I Can't Believe It's Almost Over and Christmas to Boot!

I don't know about the rest of you, but this semester has flown by and YIKES!!! Christmas is just around the corner. I thought a good post would be to reflect on what has happened in my life during this semester.

In August, school started for my children. My oldest daughter (17) will graduate from High School in December. She will also graduate with an Assosicates in May. I am completely amazed at what she has accomplished. At this rate, she will have her PHD before I ever get done in college.

In September, my mother and I had yet ANOTHER falling out. I want so badly to be close to her but she continues to be negative and controlling. I am 42 years young (soon to be 43) and I can't get her to quit meddling in my affairs, not to mention that she is driving my husband absolutely crazy. She is the type of person who throws constant pity parties for herself and then tries to bring you in by laying the guilt on you. My brothers feel the same way, so the three of us decided to protect our children and spouses from her behavior and distance ourselves from her. I think, or at least I hope, she has gotten the message. I have just recently started talking to her again as have my brothers. Hopefully we can direct her to some counciling and move forward with some healing in our familys.

October was pretty cool. My little turned 7. We took her to Six Flags in Texas for her birthday. We had an amazing time. My husband and I have been married for 10 years (it will be eleven in January). Over the past two years, we seemed to have hit a dead spot in our relationship. I think we just got too comfortable with each other. I put on some weight and since I started school, I have let the house go a bit. We were constantly fighting over money and it seemed it was never going to end. But God is soooooo good! I prayed faithfully and he answered. As of today, I have lost more than 30 pounds and my house is almost (smile) spotless! He has started helping me around the house and (not to get too personal) our intimate relationship has improved 10 fold. Halloween we spent at our church for our annual Trunk or Treat. Our trunk theme was the "Flintstones". I was Wilma and my hubby was Fred. We had the best time.

November was just plain hectic but then the ULTIMATE of good news came yet again for me. I won a three day two night trip to Miami Florida! It was all expense paid, all inclusive. We even got $500.00 in spending money. We used it as a "second" honeymoon. It was amazing. It was like we were just married all over again. What can I say about Miami? We stayed at South Beach. The people were so very different than those here in Oklahoma. It was just plain culture shock. We ended up not getting a car but opted to walk around South Beach instead. We saw everything and anything. My favorite show is "CSI MIAMI" and in one of the episodes, Horatio Cane says, "Miami never closes"...boy was he right. One of the days we were there was Thanksgiving day. We expected everything to look like a dead zone....NOT! It was just as busy and exciting as any other day. We opted to have something different for Thanksgiving than just your turkey and dressing. We had authentic Cuban food at Gloria Estephans restaurant. It was AMAZING!

December has just started and this is the last week of the semester (plus finals week). My birthday is in a few weeks and then Christmas. For the first time ever, we are flying to my fathers house in Georgia and spending Christmas with him. My youngest daughter is so excited about Santa coming to Georgia instead of Oklahoma. She is just amazed that he would know where to find her.

I will let you know how the rest of December goes and post again after the new year. I have a feeling it is going to be the best year I have ever had!

Politics. Should I Even go There??

Well, after watching all the debates, I have made my choice...Barak Obama. I have always voted Democrat but this year, due to the shakey economy, I made a concious effort to really weigh the issues and agendas of both cadidates. Let's hope the best man wins and our economy can be saved. God Bless America...really! We need it!

Wow! Blogging In My New Blogging Class!

Hello to all who read my blog. I am now enrolled in an internet blogging class. It is not so much about making sure we blog, but learning the history of how it all came about. I am looking forward to seeing how this class goes.

Interesting Task

In my linguistics class we were given the opportunity to turn in submissions to the New Plains Review for better grades. I thought, Sure...I could use better test grades. Never in a million years would I have guessed that I would have so much fun writing! In the end, I submitted twelve pieces. Holy Cow! Now...lets just see if I get selected and published!

My First OU Football Game!

Okay, I know you are saying...WHAT you have never been to an OU football game? Well, the answer is no, BUT I was given tickets for the season opener this weekend and it was amazing! Since the score was like 50 to nothing at the half, the football game itself was not that exciting, but the atmosphere was contagious. When you see the drum major come out leaning so far back to the ground you are sure he is going to fall, and then the band plays "Boomer Sooner" well, it gives you goosebumps! The best part was when they played Ozzy Osbornes, "Crazy Train" when the football team came on the field. How cool was that?!?!

You many now consider me a college football addict. I hope to go to many more games!

It's That Time Again...School!

Summer vacation is fun but as a Mom, I am ready for school to start again. I finally found a routine to my day again. Get up, pack lunches, take kids to school, do my homework, run errands, pick up kids from school, help kids do homework, leave on my 45 minute drive to Edmond to attend my classes, come home and finally collapse on the couch. I look over at my husband sitting comfortably in his recliner and he nicely says, "So, I see you didn't do anything today." Ugh!

What's Up With That?

I was just sitting and thinking one night about nothing and suddenly it occured to me that car dealerships are not open on Sunday. Is this a state law? A federal law? Or did all the car dealerships all over the world decide unanimously that they would all stay closed on Sunday? I seems odd to me since the only day most people actually have off is Sunday. With the greediness of the car salesmen, trying to collect commissions, one would think that they would stay open on Sunday's.

Just curious.

Just three weeks left!

There is just three weeks left of school for this semester and I am so excited. This has seemed like the longest semester ever. I guess since I am getting so close to the end, it seems like it is taking forever.
That's all for now.

Soccer Mom

According to Wikipedia, soccer mom broadly refers to a middle or upper middle class women who spend a significant amount of her time transporting their school-age children to activities such as soccer practice. The male equivalent, soccer dad, is less-used.

My six year old just started soccer and I am quickly finding out that I now fit the definition of "soccer mom". So, I started out just like any new soccer mom would and started researching the game on the internet. Much to my surprise, not only did I find the rules of the game but I also found discussion boards like "Ramblings of a Catholic Soccer Mom" or "Soccer Mom: Unplugged".

I decided that for now, I am just going to have fun watching her play and worry about being a "soccer mom lifer" later.

Sometimes it's just TOO much!

My life is just so hectic that it seems like I never have anytime for myself. My six year old comes home and turns into the F5 and every toy she owns is in the livingroom. My sixteen year old changes clothes more than I can change my mind! And then there is my hubby. He just doesn't seem to get it! Why does he think his stinky socks belong on my end table?

In spite of all that, I still try to take a moment, sit back, and look at my beautiful family, flaws and all. They are pretty special to me and I wouldn't give any of them up for any amount of money.

So in the end, I am truely blessed.

Remembering...What Easter is REALLY About!

As I sat with my family enjoying the traditional ham and potato dinner and watching my little girl run around the yard looking for eggs...I began to reflect on what the day means to me.

Every year, Christians around the world celebrate Easter. It is the day that started it all -- the day Jesus was resurrected. He conquered sin and death so that we could have new life. Being that Easter is also during spring, the season of new life, it's not surprising that that's what Easter means to me. Allow me to explain...

A Time of Ending

Easter is the time to stop worrying. So many of us spend way too much time worrying over what we should do, or what we've done, or what we should have done, or what someone else has done (or might do), or... Well, you get the picture. I know I worry a lot, and it tends to be about things that I can't control anyway. So, what's the point? Easter is the time to let go of anger and bad feelings. Have you ever heard the analogy of "carrying a lot of baggage"? Well, that's a very good one in my opinion. Hauling around angry, negative stuff really wears me out. And with so many things I want to do, I don't need that at all! Nothing good can come from staying angry... so let it go. Put an end to it and let's get on with life.

A Time of Beginning

Easter is a great time to start new things. Nature is starting fresh -- at least in my part of the world -- so why not follow along? When everything around me is full of life, it makes it a lot easier to try something different. Is there something you've been wanting to do? An instrument that you want to play? A sport? How about a habit you want to get into, like exercising? Or maybe you want to do something for the community? Easter is a great time to consider your options. There is no law that says we have to keep doing the same things we've always done. Do you have a regular hangout? Why not get your friends to go someplace else? If they won't go with you, then why not go alone? Maybe you'll make some new friends. This is the perfect time of year to ask, "Is this the best way to spend my time? Are these the only options I have... or am I overlooking something?" You might be surprised at how much we tend to limit ourselves.

A Time of Renewing

Easter is the perfect reason for tackling those things you've set aside. Jesus suffered, died, and was resurrected. Why not use that example and resurrect some things you've let fall by the wayside? I used to keep a journal, and I wrote in it every night. It was a great way to sort things out and gain a better perspective on my problems -- but I stopped doing it. Well, Easter is my excuse for starting it again! Is there anything you've set aside that could be renewed?
Easter is an excellent opportunity to connect with old friends. Why not breathe new life into some old relationships? Have you moved and lost touch with people? Or has someone moved away and left you behind? And what about those people you used to hangout with whom you still see in the halls every day? Why not stop and say "hi"? Ask them how they're doing. Write a letter to someone you no longer see -- or send an email -- or make a phone call. Take a walk down memory lane and see whom you've left behind. Then reach out during this time of new life, and resurrect some old friendships. It's a great way to honor Jesus, and thank him for what he did for us so very long ago.

The Scoop on Eggs

I was just sitting here craving a Cadbury Egg. You know...those are the super yummy, sinfully chocolate eggs that only appear in the stores around Easter time. It isn't so bad that I am completely addicted to them, but why do they have to put them right by the register so when I check out I am inclined to buy a half dozen or so? The egg has a thick milk chocolate shell with a white and yellow filling designed to resemble the yolk of an egg. The very thought of the design sounds horrible to me, but the egg...the fabulous egg...it is so extremely irresistible.