Moutains

Me - bad blogger. I am on a much needed vacation with my extended family. This is my morning view from the back porch. Have a good Friday, everyone!

Mustache 101

Anybody else hear about this thing called Google+? (Please excuse sarcastic lady voice) A friend invited me so I joined. The most awesome part I have found is the Sparks feature. I read some reviews stating they thought this was the least used feature, but for me it is the most. I have found some blogs and videos I may have never come across otherwise. Don't be surprised if you get bombed with mustache items for the next couple of days. Today it is a YouTube video called Mustache 101. I gotta 'stache and dash. See you at my next post!

If I wear a mustache, will I get an Oscar?

Great video I came acrosss searching Google+

Does Mustache = Oscar? from Eric Binmoeller on Vimeo.

Am I Ready?

To be pregnant? I had an HSG this week with hopes of no blocked fallopian tubes. I did have one blocked tube but it is on my side that my ovary was removed so this is good. My other tube is open and ready for business. According to the doctor, my next couple of months are important.  I always said I didn't want diva-child to be an only child. Starting over when diva-child is so independent is really making me question this decision. We are taking it day by day and will deal with a baby if higher powers sees fit.

I have been going through lots of changes recently, external and internal. I started taking spin classes over a month ago and I believe this is improving my physical and mental health. I am starting to see things differently. I am questioning things I never have and feelings I have closeted in the past are coming to light. I may not be the best blog writer, the best mother, the most artistic, but I AM ME. Accepting this is hard but accepting it and not working to change what you can is a tragedy.

I had a pretty awesome weekend. Friday evening spin class was cancelled so I used the time to attend a friend's Scentsy party. Saturday, I did some cleaning and went to the drive-in for the first time. Steven and I double dated with my friend Cathy and her hubby. Today, I had margaritas with another friend and we had great conversation. Overall, great couple of days.

I hope everyone has a great week and I'll be blogging something tomorrow if I get up the nerve.

S.Y.S.S. - Shake Yo Stuff Saturday

Today is house cleaning, shake your butt day. Let's JAM!

Pickles

We are attempting to make pickles from cucumbers and dill S. has been babying. If it works, I have a feeling there will be many more pickling cucumber plants in my future.

Rest in peace, sweet Sparky

Inspiration: Laundromat has never been this cool

I love reading cool blogs about all different subjects. (My Google Reader feed agrees. 421 unread entries!) They provide me with ideas, hopes and inspiration. Photographer blogs are some of my favorites. These folks capture the true emotion and joy of people unlike your standard portrait vendors in the big stores. One I particularly enjoy in Millie Holloman. I saw this session where they took photos of a young lady in a laundromat. A freakin' laundromat. And it was AWESOME! My only wish is one day to be that cool where I can photograph a place most people wouldn't and make it beautiful.

Seriously, is this not awesome and original?

I hope everyone had a wonderful Mother's Day. Let's toast to a fabulous week!

Sunrise 5/6/11

My workbound view this morning

A gift for me?

Sorry about not posting recently. I really do want to set a schedule of ideas for blog posts. I have been obsessed with clouds and I think one day might be a sky photo day. Things inspiring me, craft ideas, each day has a theme. By the end of this month, I will post a tentative schedule.

I have some ideas rolling around in my head about Mother's Day present after Steven asked me today what I may want. Here are two things I would love to have but I wouldn't ask for. Asking for a $2,000+ item for Mother's Day might give my family a good laugh.

Bernina sewing machine & Nikon D700

I hope everyone has a wonderful Friday. I have work, rehearsal dinner and most likely a movie date with Lefty to see Thor.

Life and the Pioneer Woman

These two don't actually have anything to do with each other, just two random subjects stuck together because my A.D.D. won't let me concentrate long enough to come up with something witty.

Things have been rather complicated around my house lately. Steven started having knee pain almost three weeks ago. According to him, it wasn't his "normal" gout pain. The pain was so bad, he would be breathing like he was in labor and would cry if he had to move the knee certain ways. Three doctor appointments and an MRI later, his primacy and orthopedic doctor each had a different diagnosis.  The downside of this whole situation for him is he hasn't been able to bowl. AT ALL. That and the fact we changed health insurance coverage. I stayed on the normal PPO due to my endometriosis problems. He thought it would be better for him to change to the high deductible HMO. He still has to go back to the primary and orthopedic doctor. Not looking like the best plan now.

On to the next topic. This weekend, Ree Drummond (The Pioneer Woman) is coming to my town for a presentation and book signing. I have Ree's cookbook ready and I will have my camera with me also in hope that I can snap a quick picture. Remember my post about being famous? Maybe I am getting  closer. What famous person can I meet next? Any ideas from my three or four readers? I already have my Keith Urban concert tickets for August. If somebody could hook a girl up with a chance for a photo with him, I would be in heaven. Jennifer, the next big plus size celebrity. I have no acting skills, no speaking skills. I am a mediocre cook. I am hella clumsy and seem to be emotionally stunted. Can you be famous for being an epic fail? Oh yeah, Charlie Sheen and Lindsay Lohan.

I heart you peeps who read my musings, Ambien rants and raves I may not remember the next day. My Zyrtec-Ambien combo is starting to take it toll so I am ending this post now.  See y'all later!

Biltmore Estate in Asheville

Last weekend, my best friend and I decided to take advantage of a long weekend and discounted Biltmore prices to go visit America's largest home. My mom and our daughters went with us. I wish I could have taken pictures of the inside, but it isn't allowed. During the time period Biltmore was built, the level of extravagance is something that was unheard of and I tried explaining that to diva-child. I think the girls might not have appreciated the experience, but I loved it. Us adults loved it so much we upgraded out tickets to twelve month passes. I look forward to visiting the week of my birthday during the Festival of Flowers and also during the Candlelight Christmas Evening season. And the free wine tasting at the Winery. And a specialty tour. So many experiences, hopefully I will have enough time to do it all.

One of the highlights of our trip was when I pulled out two clay mustaches from my camera bag for us to wear when they take your portrait inside. The photographer mentioned he wish he had one. Sorry Mr. Photographer, I didn't even have enough for us or I may have given you one. There is always next time when I will be more prepared with mustaches for all. Okay, not all because I am not making hundreds of mustaches but at least one for Mr. Photographer and one for each of us in the picture.

I'll quit rambling for know. Enjoy a slideshow of some of my pictures. A professional I am not, but I enjoy taking photos.

I love you and you too

I am stuck at home sick today. My hormones are off the charts. I may still have a bit of stomach virus. What a Valentine's Day. Despite all of this, I am still thankful. 

I love what everyone brings into my life. Good or bad, each person has taught me a lesson about different things in my life that I might not have learned otherwise. My wonderful husband who is understanding about my struggle with endometriosis and the possibility we may not be able to expand our family with another biological child. My diva-child daughter who is attempting to teach me patience and many other things. My parents and their many life lessons. My best friend since middle school who despite our many differences, find common ground and has not abandoned me when life circumstances may have prevented our friendship. My family and network of friends, you are a support system to me of which you can never imagine.

I love you all. Today, I even love butterflies. Not really, but I will pretend.

I’m almost famous

3/9/11 EDITED: I don't know why this changed. I was looking at the post but didn't change anything. YIKES!

Yes, you read that right. I am declaring it. I am one step away from being the next big plus-size phenom.
Back in December, I mentioned that I volunteered at a local build for the show Extreme Makeover Home Edition. During the week the building and taping was going on, a bunch of stuff happened.
Met Michael Moloney and got his autograph.
Got Ty Pennington’s autograph

Volunteered and did all kinds of work.

I attended the reveal where my mom, cousin-in-law and I were standing right behind the designers.

You might have seen my arm on the show. MY ARM ON A SHOW BROADCAST ALL ACROSS AMERICA.


Guess what, folks? There is more to add to my celebrity status. I am now being followed. Not by just anyone, but by David f'in Hasselhoff. On Twitter. The man I have made fun on for his crazy "Jump In My Car" video. 
Now the next step in my evil plan is to get Kanye to follow me on Twitter. Okay, that won’t happen but still. I AM LIKE LESS THAN ONE DEGREE FROM FAME . MUAHMUAHMUAHMUAH

Lupron and taxes

I had my second Lupron shot of this six-month treatment period last month. I still have some of the pain that I had prior to the shots but nowhere near the level I had previously. Endometriosis is one of those diseases I think is misunderstood by people. It affects you physically and emotionally.

I was all prepared to write more than this. EDITED ** I had to cut this part out. Steven asked*** I'll have my Ambien and a White Russian now. In an attempt to cheer me up some, I'll add a picture from our trip to feed the ducks on Sunday when diva-child was trying to scare off the gulls.

Old Person Driving

Tomorrow, I am taking a defensive driver course. Of course when I told people this, they thought I must have done something wrong. No DUI's or tickets here. I just want the discount I'll get from State Farm.

Today, I called my insurance agent to verify I didn't need to RSVP. During the conversation, he mentioned they will take checks for the $14 class fee and to make the check out to AARP. AARP? What am I getting myself into?

I didn't even think to ask if the class was at their agent's office. My friend (who used to work there) called for me. The class is being held at the senior center of the small town where my agent is located. THE SENIOR CENTER.  Can this get any worse? I may need a drink tomorrow afternoon while my class counterparts are eating their early bird senior citizen dinner at 4:00.

Hibernation requires an iPod?

I was going through diva-child's papers from today and found this.

For anyone who can't read the picture, it says:

If i had to hibernate, I would need my mom's ipod, my tent, food, mom, dad, toys, DSIxl, and my desk.

My iPod comes before a place to sleep and food. This girl cracks me up.

Bowling brackets

Here is where I write the post none of my friends care about, but I need to do it just in case some is using Google for information and may happen upon my blog.

I guess I can call myself the bracket manager for the local bowling association's tournaments. The current software program we use to manage the brackets is TBrac version ANCIENT.We had a major problem in a tournament where it would only take so many names. THe problem was the software could only hold so many entries per tournament. It was at the end and our fix was to set up another tournament with just those folks. We DON'T WANT that to happen again.

Some of my current options are:

• TBrac-2006 The good thing about this one is we have used an older version and hope it would be easier to learn. Bad for this is still has limits on entries.
• Braxion 2009 This one is very appealing: unlimited bracket capacitiy, "All Brackets" calculator, report you can use for accounting. The "All Brackets' calculator would be awesome.
• Perfect Brackets  Like the sponsporing of entrants, up to 2000 entrants
• BowlingBrackets bunch of stuff to look over, different pricing depending on bracket needs
• Ebonite Bracket Coordinator no pricing on website

I will evaluate what info I printed from each. I may end up e-mailing their support people with questions of unadressed issues. PLEASE bowling bracket software gods. Let someone with some knowledge on this find my blog and offer me some assistance. If any of you important folks who make the above products want to send me a free copy of any of these to try, I would be more than willing to test them. I can even attempt to write a review.

Nonsense that may help Googlers find me: scratch, handicap, bowlers per tournament, sponsoring of entrants, all brackets, total winnings, yo mama, minimize duplicates, why did i agree to help with brackets, optimized brackets, please don't ever learn this stuff so you get roped into doing brackets for every tournament

Okay, my 2 readers. Maybe 3 now with Susan. Here is where I need your help. Go forth onto the world and pray that I don't rip myr hair out or tell off some angry man when he makes her cry. That last part did almost happen, except another bowler told the dude off for me.

I am checking out for the night but I gotta leave you with a picture of someone special to me, Carlos Ray Norris.

Chuck Norris, you suckers! Be glad he allows you to live every day. 

Showing some Glee love

Testing of the new blog layout was craptastic so until I can get it perfect, old blog template still up.

I saw this video and didn't want to share directly on facebook since I do have kiddies on there and this contains a couple of bad words. I LOVE IT!

Nuthin' But A Glee Thang with Heather Morris, Matthew Morrison & Sofia Vergara from Heather Morris

Changing my layout

I am going to change my layout of my blog. So my whole two followers, if you happen to check and things look crazy, just know I am still working on it. I am adding a pic that has nothing to do with this but a flashback for me.

Gifted

My diva-child apparently not only has a smart mouth, but a smart mind also. We received a letter today from her school. She is being considered for our county's gifted education program. I think I might cry every time I look at the letter. I am so proud of her. She is a blessing that is constantly teaching me about love, patience and forgiveness. What else can I say but I love her dearly.

New Car

I got a new baby, a 2011 Nissan Versa. It had 12 miles on it when we bought it. It is so cute and I do love it. Hatchbacks have always been a favorite of mine.