Out with the Old

2008 is on its way out. Wow! What a year! I can honestly say that the 1st half of 2008 kind of sucked. I turned 40 in March, had my one and only anxiety attack in May (thanks Lee Academy), and also in May an abcessed tooth.
But the second half was awesome! It's always better to end well, huh? Starting school in August was rough but I have the best kids this year in class. Much, much better than the last TWO years. Discipline works you know. Thanks to Mr. Billy for that. I have all new history books which is great! I killed my first buck a 6 point in October. Another doe in November. And had an absolutely fabulous-o Christmas! I got awesome gifts with money! Who doesn't like to get money????
Now that it's the last day of the year, I would like to take a stab at some New Year's Resolutions. Spoiler alert: I NEVER keep my resolutions so don't expect some magnificent transformation on my end. LOL
Resolution #1: To remember to take my vitamins EVERY day.
Resolution #2: To wean myself down to ONE Diet Coke a day.
Resolution #3: To concentrate on my abs during workouts.
Resolution #4: To have a happy heart. Not to take things too seriously. And continue to care for others more that for myself.
I hope to continue blogging in 2009! Thanks to all my blog readers. I hope you all have a wonderful and blessed New Year! later.......

Twas the morning of Christmas

Twas the morning of Christmas and all through our house
A couple of creatures were stirring....Clifford and me who were not a mouse;
The stockings were hung with loot by the chimney with care
But we weren't for sure yet that St. Nick had been there.
Anthony and Blakely were snug in OUR bed,
while visions of venison and laptops danced in their heads;
Me in my pjs, and Clifford the lazy dog,
Had just had breakfast and were thinking of snoring logs,
When back in the living room there arose such a clatter,
I sprang from my computer to see what was the matter.
Away to the room I flew like a flash,
Slipped a few times and almost fell on my a**.
The moon was finally shining off the rain beaten pane
I thought for a minute I might need to eat a candy cane.
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But a nice new laptop and Moose the Build-a-Bear reindeer,
With a poster of Nick Jonas, and a doggy chewy stick,
I knew finally knew for sure we had been visited by St. Nick.
If only the rest of our family would wake up,
to enjoy the gifts for us and our pup;
But, alas, as usual it's only me and Cliff
We are the only ones silly enough to get up early in a jif.
So back to the computer I find myself going,
I will check my email and facebook before morning.
But I would like to say before I turn on a light,
Merry Christmas to all and may your gifts you receive be out of sight!

2 days and counting

OK...here's the deal. A present I bought for Blakely did not have all its parts and the only place I could get this fixed was in Memphis. I knew this at about 11 this morning. Not a happy camper. I had a hair appt and was expected for my daily Wal-mart visit after that. Well, I am an adjustable kind of gal so I got Wally World out of the way, started my hair appt early, then high tailed it to Mempho SOLO. Let me just say that this was literally a driving nightmare! The area around the mall is bumper to bumper. Nobody feeling the Christmas spirit either if ya know what I mean. The good thing is I have a bigger vehicle than most so I just bullied my way around. Hey, what else is the gas guzzling secret service vehicle good for? LOL I fully expect to have issues with my "return gift" but alas, I am shocked! Not only do they take it but give me a new one for LESS price and I get MONEY back!!!! OMG!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am so happy. This NEVER happens to me. I am thinking I need to go to the casino at this point! LOL But instead I head to the bookstore for a leisurely jaunt through my absolute favorite place plus a big, black, strong cup of joe from Starbucks. Life is good.....

I get back home and get my outside lights working. Basically, I am about to freak out. This has been way too good. What's up with that? Nothing so far. I am even enjoying my wine. My husband and kid are still not home. One is with my mom...the other with a friend from high school. I am sure you can figure out which. :) I am alone and so enjoying myself. So Merry Early Christmas to ME! Later.......

Can I get a toot toot? Can I get a beep beep?

I love me some R Kelly! LOL Even if he's a perv. That title sums up my feelings that I am out for Christmas Break!!!! Woo Hoo!!!! Finally! This has got to have been the longest week EVER.

I finally finished all of my Christmas shopping. The only gift I didn't purchase (and I am still mad) is the Wii. I am going to regret that decision but alas, I needed a budget restraint (according to my husband). The REAL reason is he didn't want our tv to be tied up all the time. I think it's also because Blakely and I kicked his butt on Wii Boxing SEVERAL times. Picture me and mini-me punching the daylights out of 6ft manly man. It was hysterical! We weren't good sports either. We really enjoyed this and rubbed it in! He is still trying to figure out what happened. LOL

Something is wrong with me. And not just mentally. LOL I have been invaded by some Martha Stewart alien being. I am baking! Yes, baking! Secretly I love to bake! I "get" the whole mixing and oven thing. It's the stovetop that I am not sure about. I made some ooey gooey butter bars yesterday and they are awesome! I am baking a chocolate pie and a devil's food bundt cake today. I am also trying out a new coconut pie recipe. I am sure those of you that read this blog and actually know me are FREAKING OUT. Seriously, though, I am a very good baker. I don't even eat what I bake most of the time. I just fatten up my husband, child, and neighbors. If I start eating what I cook,I won't fit into any size doorway.

Anthony is going to Memphis today to Christmas shop. I am sure he is getting me a camo backpack and he better be picking up his dad something since he is all that's left on our list.

Tonight we are eating lobster, shrimp, and steak at the Hall's. I am probably the only person that does not like lobster but I LOVE shrimp and steak. It's a texture thing with the lobster. I am bringing the cake. It's always fun to eat with friends.

Tomorrow is our Christmas Breakfast with Santa at church. Baking cookies for that one but am cheating with break and bake. Sorry but they are just as good as homemade and take a lot less time. Work smarter not harder. This is always a fun event to attend especially for the little ones.

What is up with this weather? I actually broke a sweat yesterday. Today feels weird too and tomorrow is like what... 5 below or something! I bet some folks will be getting sick. Christmas is in the 50's supposedly. I just hope we get atleast one snowfall this year and preferably (if I may be so bold as to request) not in March.

I will probably post more this week but if not, Merry Christmas to all my blog readers!!!! Later.....

UPDATE: Christmas lights are d.o.a. The outlet no longer works. I am going to check it out for myself just in case my better half is trying to pull a fast one to save on our electricity. Little does he know but I am going to run another extension cord to ANOTHER outlet and ouila....Lights ON!

Lights,Weather, and Action

Where do I begin? Let's start with the lights. Well, I am officially a Griswold. I blew out a fuse on the entire backside of my light show. Not to mention the landscaping lights along with it. My husband has been "fixing" the problem for 3 days now. Personally, I don't think he's even looked at them. He's just stringing me along so I won't attempt to re-light them. But today if they are not on......I am the new electrician. :)

OK....we did not get any winter weather here. Surprise...Surprise. NOT I really thought we would be out of school on Tuesday. Oh well. Could this week drag on any longer? I finished all my tests yesterday so I have absolutely nothing to do today and tomorrow. I have even finished grading all my tests and entering them into Gradebook. I am sooooo good.:)

Christmas is fast approaching and I am D O N E. I bought the last of my gifts yesterday. I also started and finished my dad's shopping. He gives me his credit card and a list of names only (no idea at all for gifts) and away I go. I have been doing this for 5 years so I must be getting the gifts right or I would hear some complaints. I really like buying his gift for me. It's kind of hard though for me not to go online and order those Ugg boots I want. But I didn't succumb to the pressure. I bought my gift at Edwin Houston and had it wrapped. I am such a good girl. (seriously.....I can be)

I am trying to figure out the days I want to go deer hunting. Looks like after Christmas. It will probably be the last time unless I get a weekend break in January.

And can I say how much I love Facebook??? I love it! I get to reconnect with long lost friends from college as well as others. It's awesome! If you don't have it, get it!

Have a great week and I will hopefully post soon. Later.......

Very Interesting Weekend

I started out my weekend going to see Four Christmases (sp?). I laughed my head off! I love Vince Vaughn and he cracked me up as usual. It was not what I expected to see but I was pleasantly surprised. If you haven't seen it, you should.

Saturday I arrived at the St. Francis County courthouse for Concealed Weapon training and certification. Yes, really. It was an interesting mix of people to say the least. There were about 20 of us from this area. Male, female, black, white, etc. Like I said it was interesting. Most of the class was filling out paperwork. I learned two very important things:
1. Never pull out a gun UNLESS you intend to use it because it escalates an already intense situation.
2. If you shoot an intruder don't maim them, kill them. If you wound them all they are going to do is sue you. Even if they broke into your home or whatever, you will be liable to them more than likely if they are only wounded. I just think that sucks but that's our society and some lawyers.
I got to go to the firing range to shoot my pistol. I am not a bad shot. It was the most fun I have had in a while. I passed. Glad that's over:)

Where do I start with today???? I finally decided to get my outside Christmas lights up. OMG...why? why? why?!?!!? I officially have made our neighborhood very Griswoldish. I've got extension cords running everywhere and lights galore. I have one lousy blowup Santa and I probably won't have him in the morning because of the wind. All my neighbors have very tasteful and simple decorations but not the Griswold's er I mean Davis'. I even think I threw my back out wrestling with all the lights for THREE hours. Ofcourse I had NO help which was probably a good thing. Last year the neighbors heard a "naughtier than nice" shouting match while Anthony "helped" me. :)

And finally, this is our last week of school! Yippee!!!! I am so ready to hang out with my family and enjoy the Christmas season. I was reminded this morning at church what Christmas should feel like. I have been so busy running around paying attention to the little things that I almost missed the big picture. It's about the birth of Jesus.....plus it's when we should look forward to some down time and to enjoy spending time with our families. I am going to do my best to get into the "real" spirit of Christmas. I hope for once I succeed. Later......

Work Sucks

As I sit here at my desk I ask myself the following:

Exactly why on Earth am I working???????

Not that I don't need to work but hey, I could find something less "drama"tizing to do with many talents. Working with a bunch of women has its drawbacks with few perks. I am a woman so I can effectively comment on this situation. It must be "hormone" week here. Everywhere people are on the verge of snapping. Ofcourse if you really get lucky, they just snap "at" ya. Few will snap to your face with most snapping behind your back. For others, it could bring on a full on nervous breakdown. Even the copy guy is in on the act. Long story. If anybody anywhere ever needed a holiday break.....now's the time. I need to get to meditating before I go all crazy psycho on somebody. Probably the copy guy. Seriously too long of a story.

Anyhoo, this is my post. Later......

Bah Humbug

OMG! I left my home at 8 yesterday morning to Christmas shop in Memphis. I got back home at 9 last night! Hor-ri-ble. Christmas shopping nightmare. It was not that the stores were crowded or anything but the people that were there were rude. Ofcourse I can't blame them. I didn't want to be there either. There were some good deals although none of them were on my shopping list. I hit the mall (all major stores PLUS some), target, best buy, wal-mart (yes, freakin' walmart!), sports authority, bass pro, and garden ridge. I got the bulk of my list checked off but still have some to go. This is when I wish I was 10years old again with no responsibilities and I didn't have to buy anybody anything. Bah! OK, I really do love buying for Blakely though. She loves a present. Any present. She has her particulars but really enjoys the gift getting AND giving. Much better person than me.
After I got home, I picked up my kid who kept telling me her stomach hurt. Well, ALL night (and I do mean all night) she went to the bathroom. Around 5 this morning, she hurled all over our bedroom floor. Bless her heart. She was sick. However, miraculously I think it's just a tummy thing. She is tired but finally asleep. I hope I am right about it not being much of anything to worry about. I am trying to catnap off and on just in case I am wrong.
This is our last full week of school. We go all next week but only half days after Tuesday. You have no idea how much I need this break. Will try to post later in the week. Ta-Ta

Blakely the Diva

Sorry it has taken me a couple of days to get to this post but I tried yesterday morning. It was a disaster. I will not be uploading the video of Blakely's solo. It's awesome but eats up too much space.

She was absolutely Oscar worthy at the FUMC Christmas program! She did an awesome job AND sang like an angel. Normally all I get to hear are her imitations of Radio Disney songs but her "real" voice is really nice. She sounds sooooo sweet. It's hard to believe if ya know what I mean. LOL She is so independent. I didn't practice her parts or songs with her.....she does it on her own. I think she could basically do without me. (I hope not yet). I am uploading some pics of the cast so you can kind of see that this was a "production". Thanks to Paige Laws, Sarah Jumper, and Carla Nimocks.

I have got to consider making some serious changes to my diet. Basically, I eat junk. I like poptarts, oatmeal creme pies, sonic burgers, diet coke, and that's just the tip of the iceberg. I have got to realize that I am no longer a kid that can eat kid food. It's not a weight issue at all. I am a good weight. It's a health issue. I am 40. I am 40. I am 40. I have got to get a grip on that! I need a multi-vitamin and GREEN food. Why you may ask? Just let me tell you. Last night Blakely and I were on our way to my yoga class. As I drive down my hill I get an absolutely debilatating foot cramp. I mean one where you foot draws up and 3 toes stick straight up in the air. It was painful. I think labor may have been less painful. I am serious. It would NOT go away no matter what I did. Blakely (the child) asked me (the adult) if I wanted her to drive? OK, I actually considered letting her. I manage to get to the gym where I can get to Lisa Douglas (my friend, yoga instructor, AND massage therapist). I have no shoe on my right foot and I stick it out to her and just say "Fix it". She grabs my foot and I seriously consider passing out. It hurt that badly. She gets that concerned look so I immediately think cancer. She feels knots in my foot and my calf. Tumors? Uh, no she replies. Just tension knots and she says we have to go into the "parlor" to sit down. As she is torturing me with a foot massage (seriously, it did NOT feel good), I break out into a sweat. Feel sick. She talks to me about the importance of a good diet (blah, blah) and if I won't listen (which I obviously am not) she told me to at least take a multi-vitamin with potassium. I can DO that! The verdict: no yoga class that night. My foot can't handle it. The cramp tentatively subsides and I go to Wendy's and eat a baked potato with the skin. This morning as I write this, my foot is not cramping but is still sore. FYI-thank goodness I have that hot stone massage this pm! Love my life!

OK, well that's about it for my post today. I will probably update on Sunday because I am going to Mempho (by myself unless I get any volunteers) to Christmas shop. Should be horrible. Have a wonderful Friday! Later.......

Technology is hard on a 40 year old

If you read my last post you know that I washed my cell phone. Went to Cingular (I know it's AT&T now but I still say Cingular) to ask how to get a replacement phone. I actually had insurance. Ofcourse I can't just pick one up at the store. I have to call a number and pay 50 bucks. But hey, 50 is better than 350 which is what it would cost to replace my Blackjack II without insurance. Worth every penny. This is 2nd phone I have washed. Idiot, I know. Meanwhile, I am eligible for an upgrade. However, I give it my hubby who desperately needs a new phone. OK, he trumps MY phone. He gets the new Blackberry. What?!? He can't even turn it on!!!!!!!! LOL It's been fun watching him try to figure the thing out without reading the book with the directions. Helloooo, directions? Men don't do directions. But who am I to talk???LOL See last post.:) Anyhoo, my phone will be here tomorrow WITHOUT all my phone numbers which were stored to my "clean" phone NOT this sim card. Great. And I lost all my cool music. Good thing I hang out with techno savvy teens all day. They are already working on my playlist! Thanks guys.

Ipod issues. When my computer crashed so did my Itunes with my ipod jam. I am now trying to figure out how to reload. In process of downloading new itunes. Really hope this works. Not too sure.

Tomorrow Blakely is in our church Christmas program. She has a solo! I can hardly wait! She is really excited about it. Last year's was awesome! I will hopefully update with pics and the story on Thursday.

Later.....