Summer Lovin'

Summer started this week!

I’m so excited!

Here’s just a few things I’m lovin’ for summer…

1. Iced tea…



...I’m not gonna lie…I drink it year round. But in the summer it tastes especially good!

2. Running through the sprinkler



…the laughter that this insues is priceless


3. Ryan Reynolds…shirtless



…no other explanation necessary

4. Road Trips with the one you love



…of course I’m still working on “the one you love” part


5. Being carefree




6. Sun flowers




7. Watermelon




8. Girlfriends




9. Berries



...YUMMO!


10. Fourth of July



…Freedom…Independence…Enough said!

How an 8 year old finally made me feel cool again

Well, here we are! It’s Monday morning and I survived yet another Mother’s Day without my kids and without my mom. If I were being honest with you, I would tell you that I had a pretty good day. But I don’t want to be honest about it, because being honest would make me sound like a bad mom, yet again.

You see, I actually enjoyed the first part of my day without my kids and in the company of other kids.

Shhhh….don’t tell my kids that I spent the day with ten 8 year old little girls, a couple of 12 year olds and my dear friend Jane.

And it was great!

But most importantly, many lessons were learned about the differences between girl and boy birthday parties…here are a few.

Girl birthday parties consist of quiet, the occasional giggle and please and thank yous, whereas boy birthday parties consist of running, yelling, and lots of sweat.

Girl birthday parties consist of manners, sweetness, and sharing, whereas boy birthday parties consist of running, yelling and lots of sweat.

Girl birthday parties consist of order, pleasentries, and excitement, whereas boy birthday parties consist of running, yelling and lots of sweat.

Girl birthday parties consist of fruit, milk and cupcakes, whereas boy birthday parties consist of running, yelling and lots of sweat.

Girl birthday parties consist of sugar and spice and everything nice, whereas boy birthday parties consist of running, yelling and lots of sweat.

And last but not least, girl birthday parties consist of pony tails, pretty dresses, and cute tights, whereas boy birthday parties consist of crazy hair, mismatched clothes, dirt, and, oh yeah, running, yelling and lots of sweat.

Unlike moms of girls, I am used to the crazy hair, mismatched clothes, dirt, yelling, running and sweat. So you can imagine my intimidation when trying to buy the perfect gift for one of the sweetest little girls I know. I stressed out about it while I was at the store, while driving to the party, and even during cake and ice cream. I was nervous when it came time for gifts. I just didn’t want to feel like the crazy lady that doesn’t have any clue what to buy little girls, even though I once was a little girl

So you can imagine my relief when the birthday girl’s eyes lit up when she opened my gift. But nothing beats the reaction of another little girl in the room when she said, “wow, you are definitely invited to my birthday party!”

And because this blog is all about me, the first thing that came to my mind after it was all over is…

“Finally! I’m a cool girl again!”

And it only took an 8 year old birthday party for me to fit back into the clique that I always wanted to be in growing up.

Pathetic, right?

Pathetic or not, I don’t care…I’m takin what I can get!

Mother's Day can suck it

Since I’ve been a mom, Mother’s Day has never been a favorite holiday of mine. But since I’ve been divorced Mother’s Day has become my least favorite holiday of the year.

Why. you might ask?

Mother’s Day always falls on a Sunday.

Sunday’s are days that my kids always spend with their dad.

My mom passed away 11 years ago, so that in itself makes Mother’s Day difficult.

My dad will be in Florida visiting his brother.

My twin brother will be in Washington DC chaperoning a field trip.

My older brother lives in TN.

My friends are either spending the day with their kids or their moms.

So, you see, I got nothing on Mother’s Day!

My kids, friends and mom are all unavailable.

Thank God I still have a very unorganized closet calling my name.

They like me...they really like me

I know you all have been dying to know what has been going on in my life. And I have been dying to share with you what has been going on in my life, but the timing just hasn’t been right.

Until now…

I can finally share with you my good news…no, no, wait…my GREAT news!

You see, I have been interviewing for my “dream job” for the past couple of weeks and I got a formal offer from this company on Tuesday morning.

I have just one thing to say about this…

WAAAAAAAAAAWHHOOOOOOOOOOWEEEEEEEEEEE!

I don’t think I have been this excited about something since the release of Snookie’s new book, A Shore Thing.

You see, I currently love the company I work for. And by “love” I mean, I truly believe in its mission. It’s a small non-profit whose mission was once a true passion of mine, but over the past couple of years, I got burnt out and realized that I just lost the passion for it, and I wasn’t going to get that passion back by continuing to work in the environment I was working in.

And that makes me very sad…

I’ve known for a long time that I needed to make a change, but I never did anything about it. I woke up a few weeks ago and realized if I wanted a change in my life, I would have to be proactive about it.

Let’s face it, wishing for a cute, single, available guy to fall in my lap isn’t going to make it happen…just like wishing for my dream job to fall in my lap isn’t going to make it happen either.

I needed to make the effort!

And that thought scared me…

But I did it!

And it paid off!

Life is finally going my way, and it feels sooooooooo good!

GO DAWGS GO!

Something happened on the way to turning 40

In my 39 years, 362 days here on this earth I have learned ALOT, some good things, some bad things and some ugly things...but, no matter what, they were all worthy lessons. Some of these lessons I wish I would have learned at different times so that I could have either enjoyed them longer, or been hurt by them less. But we can't always control what we learn and when we learn it, all we can do is change ourselves based on the experiences we have.

So consider yourselves lucky blog fans...I'm sharing with you today, my most prized list to date...I like to call it 39 lessons in 39 years.

1. When people show you the kind of person they are the first time, BELIEVE them!

2. You are so smart, don't let anyone tell you otherwise.

3. Credit cards are the work of the devil.

4. If you are going to be a slut, please be discreet about it.

5. Don't be afraid to venture out alone.

6. Don't ever let your eyes play tricks on you.

7. Live your dream and wear your passion.

8. Don't dwell on past relationships, men are like busses, another one comes around every 15 minutes.

9. A half truth is a whole lie.

10. The key to happiness is realizing and experiencing your dreams instead of just dreaming them.

11. Teachers are noble.

12. Read. read. read. Write. write. write.

13. Never say what another person will or won't do.

14. Trust your gut!

15. Nothing beats a good cocktail!

16. Cherish your loved ones.

17. This is your life...do what YOU love!

18. If someone isn't there for you anymore you have to let him/her go no matter how difficult that may be.

19. Now is the time to enjoy the great life that you have.

20. Do not allow others to make you feel like less of a person, no matter what their reason is.

21. Stop fighting yourself.

22. You are good enough!

23. Sometimes your mom does know best.

24. Always be yourself...do NOT pretend for anyone.

25. No one needs to know everything about you.

26. Keep your friends close and forget about your enemies.

27. Nothing, and I mean nothing is better than good sex.

28. Use what you have to get what you want.

29. If you don't like something, don't bitch about it, change it.

30. All emotions are beautiful.

31. Open your mind, arms and heart to new things.

32. If someone wants to be a part of your life, they will make an effort to be in it.

33. You always know what you have, you just don't ever think you will lose it.

34. When things in your life don't add up, then maybe it is time to start subtracting.

35. The good thing about life is that there is always another chapter.

36. Love yourself first!

37. Hold onto yourself tight because sometimes life hurts like hell.

38. Remember, you are beautiful, no matter what anyone else tells you.

39. Don't be afraid to get lost, because it will only help you find yourself.

40 may be the new 30 but someone forgot to tell my ass

I used to think the number in my bank account was the only thing going down. That is until I really started thinking about my impending 40th birthday this Saturday. Apparently forty is the new thirty, fifty is the new 40, twenty-one is the new eighteen…whew, I feel my hormones sky rocketing to adolescent levels even as I type.

This new math, created by those Hollywood/celebrity types that can’t come to terms with getting older, doesn’t, however, just stop at age. It is apparent in clothing, size 10 is now the new size eight…shopping, what used to cost $50 is now 50% off of $100. Almost everything that has a numeric value associated with it has gone down over the years, except for, of course, gas prices which have gone up quicker than Pee Wee Herman at a porno flick, and the optimum size of a woman as portrayed on TV, in movies and magazines. Because we all know that size six is the new size twelve, and that makes me feel fat.

So what, you may ask, does that have to do with today’s post? Wwll today’s post is about me coming to terms with turning 40. Like I have said in past posts, I’m ok with it. I’m not where I thought I would be when I turned 40, but I am actively making changes in my life to be there, SOON! I’m not bitching, moaning or complaining about turning 40, in fact, I’m kind of looking forward to it.

I came to terms with my age a long time ago. It’s inevitable, so I might as well age gracefully, right? And in order to age gracefully, I had to come to terms with a few things that I just have to understand are out of my control. Well maybe not totally out of my control, but things, that I have come to realize are going to happen and I just have to stick around and enjoy the ride.

Things like...

I exercise more, eat less, weigh more, and care about it less!

I don’t lean over and pick something up unless it’s really important. I find myself constantly calculating “risk vs. reward”…you know like bending down to pick up a newspaper? Nope, my kids can get it for me. A $20 bill? Yep. My kids are quick, they would pick it up and then run with it. I'm no dummy!

My bills, weight and number of Facebook friends are all higher than they were a few years ago.

My tolerance for teenagers…way lower! Not that I have them, but I work with them everyday.

I now get up at least twice a night to pee. When I hit 30 it was once a night…heck at this rate, I might just be sleeping on the toilet when I hit 60.

My car insurance just tripled, not because I have added a teenager, but because I don’t pay attention when I drive…I can’t help it, my mind wanders.

I don’t want to go to my annual physical anymore, because my doctor warned me that the poking and prodding becomes even more intrusive at 40…and then jokingly he snapped on a pair of rubber gloves. Yeah, not funny!

Whenever I get a new electronic device, ie: cell phone, ipod, xbox, I just give it to my kids to set it up for me… I gave up on that stuff years ago.

I eat cereal all of the time…this may be no big deal, but I don’t eat cereal unless it has the word “fiber” in it.

And last but not least…two words for you…LARGE PRINT!

To ink or not to ink...Part II

So yesterday, I went to a local tattoo salon with every intention of getting my first tattoo to help ring in my 40th birthday.

But, I chickened out.

Why did I chicken out, you might ask?

Well…I was telling the Hot Fireman that I was going to go and his reaction kind of freaked me out. He’s a tattoo kind of guy, so me getting one is not an issue for him, but when I told him where I was going to get my tattoo (on the back of my neck), he said he had “no comment”.

This kind of freaked me out, and made me start thinking…

Is the back of the neck not a good place for a tattoo? Is it overly painful? Is it like the earring fad of the late 80’s…tattoo on the ankle means your straight, tattoo on the back of the neck means you’re a gay? Do only losers get tattoos on the back of their necks? Do I really want to ink? Am I wanting a tattoo for the right reasons?

You know questions like that.

So I walked out of the salon without going through with it. I decided to give myself another week to think about it.

And thank God I did!

You see, I just saw that Charlie Sheen’s goddesses are “branding themselves” in honor of their love for Mr. Tiger Blood.

And this is what they are doing…



Clearly this has made my decision so much easier. I have already emailed Mr. Tiger Blood’s people to see if I can get a copy of his signature for my tattoo next week.

Duh...winning!

Look out 40…here I come!

Lordy Lordy

In the words of John Edwards, Tiger Woods, Kobe Bryant, Jesse James and Bill Clinton…”I’m sorry”. Oh wait, I don’t think Bill Clinton ever uttered those words in the Monica Lewinsky scandal, so never mind, take him off the list.

I’m so so so so sorry! I cannot believe I have let you, my loyal blog readers down, yet again. You see, this time last year I had already put out my “birthday wish list” in order to give you all plenty of time to save your money and buy me the most special gifts you can. I think I got a good 75% of the items on my wish list. Heck, I even got a cute boy for my 39th birthday, but he let me down…so I won’t be asking for one of those again this year. Believe me, I’ve learned my lesson on that.

In exactly 15 days (March 12), I will be, yep, you guessed it 40! I cannot believe it. When I was Hamilton’s age(my 10 year old), my mom turned 40…and I thought she was old. I’d like to think I am a lot younger and cooler than my mom was when she turned forty. Maybe I am, maybe I’m not…bottom line, my kids think I’m awesome! And like all those people over there in Hollywood, I live by the motto “forty is the new thirty”. Oh wait, I think I just read an article the other day that said “forty is the new twenty”. Heck, at this rate, when I turn forty-one, it will be the new eleven…oh man, now I’m getting creeped out.

Anyway, I don’t care what the new forty is…I’m good with being forty, I think. Although, I did throw my back out a week or so ago when I bent down to pick up my hat off the floor, but that doesn’t really make me old does it? Oh and I had a bowl of cereal for dinner the other night…does that make me old? And does it make a difference if I tell you that I love to be in bed by 9pm? It hardly ever happens, but I love it when it does.

I’M NOT OLD! I can still hang with the best of them. I can, on occasion, go out, party it up, hang out until the wee hours of the morning, act like I’m in High School, be hung over and promise never to do it again. I can…I just choose not to, and when I choose not to I usually say something like, “I’m too old to be behaving this way.” But secretly I look forward to the opportunity to do it again.

Anyway, I need to get back on track…and by “back on track” I mean, I need to give you my wish list. If you need an address on where to send your gift(s), just email me and I will be happy to give it to you. Remember, you only have a little over 2 weeks…so, ready, set…go, start your shopping!

Gift Suggestion #1



New golf clubs, these in particular. I am determined to take the sport a little more serious this year than I have in the past.


Gift Suggestion #2



Ray Ban Aviator Sunglasses. I’m not a huge fan of the Aviator sunglasses, but usually by the time I jump on board a fashion trend, it’s on its way out the door. So I figured, if I got these for my birthday then maybe, just maybe another style will come along for the summer.


Gift Suggestion #3



Big Star Vintage Jeans. This needs no explanation…just look at them, aren’t they pretty? And yes, my butt looks fantastic in them!



Gift Suggestion #4



Black Labrador Retriever. Aren’t these the sweetest dogs ever? My ex and I had one when we were first married. In fact, I think the Ex got our lab for me on my 25th birthday. Anywho, I keep wanting to buy my kids a dog…but just haven’t been able to pull the trigger yet.


Gift Suggestion #5



The good old standby…flowers. But not just any flowers, Gerber Daisies! Not the cheesy white and yellow daisies that you can pick up at your local grocery store, but a beautiful bouquet of Gerber Daisies. They are guaranteed to put a smile on my face.


Gift Suggestion #6

A membership here…



And someone exactly like this...or someone who looks remotely like this...



to help me get my ass out of bed every morning and get to the gym. But I think it is important to note here, that as much as I would like to have someone this beautiful to wake up to in the morning, he may not sleep in my bed the night before, because if he did, we would never get out of bed. He must show up by my bedside and wake me with a gentle kiss….screeeeeeeech…sorry, I will stop fantasizing. Just send him over to give me the motivation I need to go work out.


Gift Suggestion #7



OPI- Pink Flamenco nail polish…I LOVE this color, and I normally don’t like having pink on my toes. A nice pedicure or two to go along with this polish would be greatly apprecaited too!


Gift Suggestion #8

And last but not least…one of these...



…yep a tummy tuck! If you don’t want to fork out the bill for the entire thing, that’s ok, a donation to the overall budget would be greatly appreciated.

So that’s it! I know it’s not much **snicker, snicker**, but it’s all I need! It never hurts to ask, right?

Happy Birthday to me!

Happy...uhhhh...Monday?

First, let me start by wishing all my single friends out there a happy…uhhh Monday! Yes, happy Monday people! I hope you all will join me in a pint of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream in front of the TV later tonight!

As we single people know, Valentine’s Day is not a great day to be single. We are constantly reminded that if we aren’t in a relationship of some kind then we must be losers.

Well, today I celebrate us losers!

And to celebrate, I give you my Top Ten Reasons why I think it is great to be single on Valentine’s Day.

10. No expectations, no disappointments.

9. It’s perfectly acceptable to eat Chinese take-out in your extra large comfy PJ’s with your glasses on in front of the TV.

8. You don’t have to fake a smile of excitement when you get edible panties as a gift.

7. There is no better night to pick up guaranteed single men at a bar.

6. No sense of feeling guilty about not wanting to have sex before you go to bed.

5. There’s no pressure…no pressure to find the perfect outfit that makes you look skinny, hot, classy, feminine and like you’re not trying to hard all at the same time. No pressure to have clear blemish-free skin for just one damn night. No pressure to have unfrizzy, volumized, shiny hair. No pressure to find the most romantic restaurant, with the best wine and most expensive meals…absolutely no pressure!

4. No sharing the Valentine chocolate!

3. It’s the one day a year that you know you don’t have to shave your legs.

2. The realization that you don’t have to figure out the actual stage of your relationship in order to pick out the most perfect present.

And the number one reason why I think it is good to be single on Valentine’s Day:

1. It still leaves the door open to get a sext message from Brett Favre…still keeping my fingers crossed that this will happen. The day is still young.

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Birthday memories (REPOST)

Today would have been my mom's 68th birthday. There isn't a day that goes by that I don't think about her in some way or another. I so wish she were here with us today. She would have loved being a grandma! This picture of her is my absolute favorite! She is carrying me and holding my twin brothers hand. We are about 1 1/2in this picture. I could only wish that my body looked like that 18 months after having one child.

My mom was a teacher her whole life. She absolutely loved kids and loved her job. She was not only a teacher Monday thru Friday from 9 to 5 but she was also a wonderful teacher on the home front.

I have to admit, it is tough being a mother without having my own mom in my life. Don't get me wrong, I have other women in my life that I can, and do, go to for motherly advice, but I can only dream of going to my mom when the going gets tough. And some days that is a tough pill to swallow. As I reflect back on the memories of my mom and the awesome life she not only lived, but help provide for me and my brothers, I can't help but be reminded of the things she taught me early on that have stuck with me today. I thought it would be fun to share some of them with you here. You're Welcome!

My mother taught me to appreciate a job well done.
"If you are going to kill each other, do it outside. I just finished cleaning."

My mother taught me about religion.
"You better pray that that stain will come out of the carpet."

My mother taught me about time travel.
"If you don't straighten up, I'm going to knock you into tomorrow!"

My mother taught me about reason.
"Because I said so, that's why!"

My mother taught me about logic.
"If you fall out of that swing and break your neck, you are not going to the store with me."

My mother taught me about foresight.
"Make sure you wear clean underwear, in case you get in an accident."

My mother taught be about irony.
"Keep crying and I will give you something to cry about."

My mother taught me about osmosis.
"Shut your mouth and eat your dinner!"


My mother taught me about contortionism.
"Will you look at that dirt behind your ears?"

My mother taught me about stamina.
"You will sit there until your plate is clean."

My mother taught me about the weather.
"It looks as if a tornado swept through your room."

My mother taught me about hypocrisy.
"If I've told you once, I've told you a million times, don't exaggerate!"

My mother taught me about the circle of life.
"I brought you into this world and I can take you out of this world."

My mother taught me about behavior modification.
"Stop acting like your father."

My mother taught me about anticipation.
"Just you wait until we get home!"

My mother taught me about sex.
"How do you think you got here?"

My mother taught me about my roots.
"What, do you think you were born in a barn?"

And the one lesson my mom taught me that I never believed would come to fruition...

My mother taught me about justice.
"One day you will have kids, and I hope they turn out just like you!"

Traditions elfing rock!

The holidays for me are sort of bitter sweet because they remind me so much of my mom. Not only did my mom LOVE Christmas, but she also celebrated her birthday and her wedding anniversary in the month of December. It was her absolute favorite time of year, and because of that I can’t help but get a little sad every time the holidays come around. I miss her more in the month of December than I do any other time of year. She loved the tradition of cooking, family and celebrating. I try to carry on those traditions, but they aren’t quite the same without her.

Her three favorite Christmas traditions that I try my best to carry on are:

1. Send Christmas cards to those that we love
2. Make endless amounts of cookies
3. Attend as many holiday parties as possible

This week, in honor of my mom, I am going to be partaking in all of the above.
Last night Gibson and I made almost two hundred cookies for my annual Girls Night In Cookie Exchange. I think I still may have some cookie dough underneath my fingernails. I will let you know for sure later in the day when I have a hankering for something sweet. They are made, bagged in cute little Christmas bags, and ready to share with the best of girlfriends, along with a glass or two or three of wine.

And the Christmas cards…those went out over the weekend. Sending and receiving Christmas cards is the ultimate tradition of the year. I love getting Christmas cards from my friends that I see every day, but I love receiving cards from those that I never get to see even more. And of course, it’s always fun to get one from those whom you would never expect to get one from. It’s fun to look back every year at the cards. Sometimes we cry at the memories but most of the time we laugh at how much our loved ones have changed over the years. Each year I spend an abnormal amount of time choosing the perfect card. Each year I say without fail, “this is by far the best card I have ever sent out.” And this year, wasn't any different.

Thought I would share it with you.

Here is the front...



...and the back (this is a true depiction of what goes on at my house on a daily basis)



But my favorite tradition of all is, of course, the Christmas parties. I am social by nature but usually don’t get out much during the year. I think I have hit the stage in my life where I would rather sit at home with a good glass of wine than go to the bars. So I take every advantage in the month of December to get out and socialize and celebrate. This week I have three separate parties to attend, yeah, I’m that popular! But more importantly, it gives me the opportunity to shop for the perfect dress and shoes! And we all know I love to shop.

Selfishly, I love it when traditions benefit me in some way!

Cheers!

Hot to trot on Thanksgiving

Have I ever told you guys how much I love Thanksgiving? It is my absolute favorite holiday of the year. Turkey, football, wine and family…I can’t wait! I look forward to it every year almost as much as an eight year old does Christmas morning.

This year I am hoping to partake in the Drumstck Dash prior to stuffing my face with Turkey and wine. It’s a local 5K race. I don’t run. I hate to run. But I signed up for the 2011 Mini Marathon that takes place in May and I need to get my ass into shape sooner rather than later, right? It’s only going to be thirty-five degrees windy and rainy on Thanksgiving. I’m predicting some major huffing on the inhaler and a bout with bronchitis next week.

Good times!

And then once I finish the run I will huff it over to the other side of town for a delicious dinner with my mom’s side of the family. My dad usually goes to my brother’s house, but I don’t want to balk tradition. Spending Thanksgiving with my mom’s side of the family is a tradition that was started before I was even born, and I plan to stick with this tradition until I die. My grandma just turned 92 and I love spending time with her. I think my dad gets frustrated that I don’t spend Thanksgiving with him and my brothers in-laws, but I just never know when it will be my grandmas last Thanksgiving, and I want to enjoy her as much as I can.

So I’m sticking with tradition!

I will end the afternoon with my absolute favorite tradition. Yep, you guessed it, NAPTIME! Care to join me?

The only thing that I hate about this holiday is that I usually don’t get time with my kids, but I’m ok with that.

Now, let me explain.

I could ask my ex for time with our kids on Thanksgiving and he would happily obliges, but he gets so little time with them because of his crazy work schedule. So I try to accommodate him when I can. Thursday’s are his days to spend the entire day with Hamilton and Gibson. He looks forward to it. My kids look forward to it.

Again, why mess with tradition? It's just one day...

As we approach this Thanksgiving, I am reminded yet again of how lucky I am for all of the other wonderful things, besides my family, that I have in my life.

Things like:

1. Showers. I know it’s strange, but that’s often where I get my best ideas.

2. The entire frozen food section at Trader Joes.

3. Modern plumbing, bathrooms and toilet paper…enough said!

4. Being able to appreciate the weird things that people do. Yesterday on my way to work I saw a guy dressed in a banana costume in the car next to me…it made me giggle.

5. Unexpected text messages, they usually brighten my day.

6. When the batteries die in noisy toys.

7. Being felt up by a TSA agent on my way out of town…hey, I’m single, I will take what I can get.

8. The moment I realized that I have no idea what I did before the Internet.

9. When someone else makes me a salad…they just aren’t the same when I make them.

10. That I still have what I like to call “dreamers disease”.

11. Real life conversations.

12. Moments when I have the clarity of thought to acknowledge that I can’t control what happens in my life– only how I react to what happens, hence my post yesterday.

13. Twizzlers.

14. Freshly sharpened #2 pencils.

15. That the turkey isn’t our National bird

16. The snuggie. I know it’s cheesy, but it sure keeps me toasty! Maybe I will wrap up in that for the Drumstick Dash…

17. Expensive jeans..

18. The laughter of my kids.

19. Contact lenses…one day of wearing my glasses this week and I’m already going nuts.

20. 80’s music. Is there any other kind?

21. Logic.

22. Mad Libs with my kids.

23. Fresh flowers for no reason at all.

24. The ability to forget those few extra pounds, because according to my kids, it’s those few pounds that make me so cuddly.

25. My future.

Happy Thanksgiving…Gobble! Gobble!

Geeker Beeker

Today is a fantastic day in the He Who Laughs Last household. That's right, you heard me. There is one person in the house that rules the roost today, and it's not me!

It's this cute little booger, Gibson, or Geeker Beeker as I so fondly refer to him.



Yep, my baby turned 7 today and I'm happy and sad all at the same time. Happy because he makes every day brighter for me, but sad because the realization has set in that he will be my baby forever...and by forever, I mean until my dying days. As much as he hates to hear it, I will always refer to him as my "baby" even after he has kids of his own.

If your like me, when you dreamed of starting a family, you never got past the "infant" stage in your dreams. In fact, I spent so much time fantsizing about being a mom to an infant that I completely forgot that they eventually grow up.

Well it hit me this morning. As usual, I wake up early on the morning of my kids births and just sit on their beds and watch them breathe. Some of you may think it's creepy, but these moments are the moments that I cherish most as a mom. It gives me the opportunity to be quiet and bask in the thought of how precious they really are. I'm usually a bit teary eyed at this moment, and today was no different.

As I was sitting on the foot of Gibson's bed today I was reminded of all of the things that I love about him. Here are seven...

1. No one sings "Need Somebody" by Kings of Leon better than he does, not even Kings of Leon

2. He thinks I'm funny, but the reality is he makes me funny.

3. Because of Gibson, I know more about winning battles with light sabres, peeing in the yard, and being "pancaked" in football than I ever thought I would.

4. He has a very energetic, happy, and eager personality. He has never met a stranger and thinks that everybody loves him. I love his confidence!

5. Everyday he comes home with a different girlfriend. It's cute at 7, but I'm not sure what I'm going to do when he hits puberty.

6. His toothless smile lights up a room.

7. He says things like, "oh mom, sorry, I forgot you were grumpy" or "no those pants don't make your butt look big, but they make your belly look fat" or even "your the best mom ever, can you take me to target to buy a toy?"

I know...I'm lucky!

He makes most days (99.9% of them) awesome!

But as great as he is...there are some days when he makes me have empathy for my own parents as I was growing up. My dad reminds me quite often that I was just like him when I was his age. A couple of times I wished I would have thought of this as a means of discipline for him...



Happy Birthday Geeker Beeker!

Because back to school is all about me

Well here we are…back to school again. I cannot believe it is already time for my kids to go back to school.

Does it make me a bad mom if I tell you that I am one of those moms that enjoys the fact that my kids are going back to school? You see, I’m a routine kind of girl and summer messes with my routine, and by routine, I mean sleep. I’m not gonna lie…my kids are night owls in the summer, and I’m a single mom who has to be at work every day and desperately needs her sleep. If I don’t get a good seven or eight I’m not pretty the next day.

Just ask Hamilton and Gibson.

Gibson was so excited to go to 1st grade today. He couldn’t wait to get on the bus



Hamilton, on the other hand, could think of a thousand other things he would rather be doing, including getting his teeth pulled at the dentist.



I, however, ran to the car even before the bus took off, full of excitement and anticipation for a good nights sleep tonight.



Ahhh…180 days of routine ahead, I am so excited!

Top Ten Friday

Welcome to this weeks edition of Top Ten Friday...where I break it down!

And boy do I have a very special edition this week.

It is officially summer and nothing says summer better than a 4th of July Celebration. I have decided to host a party this weekend and invite the Top Ten Hottest Abs in Hollywood.

Don't stress if you didn't get an invite...it doesn't mean I don't love you, it just means that I wanted these ten guys all to myself!

Enjoy!

10. Andy Roddick- Yummy tennis Abs!



9. The Situation- He may be a tool, but you have to admit he has some killer abs!




8. Taylor Lautner- Hardcore Twilight abs!



7. Channing Tatum- Humana, humana, humana!



6. Christiano Ronaldo- Can't forget to celebrate the abs of our hot soccer studs!



5. David Beckham- this one too! Holy washboard stomach! Makes me want to do my laundry on his abs...



4. Mario Lopez- needs no explanation, other than the more I can see him with his shirt off, the better the party will be.



3. Shemar Moore- a hot Hollywood abs post would definitely not be complete without this beautiful creature!



2. Robert Buckley- every time I see pictures of him it makes me sad that they cancelled Lipstick Jungle...damn you abc...damn you!



And my number one invite to the Hottest Abs in Hollywood Party would be...none other than...

1. Ryan Reynolds- no explanation necessary...You're welcome!



HAPPY 4th of JULY!

Because it makes me feel pretty, that's why

Today is a celebration of sorts.

It is my one year Blogaversary.

Can you believe it? I can’t.

When I first started blogging, I thought, who really wants to read what I have to say? Do I really have anything of importance to share with other women? But somehow I was able to get over my fear and write from the heart. And you know what? It has been more therapeutic than I ever could have imagined. Theraputic for me! Selfish, isn’t it?

Selfish or not, I attribute my blog to being a huge part in my recovery from a divorce that I did not ask for nor want. It has really helped heal my heart, my mind, and my image of me, all of which were damaged by a few harsh words from my ex many years ago.

I have come a long way in this past year.

But what has surprised me the most is that I have learned something about myself that I never thought I would learn. Something that I have longed for and hoped for for years. Something that means more to me than anything else in the world. Something that makes me cry every time I think about it.



Yep…that’s me…loving myself…FINALLY! I never ever ever thought I would love myself like this. I love everything about me, but most importantly, I have learned to love my curves that I came to hate.

I still have a ways to go, but I have come farther than I ever thought I would. And that makes me happy!

Happy Blogaversary to me!

Inspired by this.

OMG...my head just may explode

A City girl in rural Alaska has awarded me with my 2nd blog award. Is it bad that this excites me so much? It makes me smile when I can make others smile. And of course it also makes me smile when I am given an opportunity to talk about myself again!

I absolutely accept this award and I highly recommend that you check out A City girl in Rural Alaska. I love, love, love her blog!

On to the rules...In order to accept this blog award, I have to share with you 10 things about me. But I’m a rebel and thought I would try something different. So keeping in line with yesterday’s post, I thought I would share with you some of the things that I struggle with in my life…stick with me…it’s a good list! Hey, I just figured you would like to know that you aren’t the only one that struggles with things. Am I right?

So here ya go…

I struggle with: body image (thanks ex), single parenting, concentrating at work (I’m in an office with 12 windows looking out into a plethora of trees), judgemental people, choices I have made in my life, the idea that anyone would want to put ketchup on eggs (sorry Sheila), increasing the amount of money in my savings account, my weight, finding Mr. Right, raising my kids to be all that they can be, balance in my life, jumping on the Oprah bandwagon, reading more than two pages in a book at night before I fall asleep, keeping up with laundry, taking time for me, controlling impulse spending, saving for retirement, finding time to pursue my passions, keeping a journal (that’s why I blog), consistently exercising, eating healthy, cleaning toilets (I live in a house with three boys…need I say more), letting go of past hurts, seeing happiness in my future, trying to please everyone, standing out in a crowd, public speaking, being more active in my kids school activities, being lonely, asking for help, taking things slow, enjoying the ride, challenging myself, writing my book, staying on track, sticking with things, taking good pictures, finding a way to de-stress that really works for me, enjoying the moment, rejection, keeping my closet clean and organized, staying on top of things and last but not least, my biggest struggle of all is keeping up with all of my friends.

Top Ten Friday

A couple of weekends ago Hamilton, Gibson and I had the distinct pleasure of joining my brother, sister-in-law, neice, nephew and dad at Chuck E. Cheese for my nephews 3rd birthday. I totally get why kids love this place, the noise, the games, the music, the fast pace, the pizza…I get it, I really do. But for what it’s worth, as an adult, it totally SUCKS! I will continue to go for future birthday parties, but never, and I mean never will I ever suggest having a party there for one of my kids…and here’s why.

Top Ten Reasons my kids will never ever and I mean EVER have a birthday party at Chuck E. Cheese.
You’re welcome!

10. I did not know that you could use one of the tables in the restaurant as a changing table for a very dirty infant diaper. (yes, some lady was changing a diaper right where they had dinner ten minutes later).

9. Sneezing on the glass guard of the salad bar is apparently not frowned upon.

8. You can only buy 1/2 of a “fake vomit” with 156 tickets. Who would have thought?

7. You can, however, buy (2) plastic cobra snakes, a tootsie pop, a tic tac toe game and a plastic bracelet for 156 tickets. Unfortunately my brother and sister-in-law had to fork out about $100 in order for my kids to win such fabulous prizes.

6. Most parents appeared cornered like Custer at his last stand while the children ran amok as if dancing to some evil sadistic ritual…damn, why didn’t I bring my flask.

5. All the teenagers that work there often stared at me like they were looking past me with a thousand-yard stare into hell.

4. It wasn’t long into our adventure that I suddenly wished Chuck E. Cheese sold beer with a taser gun on the side. (It’s weird how my kids and nieces and nephews never seemed to bother me in these situations, it’s usually the other kids whose parents let them roam around with no supervision that drive me to want to drink).

3. Any place that has a giant rat as a mascot should probably rethink their form of branding.

2. Kids often think that going to a place where you can “be a kid” means you have permission to push, shove, kick, and pat people in mascot uniforms on the butt. Poor Chuck E!

And the number one reason why my kids will never ever and I mean ever have a birthday party at Chuck E. Cheese…

1. There were so many staff members constantly coming up to us that I eventually had to refer to them all by the nicknames I gave them, girl who talks to soft, too much make up girl, boy whose job it is to clean grubby finger prints off of the games, salad bar girls, etc. I bet the employment turnover ratio in that industry is HUGE!

Now if you will excuse me, I’m off to wash off in a bat of disinfectant hand sanitizer. Just typing this post about Chuck E. Cheese makes me feel all dirty inside.