Christmas and Goodbye 2009!!!!!!

Gaia playing Super Mario for Wii with my mom. =)

2009 is QUICKLY coming to an end and its hard to believe. It seems like it was January and I was sitting watching TV and there was a blanket of snow on the ground and we were getting a new president.

So Christmas was great. It started on Christmas Eve, as it always does in my family. I open an ornament each year in the morning, this year it was a Text Addict Cell Phone ornament. Very cute, but I don't see myself as an addict. hahaha So that day I baked cupcakes for dessert for dinner that night. I helped my aunt clean the house and she got the dog bathed and such.

So that night we did my mom's family Christmas. My earrings were the big present over-all. =) I love them, but I am beginning to hate cleaning them twice a day. Arg! I also got money and won $5 on a lotto scratch-off. =o) So we headed home that same day. I got home and Christmas Day night spent it over at Kate's house. Her and her parents do so much for me. :) I got a shaw to wear at my next Broadway show to keep warm from them, I love it! :)

Jeremy and Gaia didn't come until Sunday afternoon. They stopped in Charlotte for a visit and then came here. Gaia got a metal detector from Santa and that was the big thing at first. ;) We got around to doing our family Christmas. My bigs were I got 5 books (8 including Marci's set), Veera Bradly purse and wallet, 1 hour massage and a sewing machine! :) I also got clothes, Wii games, Wii points card to download games, fabric to make stuff, blue tooth ear piece for my phone, calendar, soduku puzzles, Grey's Anatomy 4 and 5, Ghost Whisperer 4, Harry Potter 6, Enchanted, Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.

Gaia was here till today. She probably played on the Wii for 4 hours each day. She really loved the Super Mario game I got. She had her meltdowns also and a HUGE one yesterday with my mom that turned into a full-out fight with all of us. IT IS disturbing to hear Gaia say if she goes home and says something bad happen to her mom, she'll get a treat. I was like I hope you don't do that, but I can't believe she said that to me. She clung to me yesterday because of my mom and dad.

So thats it for 2009. Happy New Year!!!!!

Duggar Family Welcome Baby #19!

I want to congratulate Jim Bob and their family on baby #19 who arrived by emergency c-section yesterday evening.

Josie Brooklyn Duggar wasn't due until March 18, but came into the world 14 weeks premature after Michelle was admitted to the hospital over the weekend for gallstones. Apparently she also suffered from a condition called pre-eclampsia where her blood pressure was higher than normal.

Why would I post about this? I have been a loyal watcher of this family since they were on TV back when they had 14 and were adding a new addition. I love watching their show and to me unlike the Gosselin family, they haven't let the TV cameras and being in the spotlight change who they are.

The 18 kids names all start with the letter J; Joshua, Jana, John-David, Jill, Jessa, Jinger, Joseph, Josiah, Joy-Anna, Jedidiah, Jeremiah, Jason, James, Justin, Jackson, Johannah, Jennifer & Jordyn-Grace. And no I didn't copy and paste that. ;) This includes 2 sets of twins.

I wish Michelle a quick and speedy recovery from the birth and her gallstones. I will pray for Josie and that she continues to do well and is home soon.

I can't believe I did it! =O

I got my 2nd holes done! :) Just 6 weeks of cleaning them left to go. ;)

Well this week got off to a bad start back home and trust me I clouldn't wait to get away from my parents. Two weeks away will fly by, but at least it won't be torture being at home with them.

So yesterday we met up with my aunt over in Albemarle, which is basically an hour away each way. So we ate lunch and let the dogs stretch their legs and potty and such. Then went our own ways. ;)

On the way to Gastonia, my aunt asked me if I still wanted to get my ears pierced and I was like yeah. I was told by my other aunt that I wouldn't do it probably because I hated needles as a kid. Ok, that was when I was a KID! I was 4 the first time I got them pierced, gimme a break! So she was like well lets go get it done today. I was like alright!

So we unloaded the car and dropped KoKo off at home. We told my grandma that we were going over to the mall, but we would be over. Hah! ;) So we went over to Claire's at the mall. I wasn't sure how BADLY it was going to hurt. Everyone told me it wouldn't hurt as bad as the first holes did. Well lets re-wind a little bit...

I got the first holes done at age 4, after I asked for them. They got infected, and I was probably allergic to the post also, so the first holes were messed up anyways. Well they closed up and so when I was 17, I had them redone and kept them open for the past 11 years. I wear earings in them daily.

But back in HS I wanted to get my 2nd holes and have been debating it on and off since then. Well finally this year I said to hell with it, I told my aunt she could take me to get my 2nd holes for Christmas.

So flash-forward to yesterday, the lady that did my piercing had gotten her 3rd hole done like last week and she said it hurt! I was like GREAT! What I needed to hear! :shakes head: But she then said her 2nd hole didn't hurt as much as the 1st and 3rd. So I felt better. ;) hahaha She also commented about my ear lobe and I didn't catch all she said, but I was like are you trying to tell me I have big ears?! LOL No apparently I have good piercing ears or whatever. So she made me laugh, which got my mind off of the impending pain. So she was like you want me to count or just do it. Initially I said just do it and then I said count. LOL

So the first ear is done, and it honestly felt like some one just grabbed my skin and pinched it lightly. NOTHING! Second ear, it hurt a little more than the first, but it was also on the side that hurt to have the 1st hole re-done. So it was NOT bad at all.

Marci you need to take Julie and get her first one done, and you need to get your 2nd holes. hehehe

So that's that. I hate the cleaning part. They are a little sore today, but not bad. I slept comfortably last night and tried not to lay on them. Kind of hard when you prefer sleeping on your side. hahaha

So that's it. Happy Hanukkah to those who celebrate it! :D Christmas is in 15 days! Yikes! I still haven't 100% finished my shopping......

I love/hate this time of the year! :(

Sadie at my grandparents house on Thanksgiving day.

I am beginning to HATE this time of the year. I just hate it because of all the spending you do on other people. For me its stuff that I think they will like but they will probably never will use!

A few years ago I made these little boxes for all the girls in the family. (aunt's, mom and grandma) Well I know 2 of them are sitting in a closet and never have been out or used. Its like did you not see the meaning of it?! My grandma has her's in her kitchen because her was a recipe holder. I know she uses her and I smile each time I walk by it. Cause its something I took the time to sit down and make.

So this year, what was my idea again was to make my gifts. Well I was going to knit these little dish cloths, but again I doubt they will ever be used! They will be stuffed away in a drawer! :rolls eyes: I am making reed diffusers instead, cause its something I KNOW people will have sitting out and such.

So what's the problem? Oh my mother wants to put her touch on it! She picked the damn scent, I wanted lavendar she got lemon bermena (sp?)! I wanted heart shape glass containers, she got the diamond shape, what she wanted! Then all these other little touches that I would've never thought of! Its like people will look at this and I think they will think it was her idea, she did it and my name is on it!

I am out of time to do the dish cloths and for one thing I have no clue where the stupid book is that has the patterns! ARG!

I just hate that my ideas become her new project and has to put a damn spin on everything! :rolls eyes:

So thats my vent. I can't wait to get out of this house for a good while, man! Seriously!

Marci your package got mailed today. :) Don't open till next week when Hanukkah starts. :D

Happy Thanksgiving!!!!

I want to wish everyone out there a Happy Thanksgiving! This year will mark my 29th one! YIKES! Its probably not as memorable as my 1st Christmas was for my parents. But still, enjoy stuffing your face with turkey and all the trimmings!

The holidays have already began for me. I love this time of the year, but I also hate it. The 20th marked 11 years since I lost my grandpa and he died the week before Thanksgiving and it was a tough first holiday without him there. His funeral was on Monday and Thanksgiving was 3 days later.

I hate it in the sense that my parents go over-board with everything. I looked at what they have bought for my niece and its RIDICOLOUS! I think yesterday my mom got her 2 or 3 DS Nintendo games alone, I think she has 4 in total now. I am SO against her having a DS because I don't believe her reading has improved and it was a requirement. This is exactly why Gaia knows she asks for something she'll get it and then some.

I did get my brother's present yesterday. :) I know he'll like it. hehehe All I can say. ;)

As for my parents, right now they won't get a thing. I am sick of them using and abusing me (as I put it) and get nothing in return except for being yelled at and such. I am tired of it and it either has to change or......

So thats it. Have a great holiday tomorrow. :)

How many more shopping days?!

Little Caroline dressed up for the winter days and nights. ;)

33 days left until Christmas! Yikes! I dunno how many more I have to get Marci's Hanukkah gift to her. Hum....I know I hope to get the shopping done tomorrow. :)

So Thanksgiving is on Thursday and so what is going on other than stuffing my face, I dunno. :) I do know I am probably going to stay the night on Wednesday so I don't have to get up at the butt crack of dawn on Thursday to go back to Charlotte. Arg! When the hell will we ever eat at home?

Friday I am planning to go paint pottery and take full advantage of the 15-40% off they are offering on each thing you do. I already have a 15% thingy to use, but I plan to do something for some one for Christmas. I dunno yet. :) I can't find anyone to go with me, so it looks like it will be a trip alone sort of deal. :(

So that's it. I am off here. Congrats Marci on completing your marathon!

MIA....Sorry!

Its November and pretty soon all of us who celebrate Christmas will be putting up these things.

I love but hate this time of the year. I hate how still in North Carolina the weather is 60's and sometimes 70's, when it should be getting colder. We did have a cold spell last week, but it was raining and we had a HURRICANE along with the back end of a NOREASTER! Ok! This would've been great if it had snowed, cause we got 6 inches of rain, that equals how much snow????? I WOULD HAVE LOVED IT!!!!!!!

I have started the process of getting stuff together for gifts for people. I made 2 blankets for 2 people. I swear at the moment, the animals will be the easiest ones to shop for and even that list has grown....Sadie, Ko-Ko, Angel, Tilly, Violet....etc! Cats and dogs!

So this year I have made the little gift tags for my mom and some other people. I was planning to make them anyway, but at Project Linus 2 weeks ago, we were making them and I was shown how to do them and cut the paper myself. :) I was excited when I got home and started working on it. I have probably made about 100, and now making the ones for my gifts.

As for my Christmas cards, they are still in boxes still waiting to be completed. Ugh! I do a card exchange on a message board and never know how many I will need to do and its just MAKING them that becomes a chore this time of the year. Especially when I bought them back last month! LOL

So anyways thats it for now. Marci I found the perfect Hanukkah card for you! :) So thats it. Looking forward to Thanksgiving next week. Yum! TURKEY! GOBBLE GOBBLE!!!!

Groundbreaking Ceremony in Shanksville....

The official groundbreaking ceremony was held today in Shanksville for the Flight 93 National Memorial. This is for the permanent memorial this is set to be opened by September 11, 2011.

These 40 passengers and crew took their destiny's into their own hands and decided to stand up and fight back against the 4 men who had plans to fly the plane into the US Capitol. Unlike the other flights, they had enough time to do something, and they were aware of what was going on and knew what fate what coming. They tempted fate with their actions and they knew chances were they wouldn't survived, but they fought until the end when their plane crashed into a field outside of Pittsburgh. 20 minutes flying time from Washington DC.

All our lives were changed by the attacks of 9/11. For me, it didn't help with my fear of flying. But if I didn't get back on an airplane after the attacks, I know the hijacker's would've won. But God forbid if anyone (including me) is in this situation again, I would hope I would have the same courage they had on 9/11.

Thank you, Jason, LeeRoy, Lorraine, Sandy, Wanda, CeeCee, Debbie, Christian, Todd, Alan, Mark, Deora, Marion, Tom, William, Georgine, Patricia, Joseph, Patrick, Ed, Jane, Colleen, Andy, Jeremy, Lauren, Donald, Linda, Richard, Toshiya, Hilda, Waleska, Nicole, Louis, Donald, Jane, Mark, Christine, John, Honor Elizabeth & Kristin.

Shiloh Pepin

The human "Little Mermaid" Shiloh Pepin passed away October 23rd after a bout with phneumonia.

Who exactly is this little girl? She's one of 3 girls that was born with this condition, and the only one of the 3 who's legs were not surgically separated. (The other girl is 21 and the other was born in 2006) Its a condition in which the legs are fused.

I first saw her on a documentry on TLC/Discovery Health and recently just saw an updated special on her. She was just amazing to watch. She didn't let this get in her way of doing things. She indured 2 kidney transplants in her lifetime. In her last documentry she was talking about joining the swim team the following summer and celebrated her 10th birthday. She wasn't expected to live a few days, let alone a few years. She even went away to a summer camp.

She fought for life until the end. If you haven't seen her story or know anything about her, I suggest you go look it up or find out when her specials will air again on TV. RIP little Shiloh!

Charlotte Trip & West Side Story

Ko-Ko all dressed up in his Halloween costume! He's going as Tigger this year. He hates the costume. The poor thing.

So after being sick basically for 2 weeks, I had to pack up and go to Charlotte because my dad needed my room for the guests that were coming. I swear they were idiots not adding an extra room!

So what I thought was going to be a few day stay turned into a week's stay! Oh did I mention it went from summery weather to fall really quickly and I didn't have my coat?! I was glad I packed 2 sweatshirts. ;) hehehe

So to top that all off I got my monthly visitor before I left and I was also on the stupid antibiotics. ARG! Two weeks of that crap! I was so relieved that I didn't get a yeast infection, I can tell you that much.

So Ko-Ko was ecstatic to see me and spent the evenings with me upstairs, unless I needed a break from him. LOL He's a bundle full of energy! I tell you that much. So my uncle went fishing the weekend I was there. Which left me with my aunt and the dog. So Thursday was the only day she worked and we were going to watch Grey's Anatomy and Private Practice, she didn't even make it through Grey's! Snored through Private Practice! Ugh it made me so mad!

So that weekend we went to the mall and did whatever we wanted to. Sadly, my uncle's co-worker's dad fell and broke his hip while they were at the beach. But he had a replacement done and is doing well the last time I heard. I was so happy to get home on Friday night. I had Saturday to relax before Sunday's outting with Kate and her mom.

Ok I am getting "musical" since I met Kate. My list of musicals that I have seen has doubled, I think. LOL So Sunday went to see a local production of "West Side Story" at the Raleigh Theatre. Hah! Here's a shock, I had never seen this one! BUT this time I knew what it was about. Incase you don't know, its a modern day Romeo and Juliet story. Except of feuding families, its feuding gangs in New York. I enjoyed the show. The cast was great. I have no clue if its a touring group or what. It sounded more like a local production, but alot of the cast has already been on Broadway and are from North Carolina and such. There were kids in High School that were part of it. So it was good, yes. At the end when Andy is shot, Kate SCREAMED so loud that the whole place probably heard her! LOL I'd say her scream scared me more than the gunshot pop! LOL And she was the one that read the warning sign before we went into the theater...uh Kate!

So thats it. I have been working on this blog for 2 days. LOL :)

Feeling Better....

Guess who I'm going to go visit tomorrow???!!!

Ok, well guess what? I am feeling much-much better from a week ago. What a difference a week makes. After going back to the doctor on Friday and getting the new medicine, I started to feel better on Saturday. The worse part of it was not doing anything still. I did manage to not nap on Saturday and slept ok that night. Friday and Saturday nights I had a coughing fit that woke me up at 6:30 or so. That was the only annoying thing! hahaha

So I had to get my room cleaned up for my dad's friends that are coming in to play golf. So guess what? I am getting to boot and have to stay elsewhere. Well I am going to Charlotte to spend the time there at my aunt and uncle's house through Sunday at the latest. Its fine with me, because I will get to see my brother Ko-Ko and spend time with my grandparents too. =)

So I got the downstairs cleaned up. I will "help" upstairs until I leave, but my dad will be left to clean the rest. LOL Will be interesting how clean the upstairs will be when his friends get here, because I usually do the cleaning when my mom is gone. ;)

So guess what I found under my bed? My Nintendo DS! I thought I threw that sucker out or something. But cleaning under my bed brought me to that. I'm so happy its found. I love playing games on there when I'm not at home. I tested out the new Wii Fit Plus Sunday and today. I like it, the games are so different, but they are fun! I will get into it more when I get home and 100% better.

So thats it! I will post next time from Charlotte. Woohoo for me! Did I mention I hate fall weather???!!!

Day 5 of being sick...

This little fellow was in the yard yesterday. He was literally up on the back porch. I snapped this before he took off. :)

So as I said on Monday I woke up sick with a bad sore throat and my ears hurting. So I went to the doctor and was told it was a sinus infection and given 3 medications to take.

Fast-forward to this morning I still didn't feel right and my ears were hurting again. Granted I was on Amoxicillin, it should've knocked it out by now. 5 days of laying in bed and sleeping at all hours was getting to me. Had no fever, but I was miserable!

So I headed back to the urgent care. Of course there were a few billion people in there waiting and was told it would be an hour. So I sat and waited, basically. I have started reading the Rebecca series from American Girl, but couldn't focus on it. So I get called back, have lost 4 pounds since Monday. (gee what a popsicle diet does to you) My blood pressure, pulse and temperature were fine.

Doctor came in and looked me over and he went and got me free samples for another antibiotic and such. So thankful he didn't charge me for the visit either. The only thing I paid for was the cough syrup (that tastes TERRIBLE) prescription. So now on round 2 of antibiotics, hoping this will knock it out.

So I have begun feeling a little better, not sure if its the old antibiotic kicking in or what. My voice is back, but I can't talk long or I will start coughing. LOL I have missed talking on the phone with all of my friends.

Oh get this, I could've had the flu to go with the sinus infection. He said it explains why I am not feeling well because antibiotics don't work on the flu and he also said they weren't giving them for the Swine Flu either. The people who have died have had another condition. A boy in Raleigh died of it had Leukemia. I swear they are trying to scare people into getting the damn shot, but I am staying away from it.

Anyways....thats it. I am off to climb into bed and watch some TV.

I hate being sick!!!

That little smiley just sums up the past few days. :(

It started on Saturday when Amanda and her boys were here. I was up during the night sick and then felt better after a shower. I had to be ok to play hostess and help chase after those 2 little boys. ;)

Sunday I had a sore throat, but thought it was from the drainage of my allergies. I felt fine, minus that. My mom said she had the samething.

Monday I woke up and my sore throat was 1000 times worse and it hurt to swallow. I didn't think I had a sinus infection, but had the beginning signs of how it typically comes on. Well I had no voice and was just miserable. Off to Urgent Care I went, well heck at 9:00 in the morning you would've thought there wouldn't be that many people there. HAH! Not! I didn't get done in there till after 11:00! Its my sinuses! Ugh!

Went to wal-mart to get the medicine and headed home. I slept most of yesterday and was up literally sick to my stomach. But today I am feeling a bit better, have my voice back some what. Just tired of being sick, and sick of feeling like crap! :(

That's it. Later

Thank God He Stood Up!

I began watching a show called "Surviving Twins & Sextuplets" where a couple has a set of twins and sextuplets. These kids were 8 of the cutest I had ever seen and was thrilled when the 6 turned 3 they were doing a show on TLC.

Well over the past 2 years, this show has gone koo-koo. The regular people you saw were now gone and reading online about how Kate Gosselin did this and that, and I blew it off as probably not being true. I had (have) enjoyed wathing these kids grow up

It started getting out of control if you ask me after the the accusations came out that Jon was cheating. I was sitting there like, how could that be? When they went to Hawaii to renew their vowels, was this just a hoax to get a family vacation?

As the new season came on , they did announce they were splitting. After reading about all of that, you started to see the true victims of it and also how crazy Kate has become. I didn't want to sit here and think that she would be this selfish for a moment, but that was coming out as something different.

To fast-forward a bit, I found out on TLC site that Kate's birthday was the same as mine and also my ex sis in law's has the same birthday. Well I was talking to my mom and I was like "What's the one thing Stephanie and Kate have in common?" My mom goes you all have the same birthday! I was like do NOT put me on the same page as those 2! I maybe an Aries, but nothing at all like them. I never thought there could be another one of my brother's ex, but guess what, there is!

So not too shocking to read in the paper yesterday that Jon has got a court order to have filming stopped. I can sit here and say I am glad he did this, because I am SICK of this show revolving around Kate and nothing but Kate! This show was suppose to be about the couple raising 2 sets of twins and to me its more about her. I heard the twins are in therapy, well no shock there. The sextuplets are already becoming norodic like their mom. Its like they need to sit down and FIX their kids and WORRY about THEIR KIDS and let the show go unless they can agree to the same terms. I think TLC taking Jon off the show will end it. I am NOT watching it come November...unless Jon and Kate can agree on what to do about it.

Thats my vent for the week!

I spent the day with 2 of the cutest kids alive!

This is Apple the horse with Colin and Brennan, my "nephew's" whose mom I'm friends with. Yes Colin is holding a pink purse, which belongs to Sadie.

On a spontaneous moment, I asked my friend Amanda to come over for a visit and of course bring her two beautiful boys with her. She got in the car and came. :) I was so thrilled.

Colin (3) and Brennan (1) are just sooooooo cute. Talking to them on the phone doesn't do them any justice. They are 21 months apart and they look like they could be twins.

So my friend Kate came over and we went out to breakfast all together. The place we ate at was wonderful! We then went to wal-mart and let the boys pick out a toy and Amanda got something for the baby on the way.

We then headed back here and the boys + Kate fell asleep in the car. Hoping they would take a nap (the boys) Amanda laid down with them and I went to relax myself. Well it didn't last that long, Colin got up looking for the dog! LOL

So we eventually went down on the golf cart and went to see Apple. I wanted to pick up an apple at the store and forgot. But she came up close to the fence and was very "social". Kate came over too and Colin went "I want my best friend to come see the best horse!" He and Brennan both bonded with Kate, especially Colin.

So after that we went to Kate's to go see the kitties, who went into hiding! So we sat out on the porch and chatted while of course the boys explored. Then we rushed back home to fix dinner and brownies for desert. I was going to help with getting a boys a bath, but Amanda wanted to get on the road. I felt bad for her having to leave, but the boys were really tired and it was better that they got home and slept in their own beds. ;)

So I'm exhausted!

I FINISHED IT!!!!!!!!!!

I have worked on this blanket for weeks, and after many moments of FUSTRATION, its done! This will be donated to Project Linus and I am so proud of myself!

Just wanted to post.

I've been an aunt 8 years tomorrow!!

8 years ago today....this cute little girl was about to be born.

Gaia Vaisya was born 9/29/01 at 5:35am (MT) weighing 7lb 2oz and 19 inches long in the beautiful state of Colorado.

I still remember the phone call from my brother that morning wondering why he was calling at 8:00 and it didn't click that the baby was born until he told me I had niece, or was it my parents that told me that??

In the past month, she has lost 3 teeth as you can see via this picture. Something that I didn't think was ever going to happen. Of course her daddy had problems loosing his teeth, but hopefully she will continue loosing them on her own. ;)

I have loved the past 8 years of spoiling this little girl and looking forward to celebrating her 8th birthday with her this weekend! =o)

The innocence of the day....

This is one of my latest projects. My mom's friend and I figured out how to make figure 8's in knitting and I finally got the hang of it. This was just practice, I'm making the real thing right now. But was so proud of myself. :o)

I have realized the innocence that is in my 7 year old niece. As to why this is, please read on...

September 11th, 2001 forever changed so many people's lives. But back before 9/11/01, when I was growing up, September 11th was my brother's birthday. We use to joke about how his birthday was 9-1-1 like the emergency number you call. (back then Recue 911 was a popular show on TV) And on that day, I woke up and knew it was my brother's 25th birthday, before I saw what was going on TV that day.

The past 2 years, Gaia has reminded me of the innocence in a child's mind. She only knows that day as her daddy's birthday and it makes me think about how soon enough she will learn the horrors and tragedies of happened to our country that morning. I know one day she will come home from school and ask her mommy and daddy about, becaus she'll eventually learn about it in school.

This all came to mind when I was told that she made a 12 page card for her daddy for a birthday card of all the things she likes to do with him. Its just amazing to me the way she thinks and how she sees things.

I love this little girl with all of my heart. Even though she gets on my nerves sometimes, I love her all the same.

I just wanted to share...

8 years later....

My newest project....isn't it pretty??!!!

A very special Happy Birthday wish going out to my brother who turned 33 today! Wow! He's almost half way to 40! Yikes! 18 months until I'm 30, that's even scarier. =O

It has been 8 years since 19 middle-eastern men hijacked 4 separate planes and flew them into the World Trade Center, Pentagon and the last crashed outside of Pittsburgh, PA.

Where I was that day is something I rather forget! LOL All though I will NEVER forget that day for anything, but 8 year ago I never imagined I would be touched the ways I have been by the attacks. Trust me I rather forget that part of the day. ;)

I believe in fate and fate brought me together with Deborah Borza, whose daughter was among the 40 passengers that were on board on United 93 which crashed after the passenger and crew revolt. They saved so many more with their actions that day. If you seriously told me 8 years ago I would move to the middle of nowhere in NC and stumble across Deora's name, I would've said you were crazy! Everything happens for a reason and I would NOT change it for all the chocolate in the world.

But today and every 9/11 we will mark the anniversary and remember those who were lost that morning. I was commented to my parents that this is going to be one of the final years that my niece will see today through the innocence of a child, the way my brother and I grew up seeing it as, his brithday and just the numbers being 9-1-1. But soon enough she'll learn of what happened today and it won't be like it was today. Gaia made a 12 page birthday card for my brother and it was all about the things they do together. Its stuff like that make me look at the bright side of the day for my family with it being his birthday.

So I end this and hope everyone took a moment to pray for the families, friends and those killed on 9/11/01 and may we never forget the actions of the heroes in the air and on the ground....

Summer flew by so quickly!!!!!

A bunch of Buckeyes! And yes that green thing has Buckeyes in it. I have never seen them in a shell before until now. LOL One of those opened ones had 6 in them.

I cannot believe it was Labor Day today. Well to top that all off the weather was much like the first day the pool open, cloudy and not that warm outside! LOL

So before getting to the summer review, my mom's friend from Ohio is in town visiting. She has known me my entire life, as they put it, she has known me since I was in an incubator. (I was an 8lb baby, so figure that one out) So literally when she pulled up the sun peaked out from the clouds! LOL I made my mom call up to see if the pool was opened and of course it was, but I didn't want to drive down there and then find out it wasn't.

So after my mother rambled on about the house, Bonita hasn't been here since we were building it and so much has changed! LOL We took off for the pool and to my SHOCK we were not the only people there! LOL Amazingly! We were down there for about 2 hours before we got hungry and tired. LOL Came home and had my grandpa's famous hamburgers. I tought Bonita how to use the Wii Fit too and we had Cheese cake for desert. :o) Yum!

So ok over-all I am amazed with my ability to do the butterfly stroke. I have gone from not even trying it to really going at it. I mean come on, I am NEVER going to have it down perfect, but the fact that I tried it and worked at it, thats alot for me. ;) Oh and getting tips on my freestyle and backstroke, they are much easier now to do now. Its weird if I catch myself going back to the other way, I know I am not doing it right. Get what I mean? LOL

So I didn't "kill" myself this summmer either. LOL Well Danielle coming in after me was because of Gaia kicking me in the face, but it was funny yesterday was her last day working and she gave me a hug and was like I had fun watching you this summer and I was like and you saved my life. LOL My other slip-up was all me, but still nothing major! LOL I would say....

I am sad to see the summer end, but looking forward to the fall and winter and hopefully seeing snow!!!! =) Thats it, outta here!

Its a good thing that I didn't break......

Gaia with one of the 30-50 fish that she caught at the beach. I have 100 beach pictures and finally blogspot is allowing me to upload them without me pulling my hair out about it! ;)

I am going to leave you guess about my title, but please keep my friend's daughter Alexis in your prayers. She fractured her leg and had surgery this afternoon to fix it, but she was airlifted to the Children's hospital an hour away from the local hospital. They have basically kept my friend in the dark about what is going on with her kid and didn't even tell her this was happening. The hospital is fucked up if you ask me.

Ok on to my title and the explanation of that. I'm sure if you regularly read this and you know me that it can't be a good thing, right? ;)

So yesterday at the pool, I was standing on the side and talking to a lady and her niece. We had been goofing off the whole time I was there. Trying to take a drunk-driving test, none of us past the standing on one foot and holding the other up! LOL Well her niece and I only past the touching your finger to your nose. hahaha

So Alexa said to me to come over to where she was. Well I was right near where she was and I went to take a step and stepped on the lifeguard float thingy, mind you I had known it was on the side of the pool, cause I put it there, but it had been move in the process of the day. So when I stepped on it, my foot slipped on it and it threw me backwards onto the concrete.

Luckily I knew I was going down, because if I didn't, it would've been my head that hit first and I was able to save myself from hitting that first. I hit my butt first and then fell back from there. I went down all the way, but stayed down for the simple fact my back hurt and I was embaressed at that moment more than anything....also thinking I was going to be told to stay still. LOL

The lady who was there with her niece asked me if anything hurt, I said my back. My back was hurting because of the fall and also I felt it scrape against the concrete, but the scraping was hurting more than my lower back. So Alexa yelled for the manager to come over, and I still had not got out of my mouth why my back was hurting and it was from the scraping and being in that same spot!

The lady was like here gently lift your head up and she was putting a towel under my head. Alexa was like no don't move and I finally said what was hurting and why. So I had to roll to my side so they could check my back, and yes its scraped on my left side a little, but not too badly.

So I got back up on my feet with no problems. My friend Dianne was down at the playground with her daughter Melody and she brought her in to see me, apparently she knew something had happened. Melody is so cute! She's 16 months old and just ugh so cute! She did make me feel better I tell you that much. ;) Everything to her is "ball" she called Alexa ball, I was like no thats Alexa say hi. She just waved and smiled at everyone and said ball and pool. ;)

So today my back is sore from yesterday, my lower back mostly. But its fine other than that. I went and swam today and had no problems at all. LOL ;)

So thats it.....later!

Some ever so shocking news today!

Why am I posting a picture of a fetus? Read on....

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Keep going down....

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LOL NO I AM NOT PREGNANT!

But my friend Amanda (Colin and Brennan's mommy) went to confirm her pregnancy with an ultrasound today and she thought she was about 7 weeks pregnant and had put on 5lb and was already showing. Well I was thinking twins right away, but no its one baby and she's 16 weeks along!!!!!!!!!! And its a boy!

There's the shocking news....the pic above is how big baby #3 is when she found out. ;)

They can't be that messed up in the head!

This is from Pan Am Flight 103, but this post is about that.

I was only 7 years old when this happened and no I do not remember it, but I know about it. Pan Am Flight 103 crashed in Lockerbie, Scotland after a bomb was put into a suitcase and put on board. The bomb exploded and crashed killing all 259 on board and 11 on the ground. Most of the people on board were American. It remains one of the deadliest plane crashes in history.

One of the terrorist's that was convicted in 2001 is dying and is hoping to be released from prison. The guy got life in prison, but yet he could get out to spend his remaining days outside of his jail cell. If this guy was convicted in the US, he wouldn't be getting out to go home to spend his last days. A life sentence means you live in prison until the day you die. This guy gets out, he will have served a lousy 8 years in there.

This guy wants to be allowed to go home to Libya to live the rest of his days with his family. He doesn't deserve to get out! He intentionally planted that bomb on the plane and 270 innocent people lost their lives! I'm sure the families wanted that Christmas in 1988 with their loved ones that were killed that day.

Compassion-release my ass! That guy was suppose to spend the rest of his days in prison. Its messed up! Even more messed up is him getting to go home to Libya. HAH! Well at least in death, he will feel the pain of those he killed....

Beach Trip----Something happens every summer

We are home from Myrtle Beach! For some reason I can't upload pictures on here. =(

So last Saturday, my brother and niece came in for our beach trip. Saturday, Gaia and I went to the pool and she got to see one of her favorite lifeguard's, well 2 I otta say that day. :) Hahaha I dunno how many favorites she has! LOL

Sunday we took off for the beach. It was BLISTERING hot! No joke! So my mom told me I could go out at 3:00 without any sunblock, right I believed her and guess what?! I GOT BURNT! Yeah great way to start off my trip there.

Of course the trip there also had alot of drama and it was always my fault. I really didn't enjoy myself for that simple reason. One night, I didn't go out to dinner and such because of my mom being a bitch. First she said I was invited to dinner, but then as we were going out the door, that changed. That night, she also said some stuff that was completely out of line.

Gaia went to her over-night thing at the aquarium. She said she enjoyed it, but who knows with her. She made herself a bear at build a bear. I'd would say she had a good time. ;)

So on Sunday I got grazed by a jellyfish on my knee, which HURT! The theme down there was dead ocean life. I saw a total of 4 jellyfish, 2 sting rays, 1 eel, 1 crab dead and 2 jellyfish alive in 2 kids bucket! LOL Lovely right?! ;)

So weather wise it was great, it cooled off after Wednesday and we had storms and rain. Friday it was like we left right in time cause of the bad weather. Typical beach weather, oh I swam in the pool till I saw lightning one day! hehehe

So we came back yesterday and I was ready to get back to the diving board at the pool. =o) So Gaia, my brother and I took off for the pool. Of course my brother didn't come in right away. But also didn't stay too long. Gaia met a little friend down there and they were playing with the torpedo and such. :) Then out of nowhere it started pouring down rain for like 30 minutes! I literally ran back and forth taking something to Gaia and got told not to run, but its like I am wet already, but still! LOL

So my brother left soon after it stopped raining and so it was Gaia and I in the pool, with one family and then later a group of people came up. So Gaia always wants to push me under the water and we were in the 4ft and I was like (jokingly) to the lifeguard, help! I mean Gaia was on top of my shoulders and wrapped her legs around my waist. But I was kidding when I said that and so to get her off I went under water.

So when Gaia got off me, she went over my head and I was coming up at the same time she leaped over and she kicked me smack dab in the face, my nose specifically. I got up and for like a few seconds I couldn't breath and the lifeguard asked if I was ok, but I couldn't answer cause of that. Well the next thing I hear-see is her coming in. I think that was the biggest shock there for me, but yeah.

This whole time Gaia is swimming along her merry way and I was like I want out of here, just let me get to a ladder, ya know. My nose wasn't bleeding, but it hurt. Then the manager yelled at Gaia to get out of the pool and I was like wait a second she can swim still and I can sit out, but she made her get out for I guess kicking me, I dunno but she made her sit out for 7 minutes, which turned into about 20 minutes of pouting! LOL It was pathetic! LOL The manager was trying to make her laugh, but eventually she got over it.

So today the brat told me before we left the house she wanted to stay till 6 and then go see my friend's cat. Well she wanted to leave after an hour or something like that. I was like are you for real, I was like no we aren't going. So I told her she could sit at the table until I was ready or I call home. Of course she started crying cause of that. Its like get over it! She threw a big fit! I grabbed her towel away to get her to look at me when I was talking, which caused her to fall over into the chair. (which she changed that story) So I called home and was like come get her, I wasn't dealing with it any longer.

Of course I got the blame for her state and its like the shit she said wasn't true. Its like ask her in a few hours, she'll change the story. Of course its the LIES she'll go and tell her mom. I am sick of it. She does this on her last day every time she comes, just so she can go and tell her mom the BAD of it. GOD I HATE IT!

So to top this off, no one told me they were going to eat dinner in town and left without telling me and so I am sitting here in my room not caring about it. My whole family can kiss my butt.

I'm off here. TTYL!

Happy 28th Rachel!!!

Just a quick note.

This morning I got a message on Facebook from Rachel's sister about attending Rachel's birthday party and I was thinking the past few days that her birthday was coming up and today would've been Rachel's 28th birthday.

Its so hard to believe for me that it has been 10 years that has past since Columbine and graduating from High School. Rachel continues to touch people's lives today.

Happy Birthday Rachel! Hope you are having a party up there in Heaven. Watch over your family as they go the mountains this weekend, keep them safe. :)

One week from today!!!

One week from today, I will be located at the picture on the left hand side of this text! I CAN NOT WAIT FOR IT!!!!!!!

So this weekend was boring. I am happy to say that my friend; Anna; is doing better. She is one of the many out there that have been struck down with H1N1 flu virus. Amanda did go see Rent for all of us though, so thank you for that Amanda! :) I can't wait to hear about it, cause I have YET to hear from her! LOL

So this weekend in NC it rained on and off Friday till today. Well yesterday it got nice in the afternoon and I drove down to the pool, and found no cars in the parking lot and turned around and came home. (No Joke) They were open, as I found out later, but lol minus 2 umbrellas being up, it didn't look like it. Oh well, don't even bother asking what I did yesterday either other than trying to get into Prisoner of Azkaban. No way, minus a miracle, will I have it done before we go to the beach. LOL

Oh so we are the family that NEVER gets anything or wins anything. Well we had a coupon from Stein Mart and my dad scratched it off and we had a 50% total purchase $300 and under. Well the moron wasn't suppose to scratch it off, but lucky us they gave us the discount. LOL We did make use of that coupon! LOL We got the one 50% off coupon that they gave out! So what were the chances?! LOL

Oh I have my parents talked into doing this.....we're going out to Phoenix to go see Kristi Yamaguchi Friends & Family this fall!!!!!!!! :) NO JOKE! I am so fricken excited too because the Backstreet Boys are performing also!!!!!!! WOOHOO!!!!!!! My dad was like I don't want to see her skate, she probably can't! I was like, yeah dad she's just a World and Olympic Champion for no good reason! :rolls eyes: October 23, 2009 I will be there!!!!!!! Woohoo! Plus I've never been to Phoenix....

So thats it. I can't wait for the beach this coming Sunday! Later!

I am not seeing Rent one final time.... :'(

Gaia finally lost a tooth! Woohoo! How cute is this picture?! ;)

No I'm not in NY right now. My friend that I was going with to see the show is sick in the hospital with Swine Flu they believe. She has a 103 fever and isn't too well at the moment. =( Her friend was like still come and I'll go with you and its like no thanks! LOL I'll stay home rather than get sick myself before going to the beach next week. :( So it totally sucks, but I hadn't paid for my ticket or anything, so its all good. I hope they do another tour like this again. :)

So Gaia lost her first tooth on Monday, so what did the the tooth fairy bring her? NOTHING! Yes I said nothing. What kind of fairy lives at her mother's house?! Ugh! Well she didn't have the tooth under her pillow, because she lost it at school. Thats when you sit down and help the child write a note explaining what happened, but no instead she got nothing. But don't worry, the fairy got lost and made an appearance here instead and she'll get something when she comes next weekend. =o)

So thats it. The weather has been unpredictable here the whole week. Yesterday was the most I swam the entire week. LOL I went early thinking it was going to storm at some point, but it just rained a little bit and that was it.

So I am off to clean out my closet, YIKES! Wish me luck! LOL

The weather puts me in a bad mood!

I love the pictures I snapped of Gaia sleeping. My brother use to sleep like this, its hilarious how Gaia did this when she was here. ;)

I am so ready for this weekend!!!!! :) Ugh I so can't wait to see Rent one final time. =) So excited, minus the flying part. Arg! To that part! They had better find out what is causing all of these random crashes, I'm just not looking forward to getting there and getting home. LOL

So when I get home on Monday, that weekend we are taking off for our next family vacation. LOL Jeremy and Gaia are coming in on Saturday (the 8th) and then we are leaving to go to Somerset (PA) to go see the Flight 93 memorial and then making the track to the beach. I'm excited for both trips. I am finally going to pay my respects to the heroes in the air on 9/11/01. I told Deborah that I am going, and we'll be missing her by a week up there. One thing is not knowing how to explain it to a 7 year old, if you know what I mean. She sees 9/11 as my brother's birthday, not as something where 3000 people died in a single day in a terrorist attack on our country and that these 40 specific people foiled the hijacker's attempts.

I will have been to 2/3 of the memorials after this....I still haven't been to the one in NYC, but that won't be till after its completed.

So yesterday we had the pop-up storms early in the afternoon, right, well later on in the afternoon it was NICE and well they closed the pool. That is the 3rd time they have done that in the past 2 weeks and its STUPID! Some one really needs to complain about it, they need to re-evaluate the weather conditions after the storm passes, if it does pass. Ugh, whatever!

So today I am meeting a friend down at the pool at 1:00, so lets hope it doesn't STORM the second I walk out the door! ROFL!

I finished Chamber of Secrets yesterday, I just might get Prisoner of Azkaban done before leaving for the PA/beach. I want to so I don't have to take 2 books and having book 4 or 5 will last me the entire week, well watch I will finish it at the beach. LOL :) I have read Harry Potter 1 and 2 and now onto 3-7! ;) The movie was good by the way. ;)

Thats it. Till next time....

There is a wrong and right way....

The little miss after we made chocolate chip cookies. ;)

Well Gaia went home on Sunday and boy was it ever quiet around here. It was too quiet around here on Sunday. I went to the pool and turned around looking for her when I walked up to the gate, and she wasn't there. LOL It was weird not having her there on Sunday. LOL

Sunday night I went down to the lake to swim with Karissa. The funny part is we both are trying to get the butterfly stroke and on Saturday Jen was like Karissa has it, but Cortney you don't. So I got to where I was trying it multiple ways and I was doing it the way Karissa was doing it and its like well is that it?! LOL

So today it was cloudy and cooler, but I met Karissa down there today. So I was determined to work at the stupid thing. I kept practicing it Jen's way and I even did it the pool length and then half way back! I was damn proud of myself, I tell you that much. ;) I am not doing it anymore the way I use to do it; I'm doing it big kick, little kick, stroke and kick at the same time. NO CLUE IF THATS IT, BUT IT FEELS RIGHT TO ME! ;)

So I went home and had dinner and then went back to the pool this evening. So I NEVER got back into the pool because it started thundering! LOL My luck, right?! So anyways, rewind to before I even got to the pool, my mom called me and goes where's the SIM card that holds the extra # that we have and its like its wherever you put it. It was never in my phone. She SWORE up and down that it was in mine, but it never was. So after telling her to look in her own old phone she found it. UGH! The moron!

So anyways, Marci called me and I was laying on a lounge chair watching Danny set off potato bombs or whatever they were. LOL All it did was make loud noises and I thought at one point the last one he did was going to land on me! So I was looking around and the lifeguards were putting stuff away and I told Marci that I needed to get up off the chair so they could get my cushion and the other one that my stuff was sitting on.

Well I thought I could back up on it, where your head is suppose to go, and I was doing that and all the sudden the chair like flew up and I fell off! I am amazed that I didn't throw my phone, but I was laughing so hard. Marci, poor you didn't have a clue what happened other than hearing me scream! It was a GOOD thing that the cushion was still on the chair because it wouldn't have been pretty. LOL The funny part is looking around and seeing the look on people's faces and its like it would only happen to me! ;)

Oh I was waiting to see if it would QUIT thundering and well instead got caught in a terrible storm! Ugh! I got almost home, like 2 streets away from the turn-off and it started pouring down rain, like a monsoon! It was crazy!

So that was the past 2 days....not much going on now without Gaia here. ;)

The past few days!

Sleeping Beauty....oh oops its Gaia. ;)

So the past few days Gaia has been here, yes that is true. ;) She has been great this visit. Which has been wonderful.

Sunday we basically spent the day down at the pool. She couldn't wait to get down there, I tell you that much. She asked me at 9:00am if the pool was open and its like, nope.

So after she went to bed at 3:00am Saturday night, she woke up at 8:00am on Sunday. I was on little sleep for the fact that she slept smack dab in the middle of the bed! So we ran into town to go to the grocery store and all that fun stuff. After that we came home and got ready and headed to the pool. :) Gaia was down there from 1:30-4:00....it was a long day! I got a break from 4-6pm though, which was nice for me.

So Monday she started her Tennis camp, but it looked like it was going to be cancelled because of the yucky weather. Well it wasn't, so she went there at 12:30 and I stayed home and relaxed. With the luck I have the sun came out just in time for her to come home. LOL Well it wasn't raining or storming and she wanted to go swimming at the pool. So off we went at about 5:00 and walk in and lol Natalie and Morgan were both there, which was hilarious. Cause it was Morgan Gaia talked about all year, but yet she knew Natalie right away. LOL :smacks head: So she played with Natalie, I didn't even realize what was going on until I saw them both in the pool together and I wasn't getting in, well that was the plan. I got splashed until I got in. Natalie got me to do 12 laps with her and its like ugh shoot me. I was like I can't, cause of Gaia and so Morgan was like I'll watch her. I was like teach her how to dive, LOL! So yes I made it through 12 laps of swimming and staying at the pool until 9:00! Woohoo!

Today Gaia went to Tennis camp again and I went down to the pool at 2:00 to swim by myself and have some me time, if you know what I mean. ;) I met up with a friend of mine down there and she stayed until 5:00. Then Gaia turned around and came down soon after. Of course, Morgan was down at the pool. OH before this, Morgan was trying to get me to do a pike jump, toe-touch into a dive. LOL Out of 7 tries ONCE I got close. ;) I quit after 7, lol. Of course too there's like a wasp nest by the diving board, and stupid things were out harassing me. LOL Ugh!

So anyways, Gaia is really wanting to go swim at Morgan's house again this year. Well my mom was like she can go only if you stay with her and I had e-mailed Morgan through facebook about it last night and I talked to her today about it. But its a wait and see, but Gaia told me tonight she didn't want to go to camp Thursday. So whatever, we'll see what happens. So anyways, when Morgan was trying to leave, Gaia didn't want her to go and jumped up and wrapped herself around her waist and leg and I am standing there like, oh my gosh! Its like the poor girl is trying to leave!

So Gaia and I are sitting here watching "Goblet of Fire" and then I am going to bed here soon. I have a headache. Later!

Owwww.....

That's from the so-called dead squash plant we have! It grew in its own area.

So its Saturday....Gaia is coming today. Well they are finally in North Carolina and about 2.5 hours away. I'm so glad I knew before I went swimming that she wasn't going to be back in time. But she'll be here for the week and soon enough I will be counting down the days until she's back in Ohio. ;) hahaha

Can you guess why my title says Ow?! Ugh yesterday, my luck I have...Jen was working last night and yeah she never EVER forgets. LOL At one point I heard her say my name and I was in the deep end and was like I heard my name and don't want to know what was said! LOL

So it was either adult swim or getting close to it. Jen was trying to get me to work on Butterfly and its like no! LOL Well before that she said something to Morgan and I think it was about if I showed her the day before and she was like I had her do 2 laps. Ugh so adult swim her and Natalie both were trying to get me to do it and one point we were going to race and its like HOW THE HELL WILL THAT BE FAIR?! LOL I gave up half-way through the first lap, lol!

I called it all getting a swim lesson, lol! I needed to have kept my mouth shut about never having lessons! =p Butterfly is just a mental thing with me as to why I won't do it. But as I have said, I have made more progress with it since I moved here. LOL 3 or 4 years ago I wouldn't have tried it and it took many weeks of convincing to get me to do it.

My arms and back are killing me from it too. :( Ugh, today it killed me to do it short-ways and I did it once and that was it.

So this afternoon I went back and ugh the water was cold. I went over to the diving board after Alexa got on the stand, because of Danny and Allyson acting up and being stupid. Oh get this, I asked if I could a back dive and got the OK to do it. Well I did it and came up and Alexa was like I thought you were going to back flop and its like huh?! Apparently when I did, I dunno if I do it everytime, but I went straight back and arched at the very end. I have never back flopped since the first time I tried it by myself the first time ever. She said it was cool to see, but I have never been told that before.

So I am listening to music and typing this. :) I am off here. TTYL!

Just go ahead and shoot me!

Just another random picture from July 4th.

So tomorrow is when Gaia comes into town....can anyone just shoot me now???? I dunno why my parents think we need a fricken DVD player in every car, but thats this new kick they are on and I think its a waste of $$. Well they tell me I am jealous of it all the time and its like you dunno how wrong you are.

They keep this shit up, they will be entertaining her on their own.

So yesterday, after getting a nice e-mail Jen about my butterfly...lol to make a long story short, I had sent her an e-mail saying she missed it and she was at the pool when I went back! LOL Anyways!!!! It was cool here, but it was like near 80, so I went for a little bit. I walked in and Jen was like show Morgan your butterfly and its like what the heck?! Why?! LOL I look like a drowning rat, well not that bad now, but still. Of course Morgan was waiting to see it, lol and I did it short-ways and she was like now go do 2 laps of it. I was like WHAT?! I wanted to smack my head on the side of the pool at that moment. I did it anyways, even though by the end of the 2nd lap I was ready to just go under and never come back up! LOL My arms are still hurting from this.

So yes I survived doing 2 laps of it, but yet I am not saying I did that to Jen or she will have me do it again! NO THANK YOU!!! Karissa, this girl that is here visiting, we finally got to dive off the diving board the day before yesterday and I was like if I do this, you have to go dive off the board and she was like thats not the lifeguard that was here yesterday and I was like no its her sister and she's worse! LOL =p She didn't dive off the board, but she did go off the side. :o)

Karissa tends to do this where she starts to dive and turns around and does it as a pencil. Well to be funny I did that off the diving board, except it wasn't too funny when I got yelled at for doing it! OOPSY! LOL

So anyways, thats it. :) I am going to enjoy this final day of no 7.5 year old pulling me around. LOL Later!

Why do people do that?!

Ok this is a random picture, but thats the view I had watching the fireworks and you can see the North side's in the distance. :o)

Ok so I am like so tired from the past 2 days. Swimming, and yet the weather is going to turn crappy tomorrow again. :( Oh well, as long as its decent when Gaia's here. ;)

One thing I am not getting about being here still after 5 years just about is why is everyone in your business?! Well and another thing its none of their business and how I see it. I am so sick of it! And the never-ending of putting words in my mouth drives me crazy! Ugh!

Marci this next part is for you to read.....I am finally putting 1 and 2 together with the Butterfly stroke, still don't have it right, but I finally am getting the kicking part right, have the arms right, can put them together, its doing the 2 together and doing them the correct way. Does that make sense?! I have no clue what I am doing wrong still, but at least I am trying. I still have the flashbacks of my step-cousin pushing me down and holding me under, but its MENTAL more than anything. (the fear that is) But its a hell of a lot more than I was doing 3 years ago, or 2 years ago, whenever it was. LOL

But there's another part to that whole thing also, but I am not going there. I was talking to some one I went to middle and high school with and she was telling me that some one we went to HS with died of cancer. I was shocked to hear that! We were talking about a group in Columbus performing "Rent" and mentioned one of the songs and that it was played at his funeral. (I'll Cover You Reprise) It was sad to hear that, and knowing now who he married, I knew the last name and such, but she said they got married 4 months before he passed away. So sad.

Well thats it. :) Saturday Gaia comes....how many more days till Saturday....2????

I am ready to see the sun!!!!

For you Marci---Caroline dressed up for the 4th. :)

It is 6:15am on Tuesday morning, I can't fall back to sleep. =( I did this one day last week and fell back to sleep eventually, but ugh my back is itching like crazy at the moment and driving me up a wall. =(

So the question of the day is will there be more than an hour of the sun shining today? Not that I am complaining about having some rain, but I HATED the last 2 days of not really seeing a bit of sun!

So this weekend, Gaia is coming for her yearly visit with my parents. =o) She's going to be doing a Tennis camp when she's here from 12:30-4:00 Monday-Thursday, with Friday being a make-up day if it rains. There's a girl that Gaia knows from last summer thats doing the same camp. LOL So it will be nice, if she likes it. The other thing I wanted to do was take her to go paint pottery at Colors N Clay, so that if we do it will be Friday or Saturday. I am YES looking forward to her visiting, but its like a brace yourself situation. She can be as sweet as a daisy, but as mean as a bumble bee. It takes so much out of me when she's here too and this year if she mouths off or something, she'll be sent home.

Ugh the joys of having a 7 year old niece. ;) Well thats it, I am going to try and fall back to sleep.

Update on Weight-Loss

There's a picture from last night's fireworks!

I have lost 5 pounds basically now! Woohoo! Only 45 more to go to the money and 15 more till I earn that massage! =p hehehe

Happy 4th of July!

Happy 4th of July! That's a picture from last year of the fireworks. :)

So other than going to watch fireworks and swimming, nothing going on here. My parents went to the beach for the day, which I swear is stupid! :rolls eyes:

I realized something though yesterday. A little kid was in the 4ft area of the pool, he was there with a group of people that consisted of his parents and cousins and such. Our pool you can easily go from having your head above the water to not. And for a kid, that scares them to death. Well I was in the shallow end, but not near where this little boy was, but I came up and the thing I saw was the lifeguard jumping down off the stand and into the water. As I turned to see what was going on, this little boy was flailing his arms and my heart just jumped to my throat. It scared me to think it takes a split second and a kid can be under water. It made me think about Gaia's upcoming visit, and I know she can swim, but it could've easily been her. It could be her one day and that little event made me think how quickly a kid could drown.

I've been in that little boys situation before. I have heard the story so many times, but I jumped in the deep end when I was 3 and couldn't come up. But just like this little boy's mom did, my parents made sure I got back in and wasn't scared. Usually an event like that will scar a kid, but its one thing you have to do in that situation.

So a week from now, Gaia will be here visiting. Scary to think, huh?! ;) I am looking forward to it, but hoping the weather doesn't interfere and we are stuck inside the entire time. ;) hahaha

Stay safe tonight. Later!

The never ending HEAT!!!!!!!!!

Well here's a picture of flowers that have probably now died thanks to the dang heat!!! =p

Ok so where have I been lately?! Apparently I can't update this blog anymore. LOL I am getting really bad about doing it.

So the past what few days I have been swimming and going through crap and throwing out stuff, deep cleaning my room...etc! Nothing too exciting, right?! LOL

So fastforward to today....Kate called me this morning before 12:00 and asked what I was up to and if I wanted to go hang out at the pool. I was like yeah sure, I have to SLOP on the sunblock and such before I come and such. Took me about 30 minutes to get out the door. LOL I wound up getting down there at 12:30 and saw Kate's car in the parking-lot, but couldn't find her when I first walked in. I finally did after being asked why I was up there that early and its like why the heck does it matter?! :smacks head:

So Kate and I hung out, talked, swam and such. I swam probably a total of an hour and 15 minutes....maybe just an hour. I hate being out in that sun at that early hour. So I really wanted to go see Peanut (Kate's new kitty) and they were having Chinese for lunch and that sounded really good. LOL So I went over to see the kitty, and she's as cute as ever. :) I was going to stay, but I really wanted to go home and rest.

So on my way home, I got a phone call from my mom asking me where I was. I was like I am almost to the front gate, why? Thinking she was going to have me pick up the mail or whatever. No she called to tell me my aunt that lives here has her two grandsons and they asked if I was going to be up at the pool. So Cole's lesson got done at 2:30 and it was already about 2:30 when I was passing by the pool. No point in me going home.

So I grabbed my stuff and towel and started walking in and looked down and saw I forgot the keys to the golf cart, so I had to walk back to get them! I would loose my head if it wasn't attached, I swear. So again I walked in, I am sure the lifeguards were sick of me coming and going by that point! ;)

So Cole and Chandler jumped in the pool and my gosh have these two ever grown. :o) I can't believe Chandler is 13 now, I still remember when he was a baby! Cole didn't like the pool on this side because of not being able to touch in many places. :( It was funny, Chandler and I were over on the diving-board and Morgan was on the stand giving us suggestions on what to do. Chandler asked me what he should do and Morgan said something, I suggested something too. I was like who are you going to listen to your flesh and blood or the lifeguard?! LOL That got Morgan, I was like he's my cousin. LOL She told him not to listen to me and its like Chandler don't worry I know her, LOL.

So finally at 5:00 I left for home for the final time, with no turning back. ;) LOL I am tired from swimming on and off all day. It was great seeing my cousins and aunt down there. =) I found out Corey and Jade are naming their girl Cailyn Jade and going to call her Caylie for a nickname. Jade is due the 11th and then Tiffany and Tommy's girl will be named Kathleen Paige and going to call her Kate, and she's due Aug 14th. Two granddaughters for my aunt and uncle who have all boys! Woohoo!

I am off here. My poor foot is still SORE from cutting it on the diving board on Monday. =o( Ugh! Night!

First Tomato and Pepper Picked Today!!!!

There's the first tomato and green pepper picked! :)

I love my dad's idea!!!!

A flower in bloom!

Ok its summer time and this is when I am swimming and such, well my mom goes if you loose 20lb by the end of the summer, I'll pay for you to get a massage in September! Well she told my dad about this adn my dad turns around and goes well I pay her $500 to loose 50lb! I love this idea totally! :o) I want to upgrade my cell phone for one thing the new one I got isn't holding together since it was dropped during the winter, but wow I love my dad's idea at the moment! :) So the ticker now at the top is my weight loss ticker and I am really going to work at loosing 50lb to get that money! Woohoo!!!!!

Happy Father's Day!

Look I have reddening tomatoes!!!!!!! I have about 5 of them at the moment on the four plants. ;)

Happy Father's Day to all of the fathers out there. A special shout-out to my grandpa, dad and my brother who are all celebrating the day. My dad is watching golf and I am sure my grandpa is too. :) My brother got Gaia for part of the day.

So this weekend it was like near 100 on Saturday and in the 90's today with no relief insight. Well I take that back, today there was a breeze and when you got out of the pool, that air hit you right, it gave you a cold chill. If that is even possible! ;)

I could've just smacked Ashlyn for this today, but I was swimming around the pool and I swore I heard my name be called, but went under like seconds later and didn't hear it again. So I was being a motivator for my neighbor down the street and trying to get her to swim across the pool in one breath short-ways. ;) It was then I heard Morgan say my name, and I had water in my ears and there were a bunch of people there and so I couldn't hear her. She said she had heard about my belly-flop the other day and I was like Ashlyn you have a big mouth!!!! LOL (I know it was her that told Morgan, because Ashlyn was on the stand when I did it) So they were begging me to do one and I was like, omg I will, but Morgan was leaving in like minutes and its like something happens u have to jump in! ;) Well it HURT worse than the last time I did it. Ugh and plus like my chest smacked more than my stomach and I couldn't catch my breath at first and coughing makes me think to breath after I can.

Morgan I hope you went to your interview happy after that! ;)

So to top that off, I did something to my knee on the diving board too. Ugh I swear....it wasn't my day!

So thats it. Marci sorry I missed your call earlier.

Here comes the heat!!!!!

Those are the plants from the seeds we planted way back when. Can't remember exactly when, but this has some beautiful flowers on it. :)

I am really beginning to HATE this time of the year already. Its already going to be near 100 this weekend! UNREAL! I remember that happening more in August in Ohio, here it comes in June!

I am really beginning to hate living in a small town. I am not going into detail about why, but it just pisses me off that everyone is so nosey around here about every little thing they here about you or some one else. Its none of their damn business for one thing. Ugh, another thing, if you are going repeat something, you need to get it right or say NOTHING!

So yesterday I saw a girl up at the pool that I haven't seen in a long time. Last thing I heard about her was that she was pregnant about to have a baby at any point. Well that was all true and I got to see pictures of the little baby! He's so cute!!!! =)

Oh yeah I forgot to mention in my last post, on my way back to NC, my aunt and I passed just southwest of Pittsburgh and I saw the exit to head toward Somerset, where the Flight 93 memorial is. Then looking at a map of where the plane crashed, was when I realized how close we were to it. We were stretched for time, but I was that close! Can you believe it?! Ugh! I will get there one of these days! LOL

Thats it! Till next time...