Brooke

It's late .....1:18am...and Brooke showed me this picture of herself earlier today and I just had to share it.  It's one of those things that I normally share with my sisters but they've been in the hospital with my mother today and they're tired...so I'm sharing it with you all.

Not sure why I love this picture...I just do.

I told her I loved how she used photoshop and made it look all cool...and then she told me she didn't edit it at all...she just used her webcam.  Gotta love the mac!!   And she taught me something I didn't know........ I'm so excited.  If you have a  mac...you can drag any picture off a site right on to your desktop.   (unless the picture has been locked...I don't lock mine...I figure if I've posted it online....why lock it...you know what I mean.)
So, she posted this picture on facebook and to get it on my computer ...all I did was drag it over....I can't wait to tell Kim tomorrow (middle sister) and if I convince daddy to get a mac I'll be sharing it with him too .....when he was in town I took him to the Apple store ...I love that place!!!

Good night!

p.s. In the past few months I've started streaming live on UStream...started a virtual club on My Chic n Scratch Classroom and if all goes well ....in the next month or so I'll be announcing another new adventure.  I swear my brain is learning so many new things.... I'm sure Dave just wishes I would re-organize our closets or do the spring cleaning I didn't do :)

Jibber Jabber

Is that even a word?  And where did I hear it?

I woke up this morning and decided instead of checking my email with my coffee....I'd post my jibber jabber :)

So, here is goes..... "am I still working out"?

I'm happy to say YES.  I really think I feel better when I do!! Yesterday was not a work out day and I felt like crap all day.  But...it also could have been it's the end of the week and I'm exhausted.

Here's goes some TMI........when I was in the shower Thursday....I was shaving my legs and when I went to run the razor over my calf...a little muscle popped up.  I was thrilled!!! Haven't seen one of those in a while!  
As far as weight loss...I stopped weighing myself because it was depressing me.  I've not lost hardly any....but I know that muscle weighs more and I'm confident I'll start to shed. Although...who starts a weight loss program right before the holidays?  What was I thinking?

Next subject....when I purchased the Kindle and then the ipad...I kinda stopped going to the bookstore.  Or I would take Brooke and stay in the car (I know sounds worse as I'm typing it....but seriously do they want me to whip out my ipad and made a purchase right there).  Back to my story....when I read books for pleasure I prefer reading it on my ipad...but when it's motivational, self help or educational I like the book in my hands.  I re read sentences...what can I say it takes me a few times to really process it.  So, last night Brooke and I head to the book store.  While she's shopping I'm in the back of the store looking at books about computers, web design, photoshop, blogging...you know books that teach you stuff (own a bunch...read very few).   Before I get to the story I need to ask...isn't the book store like the library?  Are you supposed to be quiet for the most part?  Who can listen to someone talking a mile a minute and buy a book.
That's what we experienced last night....two young girls came over with their coffee and cupcakes and decided to talk the entire time.  And the coffee area of Borders....is at the front of the store in the opposite corner...so they left where they were supposed to be and found our quiet corner and ruined it for us.
There was one lady on her laptop trying to work....I'm sure she felt the same way.  I finally told Brooke.....I had to go I couldn't listen to the conversation another minute.
As an adult...what should I have done?  I'm pretty sure I failed that test. I admit I growled all the way out the door.  That was sooooo rude of them.  Should I have said something....or gotten management?  Would they have cared?  I'll tell you this....if I could have read the words on the pages...I would have bought more books ...but they were so distracting I couldn't understand the words.
So....book store owners.....  figure this one out for me.  The basket of books we purchased out weighed & their two cups of coffee and a cupcake bigtime!!

Okay here come another biggie....it just maybe too much info for you today.

Anytime I've confronted someone...it's always been a disaster and I don't mean little ....I mean major...it always backfires.  Here's an example....back in 1998 we had just moved to IL ...we had been there for two weeks and I drove all the way to Merrillville, Indiana ....to the nearest Sams.  When it came time to purchase...I walked up to the registers and there was a lady that was standing between two lanes...I said very nicely...."which lane are you in"?   she replied back "both"...well I laughed and said I" don't think you can do that"...seriously have you ever seen a grown woman do that?  Okay maybe some of you reading this have..but in the south...that's just called rude.

She then proceeded to chew me out and mock me the entire time she was in the store.  We had moved from Tennessee in 1995...so my southern accent was very strong then... she tried to mock my southern accent but it was just terrible.   Since Brooke was little and I was terrified they had a gun...I never said another word to her....just let her rant like a crazy person.  Had Brooke not been there...more than likely it would have been ugly but it's best it happened the way it did.  I still do think it's funny....if you think about it.  What's not funny is how she handled it.  She could have said I'm really in a hurry or I don't feel well.  I was open for discussion...but clearly she wasn't.
I sure hope whoever that was...she doesn't read my blog...and lady if you do...I FORGIVE YOU.

My blog post looks like a short story and everything I've read about blogging says keep it short and sweet.   That's hard for a person that likes to talk.

Have you seen the movie "Remember Me"?   Rent it...I wish I had known what the movie was really about.  When I saw the previews...I thought it was about a dysfunctional family.  It's really about so much more...I sobbed at the end ...well in the middle too.  If you've seen it...the scene with the little girl & what those girls did to her....broke my heart!!!  
Tonight I'm going to see a double feature "You Again" and "Life as we know it".  It's been a while since I've seen two...but I remember the days when my best friend & I would go from movie to movie (sometimes we even saw three) not sure my hiney could handle that now.

See ya later!


p.s. remind me to tell you about Door Dingers :)

Favorite TV Programs

Let's talk about my Favorite TV Shows this season.


I think Hawaii Five O, Cougar Town & Vampire Diaries are the only shows I watch live...the rest of them are are set to record on my DVR.
I don't like Survivor on Wednesdays!! But I'm watching it.

Must see TV on Thursdays....still going strong ...except the line up is Vampire Diaries, Greys Anatomy, Bones, Fringe, CSI & Private Practice.  There's no way I can watch all those in one night.


Love Vampire Diaries.....can't get enough.  Greys...it's always good....but would like to see Lexie & Sloan hook up.  (or should I say get back together?)
Fringe....don't like the switch back & forth between universes but I love Peter....loved him when he was Pacey on Dawson's Creek.  If there was just a tad bit of romance mixed with all those gross stuff I would be happier.
CSI ...I watch it but its not the same with out Grissom I'll always miss Gill.  I keep hoping he'll return but I guess not.  
Private Practice...good and not so good.  I don't like Violet with Pete...I thought Addy looked better with him...they were a hot couple.  I love what's her name with what's his name...when I said that my sister said their names...but all of a sudden I've forgotten them again.  You know blond lady chick...dude that is best friends with Violet?
Bones...oops....still on my other DVR ....need to watch them...maybe I'll pull an all nighter and get caught up.  I like the show but I just wish he'd go back to being Angel :)
Is this TMI?

I love to talk about TV shows....but fewer and fewer people are watching them.  

Are you wondering how and when do I watch TV?  It's no secret that my motor runs non stop.....so I have to shut it down ....o wait...I may have confused you....my motor is also known as my brain.
When I'm done with work.....my brain still thinks about it.  So, everynight...when I'm done with work...I watch a program or two or three.  Depends on the night of the week.  After I watch TV I then read a chapter or two ....or if the book is really good I may read for an hour or two.  Bedtime is between midnight and 1am :)


Back to Programs since that is the subject for the night.
Other shows I love are Cougar Town!! & Mike & Molly!!   & Parenthood.  I feel like I'm missing one or maybe two.  
Oh, I just remembered one...CSI New York.  I'm happy it's on Friday...gives us something to watch...thanks CBS :O


Another one...Brothers & Sisters. I miss Robert and the show has lost something...besides Robert. I love Sally Fields and she's hilarious!!


Better go ...tomorrow is going to be a very long day!!!

p.s. I may have made a mistake or two with my grammar ....but I'm tired and just want to talk/type...you know what I mean?  don't hold it against me :)

Homecoming 2010

Homecoming was yesterday and I had a great time being mom!!  

I painted Brooke's toenails and fingernails and tried to do her hair.  We both agreed next year I'm taking her to a salon.  It's not easy, she has thin hair and no matter how much hair spray I used I couldn't get it to hold.....sorry Brookie!!!  

Next year it will be better because that awkward stage of growing the bangs out will be a thing of the past.  


Here's a picture of the two of us :)

 I'll have to check her camera and see if I can find another picture or two.


See ya,

p.s. I picked Brooke up from the after party around 2am this morning and as we're driving down the road an animal runs out....to me it looked like a wolf...Brooke says it was a fox.  I passed it too fast so we turned around to see what it really was...and it was gone.  I swear it was a wolf...but maybe it was a Coyote (it looked too big to be a fox).

my hybrid & the decision

 Last Saturday we started the search for my new vehicle.  Dave was turning in his company car and that left me without a ride.

For the past 18 years I've driven fleet cars ...purchased from the company that Dave works for.   But this time....timing was an issue (among a few other things).

So, we decided to test drive new so we could see what I liked and then the plan was we'd buy a used version.   And we tried.  We spent Saturday thru Tuesday searching....and it was painful with a capital P!! 

I test drove so many that I told Dave to just buy me one and I'd be happy (but I was secretly hoping he'd arrive with my favorite). We wanted a good price but there are some things I really wanted & since I've always driven fleet vehicles they've never had any bells & whistles.  Don't we all know by now I'm a bells & whistles kind of girl?

We drove new & used and I kept coming back to the Mercury Mariner (okay I need to insert this here....if you have had any negative things happen with a Mercury Mariner or a Hybrid, please don't tell me...I don't want to know...I know some of you have only good intentions.... but if you tell me I will worry and then not be happy).

Back to the Mercury Mariner....when I drove it...or from the minute I sat in it...it felt like my car (SUV).   On Monday they let me bring it home for the night.  On Tuesday I took it back and almost cried. 

So it was back to square one going from dealer to dealer searching for a car. We checked out Nissan and Honda on that day.  Them not letting us drive the car alone....did not allow us to talk freely about the pros and cons and I was ready to run off the lot...not walk. 

If any car salesman reads this post....if you want to sell a car...you need to give your customers some space....allow them to test drive it alone! It's possible I would look closer at the Pathfinder but I felt crowded ...does that make sense.


Tuesday night I was a basket case! I was done searching and wanted someone to make the decision for me.
I called my sister Deanna....or maybe she called me.   Since I'm the oldest I'm normally the advice giver but this time Deanna dished it out to me.

I've been saving my money to help pay for Chase and Brookes college education and I was feeling guilty...how can I buy a new car...if I wanted to help with their college fees?  And Deanna reminded me that when is the right time?  When they are both in college?  That made sense....and then we discussed that I'd keep it long enough to pay for it.  We chatted some more & when I got off the phone ......I went upstairs and told Dave I was done.  I wanted the Mariner and I would make some sacrifices to get it.  On Wednesday he made me wait all day to get it (okay he was working but you know it felt intentional).  I was so afraid someone was going to walk up and buy it!


I've driven it all over town and I love it!

We had the perfect sales rep...he did not pressure us...he never called the house....he gave us the info and then gave us a chance to think about it. 
 

I love the Navigation system...I love the hands free phone feature! The stereo is awesome (I still listen to my music loud..it's an escape from reality).  The sunroof/moonroof is very cool...and the best of all is I'm figuring I may have to get gas once a month...maybe less.
I hate going to the gas station and buying a Hybrid makes me happy!!

Have a great day:)

Still going :)

Do you ever feel like the Energizer Bunny?

 You know how he just goes and goes and goes...... That's me....right now!!


So, I'm trying to look at what I do and figure out how to make it more manageable.  If I were to get really sick or something....I don't know if I'd ever get caught up.
In less than one week I had three people ask me if I was mad at them....of course I'm not!  I just can't get caught up!!

My emails have increased to over 600 a day.....I need help. I'm never getting to the bottom of them and then that drives me crazy and make me feel bad.  At this point if I checked every email...everyday...I'd never stamp again :O

  Once the holidays are over I'm sure it will level out but right now it's crazy!  Don't take it wrong ...I'm not complaining but I just want to have a better control.  


Next subject...wait...how about I create a new post?  Be right back :)