Is This a Sign of the Apocalypse??

Oprah is going to have her own channel.
She doesn't even have to run for President.
She'll be able to influence millions all by
having them turn on their TV's.

Oh No They Didn't...

Calling all old ass shanks and ho's Brett

Michaels is looking for love again. Actually

the shanks and ho's have been chosen and it looks

like things kicked off on "Rock of Love 2" last Tuesday

night at 10pm. My question is WHY?????

Why do women want a 40 year old has been rocker

boyfriend or a 150 year old has been rapper boyfriend

in the case of Flavor Flav.

All I can say is....

Yuck! Yuck! Yuck!!!

I Had a Crush on Him...

I had a crush on the 1988 to 1992 version of Christopher Bowman (shown above). He got older and larger (as evidenced in the 2005 photo below). At 40 he was found dead in a budget hotel, likely of a drug overdose. So sad...

I'm Really Angry - Part Two

He killed her. Of course he did. Gary Hilton just couldn't leave Meredith Emerson and her dog alone - during her hike in Vogel State Park. He had to club her to death.

We were all very upset when my sister went for a hike alone, fell and broke her leg, and had to walk her injured self almost two miles to get help. I guess we should be thankful that this guy, or some equally insane asshole wasn't nearby that day.

It makes me scared to leave my own house. I've been paranoid long before this lovely woman lost her life - but it's getting worse. I am scared to go for a walk near my house with my baby because who knows where the next Gary Hilton will be. I don't like being scared but I don't know what else to do. At least in my house I feel a bit safer.

I'm Really Angry - Part One

So she almost cried - big fucking deal. Someone asked her how she keeps it all together and her facade cracked for just a minute while she talked about how passionate she is about helping this country. Her voice wavered when she said she's received countless benefits and advantages from this country and she doesn't want to see our children lose that by going backwards.

People (John Edwards) couldn't wait to leap on her show of emotion and say that we need a person with "resolve" in the White House. So I guess that means someone with no emotion or tear ducts. Might he not "well up" if someone on the trail asked him how it would feel to be President without his wife (should she succumb to the cancer that will ultimately take her life sooner rather then later). Would that emotion make him any less able to be President - NO.

There are other people who think the episode was scripted. I find that theory a bit too elaborate to even address. People who say that obviously have never felt passionately about anything. I've been moved to tears on many occasions but it doesn't mean I'm soft - or that I couldn't be P.O.T.U.S. Not having millions or billions of dollars will ultimately keep me from meeting that goal.

At this point I don't know who is going to get my vote - but it's just so typical that a woman gets labeled "weak" and not "passionate" or "bitch" but not "agressive". It's just so disappointing.

Resolutions For the New Year

Since I like to make lists - I figured why not...

1) Be Happy (or at least less angry)
2) Appreciate What I Have
3) Raise a Happy, Healthy Daughter
4) Maintain a Happy, Healthy Marriage
5) Spend Less Money
6) Get a Handle on Clutter
7) Get a New Passport
8) Scrapbook More
9) Understand that every bad driver
doesn't require comment

Christmas Came and the Goose Got Fatter...

Well it's over, despite our house looking like Christmas morning with the presents still under the tree, the holiday has come and gone. This year was Elizabeth's first Christmas and she was showered with fabulous presents on all fronts. She got clothes of many kinds, some books, toys that stack, toys that squeak and toys that talk. She got a sled and a wonderful hand made quilt and enough ornaments to start her own tree.

I was equally blessed receiving many lovely presents - several books, season 6 & 7 of my favorite show "The Gilmore Girls" on DVD, a new I-Pod Classic (with I-Tunes gift cards), new slippers, a couple of CD's and some delicious candy snacks in my stockings. Don't worry Santa didn't leave my honey out - he got a new golf club, golf shoes, a cargo net for his truck, DVD's, some clothes, a digital picture frame for his desk at work and tons of sweet treats in his stockings too.

We did our share of visiting this holiday season. We had a party at my Mom's on 12/23 with her fun sisters family. We gobbled up copious amounts of yummy food topping it all off with a chocolate fountain as part of the dessert offerings. Then Elizabeth did Christmas Eve church for the first time - which turned out okay. Santa came first thing Christmas morning, followed closely behind by Grammy, Aunt Heidi and Uncle Tony. After the dust and the wrapping paper settled we hit the road to visit with Grammy, Grandpop, Mom-Mom and Pop-Pop. Wednesday (12/26) brought Lauren and Rod to our rainy doorstep for pizza and ornament presents. Then after a few days rest - the new year dawned and we were off for more visiting and eating.

Even though there is let down once the holidays are done - I am always a bit relieved. I'll pack everything back up and our house will return to normal. Or the state of normal we've become used to - since Elizabeth came on the scene.

Who's Popular???

My boyfriend that's who. He was named the Chex Most Popular Driver for the 5th year in a row getting 1.4 million of the total 3.8 million votes. I have to say that I voted a lot less this year then last but he still won. At least he won something this year.

I Work With the Scuba Santa from the Adventure Aquarium

A New Place To Be Bad...

So I'm sitting at the traffic light near my office, where I've sat every weekday morning for the last almost ten years when I look to my right and realize that there is a Children's Place in the shopping center. The shopping center I've been driving past and shopping in for almost ten years and never realized this store was there. Well I remedied that today. "Santa" is going to be leaving some really cool stuff under the tree for Elizabeth this year.

Ours Is Not To Wonder Why...

Eric is my five year old nephew and Batman to my five month old daughter's Robin. This was her on Thanksgiving Day. But instead of wondering why she was upset or worrying about why his normally happy companion was screaming at him he hugged her then turned and said "She's having a rough day." I immediately felt a sense of relief - that was it she was having a rough day. So simple a five year old could see it.

It's Just Like That Sometimes....

"I couldn't get my head off the pillow." - Eric age 5
(His way of saying he was tired this morning)

In a Thankful Kind of Mood...

At the risk of sounding terribly sappy I want to talk about things I'm thankful for this year...

1) I'm thankful that Miss Elizabeth is part of our family and here to celebrate Thanksgiving with all of us this year. Just remember when she cries that you all think she's the most adorable thing ever :)

2) I'm thankful for all of the wonderful family members and friends in my life who lift me up and make me feel loved all year long. But I am especially thankful for everyone who prayed for us and kept us in their thoughts when Elizabeth was sick and needed help. I will be forever grateful for that.

3) I'm thankful that I have a job and health insurance so that Elizabeth could get the medical care she needed and so that we didn't have to pay $150,000 + for it.

4) I'm thankful for the nurses and the doctors at Grandview Hospital and C.H.O.P. who took care of our little miracle so she could be the healthy little girl she is today. Especially Dr. Liechty who operated twice with such precision that you'd never even know it.

5) I'm thankful that my Mom is a careful driver. Her sitting at the traffic light a second longer then normal (even though her light was green) probably saved her life and Kyle's when the A-hole on his cell phone blew threw the red light.

6) I'm thankful that my Mom and my Mother-in-Law are willing and able to care for Elizabeth everyday so Matt and I can keep working to further all of our causes.

7) I'm thankful that Matt was able to be home with me during Elizabeth's birth and for several months afterward. Her challenges wiped me out but having him to help and support me made all the difference.

I know there are probably a million other specific things I am thankful for but I will end here. I hope to have a more grateful attitude in the coming year - and figured this was a good place to start.

I wish everyone a happy and healthy holiday. Enjoy!

It Was A Good Run...

Wednesday Night a fifteen year run came to an end when Brooks & Dunn lost the CMA Vocal Duo of the year award to Sugarland. Back in 1992 Brooks & Dunn took the award from The Judds and never looked back.

When One Boyfriend Fails, Look to the Other...

Everyone knows my boyfriend is Dale Earnhardt Jr. Well, he's been having a bit of a lack luster year behind the wheel this year. Most weekends I don't watch the race because I don't want to invest three or four hours only to have him blow up or have the wheel break off his car with two laps to go.

So enter my other boyfriend, cowboy extraordinaire Justin McBride. He won the PBR Built Ford Tough Series World Championship on Sunday, November 4th.

I guess that's why I have two boyfriends. I'm hoping Jr's switch to Hendrick Motorsports will jump start things - here's hoping.

I Need the Baby Whisperer...

Don't you kick yourself when you realize you knew how to handle a situation but you didn't listen to your inner voice so it ends up causing more trouble then if you'd just listened to yourself in the first place?

I'm kicking myself today because I still don't seem to be very "in-tune" with my daughter. At the beginning of the week we began adjusting her morning schedule so my dear husband can deliver her to the babysitter, instead of the babysitter coming to get her. So she has to get up an hour and a half to two hours earlier. Our little dumpling doesn't sleep much during the day so to me I thought it was very important for her to get her 10 hours at night, which mean a 7:00pm bedtime.

Well yesterday she was asleep when she arrived home at 6:15pm and had been for an hour. We woke her up and fed her and then gave her a bath. It was 7:30 so I thought I'd better put her to bed but I ignored the voice in my head that said (she doesn't seem tired). So I took her upstairs and put her in her crib. She played on her own for over a half hour. Then I thought she might need more milk before falling asleep so I fed her a 4 oz bottle (2oz less then normal because it wasn't two hours between feedings yet). So after the bottle it was back into the crib where she played for another good while. Then around 915 she started screaming. Both dear husband and I tried to console her but she kept on screaming. I told dear husband to make another 4 oz bottle. She drank the 2 oz's missing from the first bottle and went to sleep.

So two hours and much unnecessary crying later, I realized I could have likely averted the whole issue by playing with her until she tired out, fed her the full 6oz bottle around 8:30 and off to bed, only one hour late instead of two.

I don't like trial and error but I guess I have to get used to it. Since it seems that's what caring for children is based on. *Sigh*

Halloween's a Coming...

I've been lurking on the babycenter.com June 2007 baby board for the last several months and they had a thread where the women posted pictures of their babies in their Halloween costumes. I didn't think my peanut would fit into any of them so I just got her this onsie and pant set. It comes with a matching bib that says "My First Halloween". I know she'll be cute in whatever she wears but next year I'm going to find her one of those adorable costumes.

I think I'm addicted...

I was innocently looking through my Glamour magazine and the plucky blonde girl who plays the cheerleader on Hero's said she liked this site called http://www.junkfoodclothing.com/. I went on and of course they have clothes for babies. So I ordered the t-shirt above, because EJ needs some Wonder Woman in her wardrobe. Her ever expanding wardrobe...but that's a story for another time.

It's So Creepy It's Cool

I've been a fan of The King since his first commericals. Now it appears you can own a piece of The King in the form of this creepy mask. Excellent!!!

And So It Goes...

Well it's almost official my coworker is giving her notice to our boss tomorrow. Her last day will be Friday (10/12) unless our owner tells her not to let the door hit her on the ass before that.

I've cleared my credenza to accommodate the quotations for her customers that will now be my customers and I'm setting up some email folders, but other then that I don't really know what to do. I used to be used to working at a frantic pace but it's dropped off in the last nine years. I guess I'll just have to keep repeating to myself "One thing at a time" and hope that I can keep up. It can't be bad everyday can it?