Quick post, while I'm thinking of it all:
- Today would have been Timmy's 39th birthday. Miss you and love you lots, Brother Tim!
- I'm working on moving this blog, or taking it offline altogether. Haven't entirely decided yet, but I'll let you know before I do anything drastic. :)
- I'm moving pictures around as well; our Flickr Pro account expired (can't afford it right now), so you will not be able to see many of the pictures we have there until we either upgrade again or get them moved. Again, you'll know when I have it all done, but those pictures associated with some posts here are being moved to a different host!
- We are gearing up to move again. More on that later, but most likely I'll only share on Facebook. Right now, that's going to be the best place to find and keep in touch with me/us. The kids & I are staying with Mom most of next month, so if you know that info you can reach us there. I have much more time and will try to visit with everyone possible!!
Lots of changes here that I haven't yet mentioned* (even on FB). Rest assured we are all doing well, it's just become rather chaotic around here! I don't usually like to be so vague and I will not make a habit of it, but this is all I can/will say for right now. The next couple of weeks will be busy, so I will bring you up to speed after the 4th holiday. Love to you all! Be safe during this upcoming holiday and remember the *true* reason for it!!
~Amphitrite
*NOT pregnant, as Mom asked. Don't be jumpin' to conclusions, girls!!
Thursday, June 23
Saturday, May 28
Wrapping up May
Doing all those posts in April really took it out of me for some reason! Today I'll just give you a brief overview of May, and will come back in a few days to write a real post about it all.
~ Our family had a lot of birthdays in May, and earlier this week we added another May baby! Welcome our new sweet nephew, Xavier! {Click here for Part 1 - Click here for Part 2} I think he looks a LOT like his big brother!! We can't wait to meet him, and I'm hoping we can visit in July sometime!
~ I spent at least 3 days a week looking for work. Every week. Still working on that, but am sewing things in the meantime and hoping to sell some here and there. I also have cleaned out my closet and found a few purses/bags I could maybe sell! So far no one is interested but I'm not giving up yet.
~ Miss Hurricane turned 8 last week, but luckily we didn't end up with a ton of new toys to take up space (she doesn't have) in the bedroom. That's another area we're trying to pare down, is her toys! She doesn't seem to be outgrowing the toys yet though... but she is outgrowing her clothes. She's growing up *sniff* :(
~ I turned 34 yesterday... and today I can feel it in my bones. I know the real reason for that, and it ain't my age, folks. Dad's employer recently had an open house; the boy and I went with him to see his lab and a tour of where he works (and has for 32 years!), and at point we found a scale. Well, Dad knew it was there, he steps on it every week. :D So Mister Twister stepped up, and he's now 112 pounds at 5'2" tall. He will be 13 in August... this mancub will soon be the tallest person in our house! *eep*
Well you've probably guessed - I, too, stepped on that damn scale. Here's the breakdown: I was down to 194 about 2 years ago, which was my lightest adult weight. Last year, when Ardeo lost his job and was at home all the time, I quit exercising at all (long story for another time). In October I quit smoking (yay!) and started eating more (boo!), still not exercising. I won't count the 5 week sickness I had. So, since quitting smoking, I have gained at least 20 pounds and I was obviously overweight to begin with. And THAT is what I feel in my bones - the weight. As far as clothing fit, I'm back to what I weighed at the end of high school. I don't know for sure what my weight was back then, but I know what size I was wearing compared to the size I wore just two years ago - and it's a big difference. This sucks, I'm disgusted, and as I'm starting a new personal year, I'm going to change it. To hell with swimsuit season, I just want to feel like I actually *belong* in this body. Right now, I don't. It feels foreign to me, this current body does not feel like *mine*. That may not make sense, but it's the best description I can come up with right now.
~ I spent yesterday at the elementary school for Miss Hurricane's field day, and her end-of-year class party! I have pictures, but I do not have everyone's permission to post (and only one of my child) so I need time to go through them. I am making a DVD for her teacher, which she can share with the other parents if she wants. The party theme was Hawaii - I have pics of some decor - and the kids had a blast! We had Virgin Coladas (we parents joked that we'd split the rest for home use, so we could add rum later!), Hawaiian Punch, Pineapple Cake, Fruit Salad, and cookies and pretzels; the kids watched a bit of Lilo & Stitch
while they snacked (it was before lunch, since the day's schedule changed unexpectedly); later, we had a coconut race, Wipeout Zumba and a limbo! We finished the party with crafts: an origami boat, and pasta jewelry. I was at the school from 8 a.m. until 2:30 p.m.! I haven't done that since I was in school myself! I did have a good day though - and the morning session of Field Day made me run around a bit, so I got some exercise in via chasing dodgeballs. It was overcast, but we barely got a sprinkle - all in all it was a great day!
Until dinner, when I was surprised with birthday pizza. <3 Hey, I didn't have to cook! LOL I think that covers most of it. It's a long weekend and I have plenty of housework to do (don't we always?!) so I'd best hop to it! I'll be walking outside later and that's a good start. Be safe and have fun this weekend! Blessings!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~ Our family had a lot of birthdays in May, and earlier this week we added another May baby! Welcome our new sweet nephew, Xavier! {Click here for Part 1 - Click here for Part 2} I think he looks a LOT like his big brother!! We can't wait to meet him, and I'm hoping we can visit in July sometime!
~ I spent at least 3 days a week looking for work. Every week. Still working on that, but am sewing things in the meantime and hoping to sell some here and there. I also have cleaned out my closet and found a few purses/bags I could maybe sell! So far no one is interested but I'm not giving up yet.
~ Miss Hurricane turned 8 last week, but luckily we didn't end up with a ton of new toys to take up space (she doesn't have) in the bedroom. That's another area we're trying to pare down, is her toys! She doesn't seem to be outgrowing the toys yet though... but she is outgrowing her clothes. She's growing up *sniff* :(
~ I turned 34 yesterday... and today I can feel it in my bones. I know the real reason for that, and it ain't my age, folks. Dad's employer recently had an open house; the boy and I went with him to see his lab and a tour of where he works (and has for 32 years!), and at point we found a scale. Well, Dad knew it was there, he steps on it every week. :D So Mister Twister stepped up, and he's now 112 pounds at 5'2" tall. He will be 13 in August... this mancub will soon be the tallest person in our house! *eep*
Well you've probably guessed - I, too, stepped on that damn scale. Here's the breakdown: I was down to 194 about 2 years ago, which was my lightest adult weight. Last year, when Ardeo lost his job and was at home all the time, I quit exercising at all (long story for another time). In October I quit smoking (yay!) and started eating more (boo!), still not exercising. I won't count the 5 week sickness I had. So, since quitting smoking, I have gained at least 20 pounds and I was obviously overweight to begin with. And THAT is what I feel in my bones - the weight. As far as clothing fit, I'm back to what I weighed at the end of high school. I don't know for sure what my weight was back then, but I know what size I was wearing compared to the size I wore just two years ago - and it's a big difference. This sucks, I'm disgusted, and as I'm starting a new personal year, I'm going to change it. To hell with swimsuit season, I just want to feel like I actually *belong* in this body. Right now, I don't. It feels foreign to me, this current body does not feel like *mine*. That may not make sense, but it's the best description I can come up with right now.
~ I spent yesterday at the elementary school for Miss Hurricane's field day, and her end-of-year class party! I have pictures, but I do not have everyone's permission to post (and only one of my child) so I need time to go through them. I am making a DVD for her teacher, which she can share with the other parents if she wants. The party theme was Hawaii - I have pics of some decor - and the kids had a blast! We had Virgin Coladas (we parents joked that we'd split the rest for home use, so we could add rum later!), Hawaiian Punch, Pineapple Cake, Fruit Salad, and cookies and pretzels; the kids watched a bit of Lilo & Stitch
while they snacked (it was before lunch, since the day's schedule changed unexpectedly); later, we had a coconut race, Wipeout Zumba and a limbo! We finished the party with crafts: an origami boat, and pasta jewelry. I was at the school from 8 a.m. until 2:30 p.m.! I haven't done that since I was in school myself! I did have a good day though - and the morning session of Field Day made me run around a bit, so I got some exercise in via chasing dodgeballs. It was overcast, but we barely got a sprinkle - all in all it was a great day!Until dinner, when I was surprised with birthday pizza. <3 Hey, I didn't have to cook! LOL I think that covers most of it. It's a long weekend and I have plenty of housework to do (don't we always?!) so I'd best hop to it! I'll be walking outside later and that's a good start. Be safe and have fun this weekend! Blessings!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Wednesday, May 11
Snail Mail!
Sing with me!
"Here's the mail - it never fails
It makes me wanna wag my tail
When it comes I wanna wail:
MAAAAAAIIIIL!"
~ SO ~
Today's mail brought another letter from my brother. We've been writing each other, on average, around once every 10 days or so; my last letter to him was at the end of April when I shared my 30 Days list with him. Oh, BTW, he's serving a little time - until January - which is why we're writing, as opposed to calling or Facebooking each other. So, since I've been looking for work (and sewing, and volunteering at the schools, and figuring out what to get Miss Hurricane for her birthday next week) I hadn't written him yet since. I did manage to get my visitor packet filled out, and as his birthday gift next month, I'm going to visit with him for a day (unless I'm working)! This does mean I'll drive 4 hours one-way, but I haven't seen him since right after Christmas anyway so it's worth it.
Back to my original thought and reason for writing here today: he enjoyed reading my list of music and said, "hey, I've got time, I'll do it too and maybe you can post it on your blog for me?" - of course! Why not? This will allow you all to see the similarities and differences between us as far as music goes. I can tell you that 'back in the day', he and I listened to a lot of the same music: heavy metal, or country (quite a spectrum, no?), depending on the week. Since he does have the time, I already have his complete list - and here's how I'm going to do it:
Over the next week, I'll find the videos for each of his choices. If I can't (some I think are obscure), I will look for the lyrics or the band website or something. Once I've compiled his list, I'll throw it all into one big, link-filled post; this will allow me to post once on his FB page, so his friends can see it too. And I can even print the final writing and mail it to him if he wants it! Hey, this is something I can do for him that still connects him to 'the outside'.
He ain't heavy :D
Until next time ~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Thursday, May 5
Happy Mother's Day, 2011
I've been searching through old posts at a forum I used to frequent (long, boring story) and today, I ran across this. Another person on that board got this as an email initially, and shared it with the group in 2007 ~ with Mother's Day just a few days away, I thought it appropriate to share with you!
Happy Mother's Day!
{QUOTE}:
Being a Mom:
We are sitting at lunch one day when my daughter casually mentions that she and her husband are thinking of "starting a family."
"We're taking a survey," she says half-joking. "Do you think I should have a baby?"
"It will change your life," I say, carefully keeping my tone neutral.
"I know," she says, "no more sleeping in on weekends, no more spontaneous vacations."
But that is not what I meant at all. I look at my daughter, trying to decide what to tell her. I want her to know what she will never learn in childbirth classes:
I want to tell her that the physical wounds of child bearing will heal, but becoming a mother will leave her with an emotional wound so raw that she will forever be vulnerable.
I consider warning her that she will never again read a newspaper without asking, "What if that had been MY child?"; that every plane crash, every house fire will haunt her. That when she sees pictures of starving children, she will wonder if anything could be worse than watching your child die.
I look at her carefully manicured nails and stylish suit and think that no matter how sophisticated she is, becoming a mother will reduce her to the
primitive level of a bear protecting her cub. That an urgent call of "Mom!" will cause her to drop a soufflé or her best crystal without a moment's hesitation.
I feel that I should warn her that no matter how many years she has invested in her career, she will be professionally derailed by motherhood. She might arrange for childcare, but one day she will be going into an important business meeting and she will think of her baby's sweet smell. She will have to use every ounce of discipline to keep from running home, just to make sure her baby is all right.
I want my daughter to know that every day decisions will no longer be routine. That a five year old boy's desire to go to the men's room rather than the women's at McDonald's will become a major dilemma. That right there, in the midst of clattering trays and screaming children, issues of independence and gender identity will be weighed against the prospect that a child molester may be lurking in that restroom.
However decisive she may be at the office, she will second-guess herself constantly as a mother.
Looking at my attractive daughter, I want to assure her that eventually she will shed the pounds of pregnancy, but she will never feel the same about herself. That her life, now so important, will be of less value to her once she has a child. That she would give herself up in a moment to save her offspring, but will also begin to hope for more years, not to accomplish her own dreams, but to watch her child accomplish theirs.
I want her to know that a cesarean scar or shiny stretch marks will become badges of honor. My daughter's relationship with her husband will change, but not in the way she thinks.
I wish she could understand how much more you can love a man who is careful to powder the baby or who never hesitates to play with his child. I think she should know that she will fall in love with him again for reasons she would now find very unromantic.
I wish my daughter could sense the bond she will feel with women throughout history who have tried to stop war, prejudice and drunk driving.
I want to describe to my daughter the exhilaration of seeing your child learn to ride a bike. I want to capture for her the belly laugh of a baby who is touching the soft fur of a dog or cat for the first time. I want her to taste the joy that is so real it actually hurts.
My daughter's quizzical look makes me realize that tears have formed in my eyes. "You'll never regret it," I finally say. Then I reached across the table, squeezed my daughter's hand and offered a silent prayer for her, and for me, and for all the mere mortal women who stumble their way into this most wonderful of callings.
Please share this with a Mom that you know or all of your girlfriends who may someday be Moms. May you always have in your arms the one who is in your heart.
{end QUOTE}
Love and Light to you and yours~
Namasate
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Happy Mother's Day!
{QUOTE}:
Being a Mom:
We are sitting at lunch one day when my daughter casually mentions that she and her husband are thinking of "starting a family."
"We're taking a survey," she says half-joking. "Do you think I should have a baby?"
"It will change your life," I say, carefully keeping my tone neutral.
"I know," she says, "no more sleeping in on weekends, no more spontaneous vacations."
But that is not what I meant at all. I look at my daughter, trying to decide what to tell her. I want her to know what she will never learn in childbirth classes:
I want to tell her that the physical wounds of child bearing will heal, but becoming a mother will leave her with an emotional wound so raw that she will forever be vulnerable.
I consider warning her that she will never again read a newspaper without asking, "What if that had been MY child?"; that every plane crash, every house fire will haunt her. That when she sees pictures of starving children, she will wonder if anything could be worse than watching your child die.
I look at her carefully manicured nails and stylish suit and think that no matter how sophisticated she is, becoming a mother will reduce her to the
primitive level of a bear protecting her cub. That an urgent call of "Mom!" will cause her to drop a soufflé or her best crystal without a moment's hesitation.
I feel that I should warn her that no matter how many years she has invested in her career, she will be professionally derailed by motherhood. She might arrange for childcare, but one day she will be going into an important business meeting and she will think of her baby's sweet smell. She will have to use every ounce of discipline to keep from running home, just to make sure her baby is all right.
I want my daughter to know that every day decisions will no longer be routine. That a five year old boy's desire to go to the men's room rather than the women's at McDonald's will become a major dilemma. That right there, in the midst of clattering trays and screaming children, issues of independence and gender identity will be weighed against the prospect that a child molester may be lurking in that restroom.
However decisive she may be at the office, she will second-guess herself constantly as a mother.
Looking at my attractive daughter, I want to assure her that eventually she will shed the pounds of pregnancy, but she will never feel the same about herself. That her life, now so important, will be of less value to her once she has a child. That she would give herself up in a moment to save her offspring, but will also begin to hope for more years, not to accomplish her own dreams, but to watch her child accomplish theirs.
I want her to know that a cesarean scar or shiny stretch marks will become badges of honor. My daughter's relationship with her husband will change, but not in the way she thinks.
I wish she could understand how much more you can love a man who is careful to powder the baby or who never hesitates to play with his child. I think she should know that she will fall in love with him again for reasons she would now find very unromantic.
I wish my daughter could sense the bond she will feel with women throughout history who have tried to stop war, prejudice and drunk driving.
I want to describe to my daughter the exhilaration of seeing your child learn to ride a bike. I want to capture for her the belly laugh of a baby who is touching the soft fur of a dog or cat for the first time. I want her to taste the joy that is so real it actually hurts.
My daughter's quizzical look makes me realize that tears have formed in my eyes. "You'll never regret it," I finally say. Then I reached across the table, squeezed my daughter's hand and offered a silent prayer for her, and for me, and for all the mere mortal women who stumble their way into this most wonderful of callings.
Please share this with a Mom that you know or all of your girlfriends who may someday be Moms. May you always have in your arms the one who is in your heart.
{end QUOTE}
Love and Light to you and yours~
Namasate
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Saturday, April 30
30 Days - April 30 ~ favorite at this time last year
For the 30 days of music:
"Sugar Magnolia"
^ Vinyl!! ^
I'll just let this one speak for itself. I still love this one, it still even has the highest number of plays according to my iTunes, and I think I played it on repeat for about 2 months early last year! I started calling Miss Hurricane, 'my sugar magnolia', but she told me that "only Dad makes the nicknames, you know." .... LOL (she's right though!)
'Sunshine daydream'? Nope, I can only call her by her middle name (by which she's known), and first name if she didn't hear me or is in trouble. Only Dad/Ardeo can call her nicknames: Gooberdina, The Goob, Scooter Bean, Free-Toes (when she's barefoot, thanks to her Kindergarten teacher), Puddin'..... whatever strikes him at any given moment, and she's cool with it! Rotten kid. ;)
- - - - - -
There you have it, folks! This post is the last one for April 2011, the last post for this edition of 30 Days of Music! I do have another lined up, and it's 31 Days, but I need a blogging break for now. I'm thinking I'll pull that one out in August if I can. Stay tuned!
May is a busy month, as I've mentioned: three sisters-in-law, my dad, my mother-in-law, and MY birthday all hit this month; there's also Mother's Day, my parent's 35th wedding anniversary on the 21st (yay!!), and Memorial Day. Oh, and school lets out for my kids on June 3rd this year. Whew ~ makes me tired just typing it all out! It's about to get supah-busy, but at least it'll also be supah-warm!!
~Namaste~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Sugar Magnolia"
^ Vinyl!! ^
I'll just let this one speak for itself. I still love this one, it still even has the highest number of plays according to my iTunes, and I think I played it on repeat for about 2 months early last year! I started calling Miss Hurricane, 'my sugar magnolia', but she told me that "only Dad makes the nicknames, you know." .... LOL (she's right though!)
'Sunshine daydream'? Nope, I can only call her by her middle name (by which she's known), and first name if she didn't hear me or is in trouble. Only Dad/Ardeo can call her nicknames: Gooberdina, The Goob, Scooter Bean, Free-Toes (when she's barefoot, thanks to her Kindergarten teacher), Puddin'..... whatever strikes him at any given moment, and she's cool with it! Rotten kid. ;)
- - - - - -
There you have it, folks! This post is the last one for April 2011, the last post for this edition of 30 Days of Music! I do have another lined up, and it's 31 Days, but I need a blogging break for now. I'm thinking I'll pull that one out in August if I can. Stay tuned!
May is a busy month, as I've mentioned: three sisters-in-law, my dad, my mother-in-law, and MY birthday all hit this month; there's also Mother's Day, my parent's 35th wedding anniversary on the 21st (yay!!), and Memorial Day. Oh, and school lets out for my kids on June 3rd this year. Whew ~ makes me tired just typing it all out! It's about to get supah-busy, but at least it'll also be supah-warm!!
~Namaste~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Friday, April 29
30 Days - April 29 ~ from my childhood
For the 30 days of music:
"You Got It (The Right Stuff)"
Hey, I'm about to turn 34 - do the math!!! =D
{NKOTB official site}
My dad took me to see NKOTB when they came to my hometown in 1990. I'm kind of surprised he didn't permanently lose some hearing! But bless his heart, he made it through my (and my friend's) fangirl-style screaming like it was no big deal. Her mom came too, maybe they kept each other sane?? We really couldn't see them too well from our seats - not quite 'nosebleed' section, but we were up kind of high in the building - and I know we sang and danced and screamed our fool heads off for (probably) two hours. I still remember some of that concert as if it were yesterday! It is so unlikely, but I would *love* to see them again; they're touring this summer and will have 3 shows within a 3 hour drive of here!!
Fellow fangirls will understand - I did and still do love Jonathan.... and Ardeo is totally okay with that fact. ;D
You know I totally had this poster on my wall:
It hung there for at least 2 years....
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"You Got It (The Right Stuff)"
Hey, I'm about to turn 34 - do the math!!! =D
{NKOTB official site}
My dad took me to see NKOTB when they came to my hometown in 1990. I'm kind of surprised he didn't permanently lose some hearing! But bless his heart, he made it through my (and my friend's) fangirl-style screaming like it was no big deal. Her mom came too, maybe they kept each other sane?? We really couldn't see them too well from our seats - not quite 'nosebleed' section, but we were up kind of high in the building - and I know we sang and danced and screamed our fool heads off for (probably) two hours. I still remember some of that concert as if it were yesterday! It is so unlikely, but I would *love* to see them again; they're touring this summer and will have 3 shows within a 3 hour drive of here!!
Fellow fangirls will understand - I did and still do love Jonathan.... and Ardeo is totally okay with that fact. ;D
You know I totally had this poster on my wall:
It hung there for at least 2 years....
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Thursday, April 28
30 Days - April 28 ~ makes me feel guilty
For the 30 days of music:
"Circle of Steel"
{The video above is a cover by someone named Brian - but I swear, he sounds *just* like Gordon Lightfoot! This is an excellent cover of a great song!}
I wish I could tell you why this song makes me feel guilty, but I honestly can't explain it. I have never been in any of the situations mentioned in this song, nor do I know anyone who has. But every time I hear it, I feel what I'd call guilt.
Maybe it's just a sign that I should volunteer more, see how I can help out in my community. I would like to say that I have or do, but I never have - yet I always want to do so. Yeah, I think that must be it.... I seriously just figured this out while typing it for you to read! To alleviate the guilt, I will see about volunteering somehow. And yes, I will let you know what happens! :D
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Circle of Steel"
{The video above is a cover by someone named Brian - but I swear, he sounds *just* like Gordon Lightfoot! This is an excellent cover of a great song!}
I wish I could tell you why this song makes me feel guilty, but I honestly can't explain it. I have never been in any of the situations mentioned in this song, nor do I know anyone who has. But every time I hear it, I feel what I'd call guilt.
Maybe it's just a sign that I should volunteer more, see how I can help out in my community. I would like to say that I have or do, but I never have - yet I always want to do so. Yeah, I think that must be it.... I seriously just figured this out while typing it for you to read! To alleviate the guilt, I will see about volunteering somehow. And yes, I will let you know what happens! :D
~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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