Thank you...NEW CONTEST...and I WON!!!

I can't tell you how very thankity thankful I am feeling. To quadruple the participation for the Don't You Hate It When thing I have started was SO Great! The posts were hilarious! Staci's comment which included her Don't You Hate It When was so funny I blew snot out my nose! Click on the link and read those posts if you missed out yesterday...I promise...you won't regret it! Thanks you guys for making my Monday a little brighter and for giving me something to laugh about!

There were a few suggestions to make it even better. The one I want to pounce on, which was suggested by Binks and Tiff, was to make a contest out of it! That would be sweet right? My only problem is I'm not as rich as I make myself sound to be...and I pretty much suck at making anything worthwhile to give-away...

But I won't give up...

This is my suggestion...

Those of you that would like to DONATE your talents and would like to help with my contest prizes in return with me shouting out your praises and giving you lots of Honorable Mentions and Linky Love would be much appreciated by EVERYONE involved.

For the first prize...I will do it personally...but as soon as I can gather up some good prizes from some very talented people we will be rolling with a great CONTEST!

Okay, so this is what I was thinking...Each week people will post their ROFL post...then whether you participate with the post or not...people will check out all the posts...then they will come back to my site and leave a comment on who they thinks post was the FUNNIEST, BEST, most ROFL type!

Then I will tally up who the winner is and post it on my sidebar for the week...each week for the month will have a winner...then I will have a pole at the end of the month on the top 4...and everyone will vote who the winner is for the month! I will have those that win each week posted the whole week/month...then the MONTHLY winner will win a big prize!!!

Now if I get enough prize donations, then weekly winners will receive not only glory for winning, but they will also receive a prize!

What do you think?

Sounds like fun right? LIKE A great idea! I'm full on smiling with GLEE right now at the prospects!

So this is what I ask from you...spread the word that I am looking for talented people to donate prizes in return for linky love and Mentions throughout my blog and others...So you'll have to take a risk and see if it helps or benefits you...but email me at blokthoughts@gmail.com!

I can see this becoming really big and fun...but we will have to wait and see!


Since NEXT week is officially the FIRST whole week of October we will start the contest next week! I will be giving away the first FULL month winner prize...and it will be good...just not sure what it will be yet...but have faith, I will think of something great and worthwhile! :)

OKAY...have to make a shout out to one of my NEW favorite photography sites...MOMSHOTS.com...

I WON...my first prize...I WON!!!

NO lie...I have entered a quadrillion giveaways and I never win...the Random Integer thing doesn't like me...but today...today my luck turns...I was picked and I feel like jumping on a plane and flying to the Bahamas to celebrate!

I wanted this one really bad because it's a photography book...and I am forever trying to get better at this craft...forever learning...and it looked like an incredible book that would help me immensely! Thanks again...MOMSHOTS!


SHELLE

__________________________________________________

Okay this fabulous website HandBag Planet is giving away 24 handbags in 24 hours...you MUST check it out...what girl doesn't need a new handbag like every month? I LOVE LOVE LOVE handbags so I must win! Love ya all! Now go enter yourself...or don't...more chances for me to win!

Don't You Hate It When...

Don't You Hate It When you kick yourself in the head while dancing on National T.V.?

I know I do...lol!



I know I already showed this on my blog when I told of my embarrassing moment...but that was back when pretty much my Mom and my lil' sis read me faithfully...so I wanted to re-show this video...because EVERYBODY should see it!

I admit...I laughed at this more than once! hahahaha!

Shelle

So are you in this week? You going to play in my new little game?

Here are the rules:
Don't you hate it when is the theme. Your post must TRY to be humorous or awe inspiring! You can link a picture, tell a story, link to a video or post a personal video...whatever...as long as it is attempting to make us Roll On Floor Laughing, or in text form (ROFL)! And if you will please link back to my site so that others can play along with us!!! Thanks.

Just so nobody gets missed...I joined this MR. LINKY thing...it's incredibly easy and that way if I don't get to my email until Monday afternoon...I won't have missed anybody wanting to see the others that have already linked up! So below just add whatever name you want...then enter the Don't You Hate It When post URL link...please try just to post THAT post and not just your website...so in case you post on top of the Don't You Hate It When post people will just be directed straight to the Don't You Hate It When post not having to waste precious seconds trying to find it...

Everyone still with me?

Good...go on...link up!

Oh and then leave me a comment...because I love me some comments! :)

PeePs is Singing in the Rain...

The one thing you get with living in the desert is hot and very dry days. Sometimes it is pointless to take a bottle of water with you anywhere because it will just get warm in minutes. There seems to be endless days in a row where you sweat and think that your very last thought will be that you need a drink of water, especially with my kids, because they seem to always want to be outside!

Or inside playing the XBox or Wii...but that's a whole other story...there is no in between...

So a week or so ago...the clouds came rolling in. That usually makes it humid, and one thing I despise more than the blow dryer hot days...is the humid blow dryer hot days. They suck...and they are usually annoying because you don't get any reprieve from the heat...you just get the clouds and the gloom.

But every once in awhile...in the desert...those clouds bring rain, and the smell of rain, and the cooling effect rain brings! I LOVE the rain...or at least the smell of rain.

With those clouds there was lighting AND thunder...and sometimes that is all we will get...just the tease of lighting and the crack of thunder but not a drop of water! But this time...we got our rain! It came down...pouring sheets of rain!

The funny story with all of this is...I was in my room blogging at the time I here the first crack of thunder. I thought I heard both of my kids in the other room...but I wanted to make sure, so I did something very rare...I checked just to make sure. I usually go by my instincts...so if I hear them in the family room...I don't really need to check on them.

I heard another Crack and saw the flash of what was lighting...and then another...and then I heard the rain start pouring down...banging against my window.

Vaguely I heard my mom start yelling, "PeePs close the door! PeePs close the door!"...I didn't really pay that much attention to it because my kids are pretty good at doing things when you ask and they are in the vicinity to hear you.

Not two minutes later I hear again, "PeePs close the back door the rain is getting in!". I start to tune in a little more here. I hear PeePs singing...and then I realize that she is not singing in the family room where I thought she was...but she was outside...right outside my window!

So I jump up from my bed...run into the family room...look at the back door and see that it is WIDE open. I run the stairs to shut it and look outside to see PeePs jumping at her leisure, singing a song she made up, and just lost in her own world, while it is pouring sheets of rain on her! She LOVED it...you could see the pure bliss on her face.

Instead of running down to get my camera to take her picture and get a live recording...I YELL at the top of my lungs..."PeePs get in here! It's raining!"...she looked at me, gave me her sad face, and then slowly got down from the trampoline, while flashes of lighting are going off and thunder is cracking every few seconds! I'm deathly afraid of thunder and lighting...because I saw one of my childhood friends almost get struck by lighting when I was 8 and have always been afraid of it since...

But I had to show you how bad it was raining...and what PeePs looked like...


That is where she was jumping...can you see the rain in the background...I tried to blacken out the big massive tree that hangs over the tramp so you could see the rain.


Here's a close up...



Here is PeePs...I guess the tree was covering her, so she really wasn't getting too soaked...

Oh well...childhood fears are hard to erase from the memory...I felt better with her inside! :)

How do you feel about Thunder and Lighting?

Shelle

Friday Foto Finish Fiesta...Scooter Style!

Growing up and especially in High School...guys that were "skaters" were cool! Rough, extreme, and naughty sexy...

I even watched X games faithfully--my favorite you ask...those that had an Austrailian, English, Irish, or Scottish accent! lol!

It was one of the things that attracted me to my husband first off. He could skate, snowboard, and willingly participate in anything that dealt with breaking a bone!

Well, my son, totally takes after my husband. He skates, snowboards, and willingly participates in anything that might break a bone (knock on wood, it hasn't happened yet)!

So this Friday...I pick these photos:

He's five in these pictures...so being on a scooter is COOL...doing tricks?...

Makes him top dog among his friends!!!

Watching him learn those tricks...whether on a scooter, skateboard, or snowboard...about gives me a heart attack...

Watching him fall in love with it...priceless!

And like I've told him...it'll help with the girls when he gets older...that, and if he can work on an Austrailian accent! lol!

Come over and play with us at Candid Carrie's!

Shelle

P.S. Don't forget to get your posts ready for Don't You Hate It When on Monday and participate in the ROFL posts...it should be hilarious...click here to get some examples!

Dear Gum Smacking Lady at Spin Class

Dear Gum Smacking Lady at Spin Class:

Hi...

I don't know you. I don't...not at all, in fact, the very first time I laid eyes on you was last Tuesday at Spin Class.

I usually don't know anybody I write these blog letters to, which is why I write them...

Anyway...

I have a few things I need to enlighten you with. First things first. Please, please, please don't chew gum while you're exercising, not only could you CHOKE AND DIE (growing up dancing...I saw plenty of choking-near-death-experiences), but it is EXTREMELY annoying. Really! I know your friend next to you doesn't seem to mind, but she is being nice.

I was the girl...heaving, red cheeks, and sweating profusely, with the black shirt and shorts to cover my excessive "soft" fat places that seem to bulge over when I sit...and in spin class...you sit, I was two bikes down from you.

Hi...that was me.

But even over the instructor yelling in the mike, "It's ONLY a minute, you can do ANYTHING for a minute" (yea, right...like my heart stopping), the music, and my heavy breathing/panting, was YOU chomping and chomping and chomping away. It's enough to drive a crazy person...CRAZY!

I kept looking over at you...giving you the evil eye...trying to get you to notice your loud-obnoxious-gum-smacking-chomping-chewing-of-the-mouth technique...but to no avail. You were in your zone...and I was left listening to you chomp away. It was like nails scratching on a chalk board!

But...

A small part of me also wants to thank you.

I was concentrating SO hard on trying to get you to STOP chomping your gum...or at least trying to IGNORE you chomping your gum...that I didn't even notice my chest burning...and I ALWAYS notice my chest burning, because it hurts, and I dread it everytime.

My doctor tells me that I am pushing to hard if my chest burns...but I do it anyway, because like the instructor says, "You can do ANYTHING for a mintute"...which I can, I really can...it's just combining those minutes to make 50 minutes...that is when it gets me...

But thanks to you...didn't even notice last Tuesday...all I remember is...SMACK...CHOMP...CHEW...POP...SMACK...CHOMP...CHEW...POP. In fact...I felt my legs moving to the rhythm of your smacking...totally annoying!

So now writing this letter I'm torn. You were annoying/irritating, but it helped distract me...hmmm...either way, I guess I don't want you to choke and worse case scenario, die. So for the sake of interrupting class with a choking episode...leave the gum at home.

Love,

Shelle

Do you chew gum while you exercise?

I'm Lazy!

Okay, I'm going to enlighten you guys here today. Some of you will get nothing out of this...some of you will.

Let me stand up and say "I'm lazy!"

I mean that.

I am.

So I want to tell you about this new gadget that Blogger came out with. Officially it is called "FOLLOWERS". Nifty little booger...you put it on your side bar (mine upper right hand part of my side bar) and then fellow bloggers can click on the "FOLLOW THIS BLOG" link and follow away.

I'll admit...I was hesitant at first to start following blogs. I already have my Google Reader stem full of blogs I can't live a day without reading...but...

What I have found by making that first step and following a blog...I have found that those blogs are added under a subject header in my Google Reader as "BLOGS I'M FOLLOWING"! It's freakin' SWEET! Now...ANYBODY...friends, family, foe...I can follow stalk in my Google Reader without searching or subscribing! Don't get me wrong...I love to see my OWN numbers go up in the subscribing portion of my feedburner...but it's so much easier for me to FOLLOW someone then to search them out and subscribe to them.

Basically, I understand, it's the same thing. Only that I can see your cute picture on my right side bar when you are following me...and even better is I can see MY cute picture on YOUR side bar when I am following you.

So GRAB the gadget already! So I can follow you. It makes my life easier--that's INCLUDING my friends...that know me in person...and only update their blogs 1.2 times in a month! You see...if I can follow you...then I don't have to keep checking EVERY OTHER DAY to see if you have posted...

It's lovely...

Just thinking about it makes me all warm and fuzzy inside.

Because making me check your blog puts all the blame on your when I neglect my children! That's right it's YOUR fault. I could be using those precious wasted seconds, minutes, hours, cuddling my stubborn 3 year old or baking with my wanna-be-chef 6 year old.

But no...

I am dutifully checking your blog...that you haven't updated anyway.

I know, I know...whoa is me...but the weight of guilt is off my shoulders realizing that REALLY I am not to blame...but YOU...you are...you non conformist, selfish, non-follower-gadget person!

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

Onto pretty and light things. I received two more awards! One from Giggles who is hilarious, pregnant, and has an funny comic strip to boot! Oh she also is Australian, and if you know anything at all about me you know I am obsessed with all things Australian...I have already received this award but I wanted to let her know how thankful I was for it...and how much it made my day that she singled me out (along with 5 or 6 other people) to tell me:


And the second came from CJ, the Purple Diva who makes personalized buttons for people she thinks is special...this week I happened to be one of those special people...and don't tell anybody else, but MY blog button happened to be the coolest--here take a look:



Usually at this point I give out these awards to other people...but I have already done the top one and the second one doesn't tell me to give it out to other people because I believe her whole purpose is to make them special! So if you want one of your own...you'll have to jump over to her site and beg, plead, or leave a comment for one! :)

Love you all...and for the sake of my kids...ADD THE FOLLOWERS gadget!

Don't you hate it when....

Aren't Mondays either REALLY good days...or terrible days? They never seem to be in the middle...and I for one think it has something to do with the previous weekend, but that's just me.

In the spirit of trying NOT to copy other sites...but with everything out there it is hard not to...I want to make Monday a little more merrier, if you please...

So this is more to pay compliment to my friend Candid Carrie...and others out there that present opportunities to link up and share the love of other sites on your site and create a community of friends...

Wait...

It's Monday...and I can't think about all this confusion...

So without further ado...and wanting to do this for some time but afraid I would step on virtual toes...but then realizing no matter what I try to come up with someone has already been there done that in this virtual world of blogging...I want to try something out...for my OWN amusement...and let's face it--at times, I am a lazy blogger!

I want YOU to bring the humor to me and OTHERS...(it will be like with Candid Carrie's Friday Foto Finish Fiesta, where we each share a picture and tell why we love it...and then are provided by other people coming to our blog, and us finding treasured sites out there we would have never come upon if Candid Carrie hadn't provided us with lengthy linky love--but completely different...except for the linky love!)

Okay so this is what I propose...you tell me if you want to be a part of it!

I want to start a DON'T YOU HATE IT WHEN...themed linky love...blog thinger! To be honest, I'm not sure what they call it formally in the blog world...but here are the rules if you want to participate.

Don't you hate it when is the theme. Your post must TRY to be humorous! You can link a picture, tell a story, link to a video or post a personal video...whatever...as long as it is attempting to make us Laugh Out Loud On The Floor...or as I was informed it is officially Rolling On Floor Laughing, or in text form (ROFL)! Thank Binks for filling me in!

You will link back to me, email me at blokthoughts@gmail.com ...SUBJECT: ROFL...and I will post your link on my blog...then others can find your humorous post and laugh along with you...or at you if you are me! You don't have to do a new post if you don't want to...you can provide me with the link to any ol' post anytime...I'll just post them on Monday's! This week though...I will have a post that stays at the top and link all week...provided I get anyone to participate!!! lol!

This will provide me with humor on Monday's and make them something to look forward to...and this will give you something to blog about if you have nothing else...just remember, you have to start your story, picture, or video out with the words...

Don't You Hate It When...

Here's a few examples!

Don't you hate it when someone snaps a picture of you and you are reminded of why you shouldn't have eaten that last brownie...

That's my backside...and don't worry, I was buying a water!!! lol!

Don't you hate it when a wall comes at you, with a shape you should form, but there is no way you are fitting yourself into that shape or the size of hole it provides for you in the wall? Thanks to Shannon at the Nuthouse...I was reminded of the Season Premiere of this show:


Don't you hate it when you are talking to someone about a serious subject and all of a sudden you feel that drop in your stomach, the churning of your bowels, the urge you just can't deny? Yea that was me at the store the other day. I run into a friend and we get to talking...when all of a sudden I HAVE to go to the bathroom.

I slowly sqeeze my bum cheeks together in hopes that the pain of my stomach will lessen and I won't have to embarrass myself by breaking conversation to run to the bathroom in hopes that it doesn't escape out my ever so tight sphincter!

To no avail, I try to find some place in the conversation to politely end it, because I have begun to sweat. My head has beads of perspiration and my upper lip has become moist. As my friend continues to talk oblivious to the pain I am in, I silently am having the battle of my life with my mind and my weak human body!

'Please!' I tell myself, 'Don't embarrass me...just wait a few more minutes...then I will walk, at a really fast pace, to relieve us of this agonizing pain we are in...please DO NOT threaten to purge yourself of any bodily contents right now...just hold out a few more minutes!'

I am surprised that my friend hasn't noticed the strain in my voice or the slight tremor in my hands as I hold on to my cart for dear life! I pray for a lull in the conversation...I pray for mercy to find a plausible excuse of why I must cut our conversation short! Surely she must see that the smile I convey on my lips is just plastered there...that there is no warmth to it...that surely it looks like I am in pain of some sort, I couldn't be THAT good of an actress...could I?

Apparently I was...or my friend was in desperate need to converse with an adult...because she continued to talk and I continued to suffer for another 10 minutes...but it seemed like 2 hours! Before the conversation ended, I had prayed to my Father in Heaven stating promises to him that I would sacrifice my children, if need be, if I could just be relieved of the pain I was in...curse my bowels, curse the timing, curse my bum muscles for tiring and threatening to loose before the conversation ended.

After 10 minutes of the most agonizing pain...pools of sweat later...and threatening to pass out, I mumbled, grumbled, or mouthed my sorry excuse...which I can't even remember...and raced to the nearest restroom where I humbly bowed my head and thanked heaven above that I made it!

Yea...I REALLY hate it when that happens!

So how about it...do you want to play? Would you consider playing? NO pressure this Monday, of course, but prepare your post or write one this week for next Monday! Come on...will ya do it? Don't leave me hanging okay!

My very first player...thanks so much for NOT leaving me hanging!

The Wixom Zoo--I have two words for you...PEEP SHOW!!! lol!

Praise or Criticism?

The trouble with most of us is that we would rather be ruined by praise then saved by criticism.

• Norman Vincent Peale

Another great quote right?

I have been working out (exercising) Monday through Friday for the last two weeks and everyday I walk past this quote that is strategically placed in the hallway on your way to and from the gym.

I was thinking just a few days ago, as I was slowly making my way out of the Recreation Center to my car, if that is more true in my life up to date then I really know.

I guess it probably is a weakness in all of us. Isn't it nice to hear praise for something you have done? Like when I clean the bathroom or dust and vacuum the family room...I'll admit, I want to hear my husband tell me how nice it looks when he comes home...to show me he noticed my manual-labor efforts! :) When I was first married, I remember, I use to get bugged if he didn't notice...like it was my RIGHT to hear from his deep sexy voice, "Shelle...WOW...the house looks incredible, thank you so much!" in which he would be hugging and kissing me to show me his gratitude of my wifely efforts! A little romanticized? Yes...but I wanted it nonetheless!

If you know my husband at all...you know he never did this, in fact, he most likely never noticed and was SURPRISED when I would be bugged with him...not understanding why I was bugged. Then when he finally squirmed the answer at of me, by using unfair tactics, such as, distracting me with OTHER things...he would then tell me I was dumb...that I should be happy and content just because I was doing something nice for both of us...not to get praise for it! The only excuse I can give you for that is I was...ummm...young when I was married?

I could give you other examples of how I love praise...and sometimes, looking back, I can see how that praise or thought about praise has ruined me and/or kept me from being a better person.

Sometimes we praise people but are really lying through our teeth. We tell them what a good job they did, when really, in our minds, we are saying just the opposite! I think this is what the heart of the quote above is meaning. Instead of telling people, in a nice way of course, that they shouldn't quit their day jobs...we praise them and give them false hope.

Constructive Critiscsm:

criticism or advice that is useful and intended to help or improve something, often with an offer of possible solutions.

I think that is the best way to voice ones opinion, instead of giving false hope to something. I remember that even though I was good at gymnastics for my age...my Mom told me that I would never be 'the best'...because I was destined to be too tall for the sport, and with a smile added, "And we could never afford the lessons it would take to go anywhere with it". At the time I didn't understand, I was heart broken, but looking back I see that by doing that, by directing my efforts elsewhere, such as dance, I was allowed to focus more on something that I could find some self-respect in. I can tell you that in my life, dance has been a great anchor and something I feel continually blessed to have in my life!

So I would add to that great quote: "The trouble with most of us is that we would rather be ruined by praise then saved by CONSTRUCTIVE criticism."--revised by Shelle Blok.

So my question to you is this...when is it okay to praise and when is it okay to be critical, constructively of course?

I also guess what I am asking you is, if you don't like something I have done (photography) or written (stories) will you tell me how I could do better or what I could do better? Especially when it comes to this blog...what am I missing to make it worth coming back to?

Love you guys,

Shelle

My love-hate relationship with Dora the Explorer

If any of you have a 3 year old you will understand...Dora the Explorer, my friend, and nemesis(look at definition 2...that is exactly what I mean).


I bought this pair of Dora slippers for Christmas. My girl wears them anywhere I will allow her to get away with wearing them; to the store, the library, and on this day...her dance class!

PeePs loves Dora. So to be the person I am...I'm going to tell you first why I LOVE Dora.

1. Dora the Explorer runs for 30 minutes. My daughter then, is riveted to the T.V. screen for the full 1/2 hour. It's great, because it's free and I don't have to pay a babysitter!

2. Dora the Explorer teaches my daughter Spanish, and where I live, it is becoming a necessity to be bilingual...and thanks to Dora and Boots the Monkey, she is well on her way.

3. It is easy to bribe my daughter into doing things because good ol' Dora gifts get her to do practically anything...Thanks the HEAVENS above...because my daughter can be EXTREMELY stubborn!

I know what you are thinking...'Her? Stubborn?'...looks are deceiving people...the girl won't budge if she puts her mind to something...unless I promise her a Dora gift, but I use that in only the most EXTREME cases...like when I want her to play StarFall on the computer why I blog.

Okay, I hate to do this, but these are the reasons why I HATE Dora...

1. Dora the Explorer is ONLY 30 minutes long. Just when I sit her down to watch Dora and then get across the room, log into blogger, start my new post...my daughter is screaming at me, "Dora is over Mommy...I want to watch Dora". Then I have to get back up, which is hard when you are lazy like me and don't like to move much, and go and turn on Dora again. (I have it recorded on DVR)

2. My daughter and I now have a language barrier. She will say, "Mom I want to wear pantalones!"--and I'm like, "huh?". Or she will point up and say, "Arriba!" Where then I have to say, "PeePs, what are you pointing at?" Because I think she is trying to say whatever she is pointing at...when she is actually saying UP in Spanish! This can go on and on...

3. I have to bribe my daughter to do things sometimes! And I hate buying anything with characters on them, especially clothes, but I LOVE to shop for clothes for PeePs, and she LOVES clothes. So my dilemma is I have had to buy a few things, like the slippers, that have DORA on them...and I shudder everytime!

If you want to play with us this friday for Friday Foto Finish Fiesta...then just click here!

Shelle

Part Two--this is some freaky stuff!

***I wrote a post over here...check it out if you like to read about people getting hit by a ball...

***And I still need ideas on what to do about my sister and our "war"...read this if you are behind... Now get to thinking!

Now for part ONE of this story go here, which was posted earlier today...here is part two!

"AAAAAAAYYYYYY!" I screamed…"What the heck are you doing right there MSM?"

Not a movement…he just stood there holding this immaculate plate of brownies…not just plain brownies, I discovered as I slowly perused him from head to plate of brownies (I couldn't get past the brownies), but brownies with thick chocolate frosting on them…MY FAVORITE! Then the ever so fleeting thought swept quickly through my brain, 'Aaahhh how romantic…my guy cooked me brownies!' Then I remembered…my guy ISN'T romantic…he's just not…hmmmm.'

Then I start to laugh and said, "Guess what MSM…you'll never guess, but I was in the bathroom peeing and SMELLED these brownies. How did you know I have been craving them for the last WEEK and a half? This is so strange! And stop smiling like that you are freaking me out!"

He didn't say anything…he just picked up a chocolate covered frosting brownie and slowly, ever so slowly, lifted it up to his mouth and took a bite. Then he began to chew and his jaw went round and round and round, chewing the soft ever so succulent-looking brownie. My blue eyes followed his every movement but the rest of my body stood frozen, like a statue' or my favorite vampire Edward. It felt like minutes had passed by before I made my first movements…and only out of necessity, because drool had slowly found its way out of my open mouth and down my white freckled chin to hang there ready to drip onto my well endowed chest. I lifted my arm and wiped my chin with the back of my hand, every movement seeming like it was taking me FOREVER!

"MSM…are you going to share one of those with me?" I said.

The silence was starting to be scary. He just stood there, swallowed his well chewed brownie…then stuck his tongue out to lick his chocolate frosting covered lips.

"Seriously…you are starting to freak me out a bit." I reach to grab me a brownie…because at that point is was like I couldn't help myself…I needed to have one of these brownies. Not only could I smell them…but I could taste them, in my mouth. My body KNEW…and my saliva could not deceive me. I only needed ONE bite, I could stop at ONE bite…right? At 4 in the morning it wasn't the BEST breakfast, but I figured I could work it off throughout the day.

But MSM was to quick for me…it's like he went from vampire statue-to fully functioning Samuri Warrior! He was there right in front of me with the plate of brownies and then he wasn't!
I looked left and then right and then left again. Where did he go?

"MSM?" I said, now a little tentatively.

"MSM?" I said a little louder.

I slowly walk over to couch to turn on the lamp light. I turn the knob on the lamp…click…the light flashes on, temporarily blinding me.

When my eyes finally adjusted to the light I saw MSM standing there in his pajamas with his hair disheveled and his eyes blinking furiously.

"Shelle…what do you need? I heard you calling me and you sounded scared! Are you okay?"
What? Was the guy playing stupid? And where was my brownies?

Attending to the most important question I asked, "Where is the plate of brownies?"

"What?" he said, bewildered! "What are you talking about? Are you all right? Why are you covered in Chocolate Syrup?"

I look down at my chest. I WAS covered in chocolate syrup…it was dripping from my long white fingers. I brought my hands up to inspect them.

"It's all around your mouth too!" he said.

I felt my mouth with my tongue…chocolate!

I looked something like this...except not as thin, and I didn't have a strawberry!



What is going on!

"What is going ON!" I yelled.

"It's okay Shelle" he said, slowly, like he was speaking to a child. "It looks like you had an accident and you are bleeding."

"BLEEDING!" I yelled, now half crazy, "I'm bleeding CHOCOLATE?!"

"Of course you are bleeding chocolate, honey, what else would you bleed? Did you try to eat the brownie again? You probably just cut yourself…don't worry, I won't tell your therapist…this is our little secret. You just had a relapse is all." He said this as he slowly began to walk towards me.

"A relapse honey? You are speaking crazy to me right now. I'm going to scream in 3.12 seconds if you don't start explaining to me exactly what is going on! Please MSM…this isn't funny…if you are trying to scare me away from chocolate, it's working!" I said, trying to calm myself.

"Shelle, sweetheart, I’m not trying to scare you. I’m slowly going to help you okay?"

I look straight at his eyes…they are swirling still…and they are slowly changing from black to red.

I start to back away…

"Shelle?" He asks.

"Shelle!" He says, firmer and louder.

He crouches down, leans forward, getting ready to spring…He opens his mouth. He has remanents of brownie in there and FANGS! And then he springs, shouting my name…"SHELLE!"

I spring up to a sitting position in my bed…eyes wide open. I look around, feel my face…no chocolate…look at my hands…no chocolate! I look over to see MSM softly snoring, his head laying on his arm with one leg wrapped around our chocolate colored body pillow.
It was just a dream, I thought…my heart still beating a million beats a minute.

That is the last time I go to bed reading a vampire book while trying to stay away from chocolate!

I better take this "Life Style Change" a little slower and make myself some brownies…I'll only have one bite...I promise!

Shelle

P.S. Let's just say this could have actually been a real dream or something I just made up…
guess you'll never know! :)

"Changing my Lifestyle"=Going off chocolate...will I survive? Part one!

I wrote a post over here...check it out if you like to read about people getting hit by a ball...

And I still need ideas on what to do about my sister and our "war"...read this if you are behind...or it's actually the post right beneath this one...so not too hard! :) Not get to thinking!



This image taken from this delectable website: The cookie Jar and Company



I have to tell you something…you know, get it off my chest. It's a LONG story…so I am breaking it up in two parts…

here is part one...

Why is it whenever one goes on a diet, or "changes one's lifestyle", my ones CRAVINGS comes out of the wood work? And then all sorts of crazy things start happening.

For example, and I may or may not know or be this person, let's just say I have started eating better, or tried to have a desire to eat better…and when I say this I mean take CHOCOLATE out of my diet! I know…don't keel over…it's an atrocity, I know, women's right to eat chocolate and all that--don't worry I haven't joined a cult or anything…yet.

So 'this person' keeps craving brownies! BROWNIES! This person hasn't had a brownie since this post…in which the person tasted a brownie that was designed and thought of from the greatest angels in heaven….hmmmm…WOW, just thinking about them I can taste the perfect minty chocolate aftertaste….

Oh…

Wait…

What was I saying? Oh yes, Chocolate…

So I have to tell you what happened to this 'said' person…

oh who am I kidding, you all know it is me!

So I wake up the other day and start my day like any other day. I slowly but surely pull myself out of bed, or get poked and prodded and mauled until I am forced out of bed, at 3:30 in the morning. It's time for work!

I, of course, immediately run into the bathroom to go pee…because that is what one does after they have children, they pee ALL THE TIME and it's annoying and a total waste of time!

I make a mad dash to the bathroom so that I don't pee my pants…and NO LIE, while I am peeing I can smell BROWNIE. My mouth instantly starts watering…I can almost taste it…

'This is RIDICULOUS' I thought to myself…'Shelle you are totally losing it!' Which I had, because NO ONE had made brownies. My chocolate deprived body was going into relapse or something, it was wanting to prove to me that my MIND was definitely not stronger than the needs of my starved-chocolate-veins!

So I get done with my business in the bathroom and walk upstairs to the kitchen…just to SEE if somehow someone had gotten up at an asinine hour of the morning to cook brownies. It could happen right?

Wrong.

I hung my head in defeat…

I slowly started to descend the stairs back to my room to get ready for work. I was mumbling to myself…'Brownies, who smells brownies while they are peeing and then rushes up to the kitchen to see these self-prophesied brownies, that don't even exist, and now I can't even smell, are miraculously there... stupid, stupid, Shelle…I mean REALLY!' all of this with my head down, not paying attention.

When all of a sudden I run into a brick wall…not literally, but figuratively, because when I looked up there was MountainSport Man holding a plate of brownies with the light of the moon slashing across him to show him with a pasted Stepford Wives grin on his face and an evil swirl to his eyes.

To be continued to part two later this afternoon...come back, you'll never believe what happened!

Shelle

OH....IT's ON!!!

I was reading blogs...like I do and I hopped on over to my lil' sista's blog! Ummmm...Yea, she has full on challenged me to a WAR...WAR people!

It all started with this photo:

Which apparently she hates...
I think it looks awesome of her because of her legs...what I would give to have her toned legs!!! But she hates it...and so when I posted this picture of her on my Hawaii picture update post...she said, "Oh you are so in trouble Shelle...I am going to get you back"...

I just laughed...because, duh, she looks great! I thought she was just being modest...thinking she HAD to say it!

Well then, when I was announcing the winner of my giveaway she helped me video my singing debut! She left a little snide message on my camera...so I posted it, here it is in case you have forgotten...


She came home from school...because YES she lives upstairs and we live downstairs in my parents house...and she said or yelled to me, "Seriously! I can't believe you put that video on. That's it! I don't know what I'm going to do or HOW I'm going to do it...but it's on!"

So the girl is carrying a camera around and attacking me at all hours of the evening yesterday...okay so it was just for like 30 minutes...and I'll admit, she got some pretty bad shots of me!

But have no fear...I don't back down on a challenge...go ahead and post what you will Suns Fan #2, because I take WAY more pictures of you...and HECK...if I can post pictures like this of me...

Then I'm not sure what sort of awful thing she can do to me ya know?

Although...my body wasn't what it once was, so she may go that route and exploit all my extra CURVES or NOT CURVES where they are needed route. This is what she had to say on her blog about it..."Now onto more important things, I have come to the REALIZATION that my sister is out to get me. . .Not only has she posted a very awful picture of me in a swim suit on her website (now I hope you aren't really going to try and find it trust me, you will throw up) but she also put a nasty video of me on her blog. She says I looked good in both, but she is just trying to blackmail me. . .And I will not have it any more, starting today I need to get back at her. . . People this is WAR!!! So I am not sure how long this will take, but you better believe that when I get something good I will be posting it on here asap!!! So SIS I HOPE YOU ARE READING THIS BECAUSE THIS IS THE BEGINNING OF THE END (dun dun dun. . .)!!! Oh and if anyone has any awesome ideas let me know!!!"

This should be interesting...so let me know if you have any ideas for me...because I have way more loyal friends then she does...right?

Hello are you out there?

Hey is this thing on?

Dang...

P.S. I really DO love my sister...this should be fun or not...crap, she could really do something horrible like get a picture of me picking my dry boogers or something...How about ideas on how to avoid her and her camera also...m'kay? Cause that would be good to know!

I couldn't be prouder!

Last week my son made me proud! Not only was he aggressive during his soccer game (no seriously, I could've cried)...but on Friday I asked him when he got home to make sure that PeePs and his self cleaned their playroom before they played with ANY friends...(which to DCar is the worst punishment given to mankind!)

Grandpa was going to be home...but I wasn't going to be home until a little later because I had to finish up with things at work. So I warned him that if he WASN'T cleaning the playroom then he would be in BIG trouble...the ULTIMATE trouble which equals NO FRIENDS AT ALL the rest of that day...not only that but that he would then not only clean the playroom but his drawers, his shoe closet, and the game closet. Let's just say he didn't want to get caught NOT CLEANING when I got home...

So, of course, I was proud when I came home to see he was cleaning...he had taken out the big things and was picking up the little things...but that wasn't the best part of my parental proud-ness...oh no...

I came up on this--


DCar had initiated recruits and was directing them in what to do...attempting to be efficient without even realizing it...I couldn't have been prouder. I have been a little worried about my boy and him being a follower rather than a leader...never sure exactly what place he was in his group of friends...


Obviously he wasn't happy about cleaning...or probably having to delegate...because his friends were easily distracted with different toys and I would hear him say, "Come on guys, we aren't playing we are CLEANING!"...wonder where he has heard that before? Plus his sister was NO help...

The girl means well, but she just can't help getting distracted when there is a camera around...you'll see I got a couple of pics were she is in there helping, but those pictures I was sneaking around the door to get the picture...which is why you have that big BROWN obstruction in all of the pictures...once she saw the camera...it was hopeless...


I was just messing with the editing actions I have in PhotoShop...this is soft and faded from PW Actions...it makes the picture look old and faded right? Thought it was fun...anyhow


What's one of my posts without ending it with a dirty faced smile by PeePs? I mean, I can't be completely perfect...I tend to overlook her consistent effort to eat something and manage to get more on her face then in her mouth...it's to tiring to keep up ya know?

So...I'm proud that my son seems to be a leader...and can even recruit to his dilemma...they actually finished cleaning that huge disgusting MESS!

Do you ever worry whether your kids are leaders or followers? Or am I the only one that thinks that has a lot to do with who they become when they have to go through those hard in-between years and teenage years?

Shelle

Letter to the Lady in Zumba Class...

Letter to the Lady in Zumba Class--

Okay, so this new phenomenon called Zumba...totally fun! I shake my hips like there is no tomorrow and get down with my bad self...ahhh the love of sweating and burning calories. It's like a sisterhood...and sometimes one brotherhood...that we all get together to shake our things if you know what I mean! I haven't worked my hips like that since, well, since a while back.

I'll admit I was late getting to class..by three minutes...and everyone already had their place set to work out! I chose somewhere in the back, even though it's against everything I was taught...but I needed a place in the mirror, because how can you work your "thang" if you can't see yourself? Plus there were a handful of beautiful polynesian ladies who have taken or are teaching polynesian dance and KNOW how to move their hips...I needed to make sure I wasn't being out shone.

After a warm up song or two (I tend to make the first workout song a warm up song, just working into it ya know?)...you slowly were moving in front of "my space". I kindly would move right our left, mostly left, more mirror for me, to be in your "window" so I could vainly see myself in the mirror...but you weren't having it...it's like you NEEDED to deny me of mirror time?

What did I ever do to you? !

You already were smaller than me, and I don't mean shorter. You were definitely tanner than me...okay you're right, that doesn't mean anything because EVERYONE is tanner than me...but if I dare say you were even cuter than me...REALLY THOUGH, who puts make up on for Aerobics class?

That reminds me, since I'm writing this letter anyway...could you keep it casual next time? It's hard to REALLY get the full effect of my red cheeks and winded breath when I have you to compare myself with!

Okay...back to the REAL complaint...next time, when I dutifully choose a spot...could you please stay out of it? I couldn't see myself with you hippin' your way over in front of me!

There is an unwritten rule in dance and aerobic classes everywhere...NEVER invade someone's groovin' space...which is a 3 -5 foot circumference around each individual. The fine print says that if there is a REALLY full class then that circumference is obviously going to be smaller...BUT if there is not, which was our case on Friday, then let a girl have her mirror and circumference space!

That is all...let this letter not get in the way of our potential friendship. Aside from the fact that you are a floor hog...I got the vibe that you were a pretty nice person. Don't let the fact that your cute and skinny get in the way of that! :)

Okay, well until this Friday...hope you have a good week!

Shelle

Anyone else ever have a girl like this in their dance/aerobics class? If so...was she tall, skinny, tan, nice set of white straight teeth, with beautiful long Auburn hair? Maybe there are others of you out there that have been her victim also?

Just wondering.

:)

Hopefully I'm not the only one that has this not-s-good quality...

"Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There is nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.”--It is commonly attributed to Nelson Mandela, because he used the quote in his 1994 inauguration speech. It was originally written by a woman named Marianne Williamson in the book A Return to Love, published in 1992.

I love this quote...I totally believe in it...and I feel it inspired by its writer. Many times when I have faced hard times with my own personal reflections I go back to this quote--and here is what my thoughts go through...this is how I feel...

I think the biggest thing in ones life is to decide where and how they belong...in the world, in their religion, with their family.

I think you either go a path that makes you a very good and mostly happy and fulfilled person...or you go a path that take and makes you the opposite.

Everyday its a choice...everyday you have to make that MOST important choice of where you WANT to belong...not where you feel you deserve to belong.

And that is the problem with being human. We don't give ourselves enough credit...we downplay our greatest attributes and talents because we don't feel worthy...

Self-Doubt...the biggest obstacle of this life!

I guess I'm feeling a little reflective. Talking with different friends, reading different blogs, I continue to see that the mistakes one makes in their life almost always returns to self-doubt. For Example: in my TWEEN years...I remember being very, how do you say it, judgmental. I would talk about someone else behind their back. Things that were mean and vindictive. As I grew older I'll never forget that my dad once stopped me mid-sentence and said, "Usually those things you hate and despise about others...are a reflection of those same things you hate and despise about yourself." Total buzz kill for my gossiping nature!

I began to see the wisdom in that statement. As a mean and judgmental thought would enter into my mind...I would reflect on it, turn it around, look at it and see why I felt that way...99 percent of the time, it really was something I didn't like about myself. How crazy right?

I hate doubt...any kind of doubt...but especially self-doubt. So as I have matured, and trying to live a good and better life, I began to try and be a better person...with less self-doubt. This began to help in the gossiping area and saying mean and vindictive things about people.

I say "less self-doubt" because I'm not above it. I still am weak...I still have not very good thoughts go through my mind about people I see or things they do...I HATE that it happens...yet it does...I still even voice those opinions to other people, knowing that I will feel ugly and deceptive after. It's ridiculous, yet totally human...and I HATE IT...did I mention that?

So you may think as you read my blog...why I am always laughing at things...why I try and find humor in even the most serious situations...Now maybe you will understand. I do this very thing because it is my escape from my "other" self. It makes ME a better person...or so I believe. If I find the bright side of a situation...if I stop an unkind thought with one that makes me laugh or that at least makes me smile...then I feel I have conquered. I understand that sometimes that laughter and smile can be interruppted as mean or unkind, but I can only know what I feel, and when I am laughing I am never trying to be offensive, unkind, or mean. So you may judge me and think me dumb and immature...but this is who I am, this is ME.

So everyday I try and make the choice to be a GOOD person with less self-doubt. Because if I didn't...I would truly be a very mean and spiteful person who holds grudges and finds pleasure in offending people...

What gets me...is why anyone would choose to be mean and spiteful? And then my brain hurts and my face goes like this:

So I'm going to be done reflecting now...hope all of you have a good SUNDAY!

Shelle

Why is it that I get these faces whenever I have the camera...F X 4!

Before you read: If you like what you see here on this blog...and want to be INCLUDED...you know, be cool...then become one of my BEST BLOG FRIEND EVER and add yourself to the followers down on the left side bar...go ahead...go and do it and I'll promise to come over and follow you, because I LOVE to be included...if you have the gadget on your blog, which you should, because it's cool! OKay enough already...on with the post...

Why is it whenever I have the camera in my hand at family events I get faces like this?

Somewhat surprise...yet perturbed...

The "I'm going to drop kick you as soon as your done taking that picture" half-smile look...

The "Seriously Mom" look...

The "Not Funny" look...

The "Wow...I asked you nicely not to take my picture and put it on your blog" look...

The "If I have to smile again I'm going to puke" look...

The "Put the camera away" look...

The "My mom said not to smile when my face is dirty" look...

Okay...now that's not fair...what's HER problem...she should be happy I'm even snapping her way...sheesh...

Ah...now that is all I am asking...Just a quick smile and I'm on my way! Thanks PeePs...I can always count on you!

Do you have this same problem...or is is just me?

Go over to Candid Carrie's and join in the fun of the Friday Finish Foto Fiesta!

If I were to create my Own World it would be...

First OFF: Have you followed me yet? Left hand side bar...do it...now! :) And thanks for those that have...I'm coming to follow you also!

In my next life, not to be confused with my OTHER life, when I am nice and situated in my home with my forever family and I start creating my own worlds, I have thought long and hard of what kind of world I want to create for my very first one...

Because you know, you NEVER forget the first world you EVER created...I mean, come on, it's your first WORLD...

WORLD people!

So to be better prepared for my next life...I am preparing for it in this life.

I am going to create a world where everything's a MUSICAL! *Shriek and holler now with pure excitement*

That's right...

Don't worry, I have reasons...this decision didn't come to me like a second ago...I thought long and hard about it for at least a minute...it was excruciating because I usually can't hold the same thoughts for more than 30 seconds...so to obtain a whole minute of the same thought pattern was tiring...

Anyways...

There will still be plots, climaxes, villains, and heroes...all are necessary for a good musical...but the best part about this world is going to be the singing and automatic knowledge of all choreography!

Wouldn't it be great when you are dumping your boyfriend to be able to sing it...it wouldn't seem quite so bad if you were singing in soprano range with your face contorted to show your pain in the act of dumping with your arm outstretched to emphasize your sincerity? I think that would be Great!

And when you are at work and you have had a bad day...you start to hum...then tap your foot...when instantaneous music begins in the background, ever so softly so that it doesn't out do your emotion for the moment...and your co-workers continue to work as if they don't notice that song has broken out. But then you start to sing, because singing makes everything okay, and your oh-so-sad-face starts to break into a smile...slowly your co-workers one-by-one catch on to your singing, empathizing with you...so that by the time you get to the chorus you and your co-workers are in a full-out choreographed dance--where SUPRISINGLY...everyone knows the exact steps without ever practicing...When you finally get to the end of the song, everyone freezes for 2.3324 seconds before you slowly, one-by-one go back to what you were doing.

Tell me...could you really end up EVER having a bad day?

Your thinking...'but I don't sing in this world...why would I be able to sing in any other world'..I'll answer that for you...EVERYONE in this world can sing...and they sing well, because it will be as normal as talking is now.

Oh and if you break into song and all of sudden need a different outfit, prop, or scene...hello you get it because what kind of MUSICAL world would it be with out that kind of accomodation?

Don't worry, I've got you covered!

What better way to ALWAYS look your best...Hello...you'll be singing all the time so you have only set times to eat, so as not to miss your cue.

Plus, you will have HARD ROCK abs and body because singing the correct way is a great workout for your abs (or so my Broadway brother says)...and don't forget the constant dancing and break-out choreography...I guess I could just make it so you could automatically give yourself the perfect body with out the work...but I think for my First world, we'll try it this way...not making EVERYTHING that easy...sheesh...I'm already giving you an incredible singing voice and being able to groove and get down with your bad self without ever stepping foot in a dance studio!

Everything will be done in song...until intermission...at that point you allowed to eat and talk amongst yourselves...give your critique's what not!

Oh and there is NO depressing endings aloud in the World of Musical...no...not aloud! I like the happy endings.

Okay so that's the bulk of my thought about it...some details need to be fine-tuned, but I'm pretty excited about it...because let's be honest...

Who wouldn't? There's just something about a GREAT musical that makes you feel all happy and warm inside.

For me personally, I'm wearing corset's and pretty dresses with my well endowed self being the envy of all...but you can choose your own costume.

Shelle

Annoying or Endearing?

HELLO HELLO: A how to, in case you aren't internet savvy...scroll down on my left side bar (left side of your computer screen) and after my "Friends and Family" blog roll is this new NEAT gadget by blogger that says: FOLLOWERS...yea, ummm...add yourself! Thanks much! :)

Today seems one of those days! Really!

It's time again where I tell you another one of those many annoying traits of mine! Let's just say...this one might be the deal breaker! :)

Confession: I am one of those people that LOVE to keep bringing things up over and over again...especially if it's funny but mostly because I love the link it bonds to people!

I know...

Don't move to the next blog yet...let me just explain myself.

The people I love most dearly...are the ones that make me LAUGH...

But I also like those that LOVE to re-hash old times...or jibe one another about this or that :)

Believe me...I get all the teasing I dish out coming right back to me--I understand that if I'm going to tease and make fun...that I should get the same treatment back...but since I do it out of love and only, usually, with friends and about friends--I take it that way also...that the person loves me--it's the greatest form of endearment in my book! :)

Aside from that...I just love a good inside joke amongst friends--it's the worst for making someone feel left out, which I hate, so I'm always up for re-hashing and letting everyone in on inside jokes or happenings!

So I was attuned to this video on youtube by a fellow blogger, because those of you who have known me via internet for quite some time...will remember that I LOVE funny kid stories, sayings, or video's...

In this video the boy is definitely in some pain--the baby's face after biting his brother is priceless...and makes me laugh. While watching this video and laughing hysterically out loud my little PeePs comes running in to see what all the hub-bub is about. So I make her watch the video...she starts laughing also...but the best part is that now at random times in the day or week she will say, "OOOWWW Chaaawwwlie, eeewww hurt me!" in the best British accent this side of America! And no matter what I burst into giggles with her! It also makes me reminisce about my England trip and hearing those lovely boys in the subway!

Horrifying, yet endearing, as it is...she has now picked up my habit of re-hashing things over and over again...

yet for me...

it never gets old! :)



Here's another example: Candid Carrie commented on my blog once that she thought the letters in my header that read BlokThoughts looked like chocolate...so for a while there, every comment had to do or relate with chocolate to keep that first link of friendship! I do now tend to leave it out...even though my fingers ache to type the words and connect that sweet bonding word to our friendship...but I don't...because I understand being annoyed by things...so I watch it when I can...but I'm telling you, it's a real struggle sometimes!

So--how would you deal with that part of me? Are you screaming in your head "Too much information"...wishing I would have left that out? Some people hate that kind of thing...

Shelle