I'D RATHER BE SMELLING THE ROSES...

That's right, I would much rather be smelling the roses, relaxing with my kid's, typing on the computer or even writing about it rather than doing it...CLEANING, that is. Uggg. It is sadly ironic and secretly shameful that I, as a stay at home mother hate to clean. Dread it, put it off, would rather leave, shut and lock the door behind me and pretend it isn't there type of mess. That is what it has accumulated to. I need to get into my kids rooms and just gut them out! TOO MANY toys. My room is filled with stuff I need to gut out too. I don't think this curse is alltogether my fault-- entirely. I mean, when I was growing up whenever a job seemed to overwhelming I just sort of shut down. I couldn't just start somewhere. It always seemed hopeless! Like my house at the present. Definantly overwhelming. I am not a good organizer. Too much stuff to organize. It doesn't help I have saved all of my children's clothes since birth...never know if we decide to have another one... Then ontop of that mountain, my kind sister gives me her kids clothes that are in good shape. Her kids are 9 and 6. So I have all these larger sizes stored away for the future as well. Doesn't bode well for the storage space. I am swimming in all this extra stuff. It is affecting my mood in a bad way. If only I could be more like flippin' Martha Stewart, that girl can organize! She folds her sheets like the hotels do. Hey, that takes some major talent in my opinion. Oh well. I have to get going. The day is getting away from me all together too quickly, just like yesterday. If I don't hurry and clean even a little bit, I won't get anything done around here again today. Plus I am taking the kids swimming later. Maybe I will clean for 30 minutes. I am sure I can get some stuff done in that time?

FAMILY UPDATE

You take the good, you take the bad, you take it all and then you have, the Facts Of Life, The Facts of Life...Ok, no I am not turning into Tudee! Lol!
Family matters get pretty confusing and complicated at times. I have been having to be around my "enemy" relatives I talked about in a earlier blog as of late. It is such a trip when you know someone talks so badly about you and acts nice to your face. It does a number on my head. I can't be fake like that. Although, I think I have come to the conclusion to not be so walled off when I have to be around them. I think I am just kind of relaxing into the reality of the situation and am coming to really accept it for what it is. I can enjoy certain things about these people when I find myself around them but when the night's done, it is done. I know who they are and that they aren' t the type of people I want to consider friends in my life. It is okay that it is the way it is. It has taken me 4 years to understand there is no understanding these people and how to function in the circumstances. I am such an analyzer it is sickening at times. I have given myself permission to let it go, to come to terms with knowing there is no perfect solution and no understanding the reason they do what they do. As with all things in life sometimes all that really matters is if we can figure out how to be okay with things no matter what path the other person chooses. We are only responsible for ourselves...

Taylor Hicks Got The Job Done...

Did anyone catch the American Idol finale? It was the best one to date! It had awesome live performances by Live, Deon Warwick, but the best by far was the surprise of the evening--Prince!He is so old and still so cool! He has maintained the same image that made him famous in the first place. He also had these hot mama dancers that looked like twins and moved like synchronized swimmers...It was hot. Oops, back to the winner. Taylor Hicks didn' t even catch my eye in the beginning of the show. I thought Katherine McPhee would be the one to win. Obviously that was not the case. I stopped tuning in for awhile, and one night I caught a show. There standing and singing in all his rockin' sex appeal was Chris Daughtry. Hello America! You let one slip through the cracks! He managing just fine I hear, signed as the lead singer for the band Fuel? We'll see. Anyways, I think Katherine McPhee will do just fine. She is beautiful and the girl can SING! Besides look at Reuben Studderd vs. Clay Aiken...Who's famous now? ***Although Clay Aiken is starting to look a bit crazy!!!!

OOPSY?

Oh Crap, Oh Crap, Oh Crap!!!! I just screwed up big time! We have semi-recently redone our kitchen. New tile, stovetop, oven, etc.,.Well, I was just making cookies with my son and above my stovetop/oven area is our spice cupboard. My husband has told me on more than one occasion to go ahead and take the heavy bottled spices down, as they could damage our flat glass stovetop. Ofcourse I acted like I was going to, but let's just say I never really got around to that...Anyhoo, those stupid Spice Islands just have to be my favorite, and coincidentally they come in a HEAVY glass jar. In the middle of me reaching up for the Baking Soda, out my Spice Island Thai Seasoning comes tumbling down. "Oh crap," I say as I believe I just hear it break already thinking, "Oh well, I will just replace it ". Alas, once I look down it is not the $5.00 bottle of spice, but unfortunately more like the hundreds of dollars stovetop lacking a chunk of glass. WHOOPSY! I am sooo busted. Those dang spice bottles are resilient, gotta hand it to those guys at Spice Island. Not so much for Home Depot's glass stovetops!

Weighty Issues

Miss Informed

IRVINE, Calif. — Tapping into the late-night market, Taco Bell said it is creating a new meal called the Fourthmeal.

According to a news release, Fourthmeal is the late night meal between dinner and breakfast. The program launches April 17 at participating Taco Bell restaurants nationwide and will be supported by a campaign that features television, radio and outdoor advertising, an interactive Web site at fourthmeal.com and in-store merchandising.

"Not so long ago, the term 'brunch' was coined for people who ate a late breakfast," said Bill Pearce, chief marketing officer of Taco Bell Corp.

The Fourthmeal launch is supported by three national TV spots produced by Foote, Cone & Belding.

ANYONE HEAR ABOUT THIS?

I saw the sign for the "fourth meal" as I was taking my daughter to school. I think it is just rediculous! Imagine encouraging an already obese America to go ahead, go for the 4th meal! Yeah, with extra sour cream and more of that delicious fatty ground...beef? Hmmm, what were they planning to do, up the daily calorie content to 3,000? Oh, and I forgot add a side of nachos bel grande with that, as well. No thanks! My advice, skip the fourth meal...

Never Enough Time

Ever notice how quickly the days just rush by? Like living life in hyper speed? It was just Christmas 2005, now I turn around and already it is summer '06! It freaks me out when I really ponder it. If I could just reach out and grab the hand of time to slow things down, I would. If only time was a tangible thing. I have dealt with issues of wanting to be in control, I am sure that is why it is so mind boggling and against my nature to except life and role with it. There is nothing we can do about it, so it is silly to obsess. I suppose it is the nature of things. Time ticks on. So if you choose to get bound up and stagnant the only one your hurting is yourself. Time dutifully marches on with or without you . That is why it is so freeing to forgive and let go of the issues that trip us all up. Forgiveness is a choice and really isn't even about the other person, it is like freeing yourself from a ugly cage you had the lock and key to all along. I feel the sooner you learn a lesson, the sooner you won' t be stuck being bound to repeat it. Once you "get" something that test is over, and it's like God is going, " okay, Ahna what should we work on next!" Hmmm, I have given Him lot's of choices so what will it be now? Ha, ha...

Pissed Off At Relatives

Well, I have been informed that you are suppose to blog daily. Okay. I am figuring the system out. Today sucked. SUCKED!!! Here's why: I choose (yup, it's ultimately my fault) to attend this bridal shower for my cousin. Let's put it nicely, we aren't on the best of terms. It is one of those quirky family issues that is complicated and involves all the woman on my mom's side minus grandma. I said it was complicated! So, like I was saying here comes this invitation in the mail, and I basically disregard it. Had my mind made up to not go. Well, time goes by and pushy, opinionated (whom I totally relate with and love dearly) aunties step in and needless to say I decided I'd be the bigger person, put on a happy face and do the family duty of attending. Mind you, this girl didn't show to much of my stuff and didn't even come to visit me in the hospital when my 2 babies were born. Arggg! NO more bitterness about that...? So we all show to this thing and GOOD GRIEF talk about uncomfortable!!!! I wanted to ditch the whole gala 15 minutes into it. We car pooled so we would have each other for support and that totally bit me in the butt once I realized the lovely plan back fired and in essence I was trapped! So the shower lasted 2 miserable hours with many awkward lulls. My question is this, if and when does family priorities get thrown aside and you are allowed to "skip out" on functions that you would rather not be at and others would most likely rather you not attend? Is it proper etiquette? I always tend to feel guilty like I am proving them right to my grandma(who is a neutral party to the drama, yet is fed lies from the enemies)if I don't show. It is a tricky situation and there's not enough room on my blog to address all the issues and blows that have been dealt. Summary: just dealing with mean-spirited people here. Not my cup of tea.

Hello world, it is I miss Blogger in Training! I am proud I just figured out how to upload pics on this thing. Oh, it's the little things in life that mean the most!

TRAGIC MEMORIES

So, the past few days I have been working on creating this video for my church. It consists of pictures flashing on the screen kind of like a slide show. The song its set to Praise You in the Storm. The song by itself is very touching, but a thought came to me that I could make this video using certain events that were impacting: September 11, Sri Lanka Tsunami, Hurricane Katrina, and Soldiers in Iraq. It really turned out well, needless to say the day I spent researching pics online was so devastating to even see over a computer the mass devastation these events involved. Heartwrenching. What a tearful day. It gave me such a sense of compassion and desperation for these sufferers and survivors. It makes you realize that it truly is a small world after all, and no matter where you go human suffering, and pain and loss is the same in every language, every country,every ethnicity. Everyone grieves, everyone suffers. I just wanted to touch the faces of those crying, embrace those children in Sri Lanka lost and forlorn without their families. Hold the hands of the horrified people dealing with 9/11, and Hurricane Katrina. It makes me want to do more. Find ways to help these people. Bring comfort when there has been such loss. It is a eye opener, truly looking at the faces of such a tragedy. It is to easy to hear about these things on the news, feel sorry for these people but distance yourself so you don't do anything about it. Just go about your pretty, neat & tidy everyday lives. Not again, next time I am going to contribute some way, somehow. It won't sit right with me otherwise.

Miss Informed

Miss Informed
Survivor anyone? Is anyone out there watching Survivor Exile Island? I am completely irked! Aras just won...Sorry if I happened to spoil it for anyone. So frustrating. I don't usually watch this show but for some reason my hubby and I got into it. And Terry should have won, or Cirie. I can relate to Cirie on many levels. Terry was deserving in my opinion because he worked his tail off week after week as the under dog. He solely kept himself alive out there. Cirie on the other hand had the comfort of a strong alliance later in the game. The thing about her that makes her deserving is she completely blossomed out there. She was a nurse, a regular mom. She stated in the last episode something along the lines of she was proud of herself because she basically lived on the couch the past 35 years due to lack of confidence and fear of the unknown. Now with this experience she truly realized her true strength and potential. Although Aras was well spoken, natural and generally came across as a yoga, "peace, loving" guy, I feel his true colors showed when he corned Danielle. Threatening her!!! It was sooo good what crazy Shane said to him at final deliberation with the jury regarding Aras. That he can't get by just by being judged on intention, that he would be judged on performance. So true, he talked this wonderful talk- but when push comes to shove he got in self preservation mode and I can pretty much guarantee he wasn't pinching his two fingers together on a mat going"hmmmmmmmm". Nope, not when he was trying to push around Danielle. Irksome! That is precisely why I shouldn't get into these shows, although it does show a good example of human beings. How they relate, handle stress, starvation, etc.,. Okay, maybe I will tune in next season!!!!

Just a Few Things About Me: I am opinionated, I am funny, I love a good time, I can't stand waking up early(lately that's my life), I hate writers block which I am suffering from even now...I want to understand and learn about other people in other countries, I am currently not reading like I should because as of late I am a internet addict(pisses a lot of people off-"You need to get another phone line!")...Whatever! I have my own ideas on things and I don't usually have any problem sharing them, I love photography, I love art, I love creativity, it inspires me. I am laid back. I need more self-control in every area of my life, to get things in balance. I am beautifully flawed and that won't change. I am a work in progress...and that is what I will always be...

Miss Informed

Miss Informed

Hello there world! I am totally new to all this blogging stuff and I thank my good friend Julie for getting me going! Also a shout out of thanks and gratitude to her cousin, Stacy an expert blog creator. A master. He took the cool pic on my page and adjusted it to his liking- He did awesome! I am excited and unsure of what to expect from this. The idea of putting your thoughts and feelings out there and possibly getting responses is highly interesting to me. I hope to meet lots of intelligent, interesting and completely cool people here. We'll see...