What I love most about myself???

Tonite, I had a Hot Totties meeting with some of my most favorite women!

We started with an icebreaker where we threw a ball of yarn from one person to the next and we had to answer a question that our President (the one and only, rockin' SUZANNE!) came up with.

Several questions like:

• What kind of animal would you be given the choice?
• What is the best gift ever given to you?
• If you had to lose one of your senses what would it be?

My question was ....

WHAT DO YOU LOVE MOST ABOUT YOURSELF????

On the spot, you dont have a lot of time to think about a question of this caliber! Of coarse, I started out with, "ummm, wellllll, there are JUST. SOOOO. MANY. THINGS. ITS. REALLY. HARD. TO. CHOOSE."

I quickly came up with: My personality.

I'm really grateful that God granted me the ability to laugh... both at myself and lifes' many insane situations.

But I have to say that after thinking about the question the rest of the evening, I do, INDEED, love a lot of things about myself....

I love that:

• I can forgive myself for mistakes that I've made.
• I've worked really hard to be a successful woman.
• I've got an AMAZING network of friends... outside of where I'm from!
• I have a very happy marriage.
• I work hard to love myself - regardless of lifes UPS and DOWNS!
• at the end of the day, I know, that I know, THAT I KNOW, that God loves me right. where. I. am.!... I really love that I know that... b/c there are people that I love very deeply that still don't know that!

So for what its worth, I really DO love a lot about myself.... and honestly, not in a cocky, conceited way... but in a way that I'm really proud of... and today, on the 55th wedding anniversary of my very beloved grandparents, I'm happy to say that because of their endless love and reinforcement, I believed what they said about me... " I have a lot to be proud of."

Overwhelmed and testy!

So why is it that on a Saturday when I WANT to enjoy a day at the pool is it THE most overcast day of the year?

Tell me then, Whyyyy is it that since its an overcast day can't I sleep in past 7am?

Whyyy is it that when I get up at the crack of dawn do I feel the need to do YARD WORK?

WHYYYYY CAN'T I ENJOY A LEISURE DAY OFF PEOPLE???

WHY CAN'T I SIT STILL FOR ONEEEE MINUTE AND NOTTT FEEL THE NEED TO DO LAUNDRY, CLEAN THE HOUSE, DO YARD WORK, AND WELL... JUST EEEENNJOYYY IT????

UGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGgggggggggggggggg...

Husband on the other hand...

Slept in, read a book (yes a WHOLE book), worked out with the guys, smoked a cigar, and watched a movie.

WOMEN? Why aren't we wired to just CHILL?

... oh wait, thats right?!! B/c if WE "chill" NOTHING WILL GET DONE AROUND HERE???
GOOD GRIEF!

Feeling a bit overwhelmed and testy tonight... sorry fellas!

...ahhhhh, that's better!

Tweens 101

So lets just say, that there is a little girl who just turned 10.

And then lets say that she has had "the life talk" at school.

Just "imagine" that one day you come home from work, haven't eaten all day, and the tween starts in... You inhale a piece of leftover pizza, while irritably TRYING to listen to a tween that is in crisis about a "mishap" that occurred on the playground.

Lets say that about 20 mins later your stomach starts hurting from said inhaled pizza and tween crisis. You turn to tween holding belly and say, "um, my stomach hurts". To which the tween says, "oh, aren't we near the end of the month".

Me... "Well, technically no - its the 2nd." (completely clueless as to where this is going b/c having a tween is uncharted territory)

Tween... "Ohhhhh, well you knowwwww, crapping in your stomach and irritability towards the end of the month... Humm, don't be "offensive" (not knowing how to correctly use the word) but you MAYYYY be starting your period."

Me... collapsed on floor.

Seriously people? I'm not ready for this...

where ohhhh where is E*????

Dear Blog,

I'm saddened that I have neglected you in such a horrible manner!

The question is: Where Ohhh WHERE is E*????

Answer: Running around with her head cut off... using a chain saw to cut down trees in the front yard... walking, grooming, feeding, loving a dog... tending to much needed weeding in flower beds... tending to laundry that has taken over the universe... Children that are turning into tweens? (think about this for more than a moment... INSERT PRAYER REQUEST HERE... thank you, moving on)... wedding for youngest sister... support letters for a mission trip to Haiti... the usual - dusting, mopping, scrubbing, and other domestic bliss(!) that requires a womans touch... Sighhhh... and AGAIN, Laundry that has taken over the universe... photography shoots... photography classes... was there mention of a tween living under the same roof???... AGAIN, I say, PRAY people!...

Blah, blah, blah...That is where she has been.

If you love her, please send her a word of encouragement... or twelve! If you have your own laundry (no pun intented) list, and would like to share in her misery... open a bottle of wine and batten down the hatches! After about 1/2 a bottle the laundry and the dog all start to look the same and you remember that in the end, Love is the only thing that matters!!

Life is good, but better with WINE,
E*

Neglect during tax season...

During tax season, (can I get a shout out that another year is BEHIND us!... Woot! Woot!) there are MANY things on the home front that get what one would call "NEGLECTED"....

This is a list that I've come up with:

• Toes - no need to elaborate here, just understand - them DOGS WERE BARKIN'... LOUD!
• Laundry - we ALLL are very well aware of my "love" for laundry... well, lets just "say" that you have an "excuse" for 3 months(!) to "neglect" it??? Really people, what would YOU DO? DUhhhhhhh???? what I did.... let me put it this way, when the "last resort, ugg I HATE these" DRAWSSSS are the only "drawers" LEFT... we GOT A PROBLEM! SERIOUSSSSssss Problem!
  
• Zayleigh - she looks less like a dog and more like a veryyyyy fluffy cat - fortunately, shes getting groomed next week. However, by then she may look more like a Gremlin? I'll keep you posted?
• Kids - lets just "say" that we had the kids for about 4 days, and welllllll - something about them taking a bath???? I dont know, memory is failing me???? Ok, fine. They didn't get one? I think I have to give back my "stepmom of the year" award for that? however, i'm happy to report that they survived - but they started calling themselves "Pigpen"?
  
• Facebook - didn't remember my password? Nuff said?
• Blog... SHAME, ohhhh the SHAME!

But this is allll behind me for another 9 months!

I WILL report HaPPILY(!) that I'm doing WELL w/ getting bday cards/packages to loved ones on or BEFORE(!) their bday! (insert New Years Resolution here)...

Happy April 15th, PM~!!!
:-)

My little ole' hometown...

The time has COME to finally head back to the little ole' town that raised me.

The town with no stop lights, only one elementary school, one middle school, and one high school. The town that only had "a" grocery store until a few years ago. The town where EVERYONE knows your name, your family history, and all the "dirt" that you've ever been "accused" of... (note: 3/4 of it wasn't the actual story, of course!)

This little town has a place in my heart that no city, state, or vacation site can full!

This town is the place of my roots, my heart, my integrity, my values, my fondest memories, my family, and long time friends.

It's where my life began.

It's probably my ultimate place of "rest" and being my "true" self.

It's Home.

... ahhh, can't wait!

April 17th...

Going home to see the family, friends, and loved ones from VA...

Please send me an email to let me know if you will be available to hang out!
I'm looking forward to some serious time w/ my FRIIIANNNDS! ... AND FAAMMMM!

My littlest sister is having her bridal (!) shower that weekend.

Side note: When did my "littlest" sister stop wearing diapers?? Humm? Weird?

Can't wait to hear from you people! ...provided you are still out there given my recent blog hiatus?
(AKA - tax season, life, stepmom-ville, etc.)