25 Random Things

Ok this is actually lifted from my Facebook Notes... it was the "tag" going around and I thought I'd also post it on my blog. If you are reading this, then you are tagged and get to go write your own 25 things!

Rules: Once you've been tagged, you are supposed to write a note with 25 random things, facts, habits, or goals about you. At the end, choose 25 people to be tagged. You have to tag the person who tagged you. If I tagged you, it's because I want to know more about you

Okay, here it goes...
1. I read about one book a week - and they include a little bit of everything and every author. Current choice is The Shack, which I started last night. I once read two books (novels - not dr. seuss) in one day, some good comes from being stuck on a couch...
2. I hate paying full price for a book... Love book clubs and amazon.com, and the library, but why pay full price for something you will read once (the good ones maybe twice) and then either give to a local library, good will, or to someone else?
3. I love sports - all of them. Playing them and watching them. I love the excitement of a good win, and the sadness in a close loss... I tear up almost everytime I hear the National Anthem.
4. I have a huge, very close family. I hope my children will always be as close to me, as I am with my parents and siblings.
5. Yes, I am one of those crazy, fanatic, scrapbooking moms! The only problem I have is deciding when to switch completely to digital...
6. I LOVE to play poker... My hubbie takes me along to the guys games to make sure one of us wins some money! Longest game to date was 12 hours in a Hold 'em tournament on New Years Day.
7. If I could afford two homes, my second would be in Sedona, AZ.
8. I used to roof houses all summer long with my dad's construction business. I love working on a roof -especially in good weather!
9. We built our own house, and I learned how to put in a tile floor, a wood floor, the kitchen cabinets, and how to cut trim angles. The tile floor was my favorite...
10. I cry A LOT... I'm not crazy, (see #3) but just about any emotional/happy moment will bring a tear to my eye.
11. When I'm mad, I don't cry. I scrub the tile floors on my hands and knees in the bathroom, and that is my way to vent.
12. I once hit a homerun out of the park at Lakeview High School... I think that was my best softball moment ever.
13. I spend too much time on Facebook!
14. One of the most relaxing things to do is to sit and watch a storm; listen to the the rain and thunder, and watch the lighting dance across the sky.
15. I will exercise every day of my life before I give up eating chocolate.
16. There are no friends in this world like my siblings...
17. I believe in marriage (14 years in July).
18. I have Faith. Faith in God, Faith in the goodness of people, Faith in love. I'm definitely an optimist.
19. There is no sound in the world like laughter.
20. If I had enough money and time I would pack up my family and travel the world.
21. I get to go vacation in Mexico in 82 days!
22. My favorite Girl Scout cookie is the Thin Mint, frozen...
23. I have never had a good experience chasing cows... it is always a bad thing when there is running and manure involved.
24. I love to dance and sing in my kitchen while cooking dinner... it helps to relax you after a long day of work, and the kids love to join in. You don't ever want to watch or listen, as it wouldn't necessarily be pretty or sound good... But it's fun!
25. I love people that make me see the good in the world through the things that they do...

Blog Award...

How nice of Carmen, http://carmenscreativechatter.blogspot.com/, to share her Blog Award with me... I've never received a Blog Award before and am happy to share my first one with her!

Just as Carmen shared her award with me, I would like to share mine as well...

Kristina -- http://www.mywordstoliveby.blogspot.com/
Monica Jo -- http://monicajo4.blogspot.com/
Reyanna -- http://sunshineandwonder.blogspot.com/
Hope -- http://hopeghorton.wordpress.com/

Wrestling Season...

Well, today marks the beginning of one of our "busy seasons." My husband's wrestling team starts practice today, so that means he gets home from work at 7:30 am (he's a 3rd shifter), sleeps till 1pm and then heads to the school for practice, from which he gets home about 6pm. Then, our boys have practice for the "youth wrestling" on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 6pm - 7pm.

I can't complain though, my husband loves coaching, and it is fun for all of us for the most part. And after 11 or 12 years of doing this, and still being able to say that he (we) enjoy it, and being able to look forward to the years when our boys will be old enough to be on the school team (which gives us at least another 12 years)... If you can look forward to it and know that you still enjoy it, then I guess you know that you are doing the right thing.

I just have to take a deep breathe, say a quick prayer, and prepare myself for the business of life at home. Which, in most aspects, I'm completely used to by now as it was only 2 months ago when we wrapped up football season. So it's just getting back into the "groove" of things. Lots of crock pot dinners, more fast food and pizza dinners, and long weekends in the gym...

But I have to say that I am thankful that I have a husband who is involved, who loves the sports and the kids, and who is good at what he does. I can be a proud coaches wife in any gym that I walk into. I get to know a lot of good people in our schools and community, and I get to know the kids that are in school with my kids as well as their parents. I am thankful that I have been given the ability to work at home, so that I can spend that lunch period catching up on dinner and laundry, and have more time when my husband is at home. And, I'm thankful that God has seen to give me the sanity to deal with a crazy schedule like this! So, Hello Wrestling Season, and here we go again....

Alone Time...

I have rediscovered something yesterday and today that I have not had in a long time.... Time alone! No kids, no hubbie, and not at the house where there is always plenty to be cleaned or put away.

Last night I had 2 hours to myself and I spent them browsing at Barnes & Nobles with a white chocolate mocha in hand. This morning, I had to drop my oldest off for SAT testing at WMU and it's from 8:15am - 1:00pm, and it is an hour from my house. So, while I could spend 4 hours on the road driving home and then back and then back home again. I decided to pack up a couple books and my laptop, and here I sit... At Starbuck's with another white chocolate mocha (2 in two days - going to have to workout tonight) and time to be alone.

Although I could work, and I might do some of that in my 4 hours of time, I think I'd rather spend it going through all these wonderful blogs that others have written, read some, blog some of my own, etc... all while taking in the glorious smell of coffee!

So, I am off to web surf, read blogs, and anything else that I never have time to do at home!

p.s. 1 hr into my venture, I have 2 other notes of interest (or maybe not interesting at all)... 1. That the music is also good. I brought my new ipod touch, but I don't even need it; and 2. that it's kind of fun to sit back and people watch... I can hear their orders and then try and "match" the customer to the drink. What does your drink say about you... I'm sure my Non Fat Venti White Chocolate Mocha with Carmel and Whip Cream says, "balancing the abundance of calories between the non-fat and plus whip..." Does that mean I'm a balanced person? Probably not...

Oh, actually another point. Not many people now a days make eye contact. So now, as I sit by the exit door. I am looking up as people walk out, they probably think I'm some crazy lady, I am trying to smile a friendly "good day"... Two takers so far. A kid, and a young man, who hopefully didn't think it was anything more than a "good day" smile and nod...

p.s.s - Ok... It's now 11:43 am and I have to be back at WMU Campus in an hour... the cozy seat is finally beginning to put my rear to sleep. Time to get up and stretch... might have to get another coffee to go though! Thanks for sharing my alone time...

Sportsmanship

"Good character is more to be praised than outstanding talent. Most talents are, to some extent, a gift. Good character, by contrast, is not given to us. We have to build it, piece by piece -- by thought, choice, courage, and determination."

H. Jackson Brown

My youngest son took his first 1st place medal at this past weekend's tournament, one day before he turned 5 years old! He was so excited. But for me, it was so hard to watch. I've been around wrestling for over 18 years, so it was really nothing new, other than he was so little! My oldest son was a few years older before we started taking him to tournaments, we didn't want to push him, etc... we waited until he was begging us to take him. Now, of course, Robby sees his big brother doing it and already wants to.

The week before we took him and he lost two matches. It was cute though. You could tell that he was awe struck just being on the mat, in front of all those people, and the gym noise, the whistles, the parents and coaches yelling (there are like 12 different matches going on at once - so they weren't all yelling at/for him). But then the next week, he was all of a sudden "grown up" and was wrestling! He didn't flinch at the noise, or look like my lost little baby while he was out there. He just went out, shook hands, and pinned a couple kids like there was nothing to it! I was so proud of him. At that age it's just pure joy on their faces when they win. Which, of course is the way it should be. I will have to get a picture up!

But I was thinking, while sitting in the gym full of kids from age 4 - 15, and all their parents, and grand parents, coaches, etc... Anyway, I was thinking of how good it could be, the whole experience, for the kids. The winning, the losing, the "giving it your best." I've always said Robby was my "philosopher" (he was the kid that conned me into playing with him by saying how God wants us to be nice to people, and how it's nice when we play with other people, and that's what God wants us to do - he was 3 at the time of this con job!) and at the tournament, my little philospher pointed out multiple times that "he did his best." And to say I was proud is an understatement. I was beaming with joy. He knew that he won, but he also knew how important it was that even if he hadn't won, that he had tried his best. What a lesson that is, that some adults, myself included, still have a hard time grasping.

However, as I looked around the gym, I became frustrated with some of the things that I saw. Kids throwing tantrums because they lost, kids yelling at their parents, at the refs... I can handle tears, as I am an emotional mess on a lot of issues; I've cried during the National Anthem at a many an event, and I know how winning and losing can bring a tear to one's eye. It's the cussing and unsportsmanlike conduct that I see that I can't handle. So I guess this is my two cents on sportsmanship and how I wish more parents were in it to teach their children how to win and lose. My kids don't show boat when they win, and neither do they throw tantrums when the lose. It's not just practicing and excelling at the sport of their choosing, it's practicing the art of winning and losing.

I like seeing kids that are graceful in the face of both victory and defeat, and I really hope that my kids will always excel in that area as well as in their sports. Because I am a firm believer that sports will shape their character, for better or worse, and I definitely want my kids to have their character built up by the sports they are in. If they lose, but can say that they gave it their all; they can walk away and know that they learned from the situation, then they will walk away with their head high, and that's character. And if they win, and can walk away knowing that they still gave it 100%, and they respect their opponent; and that is character.

Rainbow in January

I took these pictures this morning on my way home from taking my youngest to school. I don't think I have ever seen a rainbow in January. Much less, on a day that is like 5 degrees and the windchill is more like 9 below... I'm guessing that the pot of gold at the end of that one is buried under the foot of snow that we have on the ground! It must be an Arctic Leprechaun...

New Years...

"I made no resolutions for the New Year. The habit of making plans, of criticizing, sanctioning and molding my life, is too much of a daily event for me."

- Anais Nin -

And that about sums up my New Years Resolutions. After thinking about it for what, 12 days now, I couldn't come up with something that really made me excited for a "life change." I like my life. Of course I am not perfect and there are plenty of flaws that I could change, but I am also not a perfectionist... Call me lazy, call me settled, call me what you will.

I could try and be more organized, but I don't even have time to consider how to do it, much less the brain space to try and become type A. I could promise to workout three times a week, but I know that my life will allow for some event to pop up at the last minute that may only allow me once or twice a week, and who wants to feel guilty for not making their resolutions? I could say that when I sit up at night blogging and watching my tivo'd shows for the week that I would stop and do my situps, lunges, stretches, etc... at the same time, but then I would also promise myself more time to relax... and how does one relax while working out and watching tv while making organized lists all at the same time? My brain hurts just thinking about it!

And then there is the resolutions of "being a better wife, mother and friend..." While all good intentions, I think that listing them as Resolutions means that I haven't tried to do that in the past. And, as all you moms, wives, friends know, this is something we do on a daily basis since the moment we say our vows or give birth, and listing it as a resolution just doesn't seem right somehow, it almost lessens the importance. I hope that being better at the things that are most important in my life is something that I do daily without having to set a "rule" for myself to do them.

So, I guess I'm resolving to make no resolutions other than just to live my life. And that is the best resolution that I can give. Because the crap will hit the fan like it always does at some point in the year, something will quit running at the most inconvenient of times, there may be tragedy and trials, and there is usually heartbreak and new love. And that is life. That is what I love about life. I love that I cannot organize it down to something that I can always control. I can't say that I love the trials that pop up, but I do love the element of surprise, and l love that there is always something new to learn, to see and to experience.

I love life just the way it is, with the good and the bad. I don't necessarily embrace the bad, but I accept it as part of life. I'm done stressing out about it. I will try like hell to prevent it from hurting me and my family, but the little blurbs of disturbance (my water heater, water softener and water tank all dying in the same year)... I will face and deal with. I will accept that sh!t happens and I, at some point along the way, will be in the depth of it, but I will not wallow. I will suck it up and get a move on life to get out of the sh!t that it throws at me one way or another.

So there it is ... my resolution... in a nutshell. To Live. I'm toasting with my glass of wine, to a year full of surprises, twists and turns, hopefully an upswing or two in the market, and the chance to enjoy the simple things in life. To use an old worn out cliche, when life hands me lemons this year, I will make a lemon margarita, and shake it like hell! Cheers!

Christmas Spirit

I will not be a grinch. I will not be a grinch. I will not be a grinch. I will not be a grinch....

I keep telling myself that, and it seems to be working. My problem isn't with the spending money, sometimes I wish I was more grinchy that way. I love buying presents, and I usually end up with too much. My problem is the crowds! I bite my tongue every time in the store, especially when I'm with the kids. How is it that the slowest, oldest, widest lady in the store is always parked right in front of the section you need to be? So I have been telling myself, I will not be a grinch. I will be polite, and smile if it kills me. I will look at all the other stuff around that area, maybe it's fate and I'm supposed to find something that the shopping cart lady isn't blocking. Maybe there's a deal just waiting for me where I would least likely look...

I have also decided to give a couple dollars to every bell ringer I see, or give the money to the kids so they can have the experience. Even when my hands are full of groceries, or when my wallet (between the checkout and the door) has found it's way to the exact bottom of my purse, or even when the wind is whipping and the snow and sleet are stinging my face, I will pause and dig for money and GIVE, because I WILL NOT BE A GRINCH.

I will let the kids make a mess in my kitchen, and I won't complain about cleaning it up later, after they've spent hours decorating and baking Christmas cookies. Because when I was a kid, my mom did the same for us. I don't remember the mess, which we undoubtedly made, but I remember how much fun it was every year making Christmas cookies with my family.

I will let the kids wrap their own presents, because they are excited about it and because it means something to them to do so. Even though they won't be perfect, and they may use a little too much paper... It's only paper, and we're going to wad it up and burn it after presents are opened anyways, so what does it matter if they use too much?

I will allow my 4 yr old son to organize the Nativity Scene as many times as he likes, even though it's not ever in that perfect 1/2 circle surrounding baby Jesus. Because in the world of my 4 yr old, it makes perfect sense for them to be in a different position, and who am I to say where they were on the Day that Christ was born.

I won't change the radio station away from Christmas music, even if it's Grandma Got Ran Over by a Reindeer, and when that song is on, I will appease my children and crank up the radio so that they can sing at the top of their lungs.

I will bundle myself up and brave the cold so that my children can show me their snow angels and snow men. Even though I could see them from the warmth of the house, through the window, I know that it's not the same for a child, who thinks you have to be right there to taste the snowflakes and see the snow angel. And when they come in from the snow, I will let them make another mess in my kitchen with hot cocoa and lots of marshmallows.

I will enjoy the simple things and let the kids put the Christmas tree lights on the super duper high flashing speed that makes me feel like I've just took a triple shot of espresso right to the brain. I will let them then change the speed another twenty times that night just because the lights are so much entertainment for them. And I won't care, because I have children who are with me this Christmas and I had the money to buy the extra lights with the super duper speed settings, so why not enjoy them?

I will not be a grinch this Christmas. I will enjoy all the pleasantries, all the hurrying here and there, all the parties, and all the extras that cost a little bit more. I will smile at all the grinches in the store and hope that I can extend a nice bit of warmth to their busy day. I will pause and reflect on all that this season is and on all the reasons that we have this season to bless our lives. I will reflect on the loved ones no longer with us, and on those that may not be here for another Christmas season. I will cuddle on the couch tonight with popcorn and sodas and watch the Muppets Christmas Movie.

I will enjoy the season. I will let my heart grow with love. Love for the all the little things that God has blessed our hearts and lives with. Because as the grinchiest Grinch of them all once said.... "What if Christmas doesn't come from a store, what if Christmas means a little bit more."

Dreary Day and Christmas Music

I love Michigan. Or so I tell myself all winter long. Even though my sister tends to send me lovely little updates about how it's "so cold" in Arizona (she means 60 degrees). Today this winter weather has turned to a nice steady rain. I can't complain that it's not yet cold enough to freeze, although undoubtedly here in Michigan it will eventually turn to a nice freezing rain, soon to be covered by snow. And then every Michigan driver seems to forget how to drive over the warm months and there will be slide offs all over the roads... Like I said, I love Michigan. Really, I do, for the most part. The seasons are just incredible.

Today though, however, dreary the day may be, I have started my Christmas music listening. I love listening to Christmas music, I'll play it all day long while I'm working, and in the evenings making dinner, etc..

So thanks to this Christmas music, the day is no longer quite so dreary. I do have to say that may favorites are Vince Gill - Let There Be Peace, and John Lennon's - So This is Christmas. Although, I would probably be hard pressed to find one I really didn't like...

Anyway, to you all, Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and Joyful Listening here on my blog site!

Family Pics

We finally managed to get a new family picture taken. The last one was when Robby was only 5 months old, of course my hubby says were good for another 5 years now! I wish I could put the one from almost 5 years ago out here... What a change in all of us!