Not exactly how I had planned....

.......on starting the New Year! Scratchy throat, runny nose, yucky tummy.....(sigh).....hopefully short lived. I am missing out on a family celebration in San Clemente with my hubster and children.....I am sad to have to stay behind, and make an indentation on the couch today. Well, at least hubster and I enjoyed an amazing Maine lobster dinner last night! Now, this quiet time has given me time to contemplate the New Year's resolutions.....still not decided upon them. Of course, I ALWAYS have "get in shape" - however, I was proud of myself when going skiing on Thursday, and had to utilize my arms to get me through some slush, and was not sore at all the next day! I thank my workout instructor! So, I guess I am on the right track....I will just try to pump it up a little....care to join me????

What's for dinner....

....some days I just don't know what to make for the kids for dinner.....pizza, chicken nuggets, pasta.....???? Boring....same old, same old! I just want a quick, easy dinner that is HEALTHY! That is TASTY! Is that hard to ask? I have discovered that ground turkey can be a winner in more than one way....turkey meatballs, turkey burgers, baked ziti with turkey sauce....I have also learned of a really great salmon cake recipe....I have yet to try that one....rotisserie chicken from Costco is a good one....but by the time dinner time comes around, I don't know about you moms out there, but I cannot think anymore. Hubster and I eat later and we don't want the kids to eat that late because they need to digest, so, here I am making my 5th meal of the day, and dinner is the most difficult...ugh...they have to eat, right? LOL.....well, it is time to go make dinner for the kids, so, over and out....

What happens when....

.....you just want to give up? I want so much to be the best mom that I can for my kids, and I expect my husband to do the same, and I just feel like he is lazy. I feel like so many women that I know are stronger than men. We carry and bare the children, we basically raise them, we set the standard for the values, all I ask is that we live the same standard that we expect of our children, I don't understand why he does  not understand that. I am hurt that he does not hear this from me. I don't want my kids to grow up in a broken home or a home where mom and dad are not "in love" or loving each other. I find it difficult to be close when he does not live up to the standard that he knows I want to uphold. I am at a crossroads right now. I hope that it all works out, because I do not want to hurt my kids. It sure is not easy to be the ones trying not to follow in the footsteps of both or our parents.

Where were you tens years ago.....

...today? I remember very clearly what transpired that day for me. I had just woken up to get ready for work, my husband of ONE month (exactly) and I turned on the news to check out the weather, etc., and could not believe our eyes. In horror, we watched the news of the twin towers being struck by a plane, then the other, then the pentagon, then heard of the plane going down in PA......it was absolutely unbelievable. Unbelievable. Unreal. Our workplace was closed down for the day, much like the rest of the U.S. As we spent the day absorbing the news, loving and appreciating what we had, taking it all in, pondering the repercussions of these violent actions taken against our nation...what we going to happen next? Who did this? Why? Why? Why? Then to be at war for the past ten years....and here we are today, as if it happened just yesterday. We will never forget, I will never forget. It is a moment in time, that will forever be embedded in my mind. I am thankful to be here, in this wonderful and free country.....I am thankful for my loved ones, and that I have a small piece of the world with a roof over my head, and a beautiful family, all thanks to our troops protecting and serving us. For that, I am forever grateful....so, I will take a moment of silence today, at 9:11PM, PST, to say a little prayer and light a candle as a small token of appreciation......

The beginning of school is like....

....a tsunami! A good friend made this analogy to me on Wednesday, and it was like a light bulb. All of the paperwork, the sign-ups, the new carpools, the activities: soccer, football, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, play dates, packing the lunches, the PTA meetings, the back to school nights, the room mom meetings, the beginning of the school fundraiser that I am chairing....etc....the list goes on and on. I just want it to be summer again! I am an organized person, I make lists, I am neat....not this month....my house is a mess, I am exhausted, and I don't know when I will be able to get it all together....there are birthday parties, sports photos, visitors coming.....no end in site. But you know what...my life is so full of joy, friends, family, and although my cup runneth over, I am so lucky to have this life!!!!

How can you prepare for life's...

......hand outs that you were just not prepared to deal with? It is with a heavy heart that I am going to talk about the loss of an amazing person today. My friend, Kristin George Porter, is now at rest after a short battle with cancer. No battle is short, it is all relative. She only found out last April, 2010. She had been treated and was doing well....I only found out in December of 2010. She started not to feel well again at the beginning of 2011. She was being treated, however, things did not seem to be working....she had an amazing 40th birthday celebration...her husband surprised her with a trip of a lifetime. Then, there was a tumor found on her brain which was removed on Friday, June 24, 2011. Success....however, the cancer of the liver was too much for her body to bear. She lost her battle today, Tuesday, June 28, 2011. She made a trip out to CA earlier this year to visit family, I asked her if she could visit again. She emailed me when she got back and said that she was very much needing to rest....her body was very tired. But promised next time......next time......next time......there is no next time. I held on to that and had so much hope that she was going to win the battle....she did not. Now, her beautiful soul is in heaven....we are all just shells, and our souls live on forever....until next time, Kristin....I love you, and hope that Brian, Elise and Gardner will be at peace now that you are not suffering. Thank you for being in my life, it is that much richer for it.

Girlfriends....

....really GET you.....I am SO thankful that I have the most amazing friends! About a year and a half ago, I thought that I would put together a monthly event where women would get together, talk, eat, drink and be merry SANS hubby and kids. We call it "GNI" aka Girls' Night In. The idea is that we don't spend a lot of money, we all get to know each other, we all talk about kids, hubby, life, jobs, what-have-you, and get to have some time to ourselves. As a matter of fact, last night was the June GNI, and one of my friends said that this was just about the only time she gets out. For a lot of moms, it is true. I have to say, that last night, I had the most amazing discussion with a dear friend of mine....such a great conversation that I now have a girl crush (lol), she is just an amazing soul....she has a heart of gold, she has an amazing drive for life, and her family, and her friends, I just love her. This is a thank you to her for being just what I needed last night because I almost didn't go....so glad that I did. She nailed it....she is the one that turned it into a great time for me. All of the women who go are amazing! Each time, it is a little bit of a different group, which makes it so much fun. Thank you ladies for participating and making a little something to look forward to each month! I am so thankful for my girlfriends!!!! ;)