2 Blog Awards!

WOW, can you believe that I was just awarded not one but TWO blog awards?  I'm so excited!   Jinnia was sweet enough to pass these two onto me and I must say that is a lovely way to start out my weekend!  Thank you so much Jinnia!  Make sure you head over to Jinnia's blog and check her out!

The way this award works is you must:
a) Thank the person who gave you this award
b) Tell 7 things about yourself
c) nominate 15 newly discovered blogs to share this award!

7 things you may not know about me:

1. I have ugly feet!  It's true!  Anyone who has ever worn a pair of pointe shoes can understand why my feet are so ugly!  Just ask Rachel or Stacy!  ;o)  sorry ladies but you know!

2.  My mom is by BEST FRIEND!  She's new to blogging, as of yesterday, so run on over and give her some love or some blogging advice!  She only has one post, so you dont' even have to look around much!  LOL

3.  I have milked a cow.  It's true, I have just once and let me tell you they make it look much easier on TV.  Milking me was easier than milking the cow! (When I was nursing that is)

4. I am having an affair with Wal-Mart.  I figure it must be true  I give more of my money to Wal-Mart than I do my husband, I spend more time at Wal-Mart than I do with my husband, and I look forward to going there - so that must equal an affair right?

5. I was an insurance sales person.  Well not anymore but I was once, that means that I was that annoying person that called you during your meal time and would try not to let you off the phone.  :o)  sorry if you were one of my victims.

6.  I'm not a good telemarketer -  that's why I WAS an insurance sales person!

7.  I cried so much during We Are Marshall I had a migraine when it was over, and I refuse to watch it again.  Every time I hear them chant "WE ARE" "MARSHALL"  I start tearing up again!


New blogs that I've found and look forward to reading more from:

1. http://paintsplotches.blogspot.com/
2. http://www.southernbellesimple.com/
3. http://mommygator22.blogspot.com/
4. http://motherhoodthetruth.blogspot.com/
5. http://heathersviewfromtheshoe.blogspot.com/
6. http://vandylandmommy.blogspot.com/
7. http://whathappensatnaptime.blogspot.com/
8. http://www.bethszimmerman.com/
9. http://mommyhoodnextright.blogspot.com/
10 http://skootsonemom.blogspot.com/
11. http://noturavgmom.blogspot.com/
12. http://babblingsofamommy.blogspot.com/
13. http://destinationlife-amy.blogspot.com/
14. http://lindseyatlovinmylife.blogspot.com/
15. http://mommyinbetween.blogspot.com/


Award #2

1. http://mommyinbetween.blogspot.com/
2. http://vandylandmommy.blogspot.com/



Don't forget to enter my giveaway!

Blog Makeover, a Give Away & New Friend Friday~!

As you see my blog has changed a little. On Tuesday I was trying to view the post that I was working on, and do you know what I saw? A very ugly blog! I was shocked! Actually I was a little confused, so I clicked on over to The Cutest Blog On The Block and found out that the background I was using was GONE!!!!!!!


So this is the only header that I could find that was still "happy" looking and summery and country all in one. I really liked the weathered wooden fence look, but this is my new look. Until I learn to design my own or until I win that giveaway that Amber has going on right now and get myself a FREE BLOG MAKEOVER(it ends on the 31st so if you are interested in entering you should head on over)! That's what I need! A FREE blog make over!
But before you head over to Amber's make sure that you enter my giveaway!






This Friday I have decided to enter a new blog hop - :

The Girl Creative and The Trendy Treehouse have officially teamed up to co-host New Friend Fridays! Each week you will have the chance to add a link to your main blog to the ever growing list below. New Friend Fridays is a fun blog hop where it's all about making new bloggy friends and offering meaningful comment support to other bloggers. Whether you add your link to the list at The Girl Creative or The Trendy Treehouse it's all just one great big list.





The Rules are Simple:



Add a link to your main blog

Visit the blog of the person whose name is above and below your name in the list and leave a meaningful comment on their blog.

Visit as many blogs as you can and leave comments telling them you are visiting from New Friend Fridays at The Girl Creative or The Trendy Treehouse.

There is no obligation and no pressure to follow everyone who follows you. Please just follow the blogs that are of interest to you. :)

Family Friendly Blogs ONLY please. Explicit sites will be removed.





****I'm still having some troubles with the new layout - if you want to leave a comment you must click on the blog title...I am working to fix this****

My First Giveaway!

I was waiting until I got 50 followers, but I seem to be stuck at 41.  I still want to do a give away, and I am not the most patient person in the world.  So since this seems to be my desire for several weeks now and I can't shake the urge to do it, I'm just going to post this give away and hope for the best :)

Why I chose this product:

I truly believe that everyone (with that I mean every woman) deserves some me time and pampering. I don't have a lot of time to myself and one of the few things that I use to pamper myself is Mary Kay's Satin Hands.  I just love this stuff!  I perosnally have "old" looking hands.  They are dry and rough, and they have lots of lines.  I use this and my hands seriously feel like Satin!  They are so soft and it smells good to!  So my first give away will be this:

I was a dance teacher and I taught pointe.  Being on my feet like that in dance shoes made my feet dry and ugly!  I use this on my feet too!  LOVE IT! Because I love this stuff so much I want to share it with you!

Here are the rules:
1. You must be a public follower of my blog
2. You must "Like" me on Facebook (it's a new page)
3. Blog about my give away and leave me the link so I can find it!
4. And you need to leave a comment here to let me know you want to be entered!

That's pretty simple.

This give away will end on August 6th.

Trash talk

Yesterday I posted about being a good wife.  I'm really trying here, you know what I mean?  I was a single mother for a while, so it's not like I don't have experience taking off the garbage and cutting the grass.  Well I do.  I cut my own grass with a push mower for several years, but I never really took the trash off - I bagged it, and had it ready for my mom's workers to take off for me.

Last weekend (that would not be the one that just ended, the one before that) I told my husband, not to take the trash, let's spend some time together, go to the river hang out.  I will take the trash off after he's gone to work during the week.  (remember he got a new job).  ANYWAY... when I went to get the lawnmower out on Friday I was pretty sure that something had died in my back yard. 

Oh the smell..... getting cat back here

Well the hubby wasn't very happy about that, but I assured him that I would take it off on Monday (yesterday) let's not deal with it, since he's only home on Saturday and Sunday.  So when I got off work on Monday I borrowed my dad's truck and loaded up the garbage before the CSI came over to look for a body or something like I had promised.  I guess right here I should tell you that I did start to take the garbage off...well I cleaned out the refrigerator planning on taking the garbage off.  I just got side tracked with something else, and forgot. 

Back to the trash talk:  So I went to take the garbage out yesterday after work and let me tell you how nasty it was.  Actually I'm not gonna tell you how nasty it was.  Lets just say that the smell made me want to puke, and one of my cow feeding gloves went missing.  So with trash full of ants and other stuff (yuck) and the horrible smell and ONLY ONE GLOVE I went off to take the trash.  Evidently there is an art to packing the trash in a truck, because I had to stop not once, not twice, but three times to pick up trash that blew out of the truck.  A pizza box, a box that the COKE's came in, and a Gatoraide box.  I thought I had them all secure, but evidently not.

And again I got whistles and shout outs but no help!!!!  Is chivalry a thing of the past? Come on now men help a girl out!

I bet you  if I still looked like this I'd of gotten some help!:

this is 6 years and 30 pounds ago!

I think that dealing with ants, maggots and trash should shoot me right up there to the GOOD WIFE HALL OF FAME even with out finishing off the grass! If there is a Good wife hall of fame.  (I seriously doubt it though).

I did learn a good lesson, I will be taking the trash off every couple of days and I will never again clean out the refrigerator unless I'm taking the trash off immediately!

The Good Wife

Since the hubby is gone during the week and works on "side jobs" on Saturday mornings, I try to have the outside work done before he gets home on Friday nights.  If I get this done he has more time with us and less time working.  I'm not one of those ladies that can't cut grass or take off the garbage.  I don't see this as his work or my work. I am fully capable of cutting the grass.  With that being said, you should know that although we live in a small house, our yard is very large.  Before we were married I only had a push mower and I pushed this yard myself for several years.  When Wes moved in, he bought a riding mower and quite honestly it has made cutting the grass much easier than I remember :). 

However the ditch is still a pain in the butt.  It is really deep so you can't just use the riding mower, you have to push it. 

Not to mention, I'm really scared of a riding mower.  Doesn't that sound crazy?  I am, I can just see it turning over on me and while I am lying there hurt who is gonna take care of Cam?  I know he is almost 12, but still it scares me.  (He doesn't even need anyone to "take care" of him anymore!)  Still, the riding mower scares me.  So I cut the whole yard with the riding mower and when I got to the ditch I pulled out the push mower that I got used 11 years ago.  Yes that it's probably the first model of gas mowers ever! 

I think it's harder now because I am older, fatter the ditch must be deeper than it was 11 years ago, but let me tell you how hard it was!  I seriously thought I was going to fall into the ditch gasping for air and dying of a heat stroke  to fall out from the manual labor heat.  While working myself to a good stinky sweat these men kept riding by the house yelling things like "hey baby" and just whistling in general. 

While I was thinking to myself I still got it it would be nice if instead of whistling out the window you would stop and help a lady out!  I worked hard on the yard and the ditch, but unfortunately I got a little over heated and slid down the ditch with a push mower that doesn't cut off if you let go of the handle.  That scared the crap out of me!  So I quit a little more than half way through the ditch and left it for the hubby.  Does that make me a slacker?  I dont' think so.  I think that it still makes me a good wife, instead of having to spend a couple of hours on the yard he had to spend 20 minutes on the yard, and we went to Home Depot for some Round up - no more ditch mowing for me!  Yeah!

Hope you all had a great weekend - and are ready for a wonderful week!

5 Years Ago Today

On this day 5 years ago I was so tired I could hardly walk because I had stayed up all night in the waiting room of the hospital waiting on you.  Cam tried to sleep in a chair, but he was so excited that he couldn't sleep either. Every time a baby would roll pass the waiting room our whole crowd would run to the door trying to get a peek.  The nurses would roll their eyes and say, she's still in labor we will tell you when the baby's born.  We knew they were annoyed with us, but we didn't care, we loved you and you were not even here yet.

When we did finally get to see you it was only for a minute, but that minute was worth the hours of waiting!  You were such a beautiful little baby, so sweet and so tiny. How can a 5 pound 9 ounce baby steal your heart?

You are the only little girl born to the our clan, the last baby born to this group was 7 years old- your birth was a VERY BIG DEAL!

You steal our hears with every giggle, every word and every twirl.

The adults are not the only ones crazy about you.  Your smile lights up the room and you light up our lives!

You bring joy to our hearts in ways that you will never know!

We love you so much, and we are so glad to celebrate this day with you!

Happy Birthday!

True Story Tuesday!

Today is True Story Tuesday, and of course I am late posting!  If you want to read up on some true stories link up with Rachel & Mr. Daddy!


Last week I think I told you all that my husband found a job working out of town. He is staying away during the week and returning home on the weekends.  It's not that far, only about an hour or so away, but still when you are accustomed to having your honey home, it's a big change.  When he is away we are all a little on edge.  Cam stays home during the day, by little brother lives next door and the Drug Enforcement Division of the local Police Department is across the street, so there isn't much to worry about.  Add to those factors one large rottweiler and he's pretty safe.  My mom's office is also 2 doors down.

Anyway, when my hubby is out of town the rottweiler is quite aggressive, so we don't worry about anyone coming up in our yard.  When Cam is home alone he often brings the dog inside as he did on Tuesday of last week.  He was in the laundry room (because I make he do laundry while he is home alone - I'm mean like that) putting clothes in the dryer a car pulled into our yard, and stopped behind our house.  So Cam grabbed his phone and called me.  This is a re-cap of our conversation:
Cam: Mommy - two people just pulled up in our yard.  they are driving a white 90's model Honda,  there is a black man and a black woman. 

Me: Okay - I'll call Memaw and have her run down there.

Cam: Mommy they are fighting in the car.  I'm scared

Me: (phone's in both ears - one has my mom - the other has Cam) Mom - go to the house someone is in our yard. Cam is scared  - Cam memaw is on the way

Cam: they are leaving - oh wait - the police is pulling in and making them stop

Me: okay - well everything is fine - Memaw will be right there

Cam: Mommy he is pulling his gun - I'm really scared, I don't want to be here anymore- please come get me - he has his gun, the guy in the Honda is out of the car

Me: I'm on the way!  Gotta go Benji (my boss)

When I got home, the Drug Enforcement Officer had his gun drawn on the guy in the car.  And my drive way was blocked.  My mom had Cameron in her car and was trying to watch the commotion without being noticed.

Before going out of town, my hubby asked the officers to watch out for my house - glad they did!

Letter to New Mothers

When I had my son, so many people gave me their well intended often unsolicited advice about what I should and shouldn't do.  I was so sure that those people didn't love their children as much as I love mine, because they seemed to never hug and cuddle them.  They always complained about how they wish their child would cuddle and sit on their laps, but (insert name here) just doesn't like that.  So I want to tell you about how that advice helped me.

1.  NEVER LET THE BABY SLEEP WITH YOU: I left my x-husband when Cam was 8 weeks old (yes you read that correctly) and moved in with my dad who had a spare bedroom.  That bedroom had a twin bed, and a dresser, his computer table and several other things.  There was no room for a crib, that is when Cam started sleeping with me.  I moved out a month later and I enjoyed the cuddle time with him, when we would wake up in the mornings we would lay in bed an sing songs, and play tickle games.  Do you know what that did to him?  Absolutely nothing.  Now when he wakes up he comes into my room and we lay in bed and talk, and we talk about everything.  Before school we pray that it will be a good day, blessed with happy memories and good grades.  There is nothing that that child will not talk to me about.  He's the same way with my husband. We love those morning discussions.

2. DON"T ROCK YOUR BABY TO SLEEP HE NEEDS TO LEARN TO GO TO SLEEP ON HIS OWN:  I rocked Cam until he didn't want me to rock him anymore.  Guess what, I no longer rock him.  He did actually tell me one night that he was going to bed like a big boy.  It BROKE my heart! I loved those nights when I rocked him to sleep.  It was so sweet.  I can't sing with out the dogs howling (yes its that bad) so I would whisper things like "Mommy loves you so much" and rub his face and rub his eyes closed.  When he was 2 or 3 he started whispering back "I wub you too mommy" rubbing my face with is little hand.  Those are the best memories!  When he was really tired and he wanted to go to bed early, he would crawl into my lap and say "I just wub you mommy, lets rock in your chair"

3.  DON"T GO TO THEM AT NIGHT LET THEM CRY IT OUT SO THAT THEY LEARN TO SLEEP THROUGH THE NIGHT: I never let Cam cry it out, and he sleeps through the night.  He has been since he was very little.  Babies don't cry because they want to, they cry because something is wrong.  Why make him feel as if his needs are unimportant to you.  Once I ignored Cam when he cried out, it was only a small cry and only lasted a second. I woke up to him lying in vomit and it was dried to his face.  They cry for a reason. period.

4. LISTEN TO YOUR HEART: You will find that you know what is right for your baby.  Books are good, they are informative. All the "What to Expect" books are great.  They were like the handbook that kids don't come with.  Beware of books that tell you how to raise your kids, those will cause regrets later.  Books that tell you how to deal with certain situations like ear aches, stomach virus', and teething that's what you need.  You know how to discipline your child, and teach him/her the things that are important, you don't need a book for that.

If you want a loving, snuggling, caring baby you have to be a loving, snuggling, caring parent.  If you want a baby that doesn't want to snuggle and cuddle, then don't snuggle and cuddle him.  You can't expect your toddler to want to sit on your lap when you never held him as a baby.  You can't want your toddler/child to want to hug and kiss you, if you don't hug and kiss your baby.  Most importantly make sure you follow your heart, learn from your parents and trust your instincts.  Don't let others sway your opinions.  No one loves your child the way you do, no one knows what is right for your child except you.  After all, you are the one living with him.

TYVM - Free Therapy

Well it's free therapy day over at the Daily Dribbles and believe you me, I need some therapy this week!

To the thunderstorms that continue to scare my little dog, I know that we need the rain but it is really necessary to make all that noise and cause the power to go out?  I really didn't want to read my book, play on the Internet do laundry or anything else.  i really wanted to sit at home, alone in the dark for hours.  That really is my idea of a great night, so thank you very much!

To the scared little dog mentioned above, I don't really like to sleep so it's really no problem that you stay up all night whining and crying about the storm.  I did go to the vet and get you some "storm pills" unfortunately for me...they didn't work well.  So it was definitely a pleasure to sleep with you while you whinnied and jumped on and off the bed, ALL NIGHT LONG, so thank you very much for thinking of someone other than yourself :)  (yes I realize that she is a dog and completely understands that I have to go to work tomorrow).

To my x's :
yes I know that it was my idea to date you crazy people, but really did you all have to be nuts.  thanks to you all and your need to murder people I am terrified to stay alone now, and did I mention that my husband took a job that now has him staying away from home at night?  Now thanks to the knowledge that ANYONE can be a murdering jerk, I'm afraid to sleep without the rottie in my bed, he stinks and snores more than my husband....so thank you very much!


If you are in need of some free therapy head on over to The Daily Dribbles and hook up!

I gotta blog award!

Nya over at Mommyhood: Next Right was so kind to award me with this nifty little jewel!  This is my second blogging award and y'all I just can't tell you how great if feels to be given an award.

Now as the recipient of this award I have to share seven things with you - just seven random things.  Lets see if I can think of seven things that I've not shared here before...

1. I come from a broken home, and I thank GOD everyday for my broken home.  Because of my "broken home" I have a wonderful step-mother, and a wonderful step-father.  2 step brothers, 2 step sisters an adopted brother (and of course my "real" brother)  makes for a big family. 

http://www.cartoonstock.com/directory/b/broken_home.asp

2. I love Grey's Anatomy!  Yes I do...I just started watching it last year, but since I fell in love with McSteamy I have downloaded the seasons onto my ipod and enjoyed them while at work.

yummy :)

3. I love dogs,  they really are a persons best friend, you can tell your dog all your secrets and he will never share them! If you've had a bad day they just want to jump on your lap and love you and make all your bad thoughts melt, especially when you see that big one ready to jump on your lap! :)

Meet my dogs - Chief (the big one) Indy (his mini me)

4.  I've never been a daddy's girl, but I am and always will be a mama's girl.  She is my best friend!

My beautiful mom - 4.16.2009 when my nephew was born!

5. Some people think that I am cold hearted because people that cry don't soften me up or make me cry too, they only make me mad.  However, if someone is truly hurting I will do anything in my power to make that hurt goes away.  I will lie awake at night worrying about them, and pray so much I think God rolls his eyes when I call his name.
(I know that He doesn't roll his eyes but you get the point)

6.  I hate crickets,  they are loud at night and keep me awake.  I've spent hours in Home Depot and Lowe's trying to figure out a way to keep them out of my yard.  I don't really hate them, I just wish they wouldn't keep me up at night. :)

7. I am a member of the NRA - does that surprise you?  I firmly believe in my right to keep and bear arms, and I will fight and support any group that helps to fight to keep them.  I believe that criminals kill people guns don't.  The moment when you need the police right now they are only a phone call away - then they have to drive to your house and that could take minutes.  I have been on the waiting end of that and I prefer to protect myself. - hope that don't make yo like me less :)

http://home.nra.org/#/home

Now I get to name some blogs that I feel deserve this blog award:
The Bray Bunch
Mannland5
The Truth About Motherhood
Brittanys Blessings
Destination Life
McCrackensx4
Once Upon A Miracle
the Daily Dribbles
Four Sons
My Home and My Hips are Both Double Wide


All these blogs bring a smile to my face, I just love reading them all.  Sometimes I comment sometimes I don't.  If you want a good laugh you can always find one at Once Upon  A Miracle, The Daily dribbles, Double Wide, Four Sons or Nya's blog!  They are all great!

How I met my Husband

In October of 1999 I was a single mother, and working hard to support my one year old baby.  At the time I was a dance teacher, and  I was completely broke I needed some adult conversation :).  My second job was waiting tables at Lone Star Steakhouse. 

The week before Halloween I got really sick and had to lay out of work for a week, both at the dance studio and at the steakhouse.  Needless to say I had to miss trick or treating that year because I had to pick up extra shifts at the steakhouse.  My looser of an ex husband got Cameron that night and off I went to work.  We had all decided that we would dress up for Halloween so I went dressed like this:

And do let me tell you I was skinny at the time, and quite cute LOL -

There were two Kelly's working at Lone Star at the time and the other Kelly was a friend of mine.  We were both working that night.  The hostess came to me and said that my brother was there looking for me, and was sitting in my section.  I was really excited, I had not seen my brother in months because he was 8 hours away at college, and he had not told me he was coming home that weekend. 

I went rushing out to my table to say hello and the man sitting at my table was not my brother it was my future husband (I just didn't know it yet)- sitting there on a date with some chick dressed like this:

she looked way trashier than this and her outfit was too small

Anyway they were looking for the other Kelly so we moved them around and went on with our night.  Our very dead night since everyone in the world was out trick or treating.

The very next weekend he came back, looking for me and asked me out.  I wouldn't call it love at first sight but well we had to look twice:

Andy Griggs "She's More"

I like blue eyes, hers are green  (my eyes are green)

Not like the woman of my dreams

And her hair's not quite as long as I had planned  (I had really short hair at the time)

Five foot three isn't tall  (I'm 5"5 - but he is 6"3 so he considers me short)

She's not the girl I pictured at all

In those paint by number fantasies I've had

So it took me by complete surprise

When my heart got lost in those deep green eyes

She's not at all what I was looking for

She's more

No, it wasn't at first sight

But the moment I looked twice

I saw the woman I was born to love

Her laughter fills my soul

And when I hold her I don't wanna let go

When it comes to her I can't get enough

So it took me by complete surprise

When my heart got lost in those deep green eyes

She's not at all what I was looking for

She's more

More than I dreamed of

More than any man deserves

I couldn't ask for more

Than a love like hers

So it took me by complete surprise

When my heart got lost in those deep green eyes

She's not at all what I was looking for

She's more

Amazed by Lone Star is actually our song - but he always said that this song described our relationship from the beginning.  I've truly been blessed with a great man.  I hope to tell you soon about the first time he met my Cam.  The rest is history - we have been together every since.

True Story Tuesday

Is it just me or do these meme's make the week go by faster?  I love TST, if you want to join in, just click the button above here and link up with Rachel and Mr. Daddy.

I started competing in dance when I was in 4th grade.  One Friday night in high school I was packing for a day trip to NC for a competition.  Now when you are packing for a dance competition you are packing dance costumes, tights, makeup, hair pins, etc.  not clothes unless you are spending the night.  We were not, we would be home by 2 or 3 A.M on Sunday.

Meet my Grandmother Roof:

My grandmother (rest her soul) was a worrier, she watched the news like a hawk and believed everything the weatherman said.  The only problem is, that he was wrong more than he was right. So when she called me that night and told me to take a warm coat and good shoes because the news said snow, I quickly assured her that I would be fine, the weather man is never right anyway.  We don't get snow around here!  In my whole life we had never accumulated more than an inch or two at a time, and that was mostly ice or frozen rain. 

Well the next morning at 4:30 am, we pulled out.  I was wearing: a hot pink wind suit,  a pair of white Keds, and scrunch socks.

(remember these?)

http://www.eatliver.com/img/2009/4307.jpg
notice the wind suits?  (This is just a picture from the Internet)

And these?

Now those of us who grew up in the 80's and 90's know that you didn't wear a shirt under your wind suit jacket, just a bra.  Unless you were flat, (like I was) then it was just your jacket. No shirt, no bra nothing but the jacket.

Off to Hickory we went, excited for the competition and ready to dance.  About an hour out of town we were all staring up at the sky looking at the biggest white flakes I had ever seen in my life. **gasp**  It was starting to look like a blizzard out side!  Seriously, the interstate ramps were closing and we were driving about 15 miles an hour, people were just sliding right off the road, and not able to get back on because of the ice.  No one was hurt, just stuck, until someone could pull them out. (remember what Grandma said?  Did I listen?) **shaking head**

By the time we got to Hickory the snow was ankle deep.  When we left, we had to dig the car out of the snow - it was over the doors!  Actually we were digging in teams. When we would get one car out, they would move to another spot and we would work on another.  This went on for hours!  The snow was over my knees!  My shoes (the Keds) were soaking wet and C O L D, and if you looked at the picture of the wind suit you can see that they were not exactly warm looking. We ended up having to stay at a hotel because the interstate ramps were closed.  Our shoes and socks were soaking wet and none of us brought an extra pair. Ballet shoes are not good in snow, but I really don't see how they could have been worse than the Keds. :0)  This is where I'm not going to tell you how my friend and I put our socks in the microwave to try and dry them.  **the smell!!** (I wonder if they had to throw that microwave away)

That night I almost froze to death, seriously.  I thought I would die a death from stupidity, and my grandmother would have come to my funeral and said **I told that girl to take warm shoes and a good coat**

That's the most snow that we have ever gotten around here, but from that day on when my Grandmother called and said Kelly take warm clothes .....I did!

Changes

Well, Wes found a job.  I think that's a good thing since he's been unemployed for almost a year now (the end of July last year).  I know we needed him to find a job, the only thing is... it's an hour and a half away.  He will be living with his brother during the week and at home on the weekends.  We have done this before but it was short term, now this is long term, no less than a year. I will not pack up and leave my hometown, uproot my child for a new job, when he had not kept a job for more than 2 years since we met. 

He has always worked, but never in the same place.  What I mean is, when he was young he was a mechanic for a dealership, but right before his 21 birthday (maybe right after it) he got a DUI and could no longer work on cars because he couldn't test drive them.  Since then he's become a plumber, a very good one and he has his own plumbing license.  He has jumped from plumbing company to plumbing company since we met.  Partly because they have to go where the work is, partly because he decides he doesn't like this person or the way that person does things, and  partly because they close down.  The point is that in the last 11 years that I've know him he has not stayed with one company more than 1 maybe 2 years.  I can't uproot for a potential job, that he may quit or leave or be unhappy within 6 months.  Does that make me a bad wife?

I think that we can do this,  we have a strong relationship, we have always "made" it financially.  I'm tired of just "making" it.  I want to MAKE IT.  I dont' want to " be fine" I want to succeed.  I was enrolled in college, but now we can't afford the classes, and I NEED to finish my degree.

In his defence I've not been much better.  I did own my own dance studio for 5 years before that I worked for another dance studio for 3 years and for an accountant during that time for 3 years.  (I worked 2 jobs before Cam was born)  the dance studio wan only a few hours a week, but there I made MORE than my other job.  But since then, the last 6 years I've had 7 jobs.  One wrote bad checks, 2 were selling insurance and I did that for 3 years with 2 different companies and I sucked at both of them, a job with a title loan company that only last 2 months, and I've been with the place I work now for2 years.  I like it there, but there is no room for growth.  I want to find a place to work that I can become something else, have some benefits, get a raise sometimes. I was supposed to work here while I finished school, now it's been a year since Wes worked and I've not taken classes since Christmas. I guess I'm frustrated, my life is not where I pictured it would be at this age.  I feel like I have nothing to show for my years of work. 

Anyway I am praying that this job is a good job, a lasting job and one that he will quickly master.

Sorry for the rambling.

LOI

It's Friday - finally and I am hooking up with Julie at Four Sons for her Letters of Intent.  If you want to join in you can click the button up above.

Dear Readers,
I have had the busiest two weeks ever!  I am so sorry that I have not blogged (except on Thursday) and now I have lost one!  I'm back down to 38 and I so want to get to 50!  Oh well, that's life!

Kelly

Dear People on the Internet,

I am trying to pick my own spirits up, but after reading your comments on the crash in the newspaper I just get depressed all over again.  Can you not read about a fatal accident without saying mean things?  Without pointing out what someone may or may not have done wrong?  Can you not just say, wow she died, how awful for her family.  No you had to make remarks like: I bet she was on the cell phone, or I bet she was texting.

Well unfortunately I was there.  I would like to say that had she been on the phone when the crash happened someone would have called back right away. No one did.  Seems like her phone would have been ringing off the hook.  Also if she had been texting the phone would have still been unlocked when we picked it up.  Instead it was locked.  So leave your speculations to yourself. You were not there and no one is perfect.  People can talk about her speeding, but I don't think that there is a person out there that has not gone over the speed limit at least once in their life time, you just didn't have an accident.It's a tragedy when a young life is lost, especially if it was just an accident.  This girl wasn't in a gang, she wasn't out looking for trouble.  She was a young mother, a big sister that took her little sister to Carowinds and ball games

All I'm saying is if you don't have something nice to say, don't say anything at all. 

Thank you

I saw someone die tonight

Have you ever had one of those days that you wish you could have a second chance at?  I did.  I had that day today.

My cousin's mother is visiting from Florida (she divorced my Uncle, but we still love her).  She asked if we would come over for a cookout, and visit with her.  So I agreed. I came home and waited on Wes, I dont' know why I waited for him to get here before I changed clothes, but I did.  We were now running late, but it was no big deal.

On the way to my cousins house we came up on a wreck.  It had just happened, if we had left on time we would have been in that accident.  But that is not what changed me, maybe that should be what changed me, but it isn't.  I saw the groceries, I say the toys and the stuff on the road.  It was after I saw all of that, that I saw the girl.  She was in the road.  She was looking up, but not moving.  She was breathing, but just barely.  There was a baby seat in the car and we were afraid that maybe the baby had been thrown from the car too.  So I was looking up and down the road for a baby.  Cameron was there.  He saw it all, but we couldn't just leave.

I told Cam to pray for her, but then I went to look for the baby.  I told him not to look, just to pray.  The baby was not with her and no one was praying with her.  I didn't ask if she knew Jesus, I didn't kneel by her and say a prayer.  I cried as I walked up and down the road looking in the ditch for a baby that wasn't even there.

That girl died lying in a road, and I don't know if she knew Jesus. I didn't pray for her when I should have, I failed her as a Christian.  I let her down. I exposed my son to something that he should have never seen. If I had been on time, we would have been in that accident. Those are the thoughts that are keeping me awake tonight.  And her eyes.  Her face.  I wish I could see a picture of her smiling, maybe then I could get that image out of my mind. I know that I am throwing a pity party, but seriously my heart is grieving for this girl.  I didn't know her, I will never know her, but I don't think I will ever forget her.

"You have a great kid"

We picked Cam up from baseball camp, and of course he wanted a picture with the head coach.  Since the CWS this guy is a celebrity in my house!  When I took the picture he turned to me and said "You really have a great kid"  I just smiled and said a polite "Thank you".  You know I already know he is a great kid!

Here are some pictures.  If any of you have suggestions on how to correct these in photoshop CS4 please let me know!

 
I'm linking this up with the Wordful Wednesday from Seven Clown Circus and reposting these pictures because...well I love these pictures of my little man!