It's kinda depressing but a good friend of the family passed away last week. He was older but a good friend. Him and his wife found my wedding dress for me YEARS ago. They came across this vintage gown and I loved it. I knew it was for me and it fit perfectly. What are the chances of that?? haha They also gave us their washer and dryer set TWICE over the years. I have loved them and now he has passed on, in his 80's but he will be missed.

I am not able to attend the funeral since we have no babysitter today. Seems this kind of thing happens all too often. I need a regular babysiter I am thinking instead of just my mother. It's hard when you have so many rugrats.

Now onto happier thoughts. My brother in law has a gig tonight and I want to go. I am in desperate need of going out and letting off some steam. It's been a downright awful week. I want to go out and forget everything. I just need it. My mother is at a wedding 2 hours away. I am praying and hoping that she'll get back by 9 or even 10. haha I am not picky. I just want to go out. Cross your fingers for me!!!

I don't have a TON of traffic here yet but I am working on it. With the style of layout I chose I can pretty much put links at the top where you see it advertised. I decided to offer up a link to someone else's site up there. Just reply to this post with your website address. Since today is Friday, I'll wait until next Friday and then randomly select one of those websites and post their link for a month on my blog. :) I drop 300 entrecard a day so it drives traffic here. I have my other blog too that also brings traffic this way. So, I'm going to give this a try. I can't promise a ton of traffic to your site but hey, it's worth a shot!

So finally Thanksgiving has come and gone. I did not go to ONE sale today. I was tempted with all the wonderful ads on TV for things on sale. Honestly cash flow is nonexistent for me though. Our money is gone as soon as it gets here. Gone on bills and groceries and gas. I want some extra but it's just not happening. If I hadn't gone and gotten so sick for a year I'd be working already or at least close to done with clinicals. Instead I put my application in for my college of nursing and get to BEGIN in fall of 2010. I have decided I still want to pursue that career but I need to get a job in the mean time. The trouble is, who takes the kids to school? Who picks them up? Who watches the baby? How does THAT get paid for and will it be worth it? I won't earn a paycheck only to have it entirely forked over to a babysitter and for gas in my car to GET to the job in the first place. It seems pretty pointless.

Before kids I worked for a local newspaper. Ahhhh those were the days. haha I typed up the stories. I put them together. Back in those days we had these large boards we would tape the little sections down on, rearrange, etc. Then my boss would take it over to the printers to be printed. I edited the paper and even had my own history story I did weekly. Seeing my name in print under a story was such a wonderful feeling. I gave it all up to be a mom and frankly I miss it. I want to work. Luckily I'm good with computers. I just finished taking a college course too that involved all of Microsoft Office. Excel and spreadsheets, blah blah. It may not be super exciting but I can do it. That is what counts. I am anxious to get back out there but so many other factors do have to be considered.

I'll leave you with a really funny typo from my newspaper days. It *almost* made it into the paper but was caught in time thank god. We were doing a story that involved the phrase "busy women". Unfortunately it was typed out "busty women". Yes....we were all laughing pretty hard because that came VERY close to going to print.

Well I need to go out and get some groceries tonight for Thanksgiving. Nope I haven't gotten a thing. I just haven't had any cash. It sucks pretty much living paycheck to paycheck but at least the bills are paid. Well, the ones that count. haha I have more medical bills than I'll ever realistically be able to pay. I try though.

Anyway I want to cook a turkey and I realized it takes like 2 to 3 days to thaw out a turkey and I haven't even bought one yet. Perhaps the microwave can help? Any chefs have some tips for me buying a last minute turkey?

I am not sure what I'm doing today but I'm considering taking a break from both blogs. I have been working really hard and since tomorrow is a holiday. Why not? Who is going out and braving Black Friday? *insert creepy horror movie music*

Good luck to those who are doing it!!!

Now, I am born and raised American. I haven't so much as flown in an airplane...stepped on foreign soil, nothing. I am your typical Midwest person. I don't even know how old I was until it dawned on me that just because WE are having Thanksgiving, it doesn't mean everyone does. I love how kids grow up and these things start to dawn on them.

Yes, it's Thanksgiving on Thursday. I'll be having family over. I am going to make a turkey. I'll make stuffing and this yummy looking double layer pumpkin pie. I am no chef but I can cook. I can follow a recipe pretty well. I tend to read ahead though. I have to stop myself. I am looking forward to left overs as well. There is nothing quite like some left over turkey.

Speaking of turkeys...I saw that video of Sara Palin pardoning a turkey while one was being slaughtered right behind her. Come on. Even if SHE didn't see this didn't the reporter? Didn't the camera man for crying out loud? Didn't THEY think about how stupid that would look? Ugh. I wanted to puke. How stupid. Stupid on the part of all of those involved. I mean, no one wants to see that. That guy in the back looked so dumb stuffing that turkey's head into some machine while he smiled into the camera. I'd like to think they all knew better. I mean, come on. Anyway if you have not seen this video and do not want to witness the suffering of a poor turkey, well don't watch it. I eat meat. I am not a vegetarian but even I felt sorry for that poor turkey!!!

I sing pretty much anything I like as long as my voice can do it. I like country. I like rock. I like it all really. I love Pink, Miranda Lambert, Faith Hill, Alanis Morisette, Michelle Branch, Jewel...oh there are so many. Here is me singing a song called Kerosene by Miranda Lambert. I may have posted this one on my other blog at some point, not sure. I have several other songs on youtube though. A little browsing goes a long way. ;)

Yes, I have done NO Christmas shopping yet. I guess I've been waiting for a paycheck that didn't vanish before it was actually deposited into my account. Seriously I have automatic bill payments setup and more often than not there is nothing left before it really is even in there. It's not good. I need to buy Christmas presents. My kids will be the only ones enjoying gifts this year from me. That alone will be difficult. This year is a tough one for all. The economic crisis is affecting this holiday hard I'm thinking. I know everyone I have talked to is wondering how they'll buy presents and admitting it will be a much smaller Christmas than usual. I have done pretty much all I can do to raise money for gifts. I am at a loss as to what else I can do. I comfort myself in knowing everyone is having the same issues. I am not alone in this and at least I know that the hubby's job is secure.

I had been going back to college in 2005 to 2007. I am pursuing a degree in Nursing. I am really excited about it. After I got sick (refer to my other blog) I had to take a break. I couldn't do anything for at least a year. I want to finish my two prerequisites online. I think I can handle a little algebra and psychology online. I actually love the classroom setting but I don't want to leave the little one too soon. I need to send in my application to this college of nursing that's local. It costs me $50 to just send in the app. Not to mention I need transcripts from TWO separate colleges I attended. Last time I had to pay like $5.00 to get those. Grrrr. They also made me come in and sign for it at one school. I can't have that happen again. I am 2 hours away from one college now. It's all such a pain and if I get in? It's for the fall of 2010. I have to get the application in before February. I should get moving on that.

So...since my blog is in it's early stages and really unless you've been following my old blog, you don't know a lot about me. My name is Sandi. I'm 32...for awhile anyway. My birthday is coming up fast. I always say though since my 31st year was kind of a bust, it didn't really count, so by MY rules I'm turning 32 again. Ha! Yes I was sick and pregnant my 31st year. I am not going into a lot of detail on that but if you are curious check out my other blog, you'll find the link at the top of this page.

I am also an artist. I love to draw portraits mostly. I sing. I come from a family that loves to sing. I really enjoy it. My sister has a band and my brother in law has been in one for years. I would love to but it's never happened for me. My grandfather was the pastor of our church for 32 years before he passed away. I think growing up in church helped us develop our singing skills. I also crochet. I taught myself how to do it because I always wanted to know how. A few years ago I just said I was going to teach myself to do all the things I wanted to do. I bought a book to help me with my drawings, bought a book to teach me to crochet then taught myself to cross stitch too. I have a lot of hobbies basically. Shoot, even this laptop is a hobby. ha!

I thought I'd post a few pics...so you can get to know me. I personally think for having four kids (yes four) and especially having one that just turned one, I kept my body in pretty decent shape. I have a gorgeous sister. I have a full DJ/karaoke rig in my basement. I may occasionally post videos of me or my sis singing. Lots of the times those videos are in my basement though you'd never guess that. We have great parties/get togethers at my house. So here are a few pics for your viewing pleasure. haha

I'll post drawings tomorrow.

Maybe...if it doesn't get like the picture above. Still, it's hard to get me out there to do it. I'm a pretty mild, laid back kinda gal. I let others in front of me, and if someone was going for that last $20 Gameboy I'd probably let them have it. Hmmmm do people still buy Gameboys? I am probably out of the loop. I am sure there are a lot of new products out there now that are better. I have a Nintendo DS but I think it's outdated too. I enjoy playing SIMS. It's one of the few games that really holds my attention.

I have actually been really wanting to get a new flat screen TV. I need one for my living room. OK. I don't need one. I want one. If I could find a SUPER awesome deal on the Friday after Thanksgiving I just might brave it. I think the traffic is more frightening than the stores themselves. I just think of people pushing and shoving and cursing and yelling in line. Ugh. Is it worth it? Hmmm that's debatable. There will have to be some super good deals to get me out there. Still I might just stay home in my PJ's that day digging around in the fridge for leftovers. :)

Not only is it coming up on Christmas and New Years but my birthday as well. I never really cared for having a "Christmas Birthday". The main issue with it being everyone is broke and no one really cares. I am old enough now I suppose it shouldn't bother me. Still, as a child I used to get Christmas cards that said happy birthday in them. I would get a tin of those Christmas cookies that said "Happy Birthday and Merry Christmas." Oh and of course getting all my gifts wrapped in Santa paper. I know those who do not have a birthday on or near a holiday really wouldn't understand. Let's say though you have a birthday in July. How appropriate would it be for me to wrap your gift in Santa paper? Would you find that odd? Would you think I was cheap because I didn't bother to go out and buy a little roll of birthday paper? Those with December birthdays really feel no different. My birthday is December 29th. I do not even ask for or expect gifts. I just remember how awful I felt as a child. I promised if I had a kid whose birthday coincided with a holiday I would be sure to separate them somehow. It's important to a kid and honestly still slightly annoying as an adult. After all, they are different events. They are not the same celebration. It's not too hard to show you care by just wrapping it in some birthday paper.

I love Christmas ok. I always did. I always thought it was such a perfect holiday. I still do as far as the feeling of giving and opening your heart to others. Really though how much of that is there? I guess I have become just a little negative about the fact that if Christmas is such a time of giving how come people go into a store on Black Friday and fight over that last special toy their kid just HAS to have? Why do we yell and scream waiting in the checkout line when clearly we chose to go out shopping on this day and um, we all know the lines are terribly long on that day! Get over it really. Before I got married I worked at a department store. I worked the register and I was fast. I was good. I did my job and even trained others. Still on Black Friday the lines were just trailing from one end of the store to the other. You can only go so fast and let's face it, not every transaction will be perfect. There will be the occasional problem right? I could hear people in line insulting me. I could hear people being rude about the long wait. What do you expect? I'd like to know. It's been many many years since that day. I just feel the spirit of Christmas is lost in all the money spending and shopping. I just want to sit back with a cup of hot chocolate, a good book and no money worries!!

I've seen a lot of people do multiple blogs. So, here I am. On this blog I am not talking about my past illness. You want information on that, read my other blog. I need a home away from home. I can talk about anything here. From being a mother to just being a woman because after all, once we have kids we are not JUST mothers are we? I am so much more than that. I am going to be updating this reguarly and trying to add new things here. So, come on in...grab a cup of coffee, sit back and relax. I am sure I'll have plenty to gab about.