Today I Didn't Do Anything

Today was really awesome.

I ate lunch at Bob Evens.

And dinner was a Deep Dish Delivered Pizza.

I did not do a single load of laundry.

nor did the dishwasher run once!

I talked on the phone to my mom for probably almost an hour.

And watched a ton of Lifetime television.

My new little heater Mike gave me for Christmas steadily hummed beside me.

I ordered a bunch of clothes from my favorite magazine for Spring.

And played the piano some.

Summer took the LONGEST bubble bath on record, and I napped beside her while she played!

Mike made a cherry cheesecake.

Fa-reaking. Aw. some.

I love days like this. <3

To Be Thought Of

Friendships are a gift. They are also a risk. If you do it right, you give your heart and soul to some one's trust. But to do it completely can give you such a beautiful chance in life, that I don't think is worth missing. I have been blessed with a few crossed paths of very special friends. Some that we connected so much and my life was enriched and grew...well I take that back...all of them my life grew from and lessons were learned. Some of these ended and about broke my heart in the process, but new journeys were ahead for me with new wonderful adventures ahead. Each of these friends had wonderful times and love and a bond I felt with them.

Never had I had the unique relationship that I have with my friend Lacey. The way we met in itself is absurd. We met through reading each other's blogs and I admired her writings. On the surface, we were very different. I am older, she is younger. I am a housewife with children, she is not married, living in a committed relationship with her boyfriend. I live in Ohio, she lives in Arizona. To think that a comment on a blog post would lead to everyday talking, and several trips each year to each other's homes, and the way our lives have become embedded is crazy. But when you do scratch the surface, Lacey and I are really verymuchalike and mesh very well together. She gets me. I get her. Do you know how nice that is to have someone in the world...GET you??

So this Christmas, even I was floored when I opened my presents from her. She had given me 12 gifts...the 12 days of Christmas...sent in early December, but made to wait until Christmas Eve. On the phone, late that night I opened my presents with her, one by one.

Never. Have I felt so loved.

To have someone to have THOUGHT about ME so much.

ME.

Entirely just ME.

By gift 3 I was a mess.

It touched my heart.

She chose things that meant something, each time. 12 times. Each with a handwritten note. From making up my own jar of the special seasoning they used on steak the last time I came to Arizona and we grilled out, to the finale of special cake pans for my fondant cakes. It was the best Christmas gift I've ever gotten.

I feel beyond blessed to have been given the chance to have a friend like this. Thank you Lacey. Bring on the Fonduuuuuuuuu!

Proud Mama

These days...Times are Tough, and Jobs are Scarce. It isn't like it use to be when I was a teenager. Back then I easily could walk out of a job and end up with another by the end of the week. In my short lived teenage working years, I had had such a variety of jobs that I had experienced many different working cultures. But now it seems it application after application can go out just to never be heard back from for these kids. Places just aren't hiring like they use to.

Tatum has been lucky, and at 15 got hired at our local YMCA to be a gymnastics coach. Her years of being involved in the sport and on the team helped! For the past 3 years she has worked there coaching classes to preschoolers and also teaching summer camps. But now, For a variety reasons, she was ready to move on. She knew the job market out there wasn't pretty. She gently put out some applications to a deafening silence. She got a little more active. Nada.

So my daughter took matters in to her own hands. And this is what she did! She took those 3 years teaching experience. She took her babysitting experience. She took her certification from Red Cross showing she knew safety. She showed her experienced from working and volunteering with the handicap in her school and she created and and account on a website that was for Nannys. Attached with her picture and phone number she advertised herself! HA!

She is now working for a very nice well off family with 3 children. After interviews and contracts, she is there everyday for the kids and house. She does light house keeping and homework. She has a pass to the local theme park this summer to take the kids, and she is happy!

She came up with this all herself. Her dad nor I were not involved at all. Between graduating, and acceptance into college, her job, and it all, we are so proud of how she handles herself.

Go Tatum!

New Years Resolu..er Goals!

I am putting these down for safe keeping. I am master of lists. I love them. I think I love to overwhelm myself. No honestly. My mom always said I was grace under pressure, and I think it makes me feel good to feel an urgency to accomplish or to motivate or...does that even make sense?? Anyways, I KNOW I probably won't get everything on this list done this year, but it makes me feel excited to take on the challenge. And that is why I will optimistically list them just as goals.

2012picture taken from google image

**Get house top to bottom Organized. Black hangers/gut master closet/only good clothes. scrub out bathroom cabinets, shed, garage, attic. Kitchen cupboards Etc.

***Lasik I think I am ready to ditch the glasses.

***Grow My Hair Out Long

***Get Healthy

***Face my Stretch Marks.(Pencil drawing by Jean Keaton)

***Go To Church Regularly

***Get a New Camera

***Pay off Stores Completely

***Get back into regular Physical activity-yoga with Mike, walking with Malinda, Zumba

***learn to dance with Mike

***House Updates-build Patio, Finish Basement, FR furniture, Paint Walls and Ceilings, Seperate Boys?

***Plan fun trips with family-important to make time!!! (I definitely see the beach in our future!)

***Kick ass graduation party (hence the kick ass patio!!)

***Summer sleeps in HER bed at night. Oy vey.
***See Alcatraz with Lacey.

***Balance Ledger and CD log all Photos...Holy crap!

***Wake up at a good time and get on a better schedule

***Blog more

Best Friends Thru the Years...Bathroom Shots and All!

I remember when I moved Robin said that this would be it. That once people move, it never stays the same. Friends move on, and leave. It broke my heart when she said that. We had lived smack next door to each other for EIGHT years and been apart of each other lives for so long. From cookouts and weight loss. Long walks and drinks. She was Matthew's God mother, and she was my best friend. I told her I wasn't going to let that happen. I guess in the end, we both were a little right. People do move on. Well LIFE does move on. But I still love her the same. I think we have to try really hard to even keep caught up with each other, but when we do, it grounds us. We have tried to celebrate at least once a year, by dressing up and going out to a ridiculously nice restaurant and living it up. Just us adults. Drinking and laughing and catching up. The other night was our New Year's Night out with Dan and Robin and it was wonderful to be with them again. Here is a look back. Hard to believe it has been almost 7 years since we moved...

2007 going into2008
Robin and I make a point to go to the bathroom and take our shot. Shoot...we didn't get dressed up fo' nothing! LOL!
2009 going into 2010
2010 going into 2011

2011 going into 2012


Ready to start this year off right now! Love you girl!!!