Need To

Oh so many things I NEED to do…like blog. 

But it’s 11:09 and I’m so tired I can’t see straight. 

I have the head cold crud but on the positive side, the head crud always weakens my appetite, so food has been less of a temptation and I finally lost the Haiti Five (those annoying five pounds I gained in Haiti over the summer and then just couldn’t shake back off).  I know, I don’t NEED to diet, but I have that magic weight number just like everyone else has and when you’re over it, whether by a little or a lot, you just don’t FEEL as good. 

And I like feeling good.  Speaking of feeling good, I’ve been exercising regularly for a little over a month now and I finally feel a difference.  Yay! 

I also NEED to get back to digi-scrapping.  I hopped into photoshop tonight to see if I still remembered how to do it, since I told my cousin I’d make her up an invite for her girls first birthday in a month or so…and wow….couldn’t believe how rusty I was.  I haven’t used photoshop for anything except photography in months now.  Oops.  One of these days I’ll have time again…maybe….lol. 

Oh my “Need List” just goes on and on, but right now I NEED to sleep. 

Just a warning, my need list is so long right now, that blogging is way far down the need list and will probably be sporadic over the next few weeks…but I always NEED comment love, so feel free to nudge me here and there when I disappear into that strange mysterious world of Busy. 

Writer Wanna-Be

I’m pretty sure I’m the only one who’s noticed my own lack of energy and time for blogging lately.  It seems like when I actually get the time, sleep is more important….and the rest of the time, I’m blogging in my head while I’m doing other things and don’t have opportunity (and occasionally the guts) to post it.  And of course, my working memory is constantly full, so the things that I think could be worth blogging never, ever, ever stick in my head long enough to come out when I sit down and start writing. 

I wish I knew how to fix that.  My memory used to be awesome.  I know this, because I was reading back in one of my journals awhile back, and it seems that I only found time to write them about once every couple months, and I always had a huge long list of the things that had happened since the last time I wrote.  And not just things that happened, I had huge run-on sentences about who I had been mad at, why I was mad at them, how I felt about it, who I liked (and in some years, there had been more than one “who” between entries, and I remembered and listed EACH of them along with reasons and detailed examples of why I decided to not like them anymore).  Then, there was the list of who liked who, who got married, what I thought about it, who died, who was being a jerk…oh my.  It just keeps on going.  At one point I thought it would be cool to copy random journal entries from “this day in history,” then I read those journal entries and wisdom prevailed.

Thankfully, my horizons have broadened since the journal writing days.  I don’t know if anyone else read the Harriet the Spy books way back in the day, but I think I must have adapted my journal skills from her…the battle is breaking that habit of reporting and doing some real writing. 

Now if I only knew what “real” writing was, and if I could remember it long enough to post it.

Blah Blah

Last week I was super productive and on a roll…this week, feels like my wheels all got stuck in the mud.  Must be all this rain.  I’m not kidding, it’s been gully washers for days now. 

I don’t have to water my (pitifully dying) garden though.  There’s always a plus.  =) 

Also last week, I was in the mood to chat.  This week, I know I should get on and blog, but I’m honestly forcing myself to do it.  Sometimes that generates the longest rambles, though.  LOL. 

Where are we at…let’s see…I’ve been over at Mom and Dad’s every day helping try to get their house ready to move in…it’s getting closer.  Their old house is under contract so they’ll have to get a move on with the new place.  Dad is wearing himself out…I don’t know how he’s doing it, working every morning until time for his second shift job and then working all night.  I’m sure they’re more ready than I am to get settle in there though.  *grin* 

School…let’s see…I haven’t talked about it that much, but it’s been on my mind to go back and get an associates in photography and/or graphic arts for awhile now, but I didn’t say anything because I didn’t know if I’d actually go through with it or not.  Anyway, I’m now registered and all transcripts are requested/submitted, so all that’s left is just waiting for the Spring semester to open up.  It’s going to be really slow going, since home and kids are my first priority and I won’t be able to take more than one or two classes each semester while the kids are in school, but it’s better than what I’ve been doing, which is nothing.  KC is super supportive (love that man) and I’m sure I’ll get the chance to support him back when he gets around to the next part of his education.  =) 

K-man’s seventh birthday is coming up…it’s his year for the family party, and he’s asked for cupcakes.  Beyblade cupcakes, which I have NO earthly idea how to pull off.  SO…I’m contemplating pretending I never heard that request and doing something like cupcake targets instead…that should be easy…white icing with red and black circles for the bullseye.  All he talks about these days is getting a bow and arrow, so I’m sure he wouldn’t be (too) upset about not getting beyblade cupcakes.  Maybe? 

Both kids seem to be having a harder time with school…I just got the first half semester reports and neither one of them are making great grades.  I’m not sure what’s going on with Munchkin, since she’s always done really well, unless perhaps its got something to do with a lack of responsibility (not turning in papers, not completing work, or whatnot) since now that she’s in third, the teachers put more responsibility on the students and I know less about what’s going on and therefore can’t nag to make sure things get done.  K-man is trying, he’s just a little behind, and we’re working really hard to make sure he keeps up.  It’s easier with him, because all the requirements are sent home for the parents to help, so I know exactly what’s going on and what needs to get done every week.  I’m just hoping and praying that they’ll pick it up and get better as the school year goes on.  *sigh* 

Well, this is just a sampling of what’s been in my brain this week…I think the post is long enough now, I’m gonna call it quits.  =)  Thanks for bearing with me.  =)

How I Feel

If I could put how I feel into a photograph, I think these two would pretty much capture a LOT of it. 

A little afraid of putting everything out there:

And at peace and enjoying little moments. 

Two completely different feelings, but somehow perfectly right.  Awesome.

I Get To

Mom reminded me of this song, and I actually have thought about it several times over the last few weeks.  It’s not like my favorite song or anything (mostly because it’s more from a guy’s perspective) but the idea has hit home with me more than once lately. 

They used to make me go to church, clip-on tie, starchy shirt
I never heard the preachers words all scrunched down in that pew.
These days goin' to church is somethin' I don't have to do—I get to.

I used to have to hang with dad, wash his car and cut the grass,
It took all day and I hated that, till his heart attack last June.
These days helpin' dad is somethin’ I don't have to do—I get to.

I get to wake up early, I get to go to work
I get to make an honest living, put my hands down in the dirt
I get to hear grandma complain about all her little aches and pains
I get to rock my baby girl to sleep, spend my weekends coaching little league
There's a lot of things I don't have to do—I get to….

Obviously, I don’t do clip-on ties and starchy shirts, but I like that I get to go to church now a lot more than I used to.  Dad hasn’t had a heart attack (and hopefully won’t…I’m pretty sure plain ol’ exhaustion will get him first anyway), and we didn’t wash the car much when we were kids, but these days, helpin’ dad is something I GET to do…and I’m glad. 

That’s what I’ve been doing the last few days while I’ve been quiet.  =)  I’ve been so busy I haven’t had much time to get on here.  But the to-do list (here AND at dad’s) is slowly getting checked off. 

Here we were putting up the last piece of soffits on the back of the house.  I don’t have before and after pictures, but I can tell you, the after is CRAZY better.  The before was rotting wood and holes every so often.  Dad had to repair the wood and then vinyl over it to clean up the look.  Amazing the difference! 

So I’ve been GETTING to get up early and go to work, and I don’t know that I’d call it making a living, since all my work is strictly volunteer, but my hands have definitely been in the dirt lately. I don’t have any grandma’s left living, but the hospice patient I visit is a grandma, and I get to hear about all her aches and pains.  My baby girl isn’t such a baby anymore, and I don’t coach little league, but the sum of it is, there’s a LOT of things that I don’t have to do…I GET to. 

And I’m thankful that I GET to. 

And now, it’s that time of day when I GET to go to bed.  =)  And I’m thankful for THAT, too.  LOL. 

Monday’s Aren’t For Wimps

I probably need to check my wimp meter because I feel like Monday has kicked my behind this week.  LOL. 

Started with crazy dreams (in the night, yes, because I—contrary to my daughter’s firm convictions—do not get to go back to bed and sleep all day every day while the kids are in school), and they were crazy enough that I don’t care to attempt to remember them.  That’s what I get for having Ultimate Oatmeal Cookie ice cream at the local ice cream shop after church last night.  LOL. 

Then I checked off one of my to-do list items, only to find that doing so added another 5 things to my to-do list.  LOL…I hate it when that happens. 

Haven’t been able to shake my headache all day, then added a bellyache to the list.  And then, afternoon homework…which always wears me out, but there’s not really time for a nap.

BUT….it’s all good. 

On the bright side, I’m officially a student again (except my first classes aren’t until January), my placement scores from a couple years ago are still valid…and my—pathetically wimpy around populated areas that I’m unfamiliar with—own self managed to find my way onto campus, then across campus, and into registration without any panic attacks or cries for mom (lol…okay, I’m exaggerating about my helplessness, but not so much exaggeration about my comfort level because I really do dislike crowds).  Ha…the diapers commercial just popped into my head: “I’m a big kid now.”  Sorry…random is sort of my thing, in case you didn’t know. 

Where was I going again? 

OH yes, that bright side.  Crock-pots…they are very much not from the dark side.  They make Monday’s so much more wonderful.  And also fragrant. It’s hard not to get distracted when smelling barbeque chicken in the crockpot all afternoon. I made—sniff sniff….OHHH…I’m so hungry….oh, uh…what was I saying again??  LOL…Oh yeah, I was saying I made it last week, too, but this week, we’re putting it on buns.  Easy and fast…and fragrant.  Did I mention that my mouth keeps watering?  Quite distracting.

Also improved is my mood…strange for a Monday (maybe it’s the smell of barbeque…lol).  Yesterday I had a terrible case of the grumpy.  Today I understood a little better WHY that was, but it didn’t make me feel any better yesterday.  LOL.  Do you ever get grumpy BECAUSE you’re grumpy?  It’s a vicious cycle.  I’m happy I’ve moved on from there…and I’m pretty sure my kids and hubby feel the same way. 

Random subject change: I wanna try this recipe…I big fat pink puffy heart candy corn.

Ramble, ramble, ramble.  It’s now shred time for that chicken…my mouth watered again (not sure if it was looking at the above picture or smelling the chicken…*sigh*…I love food)

Hasta la vista, baby. 

Thirteen Favorite Instagrams

I love the Instagram app (except for my goofy phone has flipped the camera so it takes all the pictures in this app upside down…durrr…oh yes, and it doesn’t give me the option to share anywhere except Facebook anymore, so I have to upload there and then come here and link if I want to blog it…other than THAT, I love Instagram.)  Haha

Anyway, so here are 13 of my recent favorites that I don’t think have been shared here:

1. July 28, 2012 – Being naughty at Chick-Fil-A

2. July 31, 2012 – Sitting on the airplane waiting for our flight to leave for Haiti

3. August 12, 2012 – Ahsoka piled in my lap in the front seat of KC’s truck

4. August 17, 2012 – My nemesis, the devil cat…2 hours after this picture, after I was asleep, she picked the bed as the best spot in the entire house to have a giant hairball, resulting in a middle of the night change of the sheets. 

5.  August 18, 2012 – This is what happens when I crave chocolate!

6.  August 19, 2012 – My sweet dog, Obi

7.  August 24, 2012 – Hot towel mask treatment: the tootsies feel SO fine!

8.  August 25, 2012 – K-man at a neighbor’s birthday party…awesome plane!

9.  August 26, 2012 – Our “beach” (the sand where the patio stones will go)

10.  August 26, 2012 – This was like the PERFECT swim day…then it rained.

11.  August 31, 2012 – He’s camera shy, don’t ya know?  (Bwahahahaha)

12.  August 31, 2012 – I am, too…it’s so obvious, right? 

13.  September 3, 2012 – The dogs hanging out in my craft room…quiet company.

And that’s it…hope you enjoyed…and maybe got a smile out of one or two of them…lol. 

Slow Drain

I was SOO motivated last week.  Key word in that sentence is “was” (in case you missed that).  I’m trying to stay motivated, but it seems to be slowly draining.  On the flip side, my self-control has popped in for a few visits (although it never shows up when I start craving Dr. Pepper), and I’ve crunched off all those brownies from a couple of weeks ago.  Now if I could just get self-control and motivation to stick around permanently, it would be perfect. 

My to-do list last week was 16 items long, and 14 got crossed off (and they weren’t simple items like “take out the trash” either…I’m talking about long jobs like “clean out and re-organize Munchkin’s room”).  This week’s to-do list is 5 items long.  I’m not even motivated enough to write down the things that need to be done.  =) 

Hello?  Motivation?  A kick in the rear, if you please?

While I’m waiting on that kick, here’s one of the to-do list items I checked off last week.  It took days and days of working on this (although it looks like it would be simple enough) but it was fun, and it’s finally finished and a printed book is on order. They’re having a great sale right now on photo books in case you have already made some and have just been waiting on a sale to order.  I don’t recommend trying to start one from scratch to finish by tomorrow because if you do it right, you’ll never finish it by the deadline, but maybe that only applies to people like me.  LOL.  Anyway: the book:

Click here to view this photo book larger

Visit Shutterfly.com to create your own personalized photobook.

Also, I updated the blogs this morning.  Now they’re all nice and fresh and cleaned up.  Because housekeeping and remodeling, it’s not just for the house.  There were quite a few blogs in my link lists over there that have been collecting dust for a few years now and it was just time for a vacuum. =)  And I’ve got a rumble in my head to do new headers, too, but not today.  Today, I must get my bum off this seat and go put some chicken in the crockpot.  =)

PS Kelby, in answer to your comment on last post, yep, I’m sure that energetic kid in #9 was definitely you…you and your sister were the only ones I ever liked to keep around, lol.  I didn’t read all that post when I was linking, so that made me laugh again when I saw your comment and went back and read it closer.  LOL.