allergies.....

It's that time of year again... of course, lately, it seems to be that time of year several times a year... My eyes are itching, I'm sneezing constantly and.. worst of all... I have this annoying feverish feeling to my face. I don't have a fever, but I'm miserable. Not enough to be stuck in bed, but just enough to really tick me off... This goes on until I have had enough and I take a Benadryl, which promptly sends me off into a Benadryl coma for a few hours. Arrgh..

I wish it would rain or we'd have a hard freeze. It is WAYYY too warm for January. It's just not right to be wearing shorts on January 3rd.

Pro-life links

Came across this extensive list of Pro-Life sites.

Wouldn't it be cool to be here?

Someday, I'll be in Times Square for New Years Eve. This will do for now :)

not quite a snob.

You haven't quite cut that snob mustard, Bec. Being 50% snob doesn't make you properly stuck-up but nor does it condemn you to burn in middle-class hell. Unless you want to hang in snob limbo forever, brush up on those P's and Q's, buy yourself some fruit knives and start lying about your education quick.

Here is the link

Happy New Year!!!!

We spent a quiet evening at home and brought in the New Year with sparkling cider. May 2004 be a better year than 2003. I've made a few resolutions (don't I always), so ...lucky you.. I'll share them with you!

1. To quit leaving the house looking like a hairball. Years ago, I "couldn't" leave the house if a hair was out of place. The pendulum has swung far the other way and I really need to quit "not caring." I am not talking about looking like a model; A little extra hair spray and a little makeup wouldn't hurt.

2. To try to be more organized. Most of my frustrations stem from my own lack of organization. This includes scheduling my time better.

3. To do more bulk cooking. Okay, maybe not the once a month stuff, but I can make at least a few meals with my crockpot and freeze some of them for those days that I "don't feel like cooking" (yeah.. I *never* have those days LOL)

4. To push the kids harder in their school. They've been slacking a bit and I've enabled it.

5. Of course, last, but not least, to pray more. I can only achieve these and my other unwritten resolutions with His help.

100

Due to writer's block and a need to get my mind on other things, I'll copy an idea I have seen on other blogs... so here are :: drumroll :: 100 assorted facts about me:

100. Slob... er... neat-challenged.
99. Own way too many books.
98. Quite the shutterbug, having studied Photography in college.
97. Divorced for about 10 years now.
96. Mom of two teens (wait, you knew that.. nevermind.)
95. Both kids were preemies, born by C-sections.
94. Planned to open my own studio before the boys came along.
93. Hate salad dressing.. have to have Hellman's on my sandwiches.
92. Work out of my home doing medical transcription.
91. I was in JROTC in high school.
90. Used to have pen-pals all over the world when I was a kid.
89. My first of 3 pregnancies was a miscarriage.
88. My first car was an ugly yellow chevy impala hand-me-down that my friends in high school called the banana boat.
87. I married my high school boyfriend.
86. Favorite color is Hunter Green.
85. First job was in a clothing store.
84. Was in Vatican square for Pope John Paul II's first New Years blessing (1979.)
83. Army "brat."
82. Went to 3 different schools when I was in 5th grade (we were moving to Germany for 4 years.)
81. Baby of the family; I have an older brother.
80. Just learned to knit this year.
79. Listen to country music.
78. Hated country music until it was forced on me by co-workers at my first full-time job.
77. Need to lose weight.
76. I've ridden in a gondola in Venice (the water was gross.)
75. Spent the night in a tiny castle in Germany.
74. Two words: Road trips!
73. Favorite chocolate: Reese's peanut butter cups. (See #77.)
72. Earned 2 certificates of completion from college (two different 1-year programs) , but no degree.
71. Halfway to an associates degree in commercial art (hope to finish before I'm 40.)
70. Wanted to be a writer when I was a kid.
69. First new car I bought on my own was a Geo Metro. Kids' reaction: "That's a LITTLE car."
68. I'm the "dark" one. My brother is the "light" one. You'd never guess we were brother and sister.
67. My mom is the dark one. My aunt and uncle are the light ones. Same as #68.
69. My kids are light too. Coworker on seeing kid #2: "He can't be yours."
68. We say the rosary as we set out on road trips.
67. Big Lonesome Dove fan.
66. Collected dolls and stamps as a child.
65. Have worked 2nd and 3rd shifts in a hospital.

to be continued....

News!

yesterday was quite a day. Can't go into any specifics yet cause I don't know all the details, but if yesterday was a movie, it would be called "News."

Found out my family in Panama may have a stroke of luck business-wise and I'm hoping everything turns out well. They have been going through a rough period (for a few years) and if all goes well, they will be doing much better. That was such a relief to hear and I'll be praying for them (feel free to add yours!)

The other bit of news I got wasn't as welcome or joyous. My DxH has decided to go work overseas and will be leaving shortly. His decision. The boys are taking it all in stride, as he has done this before. He was gone about 1-1/2 years about 3-4 years ago. I guess I should see the "bright" side of all this, that I will have more weekends to spend with them, but ... anyway. He had hinted about it a ways back and even had the company hiring him call me as a reference. (I was a bit miffed about that, but answered their questions as honestly as I could.) Now, it looks like he's really going to accept this job. Old faithful that I am, I'll be driving him to the airport when he goes. Joyce, I'm probably going to be talking your ear off; you know where to find me!

Anyway, please keep my family (all branches) in your prayers??

...talking back to machines..

One of my main resolutions in the coming year is to not get into verbal altercations with my printer.

Here is a recent one we had:

:: printer humming along until there is a paper jam, at which point I frantically try to get the paper out in between swipes of the ink cartridge ::

Printer: Problem communicating with the printer
Me: yeah yeah I know.
Printer: Paper is jammed.
Me: No duh, Sherlock. What was your first clue?

I finally got the paper out.

Printer: Please add paper to the auto sheet feeder.
Me: Okay okay. Hold yer horses.
Printer: Thank you!
Me: You're quite welcome.

I have to add my kids are always in the background giggling.