Things I have learend this year

This year has been a doozie.  Filled with ups and downs. Here are somethings I learned this year.

1. Being optimistic 90% of the time takes work. Human nature leads people to be negative. There are also times that require a sober look that is not always a positive thing.

2. Being the positive person can get people annoyed with you. Especially if they are really in a funk.

3. Nurses respond better to sweetness than they do an overly tired grouch.

4. Some nurses really do make huge mistakes and you really do have to call them out on it.

5. A small out of the way restaurant is not always a jewel.

5. Homemade pizza is the best

6. Same with Spaghetti Sauce

7. Water is and forever will be gross but I can tolerate it enough to drink it

8. You are not a loon if you prepare for hardships.

9. There are a lot of preppers out there

10.  Blue Cheese tastes as bad as it smells

11. My toddlers always have very cute high pitch squeaky voices.

12. Forgiveness is not for the other person but for you.

13. The law does not always help the victim.

14. GOD  has seen me through some crap and always will

15 I have way to many clothes and so do my kids

16 Said clothes do not necessarily fit

17 I hate doing laundry in the winter ( my machines are in my detached garage)

18 Pet mice smell like old Chinese food that has been left out for awhile

19  Wood floors are a two sided coin

20  Thinking of my life with out my husband is heart wrenching

21 RA sucks really really SUCKS

22 You can call more than one church home

23 You don't have to totally agree on the details for someone to be a really close friend

24 I apparently consider a lot of people my friend to the point my sisters find it cool

25 My sisters are way more unique people than I could ever imagine.

26 Going wild with your hair is fun

27 Doing your hair can be a bonding experince

28 I love gaming

29 The widower effect is a real thing

30 HP Lovecraft was a genius for his time

31 Your mind is your intellect and therefore you should build up your mind ( Love thy GOD with all your mind)

32 Society is dumb and thus commercials reflect it -I am not going to have a "gooder" day but I will have a better day.

33. A $5 Cheeseburger is not much better than $2 one and never as good as a homemade one

34. Date nights are critical for reconnecting with your spouse

35. You have to have your own thing. It adds spice to your relationship and gives you both something to talk about

36 I get really grouchy if I am tired

37 You have to go after fulfillment in life it does not just happen

38. Trying new foods is fun until you find something gagariffic

39. Those who don't know will make judgements until they hit the same spot you are in

40 I have been blessed with really good kids

41 Just because you live in a nice area does not mean you are not surrounded by crazies or drug addicts

42 You can only help a person so far

43 Netflix and On Demand are awesome

44  Not all craft shows are created equal

45 Some show organizers are awesome and some should not be putting together shows.

46 Record Lows and Highs wreck havoc on your utilities and plans

47 It is 99% percent you and 1% them or your surroundings

48 It takes a lot to make me cry

49 It is hard to see what is coming with your head hanging down

50 Good or Bad Life is a journey. You have to make the choice.

 

A Christmas Adventure

So I know I said I would post about things I learned this year but something worthy of writing happened. It actually started Christmas eve when my family I was supposed to go see on Christmas day called and we decided to meet this weekend so no one had to get out in the winter storm that was supposed to hit.  Which meant for the first time since my nuclear family was formed we did not have to go anywhere on Christmas day. We went along with our usual Christmas Eve traditions including baking my Blueberry Coffee Cake and letting the kids open one small gift. Everything was cozy and normal. We went to bed a little late "Santa" duties. As the norm we turned the heat down a bit. Over night it got cold, really cold. When Christmas morning came around I got up to turn up the heat with the idea I had simply turned it down to low for the weather. I turned it up....nothing Turned it up to 83......nothing Turned it off and then back on........nothing. I scurried back to bed and crawled back under the covers with the news that the heater was not working.  We laid there for a minute going over options and letting me warm back up. My hubby then called our landlord who had him turn on the A/C and then it off and then the heater on to test the thermostat and then to take the filters out and try the heater again....... no heat. The landlord said the earliest he could get it fixed was the next morning. So we called my in-laws and planned on going over to their little place and celebrate over there for the morning, it's a tradition to celebrate with them on Christmas morning and they live right behind us.  Afterwards we came home and my husband set about  heating the house. He lit the gas heater in the bathroom, turned on the stove,sealed every possible leak he could and then went to the closest 7/11 for some of their over priced firewood. He came home and built a big fire and then we created a barrier between the living room and the rest of the house by hanging blankets over the doorway.  This successfully warmed up our little living room to a comfortable level. This also led to a very slow and cozy Christmas. A little bit of an adventure too. We watched movies, played and snuggled together. I am so appreciative of my husband for all that he did to take care of us and to keep us warm. Including getting out on the icy roads not once but twice to make sure we had enough wood to keep us warm. That night we brought all of the kids mattresses into our living room and we all bunked down in our little cave for a nights rest. My husband got up to put wood on the fire ( which is a big deal with his RA) and the fire didn't go out till early morning. We left our last bundle till when we got up. It did get a little cool after the blaze went out but it was so beautiful and warm right up to the last. The kids loved watching the fire as they laid down to rest. When we woke up my husband restarted the fire to help rewarm us. The heat and air guy came very shortly after we woke up. He had to go get a new part for the unit so even if he had come Christmas day he would have been unable to fix it anyways. Needless to say though our heater is now fixed but this all has really emphasized what Christmas is really about.It's not about presents or big holiday dinners but about the most precious blessings in our lives our family and friends. Time with these people is after all the most important and expensive thing you could ever give.  Well I hope you enjoyed this little story and that your Christmas was a special as ours was. Thank you for reading.

A week in review

This week was so great. Like I noted in my previous post we we the week with no TV. After the first day the kids handled it really well. We all learned  very valuable lessons.  We have decided to make it a new rule of no TV till late evening if at all .  We actually hardly missed it after the first few days.   I got so many things done this week on top of my normal. It was great. My husband read 3 books. I would absolutely suggest unplugging for week to others.  Today my older two kids preformed in a skit at their church. They did really well.  They both practiced their lines till they had them down. They learned there are no small parts in a play. Every part helps to tell the story. It was a lot of fun to see it all come together. We went to my mom's house today.It was a good time. There is talk of snow on Christmas day. I am so torn about this. It would be so nice for the kids to have such a beautiful treat but we are also supposed to go across town that day. I don't really want to travel in bad conditions. So I am torn. This year we did some home made gifts. I can't post them all on here yet because some of my readers are my gift recipients. I am very excited about how one item turned out that I made. It has lead to an idea for a new line of items. I have been working on setting up my business plan and goals for the next 6 months and then year.  I have some ideas for some new lines. I am also going to be doing some revamping of my look.I am very excited about it all.  I wish I could tell you more but sometimes things are better left unsaid and just revealed. I am so very grateful for the lessons I learned this year. I think my next blog will be on that and other things I did this year. Thank you for reading

Unplug it week

Hubby and I have been hearing a lot through the churches we have been visiting about allowing things to get in the way of how you are intended to live, like spending useless hours watching tv and surfing the internet. Also we have felt that these things have lead to stagnant empty thinking and lives. So after many discussions  we are unplugging, well for a week at least. We are doing NO TV and limited internet.
  I know you are thinking. Why not just no internet use? Well there are a few reason why. 1. My work is online and I have customers who will expect to get what they paid for this week. 2. We do a lot of research online, i.e. We homeschool and the internet is a valuable tool for gathering info.  3. Our kids use it to connect with their friends during the week.
  So we are going with limited internet use. 30 min. for which ever kid has internet use that day. Only for work for me and as needed for research.Yes there will be World of Warcraft withdrawals for me.

 Now the no TV will be hard at some points too.  Our kids whined a little when it was dropped on them this morning what the new deal is for this week. They have shows they like to watch and follow as much as we do. My husband and I feel though that this time will only stand to increase us. We feel it will bring us closer together as a family. We feel it will teach us to entertain ourselves instead of allowing others to tell us what is entertaining.  We feel it will open up previously unseen opportunities to learn something new.
         I am not saying this will be a breeze, as a matter of fact as I write this I am wondering if a new episode of my new anime series is on now. I will say though that with out the distractions of the TV or internet my productivity increased 10 fold today.  Also my home was kind of peaceful with out the "background" noise form the TV I had become so accustomed to thinking I needed, I will say the ringing in my ears was a little annoying though. Well thank you for reading.

Beauty is in the eye of the mom

I love to sketch and doodle. I have since I was younger. I thought I would show off a little doodle I did with Pixlr - Don't laugh that's not nice :) . I don't have any of my normal drawing tools on my new laptop and thus resorted to using Pixlr. I actually thought the little pencil tool had some neat tips to play with. This just a simple scene scape but a lot of times I find my self doing faces and figures. Yes I a lot of time they tend to lean towards the anime/manga or fantasy. I only do it for fun because I am not all that wonderful as you can tell.  All of my kids have picked up the love of drawing and/or painting. I love to see their creations. I of course display them from time to time. Till a new one comes a long or the picture gets mangled from being pulled down to  be looked at by the artist.  Each one has their own styles and I try to encourage their own styles and talents by showing them the types of styles similar to their and artists similar to them selves. I also show them the renowned pieces of classic art, to which I am fond of.  I will not say my kids are prodigies but I do love their work and hope that it remains an outlet for them during their lives. 

Whatcha doing?

This year my husband and I have been blessed by a very sweet angel in our lives. They are giving my family one of the biggest gifts that has ever been offered. Something so huge I would have never dared dreamed. I was asked to not share what the gift has been but I am more thankful than they will ever know. It really does mean a Merry Christmas to my family. I do feel a lot of stress from some changes coming but I know things will be alright. There are a lot of balls in the air right now. A lot of decisions to be made, a lot of people pulling , some growth that needs to happen and things that need to be said or not said. There are people I would love to talk to but I just don't know if that door will open. I am looking forward to seeing my kids in their play they have been working on. The 27th will be bitter sweet with some very dear friends moving away on that day. I of course am still playing World of Warcraft. Love that game and most of the people I meet on there. I have been trying to grow my intellect- 2 of our wonderful Pastors have been reading and discussing  with us a wonderful book on the topic( to which we went and bought so we could study it at home)- so I bought a book by a new author ( a classic author of course) and am reading that instead of watching TV( well most of the time).  I do love the author so far H.P.Lovecraft. Very intense space Sci-Fi type stories which is amazing considering he died in1937. Trying to learn new words- to increase my vocab. Some have come from my new book and yet others from other sources. Trying to learn new topics- to broaden my view. Mostly computer, social media and web junk but a little science stuff too. Speaking of computers - I recently went over to my dad's new home to celebrate his and 3 of my kids B-days, which was way over due but couldn't be helped. I am so happy for him and my step-mom. The house is gorgeous and big enough to fit our ever growing clan 1grandparent-2parnets-4daughters-2husbands-2boyfriends-5grandkids(like I said big) not to mention 3dogs and 2 cats I think. My grandma was there It was very nice. She used to live in Florida and I really only saw her a little bit as a kid so hopefully I will get to be around her a little more now. It was great though because my kids got to see again and for 2 meet for the first time another 1 of their great grandmas. Actually the last one :(   It was a little odd not being in my childhood home for the celebration. Now both of my sets of parents have moved from my childhood homes. I do look forward to the new memories formed at the new houses.  Oh for those who know me personally and my vast capable of desert dwelling just to avoid it dislike of water.....I have been drinking my water. Sorry I have not posted much lately I have been overwhelmed lately and also haven't really had much to post about.  I have decided to make a few changes on my businesses which will mean slowing down in some areas and picking up in others. I think though the new direction is a good idea and should be in full force in no time. Well thank you for reading my blog. Hopefully will be back soon.  * Little Special side note HI DAD!!!! smiles and waves. I love you. Let's get together soon.

Christmas Traditions

When I was first married my mom gave me a book to read that was a self help happy marriage book. In that book it suggested to fill your home with pictures of you and your spouse, your family etc. Things that depict the good times and the love you have shared over the years. As my family grew the importance of family traditions to help create some of those moments became obvious. So I made a concentrated effort to build family traditions. Family traditions don't have to be huge expensive productions, just something your family does that holds some meaning every year. For us we have a few for the other Holidays. We have always watched fireworks together as a family for the 4th of July, we go to church on Easter and then my mom and/or dad's for an Easter egg hunt for the kids and dinner on Easter, we carve pumpkins and I bake the seeds for Halloween, but Christmas though has the most traditions. Every since Lizard and Bear were small we have decorated and baked cookies together. We all look forward to the fun and the yummy treats. Another tradition is going to go look at Christmas lights as often as possible. Now this has gotten a little more costly thanks to gas prices but still a fave. We load up, turn on Christmas music, sometimes bring along some cocoa and go. We look in some of the neighborhoods known for putting up lights and go to the actual displays as well. Coyote remembered this tradition from last year and when she saw the lights going up around a business center near us before Thanksgiving she squealed with excitement with the anticipation of going to look at lights.   We of course had to explain that it wasn't time yet, that they were just working on it. We have gone on a few spins now and she is just in love with them. She says it looks like candy. Another tradition is that every year we pick a day, usually Christmas eve, and spend all day watching our fave Christmas movies. On Christmas Eve night my husband tells the story of Christs birth and we have cake and sing happy birthday to Jesus. Then that night the kids are allowed to open 1 gift. We of course have Santa for the little ones but he only gives small things in their stockings. No bikes from Santa here. Christmas morning my husbands parents come over and we have homemade Blueberry coffee cake ( I rarely make it outside of Christmas morning making it an extra special treat) and open presents. Then off to the races of going to my mom's house and then my dad's. These traditions are small but are something brings us together. They remind us of the joy of being a family that is sometimes is over looked in the day to day of life.This year I am wanting to add creating awesome DIY gifts for my kids to give to their cousins.  Of course I am using Pinterest to inspire this new tradition. Well that is all for now thank you for reading.

A Full Thanksgiving

I had an amazing Thanksgiving Day.  My hubby, kids and I all went to my Sister SM,s house. She lives in a lovely Victorian home in a gorgeous small town which just added tot he the feel of the day. I brought green bean casserole. Which I freaked about having enough with 32 people attending. Yes I come from a large family and it gets bigger on the holidays when we get with the extended family. It turned out well I brought just enough I think. We played an odd game of charades with things like a "road"  and "riding a bike" as things to act out. We all had a very good laugh over it. I am always amazed at how big my niece and nephews have gotten,especially the ones I don't get to see often. Like my my nephew who is a  little than my oldest. He was very tall and dressed like the Marlboro man. To which my family graciously pointed out to him a few times. We are a family of hard times and the more we like you the worse it will get for but it can be bad if we don't like you too. You just never know with us I guess. We took family photos and that was fun. I did miss going to my dad's this year. That seems to have been a misunderstanding that was fixed and won't happen again, I hope. My husband and I have so much to be Thankful for and the day just pointed out so much of it. The day ended with me unexpectedly going with some of my sisters Black Friday shopping. My first time ever and it was a lot of fun. I achieved my mission of securing a little chair for my niece for my sister while at walmart. Scared my sister L who thought I was a nut taking a toy straight out of her arm, I was actually grabbing so she could grab a bigger item and she didn't hear me tell it was me. Then we went to our outlet mall. I was awesome. We froze outside for about 30min. but the convo was well worth it. The outlet mall was lit up so pretty and it had fake snow it all most transported you to another place. Then we grabbed Mickey D's  and laughed & talked  as everyone was dropped off for the night. Then I rested with my very sweet hubby for a little while before we went to bed. A very full day but a lot of fun. I will share the pictures later. Thanks for reading. 

A Weekend in Review

This past weekend was full of fun and excitement. We have a very dear friend who came over and stayed the weekend with us. His son and my son are good friends , so he came over as well.  It was a good B-day sleep over for bear and my kids cousins Jax and Ruth came over as well for bunny and coyote. Friday was a crazy and full night. There was chatter and giggles until 4 am. Bear and Coyote had a Birthday party this Saturday as well.  We held the party after Bear and Lizard got back from a community out reach they had to got to because their drama group was preforming in it. So it was a later party but it was fun.  My sister S and her hubby, my mom and stepdad, my hubbies parents, our friends EB and Jeffery, the kids friends and some of their cousins all came.  My house is tiny so it was a very full event but lots of smiles and laughter. Bunny got any early present from my mom and stepdad so she was excited too. We had church on Sunday. I was so tired from the previous two days and the hubby was in a lot of pain on top of being tired, but some how we not only got to church but we actually didn't have to rush things like we sometimes we have to. The whole day it was so moving and wonderful. My hubby and I both have been striving for the end goal and for growth in ourselves. Sunday night we just crashed. We watched some of our fave shows and just relaxed. It was nice calm way to end a fun whirl wind of a weekend. This week is bunnies b-day and this weekend is going to be a whirl wind too. I have been making some moves in a side business. I have and I will be teaching a class on using things like twitter and Facebook to help grow your small business. I came up with the class after not only doing for my and other people's business but also after leading a few class type things before on the topic. It really does take a lot of work to come up with the right info ( because Facebook is constantly changing), coming up with the instructions they can take home to help them remember ,etc.  I also have some other new business moves coming up. I am really hopeful that will work out well. Everything so far seems to falling in line. Well  thank you for reading.

Fall fun

 A little late but here are some pics from our fun during Halloween and our fall outing. Unfortunately the pic of their costumes didn't turn out, but we did have some fun.

Carving pumpkins is a tradition.

I like this pic. that my hubby took a picture of me

they were just to cute together Big O and Coyote. They loved riding together

brother bear

Walking back with our friends after a fun little walk

sunny bunny

love this pic of coyote

lizard  around the firepit. We had a really good time around the firepit cooking smores and visiting.

treasure hunting.

most of the group.

 As you see we had a really good time. Well thanks for looking and reading.

Getting ready for Halloween

It's Halloween and my family has some crazy traditions for Halloween.  What ever kids want to go trick or treating would stay home with me and the ones who didn't went camping with their daddy.  Usually ended up being the older kids have gone w/their dad and the others would come with me. Every Year we also get pumpkins to carve and then I bake the seeds. My kids and husband love them. This year I tried some new recipes thanks to Pinterest.

Source: candcmarriagefactory.com via jonibirse on Pinterest

Source: ourbestbites.com via Janae on Pinterest

They were a hit. Thank you Pinterest. I of course burned the first batch but they still ate the ones out of it that were not dark brown. This year we are adding the fun of combining the two choices and going out of town to see some friends who own some acreage.  I am not a big fan of sleeping at other people's home ( I'm shy and it stresses me out) but this should be a lot of fun. The plan is to fish during the day and then get ready to trick or treat in their town ( supposed to be a big deal where they live) then we are going to come back and visit around a bon fire. They have kids around our kids ages so the kids will have a lot of fun too. Well I have already been putting together a Halloween post with pictures and I will post it after we get back with more pictures from our fun out there. It does add a little stress with having to pack clothes and costumes, making sure we have the gas etc etc.  Also the stress that I have work done and taken care of before I leave. Well Thanks for reading. Hope you have a safe and fun Halloween.

Mist of Pandaria Review

I got the new World of Warcraft expansion Mists of Pandaria for my birthday as well as a time card so I am paid up to Feb. Which of course is rockin in my humble opinion. With this expansion Blizzard introduced what is their version of Kung Fu Pandas. They are pretty cool. I of course had to make myself a panda to check it out. Pandaria is really pretty and set on the back of a turtle. You can chose to be a monk along with other character options with the new Panda race. You can set your fur color, hair and more just like before giving you a small ability to personalize your character. The Pandas are World of Warcrafts first neutral character. As you progress through your quest in Pandaria you are given quest by both Horde and Alliance. I have not made it off of Pandaria yet as I have been distracted with craft fair things this past month and with just regular playing with my 80+ hunter night elf. She is my fave toon. I learned with her that Blizzard revamped the abilities, mounts and more. Which in some areas is great and others just kind of sucked.Also with the new expansion you can now battle your vanity pets think Pokemon on crack. I have just begun delve into that part of it, but it seems like fun. I got a new collector's mount and pet which are both pretty cool and I received a book on some of the artwork. I like looking at the artwork it really shows how much thought, effort and work goes into the new expansions. We as WOW addicts complain about the glitches, bugs, lag and more but really the fact the there is even an MMORPG like World of Warcraft is fairly awesome. You can play with people all across the country and beyond and everyone is seeing the same thing at the same time. For instance when you are in a dungeon slaying a dragon you the Shaman ( let's say you live in California) can be healing a Paladin (in New York) all while a hunter ( in Texas) and Druid ( in Montana) and now also a monk (in Florida) are assisting in damage. You will also share in what is often times fun banter with you guild friends who can be from anywhere as well. I personally have some guildies in Arizona, Illinois, Texas,Oklahoma and California. Yes we geeks are everywhere. Some soon we will be taking over the world. Guilds are a great source for information and help as well. Especially if you're a 25 and stuck on a road where a 55 wants to keep killing you. A quick call to your guild and more than likely help is on the way. If have not played you can try it for free. Yes Blizzard is just like any drug dealer they give a free sampling to get you hooked,Haha. Just kidding, but seriously you can go here to try it for free and if you do and get on Darrowmere realm let me know on my twitter and I will be help you if you get stuck or need help leveling. After your free trial it does cost to play but really all in all it's not that much after the initial bump. Think of this if you are online playing you're not out spending money in other areas like on gas. So I hope you enjoyed this mini review and make the jump to the expansion if you already play and if you are new to it all well then I that you might come and join in on the fun.

Here are some fun things WoW related

Temptation's game

Been on a journey of self growth lately. You know what I have learned? Temptation is a B*TCH. Yep I said it. She wraps herself up like it's no big deal just one little time, you need to just to know for sure and then bang your smacked by the consequence of playing her game while she runs  off and laughs at you.  I see others play with her and her pals envy,greed and gossip and wonder do they ever get hit by the consequences like I do. Which is another on of the games temptation plays look they did it and nothing happened to them.  Sure they do. They pay for it just like anyone else but maybe not like I do or you would.  Payment for playing the game is as individual as the bill you get from your credit card company.  Just like that it always sucks when it's time to settle up. Digging your way back up out the mess you have buried yourself in is as much work and fun a trying to climb out from underneath a mountain of Bull Poo. It stinks, you can't wait to get out and away from it,  you get frustrated and sweaty and you wonder why in the heck you even got underneath the crap in the first place. So yep temptation sucks and so does playing her game because you usually end up playing with her big brother sin  and he's a jerk too. He likes to take you a lot further than temptation said it would go, keep you there a lot longer than you want to stay and make the payment a whole lot nastier than ever thought it would be. Funny things is the bible pretty much wrote that out in black in white. So back to the book for more lessons and more prayers for forgiveness, strength, his patience, distraction etc. Yeah I pray for distraction. My mind wonders a hundred miles an hour all the time. I will be doing one thing and thinking about 4 or 5 other things and yet hold on to a topic like a rabid dog going after it's prey, it can be very frustrating. This can lead into falling into temptation for me if I am not distracted by another thought.  Also I have learned that you have to look at yourself and admit hey I'm not perfect. I mess up. I have played with temptation and fallen into her brothers waiting arms and I am getting burned by it. That takes a lot of looking at your self. One more great little thing temptation  and sin do is keep calling after you as you try to walk away from them. With each step making their offer just a little more appealing until you finally are far enough away that you can barely hear their shouts to you. Of course they will travel up the road and later present you with a new offer so your war with them is not over forever but you can win the battle.  I have also been learning that sometimes you have to switch gears because the road you thought you were going down was not the right direction for you. This is usually hard work and frustrating. I have been looking into some new directions for somethings in my life and some of them look very promising. Hard work but promising. Well thanks for reading. Next time I promise to post something fun and light hearted.

Feeling The Blessings

My week so far has already been so very blessed.
Let's start with Yesterday
 FIRST My new computer was acting up and The GEEK squad at Best BUY nearly lost a customer. At first they were acting like they could not see or replicate the clearly pink screen and I should take it home.  I pulled up one screen and what do you know it was there. They then started that it was a color option and we could just turn it off but it wasn't Windows. One Geek literally yelled at my husband and I because we wanted to know how to fix the problem on my computer that he was saying was a selection I had made to make my computer look pink. He could not tell us which one so I could turn it off. Then it was FireFox causing it despite it being on non web pages. So I had them remove FireFox and it did not fix. Finally another GEEK admitted he had no idea what was going on and they were going to keep it yet another couple of days to wipe it and reset it. Which was fine because I had yet to load anything other than  Webroot.  They were also going to clean it because my computer was covered in some kind of white powder after being in their care.  I was completely frustrated with the fact that the GEEK squad was acting like I had no idea what I was talking about and should just take home my Pink screened computer and be happy.  My husband and I left the store disappointed in the attitudes we had to deal with. My husband called the store to talk to the manger and was put in contact with a guy who was very apologetic about the whole situation and fully agreed that we did not need to take home a computer that was still having the issue we brought it in over. He talked to his  GEEK squad and determined that the best route to solve the issue was to exchange the computer out for another one. So we went and picked up a new last night. So happy to have my new computer back and running. I am also so happy to have a husband like mine who helped me get the situation taken care of.

 SECOND We went by a local shop that I have some of my items in and after talking to the Owner. I will be doing some fun new things with her store. Also looks like my sister will be also doing somethings with her shop as well. I just love the shop I am in and the owner.

THIRD We went to pick up my husbands meds for the month. With his RA he is given pain meds, anti-inflammatory meds  and other meds that the doctor deems he needs. When we went to check out my husband didn't owe anything his insurance had covered the full cost. We were shocked and thrilled.

FOURTH  Money we were waiting to pay a bill came in and we were able to pay it a little earlier than expected. That is always nice. That feeling that you have your  bills all paid and caught up is always nice. Especially on a limited budget.


NOW ON TODAY

Today is a very hard day for my husband. He had another infusion today, but that is not what is causing the FLARE up. It is the weather change. Despite what people say every time the weather changes his RA flares up. Today it is his back. Which is one of the joints his RA has attacked strongly. His RA has attacked his large joints more that it has his smaller ones.  When the inflammation and pain become more than usual they call it a Flare up -his condition is amped up more than normal you could say. On days like this it's all I can do to watch him  as he tosses and turns in his seat ( because moving on days like this can be very painful) unable to get comfortable even in his own skin despite taking his pain meds.  Today is a blessing because hopefully soon the new infusion meds will start taking over and Flare Ups will be a rarity and because he now has pain meds to at least help with his Flare ups. Also Our bills are finally paid for the month. That is always a blessing.




Here are some cool products I tried this past week

WEBROOT    great security program

ASUS G75  awesome comp for graphics, gaming and more. Mine has been super fast and quiet so far. The sound is great on it.  Other than the pink issue with the first I have been thrilled so far. Being a gamer and working with graphics and web stuff it fits the bill.



Mystic Chai Tea   This stuff is yummy. You can taste the cinnamon and clove. It tastes almost like tea mixed with cider. I sip on it while I am crafting or gaming.



Speaking of gaming I have been playing . It was a birthday present and I will do a write up on the expansion soon.

What's to come?

Time to get ready for the Holidays. This is a big time of year for my type of business. I am working on filling up my shops and getting into a few shows. I have made the move to shipping overseas. I used to do it with another company I worked for so I have a good handle on how to do it simply and legally. I also have to get ready because we have 3 birthdays next month, Thanksgiving and then Christmas. I am going to Texas for a concert with my mom as well. That should be a lot of fun. Thanksgiving and Christmas takes some planning. There are 3 families to see in a short amount of time. We all try to work around each other which is helpful. This year my sister S is supposed to be having at least one part of the family to her house for Thanksgiving. I am very excited for her. I am not sure what the plan is on my dad's side. My grandma has moved up here and my dad will be moving in early Nov. so I am not sure what the plan will be. I am also need to plan 3 B-day parties and I will then need to work on Christmas. We have a coin jar for Christmas. I am hoping to get to go with my sister on Black Friday shopping. I have never done black Friday Shopping before. It sounds insane but fun. My shops will be set up for Black Friday, small shop Saturday and Cyber Monday Sales this year.My sisters bows will be in my shop as well. Mostly because her family needs the money from her business growing like mine does. I love her bows. She does a really good job on them. They are really unique and fun.  I am hoping my other business doesn't take a hit but sometimes that type of business does during this time of year, but then picks back up after the Holidays.

 I have been working on doing some upgrading of my skills and have been looking at some different classes to help with that. I just can't decide where I want to take these classes and how much I want to invest in them. Time and money wise. We live on tight budget and my family is in a place where it needs me around as well so I have to be sure before I jump.

I will also be teaching some classes at the local shop I am currently in. I think they will be a lot of fun and I  am excited about them as well. It will be on topics I am already showing other people how to do so it will be something I am used to doing only in planned out forum.

A Big Imagination

So to make things more simplified I have come up with blog appropriate names for my kids.
coyote -youngest
bunny - next up
bear- next up and my sun
lizard - my oldest

Now I will be able to relate stories to you with out giving out to much detail or embarrassing my teens. Yes they do stop in and check out dear old moms blog every so often. Mostly to make sure I don't share something that would embarrass them.  Now that I have these names out and listed I want to share something about my youngest Coyote.

Coyote has an awesome imagination. We have been living with her imaginary friend Sally for about a year now. Sally comes and goes but still pretty constant. We don't know where the name Sally has come from. She doesn't and has never watched a show with a character named Sally. We don't know anyone named Sally. Sally lives in a house with monsters, but they are her family and they are nice monsters. Sally lives in a place that is dark,but Sally doesn't like the dark ( so we have a night light for Sally). Sally doesn't live in our world ,but wants to come over into our world.  Sally is older than Coyote but not as old as Bunny. This is not our first imaginary friend  Bunny had one for a little while when she was about  Coyote's age. Not one as detailed but still had one. We actually had to serve food to her friend. It's just fun to see my kiddos imagination at work in such a unique way.





Thought I would share something fun on here today as well.  So how about a little Gangam Style.
Don't forget to dance along and enjoy your day.  Thank you for visiting today!

Some Saturday News and something fun to try

I want to share something great I found. My husband and I live on a very tight budget and with this economy it seems to get tighter every day.  So I try to find ways to save a little money everyday in as many ways as possible. We do coupon on a lot of items but if I can be thrifty and a little more all natural all the better. Well I found a great new homemade laundry detergent recipe. Not only does it get my clothes just as clean as name brand products but actually cleaner in some cases. Plus it smells great. I really do love it. It makes my whole garage smell amazing. Oh and I don't have to use fabric softner. My clothes have been coming out of the dryer so soft. Now when I began looking all I found where recipes for liquid ones  that resembled snot. GROSS! I am a mom of 4 kids and snot is not my bag. Then I found a recipe for a dry version. I tweaked it a little because it called for a bar of Ivory soap but that soap sometimes irritates one of my kids skin so I had to get an alternative for that part. Plus I could make it easily and inexpensively with out out the goo.  I found all of the ingredients at my local walmart in the laundry area.  Here is my recipe that I use

1 bar of Fels Naptha finely shredded ( I use a cheese shredder)
1 Cup of 20 Mule Team Borax
1 Cup of  Arm & Hammer Super Washing Soda
and because I am a mom of 4 kids and it has to be able to fight all the lovely stains they seem to get
1 Cup of Oxi Clean

I just simply pour all of the ingredients into a ziploc bag and shake it to mix it. Now I have to shake it to mix it before each use but not a whole lot. I use only about 1 Tbsp with each load.
I do use it in my HE washing machine with no problem.  I have found it works best in warm water but did do the job in cold.So far my whites have been coming out whiter and brighter than the commercial brand we were using and same with my colors. It also has been  doing an excellent job of getting the stains out.  I have gotten about 40 large loads out each bag and I think some of it went a little fast because my teens now do their own laundry and I think they sometimes use more than the amount they should.

Some other fun things this week happened
I got a new Comp with a mega graphics card and a ton of storage as a B-day present. Plus a new printer that also scans,copies and faxes.
 My hubby who loves beyond words saved up and bought me the new Pandarian Mist World of War Craft expansion with a mount and a new pet. Just made my whole month that he went and got such a thoughtful gift for me and it really is just for me.
My other business is growing again leaps and bounds.
I got to hang out with my dad and that side of the family.
I had another craft show and was invited to join a big one in November. Which I probably will.
Had a really good long time friend come over. That was a really good time,
 Some sad news happened this week too
 We have some very dear friends who are a very sweet couple. We have gotten to know her parents and younger sister as well over the last month.  Sadly her mom died of a sudden heart attack. Her dad was the one who heard her slump over in the bathroom and rushed into try in an resuscitate her but she never came back. She was only in her 50's maybe early 60's. She was so very sweet and kind and an awesome Christian woman.  She not only left behind two older daughters and their spouses ( or soon to be spouse)  and her husband, but she also left behind a 7yr old daughter. My heart goes out to all of them and so do my prayers.

Well all I have left to say is I love you guys and thanks for reading my blog.

What You Can't See

Today was a really good day for me and my husband. Which cool for me and phenomenal for my husband. You see my husband has RA ( Rheumatoid Arthritis)  and so each day can be a struggle for him. The doctors actually think he may have had undiagnosed Arthritis in his teens or possibly younger. My husband being diagnosed with Ra was a relief and a shock. You see the odds were in his favor. You are more likely to have RA if  you are female, have a family member previously diagnosed, older age or smoke. He was young strong nonsmoking male with no family members previously diagnosed with RA. Though they have found some people can develop RA from body stressors like frequent bouts of infections ( like strep), allergies, stress,surgeries,and other Auto immune issues. Which is a possibility as to how he developed RA,because thankfully he does not carry the genetic marker. RA is an Auto Immune disease with no cure which means his immune system is attacking his body and causing damage. Now while most people associate it with arthritis so bad it disfigures your hands and feet, it can and frequently does affect other areas of the body like other joints including the spine, organs ( like the liver and heart), and eyes. It has not hit his hands or feet full force but his spine and hips. One hip is completely bone on bone. So the fact the he walks around and did so obviously for years before his diagnoses is pretty awesome. You then can add in the side effects from the meds to control the pain and the illness. Side effects like dehydration, bowel issues, no real  immune system ( so getting sick is a big deal) , loss of skin in his mouth ( so no more spicy foods which he loved) , lucid dreams ( so nightmares are more like night terrors) and so and so forth. You also have the constant flu like feeling, the stiff joints, the pain, the inflammation, loss of mobility, nausea in the morning, that come with flare ups. Well yesterday my husband's doctors started him on a new drug Orencia because he started having severe reactions to the Remicade. We are both hopeful and excited about this drug. It works by stopping the signal to the Tcells which cause the whole issue and trigger the immune system to start attacking the body and causing inflammation. Now usually after a Remicade infusion he would have been wiped for a few days to a week but with the Orencia infusion ( which again he took for the first time yesterday) he felt good today and had some energy.  His doctor called to check on him today and said  it was a good sign that it is going to work for him.  We have been so blessed with awesome doctors for him. Ones who care that he has a family with young kids and want him to be as active as he can be for as long as possible. Ones who temper pain control with disease control. Ones who will listen to all of my maybe it is this or what about this can this cause a flare up ( they even tested him for Lyme Disease for me just be sure. It wasn't and they were not surprised when it wasn't) They are good doctors who actually care about my husband.  Now since this disease is not one you can see it's damage or it's effects right away or all the time there are people who assume or make comments like he is just putting on a show or even that he is faking, but these people don't live with him. Don't watch him day in and day out struggle. Don't hold endless heartbreaking conversations about the frustration of not being able to do something he wants to do so very badly. They are making the comments out of ignorance or meanness and most of the time when they actually get to see his disease raise it's ugly head and really strike out they are shocked in to understanding or silence. Today though he had energy. He was able to join me at dinner with my dad and that side of the family. He was able to come home and relax with me and hopefully he will be able to actually sleep with out pain all night.  So today was a good day and I am so very thankful for it.

Craft show and more

 OK so I promised to talk about my show and to show you pictures of my booth. My show went great. I was very cold but the crowd was good and the people who put on the event were very kind and helpful. I was thrilled to finally meet in person some of my vendor friends from FB groups I am in and some of my tweeps. One was actually set up right next to me and that was fun. I also got a chance to see and visit with some of my vendor friends I have already met, done shows with and became friends with. There were 4 huge rows of vendors so there was a lot to see. I drank a lot of hot cocoa, which was delivered to my tent. One of my daughters worked the show with me. It was  lot of fun. When she works with me I buy her a little treat and this time she picked out a pair of angel earrings. Her first pair of dangle earrings.  OK the tent display Mishap. We forgot one of the back drops and with the wind I had to have it so one of my table covers was converted into a back drop. I think my display still turned out cute.

my helper

 I also have been working on some new halos and veils. It has been so much fun working on these and my screen printing. Both are reasons to be messy. Sometimes my older kids even get in on the fun.  I really like how the halos and viels are coming out now. I am sharing pictures but please be aware a lot of hours has gone into the design of this product and the design is the sole property of Dreams Come True Shop and copying or simulating it is theft and just plain wrong. This is posted Date 10/9/12

love my little model

one of helpers

they come in long and short style.

So I have been a busy girl. I am so thankful for all of the wonderful things in my life and I am looking forward to the other things that are coming up in my business and life.

Weekend News

This weekend has been so very full.  I learned some of my dearest friends are back in the state with an extra little bundle. I am so very happy for them and can not wait to go see them. Yesterday was my craft show out of my metro area and I loved it. I will be doing more and more of them out of my metro. It was so very very cold though with no wind breaks. So cold that today I was walking and squatting to help my preschooler and I couldn't figure out why  my legs, buttocks and back ached. Then it hit me I spent all day shivering, pacing in my booth or stiff that has to be it. My muscles are used to moving not used to shivering all day. It was still a lot of fun. I will but up a big post about it later this week with pics of my booth which has story of it's own. Also my husband took my eldest daughter to her boyfriends so they could hang out because he lived 15 min just beyond where my show was( yes it is a long distant relationship which works for me). It was a surprise for her. It is their 1 month ann. ( ah teenagers). The kid is a good kid. He asked permission to ask my daughter to be his girlfriend ( YES score one for the parents) and we like his parents too. They share the same thoughts about the kids as we do. My daughter was really surprised and had  good time.

 Today was great we got up to go to church and had a really good time. Remember my post about another church and my hair. The people at this  place had members that have come up gushing over my new style and one guy today asked if her could touch it. He said it was like a Japanese waterfall , that made me smile. I have never had my hair described in such away.  The sermon was on Tithe ( and the pastor went over it was great love when a pastors let's GOD lead and not the clock). It was a good sermon. Sunday school was awesome we have been discussing some deep things like Love covers a multitude of sins and an enemy can be an idol , Forgiveness and Love and how those things relate to our lives.  My eldest Daughter was in a play this morning. We are close friends with the Guy who runs the Drama club and he did a great job with the play and my daughter did a great job with her part. It was really funny. The amazing thing about this morning was we almost didn't make it. You see because my husband has RA it makes getting up to go do anything in the morning difficult and slow going. Some mornings are worse than others and this morning was bad. He was in a lot of pain, nauseous and was really locked up. Then when he pushed himself to get a move on he got sick, physically sick. You see we have to give him time to get going slowly and to basically warm up his body to moving ,kind of like an old car in the winter. This morning we over slept and didn't get a chance to do that and he had to pay for it big time. He pulled  together enough that we were able to go to church. I am glad we did. I love going to worship and love that now we get to worship together.

 

SLAM

I love Slam Poetry. I love the rhythm , the intensity and raw honesty of the poets words as they flow from their lips. I Love Slam Poetry and the emotion of a simple thought expanded upon and made full. Watching the poets feelings bleed from them as they pour out their word on to their audience. Seeing in their movements , gestures and I eyes " Please GOD get me, feel this too" I love Slam Poetry how it can sweep me way to a dark smoke filled jazz  room  or into the closet spying on the poet as they live. I love Slam Poetry because whether you agree with the poem or not you understand the poet just a little bit  more. Here are some that I found.
Pucker
My love is deep and penetrating. Subterranean.
Large, thick, slow, deliberate, vulgar, low, archetypal, animalistic.
Ripe for splitting open, to be savored, enjoyed.
I am a pomegranate.
And you.
You are everything that ever was
And everything that ever shall be.
I could pray to you.
And, so it begins.
You take me in your arms and fold me like a fan.
You lead me about the room.
My body is pliant, supple. Your hands
stretch wide across my belly, self-assured.
Even your fingers are confident.
We are groveling.
Grinding.
Sinking deeper into it.
Slathering each other with it.
And then, I feel it.
It is traveling through my bowels
Like a vengeful eggplant on fire,
Violently pushing and gurgling its way
through my lower intestine.
Mocking my sensuality.
For a moment I am shaken.
How can this be? I was so careful at dinner.
Oh God, the cauliflower.
Why? On this day of all days.
The day I wear the crown of woman.
I travel through time.
Suddenly I am 9 years old, in Sister Mercede’s
4th grade class. And Christi Romalo,
with her ample bosom and hairy upper lip,
Tells me I’m not cool enough to be in the
7-Up club. And all my mother can tell me is,
“ Honey, sometimes life just isn’t fair.”
For a moment I fantasize
Just letting it rip.
Will you liken me to some winsome peasant?
Will you love the honesty of it?
Maybe you’ll think I’m earthy.
Next, I imagine standing up,
Clutching the bedpost and proudly declaring,
“ It is I, Flatula!”
Would that frighten you, my love?
My muscles tighten
And I begin to pray, Sweet Baby Jesus
Let your light shine through me and
Neutralize this demon squash-like gas.
I feel an enormous thrust. Is it over?
You cover me with kisses and tenderly pat my thigh.
I tense up and hope for a miracle.
I whisper, “Sweet dreams, my love.”
Barely able to contain the monster inside me.
You begin to snore.
I press myself against the wall,
Adhering my buttocks firmly to it
And say twenty-seven Hail Marys.
I relax for one tiny moment and it moves,
Explodes.
And I am thrown from the bed.
Dear God help me!
A loose chunk of plaster breaks from the ceiling
And flies through the air.
I try to throw myself in front of it.
I try to cheat fate.
But it is too late.
Too late my love.
The plaster chunk delivers
A cruel but swift death.
I cradle your dented head in my arms and I weep.
I weep for the cruelty of fate,
The loss of true love,
And my lack of muscle control.
I blame myself.
--Ritah Parrish

I Wore a Coin in My Shoe When We Got Married me and my man: we are a good kinda dirty room— the kind where nothing’s in its place but you know just where to find it we are hit and run, hurricane done been through here when no one was lookin’ maybe we been robbed! kinda messy but, hell – you could eat offa the floor if you could find it. we’s jars of pennies on the bedside we’s saved by pocket change in sofa cushions, and a whole lotta makin’ do -- a whole lotta makin’ do – makin’ breakfast outta cigarettes makin’ dinner outta dancin’ and diet coke leave the chicken in the freezer for a party-- PARTY! defrost the bird, make a party outta potluck, so everyone eats well. on our first anniversary we will eat wedding cake we’re stickin’ dollars in please-forget-me places and mama askin’ on the phone --when you gonna do something with that degree? reply: --we’re workin’!— makin’ wings outta words and earthworms makin’ wind outta newspaper and colored glass & we make us get by don’t ask me what we gonna do when winter comes see -- snow is for sledding and green is for gardens grow hope grow strong grow black-eyed susans & carrots & rosemary grow fat yellow melons, and joy just seems to follow! dance hip to hip in the flour for baking and the rent just seems to happen! we’s a beautiful round and sloppy kinda getting’ by this ain’t no skinny love – it’s substantial and fat (how fat is it? this love’s so fat that it’s qualified to sing the solo in church on sunday!) books and love letters shift beneath our feet like autumn falls from trees leaves us nekkid and nekkid’s easy – you know just what to do with it, like a song you wrote yourself! (we make so much nookie, we gotta save it in jars in the attic!) mama PLEASE stop askin’ when we gonna make somethin’ outta ourselves. See, we already makin’ a whole lotta somethin’ outta practically nothin’! --Sou MacMillan

New Hair New Attitude

I have an awesome sister who does my hair. When we get together it is like the great experiment of what fantastical thing we can come up with next. We had done Blonde with Red. I loved it very much but the red kept fading out and people kept saying " Oh I live the pink'....Now I have pink. My sister did it in an Ombre style. Which means it fades from the white to a darker pink on the bottom.  It is funny when I wash my hair. I have to wash it in cold so I get  it done before I actually get in the water. Which usually means leaning over the tub to wash my hair. Now for some reason my youngest has decided that this means mommie wants her to come sit on her back. Yes my youngest still manages to get in the bathroom when I am trying to shower because if you turn the handle on my bathroom just right there is no point to the lock and she knows this. I love this new style and so does my husband. I am so blessed to have him.  To have a husband that gets you and loves you all the same is a very comforting thing. My husband does this for me all the time. He even supports my craziness in some cases.  The interesting thing about having hair like mine is that you really get to see who people really are. My husband and I have visited a church a few times since I have colored my hair this color and these "Christian" people will smile from a distance but refuses to come up and talk to me or my husband " who also has longer hair". We have both caught the disapproving looks they try to hide and have even heard some of their remarks. None of this really does not bother me.It is Not the first time I have had some odd looks or rude remarks said (I have even have had some said straight to my face) but it does make me wonder. These people are claiming to want to grow in their community. They are claiming to have the love of Christ in them.  Here a few verses that come to mind for me when I meet  a woman ( or man) who may not look as I would have them to.

Psalm 139:14

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.

1 Samuel 16:7

But the LORD said to Samuel, "Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The LORD does not look at the things man looks at. Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart."

Proverbs 31:3

Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised.

1 Peter 3:3-4

Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes. Instead, it should be that of your inner self, the unfading beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is of great worth in God's sight.

 and Finally   

1 Timothy 4:8

Physical exercise has some value, but spiritual exercise is much more important, for it promises a reward in both this life and the next.

Another thing to remember what is good and normal in your area, town, state, or country may not be so in other places.  Heck even people from different generations will have different ideas on what is appropriate. So who should be the judge on whether a person is worthy of joining the body? Who should be the judge on who you show kindness too? I have always believed that churches are not a place for the well and the saved but are a place for the sick,needy and unsaved. If you are to wrapped up in appearance to see what GOD might see maybe you need to turn the mirror around on yourself  and take a good look at yourself. I am not saying I am perfect because sure I stumble and start to form an idea of a person base on their appearance but I try to quickly dissolve that idea and find one thing I like about that person and to tell them. You would not believe the joy you can spread by simply telling a stranger something nice. Well I will get off my soap box now. I will share some pictures of my new look. I love the rosettes my sister put in my hair. Also please be kind I hate posing for pictures. I never know what to do with myself.

Back in the saddle again

So I have been gone awhile. I have been so busy and life has taken some interesting turns for me. Let's see I have learned to let go of issues that were hurting me and to recognize that sometimes things are unfixable. I had to learn that sometimes you have to just stop, to know you have done what you can and just stop. I have been set on a journey of finding my joy. I have been focusing on being content in my life and the blessings that continuously fill it instead of those calling outside my gate trying to lead me astray and hurt me. My two side businesses have begun to flourish. My husband and I have met some awesome new friends and reconnected with old ones. My older kids summer was filled with camps and now their schedule has gone from slow to very full with church, drama and dance all added to their homeschooling schedule. I am allowing myself to just be me, quirky and all. I have started going some new routes with my crafting business. I have started screen printing which I love. I love the creativity and messiness of it.  There is something satisfying in being covered in paint and seeing my idea come to life on an item.  I have my new logo which I love.  I have been to learning to better balance running my business and my family. In all of this life has not been easy. My husband was hospitalized for 9 days . I was very scared in the start of his stay. I put on a brave face but I was not sure if he was going to pull through it. It didn't help they had no idea what was wrong only that he was very sick, in an extreme amount of pain and his blood pressure was low ( like internal bleeding low).  I have been through this before. The fear , the single mindedness of your thoughts as you sit by the person you love and watch them writhe in pain while you can do nothing, the tear of pain you feel as you know you must leave to take care of your kids and set some normalcy and comfort up for them and the frenzied need to be there just in case and I have been blessed with the ability to do what I have to, to able to get things done and put on the it's ok face for everyone around me. Happily he got better, despite the doctors never figuring out what was wrong for sure.  Since then it has been miraculous watching him as he has improved. Now he still has RA and aside from a miracle always will. He still wakes up nauseous every morning, still has stiffness, joint pain, high enzymes etc. but now he can get up and take a small walk with me with out paying for it for 3 days. His muscle tone has been coming back and so has his strength.  My husband and I have not had the best financial experiences this summer but GOD always helped us pull through. Thanks to the drought my daughter with asthma had a hard summer trying to keep her allergies under control so we could keep her asthma under control. Our van had issues, including being dingged up by a massive hail storm ( it was both scary and exciting to watch). The list could go on but I don't want to because really that is not where my mind is. It's on my husband made it and is doing marginally better, my kids have full busy schedules, despite having a hard time with allergies my daughter never had a major attack this summer, we have made it financially every month, Our van still runs and therefore can take us from place to place. I am a very blessed woman and that is where I want to keep my mind. I want to be a spark of light in the dark. To be the smiling stranger that just seems to make your day a little brighter. To be kind person that stopped to help. To be the friend that makes you  feel comfortable and at home. To be  the person that in known to be counted on.  To be the best mom I can be. To be the best wife I can. That is where I want to keep my mind.

Faking it

 I heard a  Pastor this weekend say not to fake it, but I see and know so many that do in so many ways.  Fake a smile when they are really in need of some sort.  Fake  goodness  to impress others or to not let others down. Fake faith to blend in, fit in, or to try and grab the peace others around them have. I am guilty of faking it. Sometimes I fake that I am fine when I am not, but then again I am not really into sharing me. Oh I will happily listen to and help others around me but I rarely share the other way.  The sermon and some of the books I have been reading have made me think. Why fake it?  If you fake happiness you only hurt yourself further. If fake goodness you block out the chance to actually be a genuinely good version of your self.  If you fake your faith you will not grow and truly find what you want. Plus you always get found out one way or another. Also going with the fact that this was a christian sermon you have to know GOD always know. When you get down to it we all are fakers. Some just in worse or more obvious ways than others. I wonder how the world would be if we were the actual real genuine deal.Would it be better? I would like to think so but I am not sure. Many times we fake it to make life easier. Not just for us but for others as well. My Husband practices radical honesty ( honesty at all cost) and with him I can handle it. So I assume I could with others but it also can be all in presentation. I know he is truly not trying to hurt me. I do think there are those that not faking it would make them lose everything. Lose their identity ( well at least the one they are trying for). There may even be those that practice radical lying ( lying at all cost). So would it make life better or would it cause pain to not fake it. I think GOD doesn't want us to fake it. He made us to be us. To be individual and to sparkle like the stars just for him. Even when things feel all wrong.

MY Otaku styled hair

Ok first these are in no way beauty shots * blush*


My sister recently came over to touch and  re-gear my hair So now I can share.
                                   My husband said I looked like I was preparing for an alien invasion!

Ok this picture is awful no make up and for some reason I have a double chin eek, but I was having loads of fun with my sister. Two of my sisters helped pick out my hairstyle " something that fits your personality"  Yes Yes I am the odd duck and the giggle a little over my nerdiness, but they love me.You see Otaku s a Japanese term used to refer to people with obsessive interests like anime, manga or video games. My sister who was doing my hair loved the challenge of recreating something you might see in an anime or manga series. Both sisters thought it would also fit my quirky personality.  I tend to agree.

All the time and foil was worth it though. I love my new style . Yes Yes I finished and got the internet. I think I'm an addict JK! I was doing some last minute posts!
                                             View of the back

                                           View of the front. Sorry I'm not dressed well in the picture. We finished just in time to get ready for my dance class.

My beautiful sister who did my hair  and me!

Outdoor fun

Spring has Sprung here and I am loving the weather here. Just in case any of you are wondering we are working on our kitchen bu we had a hold up because my husband had a flare up and we had to wait for some tools from our landlord. Till then I have been out playing with my kids and today I started on prepping my backyard for outdoor enjoyment. We have a paved space in our backyard perfect for sitting and enjoying spring and summer evenings....well once they it is cleaned up! Of course there has been so many lovely ideas I have found on Pinterest to help my out with fixing it up!  Like this for parties or entertaining

Source: southernhospitalityblog.com via Alicia on Pinterest

Seating

Source: joyeverafter.com via Alicia on Pinterest

lighting

Source: thehandmedownhouse.blogspot.com via Alicia on Pinterest

Even food and drinks to enjoy

Source: google.com via Alicia on Pinterest

Source: thesweetslife.com via Alicia on Pinterest

and so yet another reason to love Pinterest