Wednesday, February 03, 2010

She is only 9!

Do Russian women and little Russian girls have 'rape me' written across their foreheads? A 9-year old girl is raped because she dares to wear a bikini and it's her fault because men can't be held responsible for their actions since they aren't exposed to this much skin.

“You can't blame the locals; they have never seen such women. Foreign tourists must maintain a certain degree of modesty in their clothing. Walking on the beaches half-naked is bound to titillate the senses,” New Delhi's Mail Today newspaper quoted Pamela Mascarhenas, Goa's deputy director of tourism, as saying Friday.
A few weeks ago, wasn't it this same country that I wrote about rape being treated differently after midnight? This story is only one of a few that I discovered while clicking on links to read tonight...if a person goes to the side bar of this story or down below I'm sure they would find many other related stories....are these inflated? Are these in fact over-exaggerated? From what I'm getting out of these few articles I've read, it appears that those committee members or whoever the hell they are believe that more skin = license to rape!

RAPE IS RAPE and the rape of a little child is inexcusable!!!!!! I don't give two shits if this little girl was wearing a skimpy little string bikini! Two men, in their 30's thought enough about this for one of them to distract the little girls mom while the other proceeded to rape this little girl....is this for real or is this just some instance of conspiracy, one of the stories I linked says a doctor confirmed this is rape....is it or is it not...if this isn't true it would certainly be great to point this out to the world.

People have their beliefs, people have their cultures, people have a certain respect for modesty and dignity. It's because I live in this free country that reading something like this upsets me so much--perhaps its because of what I discovered in my research...there are some places in Goa where women are topless on the beaches. But in other things I've read, it seems that tourists are the only ones who are topless or who dare to go topless.

India is a very conservative place...Kudos to them BUT that is NO excuse to rape any woman or child and it certainly shouldn't be a reason to give when men can't control themselves. Nor is it a reason to use if a body of a girl is found mutilated or a woman is out after midnight!

All types of men are capable of going to our beaches and controlling themselves aren't they? Hell, they go to topless or nude beaches and are able to control themselves aren't they and really, in Minnesota there doesn't seem to be many nude beaches around but I would bet the men I know wouldn't assume it's ok to rape a woman who's exposing herself to the world! They know the difference between right and wrong;

I don't know, I guess I would have to look up the stats but raping a 9-year-old little girl? Wow....of course once again this article says the rape case has been blown out of proportion....what is the real story, did the little girl lay back and ask the two arrested to do her? Did mama tell these men to set this up? I would dearly love to hear that this is a farce.....

Saturday, January 30, 2010

Greetings

I had the lovely experience of writing a journal entry for my Ethnic Diversity class this week. It had to be a first person account about a time and place in history, of an incident that affected 'me' in a negative way. I wrote about the hanging of 38 Sioux Indians in Mankato, Minnesota in 1862.

Lets just say I was freaking out about this assignment because 1. history and I just don't get along very well; 2. I never made up a 'story' before, and 3. how am I going to pretend to be someone else???? Well, I researched, found some very interesting stuff and wrote. We had to cite our sources which made making up the story a bit easier.

I've never done a journal entry other than my lazy little blips here or on a piece of notebook paper. So, I got my grade back tonight and was pleasantly surprised to find that I got exclamation points and major kudos from the instructor and so far a perfect grade.

It's been a grueling week in this class discussing stereotyping and prejudice. People certainly like to believe they are the most diverse people in the world but what's most amazing is the stereotypes and prejudice they use without even realizing it. I know I've done it a lot in my life and will continue to do so because it's such a normal thing in society. I think this class will be very interesting and will test me a great deal. And in some very odd and surprising way I will enjoy it!

My other class is a business communications class that I've already been frustrated with but will hopefully ace all the same. I am really enjoying my schooling this time. I'm actually getting a lot out of it. My academic writing skills are certainly improving. That's not saying much for my blog entries but I don't have to be formal here, I can be whatever mood I want to be so it's a nice break!

The kids are all doing wonderful, Pat is perfect as am I....not perfect in the perfect sense but in my sense he's perfect. Animals are all great...Our WeeMan is oh so cute. Life is still as pathetically boring as you always read about here.

Just thought I would put up a little post so I can say I didn't neglect my 'glob' as my mom so lovingly calls it...every time I think of that I laugh.

Now it's time to kick back and wait and see what might happen this week that may warrant a post....hope it's more exciting than all this! Have a great night all

Saturday, January 23, 2010

Gushing about our WeeMan...

What a day...we attended WeeMan's 1st birthday party. The poor little guy was soo worn out by the end. He slept peacefully in his aunt's arms while everyone else cleaned up or prepared to leave. I got a lot of time with him considering all the people there. It was a great party and our daughter and her fiance did a great job!

It really amazes me how very much that little guy has captured the hearts of all our kids and Pat and I. None of us can seem to get enough of him and we go round and round about who's going to hold him next even though he's completely mobile and pretty independent...and I have to say, the connection him and our son have is amazing. WeeMan didn't even care that we showed up at first today, he gave his Uncle B a big smile and waved like they were old friends.

The capability of the human heart to continue to make more and more room for yet another to love is so crazy. And no love is identical, it's all very different.

It was a bitter sweet week this week, one year of getting to know this little boy who's an extension of us, who's a part of us yet in a distant way, this little boy who has gone from a helpless little creature to a functioning little human who barely needs us to help him or hold him.

I have to say I'm turning into a doting gramma, always wondering where he's at, always waiting for his little arms to reach for me, always looking for that little grin he gives me....

There is nothing like loving a grandbaby...I always wondered what the hoopla was, thought in the beginning it was just a myth but I'm learning at a rapid speed how very different and special it is.
He definitely is a special little guy, a very precious gift that someone thought would be a perfect fit for our lives....and he is just that and then some.

Things happen for a reason in people's lives and things are not given to us that we are not able to handle....two things I am a firm believer in. The changes I've seen in myself, Patrick and our kids have been amazing...hmmmmm, how we can go through life not knowing that there are these little human beings that will suddenly exist one day and that will affect every part of our person is such a giant leap...Our four kids touched places in us that we never knew we had, opened up door after door of awe and wonder...now that one of them has given us something else new, we are faced once again with a new adventure that changes so much.

Life has been quite an experience around here for the last year and a half. Happy and sad, tragic and miraculous, stressful and exciting--sometimes it's feels so overwhelming but many other times it's just so damn wonderful!

Wednesday, January 20, 2010

Happy First Birthday to our Little WeeMan!





















































Today at 4:01pm our first little grandbaby turned one-year-old!!! Wow, this time last year we were looking at him for the first time and that photo in the sidebar of my blog was snapped. He has grown so very much since, just like every child does. He's now walking and trying to talk and is the sweetest little cuddle buns! He's definitely got his g-ma and g-pa wrapped around that precious little finger of his!

Last night his mama, daddy and him were here for dinner. Our little WeeMan is like my shadow...he loves to be in the kitchen with me tearing my cupboards apart or shoving the dish racks in on the dishwasher and slamming the door shut....he just loves to 'help'. Yes, I may be biased about my grandson but he just melts my heart all to pieces!

As they were getting ready to leave the house we were waving and marveling at how cute it all was. I blew him a kiss...I tried this once before but he didn't want anything to do with that since he was so busy practicing what his grandpa taught him...how to wave! Yes, he did it once for his mama and dad and never again until he was here....so anyway, blowing that kiss...

I never thought he would actually do it, after all, he is a boy! And how corny and unmacho is that?! Never the less, I tried....Peanut removed the nuk from his mouth after I blew WeeMan a kiss and lo and behold....up his little hand went IN to his mouth, he mimicked the mmmmmm and threw his hand at us! He did this like 4 times, and notice I say his hand went IN to his mouth...all four little fingers were in his mouth as he hummed....apparently, according to his mom and dad, this was also a first...whether they say that just to make us feel good or not really doesn't matter...it makes us feel pretty special to that little boy!

Anyway, I thought I would share a few pics of the birthday boy taken within the last few weeks. He is quite a little boy!

I know his mama is not feeling well today, in fact she's feeling pretty sick as I write this. I feel bad for her being sick on his first b-day but I know they had a fun day with him. I also know that she's feeling pretty sad as well because her baby is already a year. To me, my baby has a baby....the circle of life...gawd what a wonderful experience this journey is!

Happy Birthday to our precious Lil WeeMan......

Monday, January 18, 2010

Just an update

What an absolutely fabulous day it was today! Wow, it felt like spring out there; the only thing missing was the smell of spring and washing my truck. I had the day off of work today; MLK day.

I didn't do much other than email my man and get acquainted with my new classes. I'm hoping this block will not require so much writing and research. I've switched my major, did I already mention that? I'll be going to school for IT stuff....I had three choices on my mind when I started this whole school thing--accounting, psychology, and some sort of computer based degree.

After experiencing some of the accounting ins and outs I decided I didn't think I would survive it. I actually may have at this school but numbers have a big impact on people's lives in that capacity, do I REALLY want to be responsible for that???? I'm definitely not a leader sooooo, nah. Psychology...oh I would really really love to go to school for marriage counseling or child psychology or something along those lines buttttt....that requires a lot of years of schooling, I will be damn near retirement age by the time I would get a degree...so that left my third option..computers. And I do really enjoy computers so I'm hoping I've settled now.

Last week was hell week for both work and school....I am so glad it's over. School was all about finals....my final draft for my 2000+ word report and a critical analysis of four different websites. Wow, the analysis took me all week and the report took me six hours. The best part of all that? I handed my report in late Saturday 1/2 hour before deadline. Sunday I woke up, and my score was already posted...I was docked only 2 points on the entire thing! I was very pleasantly surprised since in high school that sort of work habit never produced good results. Cannot wait to get my grade although I'm thinking I'll be getting no less than an A- in each class...I have to say Sunday was such a heavenly day for me....Oh, and the Vikings won, I almost forgot that important tidbit...

Work, well it was testing week for the entire school and as a para, it is part of my job description to do the reading testing. Timer in hand for 5 hours, student after student and this was two of the three days....on Friday we began testing for the Kindergarten students which continues this week.

Sitting here watching Pearl Harbor with Patrick...some pretty unrealistic stuff in this movie but the love story is ok I guess. The bombing scene is also very intense and heart breaking...war was so war back then. Bravery and courage really stood out. It exists today as well but things used in war were so undeveloped....

Pat talks about the Civil War with me sometimes and I just cannot believe how bold/brave men were back then. I've watched many movies with him on this and I will begin to giggle out of sheer awe. Of course Pat will ask me why I'm giggling and I have to explain each and every time...The men would walk straight towards each other, guns aimed and once within range begin firing. One round mind you...then they would use their bayonets and a bloodbath was born. I don't giggle because it's funny but because I am astonished by this....what courage it took for these men to walk into their own death for something they believed in...walking up to a man and stabbing him to death.

Glory is one of my favorite movies--about the 54th Massachusetts Regiment; the first black infantry to be allowed into battle during the Civil War. The battle for Fort Wagner. Matthew Broderick, Denzel Washington, Cary Elwes, Robert Gould Shaw, and Morgan Freeman were absolutely wonderful in this movie...If I remember correctly, Denzel won an award...just an all around great movie.

Things were a little more advanced in 1941--machine guns, planes, subs, strategy--of course in this movie, there wasn't any ground war but even still, weapons were much less prehistoric.

I don't know, war certainly isn't my strong suit but I do enjoy watching movies based on them..especially with Pat because he's my walking encyclopedia. I have a question, he generally has an answer, almost as if he knew my question was coming....That in an of itself amazes me on a daily basis...

Enough babbling for the night...have to go back to work in the a.m. but I did enjoy the day off today. Always nice to kick back and have a long weekend...have a great Tuesday everyone

Saturday, January 16, 2010

More smoking AND spitting bans being considered at the park.

Why should joggers be allowed to spit and not others? Seriously, if a jogger needs to spit he should really do so in the privacy of his own home and contaminate his or her own space, I certainly don't want to be exposed to someone else's germs. Eww, that's just completely gross! And really, why does a jogger need an entire park to spit in? What if a walker gets a bug in their mouth, should they count that in their protein intake for the day? Or what if a walker needs to vomit, should they simply swallow it and run home to get to the nearest receptacle in order to do this in the privacy of their own home? Of course none of us would want to witness the vomiting but come on people, lets get serious...

All this ranting from one little statement in this article: "People out jogging may need to spit because of physical activity," he said

Tell me again why they don't ban non-smokers from parks? Tell me why they don't have a smoking area, OUTSIDE, in the public park that is for anyone who would like to enjoy a nice day or a stroll? Why not confine non-smokers to a certain perimeter of the park and take away their rights as citizens of this fine country? Why not make a jogging park specifically for non-smoking health nuts who are allowed to eat and drink and exercise however they want in this great country.

I tire of the argument with non-smokers. When it's one of their God given rights being taken away perhaps I'll hop on the anti-bandwagon and fight to tear away some of their rights and freedoms...they don't get it, they are like talking to brick walls. It's a sad, sad day. While I may not be a smoker for much longer, my loyalties lie NOT with the smokers but the smokers rights as Americans....when will people get that????

Tuesday, January 12, 2010

Ode to Sliding

As I write this Pat is in the process of helping our son move into his new bedroom. Pat and I painted it on Sunday. Our boy is so excited! Not sure why; he already has the biggest room in the house. I suppose that would be more important to a girl.

While I can't completely admit that this weather is fabulous, I will admit that the shining sun definitely eases the punch of winter. The days are slowly warming but not much. At least today anyway. Having to go out to recess with kids everyday at work, I have to find even the slightest positive to this lovely Minnesota winter stuff. And for the most part, it's not so bad. I have to say I spend more time outside than many do, not by choice. Well, I guess in a sense I know what this job is all about so maybe a part of is is by choice...who knows.

My shivering ceases to exist as I watch the kids romp around in the snow, slam themselves into snowbanks, try to slide the furthest, and hop on the playground slide only to come flying off the other end....it brings to mind all that time I spent outside as a child. Snow angels, tubing, skiing, snow forts, skating, snowball fights but I hated those because my brothers always ended up whitewashing me, but my most favorite--building the fastest sledding hills in my neighbor's back yard. We had metal saucers that flew down those hills. But that wasn't enough, we tried putting water on the trail to ice it up. Little did we know that we had to do that at night when the temps cooled. We never could succeed in that whole icing of the trails.

We built really 'intricate' trails that of course never seemed to work right away...the neighbor girl and I spent hours outside. Curves here, jumps there, around this tree, into that snowbank. Of course, as an adult I'm sure these 'intricate' trails were nothing more than a slightly curved trail that went around shrub branches instead of those big huge trees we used to believe nearly took our lives each time we slid down. I remember thinking how I wished my brothers could come help us once in a great while but that idea soon dissipated; I thought my friend and I had a secret. I did my best to imitate them and what they might do. I was such a tomboy and since it was them who I hung around with most, I learned a lot of great tricks. Boys certainly can be ingenious. ;)

Then there was my own back hill that slid right into a fence...straight down, short and sweet with the excitement of the crunch of the metal privacy slats that were woven into the chain link fence as we got to the bottom. Who could slam into that fence the hardest was the biggest thrill, no jumps, no time to pick up a ton of speed, no threat of slamming into trees...no dangers aside from getting our boot stuck under the fence.

The best hill though was the one at the middle school just across the busy road my mom always worried about us crossing. Now that was one spectacular adventure and always a treat to go to. We didn't get to go there often but when we did it was memorable. Because there were always a bunch of kids using that hill, it was well groomed for sleds and jumps were all over the place. It was a fast hill but it really sucked climbing back up. But why was it the best? Speed and the danger of getting hurt...ahhh, danger. Only a kid and maybe a young adult would put themselves in it intentionally. Hell, some adults as well...but not me, not now. I only wish I was as injury prone as they are.

As I watch these school kids have the time of their lives out in the snow and cold, images of my own snow days come flooding back. I spend most of the recess chuckling at the kid's antics and their bravery and what seems like some sort of shield around their knees and heads. These kids have no care about slamming their knees into an ice hill or diving head first off a pile. They get up, shake their heads and are off to do it again.

While I'm not much for the cold, I can't help but remember that there was a time when I loved it so much that I jumped and squealed when I would see a single snowflake. Then I would run and get some white paper, a scissors and begin the act of cutting a bunch of snowflakes thinking that by some miracle the ground would be white by the time I finished making my own. Perhaps I thought I was helping the snow along by making BIG snowflakes. LOL

I will still go outside during a snowstorm and look up to the sky and watch all the snowflakes falling and even stick my tongue out for old times sake. I can't help it, my childhood never ceases to leave my mind in many respects....finding some joy in what gave me so much joy back then does wonders for the mojo in these very cold months.

Anyway, my break from homework must end now. My last week of this block and I'm procrastinating again......

Friday, January 08, 2010

Some Food for Thought

After Attacking Bush During Periods Of Job Growth, And Pledging Their Stimulus Would Create Millions Of Jobs, Where’s The Dems’ Outrage?

RNC CHAIRMAN MICHAEL STEELE: “For close to a full year the American people have been forced to watch and in many cases bear the burden of our ever increasing national unemployment rate which unfortunately remained in the double digits throughout the month of December. More than 85,000 Americans lost their jobs in the month of December, meaning more than 2.8 million Americans have lost their jobs since the stimulus passed, and the national unemployment rate remains at 10 percent. The American economy is a powerful and amazingly resilient system that will always naturally return to balance because of the determination and unique ingenuity of the American worker. But President Obama’s singular focus on enacting his government-run liberal policies are single-handedly preventing this return. It’s time for President Obama to heed the recent words of Democrat Senator Ben Nelson and finally do what he should have been doing over the past year – put his full and undivided attention on fixing our economy.”

LEADING DEMS ATTACKED BUSH WHEN MILLIONS OF JOBS WERE BEING CREATED …

In 2003, Over 87,000 Jobs Were Created. (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, www.bls.gov, Accessed 1/6/10)

  • But House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) Criticized 2003 Job Creation As “Far From Enough.” “The slight increase in jobs last month is wonderful news for 57,000 Americans. But the 2.1 million Americans who have been actively looking for work for more than two years … know that it is far from enough …” (Rep. Nancy Pelosi, “Pelosi: ‘Slight Jobs Increase Far From Enough -- We Must Do More to Create Jobs and Growth,’” Press Release, 10/3/03)

In 2004, Over 2 Million Jobs Were Created. (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, www.bls.gov, Accessed 1/6/10)

  • But In 2004, Sen. Dick Durbin (D-IL) Claimed Bush “Created A Climate … Where The Number of Jobs Is Not Growing.” “This President has created a climate in this country where the number of jobs is not growing. It did not have to be that way.” (Sen. Dick Durbin, Congressional Record, 10/08/04, p. S10764)

In 2005, Over 2.5 Million Jobs Were Created. (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, www.bls.gov, Accessed 1/6/10)

  • But Pelosi Called 2005 Job Creation Numbers “Anemic.” “Today’s anemic jobs numbers confirm that President Bush has still failed to create a single new private-sector job since he became President.” (Rep. Nancy Pelosi, “Pelosi: ‘Today’s Anemic Jobs Numbers Confirm the Administration Has Failed to Create a Single New Private-Sector Job,’” Press Release, 6/3/05)

In 2006, Over 2.1 Million Jobs Were Created. (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, www.bls.gov, Accessed 1/6/10)

  • But Pelosi Claimed Bush Policies “Favored The Privileged Few At The Expense Of America’s Working Families.” (Rep. Nancy Pelosi, “Democrats Will Restore the Economic Security of America’s Working Families,” Press Release, 9/22/06)

By 2007, 5.7 Million Jobs Had Been Created Under Bush. (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, www.bls.gov, Accessed 1/6/10)

  • But Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) Claimed Bush Had “Shameful History Of Losing American Jobs.” (Sen. Harry Reid, “Reid: As Unemployment Reaches Two-year High, American Jobs Are The Latest Casualty Of Bush’s Failed Economic Policies,” Press Release, 1/4/08)

THEN PROMISED THEIR $787 BILLION STIMULUS WOULD CREATE MILLIONS OF JOBS

In February, Obama Signed $787 Billion Stimulus Bill, Claiming It Would “Fix The Economy.” “President Obama on Tuesday signed the $787 billion stimulus package ... ‘We have begun the essential work of keeping the American dream alive in our time,’ Obama said, calling the legislation ‘the beginning of the end’ of what needed to be done to fix the economy.” (Michael A. Fletcher, “Obama Leaves D.C. To Sign Stimulus Bill,” The Washington Post, 2/18/09)

And Obama Pledged That Stimulus Would Create 3.5 Million Jobs By End Of 2010. “[W]hat makes this recovery plan so important is not just that it will create or save 3.5 million jobs over the next two years ...” (President Barack Obama, Remarks At The Signing Of The American Recovery And Reinvestment Act, Denver, CO, 2/17/09)

SO DEMS NEED TO CREATE 6.3 MILLION JOBS IN 2010 TO MEET THEIR OWN STANDARD, A LEVEL OF JOB GROWTH THAT HAS NEVER BEEN ACHIEVED

2.8 MILLION Jobs Lost Since Obama’s Signed His $787 Billion Stimulus In February 2009. (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, www.bls.gov, Accessed 12/10/09)

  • Including 85,000 More Jobs Lost Last Month. (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, www.bls.gov, Accessed 1/8/09)

In Addition To 3.5 MILLION Jobs Obama Promised Would Be Created By His $787 Billion Stimulus By December 2010. (President Barack Obama, Remarks At The Signing Of The American Recovery And Reinvestment Act, Denver, CO, 2/17/09)

That Equals 6.3 MILLION Jobs Dems Need To Create This Year Alone To Declare Economic Success, A Level Of Job Growth That Has Never Been Achieved in American History. (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, www.bls.gov, Accessed 1/6/10)

  • Because In 1946, 4.3 MILLION Jobs Were Created, Largest Job In A Single Calendar Year In American History. (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, www.bls.gov, Accessed 1/6/10)

KNOWING AMERICANS WILL JUDGE THEM ON JOB CREATION, AT LEAST ONE DEM IS OUTRAGED OVER SQUANDERED 2009

Obama Says “The Yardstick Should Be … Am I Creating These Jobs?” (Sam Stein, “Obama: Judge Me On The Jobs I Create,” The Huffington Post, 12/15/08)

  • Pelosi: “Jobs, Jobs, Jobs … We Will Measure Our Success In That Way; And Hopefully The American People Will, Too, In The Next Election.” (Greg Sargent, “Pelosi: Judge Dems’ Success On Whether We Create ‘Jobs, Jobs, Jobs,’” “The Plum Line” Blog, 12/3/09)

DGA Chairman, Gov. Jack Markell (D-DE), Says “Burden Of Proof” On Dems To Show That They’re Creating Jobs. “When you've got as many people unemployed in the country as you do, it's understandable that folks will be looking to their leaders to do everything possible to create jobs. As Democrats, there's a burden of proof here.” (Peter Wallsten and Naftali Bendavid, “Departures Shake Democrats,” The Wall Street Journal, 1/7/09)

  • But Sen. Ben Nelson (D-NE) Says Obama Made A Mistake In Pushing Health Care, And Should Have Focused On Jobs. “I think it was a mistake to take health care on as opposed to continuing to spend the time on the economy… I would have preferred not to be dealing with health care in the midst of everything else, and I think working on the economy would have been a wiser move …” (Chris Zavadil, “Nelson: We Should Have Waited On Health Care,” The Fremont Tribune, 1/6/10)
  • And Obama’s Liberal Agenda Preventing Small Businesses From Creating Jobs, “Could Impede An Economic Recovery.” “But a health-care overhaul grinding through Congress could bring unknown new obligations to insure employees. Bush-era tax cuts are set to end next year, and their fate is unclear. Legislation aimed at tackling climate change might raise businesses’ energy costs. … Many companies say they have responded by freezing hiring, cutting benefits and delaying expansion plans. With at least 60% of job growth historically coming out of the small-business sector, according to the government’s Small Business Administration, that kind of inertia could impede an economic recovery.” (Gary Fields, “Political Uncertainty Puts Freeze on Small Businesses,” The Wall Street Journal, 10/28/09)

Thursday, January 07, 2010

Quick post

Year is starting with a cold winter blast..holy moly is it cold outside. I shoveled the sidewalk and deck...took all of seven minutes and I got in the house and my toes were numb and my fingers were hurting!

Tonight I finished my homework for the week and am taking a few moments before I head off to be do to do some internet entertainment...facebook, blogging, reading news. All of it brief but a great way to wind down before I go warm up!

The week has flown by and am hoping that this is a prerequisite for the next couple months. Winter is so harsh for us around here...we are complete summer people...fishing, soccer, tennis, just plain outdoors! Nothing like a nice bonfire with friends and kids on a summer night! Next summer could prove to be a new adventure for me but hey, I'll keep that to myself until I know for sure just how motivated I will be. At this point, I want summer tomorrow!

Ugh, must stop thinking that way for the moment, it is only January!!!!

All are doing wonderful! No news to report. Our second oldest moved out of the house a couple days ago....it was a sad feeling to come home for lunch and walk down the hallway and see her empty room....I didn't tell her goodbye that morning because it would make it too real. She was already here visiting tonight, has been keeping in touch with me via text messaging, I know she's probably having a really hard time with this. We all are...it's difficult but we must meld and gel with the things that life will not wait for. Growing up...living, learning, and experiencing. :(

Anyway, I need to get my tooty off to bed..one more day of work this week!

Have a wonderful night all and stay warm!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Friday, January 01, 2010

Live it, Love it, Embrace it! Happy New Year!

Spent a fun night with our two younger kids playing Wii and eating cheese, crackers, sausage, and chips. Wow, curling sure is fun on the Wii but it's a love hate relationship! Pat and I played that until 2:00am and I nearly punched a hole in our couch because I lost by inches on our last round of games! Good grief! Him and I had a lot of fun competing with both the kids and each other.

But today is a new day, a new year. Each year there seems to be some milestone or some event in everyone's life that changes them...ours was our WeeMan. He is going to be a year old in 19 days...wow. Watching the stages of his development have been so different from watching our own kids.

Another year with my hubby..gawd, and hey, he proposed to me on our 21st anniversary! He even set the renewal day--our 25th wedding anniversary...wow, now that was a huge thing! Since I never really got a real formal proposal from him way back when. (just teasing hun) That nearly brought tears to my eyes when he did that..it definitely took me by surprise.

There were many other things in our year that crept up on us or enveloped our emotions..the one year anniversary of my father's death was pretty harsh, a beautiful trip to San Francisco, a most amazing vacation with the kids....ahh, so many ups and downs.

Our second oldest will be moving on soon, heading to school and living closer to the cities. That will leave just Pat, myself and our two younger ones here. Oh how different their lives will be from the two older ones who had to share everything with two younger siblings.

What will come in the first year of the new decade...it's anyone's guess but it's how you handle it and deal with it that really matters. One can choose to wallow and pity or one can choose to pick up the pieces and brush off things and find the positive or the humor in things...my new way of living is finding the little things in the negative and making light of them, finding some quirky little thing that makes me smile, making them seem less daunting. I ended 2009 with this attitude and will continue with it. Life is just too short and one never knows what will be 5 minutes from now. Ahhh, life is just good no matter what cards are dealt--no matter how crappy, if there is nothing but crabby, depressed, negative thoughts life will suck!! Enough said!

I really do wish all of our friends and families a most glorious 2010...take the good with the bad and enjoy.....life isn't perfect but it is fulfilling!

Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Amazing


Tuesday, December 29, 2009

Lazy Days

Christmas is finally over, the tree is down and things are pretty much back to normal. Except of course none of us are doing anything besides being lazy, playing the Wii, watching tv, playing on the computer, laughing, oh, and playing with our WeeMan! (grandbaby)

Patrick put up a nice spread of our Christmas Eve feast, he's so proud of his Prime Rib expertise but I must say, he makes exquisite Prime Rib..mmmmm. We had such a nice Christmas Eve and Day with our kids. Oh, and the French Silk pie that he eluded to that was 'hidden in the place of shame'....OMG! Lets just say I'll be making that more often than not. Things were very laid back and everything went really smoothly. Just one of those moments where you put your fingers to your lips and kiss them....

Now were all savoring our lazy time, soaking up the moments, sleeping in after staying up way too late....We have WeeMan here with us for a couple more hours. He spent the night last night and was great entertainment for us all. Gawd, he is just the apple of our eye around here. We all dote on him and coddle him....he just soaks it all up. Pat is so cute with him, those memories we have of our own kids surface whenever that little dude is here visiting.

New Years is fast approaching....Not sure what the plans are for the evening yet..perhaps staying home and indulging in some friendly Wii competition with the kids....I'll kicka their butts! haha
Who knows...

I just know that I adore my family...as they get older and wiser it dawns on me just how much they mean to me everyday. A father and/or husband who comes home every night, kids who laugh more than they fight, a unit that works together in hard times and arms that are always warm and welcoming when a hug is needed.

Sappy much Louie? Apologies ....

Thursday, December 24, 2009

Christmas 2009

Christmas Eve and the house is full of our kids and our grandbaby. Chaos and laughter aplenty. There's just something about this year that I can't pinpoint. Perhaps it's because Christmas has snuck up on us...no snow for just long enough to hold off the 'feeling' of the holiday time, not sure what. But having my whole family together is just making my heart swell with love and thankfulness.

Pat and I are off work for the next couple weeks and get to spend some quality time with the two younger kids and each other. Just so much to be grateful for, my feelings from Thanksgiving have leaked into now and only grown more. We have gifts under the tree, great food on the table, great kids and their significant others, a wonderfully adorable grandson, annoying animals, and jobs to return to where the people are very wonderful. Most importantly, we have a home where we can enjoy most of this..might not be a mansion, but it's home..that is where our kids have and are growing and where Pat and I have made a great life. One I wouldn't trade for nothing.

The weather isn't making things easy for our kids and they will all be stranded here for the night but that's ok, we're planning a night of games and what I'm sure will be a night full of jokes and laughs that none of us will soon forgets.

Our bellies are stuffed now and we await for the late arrival of our oldest daughters fiance...he had to work today but is plowing his way here as I write. There's a plate of food in the fridge waiting and we promised him we will wait for his arrival before we begin the presents. Soon and Pat and I cannot wait! It's so very nice to have the means to give to our children...many years of struggles have finally paid off. It reminds me that there is a light at the end of that tunnel. But also to realize there are many tunnels...

It's just a good day to be married, a good day to be a mom and grandma, it's a good day to love, laugh and feel alive...Christmas 2009 has brought with it many new realizations and emotions. I miss my father and wish he were here. But that cannot be so...I look at the benches he made for my daycare all those years ago and verbally thanked him as my family of 8 1/2 sat down for dinner. I see the snow falling and think about him all those years ago with his Shenanigans hat on trudging behind that snowblower first doing our driveway and then moving on to a neighbors. I imagine him laughing at us and making some wisecrack as we shovel our way out of this mess that is the biggest storm we've had in Minnesota in years.....so much.

It's just a wonderful Christmas but as I said, I cannot figure out just why that is...I do hope that everyone out there in cyberworld has a stupendous Christmas! I know that we are! Merry Christmas to all of you!!!!

Sunday, December 20, 2009

Just a moment

It's Sunday night...only two days of work this week and it's vacation time! I won't have to do any school work either...winter break! YAY.

Presents are actually wrapped 4 days earlier than usual this year, so tomorrow after work I can bake some cookies since I've neglected to do that this year. Can't say I've had all that much time or energy though....sick kids, now myself feeling the inklings of sickness...ugh. It's been a rough few months for sickness.

I'm going to attempt something I've only thought about the past few years. I've nixed the apple pie for Christmas and am opting to go with ... are you ready? French Silk. From scouring the internet it seems that all the recipes are the same for the most part and wow...it's really simple. I do hope it turns out good. I'm also making cherry pie and pumpkin..mmmmm!

And we're preparing to make two large meals. All our kids will be here on Christmas Eve, I'm so excited, we get to see our WeeMan for his first Christmas..the best gift I could ever hope for! Him and his mama will be spending the night from the 23rd-24th. Unfortunately, B has to work on Christmas Eve so will be here a little later than he wants to..he feels terrible but work is work and we all need the money. We're gonna save him some Prime Rib though....

Christmas day it will just be Pat, I and our two youngest and I'm making a 10-lb. turkey...an actual farm fresh one from my cousin...hope it turns out ok, never had a fresh turkey before. GD#2 is mad because we'll be having mashed taters, stuffing, corn and all when she won't be here...I told her there will be PLENTY of leftovers...and that reminds me, she is preparing to move out on us. She's starting school at a community college in a couple weeks. Life just keeps on moving on. I suspect she's going to miss living here for awhile though...we'll see.

Anyway, I'm sure I'll be posting in a day or two....just felt like babbling for a bit....hope everyone out there in cyberland is doing wonderful!

Thursday, December 17, 2009

She asked for it, she dared to be out after midnight

Some of the things in the news are so completely outrageous. Rape don't count if it happens after midnight. Wow..that is really something to think about. If I were walking at 1:00 in the morning enjoying a beautiful night and some thug decided it was time to rape me it would only be my fault. Wow....

Isn't rape, rape no matter how you look at it? The guy, Shantaram Naik, is no one I have ever heard of or who has really been of any interest to me until I read this completely over the top article. Or more appropriately, this idea! It's not in America thank goodness ... these other countries though? There are really some twisted things that go on in this world!

Seeing Red

Did the girlfriend know a violent criminal was buried within that boyfriend of hers? Do people ever watch how their mate interacts with their kids before they trust them to babysit? Who can a person trust? Was there a history of violence with this guy? If so, what should happen with the mother who left the child with them?

So many questions come to mind whenever I read something like this....it's really sad and infuriating that such a senseless act occurs against young children. And such a violent way...
I only hope for this little girl to recover.

Friday, December 11, 2009

Daily grind leads to a nice relaxing weekend...ahhhh

Well.... how bout that Tiger Woods?!!!! Man, what an upstanding role model he is! I won't say more on this matter because I'm extremely disappointed and the guy is getting enough media coverage now to last him the rest of his life!

Got a nice relaxing weekend ahead of us and am looking so forward to cuddling up in our home for the weekend with my hubby and our kids and over indulging on movies! Homework will have to fit in there somewhere but that shouldn't be too hard.

GD #3 is sick right now...swollen glands, fever, chills but no sore throat. It appears to be a bacteria infection of some sort but we're not 100% sure. She's being treated for that and we're all very hopeful that she will be showing improvement by Monday...if not, she needs to go have more tests done. Just hate when the kids are sick with these mysterious things!!

The rest of our clan is doing well. Our son had his D.A.R.E. graduation the other day...so much like his father with his ability to woo a crowd! His speech and two others were chosen to be read to the parents. My eyes stung with pride as I watched that little guy stand in front of so many people and present like he was talking to his friends. Our kids are growing up....Nice to see how they're developing skills and coming into their own...

Not much else going on...struggling to see the beauty in these bitter cold days, going to work everyday, doing homework and dealing with the daily grind...it's weekends like this I look the most forward to...lazy, cozy and with my hubby and kids, well, weekends with just my hubby might trump that...ahh, life is good even when things don't go our way....it's knowing what's here that makes it all so much better!

Sunday, December 06, 2009

Haha

Usually it's at this time of year we start to hear about people falling through the ice but this one is actually pretty humorous. Just gotta love Minnesota fisherman and their dedication!

Monday, November 30, 2009

Rest In Peace Alora Rae Breault

Pat and I went away for the weekend AND attended the Chicago/Vikings game on Sunday. (Thanks R & R) All that sounds like a great time ... hmmm, I beg to differ on that because of...well, if you've read my previous posts you know. The weekend away was to be a moment to forget, a moment to feel normal...

Well...it started that way and it was really nice to be with my hubby...then on Saturday, I read the paper and there was a small blip about a car accident and a teen dying. The name didn't register at that time, I was skimming and briefly sad for yet another loss on Highway 8 of a young life....a couple hours later, our daughter called knowing that she should only call if there was something urgent....

The girl who died....she was one of the kids I did daycare for only a few years ago. It was after that phone call that I thought I was going to have a nervous breakdown...I shut down. Too much for my human emotions to handle. At a certain point, the wall that I created to try to help my friends, crumbled, and I found myself lost.

What I'm most used to with daycare kids from my past is meeting up with them at the bar or running into them at the store....never to read about them in the paper. Daycare kids...regardless of how little time they came to my home, the moment they stepped their first little foot in my door, they always managed to find a way into my heart...smiles, the way they talked, the way they played house, the way they tried to throw their weight around to get what they wanted...a flip of the hair, the color of their eyes, their spunk and spirit-- The mom and I were friends before daycare was even considered. The idea of her and the father having to deal with this loss....I just groan every time I think of it.

Seeing them tonight, trying so very hard to be strong while those lines of pain and anguish riddled their faces...it was awful. The funeral of children....there were so many people there, so many of this girls friends....and there was a line a mile long and the parking lot full of people driving around hoping for a spot to open. School teachers, another of my old daycare kids who was this little girls "boyfriend" when they both attended my daycare....he was my first thought when I learned of this whole tragedy...and he looked beaten and numb.

The last week has really been shitty! Overwhelming, painful, heartbreaking, stressful, and unbearable at times......

Regardless of the fact that my own father died a year and a half ago, the death of another reminds me just how much pain I still carry of his loss, how much I truly miss him, and it envelops me like a glove...I'm really lucky to have my family to recognize this in me, to know what triggers my sadness and my distance. I have a great husband and wonderful kids....they have been here for me, they have been here to pick me up and have seen the toll the last week has been taking on me. My strength has faltered and it is them who have come to my side to ask if I'm ok, who make me smile, who tell me they love me and who have listened to me while I sort out the emotions that have been spinning around like a hurricane in my head and my heart. It is them I will remember when I come out of this haze, when I feel somewhat normal again.

Thank you all so very much P, D, J, C, and B!

Thursday, November 26, 2009

Happy Thanksgiving

So much to be thankful for...so many things in this life that make me smile or make me giggle. I could list a million things here that I am thankful for but don't have time to do that, have a feast to attend so I must make this short and sweet.

My husband...what a great guy, a man who would actually jump off the bridge if I asked him to...there for me when I need him, working his butt off to provide for his family, always trying to get me to smile or laugh or to look at the brighter side...wrapping his arms around me just because or buying me a single rose when I'm not looking...he is so many things to me...

My kids...they can give me ulcers but the bottom line is is that they love me unconditionally, they are ALWAYS up to something...they do however know when we're down, they share their lives with us and go to great lengths to make us laugh. My oldest threw flour in my face last night because I was being ornery..she managed to make me laugh...My kids would defend me to the end of time, stand up for me, our home, our life...they love deeply and hurt when we hurt, they do their chores and work hard to earn their own money...while many think I think my kids are perfect, I don't, I just would rather look at the good things they have given to us, to each other and in the end, they are really really good kids We have been blessed with very precious gifts. We all have faults but it's how we look at them that determines just how perfect or imperfect those faults really are.

I'm thankful for my mom, for the memories of my father and those of our trips. I'm thankful to have been part of their lives in a time when things were pretty confusing. I'm thankful to hear my father's jolly laugh ring in my ears when something occurs that I know he would get a kick out of it. I'm thankful that no matter how many disagreements my mom and I have had that we still manage to love each other deeply and to put it all aside and just have what we have.

I'm thankful for my friends who have been in my life since we were all just young teenage girls struggling through triangles of friendship, boyfriend problems, sneaking out, getting into trouble...and for all the lessons we learned as kids. I have referred back to my days with my friends and Pat for many reasons throughout life to help me raise my kids better...I am thankful to have shared an important part of my life with them and to be doing much of the same at this later time in our lives. I am thankful for our new friends who have only just entered our lives a few years ago...who have already been there for us, helped us through things and done so many unselfish things for us...I am thankful for the ability to have room in my life for more special people like them...

I'm thankful for our home, for our jobs, for the cars that get us to and from work...Seriously, this post could go on for the rest of my life. I try to tell myself each day to bring forth something that is a routine in a day and to be thankful for it. To not take the things and people in my life for granted because in the end, I am blessed every single day to have so much...

I am very very thankful for this blog and the friends I have made here over the years and for what this blog stands for for myself...it has opened up a place in me that I buried deep...

All you out there in the Cyber World.....HAVE A SPECTACULAR THANKSGIVING..and to my friends....thinking about you today.....