Who Is Your Favorite Batman?

Today, we took a family field trip to the local cinema to see The Dark Knight, the latest in the Batman franchises. I found the movie to be interesting, albeit long, and I think that Christian Bale makes an interesting Batman. He has a different take on the role compared to one of my favorite Batman actors. And he's pleasant on the eyes.

Michael Keaton. Yes, I know - it was a little hard to imagine him in the role of Batman at first. But he was dark and mysterious. And for once I didn't think about him in Mr. Mom. Instead he had depth - and he looked pretty good in the bat suit to boot. He was calm and cool ... cut from a different cloth. After seeing him in the first Batman, I was a goner though. He could come over and we could play coupon poker anytime!

But all good things must come to an end and so did his run as Batman. He was replaced after two films by Val Kilmer. Now, Val was still considered a hot property thanks to playing The Iceman in Top Gun. But was he believable as the Bat? The UIC did not think so. I think that Val was his least favorite caped crusader. But this movie gave us Robin - aka Chris O'Donnell - whom I loved in Circle of Friends. And it gave us Nicole Kidman, Jim Carrey and Tommy Lee Jones, another favorite of mine.

But Kilmer's time in the black suit was short lived as he was eventually replaced with George Clooney. George Clooney always makes me remember when I used to watch The Facts of Life when he was the handyman. But again, this film gave us Chris O'Donnell again. And introduced Bat Girl. It was a good movie. Not my favorite though and it ended the run of Batman movies for a while.

We were excited when we heard the rumors that there would be a new Batman. But honestly, we waited till it came out on DVD to see it because we still liked Michael Keaton in the starring role. In fact, I can remember picking up the DVD last year on Black Friday at Target - for less than $4.00. It was months before The UIC finally watched the movie. But once he did, we were hooked. We all watched it together and were amazed at the special effects. I think that Christian Bale did an excellent job portraying a role that so many have taken before him.

We could have an entire conversation about Heath Ledger and Jack Nicholson and who played the best Joker. Heath's performance was amazing...but at the same time, I kept thinking how sad it was that his life ended ... he was so young.

So what about you? Have a favorite Batman movie? Or was Adam West your favorite Batman from years gone by? Inquiring minds want to know....

Bloggy Love....

I was catching up on some of my blog stalking last night and realized that Scrappy Girl over at Four Seasons Farm had nominated me for an award! And while I don't have a speech prepared for such an awesome event, I would like to thank the following people:

• My agent (that would be The UIC) for allowing me countless hours of blogstalking without ever saying "Are you still on the computer?"
• My manager (The Doodlebug) without whom I would not have gotten this awesome role as The Momster. Everything that I am today is because of you. (air kisses!)
• The two people who actually know that I exist out here in the blogosphere. Thank you for reading my rants about motherhood or going back to college at my age.
• And finally, all of my English teachers who gave me those writing assignments back in school. For forcing me to remember the grammar rules. Teaching me that 'a lot' is actually two words instead of one.

But do you know what the best thing about this award is? You get to share it! That's right...so here are the guidelines:

• The winner can put the logo on her blog.
• Link the person you received your award from.
• Nominate at least 6 other blogs.
• Put links of those blogs on yours.
• Leave a message on the blogs of the girl's you nominated.

That said, I get to reward some readers with the same lovely jewel. So to share this wonderful award, I nominate the following bloggy buddies:

1. Significant Source - your stories always make me smile!
2. "D" at Slacker Mom II - bribery so that you won't tell the Barbie Bandits about my blog!
3. Kirby3131- I love your humor - and the story about the wave :)
4. Jo - Guitar Hero girls have to stick together.
5. Teri - I enjoy your stories of remodeling and going back to school...I don't feel so alone!
6. Tongga Momma - one of my new 'must reads'!

So there you have it - Thank you for making blogging so much fun...!

Weekly Wind Down

Weekly wind down... I feel like I need one right now.

First, my classes are okay. I feel like I am definitely having a refresher course in math in my astronomy class. I knew there would be math, but this stuff is boggling my brain. I've managed to finish my first big lab assignment and am ready to turn it in Tuesday morning. Actually I'm going to try to find some time to look through the lab book to see if there's a lot more 'math lab' type stuff to be done. Because if there is, I might want to see if there's anything I can do beforehand. My biology class is so-so. Very monotoned at this point. The labs have been unique. One on the scientific method and another about chemicals and your sign. Yes, you read that right... your sign. One thing that I have learned though...never take two sciences at the same time!

Second, The Doodlebug and I are going to have to sit down and plan a strategy for her to become a tad bit more organized. We had a little bit of a blow up this morning before leaving for school about this very subject. That always makes me feel like I am less of a parent ... sending her to school after those kinds of discussions. I think the problem is that she has has to get her brain around the idea that she has so many classes and a lot more teachers. She's got to find a way to get organized so that she can keep track of what goes in whatever notebook and so forth. She's gone for the night, so we are planning on tackling this tomorrow till we come up with a solution that will work for her. Poor child brought home all of her notebooks though so that she can get everything in order before going back on Tuesday.

Third, I'm thinking about doing a little challenge with myself. I need to work harder at saving money for our family...so I've decided that I need to seriously start planning menus (a point in today's Fitness Fridays) and I also need to take advantage of all of the coupons that are out there and really get more organized myself. I'm spending more on gas commuting to campus so I feel like a penny saved is a penny earned. I feel like if I say I'm going to do it, I'm more accountable and I might actually follow through.

Fourth, I sat down and talked over the anniversary celebration with my Mom both last night and tonight. I know that this cannot work as a surprise - because to be completely honest, I don't think they would like to be surprised. We discussed the topic of food and guests and even where she would like for it to be held. I told her my concern is that since May is the beginning of 'wedding season', that we might run into a few snags along the way. I am feeling better about the planning though. I also know that now I have a goal in my mind for losing my weight.

Fifth, I need to start looking into my education options for January...now. The major university that I had planned on attending actually called me last week to see if I would still be interested in their program. I'm not so sure now. There are a few other options - I've just got to decide my course of action. One hurdle along the road is finding a program that will let you start in January, but again, there are a few where this will work.

And with that, I believe I am finished with my babbling. For now...

Fitness Friday is here again...

Where does the time go? Seriously.

This week, I am going to set some goals for my Fitness Fridays post. I need some goals. In writing. Just like that cleaning schedule. Because if it's in print and I don't accomplish it, then I'll know that I've done something wrong.

Goal #1: Plan out our weekly menu. What does this have to do with fitness? Well it's simple. If you aren't prepared, you might find yourself eating the last piece of chocolate cake that your Mom sent home with you Thursday afternoon...for breakfast on Friday morning. Yeah. Been there. Done that (today).

Goal #2: Since I go to campus 4 days a week, that means that I'm getting in a fair share of walking. But I need to make sure that I'm also walking and/or getting some sort of cardiovascular exercise at home...so I am going to say that I'm going to 'work out' 3x this week in addition to walking. I also want to try to find out how far it is that I am walking across campus, so that I can calculate that into my weekly exercise goals.

Goal #3: Getting more sleep. I'm really bad at this one. Maybe worse with this than the eating chocolate cake for breakfast. I need to make sure that my body is having enough down time so that I can function during my awake hours. This has always been a hard task for me so I'm hoping this week I can start to turn it around.

Goal #4: Try on my cooler weather clothes - and find something that's a tad bit too snug and make that my first goal. It's all about baby steps. Maybe 'feeling' my clothes relax would be a good motivator.

I think 4 goals is a good, rounded number for the week. What about you? Got any health/fitness goals that you're working towards? Leave me a message and we'll try to support each other in this quest. Afterall, there's power in the numbers ...

Detour ... Anniversary Party Ahead

Today I am coming to terms with the fact that my parents will be celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary in less than nine months. This means that I have a limited amount of time to actually plan a party for them. I have beads of sweat on my forehead at the idea of something this big. I mean, I'm good with planning a party for a bunch of preteens...but we are talking about my parents here. Ward and June Cleaver. Ozzie and Harriett Nelson. Mr. Cunningham and Mrs. C. Holy crap!

I don't even know where to start. Should I just go to my Mom and ask her what she wants? I don't want them to think that we haven't started planning anything. But let's face it - the last anniversary party I went to was maybe 20 some years ago and it was my Dad's parents' anniversary! I might be wrong, but I sort of feel like contacting my sister for help would be a mistake. After all, this is usually her thing...and she has failed to even mention it with everything that is going on in their lives. I'll have to get together the guest list. I'll have to decide what to do about invitations...

The surprising thing - there are tons of books out there to help you plan a wedding...where is the 'How to Plan an Anniversary Party and Survive to Tell about It" self-help guide? And please don't get me wrong. I would move mountains for my parents. It's just that this really has caught me by surprise. I want this to be very nice for them. But I have NO IDEA where to start. Anybody got any suggestions?

W4MW - Anti-Slacker Cleaning

I'll admit it. I'm one of those people who does well if she writes down what needs to be accomplished. I learned this about myself many years ago. I could have been the person that the entire idea of time management was created for...because I believe if it's in print, it has to be accomplished.

So, in order to keep things running smoothly here at home, I have a schedule. It's nothing grand...but it helps me keep things in perspective. It's a way to keep the 'high traffic' sections of our home clean and tidy. Each day has a laundry schedule, what part of the house is to be vacuumed and mopped and then the room that gets the attention that day. I like to work with this schedule in addition to my C.O.W.

It works for me. To see more Works For Me Wednesday ideas, go visit Shannon at Rocks In My Dryer.

It's Been A Long Day

Wow - today has been one for the record books. I drove down to campus this morning to discover that we were under the threat of a severe tornado. Not sure if one actually touched down, but let's just say it was not fun trying to get out of the car and into a building while all of the sirens were going off. Once inside a building, I managed to get packed into a hallway with a large number of other students...for about 30 minutes. It was a little scary though and I am glad that it's over. We are expecting weather like this all week as well. Thankfully it didn't get that bad here at the house.

I've been studying a lot of different information about chemical compounds, trying to get a little bit of a head start on my lab for tomorrow night. Today we had the astronomy lab - it was interesting. A LOT of math. I'm almost finished with a majority of the follow up - I just have a few questions that I need to get answered.

I say this every semester - but one thing that I regret is not having finished my degree before (1) getting married and (2) having a child. Granted, I think you view it differently when you're the one responsible for paying the tuition, but then again, I feel myself racing against this imaginary deadline. It's like the rabbit chasing the carrot. And it can be a little unnerving when you finally reach that age where you realize those 'kids' in your class could actually be your kids. We have a different set of priorities. I worry about mortgages and gas prices and if I'm preparing healthy meals or even if I told The Doodlebug that I loved her when I dropped her off at school. They're thinking about parties and dating and all-nighters. They have no idea at this point that one day their idea of what a party is will change...or one day they'll be the ones signing that check for college textbooks and tuition for their children. I heard someone say today what she liked about college versus high school is that if you don't want to go to class, you don't have to. Because you're paying to be at college. I kept thinking, right but I pay property taxes that pays for my daughter's education...so technically I'm paying twice.

So that's it from this side of the screen. I'm hoping tomorrow isn't too bad. Astronomy lecture during the day and biology lab at night. At least I'm off Thursday - and Monday is a holiday. That's something to look forward to...

Did you know?

Did you know that Christmas is just 4 months from today? Oh yes, dear friends.... it's almost time to deck the halls with balls of holly and time to get creative and jolly....

Actually I read something this morning that informed me of that fact. And it made me wish that, in my younger years, I had taken more pictures of the things that happened over time. Because back when I worked at the airline, I used to post a sign on my office door "Pay Days Till Christmas". It has always been known that I'm a little crazy about Christmas. But what was even funnier was when my office was moved one year...and the employees that commented about how they wouldn't be able to check my door to see how many more pay days we had to go.

My Mom is already talking about the holidays. She does everything UP BIG at their house. They have a party where they invite all of their friends that she and Daddy really look forward to. Last year they skipped having the party due to the fact that a few of their friends had lost loved ones. They both regretted it after the fact. So this year she's planning on having the party again. So she's planning when we'll all have to get together and decorate their house. Lights outside. Candles down the sidewalk. Trees everywhere. My favorite tree at their house though is the one that they put up in the foyer. It's gorgeous.

So, how early do you start planning the festivities of the season?

My Professor

My astronomy professor fits his job perfectly. Have you ever met someone that you could imagine could embody the idea of a mad scientist? Enter Dr. Astronomy. He is cut directly from the cloth in my opinion. But his class seems to be entertaining. The downside though of having someone this brilliant teach your course is that his thoughts are generally everywhere. So, in the class span of 50 minutes today, I think we had maybe 10 minutes of note taking time. There are days when he says something that my first thought is "....huh?". Take today when he starts asking us questions, more or less to review what we covered last week. For the first 10 minutes, I'm thinking "....huh?" Okay, I'm kidding... actually that's just how I feel every time he mentions something having to deal with math. But that's my problem with math. And this kid named Zach who sits two seats over from me. Who talks from the minute he walks into the room until it's time to leave. I feel for the person sitting between the two of us...she just looks at me like "Please make him be quiet!" Seriously today the Momma almost came out of me....

But back to Dr. Astronomy. He likes to take us outside a lot. Which would be okay, if it weren't so hot lately. Or at least it was hot last week. Right now we have rain and clouds, so we aren't looking for the sun. But we were last Tuesday. This picture of the sun was taken with a telescope. On August 18th. It was a clear day when we were outside. Around 11:45. In all honesty, it's fascinating. And I've done a little research on my professor. He's extensively researched Mars and Jupiter. He's been invited to speak at many conferences. He's published. But there's something that only his students know about him.

He has a little bit( translation: enormous) obsession with Tweety Bird. Apparently there are bonus questions where if you can draw Tweety, you can get bonus points. He stamps our lab papers with Tweety...if you don't have a Tweety, you don't get credit for the lab. And a Sylvester...well that just means that you obviously don't know what you are doing. Tweety comes up in some sort of context each class period. If you read about him on any of the rate my professor sites, all of his students mention the Tweety obsession. I sort of feel like I'm back in school dealing with Webkins.

But all in all, Dr. Astronomy's not too bad. His time management skills seem a little wacky to someone like me. But I think his class is going to be interesting and I feel like I'm going to come out of there with more knowledge about our solar system than I had when I walked through the door last week.

And after all, 5 days down... 56 more to go...not that I'm keeping a count.

Sorting out my Sunday

I love Sundays. I love the relaxed feeling that seems to be ushered into the house on Sunday afternoons. Everyone sort of retreats to do their own thing after we get home from shopping. The UIC can usually be found in his recliner watching some sports. The Doodlebug is doing a variety of things. Chatting with friends. Creating on the computer. Watching a movie or drawing. Just relaxing and having fun. I'm usually reviewing what's coming up for the week. Playing laundry mistress. Straightening up the house. Trying to figure out what we'll have for dinner for the week. Just trying to make sure all the is are dotted and the ts are crossed.

This week looks like a busy one. We have our first adjustment for her braces. Then tomorrow night is Open House at the middle school. The UIC will be attending as I will have lectures to attend. It's the first time that I can remember that I have not gotten to go to Open House. She'll have her endurance test in Karate this week as she is working on her third stripe. He'll also get to take her to that, as it is the same night as my lab. We have year book pictures....got to figure out what she's going to wear? I'll have another quiz in Astronomy. I think I did rather well on the one Friday - I know I missed only 1 question - but each question was worth 12 points, so that's an 88. At least now I'll know what to expect with his quizzes. I just hate that everything deals with so much math...

Fay has been sending us some unseasonably windy weather lately. And we've had more rain. The cloudy sky makes me long for fall. I love when all the leaves change. I love the sound the fallen leaves make underfoot. The smells. I love the colors - gold, yellow, orange... I love when the weather turns colder and you find yourself snuggling deeper into bed at night. Pulling out the sweaters to stay warm. Covering up with the afghans while watching TV in the evenings. It's all just such a wonderful experience. I love cooking large pots of soups and freshly baked breads. Shopping for Halloween candy and decorations. Debating with The Doodlebug what she should dress up as that year. I'm telling you, fall is an overload of the senses for me that has me longing for Christmas.

So that's what we are up to today. And as I am sitting here wondering what this weeks' COW should be...guess what just happened? The other shelf in the other bonus room closet apparently just gave way - because there was a loud 'sound' that sent The UIC and The Doodlebug in her to investigate. I turned them away at the door - I'm afraid to see what is behind that closed door. I might need to intercede with prayer - this might have to be the Holy C.O.W.

Wow...I'm exhausted

You know, if I really wanted to make you laugh, all I would have to do is post a picture of my hair right this minute. Because I think I fell asleep this morning around 2:30 - and it was wet.

But since this blog isn't about embarrassing myself, let me just state the obvious: I am exhausted. I know that The UIC said that he woke up a couple of times last night to the sound of laughter and video games downstairs. Last report was around 5:30 he told the girls to quiet down and get some sleep. I don't think that happened though.

Right now The Doodlebug is in the shower as I am hoping it will revitalize her. The last girl has left. I think they had a good time considering we didn't really have anything planned. I didn't have to pull anything out of my magic bag of tricks to keep them entertained. I think I have some funny renditions of the girls doing Taylor Swift karaoke though...I can't remember.

The downstairs is back to normal. We are going to head out and buy a birthday gift for my friend "D"s daughter, since she is having her party tonight. The Doodlebug is going, but I'm going to make her come home to sleep...otherwise she won't catch up on what she's missed before heading back to school on Monday. And with her, that means not only will she be cranky but I don't want to set her up to get sick since her system will be out of whack.

Excuse me...she just told me her system is already out of whack. That said, more later. Enjoy the day. It's windy thanks to Fay....

Join the Cheerios Challenge

Today's Fitness Friday is going to be a short one...because I need to rush and figure out what I am doing with my hair....you should see it! and get my clothes ironed and rush out the door to go to my first 'quiz' in Astronomy....that I am dreading beyond belief because it's over the syllabus...and it was like 400 pages long! But I digress....and if you've been here before, you know that happens a lot.

Anyway, since The UIC is dealing with some cholesterol issues, I signed up for The Cheerios Challenge. I figure at this stage, it can't hurt. The goal is to lower your numbers by 4% in 6 weeks. Which would be an awesome thing to happen around here because Mr. Healthy (The UIC) is very concerned about his numbers and is really working hard to do something about it. And since I want to keep him around for the long haul, I'm helping in whatever capacity that I can.

So, check it out... sign up and they'll send you some cheerios coupons. And that's a good thing.

More later - just gotta rush. Oh and tonight The Doodlebug is having just a few friends over to celebrate turning 11. This is the smallest shindig we've ever had ... I'm nervous. But it should be fun!

This Mommy Job I've Got

I love being a Momster. There are times when honestly I'll think how incredibly lucky I am to be a mom and how glad I am that I have the relationship with my daughter that I do. I'll think back to my life Pre-Doodlebug and it seems dim in comparison to what goes on here daily. I wouldn't trade one day, not even one minute, of the chaos that goes on around here sometimes for the most tranquil 'non-mom' day.

Lately she has been seeking my input on a variety of subjects. Clothes. Her hair. Skin care. Friends. And tonight it was boys. Apparently her little stalker from her health class had sent her an email asking her if she wanted to be his girlfriend. She was conflicted. She's not ready for that kind of commitment (her words, not mine) so she replied back and asked him if they could take the time to become friends first. But she was so worried about her answer. Because she was worried that it might hurt his feelings. So we talked about it and then I suggested that we get the male perspective from The UIC. We had a little family pow wow and discussed the whole boyfriend/girlfriend scenario. Upon reflection, it was nice to be able to sit down with her and talk this through. In the end, she was satisfied by what she did and felt better about the situation.

At bedtime, as she and I were saying good night I told her how proud I was of her for being true to herself. I also told her that it meant so much to me that she comes and talks to me about the things that are going on in her life and that I hoped, no matter where life takes her, that we will always be able to talk like that.

Later on, I called to check on my parents (as I do this each day...it's a habit of mine) and was relaying the situation to my Mom. See, I have one of those relationships with her, where I can call her up and talk about anything and she will give me her opinion or make a suggestion but most importantly she listens to me. Sometimes that's all we need...someone to listen to us. To care about us. And it dawned on me. I have the type of relationship with my Mom that I hope to have with my own daughter one day. She is my mentor. She is always there for me. She loves me unconditionally...and believe me I have done some STUPID things in my life...but she is always there for me with a hug and a shoulder whenever I need her. I can call her at a moment's notice and ask her to pray for me...and she will drop whatever she is doing to help me. She makes me feel important. Valued. LOVED.

No, we don't always see things eye to eye. I don't expect to always see things eye to eye with The Doodlebug. But I know that I am building a foundation with my daughter, as she enters her pre-teen years, where she knows that she can talk to me and that I will listen. Just like my Mom did (and still does) with me. That this Mommy job I have isn't a Monday-Friday 8-5 gig. It's a lifetime position, with no holidays, weekends off, vacation or sick time. But it's the best job in the world. I wouldn't trade anything for it. Not one thing.

Quote for the Day

God will not demand more from you than you can do. Whatever God asks of you, He will give you the strength to do - Erwin W. Lutzer

2 Down ---a lot more to go

Day two over and done. I'm exhausted, but it's a good kind of exhaustion. I've bought my books. Had my first lab in Astronomy today. Will have my first lab in Biology tomorrow night. I'll be home well before The Doodlebug is asleep and I'll get to help her with her homework if she needs me in the afternoons. I feel good about my decision to change my schedule at the last minute. I had really been concerned about being gone at night so I'm glad that it has all worked out.

Middle school seems to still be a blast. She has made a lot of new friends, which makes me extremely proud of her. There is one thing that I can say about her - she always makes friends easily. She'll be that child who heads off to college and while she might miss mom and dad, she'll end up forming a close-knit group of friends that become like her family. That makes me happy...and sad.

The Doodlebug is having her party this Friday. She's excited. I've told her that she needs to plan something for them to do as we are expecting rain over the weekend (Thank you Fay). I've offered to let them use my scrapbook stuff or do crafts or whatever. We discussed going to a movie, but can't decide what would be appropriate. She wants to see the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants 2 but I'd hesitate to take her friends to see that...

And I guess that is all for now. I've got notes to type ....

Changes

I decided late last night that it's not practical to be gone to campus three nights a week and that getting home around 11 isn't going to work for us as a family unit. I hardly slept at all. I kept tossing and turning. I mean, in reality, I know The UIC can handle taking The Doodlebug to karate and going to any school functions with her, but there are times when a girl needs her Momster. So I poured over the college course schedule last night and discovered two things.

1. There is an opening in the Biology class that meets about 15 minutes from my house at the satellite school. On Mondays and Wednesdays.
2. There are no on campus science classes that meet for anything less than 3 days on campus - and those are few and far between. But there is an astronomy class that meets 3 days for lectures and 1 day for the lab. During the day. And there are 5 slots still available.

So I'm going to drop my ambitious night campus class schedule. And I'm going to enroll in the astronomy class and the local biology class. Then I won't be gone as much. I'll be home around 9 the two nights a week that I go to school. I'll be more accessible to my family.

The downside: going to campus four days a week means that I won't be able to sub as much. I did ask The UIC what he thought about this - he pointed out that I didn't sub all summer and that things are okay... so to go for the daytime classes. Because this way we don't have to both rush around in the afternoons - me driving to campus and him at breakneck speed to try to get home. He feels better about me going locally at night and not walking across campus to my car at 10:30 at night.

My registration period unlocks at 7:30. I'll be on pins and needles till then.

Blah-Blah-Blah

I'm feeling a little anti-C.O.W. this week. So there is no C.O.W. coming. I need this week for me. To get my head around some things that are going on and changing in my life.

I woke up this morning in a funk. I know no other way to describe it. Actually I woke up this morning when The UIC was heading out the door to go to work---because he had to work this weekend to oversee something that's going on. Then I fell back asleep, only to wake up about 30 minutes later to realize The Doodlebug had joined me. And then the cat came along, too. And we all snuggled deep into the covers because it was actually cold upstairs. It was nice. Until The UIC called and woke us all up.

Since I was awake I started cleaning the living room. Vacuuming furniture. The stairs...which I think are always a nightmare to vacuum around here. Loading the dishwasher. Trying to clean the kitchen. Straightening up the dining room. I need to figure out what I'm doing with all my craft stuff that's in there. Should I leave it there? Should I bring it back upstairs? I would really like to figure out how to take one of the closets in the bonus room and actually put the computer in there on some sort of desk. The closets are your average depth but they are long. I'd just like to free up the space where the computer is sitting now...I think.

But I've ran into a little disaster when it comes to this room. My very long shelf looks like it's about to fall. So it has prompted me to have to pull all of the craft stuff out of the closet. Which might prompt me to actually see what I have to do to be able to put a desk inside the closet and to get The UIC to put shelves across the walls rather than having the shelf that is in there now. I do not know...it's all a part of this mood I think. I feel discombobbled.

I start back to class tomorrow night. I'm not ready. I need to go to the bookstore to buy my books but am actually going to wait and do it one day this week when I actually know what the professors want us to get. I know one thing - I hope that The Doodlebug never comes up with this idea to take a year off from school. Looking back I wish that my parents hadn't been okay with my wanting to take a break. Because then I ended up with the great job at the airline...and the rest, as they say, is history. I'd much rather have studied and applied myself back then so that today I would be in a more comfortable place.

That being said, week 1 down ....39 more to go as my friend reminded me the other day(of sixth grade). Time will start to fly from this point on till Christmas. Rumor has it that my nephew Joseph wants to marry Danielle before he gets sent to Oklahoma. But they haven't said anything 'official' ... but I've heard she is planning the wedding. This should motivate me to lose weight yes?

Oh The Doodlebug

Today is the Doodlebug's 11th birthday. It's amazing to me to think that we no longer have a 'baby' but instead we are raising a preteen. I am so proud of her for being true to herself and being passionate about the things that matter to her.

Last night she was on the phone with a friend and we were tickled listening to her giggle...and giggle...and giggle. She told me when she got in the car Friday after school that this boy in her health class gave her his phone number. Is it time for this to start??? Oh no! I did tell her though that she can't just up and call a boy.

We're going shopping to celebrate her big day. Happy Birthday Doodlebug! XOXO

15 Years Have Come and Gone...

Yesterday we celebrated our fifteenth wedding anniversary. There are times when I feel as though I have known him my entire life. There are others when I'll think "15 years?". I found this picture that I friend snapped at us during some point at our wedding. I got out our wedding album today and showed the pictures to The Doodlebug. It's amazing how time changes...he looks so young to me in our wedding album pictures.

Fitness Fridays - August 15th

Well, I have a confession to make. There has been absolutely NO FITNESS going on around here. I've been more like a walking zombie for the most part...and I know I'll regret it come Monday night - because I'll have to take that monumental walk across campus because there are no parking lots near any of the buildings that I need to go to.... shame on me!

But I also wanted to share the following with you. Did you know that you should only weigh yourself once a week if you are dieting? It's true - the fluctuations that vary are enough to drive you insane so they say that you should pick one day a week and stick to it.

You also should be consistent and wear the same thing (or nothing) and try to weigh yourself around the same time each week. And use the same scales. But if you are like me...I get on the scales, then get back off. Then get back on again. And if the number is different, guess what? I have to get back on again. I could probably spend a good 10 minutes with the 'what is my weight, really' debate in the morning...

On a final note, if you have reached your goal weight, it is important to weigh yourself daily. It just helps you with a reality check on how things are going.

The Brick

You may have seen this before - I hope you enjoy reading it.

THE BRICK

A young and successful executive was traveling down a neighborhood street, going a bit too fast in his new Jaguar. He was watching for kids darting out from between parked cars and slowed down when he thought he saw something. As his car passed, no children appeared. Instead, a brick smashed into the Jag's side door!

He slammed on the brakes and backed the Jag back to the spot where the brick had been thrown. The angry driver then jumped out of the car, grabbed the nearest kid and pushed him up against a parked car shouting, 'What was that all about and who are you? Just what the heck are you doing? That's a new car and that brick you threw is going to cost a lot of money. Why did you do it?'

The young boy was apologetic. 'Please, mister....please, I'm sorry but I didn't know what else to do,' He pleaded. 'I threw the brick because no one else would stop...' With tears dripping down his face and off his chin, the youth pointed to a spot just around a parked car. 'It's my brother,' he said. 'He rolled off the curb and fell out of his wheelchair and I can't lift him up.'

Now sobbing, the boy asked the stunned executive, 'Would you please help me get him back into his wheelchair? He's hurt and he's too heavy for me.'

Moved beyond words, the driver tried to swallow the rapidly swelling lump in his throat. He hurriedly lifted the handicapped boy back into the wheelchair, then took out a linen handkerchief and dabbed at the fresh scrapes and cuts. A quick look told him everything was going to be okay.

'Thank you and may God bless you,' the grateful child told the stranger. Too shook up for words, the man simply watched the boy push his wheelchair-bound brother down the sidewalk toward their home.

It was a long, slow walk back to the Jaguar. The damage was very noticeable, but the driver never bothered to repair the dented side door. He kept the dent there to remind him of this message:

'Don't go through life so fast that someone has to throw a brick at you to get your attention!' God whispers in our souls and speaks to our hearts. Sometimes when we don't have time to listen He has to throw a brick at us. It's our choice to listen or not.

Wishy Washy Wednesday

Day three into middle school life and things are going well. The Doodlebug came home yesterday to tell me that she made two new friends. One of the girls is in almost all of her classes. They all have science together, which is when they go to lunch, so I was glad to hear that she had made some new friends to eat lunch with. She seems very happy but exhausted at bedtime...which I think is a good sign.

My classes start back next week. I finally signed up for a biology course and an astronomy course. Both classes meet at night...on the actual campus...so I'll be spending a lot of time in my car. But they were the best option for me considering that I didn't want to have to make that drive 4 days a week. Astronomy is a one night a week lecture with another night where we'll do labs. Biology is a hybrid. Some class time on campus for labs and such but then everything else, we do online. This means at the most, I'll be driving to campus only three days a week. I'll take that. I can survive that until December 12th. Then I have no idea what I'm going to do next. I did submit my graduation application to the registrar's office last week. After the classes meet next week, I'll start thinking about what I'm going to do next. But why is it that, really, this doesn't get any easier as we get older?

I'm trying to figure out how to juggle our schedules since I'll need to leave earlier for classes this semester. I've got to figure out what to do about dinners. We generally do not eat dinner any later than 6. I'll be leaving well before that time so I'm going to have to get a little creative if I plan on feeding us all. I have to be careful about when I eat at night because of my reflux. We are trying to watch what we have in general because of his cholesterol issues. Basically I need to think fast but healthy. And you can only eat so much grilled chicken! I have the feeling that crockpot is going to see a lot more use. Especially once the weather has cooled off enough so that we can have more soups and stews.

It's been raining on and off since last night. Which is a good thing - we still need the rain. I think I'm going to spend this morning catching up on laundry.

More Vacation Fun

Another thing that we have to spend time doing in Tennessee is riding these insane go-kart rides. My two are like speedy junkies - they have to ride until they get their fill. I think this is the first time that The Doodlebug qualified as tall enough to drive her own cart on these tracks. That usually means we have to spend one good night and one solid morning going from track to track. I don't know who enjoys this more - The Doodlebug or The UIC.



But I think he learned this year, if she hears someone say a certain cart is the fastest, she's going to race him to get a chance to drive it!

Because he seems to be playing follow the leader.... from the backseat driver's view.

I think she's pretty clear .... "V" stands for VICTORY.

Day One - Mission Accomplished

Well, the first day of school was a major accomplishment - The Doodlebug had a great day. She said that her classes seem okay - she's super excited about her science class, which she informed me is really earth science. They'll be doing lab experiments, which really made her happy. She has classes with her best buds, which always makes the transition easier. She said lunch is a little weird, because they have to sit at assigned tables. But overall, she was happy when she got into the Momstermobile this afternoon.

The funniest thing we have encountered lately is everyone telling her how much she's changed. Two moms called over the weekend and said if they hadn't seem me at Meet the Teacher with her, they would have never recognized her. I told her tonight before bed that sometime tomorrow we need to see how much she's grown.

The camera battery died in the midst of the morning picture taking - but here is a snapshot of her before leaving home....

Do You Budget?

I know, why not just ask the question forthright, right? But I am curious...do you budget? We never really had a budget when I worked full-time and in reality, I think it spoiled us. We were used to doing whatever we wanted, whenever we wanted. Granted, we didn't live some highly extravagent lifestyle. We had a modest home in a good area with wonderful neighbors. We didn't drive overly expensive cars. But we indulged ourselves in things that we enjoyed. For The UIC that meant sports - including baseball and hunting. For me, it was shopping and I was a very generous giver.

But since I am a full time student (studying education) and we have moved into a higher taxed county, the subject of budgets are always right around the corner. While I am the taskmaster since I have a background in accounting, I am also always reminding my family that we have to 'consider the budget'. I think it's making them crazy. There are times when it makes me crazy, too.

I keep excellent records but then get upset if he buys something with cash - because I always say "but you're messing up my budget!" --- how corny is that? So I'm curious...do you budget? Or do you throw caution to the wind when it comes to budgeting???

Leave me a comment please - inquiring minds want to know.

And tune in tomorrow - it's the first day of middle school for The Doodlebug.

C.O.W. - August 10, 2008

Wow - it's Sunday already. Anybody have any kind of idea where the week goes? If you find it, could you send it back my way????



Well this week the COW is all about home organization. Life is returning to the norm around here. The Doodlebug is going back to school. The UIC is going to work. I have one week until my classes start - so it's a perfect time to tackle some home chores. Not just cleaning, but some organization is in order as well.

1. Plan the weekly menu - I have this idea that I'm going to bounce off the family today. I want them to make a list of their favorite meals. Then I'm going to try to come up with a pseudo monthly menu. I want to find enough recipes to carry us through the month without having one of those "What am I going to cook?" moments.
2. Organize my coupons and seriously start following the sales with Coupon Mom. With the current state of the economy, I think it's important to try to save whenever and wherever we can. I also feel immensely guilty for the amount of eating out The Doodlebug and I have been doing lately - so hopefully this will help to ease my guilt.
3. Keep the laundry caught up. First thing Monday morning, I'm stripping beds. I've got to get back into my routine in the next week or the next 4 months will be very interesting.

That's about it for me. Organizing my coupons will include me having to clean up my desk -added bonus....


One thing that I know for sure - even though you can't all come over and check on my 'handiwork' there is something about posting goals that makes me work to accomplish them.

Is this a new trend in decorating????

Guess what The UIC is doing? Here's a hint... he's not intentionally making holes in our walls...he's trying to run cable to The Doodlebug's room and to our room and he's running another phone line downstairs so that we will actually have a working line in the living room. This first lovely picture is a hole in my living room wall - near the ceiling. Can you tell how happy I am about this one? Thank goodness we still have some of that paint!

But guess what? Our builder had some unusual ideas about how to frame a house. It has caused problem after problem today. Which is probably why the previous home owners had the cables just running along the siding on the outside of the house. But that just won't do for Mr. Perfect...he can't stand the sight of the outside of the house with cables on it. So he pulled the phone lines off the side of the house when we painted the living room a year or so ago. And all I've heard this afternoon is about how the builder did this or how the builder did that. I would hate to be the builder who he hires to build our next house... he'll probably drive them crazy!

Now this is the hole in my master bedroom - where I did a special paint treatment - and I don't know if I have any of these paints left. Can you say "Momster's not happy?". At least he did hear me screaming and hitting the wall (he was in the attic) when he started to go through the wall.

At least the hole here is tiny.

Oh, and who did he enlist to help him pull the wire that kept mysteriously disappearing into the great abyss known as "the wall"? This would be The Doodlebug - laying in the floor with her arm stuffed up into the wall...

Good grief, I think I hear him drilling above her room now - I'd better go and supervise!

And think about whether I really want him to move the vent in the laundry room...maybe we should have the house x-rayed first????

Earring Drama...

We should be preparing for Monday morning, but instead I have been out trying to find out what to do about The Doodlebug's pierced ears. We are having a hard time with them...so after discussing this with her doctor and a few friends, I headed out to go earring shopping - by myself. Oh and to pick up some Bacitracin in case we need it. I have been to Walmart, Target, Kohls and finally Claire's, where I saw a girl get arrested for shoplifting...that was an adventure in itself!

At least at Claire's I was able to find another pair of earrings. I think when we originally had them done, they were done incorrectly. It is my fault -- I am the one that thought this 'piercing place' would be a great choice. After the piercing gun locked up on her ear, I should have taken that as a sign. But anyhow, I bought another pair of piercing earrings and talked to them about what was the best way, in their opinion, to heal her ears. Their staff was great - and I came home and did what we discussed and put in the piercing earrings and for once my poor child did not cry. Miracle! In all honesty, I believe the first pair of earrings were just too small for her earllobes. This have some 'wiggle' room...and they remind me of the earrings I had my ears pierced with 28 years ago - and I loved them.

So that's our morning in a nutshell. I seriously need to get busy cleaning the house and catching up on the laundry. She'll go back to classes on Monday and I'll follow suite the following week. I'd really like to have everything in order around here. That sounds like a good idea for the C.O.W.

Hope you are enjoying your day :)

Fitness Fridays - How 20 Minutes Can Change Your Life

I have been wanting to share the following information with you, so I couldn't wait for Fitness Fridays to get here! I think it originally came from Women's Day or Family Circle magazines. It's something that a friend sent me a while back that I've held onto. Seems appropriate for Fitness Fridays..

I'm sure we've all heard it before - 20 minutes of mobility can change your life. Seriously? How is 20 minutes going to change anything about my life? After all, that's less than the time we spend watching the average sitcom. How can giving 20 minutes to myself change my life?

Well for starters, did you know that if you exercised for at least 20 minutes each day, you would be working towards your goals of losing weight? Now - isn't it worth it to think if you gave up just 20 minutes you could lose a little tummy pudgy? Maybe firm up some area that gravity seems to have the death grip on? I don't know about you, but 20 minutes doesn't sound like a lot to sacrifice. It's the anti-gravity movement :)

Also, 20 minutes of physical activity can help to reduce your stress. Really? It works. Take 20 minutes and go for a walk. It's hard to stay steamed or worked up over something when you can work out your aggressions with your feet. Just imagine, as you are letting go of the situation, your heart is also getting a great workout.

So even if we think we are too busy, can't we take 20 minutes a day and do something good for ourselves?

Meet The Teacher

Well we had the official "Meet the Teacher" event today at the Middle School. The Doodlebug is thrilled that one of her BFF's is in her English class and chorus class. Her other BFF is on another team, so that was a bit of a bummer... but overall, she is very happy. And if she's happy, then we are all happy. There are actually a lot of kids on her 'team' that we know so that part was nice.

What cracks me up are these parents that have to be all bent out of shape because their child did not get whatever 'team' they had been told was the best. Hmmmm, hello? First off - I have had one of the 'best' teachers before .... it was a living nightmare. So I decided LONG AGO that apparently society's opinion of what is best and what is best for my child do not mesh. I mean, afterall what's important is your child's relationship with his or her teacher. Every child learns differently. This whole "our team is better than yours" mess can just stay at the door. I'm not interested. 'Nuff said.

Anyway, now we have this shopping list to go out and buy school supplies. Times have changed since I was in school. We used to have to go to school with paper, pens, pencils... you know, student stuff. Now teachers want hand sanitizer, paper towels, baby wipes...the list goes on and on. Okay. I've even heard that some team's requested a monetary donation in addition to their school supplies list.

We went for some pampering after we left the school. Manis and pedis and eyebrows are all done. It was a great time, but I felt like we were there forever. Tomorrow I think we'll plan something special to commemorate our last day of vacation. Then it's the first day of school. And next week will be crazy - school starts for The Doodlebug, we'll have our 15th anniversary and then The Doodlebug turns 11....

We ran into some celebrities...

We were having some ice cream with The King and James Dean when we heard there were some celebrities in town....so we went out on the search....

Imagine our surprise when we came across Angelina and Samuel L. She looks good to have just had twins. We wondered around a bit more, just taking in the scenery when we saw this guy....

I think Forrest was a little worried - it was lunch time and he was sitting there with his box of chocolates...

We didn't realize that Gatlinburg had an alien problem...till we ran into these two. .... they were looking for a few recruits.

Then we found out exactly what they were trying to protect us from.... Austin Danger Powers, baby....

shagadelic baby yeah!

I mean, this is a face only a mother could love...

If I Could Put Time in a Bottle...

Why do they have to grow up????
Tune in tomorrow for some more vacation pictures ....

Deciphering God's Messages

This morning, I logged on to my email to read my messages - I get these messages that are related to holiday organization - I am a holiday junkie if the truth be known. Nothing excites me more than the fact that once school starts back, the stores roll out the Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas merchandise by the barrel. I love the idea of decorating and planning special foods based on holidays and all that jazz.

This morning the group was discussing how it is a great time to stock up on things like crayons and school stuff because they can come in handy later on in the year. One person sent a simple reply - but what caught my eye was this :

God whispers in your soul and speaks to your mind. Sometimes when you don't have time to listen, He has to throw a brick at you. It's your choice: Listen to the whisper, or wait for the brick. ~~~Author Unknown

To know me is to know that I love things like this. Quotes and lines that make you think. I feel like I'm at one of these places right now so this tagline really has me thinking this morning. Last night I prayed that God would lead me where he wants me to be. Guide my path, so to speak. Give me a sign. Help me find my way on whatever path he wants to place me. Now I just need to be patient and stop pushing along for myself. I hate that I have a tendency to always try to push the cart ahead of the horse.

What about you? Are there those times when you are pushing against where you feel God wants you to be, only to get that brick thrown at you, too? I think I'll go off and ponder this idea for a while....

One Week From Today - The Bell Rings

I cannot believe that in one week school starts back. Where has the summer gone? I'm letting The Doodlebug sleep later this morning as it will be the last one for a while. I took a look at our school calendar about a week ago and realized they have Labor Day off and then there is no break until Thanksgiving. That's a long time to go with no teacher's work day or anything in between. Only because they've had a mini break in October for the past few years. I was disappointed to see it gone - we had talked about taking another mini-vacation if there was another break. Oh well.

We've been back to school shopping. I've been told that the girls can't wear leggings at school...and that their shorts have to be finger-tip length. Great. Just great. My daughter loves leggings and she's cursed with having my long arms. I've gone through her closet and found a few shorts that I think might work (but there's a lot more that won't...) and we've gathered all the bermudas and capris that we had hanging around. Yesterday we took her shoe shopping and grabbed a few more pairs of capris. On Saturday we went to the mall with my Mom and got her a few new things as well. Now she's just got to pick out what to wear the first day of school.

I am waiting to hear back from both colleges today - but I'm not sweating it. I've already looked at the schedule of science classes and am pretty much set on taking Astronomy and Biology. I thought about Chemistry instead of Astronomy, but I'm not sure. Anybody taken any of these in the past or have any advice about what would be better?

So since I've derailed my plan (yet again), I think that these next few months are going to be about getting myself to the place where I need to be. I've neglected a lot these past few weeks and it's time to get back into the groove of taking care of myself and the family. Now that we are back from vacation, we are all committed to being healthier. We are waiting to hear back about some tests that The UIC had on Friday - I am sure that's going to result in some lifestyle changes. He'll have to start joining us on our walks at night. I need to focus on getting myself to a healthier place. I know they say that getting into shape gets harder as you get older. I don't want to be where I am 5 years from now. Heck, I don't want to be where I am right now... so there should be no excused to stop me!

It's funny, I read my friend's blog this morning and she talked about setting goals. It must be a theme through the neighborhood? Maybe it's time to drag out my New Year's Resolutions and give them a dusting and realize it's time to make them a reality? And on that note (since I could babble on for a long time), I'll end here. Have a Marvelous Monday.

I Am Freaking Out Over Here

Well, last night I decided to do a little looking around as to why I have not heard ANYTHING else about my application into the new Special Education program at a local university. I mean, they've cashed my application check. I've checked the local application status webpage more than I care to admit to make sure that there is nothing else that is missing...

When I searched further and found, hidden on a webpage that I am hoping is outdated, some additional information that is required. Now, let me ask you this....do you not think there is someone out there at this university whose job it is to make sure all the ducks are in a row? Because if there is, they have obviously overlooked everything about my application! No follow up of any sort. And I am steamed. Because it's not like I had a conversation with the admissions person a few months back. I did what I thought was expected of me. But now...???

So I called my beloved mother this morning to talk this situation through. I could probably get everything handled within the next few days that they need. But this is added pressure on top of the CLEP. And what if it is too late to get admitted seeing how classes start soon? Is it even worth it to take the CLEP if that's the case? Should I just go back and enroll in the normal classes?

I emailed the admissions person, just casually asking about my status. I have also been looking at my 'current' college's website to see if there are any spaces remaining in Biology and Astronomy, or any other lab science that is available. There are---which is extremely rare at this point...these classes are always FULL. There is actually an online Biology class - which I'm sure means they met on Saturdays, which would be okay and then there is a biology class that is taught at the local high school on Monday nights with labs on Wednesdays. There's also an astronomy class on M, W, F from 11 - 11:50 with labs on T from 11-12:50. There are open slots in all of these classes. I have to be enrolled SOMEWHERE as I have a student loan that I took out last year...and I don't want to have to start making payments on it NOW.

What gets me is that I just turned down an opportunity to sub teaching first grade for the first few weeks of school. Because of my own school situation. I could have taken it and taken the weekend Biology and just enrolled in the night Astronomy class (another option - which obviously isn't my first choice). I am just sick to my stomach.

My Mom, in all her infinite wisdom, reminded me that sometimes God has other plans for us and that I didn't need to worry, everything would work out just fine. I love her so much. She reminded me that sometimes I forget that there is someone else in charge of the bigger picture. Maybe I just need to go ahead and enroll in my science classes and see where my path leads. Maybe I should enroll in the Early Childhood Education program rather than the Special Ed coursework since I enjoy working with little kids so much. Maybe I should stop trying to rush things along - and enjoy the time that I have. And it leads me to think that maybe I should have enjoyed our vacation a little bit more rather than feeling rushed to study for this CLEP test. Because maybe there's a reason why I need to be enrolled in these classes?

The saga continues --- but maybe it's time that I listen to what God is trying to tell me rather than rushing through like a bulldozer at high speed? Thoughts? Comments?

C.O.W. - August 3rd

This week the COW is about taking care of myself. Don't you love these kinds of COWs?

1. Getting a mani and a pedi with The Doodlebug.

2. Getting the back to school clothes and supplies in order...we have 1 week to go till the bell starts ringing again.

3. Getting everyone (self included) back on a normal sleeping schedule.

and one final COW - house related...

4. Getting the living room situated and the curtains up - cuz the new furniture is here! They delivered it around 7:30 on Saturday morning. Talk about bright and early :) Oh yeah, and note to self - call to have the old stuff picked up....

The Big Reveal

While I've enjoyed reading your guesses at the 3 Truths & 1 Lie, I guess it's time to reveal the truth... Now, don't think any less of me when you find out which is the lie

1. My 2nd grade teacher, Ms. Grayson, told our class the 'truth' about Santa. I came home immediately after school and told my parents what I had heard that day at school. LIE - Dione was the culprit of the mystery of Christmas. Big mouthed older girl that she was, who could never keep her mouth shut about ANYTHING from what I can remember. I never, EVER told my parents that I knew anything....you gotta believe to receive. But what I hate about this is that I always felt like I'd been robbed of the excitement of Christmas. It changed after that. Know what I mean???

2. I once super-glued my chemistry teacher's pen to his desk on April Fool's Day. TRUTH. Yes, I did this. And let me start out by saying I was not a trouble maker in school. And I'm not proud of this prank. You certainly would not have suspected me to do anything like this. And he was M A D. And never found out who did it. I heard that he had passed away a few years ago (he was relatively young when he taught our class)...I kept thinking "Now he knows..." I blame this stunt on a guy named Geoff...why I listened to him that day, I'll never understand.

3. I am 10 years younger than my sister, 20 years younger than my youngest aunt, and 30 years younger than my oldest aunt. I am also 10 years older than my Dad's first great-niece. TRUTH. Math word problems drive people crazy don't they? But it's true. Shirley is in her 60s. Allene is in her 50s. Judi is in her 40s. I am in my 30s. Stephanie is in her 20s. We're all about to move up in a couple of years... I always thought this was really cool growing up. It has also made it really easy to keep up with everyone's age :).

4. I can touch my tongue to my nose. TRUTH. I couldn't remember if I had shared this in my 100 things about me post, but it's a fact. Again, not something that I'm proud of...but true.

So thanks for guessing along and a big shout out to The Source for playing her own version on her blog - which by the way, I got wrong over there, too!

Let's see -how have I done this past week???

1. I walked probably a total of 8 miles between Wednesday night and Thursday afternoon. We walked the entire circuit in Pigeon Forge and then we hit the concrete again on Thursday morning and walked all over Gatlinburg. (There's a post in here about some of the stuff you see people wearing on vacation...I only wish I had taken pictures!) Which brings up this discussion...it is very important to have a good pair of shoes if you're going to be doing that much walking. I have a new pair of Reebox ... I bought them not for comfort...but for the fact that they have pink on them! They are nice and cushy in the toes and give my toes room to wiggle - which is important, because since I broke my toes a few years ago, they don't wiggle all that well...but I digress.

2. Eating - ah we did okay. Not great choices (we went to Golden Corral----my arteries clogged when we walked into the place). But we did have fruit. And we drank lots of water. Ate small meals except for that unfortunate choice. Overall, not too bad considering.

3. Went shopping today (hence the late post) for a few 'back-to-school' items for The Doodlebug. Looked for something for myself. Let's just say - I found N O T H I N G. I am disappointed. My mother went with us and at one point were were just like 'blah'. Found a few cute things though for The Doodlebug so all in all it was a lot of fun.So what are my goals for this week? Well, later tonight I'll be moving my living room furniture out of the living room as my new stuff comes T O M O R R O W! I was afraid they'd call while we were gone...they called yesterday.

This next week I need to focus on starting back with my walking and I also need to clean out the pantry for any bad food choices. The UIC is having some issues and went today for a series of tests, including a stress test. I'm trying not to worry, but then again, I think this is a wake up call for all of us. Time to get healthy. For myself. For my family. For our future.

What about you? Any healthy goals for this upcoming week?Oh and tune in tomorrow --- I'll reveal the 3 Truths and 1 Lie....