Maybe if he had called first...

WRITER'S WORKSHOP PROMPT:
What summer means to your family

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Summer for our family usually means visitors. Friends, family, fun. We love visitors.

Well... most of the time.



This summer visitor, found hanging out by our doorbell yesterday, wasn't exactly welcomed with opened arms. I'm afraid we quite rudely shrieked in horror when we walked out the door and found him (her (?)) there.

Guess we need to work on our hospitality skills.

And so it goes...

It's been an eventful few weeks in the blissful house. I wish I could say that I've been away vacationing in the Caribbean or some other such news, but no such luck. Truth is, after watching my dear Mr. Blissful deteriorate right before my eyes this past month (he's been sooo sick, still is, and has lost close to 40 pounds in less than a month) we finally got a diagnosis of diabetes last Monday (I knew it. I told you I like to read medical books and he had all of the symptoms. Bummer).

The Doctor wanted to admit him into the hospital to get everything straitened out, but because we don't have insurance we're stuck trying to get him regulated the slow, slow, SLOW way and I hate watching him suffer. Those with diabetes know that when not properly regulated it can be a very MISERABLE experience. More miserable than those of us without it could ever fully comprehend.

Because I'm the star chef around these parts I've been doing a lot of studying this past week, trying to figure out how to feed my man (Paula Deen, the affair is over. It's splitsville for us now and forever. And this time I mean it). It's a lot to learn and we hope to meet with a dietitian after his lab work comes in and we know exactly what we're dealing with (the Dr suspects it's type 1. Bummer.)

Anyway it's been interesting. I've had to take on the role of the tough, take charge one and I dare say it's been good for me. But even so, I can't wait for my dearest love to be back to feeling like his normal healthy self again.

P.S. We went to the Valley this weekend and had to stop in for a bite at a fast food place. Because I'm the one who's been studying his diet, Rick kept asking me if he could order this, that or the other and when I'd say no the girl behind the counter looked at me like I was some kind of psycho controlling wife. Seriously funny.

Love her...

I'm tired today. SERIOUSLY tired. I had a great chat with my sister last night. So great that it lasted til 2 am. Fabulous. That's not what did me in however. It was the stupid, STUPID movie I stayed up to watch after that. 4 am. That's what time I went to bed. Four in the stinkin' morning. Why?

So now I'm dying. To death. I figure I have a few choices to help with this problem.
1) Go take a nap (the obvious choice)

2) Crank some LOUD tunes while cleaning like a mad woman to get my blood pumping

Or

3) Sit on my tired buttum and attempt to write a blog post.

While trying to decide what to do I've been sitting on my buttum reading blog posts (go take a nap already you nerdball) and whilst sitting here on my buttum, Busy Bee Lauren challenged me to find my favorite old picture and post about it. So now I can't nap. Because it's a challenge. And I loves me a challenge. And I also love this old picture. It's one of my ALL TIME FAVORITES.

Ah, our Christmas card from 2003 (yes I sent this out to everyone). I don't think I need to tell the story behind this picture because it's Jamie. And all who know my Jamie say, "Oh, of course."

If you don't know my Jamie you can read a little about her HERE, HERE or HERE.

One of the subjects of mine and my sister's conversation last night was how much we love this Jamie girl. She definitely keeps it real. Everyday she keeps it very, VERY real. Love her.

So worth it...

Writer's Workshop Prompt:
Before I was a mom...




I'm supposed to be on my way to Utah right now with my dearest love. Just he and I (and well, two other men, but no kids). It was to be a weekend of enlightenment and good times for all.

Until...

Waylon decided to participate in a fun little barf-o-rama that began just before bedtime yesterday and lasted ALL NIGHT LONG. So at home I sit... because I am a mom.

Before I was a mom I could selfishly do whatever I wanted, whenever I wanted. I could jet set the world over if it suited my fancy without worrying about the needs of anyone else.

Only...

It didn't suit my fancy to live for myself. Because before I was a mom all I wanted was-- to be a mom.

Barf... missed opportunities... and all.

Of course that doesn't mean I can't be bummed about the barf... missed opportunities... and all.

Because I am.

But at least those kiddos o' mine are worth the sacrifice.

So very, very worth it.

Run, run as fast as you can you can't catch me I've got Jack...

Lately I've been feeling a little like Forest Gump in that I want to keep running and running and running. I feel like I need to be out in nature more to clear my head and contemplate things.

Saturday night I went out with Waylon to lie on the trampoline, gaze at the stars and try to think, but then the sprinklers came on and sent us both running for the house.

Last night I told the fam, "I'm going for a walk. Who wants to come?" All but Landon joined me, but when we found that we had walked too far from the house Paige called Landon (ah, cell phones) and he drove over to pick us up. I wanted to keep walking but because it was eight thirty and we were on a dark and secluded dirt road my sweet protective husband asked me please not to.

What I really need is to get out by myself and run. I need quiet time to reflect and ponder, to form the words that need to be written down in those letters to myself (that I spoke of in an earlier post). Until I find that psychiatrist or vault friend I NEED TO RUN. Of course running with a vault friend and or psychiatrist would be even better (will psychiatrists run with you) but for now I'm hoping that if I run with Mr. Jack the dog my husband won't object to me being out alone.

Jack's fierce (Lily, not so much) and he'll rip the head off of any who try to mess with me.

I hope.

Okay, I'll tell you...

Well there certainly aren't a shortage of memes out in the blogsphere to get involved in. They're EVERYWHERE. So many in fact that it's hard to decide on just one.

But today I'm going to join with My Little Life for Five Question Friday because I don't feel like thinking too hard this morning and I'm hoping that answering questions will be easy. Plus her button is really cute. Just look at it. Cuteness.

So let's get started with today's Five Questions...




1. If you could go back to college would you change your major? Or, if you were to go to college right now...what major would you choose?

Because my major seemed to be "How to be a goofball and have as much fun as possible" then I would say YES I would definitely change my major. I've kicked myself many times through the years for not taking college more seriously (or seriously at all) back when I had the chance. If only my young self had known that that was her moment to grab opportunity and run with it. If only she had known how hard it would be to get it back later. And that's where I find myself now...

I've arrived at "later" and now it's time to get serious and figure out just what I want to be when I grow up. My baby is starting school this year and I think it would be great if I could too, but since I've already gotten that degree in being a goofball and having fun, I have no idea what to major in this time around. Hmm...

2. What do you love most about your home?

Oh my home. A subject that sends me running straight to the psychiatrist's office (if only I had a psychiatrist). I have a love hate relationship with my house. It's beautiful, it's spacious, it's surrounded by wonderful people. So what's the problem? You ask. Unless you're a psychiatrist you really don't want to know it's really far too deep and utterly ridiculous to get into. But though I've struggled with this for some time I think it's beginning to get better. Yes I think it is.

Despite all of this however, I can tell you that my favorite thing about my home is the ginormous family room at the far corner of the upper story. Notice I said "far corner" which is why it's my favorite thing especially when we have gatherings with many children or sleepovers with many children. We don't hear a thing. Fabulous.

3. What types of books do you like to read (if you like to read at all)?

While most young people can be found reading the latest fantasy or romance novel, when I was a young girl it wasn't unusual to find me with books with titles such as "Children's Hospital" or "True Stories from the ER" Of course I did read some romance, I am a girl after all, but my favorite stories have always been those of the real life human experience. And while my favorite book, the one I've read the very most is "The Hiding Place" about an amazing woman who ended up in a concentration camp during WWII, I'd have to say that I have spent much of my time reading stories of a medical nature.

In college I did a report on a book about the surgeons of the Civil War and I've read my copy of a medical encyclopedia so many times that the cover has fallen completely off.
Hmm... I think I may have found my major.

4. What is the grossest thing you've ever eaten?

While on a recent juice fast, I found a recipe for a homemade vegetable juice concoction that was supposed to be SO GOOD for strengthening my body. I think I spent a small fortune getting all of the vegetables for that juice only to turn around and DUMP IT DOWN THE DRAIN. It had to be the nastiest thing I have ever tasted, my salivary glands are spurting in protest right now just thinking about it. Trust me, I would never have poured that much money down the sink if there was any way around it but it was THAT BAD. Bluck.

5. If you HAD to be a character on a TV show, whom would you be?

This one is hard for me. I don't watch a lot of fictional television (refer back to question 3) and I have no desire to be any of the characters I watch on reality TV. They're all off their nut. I'm trying to remember if there was a TV character I really wanted to be back when I was a young single girl but I'm drawing a blank (my favorite, favorite show as a teen was "North and South" maybe I'd want to be Madeline (I think that was her name) on that show so I could smooch on that hunky, hunky Orie Maine or however you spell it (Patrick Swayze) or maybe I'd be Ashton Maine for a day because she was so delightfully evil).

Then again if I was a young single girl right now maybe it would be fun to be the Bachelorette for a season. But then I have a very hard time being mean to people and just might end up with an entourage of 20 guys following me around for the rest of my life because I'd just have to give them all a rose. Wait, I lie...

It's been so long since I've been single that I've forgotten my breakup history. Sever and run. That was my pattern. Sever a limb (my limb, his limb whatever) if you have to and high tail it out of there. Never looking back, never becoming "just friends" just run (I was never good with breakups. My older kids have heard the stories and they think I'm evil. Hmm... maybe I should be Ashton Maine after all).

Well I have...

WRITER'S WORKSHOP PROMPT:
Begin each line of your post with “have you ever”.

Only I'm changing it to Begin each paragraph of your post with "have you ever".

Have you ever called a man other than your husband hot?

Did it cause controversy like it did for me HERE? When I told my husband about my niece's disapproval of my calling other men hot he said, "Well she's just young. She'll figure it out."

.

And it's true. She'll learn that calling a celebrity hot is the same as calling a fictional character say like Edward Cullen hot (although I'm more of a Jacob woman but whatever) it doesn't mean anything. When I told my husband this he agreed so I asked him, "Who do you think is hot?" To which he replied, "You." (so sweet).

.

Then I reminded him that I'm not pregnant or otherwise hormonal in any way so he could tell me the truth and when he still wouldn't I mentioned a few stars that I thought were beautiful (because women know when other women are beautiful and it has nothing to do with sea salt and vinegar potato chips (?)) and he agreed with my choices and it wasn't one bit threatening so apparently "Hot" is not a four letter word in our house.

.

And speaking of hot...

Have you ever thought it would be hot to have a tattoo?

I used to but now (and I hope not to offend) I'm getting sick of looking at them. They're everywhere and I'm so over it. So I LOVED when Teresa from the Real Housewives of New Jersey explained that she doesn't have any tattoos because (and I quote) "Would you put a bumper sticker on a Bentley?" Fabulous.

.

Have you ever watched the Real Housewives of New Jersey?

I pretty much love Jersey girls. They're so fascinating to listen to (Caroline sounds like a female version of the Godfather when she talks. Love) And I love how they're so tough. Now I know why my BFF is so cool and tough. She was born in Jersey and let me tell you, she always had my back.

.

Have you ever been addicted to pot?

I never was, never even tried it until my good friends Holly and Vandee introduced me to it (for medicinal purposes only of course) and now I can see myself becoming addicted to it very quickly. It feels so good I could use it all day long. In fact I'm fixin' to go stuff it up my nose right now.

.

Huh?

.

Oh... you thought I meant... oh no I'm not talking about that, I'm talking about a Neti Pot. I use it to dump a saline solution up one nostril then watch it flow out the other nostril. It's quite amazing really and does wonders for my allergies. You must try it. It's fun. Seriously.

.

Have you ever noticed that your blog post was getting WAY TOO LONG then ended it rather abruptly?