Drops of Jupiter

New Year at Biltmore

2012-01-01T19:59:00.001-05:00

My mom and I decided yesterday to make a trip to Biltmore in hopes of seeing the Christmas decorations. We missed Candlelight Evenings by one night but it didn't matter. Everything was still beautiful. You can't take photos inside the House so this photo is all you get to document our tour.

Moutains

2011-11-04T08:53:00.001-04:00

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

2011-07-12T21:05:00.001-04:00

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?

2011-07-11T20:57:00.000-04:00

Great video I came acrosss searching Google+

Does Mustache = Oscar? from Eric Binmoeller on Vimeo.

Am I Ready?

2011-06-05T23:09:00.001-04:00

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

2011-06-04T14:49:00.000-04:00

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

Pickles

2011-05-18T23:46:00.000-04:00

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

2011-05-16T21:46:00.000-04:00

Inspiration: Laundromat has never been this cool

2011-05-09T00:12:00.000-04:00

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

2011-05-06T08:09:00.001-04:00

My workbound view this morning

A gift for me?

2011-05-05T23:59:00.001-04:00

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

2011-03-09T22:33:00.000-05:00

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

2011-02-26T19:39:00.000-05:00

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

2011-02-14T16:37:00.000-05:00

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

2011-02-10T21:58:00.000-05:00

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

2011-02-08T22:39:00.001-05:00

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

2011-01-28T22:07:00.000-05:00

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?

2011-01-25T23:49:00.000-05:00

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

2011-01-13T23:18:00.002-05:00

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

2011-01-11T23:09:00.000-05:00

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

2011-01-09T01:08:00.000-05:00

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

2011-01-04T21:20:00.000-05:00

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

2011-01-02T01:05:00.000-05:00

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.

Christmas came and went

2010-12-27T21:42:00.001-05:00

You: possible readers, me: bad blogger who hasn't updated. The holidays are always hectic and Christmas passed so fast. Let me go over things that have happened:

New fridge in kitchen, other one kicked the bucket
Refinished kitchen ceiling, no more popcorn
Volunteering with Extreme Makeover: Home Edition and attending the reveal
Christmas shopping and parties
New over-the-range microwave installed
Making and baking goodies for gifts and parties
Running between families on Christmas Eve
Toy package explosion in my house

I know I still have New Year's before the holiday season is over but I feel a major stress relief once Christmas has passed. Yes, I enjoy spending time with family. I wish it didn't take a major holiday to get everyone together.

Family photos tomorrow

2010-11-23T23:26:00.000-05:00

My workplace recently had a silent auction as a fundraiser as part of its annual charitable contributions campaign. Guess who won a photo session and a 20x24 canvas ? Me, of course! I spent the last hour of the auction in a bid war with someone.

I have been stressing over what to wear. Steven wanted to do dressy. I insisted that we were casual folks. When I made the appointment, I asked if we could do both and they agreed. As of tonight, I still don't know what shirts Steven will wear tomorrow. At least Audrey and I will coordinate. I forgot to make an appointment to get my hair done but someone is coming to my house to do my make-up. I am super excited!

Intimidation

2010-11-12T23:03:00.000-05:00

Do you ever tell yourself you aren't good enough? That nothing you do will ever be right? I feel this way more than I care to admit, especially when it comes to new situations. My best friend recently described me as outgoing and that really surprised me. I never would consider myself in that way.

What does any of this stuff have to do with intimidation? I felt intimidated tonight for probably no reason at all. This was brought on by looking at a website. Yes, a website. I think most people are familiar with the show "Extreme Home Makeover". The show is coming to my town to build a home. This is something I would love to volunteer for. I was looking at the design needs list and volunteer application when I could feel the self-doubt building up in my system. I have performance anxiety over something I haven't even signed up for, the uneasy feeling telling me I wouldn't be good enough at anything to be of help. Does this sound like someone outgoing?

I have been a fan of Ty Pennington since he was on "Trading Spaces" what seemed like ages ago. Maybe before the weekend is done, I might actually get the nerve to complete a volunteer application for the show, not just stare at it. The thought of possibly being near Ty may help.

Birthday party

2010-11-07T09:43:00.000-05:00

This week, my baby who is the most diva-licious turned seven. Today, we are having her birthday party. This is one of the first times we have invited anyone other than close friends and family. My kitchen has been jacked up. I didn't have running water in my kitchen until yesterday. So I have been cleaning up like crazy. I only hope people don't inspect my house. I am one of those folks who would rather spend my life enjoying it, not cleaning all the time.

If I survive today, I may need a week off to recover.

I have counters, but......

2010-11-05T10:30:00.000-04:00

I have no water in my kitchen. My new counters made it in but I cannot say it was easy. The installers came and couldn't do it because our cabinets weren't level. I am thankful we have friends with all kind of skills because one of them came out and leveled the counters for us. The next day, the installer called and asked could they come. OF COURSE! My new counters look so nice but the rest of my kitchen is another story. We had to let the new sink set for 24 hours before hooking water back up. That was yesterday. Water should be hooked back up today. Washing what dishes we use in the bathtub is no fun. NOPE, NOT FUN.

Steven is supposed to put up the backer board for the glass tiles this afternoon. Did I mention my daughter's birthday party is this Sunday? And I am still putting the contents of my cabinets back in? My to-do list keep getting longer and longer.

Kitchen in process

2010-11-02T10:06:00.000-04:00

I am in the middle of remodeling my kitchen. After living in my house for twelve years,it is about time. Sunday, we had a friend at our house helping with removing old countertops and moving appliances. When our friend unplugged the range, electricity shot out the plug.

Luckily, he wasn't injured. We had to call another friend to check out the receptacle. There were loose metal wires bouncing around in it. The person who installed the plug receptacle is here now. They said it was faulty. Thanks DUDE. You installed it, you fix it.

Soon, the installers will be here putting in my new countertops. YAY for a somwhat updated kitchen!

Britney music on Glee, Can you feel my excitement?

2010-09-28T19:43:00.000-04:00

When tonight's Glee episode comes on, I will be watching because I almost hate to admit this. I am a fan of Britney Spears' music. I wonder how much the other cast members other than Heather Morris (Brittany) will be dancing. She used to be a back up dancer for Beyonce and the girl can definitely get her groove on.

No witty stuff here

2010-09-23T22:32:00.000-04:00

I have been sick for over four weeks. I have been to the doctor two times during the time and received an antibiotic and other medicine each time. Today, it was time to call the doctor back. I finished the second round of antibiotics and another decongestant. Yet, I am still coughing and congested. My doctor finally called me back and we talked about what was going on. He then said I had chronic bronchitis. I don't know why he couldn't figure this out two weeks ago when I was there. Guess what? More medicine. I am hopeful this will finally help me get over this crud.

I haven't been in a picture taking mood since I have been sick. Let's be honest. I haven't been in the mood to do much at all. This weekend, I will attempt to break out of my fear of new experiences and interacting with new people by attending a photography meet. Wish me luck that my anxiety doesn't get the best of me.

And so you don't think my Carlos R. Norris love from last week was a fleeting interest, enjoy the Chuck below.

Sick and still showing Carlos R. Norris love

2010-09-17T23:20:00.006-04:00

I hate sinus problems and I hate my sinus cavities. I hate sinusitis. I hate anything involving sinuses right now. Steven knew this today while we were working and he sent me this this article referencing Carlos R. Norris thinking it might make me laugh. This hockey dude has the right idea. Wearing Carlos R. Norris on your head is like it being surrounded by the strongest force field ever times infinity.

Don't know who Carlos R. Norris is? You can read up on this wonderful man here or his Wikipedia entry. I prefer you read the first one because a lot of hard work went into it. Wikipedia is just a bunch of random people adding crap therefore not as great.

What does this picture have to do with all this? NOT A THING! But if you haven't seen this face from my daughter, you haven't seen her true diva attitude.

GOOD NIGHT, FOLKS! I am ambiened up and anxiously awaiting the sleep that follows.

Break for a day

2010-09-16T22:28:00.001-04:00

I was all prepared to type up another Chuck Norris entry but then life happens. I just need to take a break for the day since it doesn't seem right to do this today.

So this is all you get today. For much more Chuck fun, read yesterday's post.

Carlos R. "Chuck" Norris facts Wikipedia

2010-09-15T20:19:00.003-04:00

Okay, I have to admit I am up to no good tonight. I recently started reading Aunt Becky's blog and she is freakin' HILARIOUS. She went on a John Mayer rant a couple of days ago and found herself unintentionally moving up the Google search results list thanks to the wonders of SEO. Don't ask me about this junk because I have no intention of trying to explain it. Today her blog followers, known as pranksters, were challenged. Choose someone to talk about and catapult your entry to the front page of Google Search. So that is why you will be reading an entry about the infamous Chuck Norris.

I have somewhat of an obsession with Chuck Norris facts. Tonight before taking on this mighty Google quest, I did a search for Chuck. The first page that came up was this Wikipedia page for Chuck Norris facts. I clicked and was really mad to see there were only a few of the facts listed on the page. Yes, I do live in reality and know these "facts" are not true. But why not include more of the facts on the page? Instead of trying to improve the Wikipedia entry, I will just add some to my blog entry. Wikipedia has plenty of people that can change their page and I have better ways to spend my time. Like doing some housework and going into Lupron-induced tirades. Here commences the fun.

Chuck Norris will never have a heart attack. His heart isn't nearly foolish enough to attack him.
Chuck Norris does not wear a condom. Because there is no such thing as protection from Chuck Norris.
Chuck Norris can set ants on fire with a magnifying glass. At night.
When Chuck Norris crosses the street, the cars have to look both ways.
When the boogeyman goes to sleep, he checks his closet for Chuck Norris.
The grass is always greener on the other side, unless Chuck Norris has been there. In that case the grass is most likely soaked in blood and tears.
Chuck Norris' tears cure cancer. Too bad he has never cried.
Chuck Norris does not hunt because the word hunting infers the probability of failure. Chuck Norris goes killing.
If you can see Chuck Norris, he can see you. If you can't see Chuck Norris you may be only seconds away from death.
Chuck Norris sold his soul to the devil for his rugged good looks and unparalleled martial arts ability. Shortly after the transaction was finalized, Chuck roundhouse kicked the devil in the face and took his soul back. The devil, who appreciates irony, couldn't stay mad and admitted he should have seen it coming. They now play poker every second Wednesday of the month.
If you have five dollars and Chuck Norris has five dollars, Chuck Norris has more money than you.
Chuck Norris sent Jesus a birthday card on December 25th and it wasn't Jesus’ birthday. Jesus was to scared to correct Chuck Norris and to this day December 25th is known as Jesus' birthday.
Filming on location for Walker: Texas Ranger, Chuck Norris brought a stillborn baby lamb back to life by giving it a prolonged beard rub. Shortly after the farm animal sprang back to life and a crowd had gathered, Chuck Norris roundhouse kicked the animal, breaking its neck, to remind the crew once more that Chuck giveth, and the good Chuck, he taketh away.
Chuck Norris destroyed the periodic table, because he only recognizes the element of surprise.

Considered yourself enlightened by the knowledge of the power of Chuck Norris and pray that he lets you live another day.

Release and Torch

2010-09-12T23:00:00.003-04:00

Back around Earth Day, my county government was having a butterfly release along with other Earth Day events. My family kept talking about it. I finally came up with a solution. I told them I was going to torch the butterflies. Yep, you read that right.

Here was my plan. Buy some hairspray and get a lighter. Wait for the release. Time for death and destruction. Burning butterflies fluttering through the air? AWESOME!

Oh yeah, don't hate my genius art skills.I went to a fine arts school. Don't question my expertise.

So, everyone thought I was insane. Until the day we brought our truck. We were at the car dealership during the time of the butterfly release when my husband mentioned it. The sales guy and finance guy were apologetic. I told them of my plan to torch the flying demons, watch their burning wings attempting to fly. They both looked at my strange. Then, the finance dude said, "Yeah, that would be kinda awesome." I could have hugged him. He really understood me. Not really, but at least he saw the potential beauty of the flames.

Butterflies

2010-09-12T12:51:00.002-04:00

I went to Aiken's Makin today and saw this one vendor I really had a problem with. I think this picture speaks for itself. See me in the left corner?

The End of a Friendship?

2010-09-05T13:40:00.010-04:00

"Have ... have any of you ... lost that one friend ... that person who you thought will ALWAYS be there. Who said they would always be there, but, then, they got tired of you, or fed up with you, or just stopped caring about you, and they just left? After promising you they would never leave they break that promise? You have other friends, people who are your best friends, but that person just meant something to you, something really special, and while those other best friends of yours are people who you would die for in a minute, and they are still there and you know they always will be, you just feel .. empty because they take that specialness away because they just don't care anymore. They accuse their leaving of being your fault. They say it's because you stopped caring. Because you pushed them away farther then they could take. Because you just weren't good enough. Because you just didn't try hard enough. They say that if you care, that if you didn't push them away, that if you were good enough, that if you tried harder, then they would still be there. But, what I don't understand is why they can't understand that the only reason I push someone away was because I loved them so much, and that they meant so much to me, and that I got scared. I was frightened that they would take that love away. And I was right. They did. Why can't they understand?" - Jacqueline Kelly

I don't believe I pushed away. I chose to help a dying friend. I am at a loss for words of my own right now. This was the closest I could come to expressing how I feel.

My grandmother

2010-08-18T20:58:00.004-04:00

Many people who know me might not realize my grandmother has schizophrenia. She comes up with some weird ideas she truly sees as real in her eyes even though you know they aren't true. The bad thing is you can argue the validity of your point all day long and it won't make a difference. I believe this is a highly misunderstood disease, even to me.

It can be difficult to know how to respond to someone with schizophrenia who makes strange or clearly false statements. Remember that these beliefs or hallucinations seem very real to the person. It is not helpful to say they are wrong or imaginary. But going along with the delusions is not helpful, either. Instead, calmly say that you see things differently. Tell them that you acknowledge that everyone has the right to see things his or her own way. In addition, it is important to understand that schizophrenia is a biological illness. Being respectful, supportive, and kind without tolerating dangerous or inappropriate behavior is the best way to approach people with this disorder.
-How you can help a person with schizophrenia from the NIMH website

I know I probably shouldn't but I find myself highly amused yet aggravated at times with some of the things she says and believes. I hope my mom doesn't mind me posting these "Granny-isms". Most of them revolve around my grandfather James who passed away fifteen years ago. The ones in quotation marks are her actual words.

Well, the strangest one is she believes my grandfather is still alive. She has fought with my mom about it.
We stopped to get her a caramel Frappé after an appointment today. "I sure wish James could have come with us. He would have liked some coffee."
"I saw some pears in the cabinet. I want you to serve me and your dad some with dinner." This was directed at my mom one night.
My grandfather recently bought her a car, specifically my car. My mom hasn't heard enough about that so make sure you mention the PF Cruiser (not PT) to her.
We lost our family place at the lake because the town flooded. DIDN'T HAPPEN
My grandfather is coming home every night and almost every day. My grandmother barely sleeps for going to look for him out the door. This has been one of the major issues for my mom.

I could bore everyone death with this stuff, but I won't. I applaud my mother for her patience in dealing with my grandmother. I only worry about her health as I know this is a big strain. Mom, don't worry. Maybe I will get some patience of my own so you won't end up at a nursing home.

Purse Love

2010-08-07T22:46:00.001-04:00

Here I am, home on a Saturday night blogging from a new app on my cell phone. I am currently taking a break from doing something long overdue, cleaning out my purse collection. Purses have been a love of mine for years. Yes, I may buy purses some consider expensive but they stay with me for a long time. My first love is in the picture and has been with me since probably ninth grade. It was many of Liz Claiborne's. I may get rid of other purses, but I don't think I can part with my first love.

Published with Blogger-droid v1.4.9

New Blessing

2010-08-02T21:48:00.002-04:00

Diva-child and her newest cousin born today

Homemade Ice Cream

2010-07-29T11:59:00.003-04:00

I am at home today sick. I wasn't hungry until I read this deliciousness of a blog entry. I curse and praise Amanda in the same sentence. Here I am, feeling awful yet I find myself craving ice cream so bad. Krispy Kreme ice cream, I may want to marry you. Cinnamon Bun, YES PLEASE!

If anyone feels sorry for me, you know what would make me feel better? I'll be patiently waiting for the ingredients after I make an attempt to get out of bed.

Gin and Berries

2010-07-22T23:34:00.003-04:00

Audrey and I had an interesting conversation at the store tonight.

Her: Momma, we need to get some of that stuff.
Me: What stuff?
Her: Jen and Barry's.
Me: HUH?
Her: Jen and Barry's.
Me: Gin and berries?? Where in the world did you hear about this?
Her: You know, the ice cream. JEN & BARRY'S.

I couldn't stop laughing when I realized she wanted some Ben & Jerry's ice cream. She knew she hadn't said it correct when I was laughing and wouldn't repeat it for Steven.

Myrtle Beach

2010-07-15T15:06:00.002-04:00

We are at Myrtle Beach this week on family vacation with Steven's family. I am surprised at how quick nineteen of us can be seated and fed at restaurants. We are taking a little break from the beach right now to shower and get ready for seafood dinner buffet.

Lax again

2010-05-17T22:52:00.004-04:00

Once again, I have been lax about blogging. What is getting me back again? My best friend just started her own blog. I can't have her out-performing me! That, of course, is a joke because she seems to excel at everything she does while I cannot say the same.

I have been in a funk recently. I am having a pelvic laparoscopy on Wednesday. I have been having pelvic pain on my ovary-less side. The doctor said could be endometriosis. The only way to find out is to get inside and check it out. If he finds anything while performing the procedure, he will either laser or cut it off. Sounds like fun, right? Don't be too jealous, ya'll.

I hope everyone has a great day tomorrow. I'll be attending diva-child's kindergarten graduation.

May-May

2010-03-16T21:04:00.005-04:00

One of my oldest friends (we'll just call her May-May) is coming to town for a couple of days. When I say we grew up together, this is not an understatement. Our mothers have been friends since before we were born. She and her sister are the ones responsible for giving me the nickname Jupiter many years ago. Over time, it has been shortened to Jup. We know some of each other's most kept secrets and would never dare to tell.

May-May moved away a couple of years ago to live with her father and help him with her ailing grandfather. I miss being able to spend as much time with her as I used to, especially now that she has a little baby of her own. I hate that I feel like we have inevitably grown apart. Even though we are not as close as we used to be, I still love her dearly. She is truly like a sister to me. I hope she reads this when it posts to my facebook page. I love ya, girl!

The autograph book made it home

2010-03-08T14:36:00.005-05:00

My last blog entry talked about the loss of the autograph book at Disney. I finally received their direct phone number from an online form submitted on their website. It took nine days for Guest Communications to respond. This was quicker than the fourteen to twenty-one days their automated e-mail had originally suggested so I was happy. I called the same evening and a nice lady answered the phone. I proceeded to tell her my story and all the details about the book. I held for a few minutes while she looked. Thankfully, it was turned in at their Lost & Found. I almost cried when she told me they had it and would mail it to me. We received it and the special pen we bought was still attached on the book's pen loop. Two thumbs up for the magic of Walt Disney World!

Walt Disney World

2010-02-16T22:30:00.003-05:00

My family got home tonight from a trip to Disney World. We left last Thursday afternoon and spent four action-filled days at the parks. We had a great time. I am upset though. Some time in our last afternoon, we lost Audrey's autograph book where we collected the signatures of bunches of characters. I am going to attempt to contact Guest Services tomorrow and hopefully locate it. If we can't locate it, Audrey is going to be very upset. At least I have pictures to document the experience. PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE SOMEONE NICE OUT THERE, TURN IN THE AUTOGRAPH BOOK TO LOST AND FOUND! I feel like such an awful mom. I am making myself sick worrying about this.

Bed

2010-01-21T21:10:00.003-05:00

We are in the process of building diva-child a bed. Recently I discovered the Knock-Off Wood website and now I have lots of future projects. The blog owner Ana is a rockin' lady who admits to being obsessed with furniture. She looks to Pottery Barn and such places at their expensive items then designs a plan to build similar pieces. This is the bed we are building. I hope we are going to finish this weekend. I'll post pics when we're done. Have a great weekend, ya'll!

Lazy Saturday morning

2010-01-16T09:37:00.002-05:00

This morning, I wanted to sleep more but someone else had other plans. She turned on the living room tv and ate chips for breakfast. You know you have done it at least once. Don't hate a girl for wanting more sleep!

Bad Blogger

2010-01-07T23:31:00.002-05:00

So I just haven't been in a blogging mood. I hope the funk is lifting. At my house, we settled with the D.O.T.. Christmas came and went. I bought a new Nikon D5000, which I think will take me forever to learn. I promise to start typing more now that my attitude seems to be improving. Have a great Friday everyone!

Pictures

2009-11-04T08:47:00.003-05:00

I just realized I didn't blog last night so here is my quick post I had in my mind. With digital cameras all around, most people snap pictures but do not print the majority of them. I am going to make myself go through my pictures from this year and start printing some. By the end of the year, I hope to have at least one hundred together to put in an album. I also would like to print some of my favorites in a bigger size to hang in my house. But for now, I will be happy if I can meet the goal of one hundred pictures for an album. HAPPY HUMP DAY!

Lazy Girl

2009-11-02T21:53:00.007-05:00

Yes, I have been lazy about blogging recently. I just haven't been in the mood for it. Well, I haven't had a great attitude at all. I figure I need to start improving my mood and start writing here again.

We did have a pretty major change in my family since I last posted. We now have a kitty. She showed up around my mom's house but she couldn't keep her. Her dog thought the kitty was a toy. Mom contacted a local rescue agency but they didn't have any space. So they said we could foster the kitty through them. This way, we can get the shots and spay for seventy-five dollars. Much to diva-child's dismay, the kitty has attached itself to Steven.

This is what I see almost every night. Kitty on Steven, girlie right beside them since she wants to be around kitty.

I think that is enough for one night. If I write everything I thought about now, you would be lost because my brain can't stay in one place for very long. Have a good week, everyone.

Show and Tell: Our Visit to the Aqueduct Park

2009-09-30T22:29:00.012-04:00

This past Sunday, the weather here was beautiful. I wanted to go do something outside. My first thought was to walk along the canal, but then I remembered the Aqueduct Park. I grabbed my camera then headed to pick up Mom and baby girl.

I was worried at first about walking along the rocks, but I was equipped with new water shoes. Audrey kept saying we were going on an adventure. Well, we were hopping from rock to rock over water and there were lots of trees around. We had a great time. We probably spent about 2 hours there. Funny how you can overlook the beauty of things in your town just because they aren't out in plain view.

I took lots of pictures. I was trying to capture the motion of the water and I think I did a decent job, considering I use a point-and-shoot.

Be sure to visit the Stirrup Queen to see what other stories people have to tell.

This weekend, we will be finished with our year long stint as a flower girl. Then, I have to decide about a sixth birthday party. And find a Georgia Bulldogs cheerleader dress for Halloween. And not stress out totally over the house and D.O.T. stuff that I don't even want to deal with but don't have much choice.

Have a great remainder of the week, ya'll.

Missy Prissy

2009-09-17T21:25:00.005-04:00

Tonight, Diva-Child put on a flower girl headpiece from the last wedding she was in, but she put it on backward. She said her name was Missy Prissy, but you had to say it like "miss-ay priss-ay". She also kept referring to herself in the third person. "Missy Prissy always wears her headband the wrong way." The songs I heard about Missy Prissy had me laughing so much. This girl has quite a personality.

Good Judy

2009-09-17T17:53:00.004-04:00

I have been admiring some of the perfumes made by Good Judy for a couple of months. I never could make up my mind which scents I wanted. There were so many to choose from.

I finally narrowed down my top three wanted scents.

Atole - This caught my attention because of the vanilla, milk and pineapple. Cinnamon could be a possible killer of this for me.
Midnight Rendezvous - Midnight air, evening primrose, night phlox and amber will hopefully work for me.
Negligee - How can the foody scent lover in me not order this? Coconut, strawberry, vanilla, and butter cream. This screams ME!!

I'll be testing these later. If these are winners, you will be sniffing my greatness for the next couple of days.

Our day at the Braves game

2009-09-07T00:56:00.010-04:00

Yesterday, my sinus problems were better. I decided to go to the Braves game with my hubby, daughter and nephew. We had a fun time. My daughter and nephew had never been to the game before. It was an exiting game. Not to clog up my post with boring baseball talk, click the link below to see the Atlanta Journal Constitution's picture highlights. They even have some of the outfielders colliding trying to catch a flyball.

Gallery MLB Photos: Bark in the Park ajc.com
Posted using ShareThis

On the way to Atlanta, diva-child had nothing to do. I let her hold the camera and take some pictures. You would not believe the amount of pictures I had to delete: her shoes, her goodies Gigi sent with her, juice boxes, her legs. She did snap a few funny pictures of herself I didn't post in my facebook album. If you are reading this, these pics are exclusive to the blog.

Old Friends

2009-09-06T00:03:00.004-04:00

My sister-in-law, mom and I met up with some friends of ours that I haven't seen for a LONG time. You don't realize how much you miss someone until you see them and could spend hours catching up. It almost felt like we have never been apart and just picked back up where we left off.

Not much time tonight for long post. I am going to the Braves game tomorrow. Have a great Sunday, my one blog follower.

They Might Be Giants

2009-09-04T23:06:00.007-04:00

I want to go see the group They Might Be Giants in concert. They are having two concerts at the North Carolina Museum of Art this month, one for kids and another one for adults. I want to go to the kids show.

When diva-child was two years old, I heard about a DVD called "Here Comes the ABCs" released by They Might Be Giants. In an effort to find cool kids music I didn't mind listening to a lot, I went to Borders and purchased it. I quickly fell in love with the cool songs. I even found myself singing the songs at work. I still sing them though we have not watched the DVD for a couple of years.

This video isn't my favorite one, but it is a close second. I hope you enjoy it.

Stupid weather changes

2009-09-03T22:24:00.004-04:00

Just like the change of every season, my sinuses are inflamed and stuffy. I tried a sinus rinse for the first time tonight in an effort to avert a sinus infection. I don't know if the rinse or the nasal spray is helping but I am happy for relief.

I made some changes to the background of the blog. I have an idea in my head for something else but this will work for the time being.

We still have to decide whether we are going to the lake. What are your plans for Labor Day?

Pic of the day:

April 2009 - Tybee Island, Georgia

GIRLS NIGHT

2009-08-29T19:53:00.003-04:00

After an exhausting day, I am going out tonight with some girlfriends. YEAH!

Shower prep

2009-08-28T23:22:00.002-04:00

Tonight I spent the evening at my cousin's house making food for the bridal shower tomorrow. I hope everything goes okay since me and my cousins are giving the shower. I don't have much else to say tonight. I am really tired and hope to actually get some sleep tonight. I hope everyone has a great weekend. I promise I will post some pics tomorrow.

Doctor

2009-08-27T23:13:00.003-04:00

My doctor gave me some news about the back and hip pain. Sciatica! I will look back and see who had suggested that. I also have a bladder infection.

Not much input tonight. Shower planning, 3-way call with my favorite cousins, dinner prep, pharmacy trip. Now my new medicines are starting to make me sleepy. YES!!! If I don't pass out soon, I will post a couple of pics that I said I would last night.

New Camera

2009-08-25T13:19:00.004-04:00

I thought my hubby was serious recently when he told me I could get a new camera if I could sell mine. Guess what? I tried talking to him more about it last night and he said we didn't have the cash for it. I knew this. I really want a DSLR. I just figured I would use the credit card for it when I know I shouldn't. When we hear something back from the D.O.T. about our counter-offer, maybe then will my camera wishes be quelled with something special.

Any of my friends can vouch for the fact I love taking pictures. I don't have any desire to be a professional. I only want to take better pictures for myself. Not that my current camera is bad. I currently have a Canon Powershot SX10oIS. I have taken some great pictures with it. I'll post some later.

Just to pacify the camera enthusiast in me, please let me know what kind of camera you like to take pictures with.

Back and Hip Pain

2009-08-24T22:55:00.003-04:00

Tonight, I am sitting here on my living room floor in pain. My lower back seems to ache a lot and my hip is the worst tonight. It feels like someone is trying to twist my hip joint and pain will shoot down to my knee. I have been blaming the back pain on the endometriosis even though I don't know for sure that is the cause. Since I am getting some new visitors (Hi ICLW'ers), I thought now would be a good time to pose a question to anyone else who might have endometriosis. Is it normal to have lower back pain all throughout the month, not just before/during your period?

I do have an appointment with my PCP this Friday and I am going to ask him about the hip pain for sure. I don't want to sound like a big cry baby who whines all the time and wants prescriptions for this and that. I just want to feel normal and go maybe a couple of days without pain. I probably need to contact the GYN also. I passed the pregnancy "deadline" he gave me. I need to see him anyway.

25 Random Facts About Me

2009-08-23T15:50:00.002-04:00

For those of you reading this on my facebook, I have posted these before. I am trying to introduce myself to new people reading my blog.

1. I obsess for days over what to write on this blog.
2. I swore I would never date my husband.
3. I read the perezhilton website daily. I love celebrity gossip.
4. Spelling errors irritate me, especially when I type in a hurry and make one myself.
5. I have ADD. I also have OCD.
6. I had dreams about making out with Vin Diesel when I was pregnant.
7. I don't like the Andy Griffith show. I cannot stand to hear the theme song.
8. I don't like the bands Nickelback or Creed. "Don't like" is a nice statement for how I feel about their music. I heard Kidcratic refer to these bands as "Nickelcreedback" and laughed so hard. SOOO TRUE!!
9. I know how to shuttle tat.
10. The back side of any craft project I make has to be perfect. I have remade projects because the back did not meet my standard. Actually, I am a craft perfectionist. I almost always make a gift projects twice. The first one is for me to practice and see what problems I have. If this turns out okay, then I will make the second one to give away.
11. I have a fear of new situations or events. I have not gone to parties or events because of this.
12. I do not like butterflies.
13. I regularly use a Charlie Brown pillowcase that I have owned since childhood. When this one started coming apart, I bid and won a 2 extra ones on eBay. I sewed the seams and still use the old one, but have the others as back-ups.
14. I cannot sleep uncovered. Even in the summer, I need at least the sheet over me. I have to be covered up to my ears with only my face and top of my head exposed.
15. I have problems going to sleep unless it is pitch-dark in the room. I made a cover for my alarm clock because the numbers were too bright. I still put something over that.
16. I love apron sewing patterns. Every cloth or quilting store I go to, I shop for these. I will never make all of the ones I own but I have made a few. The internet fuels this passion because I can always find small companies that make their own patterns, not just the big 3 pattern companies.
17. I cry every time I watch new episodes of Extreme Home Makeover.
18. I love James Bond movies.
19. I am the person reponsible for my husband getting into bowling. Yes, I was bowling before Steven. He joined his first league with me.
20. When I watch football, I don't understand what is going on other than teams getting touchdowns. First downs, second downs? I don't have a clue.
21. My nickname is Jupiter.
22. I love Guitar Hero World Tour. I am constantly trying to figure out how I can make room for the entire band set-up in my house.
23. I love taking pictures. I would love to take photography classes.
24. I love things with skulls on them. Cute skulls though, not scary ones. I have skulls shoes, a purse, fabric and still is constanly looking for things with cute skulls.
25. I am afraid of going back to school. I am worried that I will fail any class that requires me to write papers or essays and that would be almost every class except math classes. I have problems expressing my ideas and facts in writing.

Problems with comments

2009-08-23T13:36:00.002-04:00

I had some settings incorrect and comments could not be made. I believe I have now corrected this. Sorry everyone! I am still new to blogging and Blogger.

Hello ICLW'ers

2009-08-22T13:55:00.003-04:00

Hey ya'll visting as part of IComLeavWe. I guess I should introduce myself since this is my first time participating. My hubby and I have been married for almost eleven years. We have one five-year old daughter (who is known as diva-child). I never knew I had endometriosis until 2007. I had a cyst burst earlier in the year so my doc was keeping an eye on my ovaries. In an ultrasound, they found an endometrioma growing on my ovary. Due to the rate of growth, the doctor wanted to remove it and my ovary also. I could have opted for the bilateral oohorectomy (both ovaries) but I wanted to have another baby. In December of the same year, I had the unilateral oophorectomy. In January 2008, I had a Lupron injection to help prevent the growth of new endometrial cells. My doctor advised me I needed to start trying to get pregnant as soon as possible.

We have been trying since the middle of 2008 for a baby. In January of this year, I had an HSG to rule out the possibility of any endometriosis or any other blockages in my tubes. The doc said most ladies get pregnant within two months of having the HSG and to come back if I wasn't pregagnt by June. Then, we would look into "some help" (i.e. drugs). It is August now, still not pregnant and haven't been to the doctor yet.

This is my trying to conceive story so far. Being minus an ovary should not affect my ability to get pregnant, but who really knows? I am trying to learn to enjoy more things and enjoy the life I have with my husband and daughter.

Okay, time to get back to organizing my sewing stuff. I hope everyone who reads this enjoyed learning a little about me. I appreciate any comments since most people only read and never comment. Have a nice weekend, ya'll!!

My Wedding Set

2009-08-21T22:29:00.007-04:00

Or How I Ruined a Family Heirloom To Make Another OneYes, this ring is missing something big from the middle that was cut out.

Way back before Steven and I got married, my grandmother told me about my grandfather's ring that belonged to my great-grandfather. It had three diamonds on it. Her plan was to let me use the biggest stone for my wedding set if I wanted. The other two stones would go to her and my mom. I let Steven know this with plenty of notice.

When we knew we were getting married, we spent lots of time looking for the perfect set in which to include the diamond. We eventually decided on a set from Doris Diamonds (which is now closed). The only problem was I wanted white gold. So this was going to be made and would take some time. It didn't take me long to change my mind to the yellow gold. I knew Doris had the yellow set in the store. I knew they already had my Papa's ring. It wouldn't take long to get my new set back, right? It turns out Doris had to order a special stone mount for the diamond. Due to its age, the diamond was not cut like newer ones. It took a little longer than I expected. But the day I knew he picked the set, I pulled my spoiled girl routine to get the engagement ring.

Long story short, I had the stone removed from my great-grandfather's ring to be a part of my wedding ring set. It means so much to know my set wasn't just one of many made in bulk by some no name faceless person. There was time and effort put into making my ring special for me. One day, I hope to be able to give my rings to Audrey and explain to her why they have an emotional value to our family.

Me Bad

2009-08-20T22:05:00.008-04:00

Okay, I haven't been the best blogger. My A.D.D. has gotten the best of me recently and kept me occupied during the only free time I would have for writing, at night.

I read Stirrup Queens and Sperm Palace Jesters regularly. Every month, they have a week where you sign your blog up and you agree to comment on six other blogs daily. The official name of this is IComLeavWe or International Comment Leaving Week. The logo is in the sidebar underneath my blog title. I signed up this month in an effort to make myself write more often. So tonight, I get the reminder e-mail about IComLeavWe. Then, I realize I haven't written anything in over a week. Bad JEN!

I already have my topic tomorrow planned out. I even took pictures tonight to add to the post. Here is a sneak preview.

What does all of this stuff have to do with my post? Not much, only one of the pieces of jewelry in the picture will be discussed. This is actually a secret look into the weird world of how I take pictures of almost any small item in my house, my homemade macro photo studio.

Tomorrow's topic: My wedding ring set or to make it more interesting, How I destroyed one family heirloom to make another potential family heirloom.

Kindergarten

2009-08-11T21:40:00.002-04:00

My baby started kindergaren yesterday. Normally, getting her up in the morning involves some poking and many trips back to her room trying to wake her up. When her alarm went off, she was up and ready to eat breakfast. I prepared her cereal and went to take a shower. She was fully dressed and sitting on the couch with her backpack on by 7:10. Steven was still in bed while she kept asking me when we were leaving.

I love this picture of the hubby and diva-child walking. It reminds me of one I took when she was only a year old at an Easter egg hunt.

We were at school before they opened the doors. As we prepared to leave my baby, I started to think about how far away she was from my office and got teary eyed. My sunglasses hid my watery eyes. She was happy to be there and already playing. Does this look like the face of someone sad? I didn't think so.

Like many other moms this morning, I managed to separate myself from my baby and head to work. That afternoon as I was working in my office, my cell phone rang. It was Audrey's teacher. UH OH! WHAT IS WRONG? Turns out it was nothing. She was just wondering if we were picking her up at school release or was she attending the after school program. Whew, crisis averted.

Everything went fine. Audrey said the only boring thing about school was they played music part of the lunch time. You could not talk while the music was playing. I understand why they do this. If the other kids are like Audrey, she will not talk much. UNTIL you put a meal in front of her. I knew there wouldn't be any problem for her to adjust to "big" school, but us moms worry about sending our babies into the real world. She sure is growing up so fast.

Ouchie in my back

2009-08-10T21:44:00.003-04:00

I haven't been myself recently. My back has been hurting A LOT. I have a feeling my endometriosis is getting worse. The pain is consistent until close to my period. Then, my menstrual cramps seem to be increasing in intensity every month. I believe I am starting a week early and this would expain the pain getting worse. I don't want to do ANYTHING and I hate that.

Of course, I am not pregnant yet. After having the HSG early in the year, the doctor assured me almost everyone who has one is pregnant in about two months. I do not think I want to continue trying if my pain levels are going to increase. The pain is starting to interfere with my daily life.

RANT OVER - I will get back to posting on a regular basis tomorrow. The subject of the day will be my baby's first day of kindergarten.

Schedule for posting

2009-08-03T23:35:00.002-04:00

Not that anyone really reads my blog, but I am working on a topic schedule for posting here. I figure I can choose a different topic for each day of the week. If you have any suggestions for topics, please comment below. If you are reading this post on my facebook page and have suggestions, please click the link to visit and leave a comment on my blog.

More family pictures

2009-08-02T21:22:00.006-04:00

Here are some more pictures from my family's latest photo session.

Aren't they sweet?

This girl could be a model.

Pink Sugar Noel is the BOMB

2009-07-27T22:31:00.002-04:00

Today, I received my CocoaPink custom scented perfume in Pink Sugar Noel scent. I think this has to be one of my favorite scents ever. I smell heavenly to me. Every time I wore this in the past, I always got compliments. MUCH LOVE to Ilona (the owner of CocoaPink) for opening back up, even if it is at a limited capacity.

I received a Click-n-Ship for my BPAL order so it should be here by Thursday or Friday. If I didn't have to work, I would be here at obsessively stalking the mailman to sniff my biggest order from them I have ever placed.

Orders & items purchased

2009-07-23T23:53:00.007-04:00

Here is my list of items I have purchased this month. Don't act all surprised. I warned you I might be eating dinner with your family due to lack of "fundage".

7/8 BPAL direct from lab, CnS on 7/27, RECEIVED 7/31

bottles of Berry Moon, Stinky and O
imps of: Whoso List to Hunt, All in the Golden Afternoon, Against Idlesness and Mischief, Tis the Voice of the Lobster, Twinkle Twinkle Little bat, Snooty Rose

7/10 LJ Decant circle of BPAL Carnaval Diabolique

imps of Faiza and some of her Snake Pit companions: Australian Copperhead, Boomslang, Cottonmouth, Death Adder

7/17 LJ purchase , RECEIVED 7/22

bottle of Milk Moon & imp of New Orleans, also free sniffy of Midway

7/17 Brat's Creations @ etsy, RECEIVED 7/20

Fresh Summer Gloss My Body and Brown Fox Coconut Milk Soap.
Brat was on the CocoaPink forum and this is how I came to know of her. She started making her own soap after Ilona stopped making it as often. Then, she started selling them and is slowly branching out to other products. I highly recommend Brat's Creations. I ordered on a Friday afternoon and received the following Monday. This really surprised me since the Body Gloss is custom scented. She also included two scrub samples. She hopes to start selling a facial care and haircare line soon.

7/20 LJ decant circle for Summer Blockbuster 2009

imps of GOTHIC HORROR, PSYCHOLOGICAL HORROR, ZOMBIE APOCALYPSE, DIABOLICAL OFFSPRING

7/20 LJ decant supply circle

items needed to decant my bottles into smaller vials so I can carry in my purse

7/21 CocoaPink, RECEIVED 7/27

Pink Sugar Noel perfume spray

7/22 eBay , RECEIVED 7/29

BPAL Snow Bunny 5ml, I bid low on this thinking I would not win, but I did.

The internet is PURE EVIL that makes me spend money

2009-07-22T22:19:00.004-04:00

Now that I think about it, maybe someone needs to take all the computers out of my house. NOT REALLY because I will cut you.

I logged in yesterday to that site where you send internet payments, not because I was paying for anything. YEAH RIGHT. Since the tenth of this month, I will only say that I have sent money for seven different purchases. I just checked my e-mail tonight and I won a bid on eBay at a really low price I never imagined would have won. That makes 8 purchases. The reason I am telling you this is I don't want you to be surprised if my family shows up at your house for a meal.

I may be broke by the end of the week, but I will smell HELLA GOOD. I'll be typing up a post listing what I am waiting on so I will remember whose butt I need to jump when I don't get my stuff.

Freestyle blog

2009-07-21T23:47:00.008-04:00

I mentioned on Sunday we had our pictures done by Keaton of Freestyle Photography. She is such a nice person. I really enjoyed the "down to earth" style. Studio pictures are nice, but it was great to be outside in nature especially since the weather was so nice Sunday. Keaton let me know she made a blog entry with a couple of pictures from our session so be sure to check them out.

Check out our pictures on the Freestyle Photography blog.

Ice Cream

2009-07-20T22:32:00.003-04:00

Food Lion had Ben & Jerry's ice cream on sale so we bought some. I always said Edy's Loaded Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough was my favorite. But it now has some competition. I tried Ben & Jerry's Strawberry Cheesecake yesterday. This is the best. Tonight I had some B & J's Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough. Now this I will have to sample again to see how it compares to Edy's. Testing tomorrow night will be Chocolate Macadamia.

Oh, Ben & Jerry. Let me count the ways I love thee. All of the flavors except ones that contain mint or coconut flakes.

Portraits

2009-07-19T20:42:00.004-04:00

My family and I went to the amphitheater by the library and had our pictures taken by Keaton Crowe of Freestyle Photography. It normally takes Audrey some time to warm up to new people, but she almost immediately starting talking to Keaton. I think she took some great pictures of us. I'll hopefully post some of them later in the week.

Outrageous

2009-07-16T22:20:00.004-04:00

I was browsing through pictures and wanted to share something I found funny. I had to buy some insoles for hubby. When I was inspecting the package, the wording on there really amused me.

Outrageous comfort - I don't think so.
Outrageous means exceeding the limits of what is usual. Those insoles must be like walking on heaven, maybe even orgasmic. Other people might not find this funny, but I sure did.

All By Myself

2009-07-15T21:03:00.007-04:00

Not exactly. My hubby is bowling the USBC Open in Las Vegas right now. He should be finishing up with the team portion as I type this. When I spoke to him earlier, he was feeling like his gout was coming on in his right foot. This could be a problem for him when finishes up throwing his ball as he ends on the right foot. I can imagine he probably isn't feeling so great. I hope he can make it through the pain to bowl up to his expectations.

Me and hubby at Southeast bowling tournament

A little more about my N.C. trip

2009-07-14T23:19:00.007-04:00

I fell the morning we were coming home from North Carolina. I was walking along the edge of the sound and fell when reaching for my flip-flop in the water. Never mind me, is the camera okay? I had it on a tripod and threw the arm holding it away from the ground to shield it from the impending hit. My camera was in one piece and still working. BIG SIGH OF RELIEF! Mom was worried about me since I hit my head. (It was obvious due to the scratch I had across my face and ear.) I called the 24/7 Nurse Line at my health insurance company. They said as long as I wasn't dizzy or a couple of other symptoms, I should be okay to travel. Mom did drive my car for the trip home since I was really sore. She told me I had to take a picture of my face to post on facebook.

Steven and I both went to my doctor the next day, him for gout and me for my injuries. I had to get a tetanus shot. I am still sore and my bruises are finally fading. But at least my camera works, right? The cost of my doctor visit and accompanying medicine was still alot cheaper than replacing my camera. I used said camera to take the above picture of my face. Then basically accused my mom on facebook of making me hurt myself somehow for taking her picutre. Her picture was the last one I took before I fell. See?

4th of July

2009-07-08T21:12:00.002-04:00

We decided to go back to the beach on the 4th of July. Traffic was crazy getting there. Ava went to the beach with us and I took SO many pictures. Ava was such a refreshing change to photograph. I am used to diva-child trying to pose for every picture. This is my favorite picture I took that day.

Kitty Hawk

2009-07-03T08:48:00.005-04:00

Yesterday didn't start out so well. I had to call home and ask the doctor to call in something for my endometriosis pain. After that, we packed up to go to the beach. We went to Kitty Hawk, which is only about 5 or 6 miles from the house.

The beach was very different from Georgia beaches. The water here was almost clear. It was odd to walk out in waist deep water and see your feet. You could even see the jellyfish swimming along the top of the water.

Despite not feeling good, I am having a good time. Audrey is really having fun. Since here, we have seen foxes, turkeys and an otter at the house while sitting on the deck.

This morning, Mrs. Joann's nephew brought over his daughter and now Audrey has someone her age to play with. We will all be heading over to the sound soon for some swimming, riding a jet ski and maybe even riding on a sailboat.

We made it

2009-07-02T09:27:00.004-04:00

This post is from the Outer Banks where Jupiter is currently suffering from endometriosis pain. I have called the doctor and they should be contacting the closest pharmacy at Wally World by this afternoon. I will add pictures later.

What it feels like for a girl........

2009-06-26T22:06:00.002-04:00

is bad. Endometriosis SUCKS! Now back to your regular scheduled program.

Birthday are great, but ........

2009-06-23T14:28:00.003-04:00

Today is my hubby's and his twin sister's birthday. We are going to swim at his aunt's house where they are having a cookout for them.

But I think I need to acknowledge someone. None of this would be possible without Wilma, their mother. She is the person who is responsible for both of these wonderful people in my life. I am very sad that she cannot be here to celebrate this and many more birthdays to come. We didn't always see eye-to-eye on things but without her, I would not have the wonderful husband I have today. She passed on strong family values, which both Shannon and Steven share.

So while celebrating this afternoon, I will be thanking Wilma for one of the greatest gifts I have ever received.

New stuff

2009-06-18T22:59:00.011-04:00

My last BPAL order came today. I am celebrating. :-)

Vigilant day-glo guardians of lawn and patio, stalwart protectors of the home.
Pink sugar-crusted marshmallow, dandelion, and sap.

For the first few minutes after application, this smelled A LOT like Pink Plastic. I was being smothered by it. After about 5 minutes, the plastic settled down and it smelled of nothing but the pink marshmallow. It reminds me alot of my CocoaPink Pink Sugar Marshmallow Shine Sweetie.

The Smoke-Veiled Moon of July brought a poem of Baudelaire’s to my mind:

Ce soir, la lune rêve avec plus de paresse;
Ainsi qu'une beauté, sur
de nombreux coussins,
Qui d'une main distraite et légère caresse
Avant
de s'endormir le contour de ses seins,

Sur le dos satiné des molles
avalanches,
Mourante, elle se livre aux longues pâmoisons,
Et promène
ses yeux sur les visions blanches
Qui montent dans l'azur comme des
floraisons.

Quand parfois sur ce globe, en sa langueur oisive,
Elle
laisse filer une larme furtive,
Un poète pieux, ennemi du sommeil,

Dans le creux de sa main prend cette larme pâle,
Aux reflets irisés
comme un fragment d'opale,
Et la met dans son coeur loin des yeux du soleil.

---------------------------------------

Tonight the moon dreams
with more indolence,
Like a lovely woman on a bed of cushions
Who
fondles with a light and listless hand
The contour of her breasts before
falling sleep;

On the satiny back of the billowing clouds,
Languishing, she lets herself fall into long swoons
And casts her eyes
over the white phantoms
That rise in the azure like blossoming flowers.

When, in her lazy listlessness,
She sometimes sheds a furtive tear
upon this globe,
A pious poet, enemy of sleep,
In the hollow of his hand
catches this pale tear,
With the iridescent reflections of opal,
And
hides it in his heart afar from the sun's eyes.
(English translation by
William Aggeler, 1954)

Soft sandalwood, nicotiana, and velvety orris
drifting over lustrous pale
musks, stephanotis, elemi, and cyclamen.

I haven't tried this one yet but it smells wonderful on the bottle. I was scared about this due to the name. It doesn't smell like smoke, but brings smoke to my mind. Maybe standing by the fire on a warm summer night with someone special, looking at the sky while enjoying the stolen time alone.

I will wait until tomorrow to sniff this. I only hope it smells as great on me as it did on Wendy.

I got 6 frimps in my order too. They are: Centzon Totochtin, The Sea Foams Milk, Sloth, Delirium, Epitaph, and Elegba. Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab ROCKS!!

Click-N-Ship

2009-06-15T23:05:00.007-04:00

Tonight I received a Click-N-Ship notice for my BPAL order I placed on June 6. Let the mailbox stalking begin! You can't order just one bottle either. It might get lonely in the box by itself. I ordered Smoky Moon, June Gloom (I gave Wendy my other bottle) and Plastic Pink Flamingo.

After the CnS e-mail, I received a payment e-mail for some CocoaPink stuff I didn't like. So now I am eyeing most of these. The only one I am not sure about is the Confections Cart.

First Day

2009-06-14T00:00:00.007-04:00

Today went very well. Just today, I already made over half of what I made the the whole city tournament (that is turned over to the association at the completion of all squads).

My home for the next couple of weekends

One of my favorite association members (other than hubby), will be seeing a lot of him

I am nervous

2009-06-13T07:48:00.002-04:00

I always worry when I run brackets. You are dealing with other people's money and they can get really upset if there are mistakes. I am very nervous today as I prepare for the Southeast tournament. This will be the biggest tournament I have run brackets and they are MANY more people than my normal city ones. Today there are no really big shifts. I am grateful for this. I hope this makes my first day stress-free.

Everyone, enjoy their weekend. I'll be sitting in a bowling center for most of the sunlight hours, trying to stay calm.

Testing new stuff

2009-06-11T23:09:00.011-04:00

I have received a lot of new BPAL in the past week or two so I have been taking it easy of sampling. I don't want to overload my sinuses.

Pink Moon
I do not like this on me. I get sugared carnation with a touch of band-aid. HUH?

Black Moon
Little strong at first, but was okay after about half an hour. I'll hold on to this imp for sure but won't need more than it.

Dark Chocolate & Pepper-Smoked Caramel

I thought this would be great. It was for about the first time minutes after application. Then, something came along and thew pepper on the fire. Nothing but pepper with no chocolate or caramel. Major case of sad :-(

Milk Moon '07

This was a winner. For about 2 minutes after application, I was unsure. But it turned into paradise. I kept swearing I was going to wake up in Hawaii and the cabana boy handing me my Pina Colada. I put it on yesterday after using my CocoaPink Pina Colada Cotton Candy body butter. LOVE IT! Definitely searching for bottle of this one.

2009 Association Banquet

2009-06-09T20:13:00.005-04:00

Friday was the annual banquet of the bowling association. Just like every other year, we sat with Bob and Mike. I really missed Jim not being there, but maybe next year.

Like always, Steven got his 300 and 800 series plaques for the year. I received the first "Volunteer of the Year" award given. ME!

I have never helped the association for the recognition. It can be stressful at times and there are so many great people to assist where they can. Being the only woman around can have it cons, but when someone manages to make you upset enough to cry (which happened only once), I have never had such support. I have visited many different bowling centers in various towns. We have made and lost friends. Bowling is an important part of my life and I would not trade any of these experiences for anything.

Another bowling year completed. Oh yeah, not quite. I still have brackets to run. This weekend starts a much bigger tournament than I have run compared to the city one. I will be at the bowling center from 7:00am until probably 9:00pm every Saturday and Sunday until mid July, except for July 4th weeeknd. PLEASE no one come to my house until August when I have had time to recover.

Strawberry Moon

2009-06-07T15:46:00.007-04:00

I received my most recent BPAL order of Strawberry Moon and June Gloom.

STRAWBERRY MOON 2009
Strawberries that in gardens grow
Are plump and juicy fine,
But sweeter far as wise men know
Spring from the woodland vine.

No need for bowl or silver spoon,
Sugar or spice or cream,
Has the wild berry plucked in June
Beside the trickling stream.

One such to melt at the tongue's root,
Confounding taste with scent,
Beats a full peck of garden fruit:
Which points my argument.

May sudden justice overtake
And snap the froward pen,
That old and palsied poets shake
Against the minds of men.

Blasphemers trusting to hold caught
In far-flung webs of ink,
The utmost ends of human thought
Till nothing's left to think.

But may the gift of heavenly peace
And glory for all time
Keep the boy Tom who tending geese
First made the nursery rhyme.

Wild strawberries, strawberry flower, vanilla-infused sugar, early summer grasses, and milky dandelion sap.

I am in love with Strawberry Moon. This is such a great strawberry scent without being overly sweet. I see myself having a picnic in the middle of a sunny meadow, eating fresh strawberries while laying on a blanket enjoying the warmth of the summer sun.

JUNE GLOOM
It’s May in Los Angeles, and we’re baking slowly as the weather hits the low 100’s…

Here at the Lab, we are praying for a little June Gloom.

Bright summer flowers, fresh herbs, and a bit of citrus rind dampened by the scent of morning mist and rain.

I have not tried the June Gloom yet, but I did take it to work and Wendy sampled it. It smelled fabulous on her.

I love it just for the skull on the bottle. I have already ordered Wendy a bottle since she liked it so much.

Gimme my Charlie and no one gets hurts

2009-06-02T20:21:00.008-04:00

This is the story of a girl and her beloved pillow. Yes, I have a Charlie pillowcase (simply known as my Charlie) and I am very possesive of said pillowcase and accopanying pillow.

Last night, I finish with my laundry after midnight. I turn off all the lights and go into my bedroom. Like any other night when Steven goes to bed before me, I approach the bed in the dark. Then I feel for the 2 pillows my head rest on and then grab my Charlie. But no Charlie! I feel around all over the bed, still no Charlie. I tell myself I am 34 and surely I can sleep without my arms wrapped around a pillow. I lay down and try to get comfortable, with my arms sadly laying on the bed.

After about half an hour of laying in bed, I decided I was locating Charlie. I almost close the bathroom door and turn on the light. I am walking back and forth around the bed only to be disappointed. Then, I realize Steven's pillows are standing straight up behind his head yet his head was resting on something. I run around trying to determine whether my Charlie was under there. In his sleep, he had grabbed Charlie and Charlie was all smashed up under his head. YES, the bad man had balled up my beloved pillow under his head.

Now how do you go about extracting your pillow at most one o'clock in the morning without waking someone? I lay back down to lightly tap Steven like I do when he snores. NO LUCK! I tap him just a little harder and he starts to turn over. I realized this might be my only chance so I yank the pillow out from where his head was. Wow, that seemed really easy. I finally can go to sleep. That is until someone pulls the sheet untucked but that is another story.

We are riding to work this morning when Steven asks about last night. I didn't know what he was talking about at first. Apparently, my easy pillow grab resulted in his head plopping down on the bed when there was no pillow after he turned over. I proceeded to tell him that Charlie deserved a place of honor between arms being snuggled and the head plop was proper punishment for the disrespect. Maybe that will teach him not to mess with my pillow or the Charlie ninja will attack swiftly and painfully in the middle of the night.

New smellies on the way

2009-05-30T18:50:00.007-04:00

I am super excited today. I received my Click-n-Ship from BPAL for my Strawberry Moon and June Gloom fragrances. WOOOOOHOOOOO!

Also, I bought some of the Box of Chocolates and past Lunacy fragrances from someone on the BPAL forum. Soon, I will have these:
Dark Chocolate and Pepper-Smoked Caramel
Milk Chocolate and Buttercream
White Chocolate and Strawberry
White Chocolate and Sugared Violets
White Chocolate, Marshmallow & Coconut
Black Moon

Black Moon: Beth's Creation
The absence of light: motia attar, black orchid, mugwort, English pear, cucumber, blue lotus, jonquil, massoia, calamus and crystal musk.

Milk Moon 07

And they came unto the brook of Eshcol, and cut down from thence a branch with one cluster of grapes, and they bare it between two upon a staff; and they brought of the pomegranates, and of the figs. The place was called the brook Eshcol, because of the cluster of grapes which the children of Israel cut down from thence. And they returned from searching of the land after forty days. And they went and came to Moses, and to Aaron, and to all the congregation of the children of Israel, unto the wilderness of Paran, to Kadesh; and brought back word unto them, and unto all the congregation, and shewed them the fruit of the land. And they told him, and said, We came unto the land whither thou sentest us, and surely it floweth with milk and honey; and this is the fruit of it.
A fertile scent, generous, life-affirming, and swelling with a sense of triumph, warmth, and abundance: sweet milk, golden honey, fig fruit, pomegranate, dates, and white grape.

Pink Moon 07

A sweet and silly compliment to the first breath of Spring! Sugared carnation and phlox!

I cannot wait for these to get here. Also, I am wearing Tiki Queen today and don't understand why I didn't like it before. It is a great lush tropical scent, like I am standing in a beautiful Hawaiian garden but the white musk seems to really keep it from being too floral. There is supposed to coconut in it but I swear I smell sugared pineapple. I might have to locate a bottle of this one. I don't think my decant will last long at the rate I am using it. This could be my signature summer scent.

Photos of Yourself

2009-05-27T10:02:00.004-04:00

I LOVE taking pictures. Anyone who knows me is aware of this. Like most people, I despise most pictures of myself. I read the Photography section on the Pioneer Woman website religiously and this entry really hit home. Please read it and take it to heart.

After reading the post, I have tried not to run every time I see the camera. What the author states is so true. In a couple of years, you may weigh more and you definitely will be older. Capture the pictures now while you can!

Memorial Day weekend

2009-05-23T11:21:00.002-04:00

So we are heading to the lake soon. As I sit and think of previous Memorial Days, this one is much more subdued than they used to be, the ones where my whole extended family came to eat barbecue and hash. This year it will be just a few of us: me, Steven, Audrey, Mom, Dad, Cathy, Shane, and Cathy's son Steven. I am sure we will enjoy ourselves but I still find myself reminiscing of the "old" days when there were more people than beds.

Here are some other old lake memories that mean a lot to me:
1. Riding on the pontoon with our feet hanging off the front of it
2. Laying out on the catwalk of the boatdock after swimming
3. The smell of the catwalk wood when wet while you basked in the sun laying there to get warm
4. skinny-dipping

These are just a few of the memories near and dear to me. I hope that everyone enjoys their weekend, spending time with loved ones and making new memories.

Auntie Mame

2009-05-12T23:21:00.002-04:00

Auntie Mame is my favorite movie EVER. I do have to note I am speaking about the Rosalind Russell version. There is nothing wrong with Lucille Ball, but her version of the movie was terrible.

Mame is an inspiration. She was avant-garde for her times. She embraced life and every day was a party for her. If there is one concept to glean from the movie, it is to make the best of what you have, no matter the consequences.

Emotional

2009-05-05T22:42:00.002-04:00

Okay, I am emotional tonight. I started talking about some old friends and why we grew apart. Circumstances of life come along and send you in different directions. I went in one direction, so they chose to go the oppopsite way.

"The friendship that can cease has never been real."--St.Jerome

I see now after all this time this quote is true. I kept being optimistic about the friendship, even made attempts to repair the bridge between us, but it reaped no result. I know talking about it should help me work through the feelings. It just makes me reminisce of the good times and wish for more, which is fruitless. If friendship is a two-way street, the opposite side of my street is full of barriers put up by someone who has no intention of ever travelling there again.