Life is getting to me...

Without going into much detail, I'm struggling with some things right now. Please please remember me and John in your prayers. It's nothing serious, just some stuff that we are struggling with that we can't change right now. Life is getting to me (John is ok, he's the one that's always telling me to remember that God is in charge and His will is perfect).

We both are feeling tested. I'm not passing as well as he is.

It will all work out in God's timing -- this I know. Right now though, not being able to see when His timing is makes it harder to deal with......

100 Things Your Kids May Never Know About

I found this on yahoo today. I thought it was HILARIOUS. There are some things that I don't even remember, but some I do...

I will confess, I am a slave to technology -- don't knock the DVR! It is my best friend and have a hard time watching TV in real time.

Take a look. I got a pretty good chuckle out of it!

http://www.wired.com/geekdad/2009/07/100-things-your-kids-may-never-know-about?npu=1&mbid=yhp

Wordless Wednesday

Ode to my sister

CM, This is for you!

My sister just blogged about how she is celebrating her boring life, so I'm going to celebrate her life as well.

Where to start talking about my sister? No, not talking about her like gossiping, even though I do know some thangs about her!

My sister and I have been through some ups and downs in our 25 almost 26 years of life together. There are some times when I know she loved me, and I can remember some times where I didn't think she cared about me at all.

The time I remember most when I knew how much I relied on my sister, was when she went to college. Carrie went to college at 16, leaving me alone without her when I was 14. Some people don't care, some girls probably didn't want their older sister around, but I needed her. She was the one to defend me, she was the one to laugh at my jokes (sometimes out of pity), she was who I borrowed my clothes from! Not having my sister right beside me for the first time was the scariest thing.

Now, looking back, I see that Carrie had it harder in life than I did. She was the oldest, she experienced everything first. She walked first, rode her bike first (followed next by my brother -- NOT ME), she went to school first, went to college first, got her heart broken first. She had a hard row to hoe, and I didn't realize it. She had to be brave. She had to be mature. She had to be a role model, whether she liked it or wanted it.

We have had some great times together, playing with Barbies, riding bikes, tormenting brother, living at home again. Our poor parents ended up with 2 grown daughters within a week of each other invading their home. Carrie was displaced by Katrina, and well, I needed a place to live.

Carrie was my maid of honor in my wedding. It was a very special thing for her to stand beside me on that most important day. I in turn, was honored to stand next to her on her most important day. I can't wait for the next big things in life!

My sister has become after years and years of working at it, one of my best friends.

Love you CM!

Open Mouth...

Insert foot.

You would think after 25 years, I'd have realized that just b/c I think it, it doesnt need to be said. Will I ever learn?!?!?!

Jesus, fill me with you!!

Has it been that busy?

Nah....I call it lazy!

I have been busy working in our yard. I'm trying my hand at gardening and also on relaxing and not taking life so seriously.

Our yard was basically a mess because we let it all sorta do it's thing last summer. This year, I told John, let's get it to be OUR yard. I made him dig up some nasty monkey grass. I did a small flower bed, he did the bigger ones. We got flowers! :) I'm so proud of my yard. I decided that working in the yard was enjoyable and it worked. I have enjoyed it. I don't like watering, but it's something that has to be done. I'm gonna brag on my yard by posting pics -- I know.....I never do, so here they are :)

This is our roses that we planted last year and they never bloomed. The one in the middle is the one that was blooming and we looked at the day John proposed :) :)

A close up of our roses!! Aren't they so pretty?? I'm really proud!

The corner of our front yard. Impatiens and a hydrangea. John's mom also brought me a little white flower that's called "bleeding heart".

Front of our house. I am waiting on my pink bleeding heart to bloom. More color is necessary, but I'm done for this year :)

These impatiens went CRAZY right after I planted them, I'm so impressed with how easy these suckers are.

Our mail box -- geraniums and petunias in the same color :)

Our newest flower bed. I think it's my favorite because of all the different colors we put in here.

John's mom raises daylilies and the 2 big green ones are daylilies (which are about to bloom now!) the other is called columbine, I have no idea what it looks like when it blooms.

This is the other flower bed that was already here when we moved in. We have hyacinths and daylilies in there.

Our deck and the edge of the pond. We got those roses and the daisy (the pot on the left side).

Our pond and the flower beds behind. Those were FULL of nasty stupid monkey grass. We worked REALLY hard to get it cleaned out. We have daylilies, coral bells, vinca, and hibiscus in those beds. I'm so excited. This is the part that looks the most changed. It looks so amazing!

This is the most amazing plant! It's purple and green striped. I have no idea what it is, but i LOVE it!!

Well, it's time to think about the crafts I want to tackle, I have discovered -- I need projects. I'm no good at sitting around...which explains the bad blogging habits! ha ha

OWIE!!!!

Last night, around 2 AM, my bladder got full. Not too unusual, however, what was to follow was unusual. I sleep on the opposite side of the room than the bathroom, and since I have a tendency to run into things, I walked really far around the bed. The room was exceptionally dark and I thought I knew where the bathroom was. In fact, I did not. I ran smack dab into the closet door, which was open. THe good news is that I ran into the front of the door, not the corner. However, apparently I have monkey arms that are really long and I straight cut my thumb on the bottom edge of our full length mirror.


Normally, this is not a huge deal either. When I was using the facilities, I could tell I was bleeding. How badly, I was unaware. I flipped on the light and I was dripping blood. I ran my finger under some cold water and MAN did that HURT! I thought it was a cut -- nope -- GASH. I had taken a chunk out of my finger. Feeling a little woozy from the blood and slight pain and being sleepy -- I put a bandaid on my finger and went to bed.


Of course, during these events, John woke up. He promptly told me to put pressure on my finger to keep it from bleeding too badly. I fell asleep holding my finger tightly. I woke up this morning and the paper towel I was using to stop the bleeding (through the bandaid mind you) was covered in the red stuff. It also had soaked through the bandaid.


It is now 7AM. I took the bandaid off, but since I had held it so tightly through the night, the bandaid was stuck REALLY good to the wound. Thinking I was being smart, I ripped it (not totally intentionally) and of course, MORE BLOOD.


I didn't think I was a sucker for blood, but MAN OH MAN, I had to lay down. John brought me a wet washcloth to apply pressure again to it. We then discussed the means by which to take care of it. It is a deep wound, do we get it stitched? Do we put a bandaid on it and think it'll heal? Do we use new skin? What do we do? By this point, it was a huge wound in my head, so my thought was the only option is stitches. This being the case, I start crying -- plus my thumb is THROBBING!!


I called my mom! Yes, I am that girl that calls her mom about everything. I called her at 7:30 this morning crying wanting to know how do I know if I need stitches? (Poor John has a crazy 25 year old grown woman crying talking to her mommy). She said to clean it, put a bandaid on it and watch it. If it doesn't heal, then go to the doctor.


John said those were my options -- doctor and stitches or bandaid. He said either way, it's going to hurt and have to heal. He didn't laugh at me when I cried. He was my doctor. He was the best man I could ask for in a case like this! :) He also agreed to take care of all blood related issues in the future.


I bit the bullet and poured alcohol on it and suffered through 2 layers of new skin. THen, put a bandaid on it. John was late for work b/c of my hysterics. The good news is, that I think I was more dramatic than really called for. I blame it all on the early hour. It is still doing some bleeding/oozing.


I have pictures even -- they aren't great, but they're also not so bad you can't tell it's not a deep wound. I think I'll be fine, but I realized -- when the kiddos come -- John is in charge of blood. I don't know how my mom dealt with broken arms on each child, 4 times at least taking me to get stitches, etc. I guess Mom's ARE superwomen!!!!

Thanks for being there for me for 25 years Momma!!! :)


PICS:

Little Girl Deep Within

HA! I crack myself up -- only b/c I get so excited when I meet new people and they add me to facebook before I can add them.....it makes me feel like I'm a liked person. Doesn't everyone need this little boost every now and then? I definitely do.

I still compare myself to folks, I have allowed myself more FB time -- it hasn't been good for my living in a bubble idea. Even though I LOVE reading blogs, even blogs do this to me? What is it? Can't I be content with my life? Or is it more that it gives me ideas and since I read blogs at work (WHOOPS) I can't do anything about it! ha ha ha

So, I'm totally crazy about a few ladies in our book club. My friend Jessica and I stayed a little longer than book club to visit with Amy N and Amy D. We had a good time talking about husbands and work and people -- cuz we're ladies....

I'm so excited to have something like that once a month to meet some new people and get out of the house and sorta expand my horizons in a way. I've still been working on doing more things that I want to do rather than what I feel like I need to do. At this point, it has become more about overcoming laziness than anything else.

K. I'm done for now......I was about to rant and rave about body anxiety again, and poor John has heard enough of that today.

Epiphany

This came to me yesterday after having watched a movie this past weekend. PS I Love You has become my new favorite movie. It's also a book that I'm DYING to read!!

Epiphany: THIS IS LIFE!!

The main character's husband said it and it finally hit me in the head yesterday. I am living life. This is the life God has blessed me with. Why am I spending so much time worrying about if my closet is organized? Why am I spending so much time worrying about the dirty dishes in the sink that I didn't get washed because I was cuddling with my wonderful husband? Why do I think that life will begin when I can talk the hubs into a baby? Why do I think that if the house is perfect life will be perfect? It ALREADY IS!!

This is my life. I need to live it. Do I really want to look back once we have the kids I'm waiting for to start life and realize that I missed some precious time because I was worried that everything wasn't perfect when it really is?

I have a great life. I have a wonderful husband. Wonderful kitties. A fantastic house. A great job. The best family (in laws and blood). A relationship with Jesus as my Lord and Savior. What more could I ask for?

Monday was a year and half anniversary for John and me. We've been married for a year and a half! It has been great -- why do I want to rush past this stage in our relationship to have kids? Even though they are a blessing -- I need to wait for God to bless us with them. (also, a shout out to my parents for 31 years TODAY -- they have a little time on John boy and me!)

I commit to you bloggers out there and anyone else who keeps up with me. I am living life. I can't say I won't worry, but I will do my best to not as much. Life will pass me by if I'm not enjoying it. Life doesn't start when I get married. It doesn't start when the kids come or grandkids. Life is now. I am with the love of my life. God has given me this life and this time to enjoy all He has provided for me!

Thank you Lord for this life. Guide me and lead me as I live it and do my best to live it fully and to YOUR Glory!!!

Haircut Again!

Ok. So I felt like I had the mullet version for a girl. I had one haircut in the front and something completely different in the back -- what can I say? My hair is WEIRD!! ha ha

I got it cut again today -- just in time to sport a new Easter outfit with my family this weekend. (I'm so excited!) I've been dying for some white pants, and I found some (in a smaller size)! GO ME!!

Ok, enough tooting of my own horn. Here's a picture of my hair. Please keep in mind that I fix my hair TOTALLY different than the girl that does my hair. It will look different tomorrow. But, for now, here it is:

HA! I just noticed the background too....that would be work. Many disclaimers for this photo -- WOW!

Body Issues

Grrr...I get so frustrated. I can feel that I'm getting older. I use to just eat less and lose weight, I HAVE to work out now. You don't know HOW MUCH I HATE IT.

Plus, things are settling in weird places. I've never had a "gut", but it seems to be settling in the tummy region any time I put on a little extra poundage.

I've been struggling for the last 15 pounds for several months now -- and honestly, I'm tired of it! LOL

I guess it's time to get more serious. Chicken and veggies diet. ONLY water.

*sigh* getting older :( :(

Crazy Lady Alert

I don't know why I'm feeling like a crazy person again today. I did get on facebook a little more than I like....

Yes, I am someone who has to limit my facebook time so I don't get bogged down in other's lives and comparing them to mine.....I think that might be the case.....

I need prayers for an un-crazy day.

On a good note -- tonight is my first book club meeting! I finished the book and my good friend and fellow blogger, Jessica, are going to discuss the book with a group of ladies she knows! :) I am excited about that.

Post Vacation Rest?

What is it about vacation that makes you more tired? I am the world's worst about unpacking. I have started laundry, but it's very hard for me to get back in the groove of things.

I am working on a list to get everything done this week. I have been very prayerful lately about alot of things b/c I tend to take on everything that goes on around me. I get anxious about everything -- I turned ALOT over to the Lord today because it was becoming too much.....

I feel like others have so much together, and I'm still spinning trying to be the wife and person that I feel like I need to be.....on vacation. I didn't feel that so much, but now that I'm home. I feel it again. I'm really working on becoming my own person although I'm married....and being the best wife I can be and taking care of my husband.

This wasn't what I thought this post would be, but that's how it came out. I really am working hard.

Do you know that song: "He's still working on me"??

He's still working on me
To make me what I ought to be
Took him just a week to make the moon and stars
The sun and earth and jupiter and mars
How loving and patient He must be
He's still working on me

I sing this on a daily basis to remind me that He's in charge and He's still molding me into the woman He wants me to be!!

California Love

DISCLAIMER: MANY PICS TO FOLLOW

We (John's family and us) took a LOOOOONG trip to California this past week. We had such a great time! We flew into Sacramento, went to Placerville (think hiking, river rafting, etc), then Yosemite (more hiking) and then San Francisco.

I am such a home body - I was so glad to be home. Our flight was over an hour late last night from Denver, I thought I was never getting home. But we made it. Here are some highlights of our trip -- I think i have around 800 pics, so I won't bore you. I just might put them on facebook -- so if you're that interested, you can check them out.

Side note: I was totally impressed with San Francisco. It was clean, there were hardly any bums on the street -- and the people were SO NICE!! We rode the bus and taxis (my first time on public transportation) and one girl told us where we needed to go to get to our destination and the most scenic route -- she was trying to study while we bothered her! LOL

Again, we had so much fun....here are the pics:

This is the cabin we stayed in -- it was located next to the American River.

This is the view from our cabin (in Placerville)!

More scenery -- see how green??

We were walking back to the cabin and these deer were REALLY close!!

John missed our kitties -- so he chased the first one he could find.

On our way to Yosemite, about 4 hours from Placerville, the good ole rental Kia was a trooper!

YOSEMITE


This tree was big!! Small though in comparison to what is to come...

Absolutely breathtaking

Yes, yes, that is SNOW!!!

This is the only sign of a bear we saw -- other than the one above ;-)

Please keep in mind that John is 6 feet tall...

Whoops!


The biggest Giant Sequoia "The Grizzly Giant"

Ok, so this sounds like a tall - tale, but we seriously hiked 3 miles in the snow to the trees, then 3 miles back...any missteps....and this is what happens.

Chilunala (not sure if the spelling is right) Falls

Yosemite Valley

San Francisco

That would be a sack of 80 pieces of Ghiradelli chocolate...YESSSSS (I split it with my mother-in-law and sister-in-law).

My cute husband

San Francisco was beautiful