The family end of year letter... love it, embrace it

Happy Holidays and New Year... and all that.

Well since I was a procrastinator lazy bum of the worst sort I never got my annual email letter out to all of my friends and family and Loved Ones!!!

That includes some of you... I'm horrible, and did I mention lazy?

I just wanted you to know that MountainSport Man, Me, DCar, and PeePs are all very blessed and are so thankful for this last year. AS we could do better in all spiritual aspects of our lives, we strive everyday to be better and know more about our Saviour and our Father in Heaven and the gospel that helps us everyday get to know them better.

As far as the family goes:

School and work have gone well for MSM. He has one more semester and then we have to grow up and start our lives!!! We will be job hunting and probably moving and life will definitely change for us... and we hope for the better! :)

I have completely fallin in love with my new mistress, my photography. I have made it into a business and I have been, for me, successful. I have been able to learn and do so much with it this year that I feel as if my little baby of a hobby has sprouted legs and is taking off better than I had ever imagined. I am indeed lucky. I still work at my other airline job and absolutely LOVE, still, the people I work with and am not sure I could ever give it up... so hopefully I won't have to no matter what happens after my BFF, MSM, graduates!

DCar continues to fully involve himself in being master of his domain. That is the kids of the neighborhood. There isn't a day that goes by that he doesn't have at least 3 friends tagging along at our house. For some reason it is OUR house that they tend to migrate to. But I like it. He also plays soccer, baseball, basketball and you will usually find him either jumping on the tramp, riding anything with wheels, and/or playing Xbox or Wii. So he's a normal 7 year old boy. Next year he turns 8... I'm going to have an 8 year old! He will be baptized... I'm getting old... But the kid continues to have a soft heart, in fact, for Christmas he wrapped up an empty bucket. When we opened it and had confused looks on our faces he explained, "It's a bucket of love Mom and Dad."

Yea... I shed some tears.

PeePs is the average 4 year old going on 29 year old! She is a ham, has a mind of her own, and absolutely-positively adores her Dad! And believe you me, the guy is wrapped around her little finger. But to be honest I adore her probably just as much or more. She is a total girl. Bugs frighten her, she plays dress up, she tries to boss her big brother around with hands on her hips and EVERYTHING, and she is in dance... tap ... LOVES it!

I did try putting her in soccer this last year, and if you have read this blog for any amount of time you will know what a mistake THAT was! But I'm going to preserver and put her in again next year since I love soccer so much.

But admittedly we probably spoil her and I try to find shame in this, but I can't seem to muster it up!

All in all we are all pretty healthy and I can't complain at all about how our 2009 has ended up.

The one thing I wish I could change is that I wish my sister had more time with her son and my family could have more time with my nephew (and when I mean time I mean lived a full life) but that wasn't how things worked out and I don't regret the experience because it will be marked as one of those life changing experiences and changed me as a person for the better :)

Admittedly I thought I'd be a few pounds less but who doesn't??? Don't Judge me!!! I will however run my first triathlon and maybe a half marathon so maybe THEN those pesky pounds will melt away and never come back???

What!? A girl can dream?

Okay... well I've rambled enough. Happy New Year and hope you are welcoming in 2010 with a BANG. We aren't because no one has invited us to their house to party like it's 2009! Sigh...

Love,

The reason for the Season with Pictures...

So I've been wanting to do a Christmas post since Thanksgiving. And I just have to say that I'm all sorts of sucky when it comes to posting over here lately.

I have excuses, but who wants to hear them??? I go on automatic zombie zone when I start to read about why somebody has been neglecting their blog! So I'll spare you.

If I took the time to make those cute holiday cards and have my Family Picture taken to delicately write, stamp, and send out to all of my friends and loved ones I would have. But I didn't.

I did manage however to find the Real Santa Claus and I surprised my kids and went and saw him. If this guy doesn't make you smile from HIS smile then you have no heart. I smiled and chuckled every time I saw him pose for a picture ... he was so adorable. I threatened my kids to only ask for TWO things because some of those kids took 10 minutes going down their list of things they wanted and it was HOT in that room!

*He's Cute Huh?*

But now let me take a moment and focus on the real reason for the season.

It's not only that special feeling you get when you see someone that needs your help that doesn't have enough money for clothing or the right size of clothing... and you help them.

*it's just wrong is what it is :)*

(If someone wants this whole Christmas Special people of Walmart let me know and I'll forward it to you...hehehehe)

Look it's Sage!!! Isn't it just cute how he hunts in the deep south???

*bwahahahahahaha.... sorry that was funny right there!*

Okay no really.

Let me just say that I am so very blessed. My family is healthy and happy. I'm happily married and get to hang out with my best friend everyday. We have jobs. Our kids are loved and seem to be growing up relatively normal (I guess that's subjective ;)

And the best thing about this time of the year is that EVERYONE no matter what their faith or creed gets reminded of our Savior Jesus Christ. Some welcome the knowledge that he atoned for our sins so that we may be forgiven and return to our Father in Heaven, some don't. Some of us celebrate his humble birth and beginnings which was followed by his spectacular life and influence, and some don't, but whether you believe in him or not you know of him. I make it a practice to remember him daily, but I love this Season because everyone gets to remember him--whether they claim his power and influence were real or not.

I hope everyone has Happy Holidays!!!

On Christmas Day over at Real World I will be showing MORE of these lovely Walmart photos so go over there if you want!!!

Love,

A list of Justifying...

Random list of Justifying why I'm not ready for Christmas:

1. Cause I've been lazy, kinda, sorta...kinda.

2. I just barely found my Christmas ornaments in storage and everyone whose anyone KNOWS that Christmas doesn't officially start burning in your bosom until you have that D*&@ (D.A.N.G.) Christmas tree up! Anybody pickin up what I'm puttin down?

3. I'm overwhelmed with those of you that feel the need to post everyday! Since my brain is fried like any character on Fraggle Rock I don't know how you do it!!! I remember those days, those days where I use to have something in my brain to spew forth everyday to feel your brains with useless chunks of knowledge...those days were good days.

4. Ummmm I broke my CLAVICLE!!! (that one was for you CoachDad ;)

5. December schedule for work sucks. No really it did. I worked all day (starting at 4am--this is also where you cue violin music) at a computer doing a schedule and then would have to come home and edit my photography clients pictures until the wee hours of the morning...although I digress, I LOVE to do photography and editing so in that case it is more a matter of trying to tell myself to STOP!

6. Don't want to face the meanies out there. Is it just me or do people seem to be more MEAN around this time of year? I mean with all the selfless giving going on, you'd think we'd be coasting on warm fuzzy feelings all season long... but NO, no can do, you are conveniently stopped at a red light and look down for ONE second to see what made your phone buzz and you have someone HONKIN their horn at you!!! What!? It was a like a SECOND!!!??? Patience is a virtue people...do as I say, not as I do.

7. You guys probably don't know this but I'm kinda a big deal...I've got to make my appearances places (hair dressers, eyebrow waxers, mani pedi- ers) or people start getting their feelings hurt. This puts a dent into my shopping time.

8. My children can't officially decide what they really want. I get one thing and then the next day I question myself as to it being the perfect gift since every time I ask what they REALLY want, one thing, it's different each time (they get that from their dad)...which is just my personality. It's gotta mean something and it's gotta be perfect! It's unrealistic but try convincing my brain of that... Go ahead I dare you. That's like trying to convince me that the 10 extra pounds I've gained post broken clavicle (that wasn't on purpose CoachDad) doesn't look more like 50. Pictures don't lie.

9. AND...cause I've been lazy...kinda sorta. In the way of lazy that I've just kept pushing it to the back of my mind and saying that infamous saying that Scarlett says in Gone with the Wind, "Tomorrow's another day, I'll worry about it then." Until another day is TODAY and you have to worry about it. That kinda sorta lazy...

So what about you guys? Anybody want to help me justify why I'm not ready for Christmas? If you are one of those over achievers...JULES...you are not welcome here at this post on this day! ;) (Just kidding, you know I love ya)

***Now tell me, whose totally bugged I stopped at 9 on my list!!! Bwahahahaha!!!

Love,

Mark this day on your calendars...

I want every one to mark this day on their calendars because I WON something with out having to pay somebody to draw my name or without whining about it!!!

I WON I WON I WON!!!

I am not the type of person to flaunt other people's losses in their face...but it feels so GOOD to win! No wonder people do that!

See over at Hot Dads (where I'm an official Hot MOM-but I did pay someone to do that so it doesn't count like me winning) they had this FANTASTIC giveaway.

They had a bunch of stuff but what I really wanted was this HARD DRIVE that SeaGate was letting the Hot Dads giveaway and this is why:

For those of you who don't know I do photography on the side.

I take a lot of pictures and my hard drives on my computers fill up fast because I'm afraid to throw anything away. So what I have been doing is burning them on a DVD and storing them in a CD case...but the process takes a long time to burn for those of us who have A.D.D. (not clinically proven that I do...but it's self proclaimed) so I rarely find the time to burn the DVD and then my pictures slow down my computer.

So I was at the store a while back and saw this nifty external hard drive that you could fit into a purse! See the other external hard drive's I have bought to store my pictures were big and bulky and a big PAIN IN THE REAR!!!

When I saw that nifty small one I realized I had to have it...but because of Dave Ramsey I couldn't buy it on credit right then, I had to save for it. So I was going to buy it for Christmas as my Christmas gift from the money we had saved for Christmas!!!

So when I saw that Hot Dads was giving one away...I entered, with no thought of actually winning, but I entered and crossed my fingers and hoped and all that other stuff.

So imagine my happy dance when HotDads main guy TentCamper told me I had won! HERE is the proof!

Let's just say I jumped up and down and almost re-broke my clavicle!!!

AND I've already got my hard drive. SeaGate must have sent it right when I emailed TentCamper my address because I got it a couple of days later!

Here is my new baby:

(That's PeePs' hand. She's four. Technically I could fit HER in my purse, but even if you had a small purse you could fit this hard drive into it!)

I'm absolutely, positively in love...and it holds all of my pictures on it! My computers are happy and working faster than ever!

So even though you guys aren't as cool as me and have won one of these adorable babies...you should go out and get one if you are in need of somewhere to store extra stuff to relieve your computers hard drive! Just sayin :)

Now...enjoy my son DCAR singing to me in the car--



Now feel free to leave in comments how totally cool I am for winning this...

Love,

I get hypnotized by Christmas music...

What is it about Christmas music that puts me in some kind of hypnotic trance?

I'm not kidding.

This is me.

I'm driving in my car, and it's like all of a sudden I think to myself, "Gosh Shelle, it's awful quiet". And it was. Absolute dead silence. I was on my way to wash my Pimp-mobile-van... (that's right, don't hate). So I turn on the power to the radio and on comes Christmas music and then...

I went into a Frankenstein trance

...and I come to-- 2 hours later with loads of crap in the back of my van and no memory of it...

Or that is what I'm telling my husband.

Santa is bringing Mama a new pair of pants and two shirts and some boots...

What about you guys? Does Christmas music have this effect on anybody else?

Love,

Yea sometimes I have an opinion!

Okay you guys, I've held my tongue for over a week now, but it has to come out!

Can we talk about Adam Lambert? Max Hall? People going to President dinners uninvited?

I kinda wanna just make fun and tell you my opinion... is that okay?

If not... then why the HELK are you reading still??? Cause you KNOW I'm going to tell you regardless right?

Okay.

Adam FREAKING Lambert. YOU'RE GAY! We get it. I'm Heterosexual. I don't feel the need to parade my sexuality all over, grant it, I didn't almost win American Idol and I'm not famous... but give me a break!

I'm twittering the day after the American Music Awards and all I read about is Adam this and Adam that and WHAT WAS he thinking. Being the open minded person that I am and the most curious person that I am, I immediately YOUTUBE searched his performance (no longer can access it)...unfortunately my little 4 year old girl, PeePs was at the computer with me...

And then starts the worst performance I HAVE ever seen, and the fact that I had to exit out of the window because it my daughter was standing right there made me feel sick! Now I can pretty much forgive almost anything if it has a good voice and a crazy beat (remember-me=open mind?) so my intention when searching out Adam's performance was to Nay Say the critics because admittedly I was an Adam fan during American Idol. Adam has an amazing set of pipes on him.

But that performance. His voice, well, for lack of a better word, sucked. The beat of the music sucked also. Then within the first 30 seconds of the song I'm watching one of his dancers put his head by Adam's most PRIVATE part...YUCK YUCK YUCK, and THEN he proceeds to walk another dancer, like a dog, on the stage, classless. Not to mention the kiss at the end.

You're Gay. Get over it. You don't need to make a statement about it in your performance.

And my Gay friend thought it sucked also... just saying.

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

Okay, onto Max Hall, quarterback for BYU. WHY oh WHY did you have to make a statement like this:

"I don't like Utah. In fact, I hate them," Hall said. "I hate everything about them. I hate their program. I hate their fans, I hate everything.... I think the whole university, their fans and their organization, is classless. They threw beer on my family and stuff last year and did a whole bunch of nasty things. I don't respect them and they deserved to lose."

Now all you will be remembered by is this! Yea it sucks that some fans are so ridiculous, hateful, and spiteful that they do crappy things to your family...I would want some kind of revenge also, cause hey--family is everything. But it's just not classy or right the way you went about it, and HATE is such a strong and remembered word!
***************************************************
Okay the Party Crashers at the President's dinner thing.

My question is... why are we focused on the random couple and how retarded they are for attempting and successfully completing their stunt... I'm more worried that the BEST security we supposedly have to protect our Nation's President wasn't able to stop it? That they actually got IN!!!

Right?

Shouldn't that be what we all should be focusing on?

And to prove to you how immature I am. I laughed when I first heard about it.

What do you guys think about any of this?

And as always check out Real World Venus vs. Mars some great stuff there!

I got rushed by the EMT's

OH MY GOSH guys! Do I have a bathroom story for you!

Your. Welcome.

Okay okay, so I am attending a movie at the theater with my little family, (MountainSport Man, Dcar, and Peeps), (No it was NOT New Moon, I had already went to that movie in the morning! Hehehehe, sidenote: It was WAY better than the first movie, and all ya'll that are Edward fans cannot tell me you prefer Edwards pastey white body to Jacobs hunk of flesh! If you do I'll know you lie! So what if his nose is a little weird, with that body, many things can be forgiven. Okay, moving right along…) we went to Planet 51. (Also a very good movie)

Anyway, because of the great movies that opened this weekend, New Moon, Blind side, Planet 51, there were a lot, and I mean A LOT, of people at the theatre…so you'll understand my disgruntlement when my little girl had to go to the bathroom while waiting in line to buy the tickets.

As soon as we get our tickets we bolt into the movie theatre. My husband gets in line for popcorn and stuff (YES, I HAVE to get movie popcorn when I go to the movie, it's blasphemous if you don't, just sayin) I take Peeps to the bathroom.

We swing open the door with force, I was going to get through this as fast as possible, plus as soon as I see a toilet my bladder, without fail, thinks it ALSO as to go to the bathroom.

But as soon as we step in and look around a corner, there are no less than 4 employees standing there looking down at a lady who is sprawled on the floor. At first I thought, "Oh NO! The poor thing slipped on the wet floor", because they had one of those yellow signs they put up after they have mopped a floor that cautions you the floor is wet.

But no. As I sit there and stair at what lays before me, (giving my daughter a perfect example of what to do when you see something that surprises you, rolls eyes), I realize after I hear the employee say, "Did you drink that WHOLE bottle of tequila" that the lady was drunk.

You need to keep in mind, that I live in a city that isn't a alcohol friendly city. You don't see drunk people everyday.

Then the lady pipes up, "Don't lose my phone"!

Movie Theatre chick: "Your phone is in your purse"

Slurring drunk lady: "I know that! Don't lose my phone!"

Movie Theatre Chick (MTC): "Your phone is in your purse honey". (The MTC was probably 18 years of age?)

SDL: moans

Another MTC walks in who was probably my age: "Dear, did you call your pastor? Because he's here, we will let him in as soon as we clear the bathroom" then the MTC lady who is about my age slowly looks at me.

Me: "oh! Sorry, is it okay if we quick use the bathroom" I look down at my daughter, whose mouth is wide open and staring with no abandon and point to her and shrug, "can't be helped she has to go"!

MTC: "Sure, sorry about this."

So we go to the bathroom. The whole time we continue to hear the lady asking not to have her phone lost.

As we are exiting our stalls the EMT comes rushing in and not ALL of them were women.

I KID you NOT! I'm a go with the flow kinda gal so my delicate sensibilities were not marred, but I was appalled for the other ladies in the restroom, well, besides the drunk from tequilla one...

I was just finishing buckling my daughters belt.

We are boxed in.

Me: "Excuse me, I hate to bother you guys but can my daughter and I get around so we can wash our hands and get out of here?"

People shuffle and move around. My daughters eyes are glued on the lady on the floor, staring unmercifully, I wasn't much better to be honest, I however, managed to turn my head forward to wash my hands.

We wash our hands while more EMT's rush in.

How many EMT's does it take to get a drunk lady out of a bathroom? Like 6… and not all are women… and not all the stalls are empty of ladies unloading their bladders!

As I wait for my daughter to finish washing her hands, her neck craned back looking at the scene behind her, her hands missing the water, it finally hits me… 'SHELLE, you can make this a teaching lesson.'

I move my daughters hands from the sink, dry them off, and grab her to slowly walk away, trying nonchalantly to push her head back around. As we are walking out the bathroom door I lean over and say, "P… it's not nice to stare, but if you must, you need to make it less obvious, look through the mirror next time with your head forward!"

It was a proud moment for me.

Come tomorrow, because I did a video that PROVED I wore Red for RED Friday! Don't miss it, it will just justify to you that I am indeed a dork!

Love,

I'm not stupid...you are!

Okay first before you read my first "Just Cause" post in like FOREVER... you need to go read this post over at Southern Sage's. And then read Desperado's comment. Great stuff, and I look good in red so I'm in!

You want to know what drives me absolutely batty or what has lately? When people say, "I hate Stupid People".

That always throws me because it always says to me, "Hey, I'm perfect and I look down my nose at those that don't do things the way I do".

Hate is such a strong word, I mean even dislike isn't appropriate. What is required of one to be deemed stupid enough to hate? That is what I wonder, because the times that I have read that sentence in a post or heard it voiced out loud it is always directed to someone who has clearly made a mistake or isn't quite paying enough attention to what they should be doing right?

I find those people entertaining mostly, at the worst a bit annoying, but I wouldn't say I hated them, mostly because at any given time I AM one of them! I mean who isn't? Who hasn't said something that put their foot in their mouths? Or was distracted at the grocery store or wherever and walked to slow or took up the whole aisle not realizing someone was behind them rolling their eyes? Who hasn't accidentally pulled out into traffic and realized a little to late that the car you just cut off was going faster than you thought? Who hasn't been asked a question or talked about something with someone and took the wrong meaning so what you say doesn't come out as sounding that intelligent?

I think people that say they hate Stupid people, in a way are saying they hate themselves, which if you think about it is pretty darn funny!

This all stems from a car cutting me off in traffic and their bumper sticker said, "I hate stupid people" and I thought it pretty ironic. Then I got to thinking about all the posts I've read, (and yes I still read your blogs but it's usually on my phone, in fact I'm typing this post on my phone, and it takes a lot of my battery to comment), but I started seeing the trend. Almost always after someone says they hate stupid people, their next post is about something stupid they did!

And I Hate those People! ;)

What do you guys think?

Hope you're having a good day!

Love,

P.S. In group therapy today over at Real World we are talking about if women want s.e.x. as much as men do? Go over and give your opinion because I KNOW you have one on this topic!!! :)

Hello friends...So I wrote about you...

Hey over at Real World I'm talking about my friends. Since some of you are considered my friends--yea you! Not you no sorry not you...but yea YOU, you right there...thought you might want to go and check it out! :)

Here's a blurp:

...Even though my close friends and I don't get together as often as we would like, when we DO get together we start right where we left off. Sure we catch up on what we have missed in each other's lives, but then it's back to eating fattening foods, talking about everyone and eveything, and solving all the world's problems, oh and laughing… laughing until we can't breathe! The people that I'm drawn to...someone that can make me laugh guy or girl...the ones that will talk spirtually with me one minute...but then the next minute laughing at one another as we reminisce at how retarded we were when we thought we knew it all...

Dr.'s report at my 3 week check up. I get to wear the freaking brace for at least another three weeks! D@*M my slow healing bones!!! *shakes fist in the air*

***I just like to milk the whole collar bone because I have friends out there... you know who you are...that LOVE for me to mention it! :) hehehehe (pppfffttt hole in your head...my broken collar bone is much worse. LOL)

Much love to you guys,

I didn't break my shoulder and it's not a back pack!

To those of you that wonder "how my shoulder's doing or why I'm wearing an 90's mini back pack": (this one is for you CoachDad--cause I know how you love for me to mention that thing that rhymes with taller phone ;)

I'm sorry if you think it's rude of me to answer, "My shoulder is fine, my collar bone however is still in two pieces, but it's getting better everyday! I like to stay positive", when YOU ask, "How is your shoulder doing?" I can get a bit snappy when it's the upteenth millioneth time you have asked and I have given you the same answer, I didn't break my shoulder, I broke my COLLAR BONE or CLAVICLE (imagine me saying that really seductive).

Don't worry though, I laugh every time...I think I'm being quite witty really!

Let me whine a little here. You see I have to wear this figure 8 brace that pulls my shoulders back so that my clavicle can try to heal and it looks like an old 90's mini back pack or one of those plush stuff animal back packs that kids wear? Yea that is what I have to wear, but there is nothing PLUSH about it.

In fact, they don't make these things comfortable at all.

The sides are something hard then they cover it with a shady layer of cotton and then cover it with this beige looks-like-soft-but-is-really-rough material and my armpits are feeling the wrath!

No lie.

They are being cut into so the blood circulation is barely making it to my fingers and toes let alone my brain which holds my the part of me that discerns between nice and jerky, and let's not talk about the rash...it's sensitive. If I mention it at all it flairs up because it is so self conscious of hiding in the pit...the arm pit that is.

So my shoulder is fine and I'm bringing mini back pack BACK!

All of you that would like to jump on the band wagon now let me know and I'll make you an honorary member of the FIGURE-8-AIN'T WE Gr8T Gang, better known as F8AWG! It's all the rage this holiday season!

***I want you all to know that I satellite stalked Southern Sage's home and saw that him and his family started Christmas light decorating a little early... but they're Rednecks...give them a break. Here's the picture I took of his house and his lights... hehehehe...
Disclaimer: This may or may not be Sage's actual real home, I might have gotten this in an email on the internet.

Love,

So I met somebody...

Hey everyone!

See this pic with my daughter...sigh...back in the good ol' days when my collar bone was in one piece??? Those days are gone... I was happy back then, I didn't appreciate the collar bone like I should have, and NOW my collar bone/clavicle modeling is no longer...sigh. HEHEHEHEHE...

If you can't tell or don't know... I'm feeling MUCH better now! MUCH MUCH MUCH better!

I'm not healed. But I can lift my arm to take pictures and I can edit on my computer. Me so happy! :)

So you all have been so great about still coming to my blog and I want you to know that I have some posts up my sleeve so although I still won't be posting obsessively like before... I've some funny things to tell you and I can't keep them to myself!

So I met someone.

I went to Vegas and met someone. My curiosity got the best of me and I took my broken self off alone in our little Honda Accord and drove myself-literally single handed-down to Vegas, not just to meet up with someone, but to also connect with my new LOVE.

If blogs aren't for confessions what ARE they good for?

So here I go... I'm spilling the beans.

On Sunday, November 1st 2009, I, Shelle, drove myself down to Vegas to go watch BULL RIDING (My new found LOVE since I first saw it at the beginning of the year this year-reruns, but I fell in love anyway)!!! That's right... I went down and met up with Jules at IT IS JUST JULES and went to the Finals of the PBR in Vegas!!! You GUYS first let me just tell you Jules is just as fun and outgoing as she is on her blog, plus she was willing to go to watch Bull Riding with me so that means she is pretty much awesome!

When I met up with her she had a gift for me. Peeps...she makes jewelry, and not fuddy duddy jewelry, but really really cute jewelry! Pictured below! :)



We honestly had so much fun.

And the PBR EVENT! You guys I ate it up! I loved every second of it. I sat there and drank in everything and had my little score sheet and whooped and hollered like a professional when they guys rode 8 seconds and gave an appropriate gasp when someone got hurt or got to close to the bull. It's so unpredictable and exciting. So did I tell you I loved it? In fact, I didn't even have the mind to take more pictures than this one:

And thankfully for Jules and her brain we got this one together! Since my collarbone was out of a commission...she took the picture... her arms are good for that. The girl is long and skinny...no lie...sigh, I was envious.

Forgive the quality it's a phone pic!

There were cowboys and wranglers and bulls and clowns and bull fighters and lights and music and...aaahhhh just to fun. I didn't even really talk to anyone around me...if you know me you are surprised huh! I didn't, I just watched. I'm still giddy thinking about it! Anybody ever needs someone to go to an event with... PICK ME!!!

Then I took JULES to Cheesecake Factory and she is such a light weight we couldn't even try the cheesecake, she got full to fast!!! lol! But the conversation was good and easy going like we have been friends for years! We took this picture after eating...again, she took the pic...her arms... her arms... remember?

So I met someone and connected with a new love.

Tell me what you guys have been up to! I'm coming around to visit you on your blogs... but I want to hear the funniest thing you have done since I've been away! :)

Here is how I feel while wearing this figure 8 brace! Just so you all know...


Love,

P.S. You have to go read the hilarious post that Sage wrote about his wife's spending habits over on Real World--HA! It is so funny! I'm not kidding! Go give him some comment love! :)

Just my feet...

So this is me... doing pretty much everything with me feet! LOL

Okay... I kid.



I'm not even close to this because I can still use my left hand.

But I have been practicing picking things up with my feet for as long as I can remember. It comes in really handy!!! :)

Have a good Halloween everyone!

This is slow and go, but it's getting better everyday!

Let's talk about clavicle's

Saturday i went on a bike ride with my hubs. We both had road bikes. We were going fast. i got close to the trail edge>>>inexperienced as I am...I freaked, I tried to correct myself and stop, I flipped instead> Landed on my shoulder and head and hip, my collar bone broke right in half.

I'm bed ridden.

This is not my x-rays, but this is pretty close to what it looks like, almost identical:

Photo came from HERE

It hurts and it sucks. that's it.

Love ya guys.

I hate PUBLIC RESTROOMS!!!

I got this in an email... it fits PERFECTLY with my other bathroom stories on this blog, and it has been awhile since I have shared one of my own... believe me, this has SOOOOOO been me!

When you have to visit a public bathroom, you usually find a line of women, so you smile politely and take your place.

Once it's your turn, you check for feet under the stall doors. Every stall is occupied.


Finally, a door opens and you dash in, nearly knocking down the woman leaving the stall.

You get in to find the door won't latch. It doesn't matter, the wait has been so long you are about to wet your pants!

The dispenser for the modern "seat covers" (invented by someone's Mom, no doubt) is handy, but empty .

You would hang your purse on the door hook, if there was one , but there isn't - so you carefully, but quickly drape it around your neck, ( Mom would turn over in her grave if you put it on the FLOOR! ), yank down your pants, and assume " The Stance."


In this position your aging, toneless (God I should have gone to the gym!!!) thigh muscles begin to shake.

You'd love to sit down, but you certainly hadn't taken time to wipe the seat or lay toilet paper on it, so you hold "The Stance".


To take your mind off your trembling thighs, you reach for what you discover to be the empty toilet paper dispenser. In your mind, you can hear your mother's voice saying, "Honey, if you had tried to clean the seat, you would have KNOWN there was no toilet paper!" Your thighs shake more.

You remember the tiny tissue that you blew your nose on yesterday - the one that's still in your purse . (Oh yeah, the purse around your neck, that now, you have to hold up trying not to strangle yourself at the same time). That will have to do. You crumple it in thepuffiest way possible. It's still smaller than your thumbnail.

Someone pushes your door open because the latch doesn't work.

The door hits your purse, which is hanging around your neck in front of your chest , and you and your purse topple backward against the tank of the toilet.

"Occupied!" you scream, as you reach for the door, dropping your precious, tiny , crumpled tissue in a puddle on the floor, lose your footing altogether, and slide down directly onto the TOILET SEAT .

It is wet of course.

You bolt up, knowing all too well that it's too late . Yourbare bottom has made contact with every imaginable germ and life form on the uncovered seat because YOU never laid down toilet paper - not that there was any, even if you had taken time to try.

You know that your mother would be utterly appalled if she knew, because, you're certain her bare bottom nevertouched a public toilet seat because, frankly, dear

"You just don't KNOW what kind of diseases you could get".


By this time, the automatic sensor on the back of the toilet is so confused that it flushes, propelling a stream of water like a fire hose against the inside of the bowl that sprays a fine mist of water that covers your butt and runs down your legs and into your shoes.

The flush somehow sucks everything down with such force that you grab onto the empty toilet paper dispenser for fear of being dragged in too

At this point, you give up. You're soaked by the spewing water and the wet toilet seat.

You're e-x-h-a-u-s-t-e-d.

You try to wipe with a gum wrapper you found in your pocket and then slink out inconspicuously to the sinks.


You can't figure out how to operate the faucets with the automatic sensors, .....so you wipe your hands with spit and a dry paper towel and walk past the line of women still waiting.


You are no longer able to smile politely to them.

A kind soul at the very end of the line points out a piece of toilet paper trailing from your shoe. (Where was that when you NEEDED it??) You yank the paper from yo ur shoe, plunk it in the woman's hand and tell her warmly,"Here, you just might need this".


As you exit, you spot your hubby, who has long since entered, used, and left the men's restroom.

Annoyed, he asks, "What took you so long, and why is your purse hanging around your neck?" .................


This is dedicated to women everywhere who deal with a public restrooms (rest??? you've GOT to be kidding!!). It finally explains to the men what really does take us so long. It also answers their other commonly asked questions about why women go to the restroom in pairs. It's so the other gal can hold the door, hang onto your purse,and hand you Kleenex under the door!

Send this to all women that understand what bonding in the bathroom is all about!


A Friend Is Like A Good Bra...
Hard to Find...
Supportive....
Comfortable ...

Always Lifts You Up...

Never Lets You Down, or Leaves You Hanging,
And Is Always Close To Your Heart!!!

And people wonder WHY I hate public restrooms. I could have written this I've BEEN there DONE that!!!

Have a good weekend everyone! I'm going to try and make it to your blogs this weekend! Miss you all!

And BRIAN is writing how Body Image has effected him in life and marriage over at Real World... it's a great story!

My body image...

Posted over at Real World today. Its about how my body image effects my relationship. Not funny at all, but I'm over there, so come over and say HI :)

Love,

The PHOTOGRAPHY TRAIN-HEADSHOTS!

Okay so somehow I was able to be a part of this fantastic thing called THE PHOTOGRAPHY TRAIN.

What I do is travel around the United States and do Head Shots.

I base out of New York City for head shots... but this a traveling company and it's all sorts of awesome!

So... i just wanted to let my East Coast friends know that I'm most likely going to be in Boston, MA November 5-7, depending on who books, and I want to MEET YOU!!!

Don't be scared...I'll control myself I promise!

And if you know anyone that needs head shots send them my way!

Here's some stuff that I have done:







OH and you should go give your opinion in Group Therapy over at Real World. A boyfriends best friend, but not his girlfriend?

Love ya,

Where media teaches my kids a lesson...

Okay so after the whole Balloon boy incident I thought I would sit my kids down and let them know... "Hey, if I'm calling your name and you are hiding from me and I say the code word, 'BALLOON BOY' that means if you don't get your butt out in the next couple of seconds I'l beat your BUTT as soon as I DO see you. But if you come out when I say the code word then we will go out for ice cream.

It's the perfect deal and the perfect solution.

Now, on FaceBook I see THIS report and I'm still sick about it. So I shoved my kids in the car and bought them ice cream because it made me feel better. Luckily the kid was okay.



You guys rock my socks. You should check out the apology perspectives over at Real World ... some great reads and comments!

I'm the best actress EVER!

I should have taken up acting.

No really.

Lately I have noticed that I must be an extremely good actress.

This is why.

I'm kinda everywhere lately because I always am doing way to much. But only because the stuff I LOVE to do and makes me happy, keeps me busy. So I'm okay with being busy, the only problem is, my brain seems to attach itself to Shelle-is-to-busy-little-sleep-attention-deficit-disorder or SITBLSADD.

My mind tends to easily wander off. Unless I'm focusing on a project or my hands are doing something, I tend to lose focus. And what I mean is, if I'm just conversing with someone I'm either going to A) cut you off and start a random thought, or B) say "uh huh" in the right place, but really I'm not listening to you.

So how does this correlate with me being a great actress you ask?

Because the last few times I have had a moment to sit and talk with an adult, I haven't paid attention to the conversation for longer than 8.2 seconds, YET it's like the other person has NO clue. They just keep talking away.

It's a beautiful thing really.

In fact, I thought about this while in the midst of my last adult conversation.

I sat there, put my replies to "uh huh" on auto robot, and thought while they were talking about who KNOWS what, "I'm the best actress ever! They have no idea that I'm not paying attention to them. In fact, I'm surprised they can't tell? Usually my face is like a book... I should look like a blank wall right now? Interesting... oh she smiled, I should smile back" so I smile, then I continue, "I should blog about this and tell everyone how cool I am? Maybe it will come off the wrong way, like I'm being mean... but I'm NOT being mean, I can't really help it right now. Maybe it's the cold medicine... yea that's it, that's what I will blame it on... oh she laughed, I should laugh also" so I laugh.

And on and on it went for about 45 minutes!

I should be appalled at myself. And you guys will probably thing I'm a prick just writing this post. Normally I would agree that this is horrible and normally I'm actually a great listener.

But I'm actually quite impressed.

I'm blaming it on the cold medicine though ;)

If you have a funny Halloween date story or couple story that you would like to share with the blog world email me at blokthoughts @ gmail dot com and let me know. Over at Real World Venus vs. Mars the week of Halloween is all about the stories! :)

Love,

The Fall

Can I just tell you how IN LOVE with the Fall I am?

I use to be a Spring/Summer person. I couldn't wait for those seasons to come. I would hum with excitement as soon as I felt that first ray of sun's real warmth and smell the blossoms beginning to bud. I would whip out my shorts and t-shirts and day dream out the window of whatever shelter was confining me, usually school, sometimes work. I would spend hours out in that sun. We were best friends really. I would lay and bask in the Vitamin D and E rays, soak them up, start the beginnings of my soon to be lifeguard summer tan.

SCRREEECCHH!

Not so much anymore.

I am now a Fall/Winter person. As soon as I began to see the effects of those bask giving rays of sunlight, like when I turned 30 *shudder* and realized that the sun was NOT my friend, but a bitter jealous enemy of my skin, I began to change my mind.

My pasty white skin is not flattering in shorts, I will admit that. I am one of THOSE women. Ya know the ones, the ones that you look at and say to yourself, "Aaahhh she's a mom" or "Poor thing must be allergic to the sun" or "I'm sure glad I don't have that Irish skin tone". I still wear shorts, capri's and short sleeves, and when I really want to throw caution to the wind I will actually slip on a swimming suit… but I douse myself in sunscreen so the sun doesn't have a chance to play "war" with my skin and plus I just don't love to see myself in those types of clothes any longer post child bearing! My fault completely, but now I pay the price :)

And the sun thinks it's funny to dot my skin with brown little spots all over my skin.

Yea, so I spit in the sun's general direction.

I bask in the brisk cool air now. I wrap my body up in great fitting, comfortable jeans, and a long sleeve shirt, it hides all those places on your body you can't hide in the summer, well you can, but it's uncomfortable. I get giddy to go out and shop for my new jacket(s) for the season and boots/shoes to match! Beanies and scarves Oh MY! I'm starting to get enchanted with it all now. The smell of apple cinnamon spice and the mixture of my favorite colors.

Now let's all have a moment of silence because I was able to pull out my favorite pair of jeans and I have worn them like 3 days in a row! If you know where I live you will be happy for me, since it takes longer to cool down around here!

My goal this weekend is to make it to all of your sites!

Love

Need a Pick me UP???

Oh MY GOSH you guys! I've watched this like 6 times. I laughed so hard! It's such a great pick me up!

And if you have seen, LORD OF THE DANCE with Michael Flatley... you will love this!



The boy sliding in is CLASSIC!!!

Oh and a fun male perspective on intimacy is up at Real World Venus vs. Mars today!

Love,

The Cure for JM-A Husbands/Father's Quest-Birthday Gift!

Kevin of Always Home and Uncool has asked me to post this as part of his effort to raise awareness in the blogosphere of juvenile myositis, a rare autoimmune disease his daughter was diagnosed with on this day seven years ago. The day also happens to be his wife's birthday.

*
Our pediatrician admitted it early on.

The rash on our 2-year-old daughter's cheeks, joints and legs was something he'd never seen before.

The next doctor wouldn't admit to not knowing.

He rattled off the names of several skins conditions -- none of them seemingly worth his time or bedside manner -- then quickly prescribed antibiotics and showed us the door.

The third doctor admitted she didn't know much.

The biopsy of the chunk of skin she had removed from our daughter's knee showed signs of an "allergic reaction" even though we had ruled out every allergy source -- obvious and otherwise -- that we could.

The fourth doctor had barely closed the door behind her when, looking at the limp blonde cherub in my lap, she admitted she had seen this before. At least one too many times before.

She brought in a gaggle of med students. She pointed out each of the physical symptoms in our daughter:

The rash across her face and temples resembling the silhouette of a butterfly.

The purple-brown spots and smears, called heliotrope, on her eyelids.

The reddish alligator-like skin, known as Gottron papules, covering the knuckles of her hands.

The onset of crippling muscle weakness in her legs and upper body.

She then had an assistant bring in a handful of pages photocopied from an old medical textbook. She handed them to my wife, whose birthday it happened to be that day.

This was her gift -- a diagnosis for her little girl.

That was seven years ago -- Oct. 2, 2002 -- the day our daughter was found to have juvenile dermatomyositis, one of a family of rare autoimmune diseases that can have debilitating and even fatal consequences when not treated quickly and effectively.

Our daughter's first year with the disease consisted of surgical procedures, intravenous infusions, staph infections, pulmonary treatments and worry. Her muscles were too weak for her to walk or swallow solid food for several months. When not in the hospital, she sat on our living room couch, propped up by pillows so she wouldn't tip over, as medicine or nourishment dripped from a bag into her body.

Our daughter, Thing 1, Megan, now age 9, remembers little of that today when she dances or sings or plays soccer. All that remain with her are scars, six to be exact, and the array of pills she takes twice a day to help keep the disease at bay.

What would have happened if it took us more than two months and four doctors before we lucked into someone who could piece all the symptoms together? I don't know.

I do know that the fourth doctor, the one who brought in others to see our daughter's condition so they could easily recognize it if they ever had the misfortune to be presented with it again, was a step toward making sure other parents also never have to find out.

That, too, is my purpose today.

It is also my birthday gift to my wife, My Love, Rhonda, for all you have done these past seven years to make others aware of juvenile myositis diseases and help find a cure for them once and for all.

To read more about children and families affected by juvenile myositis diseases, visit Cure JM Foundation at www.curejm.org.

To make a tax-deductible donation toward JM research, go to www.firstgiving.com/rhondaandkevinmckeever or www.curejm.com/team/donations.htm.

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

Hey guys,

I was so excited to be asked to be a part of this for Kevin. I happen to know, through experience, that you my friends are some of the most generous and kind people out there! Thanks for taking the time to read this!

I hope this will help!

Love,

Hit by the "Subway"

Okay the I've been hit by the Subway post!

Let me just state. I am not a hiker. I don't train for hiking I don't usually hike, I am NOT a hiker. Give me an easy, follow this trail, a few short hills to get over and I'm good.

My lil' Sis, her husband, her SIL and BIL, her MIL and a close friend convinced me and my husband that we needed to go on this hike with them called the, "SUBWAY". My husband was STOKED... he was all for it! Over excited if one asks me, but they don't.

Let me tell you, I found every excuse NOT to go, but in the end the peer pressure got to me and I decided to go. Here is how THIS website explained it, and their pictures are MUCH better than mine. Just remember, everything pictured there I SAW in real life! You can be jealous now... well to a point.

Harder Optional Route:
For the hardcore the "Subway" can be completed in the reverse direction of what is described here. This will require 6 to 8 hours and a vehicle shuttle. If you do the route in the reverse direction I suggest you have a climber along who can lead traditional 5.8 rated routes.

Willing participants will battle climbing down boulders, ledges and waterfalls that bar the way. The route contains several short swims through chilly pools and miles of wading in ankle deep water. The route passes through several narrow slots and near a collection of dinosaur tracks from the Jurassic Period.

Ummm the "climbing down boulders" = aka repelling. I've never repelled before.

This hike is 9 1/2 miles, it took us 8 hours from start to finish. We repelled 3 times, and swam through ICE COLD freezing water, like can't stop your stupid looking face this-is-so-cold-my-heart-has-just-stopped water.

At the beginning of the hike I was good. I enjoyed the scenery and talked everybody's ear off. (partly because I was scared out of my mind...because on the way to the hike they filled me in with the repelling and 8 HOURS worth of hiking and 9 1/2 miles!!!) They nicknamed me SID the SLOTH! (okay, it was funny, I grant you that)

We took a lunch break about half way through the hike, we had already walked straight down "boulders" so my calves were burning, repelled, and swam so I had permanent "RT", and I had probably peed in nature already about 10 times, I guess I felt the need to mark my territory??? Which resulted in my thighs burning...if you don't get why you don't need to know. When I saw that sun after the freezing cold narrow canyon water... I felt like a kid at Christmas!!! I lazed on the rock like a lizard basking in the sun.

At that point, 4 hours into the hike, I was done. I was exhausted. Here are those pictures... these were all taken within that first 4 hours... like when I had energy to hold a camera to take pictures. I don't own really OLD clothes that I don't care about... so my husband provided my wardrobe... you know you love it!

As you can see I'm smiling... so this was early on.

When we continued on after lunch it was just walking down this semi dried up river bed full of rocks and boulders to jump over, climb down, and slip on. My ankles were feeling it! Plus no more shade... we were out in the desert sun, and my body had warmed up and THEN some! I was sweating to the point that I took of my T-shirt and soaked it in water and carried it around my neck to wipe down my face, arms, and neck every 5 minutes because it was so hot!

When we finally got to the end I was seeing things, I'm not going to lie. I was past the point of exhaustion and I had been completely silent for the last two hours of it! If you know me, that TELLS you how tired I was. Hallucinations had become my friend and pain had passed to the point that "feeling numb" was an understatement. When we finally reached the path that was the last mile of our hike, our leader smiled ever so slightly and said, "This is the last part, it's grueling but you can do it" then she pointed up--as I cranked my neck back to look at the tallest mountain ridge, which to my mind could battle the tallest skyscraper or Mount Everest, I looked at her and laughed, "no really" she said, "I'm not joking this time". That hike was STRAIGHT up people. Straight UP!!! 400 ft. up and was the only way out.

I begged to have someone call in an emergency helicopter but conveniently nobody had brought their cell phones, something about the water ruining them or something!!!

I did it... I lived, and it was one of the hardest things I have ever done. It it right up there with having my first child natural!

But, like having a child, it was rewarding! And I look back on it and I think 'I could do that again' (I think, not do) and 'that wasn't so bad'. The beauty that lies in those canyons is incredible! The feeling of accomplishing that up hill 400 ft. hike at the end was euphoric!

No there were no pictures to journal it, because like I said, I could barely think straight.

For those of you who think you know where I live now... don't get your hopes up, I had to drive to Zions National Park... well I didn't, MountainSport Man did, but still.

As for that night of the hike and the following day... my eyelids hurt, I had to kick my legs out in front of me just to walk, and it even hurt to cry. I was SOOOOOOO sore! So SORE! Every time I sat down for even a minute, to get back up was like a 10 minute preparation! My brother thought it was fun to poke me where I was sore and MSM was to sore himself to massage anything to get comfortable. IB Profin was my best friend, and I'm not ashamed to say that!

So if you are ever over my way and you spend a couple of days here. Or you make your way to Zions National Park... hike the SUBWAY. It's not so bad ;)

Love,


P.S. no my kids did not go with us!

P.S.S. TysDaddy is writing the male perspective on Real World today about social networking... it's a good read!