Resolution

A friend of mine blogged about her resolution for the upcoming year, and then asked her readers what their resolutions were. I was stumped, and had to think about this for a while, about myself for a while. Here is how I replied to her post:

"A resolution is a promise to change or do something different in the coming year."

I can honestly say that I dont think I have ever made a New Years resolution for myself. If something happens that makes me aware that I need to change something about myself, then I certainly do set a goal, make a promise to myself, to make the change. Maybe I need that "something" happening part to kick my butt into gear?? I dont know. I will make a resolution for myself this year though, and it will be one that doesnt require a "something" happening!! haha I found a loophole!!

My resolution will be to be the best mom, wife, friend, and person that I can be, in every situation, and with every person I encounter."

xoxo
S

Wow, it went so fast!!!

I cannot believe that the year is almost over!! All in all, it was a darn good year!! I just spent a long time going over all my pictures from this year. Id have to say by looking at them that there were definitely some highlights!! I started off the year with a new hobby, birding. I did this with my neighbor and great friend, Robin. She got me into it. I have to admit, before her, I didnt really like birds!! My mom has a fear of them, so growing up I sort of accustomed myself to her fear. I had some really cool birds come visit my house!! Rose breasted Grosbeaks were my favorite!! I cant wait until spring to see if they come back!! We also had a big flood the beginning of this year, remember that?? What a mess that was!! Since we are surrounded by ponds out here, we were basically stranded until the water found some place to go and was low enough for us to drive through. Spring was a time of many hair color changes for me this year. LOL Im happy to say that by the end of this year, I had grown out of the hair color changing phase and am back to blonde!! My cousin, who hasnt been home in a few years, came to visit in the summer. It was great to see him!! We had a sad thing happen this summer as well, our oldest dog past away. It still brings tears to my eyes to this day to think about her. She was a wonderful dog and she is greatly missed!! I think the biggest thing that happened this year is all centered around one person.....or shall I say, one horse!! My Sisco!!!!!!! I got him at the end of June, and seriously, mostly all of my photo albums after he arrived are of HIM!!!! He is amazing!! I couldnt have asked for a better horse!! My hubby and I had a great time training him. With getting Sisco, I also aquired someone else......Joshua. I call him my MUCH older brother. He is more than that though, he is a best friend. Whats even better than that is that he is hopelessly in love with my best friend Jill!! I may have had a small hand in that!! hehe He and my hubby have become best friends too!!! Hubby got another best friend this year too, his horse, Mac. He and Sisco are the same age. Once we were done training Sisco, we went right into training Mac. By this time, summer had ended and it was time for the next big event of this year to take place. My baby, Max, was going to be a kindergartener!! My best friend Val and I both had our youngest kids in preschool together earlier this year. Looking back now, Im so glad I had someone to share this life changing event with. Why was it so life changing? Its just kindergarten, right? Ok, well, Im not so much talking about the actual kindergarten part, as much as I am talking about what it meant to MY life. I was a stay-at-home mom ever since Max was born. His going to preschool, which only lasted 3 hours 3 days a week, meant I still remained a SAHM. His going to kindergarten, which is all day, meant.............I wouldnt have any kids home during the day, and could get a............JOB again!!! GASP!!! Ive already blogged about the details of all this, so Im not going to go into it again!! Just know that it was a big part of 2008. As we headed toward the fall and winter months, Im happy to say that we had alot more get togethers with friends than we have ever had any other year.......we get to spend even more time with our horses than we did in the summer..........and we finally joined the world of Wii, thanks to our kids!!! I was also able to reconnect with quite a few old friends this year, and that was pretty exciting!! :)

I wish everyone a happy 2009!!! Be happy, be sweet,
be yourself, and make each day the best you can make it!!!

xoxo

S

The proud Mama and the Wii

I am a proud Mama today!! My kids have all three been saving up their birthday money, holiday money, tooth fairy money, any money they get their hands on so they can buy a Wii. Today, they got the last bit they needed and off to the store we went!! They are so proud of themselves and so am I!!! (Yes, I am one of "those" parents who believes that earning something on your own makes you more responsible and more apt to take better care of it. Dont worry, they have plenty of play things that they didnt have to buy on their own. Im not all bad!! :p)

xoxo
S

Helping

Lately, I have seen and heard some things about human nature that just really amaze me, and not in a good way. Maybe Im just a freak of nature and that is why I just dont understand some people. Regardless of the why, the nature of some human beings really really sucks. Im the type of person, who will help you, whether you ask or not. I dont expect anything in return, I dont want anything in return. It just is. Too many times, people dont have the same way of thinking as I do about this type of thing. That is just so sad!!

I am happy to say that my dearest friends share the same philosophy as me when it comes to things like this. Thats probably a big reason they are my friends!!

I am not happy to say that some people that are just a step or two beyond being my friend, some even related to me, do not share this philosophy. They may have at one time, but somewhere along the way, have lost their sense of human compassion.

They will help you, no problem, BUT...........................and heres the whole reason why I am ranting today.

(Pay close attention to this next statement, for it is the whole reason for this blog.)

They will help you, no problem, BUT.........then you OWE them!!

They seem to have some lil "click" in their head, and begin plotting the second you ask them for help, about what they can make you do to pay them back. You dont have to ask them for monetary help, it can be any kind of help, no matter how big or small, how easy or inconvenient. The "what" and the "why" of it all completely does not matter. The second you ask this kind of person for help, you immediately become their slave until they feel the debt has been repaid. I have become more and more aware of this kind of person lately, and they make me sad, and sick.

Id like to think I am the only person who knows people like this, because that would mean the number is relatively small. Unfortunately though, I dont think I am the only one. Who knows how many people are out there who have lost their sense of human compassion and focus only on how to benefit themselves from someone elses misfortune.

Its something to think about during this holiday season. I know its not the cheery happy side of an issue, but one by one, we can all try to change the way that some people view helping people. Its kind of like that one commercial, where one person helps someone, and then that someone helps another someone, who helps someone else, and so on. None of them stood around waiting to be repaid or treating someone like they are less because they had to ask for help, they just helped the person and went on with things!!

PAY IT FORWARD!!!!!!!!!

xoxo

S

Tick tock goes the Christmas clock

With Christmas just a mere four days away, I still have not wrapped a thing. Its beyond freezing outside and the energy to do anything has exited all thoughts coming from my head. I keep hoping all the boxes I have crammed in my closet will simply wrap themselves. lol A girl can dream, cant she!! I will get it done.............although Id rather people just close their eyes tight and wait til I place their gift in their hands, rather than have to wrap it.

.

In other news, yesterday was spent relocationg our horses and getting their new accomodations all ready for them. Its not something I recommend people having to do in the winter!! The weather did not spare us at all. But, they are all settled in and we get to check on them two or three times a DAY now, thats how close they are!! :) I am so grateful that they were able to be placed where they are, its the best Christmas present ever!!

Everyday I still find myself hating winter. I just cant stand it. Im a summertime, sunshine, warmth, flowers, birds, grass, green things kinda girl. Id be happy to have stupid nasty bugs back instead of having to deal with all this miserable cold!!!

Anyway, I wish you all a wonderful Christmas holiday!! Be safe and enjoy the time spent with your families!!

xoxo

S

So thankful...

Thanksgiving has passed, but being thankful for the people in your life isnt restricted to merely one day. Like I said before in another blog, Im not really a public person, I like to keep things private, so for most of you this will be vague, but the moral of the story will not be.

I try to avoid drama as much as possible, but as Im sure we are all aware, sometimes that just isnt a possibility. Just recently, I found myself involved in some drama. It wasnt anything serious, but it had a shocking and hurting blow, and as a result we had some things that we had to get taken care of. I found out about this drama from my best (other than my super husband, of course) boy friend, and he is the first one I am thankful for. He found out from another friend, who I am thankful for. Without both of them, I wouldnt have known what was going on. I was stunned, to say the least. I freaked out and wasnt sure how to move forward. I immediately thought of a couple of people whom I could ask for advice and help from. Im not normally one to do this, call me stubborn, call me what you will. I am fine with jumping up to help other people, but for myself, I dont like to burden people. Anyway, I sent out a couple of emails because it was getting late and my voice was shakey, so talking on the phone wasnt the best option at that time. I heard back immediately from a great girlfriend, who is the third person I am very thankful for. She was on the job, and ready to help me find a solution. I heard back from another lady and she is the fourth person I am thankful for. That concluded things for the evening....

The next morning, my hubby and I knew we had to go get some things done. We took the morning hours after the kids got off to school to get these things done. On the drive home I formulated a list of people who I could contact to see if they, too, could help me reach a solution. I made call after call after call. My throat was dry and getting sore from talking so much. (I know, normally that isnt an issue for me at all, is it? lol) Finally, I made a call to some family friends, wonderful people. Right away, she tried to think of anyone that could help us out. She came up with a name. She is my fifth person I am thankful for. I called the person she suggested, and although things are not certain yet, as he is out of town right now, I should know tomorrow or Friday. He is my sixth person I am thankful for. A stranger to me when I called him, but a true blessing in disguise. I finally had a smile back on my face. I immediately called my fifth person to thank her for her suggestion and let her know that it may work out. I then called or emailed my other people to let them know the update status. My third person had more ideas just in case we need to fall back on them. I also heard back from a great guy friend, and he is my seventh person Im thankful for.

It warms my heart to know that I have surrounded myself with the kind of people who are willing to give their help and support. Sometimes I dont even have to ask, they just know, and do. To the average eye, to someone who doesnt know them like I do, they may simply be called friends, but to me, they are my guardian angels. Thank you to you all, I love you!!!

xoxo

S

Addendum: I was just thinking. Even though my initial response to this drama and the person who inflicted it was hurt, now I am able to look past it and remain thankful for this person and for all the good times and memories prior to this event. Im not saying that the hurt isnt still there, but it isnt alone now. I can look beyond it and remember all the times where there was no hurt. Its times like this that encourage us to reflect and be thankful for all that we have.

The weekend

Well, I had one thing I wanted to do this weekend, and one thing only. Only problem is that I did everything but this one thing I wanted to do!! This weather is to blame!! I am not a fan of the cold, the rainy, the snowy, the winter. I like sun, warm, and sun!!
Things we did end up doing.............going to the store to finish real life Christmas shopping, spending time with my baby brother, having wine and watching movies with friends, cleaning the house beyond the normal cleaning regime, finishing the online Christmas shopping.
Things we did not do that I wanted to do............go see the horses. :( I will pray for a sunny day this week so we can get out there. Have I mentioned that I am not a fan of winter??
I will be happy and thankful that my Christmas shopping is done, and that things got done around the house that have been needing to be done for a long time.
I will..............oh yes, I will, go see my horse SOON though!!
Now...........who wants to come wrap these presents for me?? That task is right up there with putting the clothes away after you have folded them. I dont wanna do it....



In other news.......

One more week of school and then its break time!!! I dont know about all of you but I really like the balanced calendar we have now. I look forward to the two week breaks that we get every nine weeks. And then I look forward to the nine weeks when the kids head back to school and arent constantly picking on eachother and telling me how bored they are.


Oh, my Lifetime movie is on, so Im off!!! :)

xoxo
S

This chapter of my life

I have a feeling that this one may be long. Its been ongoing for a few months now, and its something that I sometimes struggle with and just recently have learned to accept.

When I got pregnant with my first child, I was working full time as a Counselor at a residential treatment facility. When I was 6 months along, the facility closed down and I was laid off. I was able to collect severance pay and by the end of that I was ready to pop and wasnt really in any condition to be job hunting, so I stayed home. Then when I got pregnant with my second child, I continued to stay home with both of them. It was wonderful for me and I wouldnt have had it any other way. Looking back, it probably wasnt the best choice for our whole family, because of the money strain. Anyway, things went on and I ended up getting a divorce. At that point, the kids were 2 and 3. I had no choice but to head back to work. I found the kids a daycare, and off we went into a new phase of our lives. The kids thrived in daycare. They learned so much and got to spend time with other kids their age.
I had to take a step backwards from my Counselor position that I once held, and went back to an entry level position in the same field. Needless to say, it wasnt the same wonderful job that I remembered it being. Years had passed from the last time I had worked, and times were different. It still had its rewarding points, but it just wasnt the same atmosphere. I decided to find another line of work, it was time for a change.
In this time I also met Rusty. He was working and living 40 minutes away when we met.
I got a job as an Advertising Rep. at the Sentinel. This was a completely new area for me. I had worked in sales and in the Psych field, but never before the Media field. I was creative and personable enough, so this job was a breeze. Just what I needed!!
Things progressed with Rusty and I, and before long, he moved in with us, we were engaged, got married, and had a baby on the way. When Max arrived, I was fully intending on doing my 3 month maternity leave and then heading back to work. Well, it didnt happen like that.
Now, here I am, 6 years later and Im still staying at home. Max never went to daycare like my other two, but he did go to Preschool when he was 5. We tried to do the Kindergarten thing, but he wasnt ready for it. He had just turned 5, and I decided that Preschool first would be a better path. It was a hard transition for him. He was so used to staying home and being with me that by the time he was 5, he just didnt want to leave. He had fun in preschool and he enjoyed playing with the kids, but nearly every day was a battle to get him to stay there. In hindsight, I think I should have stayed home for a few years with him and then got him on the same path that my other two went on. Six years was just too much, for him and for me.
Now, he is in Kindergarten and doing very well. We had a few moments in the beginning where he still wanted to be a stay-at-h0me-kid, but now he jumps out of the truck, happy and ready to go to school. Me, on the other hand, well, Im still in the same position I have been in for 6 years. Its not for lack of trying. I have applied for several jobs, and even interviewed a couple times. I used to be "that" person who could find a job she wanted, interview for it, and get it on the spot. Now, that person seems to be gone forever. Now, Im the person who finds a job she likes, interviews for it, and gets told that someone was better qualified. Again, I think the 6 years was just too long. There must be a certain amount of years that are "safe" to do, and then you cross into no mans world, and people dont want you. For me, staying home for 3 years was ok, but 6 has royally screwed me when it comes to getting back into the work world.
Maybe Im being too negative, too hard on myself. Maybe the job for me just hasnt come along yet. Maybe maybe maybe....
All I know is that I have really beat myself up over this transition. Ive blamed myself to no end. I thought it would be so easy to find a job. I have experience, I have a degree, and Im still me, still smart, personable, and able to do a good job at whatever I set my mind to. But, boy, was I wrong! It has been hard, very very hard. I still dont really know why, or understand it, but I am finally able to stop beating myself up about it, able to stop thinking that Im not wanted or needed or worthy. The perfect job for me will come! Right? lol
Until then, I will try to think of this time as a blessing, a time to prepare myself for my next big life transition. Ive been home for 6 years, thats a long time. I am ready for the next chapter of my life to begin, whenever that may be....

xoxo
S

And the music plays...or does it??

I was woken up at 7:30 this morning by my hubbys giant panting dog. Normally I am woken up by music playing on my alarm at 7:00. CRAP!! I smacked hubby and said GET UP. He ran out and started waking up kids. I took the dogs out, and then things fell into a normal pattern. UNTIL my alarm for when its time to leave for school didnt go off either. I had silenced my phone last night at the music program and needless to say, it remained silenced this morning when the alarm on it was supposed to go off. We werent late though, yay us!!
I seriously repel alarms today!! Lets hope for a smoother remainder of the day, shall we!! :)
Happy Friday everyone!!

xoxo

S

Today

I went out to take the kids to school, and the doors on my truck were frozen. Grr!! I tugged, tugged, tugged, pulled something in my back, tugged, owwww, tug, owwww, tug, owwwww. Then off we went. I couldnt move much, couldnt breathe much, couldnt cough or sniffle. I got the kids to school though, by golly!! Then stopped at my moms. She had mentioned going to Koko today so I needed to see if that was still the plan. Yep.
We got to Koko, and she shopped. She finished her list, and we went to eat. Hacienda!! Bueno!! :)
Then I accidentally on purpose some how some way ended up in the Starbucks drive-thru. Oopsies!!! lol Mom got me a mocha. hehe :) I heard all day about what a brat I was. LOL
Now Im sitting, relaxing, checking internet things. Tonight we have Hannahs music program.
Mom got Peanut a new "pillow" toy. He immediately started beating the crap out of it the second she gave it to him. He loves loves loves his "pillow". He takes it with him everywhere, even to bed. If he forgets it at bedtime, we have to go find it or he cries cuz he doesnt have it. Heres a pic with Peanut and his pillow:



Its seriously almost as big as he is!!! He loves it though!!
Ok, Im off here to do things, then go to the music program!!

xoxo

S

I just found this...

Its so perfect!! I love it!! Dont you?? :)

xoxo

S

A couple more things!!

Here is our tree this year. A lil bit shorter than last year. We also brought up the fireplace that hubby and I built a few years ago so that I could put out my houses and hang stockings!! :)

Heres a lil video from Zebra Zone today!! As you can see, Mrs. Lunsford totally rocks!! :) The kids really love it!! They dance and sing along!! Its really cute!!

xoxo

S

Pics of my life!!

Here we go! Pics!! These are some of my faves!! :)



My hubby, Rusty, and I!!



Our three kids, Hannah, Brodie, and Max :)



Peanut Nutty Nut McNutterson, or Peanut for short :)



Big Dumb Fozz, or Fozzie :)



My 3 year old palomino QH gelding, Sisco.



My hubbys 3 year old paint gelding, Mac, with Sisco.

Thats all for now!! :)

xoxo
S

My Day

This is my first official blog. Ive had fun designing my blog and reading peoples blogs. I think this will be fun!! :)
Well, today started the same as any other weekday. Get up, take the dogs out, get everyone else up, take kids to school, come back home and do chores. Not alot of chores actually got done today!! Oops!! I did run Natalie (my vac), and cleaned counters, and threw in a load of laundry. That reminds me, I need to fold whats in the dryer and put whats in the washer in the dryer. Ill make a note to do that soon!
I then got sucked in the world of Blogger. I obsessed, as I do with things, and its still not totally complete. I will finish it though. Im still finding all the goodies!! :)
I was planning on helping at school today, but Mrs. Wortley emailed that because of Zebra Zone, it wouldnt be a normal day. Drat! I love helping at school! I went and played on my Blog until it was time to go to Zebra Zone. (PS- You should really check it out if you havent!)
I got to the school just as Maxs class was heading into the gym, so I gave my lil man a hug and went to find a seat. It was a good show, as always! I havent missed one yet!
Then I had to run to Wally to pick up my Site to Store stuff. Waited.....waited.....seriously.
We got home and I went back to working on my Blog. I added a few more details, I read some more pages. It was fun!! It didnt take me long to become addicted!!
Like I said........I need things to do!!
Anyway, hubby just stepped out to help the neighbor, so I need to keep an eye on dinner. LOL Those of you who know me, know thats not the greatest idea. The kitchen and I are not friends.
I will be back, oh yes, I will!! Im still working on some more lil details!! I want to add pictures too!! Goodness, theres so much to be done!! Yay!! lol

Til then...

xoxo
S

Blog Newbie

Well, sorta...not really, I guess.
Ive blogged on MySpace, but I ended up making them all private after a while. Im not really a public type of person, so Im not really sure why I made a Blogger page. Maybe its because Im bored and just need something new to do with my time. Facebook only entertains me to a certain point these days. Reading is something I like to save for the evening, otherwise I would not put my book down, and nothing would get done. Housework doesnt take that long, and Im thankful for that. I dont want to sit and watch TV all day long. Everyone I know and talk to is working all day, but not me. Nope. So, I need something else to do. And, hey, venting/blogging could have a positive impact. Right?
So, there ya go, my introduction to the blogging that will follow.
Are you ready for this?

PS- I designed my background myself with my DigiScrap inventory. :)



xoxo
S