First of all, I am definitely NOT writing this post right now because I have more than enough work to keep me busy in light of the fact that I am leaving for Florida in a few short hours and will be out of my lovely office for seven whole NON- glorious days!

I most certainly did NOT slack off all weekend when I should have been packing/cleaning/ getting ready for our trip. I did NOT take a nap on Saturday AND Sunday AND I definitely did not allow Owen to watch Madagascar AND Veggie Tales both in the same day. Because I never really even let Owen watch TV. He doesn't even know what it is!

I did NOT make three really dumb mistakes playing Euchre with friends on Sunday night which prompted my hubby to question my ability to be his partner. I was NOT smug at all when we won despite my mistakes.

I did NOT make a really dumb money mistake when I accidentally paid both of my student loans TWICE for this month...you know....leaving us LOTS of extra superfluous money for the month. (Oh well, cutting down on that interest, right)?

Lastly, I did NOT freak out and reconsider my decision to attend dinner tonight with my Doctor's and co-workers because I couldn't find anything on the menu that I would eat. Luckily I figured out that I just a little slow and that there actually are alternatives to sushi and duck. Shew. We'll see. Wish me luck!

We are back from our Smoky Mountain Excursion. It was hot. And I mean, really, really hot. Seriously I know I complain about Indiana Summers, but I don't think Indiana has anything on the southern states. It was also really pretty. The view from our cabin/chalet was amazing. We have pictures. Somewhere. Probably still on our camera. I'll get them up sometime.

We leave for Florida in six days. SIX DAYS people. I can hardly stand it I'm so excited. We plan on alternating between naps, beach and pool. And they may not know it yet, but we are going to play euchre. A lot. Because Curt and Laura are my favorite people to play euchre with. There. I said it. Get ready guys! (and don't even think about trying to get me to play Settlers of Catan or some other weird game...we are playing EUCHRE! EUCHRE I say!) :-)

Owen is a blast right now. Seriously, he is my favorite kid ever, and I guess that's a good thing since he's mine. But honestly, aside from the SELDOM temper tantrum and occasional trip to the bathroom (when we are in a public place) in which I must remind him sternly to obey lest he receive a spanking......he is great. I love this age. He is talking. I mean really communicating with me. He gets things. I love it. I miss my "baby" but this is fun too. We've been reading books about going potty. Oh dear. I'm thinking that when we get back from Florida I will buy him a potty seat. I'm pretty sure he will get that too. My kid is smart. Have I told you that I think he know's his ABC's? I mean he won't sing them by himself, but if I sing them, he will sing with me, and if I stop mid song, he knows the letter that comes next! Genius I tell ya. We won't talk about how he likes to count backwords. Nope. I'm sure he's just doing that to be funny! Also, he loves to sing the B-I-B-L-E and shout the word Bible. That's right. I'm indoctrinating my kid into early childhood Baptist songs at the earliest age possible. Next we'll work on I am a C-H, I am a C-H, I am a C-H-R-I-S-T-I-A-N. :-)

That's all for now. I'll post some pictures soon!

Six Unimportant Things that Make me Happy

I've been tagged by my new favorite blogger...Lona (Yes, I'm THAT mommy) ...seriously this chica is so flippin' funny that I find myself just waiting expectantly for her to update and write something new! You have to go over and check her out. You won't be disappointed!

Anyways, without further ado...more things to read about me that will really change your life and bring you much excitement. I'm sure...I mean, I just took a facebook quiz that said I'm really popular and exciting. And if its on facebook, you know it must be true! Here ya go!

The Rules:
* List Six Unimportant Things That Make You Happy
* Mention and link to the person who tagged you
* Tag six of your favorite bloggers to play along
{and comment on their blog to let them know they’ve been tagged}

(on a side note, the rules are to list UNIMPORTANT things...lest you think that my child, my husband and my family don't bring me lots of happiness)

1. Sleeping. I really, really wish that this wasn't the first thing that comes to mind when I think of happiness, but it is. I LOVE sleep. God spoiled me by giving me a baby that slept through the night at 4 months, and continued to nap and sleep well at night to this very day. I shudder to think what my next child might do to disrupt my very precious and coveted sleep. On most of my days off, I still take naps when Owen does. They are just too wonderful to give up.

2. Sweet Tea. I don't do life very well without it. I have always been a drinker (of the non-alcoholic kind), and sweet tea has moved right up to the top. I tried to give it up for awhile, and had SOME success, but sweet tea really, truly, honestly makes me really happy.

3. Fall. I LOVE fall. I love leaves, sweaters and sweatshirts, hot chocolate, football and soccer games, pumpkins, fallish smelling candles, pumpkin bread, Halloween....and wow. I could go on and on and on. I wait all year for fall. This is no secret to anyone who knows me well. There is no way that I could permanately live in a state that didn't have fall. I would probably get that seasonal affective disorder...except in reverse. I heart chilly weather and sometimes even gloomy days. Weird, I know.

4. Late Afternoon sun. I love, love late afternoon sun. I'm not a big fan of roast your skin of 12:00-3:00 sun....I like the gentler heart -warming, all over body soothing 4:00-7:00 sun. I don't get to lay out at the pool as much as I used to, but when I do...this is my favorite part of the day.

5. Pedicures. Having nice looking feet makes me really happy. It's a small indulgence I haven't been able to give up since having Owen. I try and stretch them out to every two months, but usually cave and get one by at least then.

6. James Taylor, The Bee Gees, The Eagles, REO Speedwagon, Chicago, etc, etc.....I was supposed to be born in a different decade I think. Yep, I love lite rock. Oh gosh, how incredibly embarassing to admit, but I would much rather listen to my parents music than the pop music of today. (my husband is somewhere shaking his head in disapproval right now...he so makes fun of me for my love of all things lite rock!) Anyways, good music makes me really, really happy. :-)

So, now I'm supposed to tag six of my blogging friends...which won't be hard,because I don't have that many! Here ya go!

Corinne at May you live all the days of your life
Missy at The Life in My Years
Erin at It's Your Movie
Kristy at Boothbloggers
Heather at Me and those Gross boys
Gretchen at Considering it all Joy

Bologna and Cheese Sandwiches

I just ate a bologna and cheese sandwich for lunch. The lunch (or sandwich, rather) of my childhood. I feel oddly compelled to now go visit my Grandma Dixie and sit by the pool, swing in the hammock and play with Peppe and Ramone (the dogs...who have sadly been gone for many years now). Grandma Dixie and Papaw Roman had this wonderful house...or I thought it was wonderful and it was probably just average...but you know how you idolize things when you were a kid....and make them out to be something really fabulous when really, its not that impressive after all :-) But Grandma Dixie had a green, frog kitchen. You know...green countertops, green linoleum floor, and I am pretty darn sure that she had a green refridgerator! I loved that kitchen! It was so cool. It looked out into their backyard and I loved to sit on the counter and watch the dogs play, or Papaw mow the grass. Really...those were the days.

I had the wonderful opportunity to not only be raised by my mom and dad, but because my mother passed away when I was just a baby, both sets of my grandparents played a big part in raising me as well. At times I lived with both sets, I was a shared child. I don't think it did me any harm to travel back and forth between Grandparents...I think it was wonderful. I loved doing specific things at each house, and loved each set of my Grandparents equally and for their own unique qualities. (on a side note---since my mother passed away when I was very young, my dad remarried when I was about three...I don't ever remember a time when I didn't know that my mother had died and that Cindy was my really my "step mom"--although she was just always mom to me...but until I was nearly a teenager, I referred to my mother, Donna as my "real mom". How funny is that!? I have no idea when ,or how or why I did that. Like Cindy wasn't a real mom? Ha. Its so funny to me how kids grab on to ideas and concepts and use words to describe an unusual circumstance!) (And is that not the longest run on sentence you've ever seen in a parenthesis?! :-))

How sweet were the days of my childhood. Not that adult life isn't wonderful and sweet in its own way, but I love to remember how good my life has been....especially when I am prone to think that for whatever reason my life is anything less than very, very good right now. Inspired by Corinne's blog and thoughts on childhood and growing old, I'm going to take a few minutes to sit back and reflect about some of the very, very good things about my life....my childhood life. Just the ones that come to mind. If you aren't interested...that's completely cool! I am no way deceived into thinking that anyone or everyone who reads this is interested in what I think has been good in my life. Really, its just journal-ing therapy for me. :-)


1. Watching the planes take off at the airport with my dad when I was little. We lived in Santa Ana, Califonia for about four years (ages 4-8 for me)...and my dad and I had this tradition when my mom worked nights of going to McDonalds for dinner and then heading over to the airport to watch the planes. My dad is a retired pilot who has enjoyed aviation and exposing his children to all things airplanes. I can't tell you how many random airports we have stopped at, or how many airshows I have been too....but watching the planes take off at dusk makes the top of my list as a favorite memory.

2. Swimming at Aqua Tots with my mom after I had my check up with my Rheumatologist. This is another California memory. Most of you know that as a child I was diagnosed with JRA (Juvenille Rheumatoid Arthritis). By God's good grace, I am barely affected by this today, although the disease is still present, just inactive. I was really pretty sick as a child and had to have injections twice a month to help control the disease. After I would have my regular blood draw , shot and check up with my Dr., my mom would take me to this really fun swiming group called Aqua Tots. It was for kids that needed physical therapy...and it was wonderful! I loved to swim already and we would do fun water exercises and I got to run around with all the other kids. Good times.

3. Disneyland, Disneyland, Disneyland. No one understands why I don't think that DisneyWORLD isn't just they best thing ever...well...here is the reason...I grew a little California girl and went to Disneyland a gazillion times! Its basically the happiest place on earth! I'll never forget the vacation we took where Curtis and I both got sick and we ended up having to go to the emergency room at some hospital in California. We have a picture of Curtis and I riding "Dumbo" and we both look like death warmed over. Good times.

4. Building our first house in Brownsburg, Indiana. As a eight year old I was seriously into some crazy fantasy toy called "Lady Lovelylocks"...and you can be sure that my room rocked out to that theme...I got to choose everything and I for sure choose...PINK walls, PINK carpet, a white canopy bed with Lady Lovelylock bedding. It was a sight...shew! But man, I loved that room!

5. My brother getting baptized...or not. :-) As a young family, we attended Eagle Creek Grace Brethren and Curtis had decided that he wanted to be baptized. So...everything was all set up and he was actually IN the tub with the Pastor....he was all ready to be dunked and he refused! I'm sure my parents were mortified, but I thought it was hysterical. He later claimed that the water was too hot :-) Such a great memory.

6.Riding bikes with friends....to the library, to Dairy Queen...to pretty much anywhere we wanted to go (within reason, I suppose...I probably couldn't ride my bike to Avon or anything). I don't remember having many restrictions as to where I could go...I just had to check in from time to time....I remember lots of long summer evenings of playing kickball in the court that our house was on, hanging out at the Haley's jumping on their fantastic trampline or playing nintendo...and I even remember running around friends yards trying to catch lightening bugs. I mean how absolutely picturesque is that!?

There it is. Some great memories. And now, I'm the grown up. And I know Owen is only two, but already I'm hoping and praying that he can look back someday...when he's working extra hard to pay the bills or maybe afford a family vacation...and remember how great his life has been, and how happy his childhood was. More than anything, I want to give this to him...a wonderful, carefree time of life...where lightening bugs are plentiful, trips to the airport with Grandpa are many, and the hours upon hours spent in the pool are delightful. :-)

**On a completely random and unrelated note, I would also like to say that my dear friend, and talented stylist: Candice Moran of John Perry Salon (ahem: Candice is basically awesome and if you don't already have your own talented favorite st hair stylist, you should FOR SURE go see her!), tinted my eyelashes yesterday. I had no idea that something could be done! After complaining about how bad my allergies had been and not being able to wear eye make-up..she suggested this! And...voila! I love it! No more mascara for me! (ok, at least not for awhile!)

Not Me! Monday

I've been slacking on doing this, but wanted to give it another try :-) Here goes!

I certainly DID NOT order a big fat sweet tea from McDonalds this morning for BREAKFAST. Not me. I always eat a well balanced, nutritious meal for breakfast. And really, I don't even LIKE sweet tea. (ha)

I definitely did NOT tear up this morning listening to the radio when a dad surprised his pre-teen daughter with tickets to the Miley Cyrus concert. I am NOT that big of a sap. Geez.

I absolutely, positively did not let Owen on TWO occasions this week drink a box of juicy juice...which would be straight sugary juice, undiluted...basically junk food (as my Pediatrician would scold me). There is no way I would ever, ever let him do that.

I also did not fail to get to the gym even one time this week. Nope. I went to spinning class, did cardio and weights on my days off and even took a run around the neighborhood with Josh. I did NOT spend the time that I usually go to the gym laying on the couch or falling asleep by 9:00. Nope, not me.

Lastly, ( in order to combat my ridiculously annoying allergy problem that I'm currently suffering from) I did NOT take two zyrtec yesterday in a 24 hour period that left me completely zonked and pretty much forced me to be the laziest person on earth (ie: I did NOT skip Church, I DID not let Owen watch Madagascar AND several episodes of Veggie Tales, and I did NOT take TWO naps yesterday). Nope, NOT me! I am the most disciplined person ever, even when completely high on allergy medicine. My house is sparkling with all of the laundry put away and I taught Owen how to add and subtract yesterday. I was NOT a complete bum. :-)