I ended up getting out this weekend after all. It was kind of unexpected. The hubby and I were invited to a bar that a guy he works with owns. It was his 50th birthday. A local band was playing that I hadn't heard of. They didn't sound too bad. Then I looked at the singer. It was the hubby's best friend's brother. See what I mean by small towns? Only can something like this happen in a series of a bunch of small towns all smooshed together. We headed about 20 miles from home so we didn't expect that. He was good though.

I got a little bored after awhile because frankly they were all the hubby's friends and so I didn't have many people to directly socialize with. I love hanging out with my girls. They know who they are. Anyway we headed back into our town around 11. There is a guy who does karaoke in our town every weekend. He knows me by name. Ha! Anyway we walked in the door, he smiles HUGE and said hi to us on the mic. I submitted a couple of songs off the bat. Then I noticed an old friend about halfway up the bar. We ended up hanging out with him and his mom! haha She's a sweet lady and I got her dancing with me too. I sang Whiskey Lullaby with the hubs. Then I sang a little Alanis Morisette. I cranked out You Oughta Know, which is my signature tune. I always do that one. Then later on in the evening I sang Say it Right by Nelly Furtado and I finished the evening off, last song of the night with Before He Cheats, by Carried Underwood. It was a whole lot of fun and Dennis (the karaoke dude) asked us to come back SOON. We don't get up there enough and it's only a few blocks away. I love nothing more than enjoying some music with friends. Just prop the guitar up on your knee and belt out a few tunes. The only problem is, it's hard to get me to stop!

I kind of want to get out tonight. It's been a heck of a week. Sometimes I need a stress reducing evening which involves basically me and a margarita. Or even a Captain and Coke. It's all good. I just want a break. I think it's deserved now and again. I'll be starting summer classes soon so I need to get out while I can. Unfortunately it doesn't look like this will be happening. I think I am stuck in tonight with nothing to do. Maybe I'll just pop in a movie and relax. That's not so bad either. I do miss my sister though! I haven't gotten out in awhile. It's sad really.

This afternoon though I did head uptown with the family and we saw a local band playing up at the park. They had some good tunes and there was good food. It was a fundraising deal for the local amublance. Then I got some ice cream. A caramel sundae topped with whip cream, a cherry and in a waffle cone shell. Yes. It was good.

Looks like I am settling in for the night. Maybe I should get out my pencils and work on that drawing.

You have annual Corn Boils and Mushroom Festivals. Seriously! Ok, this is my hometown that has these festivals, but it's 10 miles from me and it still feels like home. The town I am in now is not any bigger though.

I attended the corn boil one time and it was awesome. The corn is really good. They get some music up on stage and it's not a bad time. I haven't been to the Mushroom Festival. That is something new as far as I know. I had never heard of it before. Those Morel Mushrooms were going for $50 per half pound though. I need to find TONS of these and sell them every year.

You also know you live in a small town when there is only one beauty salon in town and the owner and hairdresser is also the town mayor. Not even making that up folks. Couldn't if I tried.

Everyone knows my business in a small town before I do. Or at least they think they do. I can't even begin to tell you the things I have heard about myself. Not that any of the things I've heard had any ounce of truth, good OR bad.

Living in a tiny town it's something you must get used to. Everyone knows you and your last name. Sometimes you are just judged because of whatever your last name might be. I was glad to take on my husband's name. My family name is way too known and common. Everyone thinks they know you.

Still it has it's benefits. I went into my hometown a few weeks ago with my oldest daughter. We walked in the door and the cashier says "Hi Sandi! How are you? How have you been?" I answered and we continued walking. A few people in the isles then said hello and talked to me a bit. I got back up to the register then was asked about my family and health by some patrons and then the other cashier. My daughter walked out of there thinking I was some sort of celebrity, but really, you grow up in a town of 1500, people tend to remember you. It's really not all that hard. I do enjoy the friendliness of a small town. I enjoy the homey feeling along with the family feeling, but it has it's downside too as mentioned above.

I moved into a bigger town for a short time and I have to admit I really liked it. I decided to stay in a small town more for schools than anything. I think I'd be a city girl or at least a big town girl if I didn't have kids.

I really do enjoy going through old pictures. Each one is a part of who I am and how my life has evolved into what it is now. That's one of the reasons I do those posts. I see a picture and remember everything I was doing at the time. After that wedding the hubby and I were dancing at? I morphed into Harley Chick and we went riding at night. It was so much fun.

Now onto the whole ticket thing. Well, I personally feel it was unjustified and stupid but hey, who doesn't right? Seriously though. It was around 8:30 p.m. last summer. I live in a very small town and our only grocery store closes at 9 p.m. I suddenly realized I was out of baby formula! Or close to it anyway so I needed to make a quick trip to the store. The hubby was working nights and had taken the car so I had to take the giant Suburban that we owned. This thing is huge and compared to my small body I feel like an ant driving it.

Anyway I had all four kids and we had to pile into the vehicle. I buckled in the baby into her car seat. The oldest got into the front with me and the younger two who at the time were 8 and 6 climbed into the very back. I as always instructed them to each buckle in. Normally my 6 year old would be in a car seat. Due to Illinois law I had always been told under 8 are supposed to be in a car seat. The hubby had the car though, which had the car seat. I had no choice but to make this trip to the store. The other option would be to starve my baby. Seriously...no baby sitters. I had no choice. We packed into the vehicle and saw this double rainbow in the sky over our house. It was beautiful! So the girls are all ooohing and ahhhhing over it and I pull into the store. I put the car into park and then I noticed the flashing lights. Seriously my house is like a few blocks from the grocery store. I thought CRAP. I knew I wasn't speeding? Everyone was buckled? Well the cop comes up and starts talking. It's really hot. The baby is crying. The grocery store is closing in minutes. =/ He looks at my older daughter whom he had thought was not wearing a seat belt. She was...she just pushes it off her shoulder which I always get on to her about.

Then he looks way into the back and asks how old my 6 year old is. I honestly tell him she is 6. He then informs me he has to give me a ticket for not having her in a car seat. Later I was reading up on this law and it seems that it's under 8 unless they are over 40 lbs. I could be wrong but if this is the case she is well over that. I never fought it though because this ticket required me to go to court!!! My husband had to miss work, drive around in the city nearest us with FOUR kids including my infant child while me, the hardened criminal sat in a court room for about 3 hours. I saw people getting arrested. The judge kept getting up and leaving the room. The people started to get mad and complain. The court attendant or whatever he is starting threatening people with cops. I wanted to cry. I was smooshed up against the side of these long pew type benches. People were sitting head to head. This girl next to me kept laughing and saying things out loud and wanting to leave. I was waiting for a riot to happen. The cops DID come in there and I just wanted to leave.

Finally my name was called and they said I could plead guilty or request a bench trial by jury or judge. WTF? Sorry. I didn't have the 3 to 4 hours to spare for this much less MORE time. I didn't understand the law really well anyway so I just went with it. I finally got out of there, paid $75 PLUS court costs. All of this because a mother of four desperately needed formula and her near 7 year old wasn't in a freaking car seat. We put her in it all the time and the ONE time my hubby had it. I hated even driving that suburban.

And yes that was my very first and ONLY ticket. Everyone was buckled in except my 6 year old but I never knew if she unbuckled herself at the store or not. She claimed she did but she's so far in the back there is no way I could know for sure. But let me tell you, my girls KNOW that they are to buckle up. I am strict about it and not just because the law says so but because I love my kids and want them to be safe.

I felt like a common criminal. So there...that is my only run in with the law. LOL I did manage to get the formula...as every worker and patron stared me down. I knew they were all talking about the chick who got pulled over in the parking lot. Though I was already parked...so whatever. I guess the cop had a slow night.

Sometimes when I can't think of anything exciting to say, I reminisce. So here I am reminiscing again. Taking us back to 2005, my brother in law's wedding. This picture you can see me dancing and to the right is my wacky hubby doing a dance for our niece whom is in his brother's arms. It was a lot of fun! We had a great time at that wedding. I danced to Bohemian Rhapsody with all the guys and did pretty well with the head banging if I do say so myself.

Here, this one was taken probably in 2006. I am on the far right obviously, with friends and Short Lived Fun (great local band) playing behind us. :)



Oh and here's one I love. My sisters and I from Halloween last year.



That's all for now I think. Ahhhhh memories. haha

It's what I think. First of all, let me say I have seen this show a couple of times out of pure curiosity. But for the most part when this show comes on I turn the channel as fast as I can. Why? Well why would I want to listen to someone else's 8 kids crying, whining, fighting, screaming or whatever when all I have to do is turn off the tv and hear it in my own home with four of my own children? Or if by some miracle by God all my kids are being quiet why would I want to then watch someones child cry, whine, fight, or yell on TV?

Sometimes when someone else is flipping through the channels and one of those kids is crying I DO think it's one of mine and I start looking around until I calmly realize that yet again, it's John and Kate on TV. My oldest daughter has been known to watch it on occasion.

Now, getting back to my point. This whole thing with John having an affair? Why is this timed perfectly with their new season? I can't look at a magazine, a newspaper (or blog) without reading about this couple and their terrible problems. Everyone is getting involved and has their own opinion (sort of like me here).

The thing is I saw a preview on TV the other day. It sounded like it was promoting some new drama. Slow music, quiet male voice full of emotion, saying something along the lines of tune in while they work through this or whatever. I didn't pay close enough attention. Regardless. I am seriously thinking this is all a publicity stunt. The show was running out of a reason to stay on the air. How many seasons can you watch a family with a ton of kids? It's being done OVER and OVER. By the way, I come from a large family. My grandparents had 16 kids so this is not new to me. The whole multiples fine, that's nice and all but I think they are running out of ideas on this show.

So this is perfect. Everyone wants to tune in to see if they stay together or not. Will they? Won't they? I am sorry to fans of this show. But I truly don't care. I think that if their problems are real? They need to deal with this in private. They need to be GOOD parents and realize all of this information is going to be forever available to their children and grandchildren one day. All of this awful stuff should not be aired out on TV for their poor children to endure. It's humiliating and wrong. You can't repair a marriage in front of a TV camera and crew. It won't happen. NO way. Anyway. This is my two cents. And I found a hilarious video!! I was browsing today. Kate seems to think everyone is dying to have her haircut. Now I think that it suits her fine but thinking everyone wants your hair is a tiiiiiny bit conceited. This woman seems so controlling. I see John cowering in this clip..

I have two of them. Two separate yet almost equally crazy motorcycle stories. The hubby and I like to ride. We always have. Back in around 2003 the hubby had a bike that he had bought used. It wasn't anything too fancy but it got the job done. He was at work one Sunday morning and I was in bed sleeping. I had to get up to get ready for the day and I was still pretty groggy. I sat up, swung my legs over the side of the bed and promptly heard some screeching, grinding sounds and a hard loud crash. I panicked not knowing what had happened. I realized there must have been an accident outside of my house so I quickly looked out the window. There was a mini van in my front yard with a young girl climbing out shaking and crying. I ran downstairs and burst out the front door and saw it. She had hit the hubbies motorcycle. It was parked up against our fence in the front yard. It wasn't by the road. She had to drive into our yard to hit it. It was a little wet outside that day so she must have come around the corner too fast or something and lost control. She had just gotten her license that week, I found out later. She first hit the bike, but didn't stop there. She continued on into my neighbor's yard (who is my uncle) and kept hitting the gas. Since it was wet, it was muddy. She threw mud all over his house, all the way up to the truck parked up along the back side of his house. It was all covered in thick mud. Then she turned around, came back to my yard and parked the opposite direction.

The hubby's motorcycle was pretty firmly stuck in the ground. It was destroyed. The girl was very shaken and crying so I just comforted her and told her it was OK. I knew she felt nervous and crappy and I understood why! She was fine. So I just let her use the phone and the police did arrive and wrote it all up. She did get a ticket for driving too fast for the conditions. That was the cops choice. Hubby and I weren't upset. Just glad she was OK. The cop said he wanted to teach her a lesson over this before she killed someone......still poor girl must be so embarrassed!

Second crazy story? Well my husband, myself, my sister and brother in law were almost killed by a driver that I still cannot figure out what they were doing. After the bike we had before got hit, we got a new one. This time it was a bike we were in love with. We got our Harley. FINALLY. We (OK fine hubby) got a 2005 Super Glide. It was awesome. We went riding a lot. One of our favorite things was to take this 6 mile drive to the town next to us. There are several large curves on the way.

We hopped on our bikes and headed out. Things were going great until we hit the 2nd curve. My sister and her hubby were in front of us and it suddenly hit me that the car in the left lane was not in the left lane at all but in OUR lane and they were headed straight for my sister!! I thought to myself that I was about to see my sister get hit by a car. Why was the car in the wrong lane??? They were going around the curve fine, not going off the road...just driving in the wrong lane. It almost seemed like they were TRYING to kill us. So my brother in law veered off to the left and missed the car. I was relieved and breathed a sigh of relief. Until I realized the car was now headed straight for us and NOT moving. I was so scared. I didn't see how on the sharpest part of this curve that we could avoid being hit head on. I didn't know if there were any cars behind us, or in the other lane. I glanced over to the left and saw no cars. Hubby swung the bike to the left and I felt the back tire skipping or sort of jumping to the left and the car skimmed past us on our right. The bike felt like it was going down on the left and I could literally feel the wind off the car on the right it was so close. I closed my eyes and screamed "Oh my God!" I remember like it was yesterday. Normally over the roar of the bike you can't hear each other talk much...but for some reason when I said that, in the midst of my hubby trying to keep this bike up off the ground, I heard him clearly tell me that it was OK. Specifically "It's ok hunny." Not that it was OK at all. He just wanted to comfort me. It's weird how I heard him. It was almost like all other noise had disappeared. I thought for sure I was dead. I was ready for the ground to meet my face at any moment. Then hubby got the bike back up and we road the curve out. We pulled off on the shoulder gasping and screaming at the car who almost ended all our lives as they sped away. They never stopped to see if we were OK. Never explained themselves or came back around. No, we never saw them again. We were OK, but pretty shaken up. We stopped to get a drink after we got to our destination to calm our nerves and sit there and talk about it. I'll never forget it and I always had unanswered questions on the situation. I still want to know what in the world that person was doing! Here is a pic (I have shared before) of the hubby and I on the bike. I can morph into a Harley Chick pretty much at will. haha

Last night I was up kind of late. I wanted to take a hot relaxing bath and then head to bed. I filled my tub, dipped my toe in and it was ice water! UGH. Nothing worse than expecting a hot relaxing tub and getting a cold one. So I informed my hubby that the water was cold. This was already midnight. I don't normally do this quite so late but I just needed it yesterday.

Then we remembered. We have a whole house fan which is awesome. We crack open a few windows and turn that baby up and the wind just gets sucked into our house. It's great. The problem is we realized last year it always blew out the water heater flame. I am not sure exactly what you call it, but that's what it blew out. We had forgotten that it always did this. The water heater is IN the basement. It's way back in our second kitchen down there. It's amazing to me the suction of that fan would be enough to blow this thing out but it does...every time unless we close the basement door first.

So we got it lit back up and I debated my bath. By this time I was just really really anxious for it so I went ahead and did it. I got to bed about 3 a.m. I'm currently still tired. I won't be doing that ever again....but I do really feel squeaky clean.

Oh and I totally want that tub in the picture. That looks amazing and so relaxing! I have found my dream tub.

Yes...I am speaking to the sun. You see, we have had a string of really really nice days. The sun has been out and yesterday it was supposed to hit 85. I am thinking it did. They are predicting rain today but as I peek outside I see sunshine. I feel warmth. I don't want more rain. The forecast is saying rain until next Wednesday!!! So what is with all the rain? Seriously. We don't need it nor do we want it. Not for awhile anyway. I had a chance to lay a blanket out in my backyard yesterday. I put on my bikini, grabbed a book and laid out and read. I know it's not great to do that ALL the time but seriously folks, I am white as Casper here. I have to do SOMETHING. So I got some sun yesterday. I see a hint of color too. I think I might just do it again today.

I love reading while I lay out. I have a fully fenced in backyard so I have my privacy as well.

It's actually been so nice that for the past two days after the hubby got back from work we took the kids and the dog for a walk to the park. We have a beautiful Husky for those not aware. She's a sweet dog whom I really do not often like to walk myself. She's strong and pretty much walks ME. You get a lot of attention from strangers when you walk around with such a beautiful dog that has ice blue eyes. I love her eyes.

We got home at dusk and popped in Indiana Jones (the newest one) and relaxed. That's what I call a nice evening.


And just because I love pictures I am posting one of me and some friends for no particular reason at all. :)

So I was tempted yesterday to post a video of me singing. I don't mind doing it now and again. I do need to make some new ones. I don't like the quality from my digital camera as much as the video camera though so I rarely do it. I was videotaped by my brother in law on a few videos I did but most of them are digital camera. They are just not as good.

I actually have MANY hobbies. I have so many things I want to do. I dive in head first and end up walking away from it eventually to learn something new. I have taught myself to crochet because I wanted to make blankets for my babies. I did just that too. I even whipped one up for the hubby. I also taught myself to cross stitch just because it looked fun. I admit it's tedious though. It gets boring. I only want to do small projects. I don't know how anyone manages to do a large craft with that. It's just soooo boring. haha

I draw as well. I have had one drawing on the shelf now for several months. I always start a drawing and then kind of drift away from it. I DO procrastinate. The reason this one is hard is it's my first memorial drawing. It's a little boy who died. The mother is an online friend of mine (for years and years) and I wanted to do this for her as a gift. I feel bad because I need to get it out and finish it. It's a surprise for her. She knows I am doing it because I of course asked permission. (but it's still a surprise because she doesn't know WHEN I am going to do it)

I have posted some of my work before, but here are some examples again anyway.







I drew this sketch for my sister's band. It was just a random idea off the top of my head trying to come up with a picture to suit the name.



I won't post the drawing I am working on as it is of a child and I don't have permission to do so from his mom. I would feel wrong about that. This is just some of the things I do. I love to read too. I go through phases with ALL of my hobbies. I love to cook. Though I hate the cleaning up part.

Probably still my favorite thing of all though would be singing. I sing whatever I like, whether it's country, rock or pop. Here's some country for you!

I really can't wait until I start working. I feel the medical field is a good one to go into. I mean, we always need nurses right? My husband works for a company that is laying off a lot right now. So far the hubby has been lucky to keep his job but not without taking a cut like everyone else. It's hard and we're feeling it. I am so tired of telling everyone I don't have the cash but I don't feel sorry for myself because EVERYONE is feeling it right now. If anything I know most people can understand. I just wonder how long this can go on? How long will it continue to get worse? I see people getting laid off so they aren't spending which in turn causes other companies to lose money which then leads them to lay more people off. It's a never ending cycle. It has to stop somewhere.

Bill from over at My Piece of Paradise invited me to a new site and yeah, I am just slightly addicted. It's music and you add friends. You play your music, we can listen to each others music. I am having fun just playing anything I want to hear and other people occasionally give me a thumbs up for a song I choose. Click below to check it out.



Oh and on my 7 things about me tag yesterday I was asked what my talent was. Well singing of course. I have posted me singing on here a few times. Don't make me do it again!! haha I love to sing. I'll sing for anyone...pretty much.

I was tagged by Chocolate Drop Thoughts. I am actually not doing too much at the moment. I am only waiting to hear back from the school. I have my appointment all set up with the adviser. I know what classes I need. It's all pretty much at a stand still. So I sit here...relaxing for a few moments listening to Spongebob on the TV. Exciting eh? Yeah. I thoughts so. So here goes. I am doing this tag.

Here's the rules:

Rules:
1. Link to your original tagger and list these rules in your post
2. Share 7 facts about yourself in the post
3. Tag 7 people at the end of your post, leave their names & links to their blogs
4. Let them know they’ve been tagged


Seven facts about myself. Well let's see.

1. I am a former smoker. *gasp* Yes. I quit when I got pregnant with my first child. I was 20 years of age. I didn't smoke for too many years but to this day, even after cancer, the smell sometimes causes a craving. But mostly I hate the habit because I know what it does to you.

2. I actually sometimes enjoy watching Spongebob. =/

3. I love the arts. I prefer to draw portraits of people's faces. I also enjoy singing, crochet, cross stitch, reading, etc. I want to teach myself guitar and someday piano. I am terribly envious of my dear friend Bethany at http://www.sketchesbybethany.net/ because that girl has serious talent and will be famous one day. Seriously.

4. I have been married for almost 14 years and started dating my husband when I was just 17.

5. I miscarried my only son in 2001.

6. I love watching The Golden Girls and Frasier.

7. I almost got on America's Got Talent last year. Didn't make the final cut. Grrrrr.



Now I will tag 7 blogs I read regularly.

My Piece of Paradise
Wine at Five
The Constant Complainer
http://www.soulfulscribbles.com/
On The Verge
http://onthebricks.blogspot.com/
Ask Ms. Recipe

I am trying to participate in one of these Monday things. What I don't get is where the box to add the links is. Does it magically show up? I don't see it. haha I am trying....but if someone out there who does these things notices something I did wrong, by all means, show me how to do it. It's the only reason I never bothered with these things before. I don't like using more brain power than necessary before 9 a.m. ;) I have added the appropriate code and all I see is the rules section but no place to add links. I don't get it!!!

*EDIT* It DID magically show up! Woooooot!

The song here is one I loved as a teen. I was in probably 8th grade maybe? Loved this one. Good song!!!

Come join Music Monday and share your songs with us. One simple rule, leave ONLY the actual post link here. You can grab this code at LJL Please note these links are STRICTLY for Music Monday participants only. All others will be deleted without prejudice.

I have noticed lately that Myspace is kind of dying. I don't get nearly as many messages as I used to on there. It used to be a single day would give me anywhere from 10-20 messages. Now? I am lucky to get one. No one really uses it. It has gotten boring.

Then there is Facebook. I joined it in about 2005. It wasn't as popular then except with college kids and teens. I was going to college so of course heard about it and created one. It was boring. I didn't talk to anyone really on there so hardly ever checked it.

Then one day, it grew. Now everyone and I mean everyone has one. My uncles, aunts, cousins, friends. Everyone is there. I find more people I went to school with on there than I ever did on Myspace.

Here is the thing. In the slow agonizing death of MY Myspace anyway I see it turning itself into Facebook. First it added all the annoying apps. Regardless of their annoyance there are some I participate in. I don't mind Texas Holdem Poker. I kinda like it on occasion. I even have a virtual pet that I occasional bathe and take for a walk. (I do mean occasionally. It usually sits on my page with a sad face covered in clouds of dust.)

Then in the past month I see their mood status and comment section is now exactly like Facebooks. Then a couple of days ago I got on, and saw a message at the bottom of my screen from my sister. It now has chat...just like Facebook. So pretty soon I think the sites will be exactly the same. I have things I like better about Myspace and things I like better about Facebook. If they could combine them and make a totally NEW site it would be cool. No....no. That's not true. I'd just join it too and add it to my never ending list of social networks.


Oy.

My life has to be exciting all the time. Nothing can just happen. I was getting ready for my night out with hubby and I got a call from my doctor. To read that news you can go to my other blog. :) http://www.pregnantcancer.blogspot.com. Let's just say I was given some great reasons to go out and celebrate.

Then my mom calls and asks if we are still going. Of course I am! Why wouldn't I? Maybe it has something to do with all the tornado watches and warnings all over the Midwest? Yeah. That could have something to do with it. Or the floods and roads covered in water. I am so sick of rain. I am so sick of wet grounds and mud. Nothing was going to stand in my way! I was going out.

So I stuck to my guns. I got ready and really we never had anything more than a drizzle on our heads. There was some lightening and thunder but things were never more than just plain old soggy outside and I can handle that. We ate a wonderful meal. It started off of course interesting. I was starving and dug into the salsa and chips on my plate. I inhaled a sharp jagged piece of chip and it got stuck in my throat. I wasn't choking, it was just stabbing me. We have all had it happen. I was trying to swallow it but it would not budge. It was hurting bad. It stabbed my throat. I have never had this hurt so bad. I had no drink! They had not brought our beverages yet. So they finally brought my husband his dark, Mexican beer and I chugged it. LOL It still wouldn't budge! That piece of chip sat firmly in the my throat stabbing me. So I finally just started pushing on that side of my throat..and it finally slid down scraping me all the way. I finally got my strawberry daiquiri which really doesn't help fast but it helped. I got a little buzz from all the chugging too. haha Anyway, see? Everything has to have a story with me. Even if it is about pieces of tortilla chips.

So after that wonderful event we ate some great food and headed to the theater. We saw Star Trek which was AWESOME. The humor in it was flawless, perfect. The guy who plays Captain Kirk is pretty hot. Yeah. I said it. He is. Anyway the guy who plays Spock is just dead on perfect. The action is timed just right. The love story goes a way that I was so happy with. There isn't much of one. But it's there. The movie was awesome and there were applause at the end. I even got some kisses during the movie.

So there you have it. Another eventful day in my life.



(can't believe I told the chip story)

I noticed yesterday that I have 99 followers. I am almost to 100. That's just wild to me. It seems like just a month or two ago I hit that milestone on my other blog. This blog is just me rambling along. I do think I lead a fairly interesting life though. I have many many times told my husband my life could be the next movie on Lifetime. There is a whole lot to me, lots of things that I don't write about on a public blog unfortunately. I think the things I do leave out however might be the things people would be most interested in reading about! haha

I could say my birth mom married my dad when she was 16. We lived on a farm. A small one but it was my dad trying his hand at farming. I could also tell you their relationship (obviously) went south. They got divorced when I was about 13 months. My step mom was in the picture before their divorce was final. She is a wonderful woman and I love her to pieces! When I was in third grade my home burnt to a crisp. We lost everything. My grandparents had 16 kids. 8 boys and 8 girls...of which my dad was one. My grandfather was a Baptist preacher for 32 years before he passed away. This is just the tip of the ice burg. There are details in there that I would never write about. There is more. I should write a book about my crazy life someday. Top it off with cancer and pregnancy...etc. Well, I am just working on my happy ending.

Tomorrow night hubby and I have decided to get away. I need it. This week has been a long one. Next week won't be any different. It may be worse actually. I will be setting up an appointment with the adviser out at the community college. I will be trying to get a schedule going for the summer and also for the fall. It should be interesting.

I do need a break though and I love some one on one time with my man. I am anxious to get him alone. haha This was his idea too. We are going to a restaurant we like to consider "ours". We went there for our first few wedding anniversarys. Then we are going to a movie that is his pick. Star Trek. I actually never minded the movies. I have seen them all. I am definitely not a huge fan or anything but I like them. The previews look fairly entertaining.

I'm hoping for some romance and a little PDA tomorrow night. I have a feeling I'm gonna get it too.

First of all, I may be up early. I may get a lot of things done. I do all of this because I have to. I really have no choice. Being a parent you have to get up at the crack of dawn, especially during the school year. I like to sleep until about 10 though. That's cozy to me, but it rarely happens. I do get more done when I get up early. So I have mixed feelings about the whole thing. I like to get things done but I also enjoy my sleep. If I have my coffee I can manage.

We have yet more rain this morning. We have had SO much rain this year it's just unbelievable. The farmers aren't liking this I don't think. The fields are getting flooded making planting impossible. That delay can cause all sorts of problems for them economically which will trickle down to us all. It's not good. I love a good thunderstorm but we have had so many this year. I don't think we need anymore for at least a month. Still, I do love a good thunderstorm. I really do love the thunder and the lightening. I even love a really strong one with some hail as long as I am inside. One year we got golf ball sized hail. Of course it does damage so it's not a good thing, but it can bring a little excitement to an otherwise boring evening.


Now, my college. It's such a beautiful place!!! I have always admired the building not knowing for sure if I would go there and now I am a student there. Look at this place? Is it not old and beautiful? I just love it. I am so anxious to start. It's the prerequisites at the community college that will be hard and time consuming. I am hoping clinicals will involve less paper writing. It's just so time consuming. I can't imagine I'll have a lot of free time starting next month. I'll find time to blog though. haha

There can be no more procrastination from me. I have been under the impression I need three prerequisites then I'd be all done. Those things change all the time quite literally especially in the medical field. It may have something to do with the area I chose. It may have something to do with the fact that I chose to go straight to BSN. I want my Bachelors. Regardless I need a Philosophy class. I can take Intro or Medical Ethics or something about Moral Problems. There was a religion one too. I really have no desire to take a religious class.

I also need English/Comp 2 which I was almost positive I have already taken. It's an easy class for me though. Writing has never been difficult for me and reading is sort of my thing. Then I need Growth and Development One and Two. This area is difficult for me. I have learned Psychology teachers are all insane. Ironic hmm? I had a Pscyh teacher who liked to blurt out curse words in class. The first day she kicked a desk really really hard causing a loud boom to echo throughout the school. Then she asked " I bet you are all thinking I'm one crazy B**** don't you? What the f*** is she doing?" After this of course I did think those things about her. She was a tiny young thing...tipping the scales at no more than 90 pounds but she had a mouth that would make a sailor blush.

Then I started a new Psych class at a different college the following year. She informed us if we missed more than one day of class we'd drop a full letter grade. Most of us were parents. It was a night class. One lady said she lived there all alone with her son and had no babysitter or help so what would happen if her son got sick? The teacher said she did not care if her son was puking and running 105 temp. She had to be there or her grade dropped. Having four children of my own, I dropped that class. I cannot guarantee anything and I won't lose a full letter grade because that woman is insane. So now I have to take another Psychology class. TWO of them. I wonder if this teacher will be insane. I will have no choice but to take the class regardless. You see there is yet MORE!

I need to take two college level Algebra classes. Luckily I haven't had any trouble with the math classes and in some sick way I like them. I know I know. Crazy. I need an elective in the Psychology area too. So I think that's it. I have to get all of these done BEFORE my January nursing classes start. This means I am taking classes this summer and fall. I will be one busy lady. I have filled out the transcripts, returned the phone calls I was supposed to return, made some new ones, applied to the community college here to finish the prereqs and all of that fun stuff.

In the end this will pay off and honestly I hate doing nothing. I need to be busy. I am so much happier when I am busy. All of this and it's just after 9 a.m.

I need coffee.

I do have a lot of little things I need to do. Those little things all add up to a lot in the whole scheme of things. I have college transcript requests to get printed off, filled out and mailed in. Then once I get those back, I need to set up an appointment with my college student advisor and then get the classes scheduled that I need to take before my RN clinicals start in January. The kicker here is I am out of printer ink. The hubby is going to print them off at work. So I can't do that until he gets those back.

I can hear the dryer has finished so I should go get that laundry, fold and put it away. No one is stopping me from doing that yet here I am...blogging. I need to return a phone call as well. Do you ever have a list of things you need to do yet you do something else first just because you want to put it off for as long as possible? haha Yeah well.


Me too.

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A big Mother's Day wish to all you mom's out there. Have a wonderful day.

This is really meant to be a funny observation more than anything. I picked up a $5 video with random princess movies on it. They were not the originals. These were cheap little cartoon copies of Pocahontas, Cinderella, The Little Mermaid, etc.

I was listening to the version with the little mermaid and something hit me. All of these princess love stories are INSANE. Why do you ask? Well as I listened to Ariel or whatever the mermaid's name is in this cheap version, saying I love him, I have to have him. I'll do anything to be with him I thought "stalker". She saw him once from a distance and now wants to use a powerful spell, lose her voice, become a human so she can get the man of her dreams. I thought to myself how in the world does she know she will get him? What if he didn't like her at all? Hmmm.

Then of course there is Snow White. Did she ever even meet the prince until he saw her supposedly dead in the glass coffin? Didn't true love's kiss have to revive her? Yet I am thinking they hadn't even met yet. Then there is Cinderella. He meets her, has a few dances then stalks her with a glass shoe in hand. I have to say though, in all these little videos Ariel seemed to be the most nuts. He hadn't even met her and she was professing love and how she just HAD to be with him no matter what.

There are more. I think these insane visions of love have warped some women's minds starting as young children. Love may just happen but it takes work to maintain a relationship, love or not. I have always told my hubby that these movies never show AFTER the happily ever after ending. lol Cinderella pops out a couple of kids and the Prince gets a wondering eye. Ha! No. I am just having fun here.

But seriously we can't base our love lifes on these fairy tales. I am proud of my relationship and know for a fact it has taken some hard work and there have been obstacles as in any relationship but I believe we are stronger for it. I absolutely believe in true love and all that romance. I believe people can be meant to be together but if you think it's all that easy and you aren't prepared to work for it, you are doomed to fail.


(p.s In case you are wondering, I love Disney movies and Ariel is one of my faves!)

Well today was fairly nice so I decided to put the baby in her stroller and walk to pick up the kids from school. For those who don't know I have four. YES. Four. They are all in grade school.

Anyway the first thing to go wrong is the drizzle. Yes it decided to start sprinkling as soon as I got far enough that it was too late to turn back. I hoped it didn't rain harder. We did ok. It didn't rain too hard. We live in a pretty small town so traffic here is not what you think.

So I had the stroller and my 3 other kids standing by the side of the road ready to walk. Two cars went by and we waited seeing they had passed started to walk. Along comes this red sports car out of NOWHERE. He was flying and I realized it. I screamed for my kids to run which they did but as I tried to shove the stroller it began to wobble. I got it straightened out and across the street as the car got up by us revved his engine like a mad man and sped up faster. OK. Why would anyone do this? If you see a family in the road crossing would you NOT slow down? This is after school when TONS of kids are walking. I am assuming it was a teenager and I'd frankly like to find him and kick some butt. Yeah I talk tough. Anyway I'm glad I am here. Stupid kid almost made sure I wasn't.

I do talk about the weather a lot. After a seemingly long winter and then endless rains I am so ready for nice warm days. I want to swim. Actually I'd love to lay out on a beach as the rays beat down on me. Really there is nothing quite like that. I used to hit the tanning bed on occasion. I haven't in ages. I never did it that often. I do manage to get a little tan when I do and quite honestly if I don't I'm pretty pale. I am no spring chicken as they say anymore though and I'd rather not have leather skin or skin cancer so it's not a regular habit but I tell you there is NOTHING more relaxing then going and lying down in the buff (who wants tan lines?) in the tanning bed. I put on the glasses and just lay there with the warm rays enveloping my body and my mind just relaxes. No kids...no hubby....no world...just relaaaaaaaaaxation. Yes. I love the tanning bed even if it is bad for me. My sister once fell asleep in there. I also once had the lid fall on me...but that's a whole new tale. I always cover my face with a towel in the bed. For two reasons. #1 I don't want wrinkles. #2. If I don't I come out with 2039184328947324 freckles.

Now I want to tan. (Bad Sandi. BAD.)

I had one today. Yes...yes I know. I am expecting the jokes to come my way. I took a shower, got my hair blow dried and started to put things away. I picked up my contact case and noticed my hands got wet. I looked down and saw the lid was loose. I immediately panicked and opened it and saw that my contact was indeed gone. I looked around for oh...5 seconds before I remembered it was in my eye.

Yes. Feel free to laugh now.

Don't you hate them? Yes I admit it. I have done them a few times. I will be honest...what else is there to DO on Facebook? I find it rather boring. I get the occasional message but mostly my page is just filled with who did what survey, quiz, who poked who or some other thing that I probably don't care about. I have consumed so many beverages on "buy a round" that I think I should be dead by now. I do it myself. I am guilty as charged. I do it because "all my friends are doing it". So so sad isn't it?

I did a quiz this week on the top 5 people I want to punch in the face now. Ha! Well I will be honest, it took me a long time to try and think of 5 people I'd want to punch in the face. I am not a violent person by any means. So jokingly I put in "the spray tan orange" chick. Now I am all for a safe tan. Maybe a little but there is such a thing as going overboard!

Yes....that I don't like. I also don't like those flipped collars guys. They make you look like such a...well....nerd. So unpop those collars. Please. Come on. How is this cool? (this one was not on my list but should have been.)


I could go on. Rosie O'Donnell made my list too. I used to watch her talk show folks. I think she lost her mind after she lost that show. There is a blog I visit regularly that had a picture of her looking horrible in some tight shorts that revealed things you NEVER want to see with what appeared to be sweat in all the wrong areas as well. That has scarred me. Since I am a regular Entrecard dropper I frequently had to drop my card right next to that pic. Each day I screamed at my computer for it to go away. It hurt my eyes!!! I guess that is another thing that bothers me. How do I put this in a non offensive way? I don't think I can. OK. Fine. Camel toe. Girls, girls girls. PLEASE. If we can see this...your jeans are too tight! Or you are wearing the wrong kind of pants entirely.

So if you filled out the quiz what would your pics be? haha

I couldn't think of anything terribly interesting to contribute on this nice and sunny Saturday morning. I wracked my brain and writer's block must have taken up residence in my brain. Either that or my life has become incredibly boring. I am really not sure which I prefer.

I haven't been out a whole lot lately. Our plans got canceled for the 25th. Remember those? I never got my margarita. Thankfully I have a hubby who is quite good at making them for me and we have a really nice Jimmy Buffet Margarita machine. Oh yes...look into these things. They are awesome. I may just have him whip one up for me tonight.

Regardless I decided to do what I always like to do when I just don't have a whole lot to say. I post pictures. I'm the girl who always has a camera. I like it that way, my sister tends to get mad at me. :) (Love ya Toots!) I believe a picture is worth a thousand words so randomly selected from my online photo album here are a few.

This is from the limo we rented for my 30th birthday party at the end of 2005. This is me and my best friend Diana.



ahhh here's a good one. This is also 2005. We rescued some cutie kitties. We used to get strays a lot.




Here is another one from 2005. I was performing onstage for a local talent show. Fun times!




Perhaps one day, I'll go back further and post my high school senior pic. Long long hair....slightly Texas style. Or big I should say. I don't think it's TOO big because it was 1994. It was big but not 80's big. =/ We'll see if I ever have the courage to post that one.