell Hollow Lake. Each cabin has its only private dock to use as we please. We are going to bring our 5 mile range walkie talkies to communicate back and forth depending on the kid's frame of mind and whether they are wanting to rest in the cabin or go out on the boat. The greatest thing is....we can keep the boat on the water all weekend and not have to trailer it every time we are taking a break!! For those of you who have no idea what a pain in the butt that is.....you will have no idea until you own one.
Hello.........................lakeside cabin with the family......private boat slip for the Ranger..satellite TV for mom!!!!......5 mile walkie talkies for duty relief.....LIFE IS GOOD!!!!
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
EARTH DAY, EARTH DAY, EARTH DAY
- I don't have an "eco-friendly" car but I do ride my bicycle to work during the warm seasons
- 90% of my lights are fluorescent
- I recycle absolutely everything that I have the capability of recycling
- Heat on 65 degrees in the winter and air on 75 in the summer
- Although I have a gas guzzler, I only have 17000 miles on my 2007 Tahoe
- I plant things like crazy....I have 6 trees on my agenda for the summer
- I want one of those ol' timey push lawn mower thingies that don't use any oil/gas but I cannot find a place to purchase one
- I don't run the water while I brush my teeth
- My showers are five minutes flat....why would you need more time? If you do, I encourage you to change your method and technique
- I even recycle my batteries (AA, AAA, C, D, 9V) Please don't throw these away.
I want everyone to understand something.....every county has to pay a certain amount per ton for every piece of trash placed in a landfill. It is a chain event....for every ton sent to the landfill, the county is charged more, and your taxes pay for it (or will be raised to cover it). We are not charged by the ton for recycled material. Out of the landfill equals money back in the pocket of the county which could thwart a future tax increase in the future for homeowners. Just some food for thought. HAPPY EARTH DAY!!!!
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
50 Random Q and A's About Me
50 Things You've Never Been Asked
1. What color is your toothbrush?
blue and white
2. Name one person who made you smile today:
My eldest child
3. What were you doing at 8 am this morning?
Starting my day with my first patient
4. What were you doing 45 minutes ago?
Having a glass of wine and catching up on some reading
5. What is your favorite candy bar?
TWIX.......bar none
6. Have you ever been to a strip club?
Yes, actually about 3 times. Don't ask!!
7. What is the last thing you said aloud?
"What are you guys doing?"
8. What is your favorite ice cream flavor?
Baskin-Robbins tie between Rocky Road and Mint Chocolate Chip
9. What was the last thing you had to drink?
A yummy glass of Cabernet Sauvignon
10, Do you like your wallet?
Up until recently......I have acquired a lot of change and it makes my wallet look fat for all the wrong reasons!
11, What was the last thing you ate?
A bowl of pinto beans with sour cream...yes...I have a strange palette
12, Have you bought any new clothing items this week?
No, but I have though of several things....does that count?
13, The last sporting event you watched?
Golf....the channel is on every morning in our house.
14, What is your favorite flavor of popcorn?
Movie Theater Butter
15, Who is the last person you sent a text message too?
My friend Cheryl
16, Ever go camping?
Yes, 18 years ago with my soon to be husband (at the time). Let's just say there was a concrete picnic table incident!
17. Do you take vitamins?
No, I feel I eat fairly healthy
18, Do you go to church every Sunday?
No, but I do think about it or feel guilty for not going and watch the occasional Joel Osteen on Sunday.
19, Do you have a tan?
I will tomorrow at 4:15 when I get my spray tan. LOOK OUT!!
20. Do you prefer Chinese food over pizza?
Yes, but my family hates Chinese so I am pretty much on my own.
21, Do you drink your soda with a straw?'
At a restaurant
22, What did your last text message say?
"We are doing great and the interview went well."
23, What are you doing tomorrow?
Work, one Home Health Patient, spray tan......in that order
25, Look to your left, what do you see?
My kitchen
26, What color is your watch?
It is called Gun Metal Black......I think that has something to do with Freud and my 'healthy' fascination with guns.
27, What do you think of when you hear Australia?
kangaroos and the infamous architecture of their opera house
29, Do you go in at a fast food place or just hit the drive thru?
depends on if the kids are with me and if there is a play gym thingie
30. What is your favorite number?
22
31, Who's the last person you talked to on the phone?
Elaine with one of the home health agencies I contract with
32, Any plans today?
NO, NO, and NO
33, How many states have you lived in?
1
34, Biggest annoyance right now?
Ignorant people who lie to manipulate other people
35, Last song listened to?
Something jazzy on the Watercolors station on XM
36. Can you say the alphabet backwards?
Very, Very, Very, Very slow.....does it count if I write if forward and read it backward?!?!
37, Do you have a maid service clean your house?
Yes, I would give plasma to keep her as a last resort if money was totally tight.
38, Favorite pair of shoes you wear all the time?
Wow that is a difficult choice...any of my ten thousand pairs of flip flops or my multiple pairs of Merrells.
39, Are you jealous of anyone?
Unfortunately, but I am working on it.
40, Is anyone jealous of you?
Who isn't!!!??? :)
41, Do you love anyone?
Many
42. Do any of your friends have children?
Most
43, What do you usually do during the day?
Help people become more independent so they can go home instead of a nursing home.
44, Do you hate anyone that you know right now?
I hate no one. Dislike strongly......yes! Hate.....NO!
45, Do you use the word 'hello' daily?
Usually 'Hey', 'Howdy', 'Hello', Good Morning', 'How would you rate your pain today', 'What are you looking at?'
46, What color is your car?
white
47, Do you like cats?
No, but I will dodge them if they run out into the road
48. Are you thinking about someone right now?
Not until you asked
49, Have you ever been to Six Flags?
No, but I have been to Disney and King's Island
50, How did you get your worst scar?
One on my knee that you can barely see. I tripped over a huge rock on the playground at Woodbine Christian Academy in second grade. I blame it on the stupid dresses we had to wear EVERY DAY!
Saturday, April 18, 2009
I Am NOT Scared
I began my digging extravaganza with the ten Coriopsis (would the plural of that be Coriopsi) I purchased last week. This is when the intimate love affair between myself and the post hole diggers started. It launched slowly, relaxed.....no pressure at all....but then.....the dam collapsed and all hell broke loose!!!! After 10 Coriopsis.......I planted 3 Azalea Encores, these babies are awesome. Unlike the usual Azaleas, they bloom throughout the spring , summer and fall.......SWEET!! This planting frenzy was further perpetuated by 4 bath pink dianthus, 1 AnnaBelle Hydrangea, 3 abelias, and two other perennials who will remain anonymous (Only because I cannot remember what they are!!!!). Mind you, this is only in the beds at the south side of the house. During my one-on-one time with the post hole diggers, Mike is spreading mulch in this...too big for your britches....flower bed. I must say, the work was equally divided and I had NO IDEA how much work was involved with the handling and manipulation of post hole diggers!! Twenty-three holes later....I got the hint!! As soon as everything blooms, I will include multiple pictures of all our hard work....I cannot wait for everyone to see.
Friday, April 17, 2009
Friday Fill Ins
1. Join me in a round of applause.
2. Put a little laughter in your day!
3. Happiness is found wherever you are truly looking.
4. Dazed and confused.
5. I'm waiting for my backyard to start blooming.
6. A good meal is hard to resist.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to sitting on the porch admiring all the hard work Mike and I did, tomorrow my plans include soccer/socializing/seeing my mother and Sunday, I want to not be spending time in my basement because of severe storms!
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Tax Day TEA Party
Notice the TEA in the blog title is all caps, implying it is an acronym. Well, it is!! It stands for Taxed Enough Already. At most of the town hall in the main cities of each county they are having this rally. I have pasted some info in case you may be too lazy or stressed for time to review it. Please consider attending and offering your support. I personally DO NOT want to become like the Scandinavian countries having the highest taxes and most generous welfare benefits in the civilized world. I was unable to find a specific percentage of taxes paid by those countries (Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Iceland, and Finland). I am all for free enterprise, capitalism and entrepreneurship. This is where are roots are.........OK, I am done. Read further for info...
On the day you pay your taxes, Wednesday, April 15, join others across the country and in your hometown who will be participating in TAX Day TEA party rallies in front of their city halls. The TAX Day TEA party rally will begin at 12 noon. See this video - the momentum is growing!
Are you fed up with a Congress and a president who:
- vote for a $500 billion tax bill without even reading it?
- are spending trillions of borrowed dollars, leaving a debt our great-grandchildren will be paying?
- consistently give special interest groups billions of dollars in earmarks to help get themselves re-elected?
- want to take your wealth and redistribute it to others?
- punish those who practice responsible financial behavior and reward those who do not?
- admit to using the financial hurt of millions as an opportunity to push their political agenda?
- run up trillions of dollars of debt and then sell that debt to countries such as China?
- want government controlled health care?
- want to take away the right to vote with a secret ballot in union elections?
- refuse to stop the flow of millions of illegal immigrants into our country?
- appoint a defender of child pornography to the Number 2 position in the Justice Department?
- want to force doctors and other medical workers to perform abortions against their will?
- want to impose a carbon tax on your electricity, gas and home heating fuels?
- want to reduce your tax deductibles for charitable gifts?
- take money from your family budget to pay for their federal budget?
If so, participate in the TAX Day TEA party rally, the Taxed Enough Already (TEA) party.
Monday, April 13, 2009
My Two Year Old Thinks He Cusses
After I scolded him about his reply was "I am going to kick your ass". Now listen, I know I am supposed to be the co-leader of this tribe, however when your child pops off with something like that it is really difficult to maintain a straight face. Don't get me wrong...I do not tell my children that previously stated comment but I am positive it has been involved in a playful banter between Mike and I. Alright, all the moms with their arms crossed and shaking their heads can kiss my butt. I have done a tremendous job cleaning up my potty mouth since my kids have been around....apparently, not a good enough job. You see, I was awarded Mrs. Profanity in my college class so him saying 'ass' is the least of my worries. I never had to worry about Michael repeating anything. Marshall......an entirely different story.
In an attempt to squelch this cursing fire, I spelled the word for him "You are going to kick my A-S-S?" He said yes and from this day forth he spells it. I am telling you this kid is sharp. Sharp enough that even he has cleaned it up. For example, this evening he was performing his regular beating up of big brother and I told him to "cease and desist". He looked at me, performed his best banshee yell, and said "I'm going to kick your S-S-S!" "That's right you are", I said! Whatever that is.
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Happy, Happy Easter
After our own personal Easter Egg Hunt, I put Marshall to bed and performed yet another purge of crap from this house. With Mike's help, we filled five boxes with kitchen items, toys clothes, books and various other things. I still have a hard time comprehending why a good purge of one's house feels sooooo good. The kids and I dropped the purged items off, stopped at Lowes to get some plants and came home so Marshall could ride his new bike. Well, not new....but new for him. I have included some pics from our little Easter thingie but you can see more on Facebook.
Luckily, my mother in law has made a home-made stew for all of us to enjoy tonight so I don't have to cook. YIIPPEEEE!!
Saturday, April 11, 2009
Easter Egg Hunt Number Two
Michael had his first Egg Hunt at the house of Tennessee Tech's president. This is an annual event orchestrated by his daughter which is my good friend, Heather. Luckily the weather held out until it was over. Michael was very disappointed because he did not find a lot of eggs. I hated it for him since this was the last year he could be the 'hunter/gatherer'. Next season, he will have graduated to 'hider/scatterer' since the age limit is 3rd grade. He thought is wasn't fair but you know how the saying goes "Life isn't fair"
Today, we had the pleasure of driving to Franklin, TN for our second Egg Hunt. I sure hate that drive but I love seeing my family. My aunt Jorgi took on the task of hostess and she has the perfect house for it. Her basement is not "finished" but it has all the amenities to host a soiree without having to worry about a mess. Full bath, industrial kitchen, old furniture, big screen TV, and a Wii. What more could a person want??? The only caveat is ALL the UT stuff. It is everywhere. I think I was seeing spots when I left!!!! Anyway, I think everyone had a great time and I personally had WAY too much to eat. So much that as soon as I got home I jumped on the elliptical for 30 minutes. That eased the eating guilt a little bit.
Friday, April 10, 2009
Friday Fill-lns
2. A peanut is a legume.
3. Let me embrace thee, sour adversity, for I will always emerge victorious.
4. Plants and shrubs doing what they do best is what I look forward to most about Spring.
5. Who needs therapy when you have gin martinis!
6. Robin Eggs MUST go into the Easter Basket!
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to watching it rain, tomorrow my plans include driving to Franklin for an Easter egg hunt with my family and Sunday, I want to play Easter bunny and eat a lot.
Monday, April 6, 2009
It's Official, I'm Addicted
Sunday morning, I reset my router and my cable modem. Nothing....... I then called the help desk (and believe me I needed HELP). Nothing..............
Oh my gosh, I have been cut off......CUT OFF!!!! How can this be? What am I supposed to do all day? I have a sick child so I cannot go anywhere or do anything. It was my worse nightmare (I am exaggerating just a trite). It was not my worse nightmare but definitely in the top 10. Once I was over the shock of not being able to surf the World Wide Web, I collected my thoughts and actually started to do constructive things around the house. Weird....it is actually amazing how much one can get accomplished when their ass is not planted in front of their laptop.
By about 3 p.m., I was wild-eyed like a crack addict and frantically searching the recesses of my brain of how in the world I can get Internet access before sundown. Would I melt? Turn into a pumpkin? Even worse, spontaneously combust into a little pile of ash? Wait, I had an idea....I needed to go to a local nursing home and do an evaluation.......even better, they have INTERNET ACCESS. I checked my hotmail account and checked Facebook. Took maybe 10 minutes of my day. Ahhhhhh, I slouched back into my work chair and sighed deeply with my eyes half open. I had my fix and it was mighty fine.
Saturday, April 4, 2009
I Am So Tired, We Are So Tired
Friday, April 3, 2009
Friday Fill-lns
1. Angel or not, I will continue to pursue happiness at all costs.
2. You can have me any way you want me as long as you will have me.
3. As my mother used to say, you're full of hmmm, my mom never said anything like that but she may have thought a few things. I am going with the obvious four letter word starting with an S.
4. Relaxed, confident and accomplished is how I feel after I'm done working out or doing something strenuous.
5. Even in the most crowded of rooms I feel as if I stand out like a sore thumb.
6. Following my heart and doing exactly what I have wanted to do for a long time would be a day fraught with peril.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to meeting friends at Macaroni Grill, tomorrow my plans include another Laser Tag birthday for Michael along with a Soccer game and Sunday, I want to please, please, please do nothing!
Thursday, April 2, 2009
Busy, Busy Week
Today was the pinnacle of a busy day. Work for me/School for Michael. We had back to back haircuts starting at 3:30. My haircut ended at 5 pm and I was supposed to attend a going away party at Chili's afterwards. The problem was....Michael had soccer practice at 5 followed by a Laser Tag birthday party at 6. Why can I not be omnipotent? Why Why Why!!!!???
Mike was in a generous mood and took Michael to his 'indoor soccer practice' while I met with friends and imbibed a margarita or two. Hey, don't shake your heads...Mom needs her time, too. The party did not get too out of hand. Just enough to drink for everyone that driver's license pictures made their debut and were passed around.....that is always cheap entertainment.
When I got home, Mike apprised me of all the soccer information. 1. Apparently, there are a lot of girls on his soccer team this season and Michael made a comment like "looks like there are a lot of cuties on my team". Whew, thank goodness my boy likes girls!! 2. Marshall was hanging all over the coaches leg (don't worry, this has been Michael's coach for 3 years so he was not a 'stranger'). I personally think he was brown nosing the coach because he wants on his Micro team next season.....in the fall. You never know! (The coach has a little guy, too. He is 2 months older than Marshall). 3. Mike notices the coaches daughter and my son Michael making google eyes at each other. According to him, they kept eyeing each other and grinning. Again, that is totally weird. I know my boys will not be young forever....but it is still weird. But, when you have boys as handsome as mine......I can understand what is going on with the babes. Tomorrow is FRIDAY!!!