Photo Challange Day 1

A picture of yourself and 15 facts:

1. I have an obsession with feet, mine and those of people I love. 
2. I am sensitive to caffeine although i love it!  i drink half caff coffee and if i have an extra cup one day, i will have a headache the next from withdrawal.
3. I love all types of music, but only purchase stuff that I can sing along to decently, so my music collection is mostly female artists. 
4. I would love to live on a commune or in some type of community that celebrates diversity and mother earth, but my husband won't go with me, in fact, neither would my older two children.
5. I love the flavor of watermelon, but can't eat it.  the texture freaks me out!
6. I have two large scars on my body, one on my face from crashing a Ugo around a tree at the age of 16 and the other is on my inner thigh from a barb wire fence when i was 9.
7. I've been married twice.My first was a shot gun wedding. My second was on New Years Eve. 
8. I secretly eat cereal for dessert after all the kids have gone to bed.  Lucky charms or Cocoa pebbles are my favorite!
9. I have my BA in History with a minor in Women's studies, but can't seem to find a job that I have enough experience for or the right credentials. I refuse to return to corporate America!
10. I really enjoy mowing the lawn.
11. I find myself sounding more and more like my mother each day! (and that's okay!)
12. I need a new car, and am excited about buying a junker so I can decorate it with bumper stickers!!
13. I burn incense every day.
14. I have four children, three boys and one girl.
15. I'm secretly afraid no one reads my blogs.

Yes, I am a copy cat!

I'm totally stealing this blogging idea from two of my favorite bloggers.  I've been hit or miss with my blogging and need to find some happiness in sharing again.  So I will give it a try!

 

 

Thirty Day Photo Challenge:

Day 1: A picture of yourself with fifteen facts.
Day 2: A picture of you and the person you have been close with for the longest.
Day 3: A picture of the cast from your favourite show.
Day 4: A picture of your night.
Day 5: A picture of your favourite memory.
Day 6: A picture of someone you miss.
Day 7: A picture of your most treasured item.
Day 8: A picture that makes you laugh.
Day 9: A picture of the person who has gotten you through the most.
Day 10: A picture of the person you do the most messed up things with.
Day 11: A picture of something you hate.
Day 12: A picture of something you love.
Day 13: A picture of your favourite band or artist.
Day 14: A picture of someone you could never imagine your life without.
Day 15: A picture of something you want to do before you die.
Day 16: A picture of someone who inspires you.
Day 17: A picture of something that has made a huge impact on your life recently.
Day 18: A picture of your biggest insecurity.
Day 19: A picture of you when you were little.
Day 20: A picture of somewhere you'd love to travel.
Day 21: A picture of something you wish you could forget.
Day 22: A picture of something you wish you were better at.
Day 23: A picture of your favourite book.
Day 24: A picture of something you wish you could change.
Day 25: A picture of your day.
Day 26: A picture of something that means a lot to you.
Day 27: A picture of yourself and a family member.
Day 28: A picture of something you're afraid of.
Day 29: A picture that always makes you smile.
Day 30: A picture of a person you'd love to trade places with for a day.

2011 Random Acts continued...

With the snow and sick babies, its been hard to get out and preform more random acts, but once I got to thinking about it, I do make up for it each day I have the opportunity to do so. Here's the latest list:

• allowed a man behind me in line at Price Chopper who was obviously in a hurry, go ahead of me. His whole demeanor changed once I told him to go ahead... he went from a scowl to a smile!
• at Quick Check during a busy lunch rush, the printer for the sandwiches was out of paper, so i told several customers before they placed their order to use another machine... then while standing there I replaced the paper so that the staff didn't have to.  It made them smile!
• while returning a Christmas present at Toys R Us, there were several shopping carts being blown around in the parking lot, so i gathered them up and returned them to the store. 
• on my lunch break, when finished eating, i threw out my garbage and that of someone else's who left it on the counter.

These really aren't anything spectacular, but they make me think each and every day, how can I make the world a better place?  I blog about it, to give you and others some simple ideas and to share the love... 

wordless wednesday

Mrs. Fix it

 

The stare down

For over two months my washing machine has only operated on the hot cycle.  This is okay for the baby stuff and the towels but those of you who do more than one load a year, will know that hot is NOT good for the dark stuff!  Three weeks ago I opened my front loader to find that a red velor shirt had bleed through everything.  So now I had pink tags and poor Walker's jeans had pink thread lining them.  The other issues are that a few of my newer items had shrunk since the last time I wore them  (and I know I've added a few holiday pounds but NOT that many!!)

I found it!

So I have become one of those nagging wives.  My husband builds car engines, I figured he could easily figure this out! but figuring it out and actually doing it are two different things!

Two weeks ago, when I basically threw a fit in my kitchen, he told me to go on line and get the diagram for the machine because he wasn't familiar with how they work.  So I did.  Then I called the local appliance center to see if there was a sensor that told the machine hot or cold, that maybe needed to be replaced.  The gentleman in parts at Michael's repair center was really helpful. He explained that this machine did not have a sensor and that with the hard water that  most homes have in the area it was probably just a clogged screen.

Wednesday night after waiting, and waiting (and two glasses of Reisling) I figured "how hard could it be?" With the help of Uncle Ricky to occupy the kiddos, I went to work. So I took out my tool box (yes, I have one, and No, it's not pink!) and took apart the water hoses and the back.  It really wasn't hard, I was able to locate the intake screens and they were all clogged up, easily fixed.

Just as I was putting everything back together the hubby came home.  He laughed and said he was going to fix that tonight!  Ha! 

Clothes washer is working correctly, I know know what to do in the future, and saved myself some bucks in the long run!

Score for me!

A new mission

Thanks to the wonderful world of blogging, and a strong connection to those who think like I do, I was introduced a short while ago to another fellow blogger called  "I'm not a Trophy wife".  She actually found me, but we have been keeping track of each other on opposite sides of the coin.  Recently she blogged about a mission of making 2011 a year for 365 acts of kindness. This really struck me as such a great idea.  I like to think that I am a kind person, but making a mission to preform random acts of kindness really appeals to me in a pay it forward kind of way.  Each day I try to strive to better myself and this earth so as I drive around with Peace signs on my car I figure its about time I start truly putting my money where my mouth is!!  (Yes, I love metaphors!)

On the first day of 2011 my husband and I went out to dinner.  After our meal as we were leaving, there was a gentlemen entering the dinning room that had toilet paper stuck to his shoe. As I past by him I pointed it out to him.  It reminded me of her blog and I wondered if that is what she meant? Once I thought about it though, this didn't seem like a real act of random kindness, because this is something I would normally do.  I felt that although this was nice, in order to make a real difference in how I felt I would have to do something more... but what?

On the second day of 2011, I didn't really find an opportunity to preform another random act.  This just reinforced my idea that I would really have to try! But now I have some catching up to do!

On the third day of 2011, I went to the local gas station to get my normal afternoon cup of coffee and snack.  As I stood in line I remembered my quest and was brain storming ideas on exactly how to do a random act of kindness.  Looking around, I thought to myself that the next person in line behind me, I would offer to buy their coffee.  So I skipped the cookies, and waited patiently in line.  I was actually nervous!  I had butterflies in my stomach and began rehearsing in my head exactly what I would say to the cashier to offer this up.  As a woman with an extra large gulp soda got in line behind me, i thought that she would be a perfect candidate. Immediately, another cashier opened up and as I stood in line, I got worried that my opportunity would pass.  I didn't want to make a big show of it, so with one movement toward the closest cashier I motioned to her that I wanted to pay for this woman's soda.  The woman was stunned!  So I just quietly explained that I'm trying to do random acts of kindness for 2011.  She thanked me and left with a big smile on her face.

Can I tell  you what a rush??? My heart was racing, my palms were sweaty and I had a huge smile on my own face!  The cashier told me that it was the coolest thing she has seen and even another woman in line said how great that was.  After paying for my coffee and her big gulp, (a whole $2.87) I literally ran out the door! During my short commute back to work, I kept replaying it over and over, and finally I realized that I had just gotten high off of kindness!  How awesome is that?

Now there is no turning back,!  Not sure what else I will come up with, (i can't be buying big macs or Uggs to the people always behind me in stores) but I am on a mission. I just wonder if I will  have to keep upping my ante to get that same fix?

Forward... reverse... forward..reverse

2010 has been a year of lots of steps forward, and a few steps back.  I figure that at least I keep moving! Life is about changing and evolving and sometimes we have to revisit things and take another stab at them to get them right.

This past year, we moved out of our small home and into a larger one, only to turn around in ten months time to come back. I'm not sure what the future holds for us here, but for now I am at peace with the decision. 

This year, I returned to the work force. This was a little scary but the timing couldn't have been more perfect.  I haven't worked in retail since my high school days but even though I am not doing the type of job I had envisioned for myself, I am finding that there are many other perks besides the store discount!  Working for an independent, hard working single mom, gives me self confidence and a real sense of purpose. There is an aura of " girl power" that I truly enjoy"!

2010 has been a lot of forward and reverse, emotionally. I have learned to have more acceptance with all of the relationships in my life, allowing them to be who they are, and allowing myself to be who i am.  Whether we meet in the middle isn't always important, as long as we continue the journey together. I find myself coming back to a place where i was a few years ago, when I took inventory of myself and my spiritual path.  I plan to continue focusing on myself and how to be a better person in this world.  I am getting back into my holistic practices and taking time for myself.  This only makes me a better wife, mother and friend.

So, onto 2011!