You Are Cowboy Boots |
 This doesn't mean you're country, just funky. You've got a ton of attitude and confidence. You're unique, expressive, and even a little bit wacky. You wear whatever you feel like รข€“ and you have your own sense of style. You are straight shooting and honest. You tell people how it is. Low maintenance and free wheeling, you're always up for an adventure. You should live: Where you can at least get to wide open spaces You should work: In a job that allows you to take change |
Monday, March 30, 2009
Am I a Shoe? LOL
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Laurel's Favorite, David cook!
I'm not sure why laurel likes this one in particular, but it's her favorite. No accounting, I guess.
Thursday's Thoughts
Today's Thought:
The period of rest between my last seven years at Fort Campbell and my new challenge here at Fort Gordon is quickly coming to an end. Soon all of the moments of the past will lead me to a knew now, a new where, a slightly new who. Hopefully a better one.
See you next week.
All the words and all the deeds and all the thoughts and all the dreams and all the pain; all the lives and deaths that have brought me here and brought me now: it's overwhelming what the world has gone through to make me who I am. - 0721 22OCT03This is true for all of us of course. In the scheme of things; the great big Chaos Theory / Butterfly Effect grandness of it all, none of us would be exactly who we are without all the uncountable moments that have led up to everything that occurs in our lives and every life that touches ours. I don't know if the same was true when I first wrote this down, somewhere in the middle of my first tour in Iraq, but I very much like who I am. Sure I can improve, but who among us humans are perfect?
The period of rest between my last seven years at Fort Campbell and my new challenge here at Fort Gordon is quickly coming to an end. Soon all of the moments of the past will lead me to a knew now, a new where, a slightly new who. Hopefully a better one.
See you next week.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Sadie Virginia Goff!!
Isn't she adorable?!?!
I imagine she wasn't very old at all when the pic was taken. She still is pretty pink.
I hope I get to meet her soon!
What, me?
Your Shamrock Says You Are Gregarious |
 You are charming, witty, and larger than life. At times, you can be a bit impatient and inflexible. You don't like to be distracted. You don't really consider yourself a lucky person. In your view, people create their own luck. You are stylish, in a classic sort of way. You are particular about how you like things. |
Sunday, March 22, 2009
101 Ways To Cope With Stress
I found this while sifting through my FRG Leader stuff. I thought it might provide a laugh (seeing as these things are supposed to help during the period of FRG Leadership and Deployment.) or, maybe you might think one of these is a good idea. I don't know....But either way I'm going to re-type all of them in an effort to look too busy for anyone to bother me (see how important and busy I look as I sit typing away?)
1. Get up 15 minutes earlier. (Whatever dude. How bout sleep in 15 minutes later, and write the kids a great excuse note)
2. Prepare for the morning the night before. (Who doesn't do this by now?
3. Avoid tight fitting clothes. (and the ice cream that made them that way {who wrote these??}
4. Avoid relying on Chemical aids. (Ya, and if the MPs catch you with that dope, you're in TROUBLE)
5. Set appointments ahead. (OK, what?)
6. Don't rely on your memory...write it down. (ya, and if you forget it, it wasn't really that important anyway, right?)
7. Practice preventative maintenance. (By having the maintenance guys on speed dial!)
8. Make duplicate keys. (Not a bad one. Also, give a trusted friend a copy for the occasional time you actually loose one key, and forget the other one.)
9. Say "no" more often. (Ya, tell that to the FRG people depending on you for every little thing, and your children...)
10. Set priorities in your life. (and try really really hard to stick to them. The Army gave me my life priorities.)
11. Avoid negative people. (ahem....or.....in other words.......hide in a hole.)
12. Use time wisely. (Bite me.)
13. Simplify meals. (How, hamburger helper? No I COOK.)
14. Always make copies of important papers. (or have a good filing system, and don't loose the first copies. Otherwise I'm swimming in paperwork!)
15. Anticipate your needs. (I'm not even going to bother.)
16. Repair anything that doesn't work properly. (Huh? No, really, I like leaving my toilet running and my air conditioner stuck at 60. Sheesh.)
17. Break large tasks into bite sized portions. (like mini muffins)
18. Ask for help with the jobs you dislike. (I would, if there was anyone to ASK)
19. Look at problems as a challenge. (I think this is the root of the stress, right there.)
20. Look at challenges differently. (are these the aforementioned problems, or new and interesting things?)
21. Unclutter your life. (well, I've already off loaded a husband to Iraq....)
22. Smile. (through the tears, and the loneliness...) Sheesh again.
23. Be prepared for rain. (Need an umbrella...check!)
24. Tickle a baby. (Where do I find one of those?)
25. Pet a friendly dog/cat. ( I would, but I'm mad at her for peeing on the rug while I was tickling that baby.)
26. Don't know all the answers. (If I did I wouldn't have looked at this list in the first place.)
27. Look for the silver lining. (Sorry, no.)
28. Teach a kid to fly a kite. (in 20 degree weather?)
29. Say something nice to someone. (This is some list. How 'bout someone say something nice to me?)
30. Walk in the rain. (Don't forget that umbrella.)
31. Schedule playtime every day. (admittedly, not a bad idea, until someone calls with issues.)
32. Take a bubble bath. (When? While the kids are doing what?)
33. Be aware of decisions you make. (What am I supposed to take from that?)
34. Believe in yourself. (I do, I'm right here.)
35. Stop saying negative things to yourself. (Start saying them to the neighbor.)
36. Visualize yourself winning. (The Indy 500. Bet that feels good...)
37. Develop your sense of humor. (Working on that right now as a matter of fact.)
38. Have goals for yourself. (Finishing this list would be nice...)
39. Stop thinking that tomorrow will be a better day. (Great advice. Now I have nothing to live for...Thanks.)
40. Dance a jig. (um, why?)
41. Say Hello to a stranger. (Make sure they look safe first. Stranger danger!)
42. Look up at the stars. (While on the phone....again)
43. Ask a friend for a hug. (oh, God no.)
44. Practice breathing slowly. (not too slow, we don't want to stop, now.)
45. Learn to whistle a tune. (Until this then becomes the source of your stress, then proceed to the next line...)
46. Read a poem. (Just not any Plath)
47. Listen to a symphony. (not many people enjoy this...I do, but you have to get the kids to shush for a minute...)
48. Watch a ballet. (Um...Where? Is there a Ballet Company near BFE?)
49. Read a story curled up in bed. (On a kindle, its better.)
50. Do a brand new thing. (Like move to Alaska)
51. Stop a bad habit. (Like the above mentioned chemical help)
52. Buy yourself a flower. (I like dandelions.)
53. Take time to smell the flower. (Lame, really lame.)
54. Find support from others. ( I AM the support for others...Hey!)
55. Ask someone to be your vent partner. (Mom- family stuff....Sara- Army stuff....Jay- friend stuff...and blog- everything else. I think I'm covered!)
56. Do it today. (Husband deployed, remember? LOLOLOLOL)
57. Work at being cheerful and optimistic. (But I don' wanna.....)
58. Put safety first. (Huh? In regards to what?)
59. Do everything in moderation. (Including house work. *Giggle*)
60. Pay attention to your appearance. (in other words, take a shower, man.)
61. Strive for excellence, NOT perfection. (Excellence is perfection......)
62. Stretch your limits a little each day. (Tomorrow I will actually get out of these pajamas.)
63. Look at a work of art. (or make one.)
64. Hum a jingle. (not anywhere near Miah though, or you will never hear the end of it.)
65. Maintain your weight. (I refer you back to line 12)
66. Plant a tree a (they didn't finish this one. I guess they are starting to give up too.....)
67. Feed the birds. (the dinner you burnt)
68. Practice grace under pressure. (If I didn't, I wouldn't be here.)
69. Stand up and stretch. (I just did. It really helped.)
70. Always have a "plan b". (Mine is to run screaming from the phone and my email.)
71. Learn a new doodle. (okay.)
72. Memorize a joke. (ever hear the one about the purple monkey? Well, one day...Crap I forgot it.)
73. Learn to meet your own needs. (I need some ice cream.)
74. Be responsible for your feelings. (um, ok.)
75. Become a better listener. (Kinda have to be, to be a leader.)
76. Know your limitations and let others know them too. (HA. Laughable.)
77. Tell someone to have a good day in pig Latin. (Aveha a oodga ayda. Why/how is this helping me deal with stress?)
78. Throw a paper airplane. (Off a 20 story building, now that's cool.)
79. Exercise everyday. (I do....get IN the car, get OUT the car....)
80. Learn the words to a new song. (Or you could just listen to them as you read them on youtube.)
81. Get to work early. (Um, same goes for line 1. NO)
82. Clean out one closet. (That actually feels good. But not if you stop to see yourself surrounded by a million purses you can't make fit BACK in the closet!)
83. Play patty cake with a toddler. (can I borrow yours?)
84. Go on a picnic. (In Latin, Picnic is piccum niccum. funny, huh?)
85. Take a different route to work. (Get out of bed on the other side, in other words.)
86. Leave work early (with permission). (Eh, why not make it more fun, and sneak off?)
87. Put air freshener in you car. (Because the potatoes you took to the pot luck last week are really starting to stink!)
88. Watch a movie and eat popcorn. ( I thought we were maintaining our weight?)
89. Write a note to a faraway friend. (or that husband you are always moaning about.)
90. Go to a ball game and scream. (I prefer the inside of my sound proof car.)
91. Cook a meal and eat it by candlelight. (Or forget to pay the light bill and get surprised with forced candlelight!)
92. Recognize the importance of unconditional love. (Ya, get a dog!)
93. Remember that stress is an attitude. (Oh, boy, I'm gonna choke.)
94. Keep a journal. (Who wants to remember this?)
95. Practice a monster smile. (Do they mean a huge smile, or an actual monster-like grimace?)
96. Remember you always have options. (Ya, you could move back to mama's house.)
97. Have a support network of people, places, and things. (What if you don't. and anyway, shouldn't that have been number one?)
98. Quit trying to "Fix" other people. (If I did, I'd have nothing to do.)
99. Get enough sleep. (I'm rolling my eyes...)
100. Talk less and listen more. (Physically impossible for me.)
101. Freely praise other people. (But only if they deserve it, come on!)
102. P.S. Relax, take each day at a time...you have the rest of your life to live.
Hey that was 102! Those liars.
I hope you enjoyed. That is if you actually read all of this. I almost stopped typing. My hands are tired! none of these comments are meant to be serious. I just started typing what ever came to my mind as I typed. I tend to think these sort of things during FRG meetings when they give you all that cheerleader crap about hanging tough and all that. I just never get to write them down. I really crack me up, and that is how I cope with stress. I make rude and sarcastic comments. Like Virgil says, " I laughed, and that 's all that counts."
I'm signing off for the day. It's after bedtime, and Desperate House Wives is waiting for me.
Goodnight!
-S.
1. Get up 15 minutes earlier. (Whatever dude. How bout sleep in 15 minutes later, and write the kids a great excuse note)
2. Prepare for the morning the night before. (Who doesn't do this by now?
3. Avoid tight fitting clothes. (and the ice cream that made them that way {who wrote these??}
4. Avoid relying on Chemical aids. (Ya, and if the MPs catch you with that dope, you're in TROUBLE)
5. Set appointments ahead. (OK, what?)
6. Don't rely on your memory...write it down. (ya, and if you forget it, it wasn't really that important anyway, right?)
7. Practice preventative maintenance. (By having the maintenance guys on speed dial!)
8. Make duplicate keys. (Not a bad one. Also, give a trusted friend a copy for the occasional time you actually loose one key, and forget the other one.)
9. Say "no" more often. (Ya, tell that to the FRG people depending on you for every little thing, and your children...)
10. Set priorities in your life. (and try really really hard to stick to them. The Army gave me my life priorities.)
11. Avoid negative people. (ahem....or.....in other words.......hide in a hole.)
12. Use time wisely. (Bite me.)
13. Simplify meals. (How, hamburger helper? No I COOK.)
14. Always make copies of important papers. (or have a good filing system, and don't loose the first copies. Otherwise I'm swimming in paperwork!)
15. Anticipate your needs. (I'm not even going to bother.)
16. Repair anything that doesn't work properly. (Huh? No, really, I like leaving my toilet running and my air conditioner stuck at 60. Sheesh.)
17. Break large tasks into bite sized portions. (like mini muffins)
18. Ask for help with the jobs you dislike. (I would, if there was anyone to ASK)
19. Look at problems as a challenge. (I think this is the root of the stress, right there.)
20. Look at challenges differently. (are these the aforementioned problems, or new and interesting things?)
21. Unclutter your life. (well, I've already off loaded a husband to Iraq....)
22. Smile. (through the tears, and the loneliness...) Sheesh again.
23. Be prepared for rain. (Need an umbrella...check!)
24. Tickle a baby. (Where do I find one of those?)
25. Pet a friendly dog/cat. ( I would, but I'm mad at her for peeing on the rug while I was tickling that baby.)
26. Don't know all the answers. (If I did I wouldn't have looked at this list in the first place.)
27. Look for the silver lining. (Sorry, no.)
28. Teach a kid to fly a kite. (in 20 degree weather?)
29. Say something nice to someone. (This is some list. How 'bout someone say something nice to me?)
30. Walk in the rain. (Don't forget that umbrella.)
31. Schedule playtime every day. (admittedly, not a bad idea, until someone calls with issues.)
32. Take a bubble bath. (When? While the kids are doing what?)
33. Be aware of decisions you make. (What am I supposed to take from that?)
34. Believe in yourself. (I do, I'm right here.)
35. Stop saying negative things to yourself. (Start saying them to the neighbor.)
36. Visualize yourself winning. (The Indy 500. Bet that feels good...)
37. Develop your sense of humor. (Working on that right now as a matter of fact.)
38. Have goals for yourself. (Finishing this list would be nice...)
39. Stop thinking that tomorrow will be a better day. (Great advice. Now I have nothing to live for...Thanks.)
40. Dance a jig. (um, why?)
41. Say Hello to a stranger. (Make sure they look safe first. Stranger danger!)
42. Look up at the stars. (While on the phone....again)
43. Ask a friend for a hug. (oh, God no.)
44. Practice breathing slowly. (not too slow, we don't want to stop, now.)
45. Learn to whistle a tune. (Until this then becomes the source of your stress, then proceed to the next line...)
46. Read a poem. (Just not any Plath)
47. Listen to a symphony. (not many people enjoy this...I do, but you have to get the kids to shush for a minute...)
48. Watch a ballet. (Um...Where? Is there a Ballet Company near BFE?)
49. Read a story curled up in bed. (On a kindle, its better.)
50. Do a brand new thing. (Like move to Alaska)
51. Stop a bad habit. (Like the above mentioned chemical help)
52. Buy yourself a flower. (I like dandelions.)
53. Take time to smell the flower. (Lame, really lame.)
54. Find support from others. ( I AM the support for others...Hey!)
55. Ask someone to be your vent partner. (Mom- family stuff....Sara- Army stuff....Jay- friend stuff...and blog- everything else. I think I'm covered!)
56. Do it today. (Husband deployed, remember? LOLOLOLOL)
57. Work at being cheerful and optimistic. (But I don' wanna.....)
58. Put safety first. (Huh? In regards to what?)
59. Do everything in moderation. (Including house work. *Giggle*)
60. Pay attention to your appearance. (in other words, take a shower, man.)
61. Strive for excellence, NOT perfection. (Excellence is perfection......)
62. Stretch your limits a little each day. (Tomorrow I will actually get out of these pajamas.)
63. Look at a work of art. (or make one.)
64. Hum a jingle. (not anywhere near Miah though, or you will never hear the end of it.)
65. Maintain your weight. (I refer you back to line 12)
66. Plant a tree a (they didn't finish this one. I guess they are starting to give up too.....)
67. Feed the birds. (the dinner you burnt)
68. Practice grace under pressure. (If I didn't, I wouldn't be here.)
69. Stand up and stretch. (I just did. It really helped.)
70. Always have a "plan b". (Mine is to run screaming from the phone and my email.)
71. Learn a new doodle. (okay.)
72. Memorize a joke. (ever hear the one about the purple monkey? Well, one day...Crap I forgot it.)
73. Learn to meet your own needs. (I need some ice cream.)
74. Be responsible for your feelings. (um, ok.)
75. Become a better listener. (Kinda have to be, to be a leader.)
76. Know your limitations and let others know them too. (HA. Laughable.)
77. Tell someone to have a good day in pig Latin. (Aveha a oodga ayda. Why/how is this helping me deal with stress?)
78. Throw a paper airplane. (Off a 20 story building, now that's cool.)
79. Exercise everyday. (I do....get IN the car, get OUT the car....)
80. Learn the words to a new song. (Or you could just listen to them as you read them on youtube.)
81. Get to work early. (Um, same goes for line 1. NO)
82. Clean out one closet. (That actually feels good. But not if you stop to see yourself surrounded by a million purses you can't make fit BACK in the closet!)
83. Play patty cake with a toddler. (can I borrow yours?)
84. Go on a picnic. (In Latin, Picnic is piccum niccum. funny, huh?)
85. Take a different route to work. (Get out of bed on the other side, in other words.)
86. Leave work early (with permission). (Eh, why not make it more fun, and sneak off?)
87. Put air freshener in you car. (Because the potatoes you took to the pot luck last week are really starting to stink!)
88. Watch a movie and eat popcorn. ( I thought we were maintaining our weight?)
89. Write a note to a faraway friend. (or that husband you are always moaning about.)
90. Go to a ball game and scream. (I prefer the inside of my sound proof car.)
91. Cook a meal and eat it by candlelight. (Or forget to pay the light bill and get surprised with forced candlelight!)
92. Recognize the importance of unconditional love. (Ya, get a dog!)
93. Remember that stress is an attitude. (Oh, boy, I'm gonna choke.)
94. Keep a journal. (Who wants to remember this?)
95. Practice a monster smile. (Do they mean a huge smile, or an actual monster-like grimace?)
96. Remember you always have options. (Ya, you could move back to mama's house.)
97. Have a support network of people, places, and things. (What if you don't. and anyway, shouldn't that have been number one?)
98. Quit trying to "Fix" other people. (If I did, I'd have nothing to do.)
99. Get enough sleep. (I'm rolling my eyes...)
100. Talk less and listen more. (Physically impossible for me.)
101. Freely praise other people. (But only if they deserve it, come on!)
102. P.S. Relax, take each day at a time...you have the rest of your life to live.
Hey that was 102! Those liars.
I hope you enjoyed. That is if you actually read all of this. I almost stopped typing. My hands are tired! none of these comments are meant to be serious. I just started typing what ever came to my mind as I typed. I tend to think these sort of things during FRG meetings when they give you all that cheerleader crap about hanging tough and all that. I just never get to write them down. I really crack me up, and that is how I cope with stress. I make rude and sarcastic comments. Like Virgil says, " I laughed, and that 's all that counts."
I'm signing off for the day. It's after bedtime, and Desperate House Wives is waiting for me.
Goodnight!
-S.
Baby Sadie!!!
I won't post her pic unless Sara says it's okay, but I wanted to say
Sadie is the cute little girl in the ultrasound pics I posted a couple of months ago and she was born at home (yay for that!!) and is beautiful. She looks so much like everyone in the family that she might have been there all along. It's amazing. So, can I show Sadie to the world, huh? Can I? :)
I'm so proud of you Sara for sticking it out and doing things your way!
I just wish that I could have been there, or that I could meet that precious little girl! It's not fair we are so far away!!!!
"Welcome to the world Sadie!!!"
Sadie is the cute little girl in the ultrasound pics I posted a couple of months ago and she was born at home (yay for that!!) and is beautiful. She looks so much like everyone in the family that she might have been there all along. It's amazing. So, can I show Sadie to the world, huh? Can I? :)
I'm so proud of you Sara for sticking it out and doing things your way!
I just wish that I could have been there, or that I could meet that precious little girl! It's not fair we are so far away!!!!
Laurel's New Toy
Rent for a saxophone monthly....$45.00
Bought one on Ebay....$300.00
Saxophone music for life, and teaching my daughter responsibility....Priceless!
Sisterhood Award
I received this award from Rene at Myspecialks.com
I've said it a million times, but I love love love her blog.
Thanks Rene!!!!!
Dear Sara,
How in the world do I get my kids to clean their rooms? I'm asking you in particular, because you have always had a knack for keeping the kids' rooms in order....
Today we got Miah's room in working order. She put all of her stuff on the bed, and we arranged furniture, vacuumed, and placed everything in an organized manner. It took TWO hours!!!!! But it looks good!
So we head over to Laurel's room....She's always been the neat one.....but her room is so trashed that there is NO point in trying to fix it. I'm so irritated I left the room. Jay, for some God awful reason is still up there, I don't know whyyyyyyy.
I'm so tired after the past two weeks that my fuse is very short, and I think that if I don't walk away from Laurel's insane mess I might explode!!!
So far these are the things that we have done (somehow I end up doing most of it...not that Jay doesn't help, just that he doesn't think he knows how to organize...so he hands me things and stands back. ) ((irritating!!))
Front room...organized, decorated (minus the mantel. I've never had one to decorate, so I'm contemplating my options)
Kitchen...organized, sorted, tossed, cried over lack of storage space, mopped, decorated.
Art room...Sorted, organized, swept.
Utility room...sorted, cleaning tools organized (still need to organize my tools)
Front porch...except for painting my furniture, it's perfect.
Back Deck....Perfect, with seating for 8!
Garden...yes, got really motivated by 75 degree weather!) Raked, weeded, paths laid, rock walk placed, all ready for the plants!
Miah's room...done!!
Jay's TA-50...sorted, folded, organized, and locked up.
Books...bought new shelf, solved all of my book problems, and it's cool looking.
Bathrooms 1, 2, and 3...Shower rods and curtains hung, tub stoppers bought (and work!) and stocked with supplies.
Every box is unpacked, and all I have left to do is my bedroom, and whatever Jay isn't doing in Laurel's room (I think he's nuts, but let him!)
So, they started dropping our stuff off on the 11th, and were done on the 12th. We have spent long hours all but one day for 12 days and we are talking hanging curtains and detail work (I had to sew some curtains)and some minor issues with my closet rod crashing around my ears three times...
Not too bad, right? Oh, and Sara, even with all those books we came in at 11,000lbs. Still some to spare!!!
But I'm pooped. Too pooped to pop! My room is tomorrow, then I can cry myself to sleep with the knowledge that someone in my family will make a mess somewhere, and my job is never really done....
Love you!!!
- S.
Today we got Miah's room in working order. She put all of her stuff on the bed, and we arranged furniture, vacuumed, and placed everything in an organized manner. It took TWO hours!!!!! But it looks good!
So we head over to Laurel's room....She's always been the neat one.....but her room is so trashed that there is NO point in trying to fix it. I'm so irritated I left the room. Jay, for some God awful reason is still up there, I don't know whyyyyyyy.
I'm so tired after the past two weeks that my fuse is very short, and I think that if I don't walk away from Laurel's insane mess I might explode!!!
So far these are the things that we have done (somehow I end up doing most of it...not that Jay doesn't help, just that he doesn't think he knows how to organize...so he hands me things and stands back. ) ((irritating!!))
Front room...organized, decorated (minus the mantel. I've never had one to decorate, so I'm contemplating my options)
Kitchen...organized, sorted, tossed, cried over lack of storage space, mopped, decorated.
Art room...Sorted, organized, swept.
Utility room...sorted, cleaning tools organized (still need to organize my tools)
Front porch...except for painting my furniture, it's perfect.
Back Deck....Perfect, with seating for 8!
Garden...yes, got really motivated by 75 degree weather!) Raked, weeded, paths laid, rock walk placed, all ready for the plants!
Miah's room...done!!
Jay's TA-50...sorted, folded, organized, and locked up.
Books...bought new shelf, solved all of my book problems, and it's cool looking.
Bathrooms 1, 2, and 3...Shower rods and curtains hung, tub stoppers bought (and work!) and stocked with supplies.
Every box is unpacked, and all I have left to do is my bedroom, and whatever Jay isn't doing in Laurel's room (I think he's nuts, but let him!)
So, they started dropping our stuff off on the 11th, and were done on the 12th. We have spent long hours all but one day for 12 days and we are talking hanging curtains and detail work (I had to sew some curtains)and some minor issues with my closet rod crashing around my ears three times...
Not too bad, right? Oh, and Sara, even with all those books we came in at 11,000lbs. Still some to spare!!!
But I'm pooped. Too pooped to pop! My room is tomorrow, then I can cry myself to sleep with the knowledge that someone in my family will make a mess somewhere, and my job is never really done....
Love you!!!
- S.
Saturday, March 21, 2009
Friday, March 20, 2009
And the ones that don't like me....well.....
You Are Cilantro |
 The bad news is that there are some people who can't stand you. The good news is that most people love you more than anything else in the world. You are distinct, unusual, fresh, and very controversial. And you wouldn't have it any other way. |
Friday Fill-in
Miah left me this picture on the computer this morning before she went to school.
And...here we go!
1. When I look to the left, I see_my fish tank_and the new african frogs swimming around___.
2. _The kitchen____ is the room that has the best view in my home. It overlooks the backyard, the creek, and woods.
3. Let it work _it's self out. I don't want to unpack anymore of the movers tape! We actually found 4 rolls of the packers tape that they lovingly wrapped in paper and placed in our boxes. But they "forgot" to wrap two of my original works of art, and they BROKE____.
4. __Dirty deeds?___ done dirt cheap!
5. _VOTING____ is a responsibility that all qualified citizens must share.
6. If you have any __questions___ feel free _ask later____.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to _salmon with Dill sauce made by yours truly____, tomorrow my plans include __looking for a book case___ and Sunday, I want to _put my bedroom together____!
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Thursday's Thoughts
Welcome back,
This week's thought is from our old friend Tyler Durden:
Enjoy your week.
This week's thought is from our old friend Tyler Durden:
The things you own end up owning youWe have been having a ball recently unpacking and setting up the new house. It seems that nothing quite fits. And that makes sense because Stacy had about five years to make everything fit the place at Ft. Campbell. But on one of the first days last week while we taking a well deserved break, I decided to chime in with one of my old standbys; a quote from Fight Club. Be it the movie or the book, the anti-hero of this tale has words of wisdom for every situation. And when My Love is explaining to me how hard it would be to get rid of any of the precious little trinkets that clog her shelves, this is the most applicable. We'll likely hear from him again.
Enjoy your week.
Monday, March 16, 2009
Curious as a cat...
From http://curiousasacat.blogspot.com/
1) Describe your everyday dishes. Do you like them? I decided that I was done using the crappy dishes, so yesterday I threw them out and now I use my "good" dishes for everyday. They are an earthy red pottery, made in Umbria Italy, and I love them.
2) What is the most dangerous thing you have ever done on purpose? I once drove my 4x4 Jeep up a mountain. Sounds stupid, and I screamed all the way up because I really thought the Jeep was going to flip over end to end, but it was fun. And I made it. :)
3) Whose reputation would you like to ruin, and how would you do it? And whose would you want to enhance? I wouldn't go out of my way to ruin someones rep. Usually those I would want to hurt end up doing that on their own. That is always much more satisfying anyway. I'm not sure I'd go out of my way to enhance any one's either, unless it was a business I really liked, or a blog I wanted to share.
4) Show and Tell. What comes to mind first when you see this picture? Or, tell a story if it reminds you of one.
All this really does is remind me of all the kitchen gadgets I've had to get rid of, and all the messy drawers I spent two hours organizing. All so that my kitchen still looks messy.
Quick update:
The girls had their first day of school, and both came home pretty happy. Laurel is begging for a hermit crab, Jay and I have to think about it, and I told her she'd have to pay for everything herself if we let her. For the heck of it we took Dobby (our chihuahua, who after an entire day with no children was a nervous wreck, and finding annoying ways to get in our laps, no matter what we were doing) to PetSmart, and bought two African frogs, one white and one black, and a new bottom feeder (ours didn't make the drive down here) and 20 feeder fish (cheaper than the big ones, and 20 so that we will still have a few after the frogs and older fish have a snack). They all seem happy, and are in the fish tank here next to the computer desk. I'll have to take a picture. My camera is still AWOL so it will be a bit.
I only have a couple of boxes downstairs to open and sort. The main issue is the now lack of Garage space. I have a million things (like paint and tools, stain and motor oil) that have no where to go. (P.S. Sara, holy cow, they actually packed lighter fluid with some of my pictures, and open containers of FOOD. Those people were dummies!!!!!!!!!) Tonight Jay is helping the girls with homework, I'm cooking dinner, then I am going to take a break and watch tv. I didn't think it would take this much effort to shove all of my things into a new house. Ironically the craft room was easy, especially compared to the kitchen! I have all of my beads and tools exactly the way I want them, and I'm still going to have to rearrange the dishes...Errg!!!
Tomorrow I am going to take the kiddos to school, then get my bedroom in order. That part will be easy....all I have to do is unpack a gazillion wardrobe boxes, and hey presto, I'm done! Jay set the tv up, and my books are now (finally) unpacked...I'm tired just thinking about it!!
It's 6:30 here, so I'd better get moving on dinner before they drag me out of the art room.
Do me a fav. If you decide to answer the quiz ^^^, then send me a link. Just for funsies!
-S.
1) Describe your everyday dishes. Do you like them? I decided that I was done using the crappy dishes, so yesterday I threw them out and now I use my "good" dishes for everyday. They are an earthy red pottery, made in Umbria Italy, and I love them.
2) What is the most dangerous thing you have ever done on purpose? I once drove my 4x4 Jeep up a mountain. Sounds stupid, and I screamed all the way up because I really thought the Jeep was going to flip over end to end, but it was fun. And I made it. :)
3) Whose reputation would you like to ruin, and how would you do it? And whose would you want to enhance? I wouldn't go out of my way to ruin someones rep. Usually those I would want to hurt end up doing that on their own. That is always much more satisfying anyway. I'm not sure I'd go out of my way to enhance any one's either, unless it was a business I really liked, or a blog I wanted to share.
4) Show and Tell. What comes to mind first when you see this picture? Or, tell a story if it reminds you of one.
All this really does is remind me of all the kitchen gadgets I've had to get rid of, and all the messy drawers I spent two hours organizing. All so that my kitchen still looks messy.
Quick update:
The girls had their first day of school, and both came home pretty happy. Laurel is begging for a hermit crab, Jay and I have to think about it, and I told her she'd have to pay for everything herself if we let her. For the heck of it we took Dobby (our chihuahua, who after an entire day with no children was a nervous wreck, and finding annoying ways to get in our laps, no matter what we were doing) to PetSmart, and bought two African frogs, one white and one black, and a new bottom feeder (ours didn't make the drive down here) and 20 feeder fish (cheaper than the big ones, and 20 so that we will still have a few after the frogs and older fish have a snack). They all seem happy, and are in the fish tank here next to the computer desk. I'll have to take a picture. My camera is still AWOL so it will be a bit.
I only have a couple of boxes downstairs to open and sort. The main issue is the now lack of Garage space. I have a million things (like paint and tools, stain and motor oil) that have no where to go. (P.S. Sara, holy cow, they actually packed lighter fluid with some of my pictures, and open containers of FOOD. Those people were dummies!!!!!!!!!) Tonight Jay is helping the girls with homework, I'm cooking dinner, then I am going to take a break and watch tv. I didn't think it would take this much effort to shove all of my things into a new house. Ironically the craft room was easy, especially compared to the kitchen! I have all of my beads and tools exactly the way I want them, and I'm still going to have to rearrange the dishes...Errg!!!
Tomorrow I am going to take the kiddos to school, then get my bedroom in order. That part will be easy....all I have to do is unpack a gazillion wardrobe boxes, and hey presto, I'm done! Jay set the tv up, and my books are now (finally) unpacked...I'm tired just thinking about it!!
It's 6:30 here, so I'd better get moving on dinner before they drag me out of the art room.
Do me a fav. If you decide to answer the quiz ^^^, then send me a link. Just for funsies!
-S.
Sunday, March 15, 2009
Friday Fill-in
For some reason this didn't post on Friday. I'm doing it again...because finally now my office and art room are set up, and I can start posting again! Yay! There have been a million times that I wanted to blog, and couldn't. I've been as busy as a bee, and I'm seriously burnt out. I mean, I knew I had a lot of books, but this is insane! I really wish I had sorted through the paperbacks while at home, and I could have given them to friends instead of goodwill. I have no clue when I will go home again, so I can't save them to pass out then....there just isn't enough shelf space! I need to get back to work, so I'll see ya later!
Oh, P.S. Two hour time difference, it sucks. Really. A lot.
1. Give me _a bed____ and I'll sleep till noon_____.
2. Whenever _I open a box, I wonder, where will THIS go???
____.
3. I wish __I had one more book shelf___.
4. _My spinach pasta____ was the last thing I ate that was utterly delicious.
5. To live in this world _you have to make some consessions____.
6. Other than this one, __Myspecialks___ is the last blog I commented on.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to _the new Dish Network system____, tomorrow my plans include __more unpacking___ and Sunday, I want to _unpack some more____!
Oh, P.S. Two hour time difference, it sucks. Really. A lot.
1. Give me _a bed____ and I'll sleep till noon_____.
2. Whenever _I open a box, I wonder, where will THIS go???
____.
3. I wish __I had one more book shelf___.
4. _My spinach pasta____ was the last thing I ate that was utterly delicious.
5. To live in this world _you have to make some consessions____.
6. Other than this one, __Myspecialks___ is the last blog I commented on.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to _the new Dish Network system____, tomorrow my plans include __more unpacking___ and Sunday, I want to _unpack some more____!
When life gives you lemons...
You Are a Lemon |
 You have a very distinct personality. And if you're not being sweet, you're a little hard to take. You're a bit overpowering, especially in one on one situations. And while you are very dominant, sometimes your power is needed and appreciated. You can liven up a dull situation, and you definitely bring a fresh outlook. You are a bit of an acquired taste, and you tend to grow on people over time. People feel refreshed and rejuvenated after spending time with you. |
I have my moments...
You Are Somewhat Sexy |
 While you may not be the sexiest person in the world, you have your sexy moments. You sometimes carry yourself well, and it gets you a lot of attention. You have a lot of sex appeal ... as long as you remain confident, friendly, and adventurous. The only times you seem unsexy are when you lose your confidence or sense of adventure. How You Are Sexy You are secure in social situations, and you definitely have a confident vibe. And that's very sexy. You know what (or who) you want, and you're not afraid to go get it. What could be sexier than that? How You Are Not Sexy You're not that comfortable with your body, and your lack of confidence is not sexy. It's not always about how you look... it's also about how you feel. You are hesitant and cautious in your approach to life. There's nothing sexy about being scared! |
Thursday, March 12, 2009
Thursday's Thoughts
Hello again,
Here's this week's thought:
I understand that if you are trapped on a deserted island with six other
people, it's less work to share a house, but if you are sleeping in hammocks why
would you set them up as bunk beds? - 1804 8Nov03 In reference to
Gilligan's Island
These are the kinds of things that get into my head and will not escape. I don't remember why I began to ponder this, but I do remember that it bothered me for at least a few hours before I felt the need to write it down. I make no excuses here, just present the facts.
Have a great week.
Tuesday, March 10, 2009
Jigsaw puzzles are fun...
You Are a Jigsaw Puzzle |
 You are a complex person, although at first glance you seem quite simple. Your personality is comprised of many interesting and distinct pieces. You are captivating and often visually interesting. You can be seen from many angles. |
Friday Fill-in
1. I must __visit Scotland___ before I die.
2. You can't stop _the rain____.
3. I wish I never had to buy __clothes___ again.
4. _Nothing significant____ has helped me change my life.
5. I know the song _"Rendevous with destiny"____ by heart.
6. If I weren't so afraid, I would _I don't know...I'm not really afraid enough of anything to let it stop me...____.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to Daddy time!_____, tomorrow my plans include __not much other than hanging out___ and Sunday, I want to ___go to the movies__!
Friday, March 6, 2009
Friday Fill-in
And...here we go!
1. I'm __in Georgia___, I'm _Busy____,and I __love it___.
2. Why do I have _so much stuff____ and not _a thing I can get rid of____?
3. How does this __organizing thing___ work, anyway?
4. Every morning, I put _Cream cheese____ on my __bagel___.
5. I consider myself lucky because __I have my family, and my wonderful new house___.
6. One day we’ll see _all "green" things in the house, we have an ambitious plan (more later)____.
7. And as for the weekend, tonight I'm looking forward to __resting___, tomorrow my plans include _more unpacking____ and Sunday, I want to __check out the grocery store again___!
Thursday, March 5, 2009
Hippie?
You're Not Exactly a Hippie... |
 While you're not a hippie, you've got the spirit of one. Like most hippies, you have deep beliefs and unusual interests. You may not buy into hippie fashions, music, or heavy drug use. But at heart, you are a free spirit and suspicious of the status quo. |
Thursday's Thoughts
Hello again,
This week's thought:
This week's thought:
Go then, there are other worlds than these. -Jake Chambers in The
Gunslinger
Anyone who has read or heard of Stephen King's epic tale has read this line before. The quote is part of a vast story that follows a man and a small group of friends on a journey to do the impossible. It is a trip that builds upon itself and becomes more important with every sacrifice. This quote comes at the first of these sacrifices. But it also speaks of the potential for something more something that can be reached. As this posts, my family and I will have made a journey of our own, one made more important by the sacrifices we've each made. Here's hoping we can find happiness in this new world.
Until next week, may you find happiness in your own world.
Monday, March 2, 2009
Sunday, March 1, 2009
Stabbed in the back???? UPDATE
Heads-up from BG Bob Clements, USAF Ret (P38 Bob) The following has been added to the Congressional Budget Office Web Site http://www.cbo.gov/
http://www.cbo.gov/ftpdocs/99xx/doc9925/12-18-HealthOptions.pdf
This should get you to the PDF, hold down the control button and press "F" and search for TFL which should then take you to the particular page in the proposal that pertains to us. (or, it's on page 175 if that's easier) We need to let our politicians know what we think! If we keep our mouths shut, nothing will change! I think that after all of the sacrifices my family has made, and the ultimate sacrifices of some of my close friends, they at least owe it to us to take care of our health care. This is NOT the solution we need to be looking at. Thanks for paying attention, and PASS it on!!!
http://www.cbo.gov/ftpdocs/99xx/doc9925/12-18-HealthOptions.pdf
This should get you to the PDF, hold down the control button and press "F" and search for TFL which should then take you to the particular page in the proposal that pertains to us. (or, it's on page 175 if that's easier) We need to let our politicians know what we think! If we keep our mouths shut, nothing will change! I think that after all of the sacrifices my family has made, and the ultimate sacrifices of some of my close friends, they at least owe it to us to take care of our health care. This is NOT the solution we need to be looking at. Thanks for paying attention, and PASS it on!!!
A night out with Sheila, and margaritas!
I was promised a night out, and I got one!
Sheila asked me to go out for Mexican, and then to a mystery place...all she said was that she couldn't tell me, because if I knew where we were going I'd refuse to go at all. We drove for a million miles to meet Sheila at her house (me,Jay, my Mom, and my little brother) and then drove even further to Campbellsville...where they actually serve alcohol. (Barren and Metcalfe counties are DRY) We had dinner at "Fiesta Mexico" with a side of Margaritas (I think I had about five sips, and after New Years night, that was plenty) Leave it up to my family to get tipsy and then start talking politics and religion LOUDLY in public. (giggle) But we ended up laughing our butts off, and having a good time. (Bub was DD for the night, and awesome for doing so {even though no one really got too tipsy. By the time we left they were all complaining that they couldn't feel anything anymore})
Next on the agenda was this mystery place. Terrified, I listed out loud all the places I'd never go...strip club? (knowing Sheila...) slaughter house? Bowling? Country Dance Hall? Guess which.... A place with NO alcohol, all country music, thick clouds of smoke, and old men that call you sweetheart (then laugh when you flip them off)
Yar, we went to a country dance hall. I think that we made it about an hour before Jason's headache started to KILL him (not going to embarrass my Bub with the story, it WOULD be pretty funny, but, I love him, so not going to tell...) It would have been great if the music wasn't as loud as it was....if there was no smoking....and if Ron's sister's ex-husband hadn't been the drummer (yucky, redneck, mullet wearing, furry-cowhide-boots wearing moron!) lol Everybody was laughing and (sort of) complaining about the dance hall, but when I asked the car load of people if we were not indeed laughing??? Seeing as the answer was YES, then it WAS worth it! I'd like to find a Blues club to hang out in, and that would be an ideal night out, but this is a very small-town area....
Oh, and before I go...We watched "Taken" today, and it was GOOD. Get a babysitter (or if you are lucky, you don't' HAVE to) and go see it. Lots of fighting, daddy protecting his daughter, and well, it's bloody. I loved it.
Stabbed in the back????
From:
http://soldiersmind.com/2009/01/07/proposed-tricare-cuts-could-cause-problems-for-military-families-and-retirees/
Proposed Tricare Cuts Could Cause Problems For Military Families and Retirees
January 7, 2009
It’s pretty much a given fact that the men and women serving in our country’s Armed Forces aren’t paid a whole lot. A large majority of them are living paycheck to paycheck, barely getting by. Many of our Veterans are in the same position, some even worse off, as evidenced by the numbers of homeless veterans in our country. When I read about this particular proposal to cut Tricare benefits for Military Families and Veterans I was none too happy.
A recent report from the Congressional Budget Office details just one proposal that would increase out of pocket expenses for medical care for Military Families and Veterans, while others would lose their VA benefits altogether. Other proposals would raise Tricare fees, co-payments and deductibles. Veterans whose medical condition isn’t service related could end up no longer being eligible for VA medical care at all. While nothing has been approved at this juncture, the Congressional Budget Office director at this time is President-elect Obama’s choice to be his director of the Office of Management and Budget, and who led the work on this proposal, Peter R. Orszag, so it very possibly will have a very real, very devastating affect on our Troops and our Veterans.
“We are going to go through our federal budget, as I promised during the campaign, page by page, line by line, eliminating those programs we don’t need and insisting that those that we do need operate in a sensible, cost-effective way,” Obama said in November as he announced Orszag’s nomination to join his cabinet .
“We’re also going to focus on one of the biggest, long-run challenges that our budget faces, namely the rising cost of health care in both the public and private sectors,” Obama continued. “This is not just a challenge but also an opportunity to improve the health care that Americans rely on, and to bring down the costs that taxpayers, businesses and families have to pay. That is what [OMB] will do in my administration.”
Obama added, “Peter doesn’t need a map to tell him where the bodies are buried in the federal budget. He knows what works and what doesn’t, what’s worth our precious tax dollars and what is not.”1
If you care to read the report for yourself, which details these proposals, as well as others, you can do so by following this link to the Congressional Budget Office’s website. I’ll summarize some of the proposed increases and changes and how they can and WILL affect our Military Families and our Veterans.
TRICARE for Working-Age Retirees – Fees, co-payments and deductibles would be raised for retirees under 62 to restore the relative costs paid when TRICARE began in 1995. TRICARE Prime enrollment would be raised to $550 a year for individuals from $230. Retiree families would pay $1100 versus $460 today. Co-pays for doctor visits would climb to $28 from $12 and users of TRICARE Standard and TRICARE Extra would pay an annual deductible of $350 for an individual and $700 for families. Congress has declined to support such increases for the past three years.
Fees for Active Duty Families – Dependents of active duty members enrolled in TRICARE Prime, the managed care network, would pay new fees equal to 10 percent of the cost of health services obtained either in military treatment facilities or through civilian network providers. Total out of pocket costs would be capped, however.
To help offset these costs, dependents would receive a $500 non-taxable allowance annually. Those who elect to use alternative health insurance, rather than TRICARE, could apply the $500 toward their health insurance premiums, co-payments or deductibles.
CBO estimates these fees would save $7 billion over 10 years and encourage Prime enrollees to “use medical services prudently.” It also would entice more spouses to enroll in employer-provided health plans instead of TRICARE. The downside, CBO said, would be financial difficulties for some Prime enrollees despite the cap on out-of-pocket costs. Also, CBO said, spouses induced to rely on employer health plans could see health coverage interrupted during military assignment relocations.
TRICARE-For-Life Fees – The military’s health insurance supplement to Medicare could see higher user costs. Under this option, beneficiaries would pay the first $525 of yearly medical costs plus one half of the next $4725 of costs charged to Medicare. So the extra out-of-pocket cost for TFL users would be up to $2887.50 a year. This amount would be indexed to rise with Medicare costs. The change would save $40 billion over 10 years. But CBO said it also could discourage some patients from seeking preventive care or proper management of chronic conditions. So it could negatively affect some patients’ health.
Tighten VA Enrollment – The VA healthcare system would be directed to disenroll 2.3 million Priority Groups 7 and 8 — individuals who are not poor and have no service-related medical needs. Estimated savings would be $53 billion over 10 years but Medicare spending would rise by $26 billion in the same period as elderly among these vets shifted to Medicare.
CBO said 90 percent of these vets have other health care coverage. But this change could leave up to 10 percent unable to find affordable care.2
When I read this, needless to say it angered me. Our Servicemembers and our Veterans have given so much to our country, did our country’s bidding, often at the expense of their families and often at the expense of their health. Our Servicemembers and Veterans deserve much better treatment from our country than this. Right now, this changes have not been implemented, so there’s still time to contact your elected officials and let them know how you feel about this. Military.com has a letter that you can use to send to your elected officials and let them know how you feel about this. Please do so. You can find this letter by following this link.
Our Troops, their Families and our Veterans deserve much better than this. They deserve our appreciation and our gratitude. Increasing the cost of healthcare benefits that they’ve worked so hard for is NOT the way to do so. My thoughts are that perhaps Congress should look at cutting some of the benefits and perks that they vote for themselves, instead of benefits for our Troops. Afterall, they are public servants as well and their healthcare costs, wages and benefits if cut could save our country a considerable amount of money.
This is insane. I hate going to the Dr. and you know what this means? I'll be going even less. I don't have a slot in my budget for healthcare, mainly because it WAS paid for. This insurance is a HUGE reason we have stayed in the Army. If this proposal is approved, I'm not sure WHAT we will do! I'm going to do some reasearch, and if I find out any pertinent information, I'll post it!
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