New Years

Well now, you know I couldn't not blog on New Year's Eve. ;)

I'm going to tell you a little secret. Every New Year's Day when I wake up, the first feeling I get about the New Year is usually how that year will go(for us). I used to not understand it, but after experiencing it for so many years, I've now come to decide that it's some kind of insight that I have learned to use and foretell the future, if you could call it that.

Anyway, that's off topic... I tend to do that a lot. haha! New Year's Eve, to me, is a magikal night. It signifies the passing of the old and a new door is open to us. A fresh start. A new beginning. Yes, most people can say they feel that too. For me it's different. It's not the marking of a new year, it's the marking of a new era, a new journey, a new path that I choose to take or not take.

New Year's Eve for me is full of excitement and anticipation for the awaiting Newness. No, I don't go to bars or clubs and get drunk. No, I don't stay up until midnight. I spend my New Years Eve in preparation, joy, and excitement. I watch as the past, whether it's ugly or nice, passes into the abyss, and I smile at the unknown that awaits me. I'm ready, bring it on.

This new year is going to be quite interesting for us. My husband and I are going to start a new venture that will really put the past where it belongs, and will allow us to focus on our time together and our future together. Not that we haven't already, but with this new venture, it will give us the relief that we've needed for many many years. I'm really excited and can't wait!

So what is 2009 going to be like?? Stay tuned, I'll tell you tomorrow. ;)

Little House on the Prairie

...more like little house in the mountains...

It seems every day I have people asking me, "What is like to live in the mountains where you have to haul water and heat with firewood?"

What is like? It is hard work. In the winter, we have more work to do because of all the snow. Last winter, we had over 10 feet of snow. This winter, it's looking like we'll have more. Knowing this, would you believe that we clear that snow without a plow or tractor? We rely on snow shovels and our 40 year old snow blower. I used to do most the snow clearing myself, I'm not afraid of a little hard work, it's actually quite satisfying. This year, however, in my "delicate condition", clearing snow is...well...not advised, thought I still do it.

While we have snow to clear, we still have to haul our water and heat with firewood. The first thing people think of is "You don't have running water?!" Well, I'm not going to say whether or not we have running water, let's just say, we've learned to adapt. The next thing people ask is "How do you haul your water?" Carry buckets to the lake of coarse! Well, it's a bit larger than a bucket. Our "bucket" looks like a big round bottle. We fill it up a number of times and dump it into our holding tank.

Then there is the issue of heating with firewood. In the summer, we don't need it obviously. Summers are spent cutting and gathering the firewood. Every weekend we spend pulling trees out that have fallen or died and we haul them up to the "wood shed" where it awaits being split and stacked. Late summer and fall we are usually splitting and stacking. And yes, I do split wood myself, I'm quite handy with an ax. Once the wood is split and stacked, we bring it in daily to feed the wood stove. The house we are in is poorly insulated, so we go through a massive amount of wood in one winter. Usually by spring, we've used it all, but we still need wood because winters last a good 8 months here. So in spring, we're hauling and splitting more wood.

That's not even the tip of the iceberg, there's more. Up here on our mountain, there are no luxuries such as high speed internet or cable. Sure, I suppose we could get a satellite, but for what purpose? There is really nothing worthwhile on the tv anymore. "Then how do you entertain yourself?" Hasn't anyone ever heard of board games anymore? How about cards? Chickens are actually quite entertaining. Who needs an XBox and a million channels of nothing?

Overall, living the "Little House on the Prairie" life is very simple. It's hard but satisfying work, but simple. Now, just imagine if more people could survive like that!

The Good Times

I wasn't going to blog today, but I got this email from my mom today and figured I would share it with the world. If you are in North Idaho, this still applies... LOL

Have fun!

********************************

TO ALL THE KIDS WHO SURVIVED the 1930's, 40's, 50's, 60's and 70's!!

First, we survived being born to mothers who smoked and/or drank while they were pregnant.

They took aspirin, ate blue cheese dressing, tuna from a can, and didn't get tested for diabetes.

Then after that trauma, we were put to sleep on our tummies in baby cribs covered with bright colored lead-based paints.

We had no childproof lids on medicine bottles, doors or cabinets and when we rode our bikes, we had no helmets, not to mention, the risks we took hitchhiking.

As infants &children, we would ride in cars with no car seats, booster seats, seat belts or air bags.

Riding in the back of a pick up on a warm day was always a special treat.

We drank water from the garden hose and NOT from a bottle.

We shared one soft drink with four friends, from one bottle and NO ONE actually died from this.

We ate cupcakes, white bread and real butter and drank Kool-aid made with sugar, but we weren't overweight because,

WE WERE ALWAYS OUTSIDE PLAYING!

We would leave home in the morning and play all day, as long as we were back when the streetlights came on.

No one was able to reach us all day.And we were O.K.

We would spend hours building our go-carts out of scraps and then ride down the hill, only to find out we forgot the brakes After running into the bushes a few times, we learned to solve the problem.

We did not have Playstations, Nintendo's, X-boxes, no video games at all, no 150 channels on cable, no video movies or DVD's, no surround-sound or CD's, no cell phones, no personal computer! s, no Internet or chat rooms.......

WE HAD FRIENDS and we went outside and found them!

We fell out of trees, got cut, broke bones and teeth and there were no lawsuits from these accidents.

We ate worms and mud pies made from dirt, and the worms did not live in us forever.

We were given BB guns for our 10th birthdays, made up games with sticks and tennis balls and, although we were told it would happen, we did not poke out very many eyes.

We rode bikes or walked to a friend's house and knocked on the door or rang the bell, or just walked in and talked to them!

Little League had tryouts and not everyone made the team. Those who didn't had to learn to deal with disappointment. Imagine that!!

The idea of a parent bailing us out if we broke the law was unheard of. They actually sided with the law!

These generations have produced some of the best risk-takers, problem solvers and inventors ever!

The past 50 years have been an explosion of innovation and new ideas.

We had freedom, failure, success and responsibility, and we learned HOW TO DEAL WITH IT ALL!

If YOU are one of them CONGRATULATIONS!

You might want to share this with others who have had the luck to grow up as kids, before the lawyers and the government regulated so much of our lives for our own good .

While you are at it, forward it to your kids so they will know how brave (and lucky) their parents were.

Kind of makes you want to run through the house with scissors, doesn't it?!

A Promise to Ourselves

A Promise to Ourselves: A Journey Through Fatherhood and Divorce by Alec Baldwin

If anyone has even been through a divorce, whether as a child or an adult, you will know that, most of the time, it's nasty. As a teen, I watched my parents split up and eventually divorce. My parents' divorce, luckily, was not a nasty one, but it still wasn't pleasant. Visitations with Dad came every other weekend and holiday as well as every Wednesday night. Dad didn't have much money, so often we didn't do much, or we went to work with Dad. Mom and Dad refused to talk to each other in front of my sister and I, and now I completely understand. There were rumblings on both sides about the other parent and how "bad" they were. Mom didn't have a lot of money and so we went months at a time eating nothing but beans and rice. It was tough, things were tense, as a child, I could feel it. My personal experience with it was that divorce is just plain ugly no matter what. If there are children involved, then it's even worse. The people that end up getting hurt the worse are the children...whether they are aware of it or not is a different matter. So I grew up without. I grew up with this ugly cloud hanging over my head all the time.

Anyway, I seem to have gotten a bit off on my original topic here. This book, A Promise to Ourselves: A Journey Through Fatherhood and Divorce by Alec Baldwin, should be a must read for anyone, not just those who have been involved in a divorce. This book will open ones eyes to the transgressions of the legal system in this country.

In his book, Mr. Baldwin talks about PAS, his experience with the legal system, and other things. So what exactly is PAS? Parental alienation syndrome is a term defined by Richard A. Gardner to describe what he referred to as "a disturbance in which children are obsessively preoccupied with depreciation and/or criticism of a parent." (Wikipedia) Here it is in laymen's terms. Parental Alienation is:

• Blaming the other parent for problems and/or the "breakup" of the family.
• Interfering with visitations - ie, changing visit times without other parent approval, denying visitations.
• Bashing - speaking badly of other parent to the children.
  
• Spying- using the children as spies. (PASattorny.com)
  

Wow, need I say more? It seems that in today's society, this form of child abuse is widely accepted! What the hell kind of world are we living in? I do realize that there are situations that are opposite, but for the sake of argument, and base on my own experience, I refer to the Mothers. In my opinion, these mothers that have poisoned their children against their fathers are just as bad as the ones that beat their children. Go on, bash me if you like, but remember we each have a right to our own opinion, and this is mine. I'm not afraid to tell people what I think and I'm not afraid of what others might think, it makes for excellent conversation, I think. ;) Regardless of what I think, the fact is children are being abused mentally and emotionally, in order to make one parent feel superior to another.

There are many fathers, along with Mr. Baldwin, that are fighting the injustice of family courts. It takes a brave heart and a determined person to tell the world their experiences, but it takes an even greater person to try to change it. I commend Mr. Baldwin, along with other fathers and other people for that matter, that are trying to change things. Change is typically slow, but it is really nice to see the few changes that are happening.

You can help make a change too! Read this book and open your heart and mind. Go to your library and check out this book. If you can't find it there, you can always order this book at Amazon . $24 is a small price compared to the mental tragedy one can inflict upon their child.

Body Parts

Now don't get grossed out, I'm not talking about severed arms and legs. haha I'm talking about your favorite part of your significant other do you like the best? Smile? Eyes?

The first thing I noticed about my husband when we first met were his eyes. He has incredible eyes! Everyone has heard the saying "The eyes are the windows to the soul." They really are. I can usually tell a lot about a person just by looking into their eyes. My husband's eyes are very deep. Within his eyes lies knowledge, experience, wisdom, love, loyalty, compassion to name a few things. I can spend hours staring into his soul through his eyes. They are absolutely captivating!

Besides liking my husband's male apparatus (yeah go on, snicker, I don't care, I'm not afraid to admit that I like sex) I really like his arms and hands. What? Arms and hands? His arms are strong, protective, and cuddly at the same time. His hands are gentle and loving, even if they are sometimes rough (Shameless plug - Aspenwood Exfoliating Sugar Scrub and Aspenwood Hand and Body Lotion does wonders for them). I love it when he just holds me in his arms. It's like being wrapped in a warm blanket for my soul.

Between my husband's eyes and arms, I could spend hours cuddling in his arms and staring into his eyes, not even breathing a word to each other. It's one of the best things in the world.

So now that I've most likely sickened the entire world with the "sweetness" of this blog, what do you find in your partner that simply draws you to them? What is it about them that captivates you?

What is Family?

Family? What is it? Your Mom and Dad? Grandparents? Kids? Aunts and Uncles?

Whether they want it or not, I have an extended family. No no, I'm not talking about my Great Aunts or my 2nd Cousins. I'm talking about my 4 Stepsons. Do I consider them family? Absolutely, and yet at the same time, a resounding no. I have never met them, and likely never will, but they are there. Though they choose not to be part of our lives doesn't mean that they aren't thought of. My husband (their father) and I think of the four boys often and wish them well in all their en devours.

My mother, sister, and grandmother are most definitely part of my family. Not just in name. We've always been a close knit family. When I was younger, we were always there and spending time with each other. Even though we are now thousands of miles apart, we are still close.

Friends? Well yes, I have some friends, and I would like to call them family too. It is a different kind of family, but still a family. We think the same, we have a lot of the same goals and interests, and well, we have a lot of fun chatting and playing.

Then there is my immediate family. My husband, my son, and me. It is small, and growing, but most importantly, we are so well bonded that nothing can tear us apart. In fact, many of the things we've had to go through has only strengthened our bonds. My husband and I are soul mates; we don't need to talk to converse, we read each other's thoughts so well that many times it can be scary. Just being together, even in silence, we tell each other "I love you more than anything else". It's something that is really hard to explain and can really only be understood by those who have felt the same thing.

So what is family? The people you live with? People you're related to? That is for each of you to decide for yourselves. Whoever you decide is your family, cherish the time you have with them.

Oh! Have a VERY MERRY CHRISTMAS!!

How Well Do You Think You Know Me?

There's always someone who thinks they know you and most the time it's really quite laughable because they don't even know the first thing about you. Most the time they assume that you are just like they are because they can't grasp the concept that there *is* individuality in the world. Then these kind of people take action or make decisions based on how *they* would react to something. And not knowing the first thing about you, they generally make the wrong assumption and fly off the handle making all kinds of rash decisions. They tell the world about you based on themselves and then when it's shown that you *aren't* at all like that, they get egg on their face. Call it sadistic or whatever you want, but I find this quite amusing.

So here it is, a test to see how well you really know me. It's completely anonymous, so don't worry about the egg on your face...I won't know who you are. ;)

http://www.quizyourfriends.com/take-quiz.php?id=0812211235411231&a=1&

Finished the quiz? How did you do? Think you know me through and through? Here's a more interesting twist:

How well do you know yourself?

Have you done your own soul searching? Have you really found yourself or do you think you already know yourself? Do you pretend to put on a mask and be someone else? Do you tell yourself you are yourself so much that you actually believe what you're telling yourself to be true? Do you even understand a word I'm typing? haha

I urge you all to take some time (not just a few hours) to do some real good soul searching. Spend time alone, no music, no tv, no books. Just go sit outside in nature (providing you're prepared for the elements), clear your mind, and listen. Keep your mind open but don't think. Then ask yourself a few questions - and be honest. Don't be afraid of the answers, for if you are, you will never be able to find yourself. Be creative in your questions, but here are a few to get you started.

Do I *really* like who I am?
Do I *really* like who I have become?
Are my deep dark secrets really that bad?
If you have deep dark secrets - Would it hurt me physically if someone know those secrets?
What things do I not like about me?
What things do I like about me?
What changes can I make so that I do like myself?

Writing in a journal really helps too. You'll be surprised as to how much you learn on your path to self discovery.

Memoirs of a Child

My son is learning to write a memoir in his composition lessons this month. If you don't know what a memoir is, check out this link:

What is a Memoir?

While he is writing his own memoir, I thought I would write one too. The following passage is only a part of my memoir.

**************

I can still remember the year when I received my first bicycle. I was 7 years old and the year had been uneventful to that point, but with Christmas quickly approaching, I knew that would change. Just like most children at Christmas time, I sneaked out of my room very early in the morning to snoop around the Christmas tree. I picked up a pretty package wrapped with shiny green paper and a gold bow. It didn't have a tag on it. Was it for me or my sister? I gently shook the package hoping to get a hint of what was inside. It sounded like clothing so I moved on the the next package. This one was tiny and wrapped in a beautiful blue and silver wrapping. I knew that wasn't for me or my sister, it was some kind of jewelry for my mother. I looked around a few more presents and sighed. I knew I wasn't going to be getting a bicycle that year, it wasn't under the tree.

"Of coarse it won't be under the tree! It's too big!" I whispered to myself hoping that my mom didn't wake up and the sound of paper rattling. I stood up and crawled back into my bed. I couldn't go to sleep now, but at least I could imagine all the goodies under the tree.

Christmas came a few days later. When I went to bed on Christmas Eve, there was still no sign of my new bicycle. Sadly, I went to bed just hoping that Santa would bring it that night. It was very hard for me to sleep; I was excited and sad at the same time. I tossed and turned in my bed, then I would sit up and read a little bit, but all the while my attention was distracted.
Morning came, and like most children, my sister and I were out of bed at 5 am waking up Mom and Dad.

"Mommy! Mommy!" I squealed with excitement. "Wake up! It's Christmas!" My sister was on the other side of the bed doing the same to Dad. Mom and Dad opened their eyes tiredly.

"Give us 30 minutes okay?" Dad said in a scratchy voice.

"Okay." I said and grabbed my sister's hand and led her to the living room. I turned on the tv and we sat in front of it while a Christmas cartoon played on the screen. I had to distract myself and what better way to do it than by watching cartoons? The moment the cartoon was over, however, my sister and I were bouncing on Mom and Dad's bed.

"Come on! It's been 30 minutes! Let's go!" I squealed again. I was so excited that I could hardly contain my joy. Mom groaned and opened her eyes slowly.

"Okay, okay. I'm getting up now."

"YAY!" My sister and I shouted at the same time.

"But..."

"Awwwww!"

"We have to have breakfast first." Mom gave us that stern look which meant that we had to give in.

"Okay. Can I make the coffee for you and Daddy?" I asked and ran out of the bedroom and into the kitchen. Mom followed slowly, tying her robe around her waist. The first thing she did was get out the coffee filters and the brick of coffee and handed me the scooper. I went to work as if I made coffee every morning. Mom poured the water in the pot and soon I heard the gurgling sound. Mom gracefully danced around the kitchen making breakfast. The sizzling sound of the bacon and the smell of the eggs warmed me up and I hopped from one foot to the other, anxious to open our Christmas presents.

Mom dished me a plate of bacon, eggs, and toast and handed me a cup of hot chocolate as I sat down at the table.

"ACON! BEGGS!" My sister shouted and picked at her eggs with her hands in her highchair.

Mom grabbed a cup of coffee and a slice of toast and sat quietly while eating, but Dad was no where to be found. Maybe he was just still asleep, but I did hear an awful banging sound coming from the garage. Was it Santa?!

I finished my breakfast and waited impatiently for my sister to finish playing with her food. As soon as Mom took away her plate, I jumped up and ran to the Christmas tree. It was beautiful all lit up with sparkling red, green, blue, and orange lights. The ornaments seemed to glitter in the glow of the lights. But my eyes went directly to the large blob of a blanket next to the tree.

"What is that?!" I pointed and jumped up and down.

"A surprise, now don't you want to open your presents?" Mom said as she handed me a red box. I took it, eagerly and ripped off the paper. A new Barbie! Then the next present came and I ripped through that one too. A new dress. Another present. Another toy. My sister was doing the same next to me. Before we knew it, we were lost in a sea of wrapping paper, bows, and toys. Mom started cleaning up the mess while my sister and I began to play with our new toys. As soon as the mess was cleaned up, Mom and Dad exchanged their gifts, then stood up.

"We have one more present, Nessie." Dad said using my nickname.

"What is it?!" I jumped up and down. Dad pointed at the blanket blob next to the tree. I had completely forgotten about it! I ran over and pulled the blanket off and there it was... my bicycle!

It was so pretty! It was purple with a banana seat with little yellow flowers on it. There was a big white basket on the front with yellow daisies on it. Purple streamers fluttered down from the handle bars. Immediately, I jumped on the seat and pretended to ride my bicycle around the house with a huge smile on my face. Ever since then, I was always on my bicycle. I had my first bicycle for years, even until I went to high school, though I didn't ride it as much, but it was still that cherished memory that held on to it.

Survival of the Fittest

Last night was one of the coldest nights here in a long time. It was -25 and a strong north wind made it even colder. We live in a poorly insulated and very drafty house so I was somewhat worried that we would be frozen in the morning, so I decided to keep the wood stove going all night. That meant waking up every 2 hours to load it up with wood. Though I got less sleep, I kept this house warm and toasty even with the cruel wind biting at us. I'm so proud of myself. lol
But seriously, I'm one of the fittest. I will survive, I *have* survived so much and I never give up.
Sure, I'd love to live in the lap of luxury, but I know that I can survive. Unlike many people, I can live without cable tv and internet. That's what makes me proud of myself. ;)

Two Hours Later...

and I'm almost caught up. lol I have some older blogs that I wrote so long ago, and I'm looking for them on my computer, but for now I'm taking off. I'll start posting those tomorrow.

Brightest Blessings

First Big Snow (Repost 12/13/2008)

Winter has officially arrived bringing it's first big snow to us. We got 18 inches of snow in less than 12 hours! We woke up this morning to a peaceful scene of snow covering everything in it's quiet beauty; still a gentle curtain of snow still falls. It's breathtakingly gorgeous! I should take some pictures, it looks like a Christmas card. :D

I'm sure everyone has heard this... (Repost 12/10/2008)

"Mama always said life was like a box a chocolates, never know what you're gonna get."
- Forrest Gump (Tom Hanks)

I just got a box of chocolates from a friend. It never fails that anytime I get a box of chocolates, I always think of the movie Forrest Gump and that line. I pulled a chocolate out without looking at the card that told me what was in there. I took a bite and it was a caramel-y chewing chocolate, I had been hoping for a dark chocolate something or another. As I ate my caramel chocolate, I pondered that line from Forrest Gump. Life *is* indeed full of surprises - some not so good ones and some good ones, but we should be thankful that we are alive...life is a precious gift.

Family Christmas Traditions (Repost 12/7/2008)

What is yours?

When I was a little girl, we would make those cinnamon ornaments that made the house smell so wonderful! My grandparents (on both sides) would have beautifully decorated trees and we would sit around the tree singing Christmas songs and drinking hot chocolate. The glow of the fireplace would warm us up and we would enjoy the family togetherness in bliss.

As a mom and wife, I enjoy bringing that tradition to my family today. Today we put up our Christmas tree. We sang Christmas songs as we hung stockings up over the wood stove. Then we enjoyed some homemade hot chocolate - awesome stuff by the way!

So what are your Christmas traditions?

Love, Life, Sex, and Trust. (Repost 12/3/2008)

Oh yeah, you read right, I wrote sex.

Love is important in life right? I mean, everyone has heard the part of the poem "A Life without Love is no Life at All." As humans, we are drawn to love. It is in our very nature to love, to want to love, and to crave love.

Where does sex come in then??

Sex is an essential part of a relationship. You know it's there. Admit it. Sex with the one you love brings you closer together. Your lives are intertwined and your lives are in each other's hands. That's where trust comes in. Without trust, there can be no sex. No sex, and your relationship is not balanced.

Trust in another person can be tough, but once it is gained, a relationship can really flourish. Which then brings us back to life.

Now that you have love and a great relationship, you can have an awesome life.

At least, that's how I see it.

How was Thanksgiving? (Repost 12/1/2008)

How was your Thanksgiving holiday? It was absolutely perfect here! Hubby came home early Wednesday afternoon and our family spent some really great and quality time together. It has been a long time since we've been able to do that, so our time together was even more special. Having such a special time with my family refreshes the love and loyalty that we share and strengthens us further. It is a really wonderful feeling. :D To make it even better, the weather was awesome! It was warm and sunny - not a cloud in the sky - all weekend! I could not have asked for a better weekend. :D

NaNoWriMo BmW FuN and More (Repost 11/23/2008)

NaNoWriMo is almost over - only 7 more days to go. I have not made the progress that I wanted with my novel, but I'm still determined to finish it by Spring 09 and have it published!

My BMW is awesome! It drives so nice and I love the sunroof! Oh how I love the sunroof! Even on a cold day, you can crank up the heater and heated seats, open the sunroof and let the fresh air in. Just don't do it while it's snowing. LOL

Hubby and I will be starting a new venture soon. It's frightening but exciting all at the same time. There's a lot to do to get ready, but I think once we "go for it", we'll be successful and can kiss the past goodbye forever.

My son has officially finished 5th grade and moving right along. He's really enjoying his German lessons too. Next year we will add Mandarin Chinese to his curriculum!

Winter is hanging in the air we are still busy "winterizing" - getting in firewood. When you heat with a wood stove all winter, you've got to have tons of wood. That reminds me, I'll need to put the plastic back on the windows. lol

Hmm...this post got longer than anticipated. If I don't get around to it on Thanksgiving, I hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving and Many Blessings to you and your families!

What do you like? (Repost 11/14/2008)

Too many people these days look at themselves and see their faults and what they do not like. Eventually, one can get depressed thinking of all their faults.

So today, I urge you to find something about yourself that you like. When you do, tell yourself out loud what it is you like. I will go first. lol

I love my hair. It's really long, it's blond, it's soft, it's flowing. Most people spend hundreds and maybe even thousands of dollars to have hair like mine. I don't, it's natural and I love it!

Now it's your turn! What do you like about yourself?

NaNoWriMo (Repost 11/11/2008)

Do you know what NaNoWriMo is? It is National Novel Writing Month. It happens in November. The goal is to write a 175-page (50,000-word) novel by midnight, November 30. Many participants are published after this event and their novels actually get out in the world! Well, it's NaNoWriMo time again, and I've decided that I am going to participate. For the past 11 days I have been working on a novel based on my own life, the people I've met, dealt with, and my experiences. It is going quite fast and I am fairly excited about it. Maybe someday you can pick up my book in Barnes and Nobles! :)

Happy Halloween! (Repost 10/31/2008)

To those who celebrate Hallowe'en or just go trick or treating - May you have a Happy Halloween and a fun night! We will be getting into mischief tonight - loads of candy awaits! :)

New Car! (Repost 10/27/2008)

Not only was I busy with my son's birthday this weekend, but I was also busy getting a new car! Not just any car either, it's a BMW! I am so very excited! You would not believe the amazing deal I got on this car! Anyway, I'm busy cruising around in my new car and enjoying the awesome sunroof!

A cat's yawn is an honest opinion openly expressed. (Repost 10/21/2008)

If you have cat's you'll completely understand. Most people don't realize it, but cats are more honest than people. They *know* where the warmest spot in the house is. They *know* when someone is annoying. They *know* when you are boring them. Cat's aren't afraid to express their opinion either. Maybe I was a cat in my former life or something, but I think more people should take a few lessons from cats.

Stressed is desserts spelled backwards. (Repost 10/15/2008)

Ironically enough, when you are stressed, you tend to want desserts. When you're done eating your desserts, does it mean the stress is gone too? lol

Private Investigators Part 2 (Repost 10/11/2008)

Three days ago I "blogged" about talking with a Private Investigator. I was impressed at the wealth of information they had uncovered in such a short period of time. I got everything I wanted to know *and* some. Now I think to myself, "I should have done this sooner." It is so much easier than the path we were taking! Perhaps now we can finally get things done.

By the way, I found PI classes to take online! I'm definitely signing up! This should be very interesting!

Feeling Blessed (Repost 10/9/2008)

I am feeling particularly blessed today. I have a wonderfully loving husband. I have a sweet little boy who is making me smile. I have friends who care enough to just ask how my day was, knowing what things lie ahead of me. And of coarse, that lotto I won! lol

Yup, I'm feeling very blessed indeed. I hope you're feeling blessed too.

BTW, thank you for the email Pretty!

Private Investigators (Repost 10/8/2008)

Have you ever dealt with a private investigator? They are an interesting bunch. So interesting in fact, that my inner child tells me that I want to be one some day. haha!

Anyway, I was looking at "hiring" one yesterday after I waved hubby off on a trip, and we found some really interesting information just in a few minutes. It's amazing what kind of access they have! It really peaked my interest even more. So now, I'm spending the day looking for a "Do-it-yourself-PI-kit." LOL

Funny how your childhood desires pop up when you're older. LOL

Sagle Woman Wins Lotto (Repost 10/4/2008)

"On January 1st, a lotto drawing was held for $50,000. The winner was Vanessa Thiele, a resident of Idaho. The only problem is that Vanessa never claimed the huge cash prize. The winner had 6 months to claim the prize and was informed via email that they had won. Further attempts at contacting Vanessa by phone and mail failed. The prize was sponsored by Internet Advertisements and Millionaire Promotions Inc. A spokesperson for Millionaire Promotions stated "It's unfortunate that Vanessa didn't claim the prize. We tried several times to get in touch with Vanessa but were not successful. A new drawing will be held next month. We hope this time the winner will step forward." Millionaire Promotions feels that 6 months was more than enough time for a person to claim the prize. The deadline for claiming the prize was July 1st. It appears that Vanessa in no way attempted to contact Millionaire Promotions. This is the first time that someone has missed such a large prize awarded by Millionaire Promotions."

I won the lotto?!?! How come nobody told me?! I guess wishes do come true even in some strange twisted way.

I have contacted Internet Advertisements and Millionaire Promotions Inc. over the passed few days and they assured me that I would be eligible for the payout. They told me that I'll be receiving an overnight FedEx envelope Monday with my check. WOOT!

Btw, this is a fantastic joke to play on your friends, feel free to copy it and change the facts. hahaha

Welcome Back!

Oh fun! I accidentally deleted my other blog! Eeep!

Luckily, I have copies of my posts that I can "repost". So, for the next few days, I will be putting my blog entries back up. ;)

Brightest Blessings!