Christmas

13. Believe - Josh Groban(from the Polar Express film) @ Yahoo! Video

Hey all my bloggy friends...

Snow Pictures

Welcome to my view of a Michigan neighborhood :-). This is where we are staying :)...

snow angel Nate

Nathen's first time in the snow

Michigan!!

My Birthday

I have been in Michigan now for 4 days and am LOVING it! I think the midwest suits me just fine! I dig the cold weather and love the beauty of the snow, driving in it..well I haven't experienced that yet, and not looking forward to it! Thank goodness it doesn't snow very much in Indiana :)...

Today is my 31st Birthday, I am officially in my 30's, there's no turning back..not that there ever was..lol..So what was the world like 31 years ago....Let's take a look shall we...

The Grateful Dead played at the Fox Theater in Atlanta, GA and their set list was:

Jack Straw

They Love Each Other

Mama Tried

Mexicali Blues

Peggy-O

Passenger

Stagger Lee

New Minglewood Blues

Brown Eyed Women

Music Never Stopped

I Need a Miracle

Bertha

Good Lovin'

Ramble on Rose

From the Heart of Me

Estimated Prophet

Eyes of the World

drums

Shakedown Street

Sugar Magnolia

Johnny B. Goode

Look back at the Britannica Calendar of Events to find out what happened in the year 1978:

December 17, 1978 - Israel and Egypt failed to sign a peace treaty within the three-month period they had imposed upon themselves at the conclusion of the Camp David summit talks. The two sides had not met since November 16 because neither was willing to compromise on certain issues. Israel, for example, was unwilling to sign an agreement permitting elections that would establish autonomy for Palestinians in the West Bank and Gaza Strip before the end of 1979. Egypt, on its part, would not agree that a peace treaty with Israel would have priority over all other agreements it had already reached with other, notably Arab, countries. (source: The Britannica Archive)

And of course the mmost obvious....I was born :).....oh and it snowed in Las Vegas, NV!!

3 Years Old!

That's how old my boy is today! Happy birthday my sweet boy!!!! **pics to come** :)

6 More Days

Of the Arizona sun...This Sunday my son and I will be departing to Michigan, where (in case you haven't heard) it has been snowing.. A LOT.. my boy is EXTREMELY excited for the snow, he has never experienced the snow, but he's seen pictures and movies and thinks he's going to have a grand ole time, which I'm sure he will...me, well as long as I can keep my feet dry I will be a happy camper!

It's December, but it doesn't feel like it to me, usually around this time I would already have my house decorated and the tree decorated and I would be making cookies everyday and fudge and corn flake wreaths and no-bake cookies and sugar cookies to frost....not this year, I'm leaving all that to my in-laws and I am going to do my best not to stress out. You see me and Christmas haven't been getting along for a few years now. I do my very best to make it a happy time for my children and loved ones, but on the inside I am usually crying my insides out (and occassionally, the crying is on the outside too just when nobody is looking).

I miss my family. I miss my mom, I miss my grandma, I miss my cousins, I miss my grandpa, I miss my aunt and uncles, I miss my friends, I miss being happy at this time of year. I want so badly to recapture that joy, and I know eventually I will ( keep saying this every year).

Right now, just for today this is who I miss the most...

Grandma, Aunt M and my mom

My grandma and me (1 yr old)

Top (my dad -age 2, my grandpa-age 30)

Bottom (my mom and dad- ages 22 and 24, my grandma, my dad and grandpa- ages 25, 4 and 28)

Dad (long hair), grandpa and uncle

My mom and dad Sept. 1977

Did you know?

That Christmas is 25 days away? When I was little my mom would get me an advent calendar to count down the days and every night after dinner I would get to open one of the squares and eat the candy inside as I learned how to count down the days to my favorite Holiday. I am thinking of starting that tradition with my boy, not this year, but next.

Today is Cyber Monday and I don't know about you, but I for one am all about shopping online and not standing in line.

I went to 2 stores on Black Friday, PetSmart for dog food (I know..LOOKOUT, big spender on the loose!) and then right next door is Costco which had given out some awesome coupons to all of their members, so I took advantage of one of the sale items (and I wish I could share what it is that I bought, but it is a Christmas present for Mark), anywho, the line for Costco was absolutely ridiculous and wrapped almost all the way around Petsmart.

Did I stand it? NO way! I went and wandered around Petsmart and listened to the super annoying sales clerk at the front door (passing out coupons) tell EVERY person that walked in how the people in the Costco line were going to be killed because some of them were standing in the street and how it's so dangerous to be standing there because people drive to fast in the parking lot (unless you are a blind person driving, no way would you miss the HUGE crowd of people).

After purchasing my 40lb bag of dog food, I went out to my truck, drank my Starbucks Peppermint Mocha and waited for the line to go away. I was in and out of Costco in 8 minutes! I did witness the craziness of people frenzied by the coupons, people pushing, shoving and glaring at one another over a freakin TV or Ipod (the deals were good, but not THAT good).

So, this brings me back to today, I have already purchased my own Birthday present (thank you Mark) from Bath and Bodyworks, free shipping and 20% total purchase price. I am now going to shop at Kohl's and Target, my fingers are getting the work out today!

Happy shopping today online!

I'm angry

I have to get this off of my chest before I run screaming to the State Legislature's office!

My hubs has been unemployed since September 9, almost 3 months now, of that 3 months he has received 6 weeks worth of unemployment benefits, for the first month he got nothing because of his severance pay.

The state decided that his severance money was enough to help us and then the measley 200 a week would help, in the mean time we've lost our credit, our house, our truck, our sanity!

I am so grateful for Indiana right now I could kiss the ground there!

As for the state of Arizona, they can suck it! They decided that this week my hubs isn't allowed to file a claim for benefits, no reason given, he still has plenty of money in benefits to last all the way until September 2010, I have been reduced to part time hours so what the F are we supposed to do now?

He doesn't start working until January and oh did anyone realize it's freaking Christmas time!

The State of AZ just did a giant budget cut for DES (Department of Economic Security..an EFFFING JOKE), the brilliant minds of this government cut the childcare help for families and other departments funding to pull AZ out of a hole, yet we were just given bailout money..soo..ummmm where did that money go?? This is beyond ridiculous.

I wonder how the big wigs in the government can sleep at night??

Thankful for YOU!

image borrowed from: http://thelegacybuilder.files.wordpress.com/2009/09/being_thankful_card.jpg
This Thanksgiving is quite different this year...I feel so incredibly THANKFUL for everyone that is in my life, including all of you bloggy friends who have shown me that even when I'm lonely, I'm not really alone. I am most thankful for the Man upstairs, because He keeps me going even when my faith falters and I want the world to swallow me, He pulls me up and brushes me off and reminds me that I have strength and people to lean on, He always finds a way to show me that, even when I'm stubborn :).



Ok, so what else am I thankful for this year?



I'm thankful for my family, that kind of goes without saying though....



I'm thankful for music...music has a power all it's own...



I'm thankful for food :-) (sometimes I'm too thankful for food...just ask my waistline!)



I'm thankful for Facebbok this year because it has kept me in contact with my family! You would think we could pick up a phone..lol..instead we Facebook each other! I love it!



I'm thankful for my awesome Algebra teacher, she is one of those teachers that will stand out in my mind for the rest of my life. She's one of the teachers that has inspired me to want to teach again!



I am thankful for the ability to laugh at all situations, even when it may seem inappropriate, I try really hard to find the funny in everything. It makes life much easier to go through.



So, inquiring minds (ok, just mine, but that should count for something right?) want to know what YOU are thankful for???

Pictures

So with the whole moving thing also comes the unearthing of things long forgotten..like pictures..

I tend to be a bit of a scatterer, not really super messy, just everything has it's own place and it's own place is never the same, so sometimes I'll have stuff hidden away that should be with another pile of stuff that is hidden away, have I confused anyone yet?

Anyhoo, I found 2 photo albums yesterday, both of which contained the very first pictures of Mark and I from our courtship period, you know when you look all lovey dovey and happy, and of course you both look GREAT because you're trying to look your best to keep the other one interested...you know what I'm talking about right?.. So, in said pictures, I looked at how different I look just 5 years ago and how he looks exactly the same just a shorter goatee.

I did not cry when I looked at the pictures, I laughed...I laughed because when I look at that girl in those pictures I realize that I am not her, I am so different from who she is, not just physically, but psychologically as well. I am not going to toot my own horn, but I have come a really long way in just 5 short/long years and I like who I am turning out to be and I like who Mark has turned out to be (most of the time...hehe).

With a new journey ahead of us I can't wait to see what new pictures we'll capture.....

Oh and for your viewing pleasure..here are some pics of our new house we'll be renting, not buying...no buying for a while..I'd rather have someone else come and take care of stuff..lol...

Indiana here we come..

So, far this looks like this will be my favorite spot in the house..I love window seats!

Friend Makin Monday

So I have decided to participate in a new blog fun thing called Friend Makin Monday hosted by AEFilkins :)...





1. Turkey or Ham? Both



2. Favorite side dish? Mashed Potatoes



3. Favorite dessert? Pumpkin crisp



4. Black Friday: Are you going or not? Online shopping for sure and maybe Old Navy at 3 am, gotta get me and my boys some more snow clothes :)



5. If so, what's on the top of your list? Snow clothes, hats, scarves, gloves :)



6. Going out of town or staying close to home? Staying home



7. Hosting or helping? Hosting



8. Name one family tradition at Thanksgiving. Sadly the traditions have passed on with my grandma's passing 2 years ago...I am trying to create new ones with my family, but since we seem to move a lot it's tough..



9. What do you do after dinner? Sleep..lol..



10. What are you most thankful for this year? My husband's new job, a new home to live in, healthy friends and family and the strength that God has given me to endure...

Your turn...go and check out Friend Makin Monday and make some new friends!!