Who would have guessed?...

Who would have guessed that two friends and nothing more would cross paths a couple years after graduation and live happily ever after?

Backstory: Dan & I were friends all through school. After graduation he went to the miltary and I went my own way, occasionally writing back and forth every few months or a Hey there by telephone..nothing more. Then one day Dan came home on leave and I was so nervous and excited to see him..that's weird I thought since he's only my friend. We spent that first week he was home pretty much inseparable...after being home about 10 days he asked me to marry him...I said yes and one year later on December 30, 1994 we were married. Several people gave timelines, it won't last 6 month, I give it a year, no more than 2, I heard others say.......13 years ago Sunday we said "I do"...we've had our ups/downs and rough patches but I could not ever imagine him not in my life...he's the absolute best, at everything...husband, father, friend, provider, fixer of damn laundry dryers that break, snow shoveler and dishwasher that I know. I thank god for him every night when I go to bed and every morning when I wake. I think it works for us because we were friends, pure platonic everyday "how ya doing" friends before anthing else.

Happy Anniversary Danielson.....

Money

December 3rd already? Only one more paycheck until Christmas? Only two more until 2008? Where does the time go? Where does the money go?

I am going to try to make a new years resolution of saving some money and not blowing all of it all the time. Out of my paycheck a certain amount goes towards bills and the rest is mine…now at the end of my two weeks I am flat broke and may only have $5.00 to my name. I waste it on stupid stuff and before you know it, it’s all gone and you wonder what you did with it because you have nothing to show for it. Eating out lunch to much, running to Beaners to get a coffee fix, wasting it on this and that. Don’t get me wrong we have money but this is MY money and I don’t dip into the other “bill” money because Dan would kill me, I just want to save some for something…not sure what.

Now that I read this whole blog it’s just rambling…hence the title of my site.

Calgon take me away

Oh my, if you read my friend Becky's blog she's sure a glutton for punishment...staying up all those long hours having fun, shopping, playing, etc. I on the other hand this past Thanksgiving weekend was down for the count. On Wednesday I felt this twinge in my throat and a slight headache buy 11:30 pm on Wednesday, I was done for. I felt like I had been hit by a bus!! On Thursday, I mustered up all the strenghth in my body to make my passing dish for Dan's family's Thanksgiving and went to bed and told him to take the kids and go without me. So, I missed Thanksgiving. I slept ALL day...blew my nose, coughed, coughed and coughed some more. On Friday I ALWAYS go shopping with my dad so I got up got ready against my better judgement went shopping was only gone 2 hours and I was DONE. Came back home and took a 6 hour nap...hey, and guess what I did on Saturday and Sunday? Yep, you guessed it...slept some more. I felt like I was going to die. Today I did manage to go to work, went on a huge coughing attack, my head is clearer, and I feel a "wee" bit better but it's all of 8:15 and I'm checking out for the night...I'm sleepy. I know this whole blog is rambles but that's what nightquil does to you but I refuse to cough all night.

Who's team is the best...LHS, LHS!

So, when you are a kid you can't wait to leave this god forsaken town...only to find out that it's where you belong. I can't imagine living anywhere else, raising my kids anywhere else or having them go to any school but here and after yesterday it just confirms it even more. Our Varsity football team played an undefeated team yesterday in a playoff game and I swear the whole entire town was there supporting our boys. I don't have kids in High School yet and don't even really know any of the players but when you bleed orange and black you go to every home game and some away and you support them, you support the program, you rally, you get excited and you sometimes get dissapointed but my heart will always have a permanant blackhawk imprinted on it. We did win against this undefeated team and are now on our way to the state semi-finals and yes, you'll find a convoy of cars with windows painted, flag flying, and horns blowing all the way down to Hillsdale next week to watch my boys play. I'm so proud of them and their determination, hard work and dedication. High school football has always been my favorite because the boys play because they truly LOVE the game. I'm so excited and no matter how far they go in these playoff games, I'll be there cheering them on. Once a cheerleader, always a cheerleader!

GO HAWKS!

I'm still alive

It was brought to my attention today that it's been awhile since I posted. Yes, this is true.

This is my first week with no football, cheerleading, equiptment turn ins, board meetings and I finally can concentrate. One more season down. I'm excited, yet sad that it's over.

What's new here...hum, my search, my long, long search for some family members may just be coming to an end. Not quite there but I can see the light. If any of you want more info please let me know and I'll email you about it. Not ready to share for "public viewing" yet.

W.W. is a bust...it's so hard to stick to a weight loss program when your family doesn't really support you. Let's face it people, I don't have will power and that damn Halloween candy!

Bummer

Well, I'm beating myself up right now for what you might think is something dumb, but we had our weigh in last night and I was up .4# (Point 4) now, I know that is nothing but it bummed me out.

Happy & Grumpy or Money & Happy?

This is the millionth time I’ve felt this way in the last 6 months. I need excitement, I need drive, I need something and I don’t know what it is. Anyone guess what I am talking about? Let’s see….it’s starts with a J and ends with a B and there is an O in the middle. Yep you guessed it….a JOB. Yes, I should be grateful I have one at the given moment due to the “stability” of our lovely Michigan economy and no available work… however I am bored out of my mind. Not that there is not projects to work on, accounts to service or filing to be done, it’s just that I feel blasé about my situation. I’m sure most people would say…”just look for another job” only if it were that easy. Let me list the reasons why it’s not…..

-I make decent money where I am at.
-I have benefits through my employer for my entire family as Dan does not.
-I have a flexible enough schedule that if my kids were sick or I needed to leave for an emergency, I could.
-My husband doesn’t think there is anything wrong with my situation and doesn’t understand money isn’t everything.
-Dan’s favorite quote is “if I got paid what you do to basically do nothing, I wouldn’t complain”
-We don’t have the money for me to quit, pay for insurance and go back to school for anything.

It’s not that I have a grand plan or heck even at 33 years old know what I want to be when I grow up…I just know that I don’t want to be “paper pusher” for the next trillion years and it’s really starting to bum me out. Even though I have been at this current job for 6 years and a prior one for 5 years I basically did the same thing…was a paper pusher. I don’t need to win the lotto, I don’t need a money windfall…I will work and work hard for what I get but I’m at a loss as to what to do.

She's the greatest!

Ok..so not only does she have 5 kids to worry about, sports to run to, laundry to do, mouths to feed and studying her own homework but she was so kind to help me, ok not "help me"..... but set up my new layout for me in her "spare" time, it's the one, the only Becky!!!

Thanks Bec and it looks great!

Where oh where can my hubby Dan be?

So, let me tell you playing the single parent roll this week has not been very fun or should I say not been as fun since both kids have practice, homework, showers, etc and my laundry is growing by the moment.

Dan is a god-send he is unlike most husbands and actually helps with house work, kids, homework, dinners, laundry, bills etc. We actually do most of that stuff together and with him being up north this week I've been lost and running around like a chicken with my head cut off.

I sure appreciate all he does and he better never die while my kids are little because I'd kill him.

One more day..he'll be home tomorrow.

:-)

1.8 and counting

So it's Thursday again...weigh in day. Down another 1.8#...that would be a total of 9.6# since September 6th. Slow but sure.

Slow but sure

So..our weekly weight watchers meeting was last night...down 1.4#....which of course does not sound like much but the instructor said the slower you loose the more likey you are to keep it off so that makes a total of 7.8#....now I need to start exercising...week three was the movement discussion. She said start slow if you are not used to seriously working out...take the stairs, walk in place for 5 minutes, etc...so, we'll see how this goes.

:-)

Weight Watchers

So I joined Weight Watchers with my mom and a few friends on September 6th. We had our first weigh in last night after being on the program a week and I have been really watching what I was eating and putting in my body...guess what the weigh in was successful...I know it was mostly water weight I have lost but I lost 6.4 pounds the first week. I know it's just because my body was in shock over not eating fast food, eating better and less so I don't expect it to be very much next week but now I'm more motivated than ever....GO ME!

I don't get technology

So..I must have skipped the gene that allows your brain to retain technology. I look at everyone else's blog and cute layouts and their photos but I don't know how to do that. I am sure it's very easy and right in front of my face but I just don't get it. I need my friend Bec to come over and sit with me and show me how to work all this stuff. AHHHHHH

8 jobs

1. Budd's Restaurant: This was my very first job ever. I washed dishes on Saturday & Sunday mornings during breakfast. I was 15 years old and worked from 7:00 am –11:00 am
2. Burger King: This was my first "real" job that I could actually drive to. I worked there for 4 years. From the time I was 16 to 20. There was tons of fun had here by the closing staff. Once I became a "manager" I let everyone else do the work and I dorked around. It was cool
3. Goff Stores: I worked here for a few months before I got married and moved to ..:namespace prefix = st1 ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:smarttags" />Texas. When I got home from Texas I worked here again for a few more months. Being a cashier in a grocery store is quite boring.
4. Mitchell's: Clothing store, very expensive but good discount and "credit plan" if you worked there. Plus you got to check out everything on Main Street and always look out the front window to see who was headed into the "Free Clinic"
5. O'Henry's An Irish Pub I worked at while living in Texas. That was an ok job. I remember they had the best Philly Cheese steak sandwiches ever. Working a 22 hour shift on St. Patty's day was HELL.
6. Chicago Title I was an escrow mortgage & real estate closer. I HATED this job. I will never in my life be a closer again. I hated dealing with the bitchy people whose interest rate was too high or payment wasn't what the lender told them. They acted like it was my fault and I was just the middle man.
7. Michigan Bankers Association: I work in the Employee Benefits Division assisting banks with medical, dental, life & disability benefits. The people I work with are awesome and I semi-enjoy it. The only reason I don't totally enjoy it is because work is work no matter how you look at it. 8. Mom: This is the craziest job I've had. So much joy yet so much frustration at the same time. I know I need to enjoy it more now because soon my kids will "hate" me because it's those lovely pre-teen to teenage years and they will want nothing to do with mom but right now it's good. They make me laugh like no other.

Offended

Ok, so I read something today that rubbed me the wrong way. Why are people so over sensitive or offended by the slightest little things? Maybe I am just too laid back when it comes to things such as humor, others opinions, words, stuff people write, etc.'
This lady went off in the comment section of this work related paper I read, about how it offends her when people use certain words or phrases, like "that sucks", "shit happens", "looks like she came from the trailer park". Ok, you get the idea. I don't even know how to put it into words how ridiculous this lady was. I lived in a trailer park and I'm not offended by that saying. These things are just words and expressions of others it doesn't mean she has to believe them or say them…ignore it lady. Get over yourself and get a life.

I'm not offended by dirty jokes, rotten humor, I may get a little ticked and punch you out if you grab me or something but stuff that comes out of peoples mouths and that is written is no big deal.

Anyway I know this just rambles but I was on a rant.

BLAH

Wow...this week was one of the longest weeks I have felt like I have had in a very, very long time. Football every single day this week, Brit bowls on Friday, an emotional week with a funeral service, a close friends father's passing last night and now word that another close friend's father is in the hospital and working all on top of that, plus wishing I could make a family member's problems all go away. This is the time that I wish I were not such a sensitive person because I want to try and help everyone and make things better. My gram always tells me it's because I have a big heart and care about everyone. Which is true, but sometimes it's hard and I wish I were "stronger" and could distance myself from emotion easier...nope, I even am a sap for friggin' commercials but I guess that's what make me, me....
Oh' I did hear the best saying this week that I will now forever repeat. "Friends are the family we choose"...love it.

Question

Lots of questions will never be answered. Those of you who know the situation that occurred this past week may have the same questions, thoughts, concerns that I do. Some of you may choose to talk about it. Some of you may not talk about it because it's a taboo subject. I have many emotions going on right now.

Although we never hung around on a one on one basis this has hit a little to close to home for me. I feel sad, angry, shocked, confused and perplexed. You name it I am sure I feel it.
I'm sad for the family who is left behind. I am angry at her for leaving all the questions unanswered, angry for having a child at the most impressionable age deal with this, angry for having that image in the mind of the person who was first there forever be burned in their thoughts. I am shocked that this hit so close to home. This only happens to other people. I am confused as to why and how it got so bad that this was the only option and finally perplexed as to how you plan it and the thought that goes through your mind the second before you do it. I am truly baffled.
I hope my friends and family no matter how close to me, whether I see them everyday, couple times a week, once a year or maybe haven't seen them in several years know that know matter the day, time or place if you need someone I will be there. I may not have all the answers, solutions or quick fixes but I will be there. We will figure it out together. We will get help together; we will find the money together.
Just know, I WILL BE THERE.

RIP

Today is a sad day. Someone I knew passed away unexpectedly. Although, I didn't hang around with her often and only seen her when we got together with mutal friends it still breaks my heart to know she is gone and others are in pain and hurting for her and her family.
RIP-HM

Excited!

I’m a very proud new Aunt! My sister-in-law Dawn gave birth yesterday afternoon to a peanut of a baby girl. Her name is Sarah Ann and she weighed 5 lbs. 11 oz. and is 19 ½ inches long. I went to see her today at lunch and she’s gorgeous! Of course I’m not playing favorites or anything but she has the most perfect lips I have ever seen. I’m jealous!

Dawn & Daymon did great. Dawn had some issues after having Sarah but is on the road to being fine now. The whole family is doing wonderful.

Feeling like poo..part II

Ok..so by the way Jake is fine now and bouncin off the walls. He layed down for a bit took a good long nap and wah-la he's a kid and they bounce back fast. I guess that means I need to lay down cuz I'll feel better too right?

Feelin' like poo..

So I stayed home today from work initially because Jake wasn't feeling well but as the day goes on I feel like crap. My ears hurt, throat feels like it's swollen and raw inside. It hurts to swallow, talk, anything. My head is going to explode and everything is intensified by 100%. Needless to say I am a bit grumpy at the moment and only want to lay down. Not sure if it's allergy crap, sinuses or what but it's kickin' my butt and I don't appreciate it. I wish I could make it all go away.

BORED

Because I was a bit bored today I thought I would enlighten you with some “Dumb Fact” I found. Enjoy!

1. Macaroni was the name of the pony that Caroline Kennedy used to ride on the grounds of the White House.

2. Abraham Lincoln had no middle name.

3. M&M’s stands for the names of Forrest Mars, Sr., the candy maker and his associate Bruce Murrie.

4. John Wayne had an 18 inch neck.

5. Smokey the Bear’s original name was Hotfoot Teddy.

6. Iceland consumes more Coca-Cola per capita than any other nation.

7. Smelling bananas and/or green apples (smelling, not eating) can help you loose weight.

8. Some toothpaste contains antifreeze.

9. It takes eighteen minutes to cool hot chocolate into a Hershey’s Kiss.

10. The first toilet ever seen on television was on “Leave it to Beaver”.

11. In every episode of Seinfeld there is a Superman somewhere.

12. Rubber bands last longer when refrigerated.

13. The first product to have a bar code was Wrigley’s gum.

14. The most used letter in the English alphabet is “E” and the “Q” is the least used.

15. The sentence “The quick brown fox jumps over the lazy dog” uses every letter of the alphabet.

16. “Rhythm” is the longest English word without a vowel.

17. Your thumb is the same length as your nose.

18. The U.S. mint in Denver, Colorado is the only mint that marks its pennies.

19. Vermont, Alaska, Hawaii & Maine are the four states in the U.S. that do not allow billboards.

20. “60 Minutes” is the only show on CBS that doesn’t have a theme song.

21. The home team must provide the referee with 36 footballs for each National Football League game.

22. You’re more likely to get stung by a bee on a windy day than in any other weather.

23. The ZIP in zip code stands for “Zone Improvement Plan”

24. Charlie Brown’s father was a barber.

25. The official soft drink of the state of Nebraska is Kool-Aid

Damn Orange Cones/Barrels

Alright, I understand roads need to be fixed and sewer work needs to be done but for the love of god does it all have to happen at once? Every street and I mean every street in an 8 block radius is reduced to one lane or closed all together down here by my office. It’s almost impossible to get here or god forbid if you have to leave to run an errand. You have to drive 20 minutes out of your way to get anywhere or back here from wherever it was you had to go. If you think I’m joking check it out yourself at:

http://www.cityoflansingmi.com/Lansing/pubserv/docs/constupdate.pdf

I can’t wait until it’s all over and let me tell you it better be worth it. ARGHHH

Looking for Sherlock Holmes....

So does anyone know a good detective? There are a couple people who I don’t really know anything about that I would like to find more information on. What I do know is only hear-say. I have searched every website known to man on how to find someone but when you don’t know much about them it’s a bit hard. I know you probably have no idea what I am talking about but if you would like to help me or have tons of spare time to spend doing my dirty work, heck just ask and I’d be glad to let you know what I’m up to.

I've been tagged...

Ok, so here's the scoop. I've been tagged and need to come up with 10 semi interesting facts about me. This was not easy...you'd think I'd know me better than anyone but I guess I don't at any event, I tried. Here is my 10 and if you are reading this...you're it!

1. When I was a kid I wanted to be a Solid Gold Dancer.

2. I think ghosts/spirits/orbs are very interesting and I do believe in them.

3. I am almost sure I died in a previous life on a ship by drowning.

4. I think Milton Hershey was one of the most brilliant men ever…and not because he made Chocolate. If you’ve ever read about him or watched his Biography you’ll understand.

5. If I had money- I always thought it would be fun to get in the car and drive cross country to L.A. with no plan.

6. People who clip their nails or file them gross me out. I can do my own or my kids but to watch or hear other people makes me want to gag.

7. I love to put crunchy Cheeto’s in my beefaroni. That’s the only way to eat it.

8. I am a medical freak of nature…I have 3 kidneys. One that works fine, one that works 30% and one that doesn’t work at all.

9. I always wish I would have lived in the 1800’s-the Little House on the Prairie days. Simple life, hard working, family & church were very important.

10. I can’t remember what I did 20 minutes ago but I am a total 80’s fanatic. Song, Movies, Shows…Trivia is my specialty.

Rockin' into the night...

Last night was big date night. It was fun although at first I was a bit aprehensive. Dan had bought us tickets to go see a concert at the Palace and I was skeptical because the individuals who were going to be there performing weren't necessarily someone I would have picked but I went being a good sport and it turned out that it was awesome, besides all the construction and orange barrels from here to there and traffic delays we ended being a few minutes early and first up was .38 Special they were great and wow can they sing sounded better than what you hear on the radio so I was very pleased with that. Next up was Hank Williams, Jr. I have already seen him in concert and thought he was ok he did perform one song called Elijah were he played the fiddle and he rocked that when he got ready to play his last song of the night he had a special guest and once his face flashed on the big screen the crowd went WILD...it was none other than Detroit's own Kid Rock....that was worth the money right there.... Last performer of the night was Lynard Skynard they did their classics and for their encore they did Freebird and that was well worth the money too. To hear Freebird live gives you goose bumps and almost brought tears to my eyes. I know, I'm a sap. All in all it was good. I don't think I'll be able to hear though for a few more days....pretty loud.

Blogging Huh?

Well I'm going to give it a shot. I have lots of stuff I'd like to chat about or just to get off my chest and share. I finally decided to come over to the blogside. More to come.